PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne in the end proved unstoppable during the opening MCE British Superbike race at Oulton Park, and started off the triple-header weekend in style with a victory.
JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison has now booked his place in the Showdown after a very brave race. He is still recovering from a broken wrist and held on to second to bag some much needed podium credits. Completing a very happy podium was Be Wiser Kawasaki’s Danny Buchan, who had a mature and educated outing and held on to the leading two riders to nab his debut rostrum in the class.
Initially it was Byrne who got the hole-shot ahead of Ellison and Bridewell, but a rotation later the Devizes Swearbox made a move going into Cascades to snatch second. Meanwhile Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes had his own epic fight on his hands as he had to claw his way from 30th on the grid, and after five laps had pushed his R1 all the way up to tenth.
But the good luck was not to last for Tyco BMW’s Tommy Bridewell. His S1000RR came to a slow stop whilst he was closing in on Byrne on lap seven, and with Bridewell out of the mix it pushed Ellison and Buchan up the field.
Elsewhere Brookes was literally flying up the track and was lapping a pace that puts him well and truly on the front row for tomorrow’s second race, and on the penultimate lap he had blasted through the grid to go up to fourth, after edging ahead of Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Luke Mossey.
But at the flag there was a gap of four seconds to third place finisher Buchan, and the leading trio were too far ahead for Brookes to sneak on to the podium. Bringelly’s finest ended race one in a very respectable fourth place.
There were a few fallers who succumbed to the Cheshire track; Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Howie Mainwaring fell unhurt at Old Hall, and on the same lap, JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Westmoreland crashed at Island.
Smiths Racing’s Billy McConnell had a tumble at Old Hall whilst fighting for seventh, and with only four laps to go Bennetts Suzuki’s Christian Iddon crashed and his bike caught fire whilst fighting for eighth. The former World Superbike rider fell at Island and was taken to the medical centre for further assessment.
But not only were there crashes, a couple suffered from technical problems too. Moto Rapido Ducati’s John Hopkins retired to the pits on lap nine, as did Bridewell.
It was a special race for Be Wiser Kawasaki’s veteran racer, Chris Walker as he celebrated his 300th race in the series this afternoon, and the housewives favourite finished in eleventh.
When the chequered flag came out on the side of the track Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot bagged some solid points for his Showdown campaign, ending the race in fifth, with Mossey and Cooper in close succession.
Fellow Showdown contender Tyco BMW’s Michael Laverty ended the afternoon in ninth, with RAF Reserves Peter Hickman completing the top ten. Buildbase BMW’s Ryuichi Kiyonari with the last of the points finishers.
PBM Kawasaki’s Stuart Easton did not make it on to the starting grid. The Showdown contender is still nursing injuries from a crash at Brands Hatch a few round ago, but a fall in qualifying meant that he sat out the opening race this weekend.
