Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes clinched a dramatic MCE British Superbike race win at Cadwell Park to do the double this afternoon. The Lincolnshire lad led again from the start, but it was on the final lap that the drama ensued.
Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brookes was never far away from the Derby resident and left it till his last lap to make a move, at Park Corner. The Aussie was leading till Mansfield where he crashed out, leaving Lowes to take the victory, followed by Halsall Racing’s Tommy Bridewell.
The Devizes swearbox had a great start from the front row and was able to match the pace of Brookes and Lowes. Bridewell did not let the two front rider’s get away and when Brookes fell the Wiltshire rider took advantage of the mistake and came away with a second place finish, his best result of the season.
Milwaukee Yamaha’s James Ellison was determined to make up for crashing out in the first race today, and from the start kept up with the other leading riders. On the penultimate lap the Cumbrian dropped back by one second but was able to stay on the bike to take third, and his much needed podium credits.
Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne was never in podium contention as he was not able to push for a top three finish. The current champ did not challenge Ellison for third and ended the race in fourth, sixth seconds behind the Yamaha.
It must have felt like déjà vu for Ryuichi Kiyonari as he found himself in a battle again with Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Chris Walker and GBmoto’s Peter Hickman. But this time the triple champ got the better of Walker and local lad Hickman to take fifth.
It was a tense race for Buildbase BMW team-mates Jon Kirkham and James Westmoreland as both riders are fighting for points to make it into the Showdown. The taller lad, Kirkham was getting better of Westmoreland but on lap seven the quiet Yorkshireman snatched the lead, and finished a place ahead of Kirkham in ninth.
Brookes was not the only Tyco Suzuki to crash out of race two, his younger team-mate PJ Jacobsen fell at Charlies on lap nine. Even though he wasn’t able to complete the race he was unhurt.
