HM Plant Honda's Shane Byrne has taken the first British Superbike race win at Brands Hatch this afternoon as Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill was denied the championship lead by a penultimate lap overtake by a resurgent James Ellison on the Sorrymate.com Honda.
Samsung Suzuki's John Hopkins had to fight his way through the field to 12th place after his GSX-R1000 stopped on lap three but he managed to get it rolling again. His finish means the points gap is narrowed to just two points with one race left.
Swan Yamaha's Michael Laverty led off the line but was passed by Byrne into Druids on lap one. He then crashed out at the same corner two laps later and became the first of the fallers. He was followed into the gravel by Martin Jessopp and Peter Hickman.
Relentless Suzuki's Josh Brookes was the next rider to go down, losing the front on a damp patch into Paddock Hill but the Bringelly man escaped unhurt. Alex Lowes was the next to fall and then Michael Rutter retired with a broken engine.
As Byrne pulled away, Hill and Kirkham came together bending the Yamaha man's front brake lever losing him time and then another moment saw him catch his left foot in the rear wheel. He was then caught by Ellison who diced with Hill until the penultimate lap.
A backmarker gave Ellison the chance to go under a clearly unhappy Hill, putting the SMT-backed Kendal man on the podium for the first time this year. Kirkham was one place in front taking another podium with Chris Walker's Primo Kawasaki in fifth.
Tommy Bridewell took sixth ahead of James Westmoreland, Dan Linfoot and Karl Harris was the first Evo runner home in tenth place.
Grid for race two:
Byrne (pole), Kirkham, Laverty, Hopkins
Ellison, Hill, Walker, Westmoreland
Championship points:
Hopkins 629
Hill 627
Byrne 600
Laverty 590
Brookes 588
Kiyonari 521
