Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes continued his winning streak to take his second victory of the MCE British Superbike weekend, during race-two at Brands Hatch.
The newly-crowned champion once again held off the charges from last year’s series winner, PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne who had to settle for second, with Tyco BMW’s Michael Laverty out pacing Moto Rapido Ducati’s John Hopkins to clinch third.
Initially Byrne got the hole-shot followed by Brookes, who was running the number one plate today, with Hopkins not far behind. On lap four Buchan edged ahead of Iddon and but went one better
and overtook Hopkins to go into third at Clearways.
But the former MotoGP racer snatched back third going into Hawthorns. On lap seven Brookes got ahead of Byrne at Derek Minter Straight and powered on ahead.
With nine laps to go Buchan got the better of Hopkins coming out of Paddock Hill and had his team-mate as his next target. But the American was not down and out and hit back a rotation later.
Tyco BMW’s Michael Laverty did not want to miss out on a possible podium position and going into Paddock Hill Bend edged closer to Hopkins in fourth. But the Wales-based rider overtook him at Druids and paved the way for another rostrum finish this year with three laps to go.
But the race was red-flagged with one lap remaining after a crash involving Anvil Hire TAG Racing’s Shaun Winfield. When the race came to an abrupt halt Hopkins held on to fourth with JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison rounding off the top five.
Buildbase BMW’s Lee Jackson, ended race-two in sixth, with Iddon, Buchan and Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot completing the top ten.
Buildbase BMW’s Richard Cooper has been ruled out of the race weekend with concussion after a qualifying crash, meaning Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Luke Mossey has closed the gap on the Riders Cup, from rival Peter Hickman with Mossey overtaking Cooper in the standings. The Cambridgeshire racer ended the second race in seventh.
There were a few incidences of track; JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Luke Stapleford crashed unhurt at Hawthorns. Team WD-40’s Jack Kennedy stopped with a technical problems at Surtees and Smiths Racing’s Billy McConnell entered the pits too.
