Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne claimed an unprecedented fifth MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship title at his home circuit of Brands Hatch this afternoon, finishing sixth in the second race as James Ellison secured the race win.
Ellison had hit the front of the field in drying conditions on the Grand Prix circuit ahead of Christian Iddon and John Hopkins with title rivals Leon Haslam and Byrne languishing outside the top ten on the opening lap.
The pair were on the move and then continued to gain ground, but at the front the leading trio had edged away from the pack and Ellison ensured that he defended hard to hold off his American rival who scored the ePayMe Yamaha team their first podium finish.
Race one winner Peter Hickman was back on the podium for the second consecutive race after Iddon suffered the heartbreak of a technical problem with just two laps remaining which forced him out of third place.
Haslam and Byrne had battled the nerves of the title fight to move into fifth and sixth respectively after some hard charging moves on Glenn Irwin, Tommy Bridewell and Jason O’Halloran who dropped to ninth in the closing stages of the race.
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings: Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) 653 Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 627 Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) 592 James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 585 Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing) 563 Luke Mossey (Quattro Plant Teccare Kawasaki) 543