Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes once again out-paced Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne to do the double for the first time this season, during both MCE British Superbike races at Thruxton.
In a repeat of race one, it was Brookes who took maximum points, with Buildbase BMW’s Ryuichi Kiyonari once again taking the final spot on the rostrum. Brookes did not have the advantage that he had in the opening race, but still managed to out manoeuvre Byrne to bag 50 points today.
Initially on the opening lap it was Byrne who got the hole-shot and was joined at the sharp end by Linfoot and Brookes. But a lap later Linfoot pulled it back from Byrne, only for the triple champ to take back the lead at Club.
Meanwhile Bathams BMW’s Michael Rutter was riding high inside the top ten, but had a technical problem, and swiftly retired to the pits. On the fourth rotation Linfoot re-gained the lead going into Allard. But Byrne led the charge once again at the Club Chicane.
Rutter was not the only rider to have technical issues, PR Racing’s Keith Farmer’s bike went bang at Noble and moments later on the same lap Milwaukee Yamaha’s Tommy Bridewell came to a stop after his engine blew up at the Club Chicane, bringing out the yellow flags on lap five of 20. But it soon turned to red – and a complete re-run was on the cards.
At the re-start the race was reduced to a 15 lapper, and it was Byrne who was first out of the starting blocks. Brookes did not have the best of starts, and found himself fourth behind Walker, but on the first lap got past the Kawasaki man into the Club Chicane.
But a lap later the GBmoto rider did exactly the same move that Brookes did on him minutes earlier and re-took third from Brookes, followed by Kiyonari and Hickman. The Japanese racer was obviously hungry for another podium, and at Club edged ahead of Brookes to go into fourth and was soon chasing down Walker, by lap five. But Brookes soon bit back.
Walker was on a roll and picked off Linfoot, and soon had another Kawasaki as he next target – Byrne. But Brookes was never too far behind and crept up on Linfoot, and picked out both at Club, to go second.
On lap seven Brookes went into the lead for the first time in the final outing at the day, after going under Byrne at Noble, and charged on ahead. Two rotation later Buildbase BMW’s stand-in rider, Lee Jackson crashed at the Club Chicane, and fortunately was able to walk away from the incident.
Linfoot was holding strong onto third, only for Kiyo to snatch it away from him at the final chicane with three laps remaining. On the penultimate lap the leading trio of Brookes, Byrne and Kiyo pulled away from Linfoot and Walker and a battle was definitely on.
At the flag it was Brookes who took the win, from Byrne, Kiyonari, Linfoot and Walker. Halsall Racing’s John Kirkham won the fight for seventh, between Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki's Stuart Easton and Tyco Suzuki’s John Hopkins. Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Howie Mainwaring and RAF Reserves Honda’s Peter Hickman completed the top ten.
