Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brookes left it till the last corner on the final lap to take a super-tight MCE British Superbike race two win, his second of the weekend at Brands Hatch, after clawing back 20 seconds on the leading duo of Lee Costello and James Ellison in a handful of laps.
The Bringelly rider opted for intermediate tyres while the leaders were on full wets, but the decision proved correct as a drying track meant he was able to lap five seconds faster and reel in both the Halsall Kawasaki and the Milwaukee Yamaha.
With two laps to go Brookes was five seconds away from Buildbase BMW’s James Westmoreland in fourth and overtook him at Paddock Hill Bend. On the final lap Brookes had Milwaukee Yamaha’s James Ellison in his sights and made a move that stuck at Westfield, before getting the better of Halsall Racing’s Lee Costello at Clark Curve to take the win.
It is two out of two now for Brookes, with Costello clinching his best result of the year in second and his first BSB podium, with title challenger, Ellison completing the rostrum. There was drama throughout the race, starting on the very first lap. Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes fell coming out of Druids, and a few laps later Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne crashed at the same place, so the championship is still up for grabs going into the final race later this afternoon.
But the lead changed numerous times between Costello and Ellison. Both riders had full wet tyres on and on lap sixteen Costello made a move at Graham Hill Bend that pushed him firmly into the lead, until Brookes took the spoils on the final lap.
It was a great performance for Superbike rookie Costello who had his most successful race to date. Westmoreland just missed out on a podium, after slipping away from the rest of the leading rider’s and ended the race in fourth, with Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Chris Walker completing the top five.
The veteran racer was involved in a battle with Tyco Suzuki’s PJ Jacobsen and GBmoto’s Dan Linfoot for the coveted fifth spot, but in the end it was the Kawasaki that prevailed followed by the New Yorker and Englishman. Walker starts race three from the front row after a quick lap.
Samsung Honda’s Freddy Foray and Padgetts Honda rider Jakub Smrz completed the top ten, but there were other riders who succumbed to the gravel as well as Lowes and Byrne. Milwaukee Yamaha’s Noriyuki Haga high sided at Clearways, quickly followed by Halsall Racing’s Josh Waters and Bathams Honda rider Michael Rutter.
