BSB Race 1: Shakey storms to race one victory

Shane Byrne stormed to victory in the first race at Thruxton, after holding off a late push from Tyco Suzuki racer Josh Brookes.

After Alex Lowes led early on, Byrne overtook on lap two, pulling away from the group and taking Lowes with him, gapping over a second over third placed Chris Walker.

Title contender Brookes, originally in third dropped back over the opening laps, battling with Keith Farmer and a still-injured Michael Rutter.

Farmer crashed heavily on the last turn on lap 7, touching the white line on the exit of the corner and bringing out the safety car, bunching up the field again, before pulling in on lap 10.

Australian Josh Waters was a heavy crasher on the opening lap, and although he walked away unhurt, his Milwaukee Yamaha team have a battle to rebuild his bike, while Tommy Bridewell also failed to finish.

On lap 14 Byrne managed to pull a gap on Lowes, with Brookes getting into a rhythm and catching the Honda rider, before steaming through the following lap.

Ellison, after being relegated to row five following the cancellation of qualifying, took full advantage of the safety car to come through to fourth after a hard battle with Westmoreland and Kirkham.

Brookes, having pushed past Lowes by lap 18, then challenged Byrne in the closing stages of the race, and a final lap move saw him force himself through at the Complex. Shakey wasn’t done, however, barging through at the chicane to win his 43rd BSB race and become the joint most winningest rider of all time.

Lowes was third after a last lap mistake dropped him out of the battle, while Westmoreland and Kirkham got the best of Ellison again to take fourth and fifth.

MCE British Superbikes Thruxton – Race 1

1 67 Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki 1:16.152
2 2 Brookes Tyco Suzuki 0.301 1:16.778
3 22 Lowes Samsung Honda 0.362 1:16.565
4 27 Westmoreland Buildbase BMW 5.752 1:16.819
5 10 Kirkham Buildbase BMW 0.118 1:16.792
6 77 Ellison Milwaukee Yamaha 0.245 1:16.595
7 68 Harris PR Racing Kawasaki 1.686 1:16.897
8 11 Rutter Bathams Honda 0.428 1:16.937
9 99 Jacobsen Tyco Suzuki 0.661 1:17.388
10 96 Smrz Padgetts Honda 0.264 1:17.353
11 60 Hickman Lloyds GBMoto Honda 6.49 1:17.423
12 43 Mainwaring MH Kawasaki 4.641 1:17.705
13 83 Buchan Quattro Plant Kawasaki 1.823 1:17.509
14 40 Jessop Riders BMW 1.302 1:17.714
15 127 Harms Doodson Motorsport Honda 0.036 1:17.790
16 51 Quigley MH Kawasaki 0.388 1:17.924
17 23 Kiyonari Samsung Honda 1.928 1:18.526
18 64 Zanotti Aaron Zanotti Suzuki 5.553 1:19.173
19 20 Tinmouth Two Wheel Racing Honda 0.129 1:19.326
DNF 9 Walker Quattro Plant Kawasaki 5 Laps 1:16.744
DNF 15 Baiocco Rapido Sport Ducati 6 Laps 1:19.947
DNF 303 Farmer Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki 3 Laps 1:16.530
DNF 46 Bridewell Bathams Honda 3 Laps 1:17.120
DNF 39 Costello Halsall Racing Kawasaki 2 Laps 1:21.629
DNF 21 Waters Milwaukee Yamaha 0 Laps