Tyco BMW’s Michael Laverty has won his first MCE British Superbike race of the year, in the final race of the season at Brands Hatch this afternoon.
But the brand-spanking new BSB champion, Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes was in contention to take his third race win of the weekend, but he crashed out while in second on the Cooper Straight, but was unhurt, paving the way for Laverty to take the win.
But the Wales-based BMW rider did not have it all his own way as he was a challenged during the second half of the race by JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison and PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne.
In the end Laverty had the edge to take the victory, but it was Ellison who took third in the championship with Byrne finishing second in the overall standings.
In race-three Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot finished in fourth to secure fifth in the series with Bennetts Suzuki’s Christian Iddon completing the top five in the last event.
Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Luke Mossey won the Rider Cup trophy with a sixth place finish today with Buchan, Hopkins, Smrz and Mainwaring rounding up the top ten.
At first it was Hopkins who got the hole-shot only for Byrne to go back into the lead at Clark Curve on the opening lap. But on lap two of twenty Laverty and Ellison decided to join the party with the JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider going up to second a rotation later.
Brookes did not get the best of starts and was in fifth until he made his move on lap six and was up to third after out-pacing Ellison at Druids, pushing the Cumbrian and Hopkins back down the field.
But Laverty was not down and out and powered through into the lead passing Byrne going into Paddock Hill Bend with fourteen laps to go. Meanwhile Brookes got in front of Byrne at Clearways on the same lap, but as the Australian was going around the Cooper Straight he clipped the curve and crashed out.
Then the battle for the win turned into a three-way scrap with Laverty leading the charge from Ellison and Byrne. But at the flag Laverty held firm and went on to bag maximum points followed by Ellison and Byrne.
The final race of the year was not without drama; young Buildbase BMW rider Lee Jackson crashed at Westfield but was unhurt. Team WD-40’s Jack Kennedy is recovering from injures sustained from the last round at Silverstone and was in too much pain to take part in race-three. Bennetts Suzuki’s Josh Waters also fell uninjured, but at Druids.
