HM Plant Honda's Shane Byrne cruised to the second British Superbike race win at Croft this afternoon, grabbing the lead from Gary Mason on lap two to gap the field and cross the line with two seconds to spare after knocking off the pace with a couple of laps to go.
As Byrne disappeared into the middle distance, Mason had to put up with the attentions of ex-MotoGP man John Hopkins, team-mate Jon Kirkham and the Rapid Ducati of Michael Rutter while Michael Laverty was looking for a way through.
Unfortunately, Laverty had a coming together with Kirkham at Sunny In on lap one which saw them both end up under the Recticel barriers necessitating the safety car. They will be hauled up before the stewards this evening.
The remaining Samsung Suzuki of Hopkins found a way past Mason on lap six but was soon re-passed while Josh Brookes on the Relentless Suzuki had made his way through but dropped back after locking the rear going into the hairpin a lap later, allowing Loris Baz through for sixth.
Lap nine saw Stuart Easton, who started from mid-pack after race one, go past Michael Rutter for fourth and then Hopkins into the Complex for third and set off after his MSS Kawasaki team-mate.
Only a lap later, Easton passed Mason, who looked to be running out of grip, while Baz moved past Rutter into the hairpin. Sorrymate Honda's Dan Linfoot was lucky to walk away from a big accident on lap 11 when Peter Hickman moved across the Yorkshireman's line on the way into Tower and Linfoot had nowhere to go but down and Rutter was also lucky not to get tangled in it.
Hopkins, meanwhile, passed Mason for third and Brookes did the same for fourth position with five laps to go. The Australian looked to be cruising behind the American and waiting for somewhere to pass. He didn't and settled for fourth place.
Baz's Motorpoint Yamaha remained in fifth while the crocked Tommy Hill also got the better of Mason on the penultimate lap. Rutter finished in eighth, Hickman ninth and his Tyco Honda team-mate in tenth.
Alex Lowes was first Evo rider home in 11th overall, team-mate Glen Richards was second (16th) and Barry Burrell third (17th).
Championship points:
Byrne 95
Hopkins 92
Easton 89
Kiyonari 59
Hill 57
Evo championship points:
Lowes 145
Richards 85
Muff 74
Andrews 71
Smart 66
