Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne made sure that he stood on the podium in the second MCE British Superbike race, at Oulton Park this afternoon.
The three-time champion dominated the race from the start, and was determined to make an impact from the moment the lights went out. The Kwent rider had to contend with charges from Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brookes and race one victor Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes, but crossed the line in first, three quarters of a second ahead of Brookes.
But the Aussie was not going to let Lowes get the better of him, and on the final lap the place for second changed between the two riders, with Brookes finally topping of the Lincolnshire lad.
As with race one, it was an early gap that broke the rest of the grid, and soon a fight was taking place on the Oulton Circuit. Milwaukee Yamaha’s James Ellison started from the front row of the grid, and at one point was up to third after over-taking Lowes on the straight on lap eleven. But soon the Cumbrian dropped off the pace and by lap fourteen was five seconds behind the trio of Byrne, Brookes and Lowes. It was obvious that Ellison was having problems with his bike, and by lap fifteen he made his way into the pits, with what appeared to be technical problems.
With Ellison dropping out a huge gap emerged between third and fourth. Eleven seconds behind Lowes was Buildbase BMW’s Jon Kirkham, who again had another battle with Bathams Honda's Tommy Bridewell, where it was déjà vu again on the Oulton track. Injured Bridewell could not keep up with the pace of Kirkham, as riding with a hole in his leg proved too much for the Devizes racer, and he crossed the line in a respectable fifth place.
Right behind him was Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Chris Walker, followed by another Kawasaki, that of MH Racing’s Howie Mainwaring, and Rapid Solicitors Keith Farmer. Lloyds British GBmoto stand-in Tristan Palmer finished in ninth, with Aussie rookie, Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Waters finishing the race in tenth.
It was not a great start for Buildbase BMW’s James Westmoreland and Lloyds British GBmoto rider Peter Hickman, as the two crashed into each other at Old Hall on lap one, ending their race weekend without completing a single full lap. But it was a progressive weekend for Samsung Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari, who managed to make it into the points and ended the race in twelfth.
Ellison was not the only rider to experience technical issues Two Wheel Racing’s Jenny Tinmouth entered the pits and retired after only two laps, and Halsall’s Racing’s Lee Costello went in to the pits not once put twice, and Tyco Suzuki’s PJ Jacobson quickly followed suit as his bike broke down, just outside pit lane.
It was meant to be a day of celebrations for veteran racer Michael Rutter, who made his 400th British Superbike race appearance today, but bike problems hampered his race again, and he had to return to the pits, in a repeat performance of what happened in the first race today. After an epic crash at Cascades in race one, Oulton debutant, Doodson Motorsport Honda's Robbin Harms, bike was not able to be fixed in time for him to start on the grid this afternoon.
