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Byrne and Crutchlow win at Brands Hatch BSB

© Raceline Photography
By Dan Moakes May 18 2008
Three wins from four races had put former champion Shane Byrne in prime position for the 2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship, and now the series was returning to Brands Hatch, where ‘Shakey’ was already installed in pole position. Local man Byrne had also won twice at the circuit against the best in the world, in 2003 - his title winning year.

The Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit played host to the re-scheduled first round of the series, as race day for the original date had been snowed off. Qualifying positions had already been determined - possibly just as well as riders reported reduced grip levels since last month - but in fact one or two to have qualified were not in attendance, either due to injury or in light of the forthcoming North West 200 road races.

Missing riders included Karl Harris (who’d qualified third), Steve Plater (13th) and Adam Jenkinson (15th). Therefore the grid line-up saw Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) heading Cal Crutchlow and Leon Haslam (both HM Plant Honda), Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki), Leon Camier (Airwaves), Simon Andrews (Jentin Yamaha), Michael Rutter (NW200 Ducati), Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla), Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki), Billy McConnell and Stuart Easton (both MSS Kawasaki), Guy Martin (Hydrex Honda), James Buckingham (Quay Honda), John Laverty (NW200), James Ellison (Hydrex) and Scott Smart (Hawk Kawasaki).

The troubles for HM Plant Honda at Oulton Park meant that Crutchlow arrived with a painful right ankle, which had been dislocated in his race two crash; and Haslam arrived knowing he might have to err on the side of caution after his disqualification for the collision with race leader Sykes. Haslam is a three-time Superbike winner at Brands, but former Supersport star Easton has an enviable Brands record, with five previous victories here in that class.

Byrne’s pole didn’t help him too much at the start of race one, as he was quickly down to fifth as Crutchlow, Sykes, Andrews and Michael Laverty found slots ahead of him. Initial shuffles meant that Laverty soon passed Andrews, and that Byrne lost out to team-mate Camier at the left-hander Stirlings Bend. Behind them came James Ellison, Easton, McConnell, Haslam, Rutter and Watanabe, and clearly more than one of the front qualifiers had lost out.

Byrne was quick to recover ground, at the expense of Camier and Andrews, and he was helped out in that regard when Laverty crashed at the right-handed Druids hairpin on lap two. Crutchlow led Sykes and Byrne, and this Honda-Suzuki-Ducati trio were soon easing away from the rest of the field. Haslam had needed to work his way up from tenth, and by the time he did so the first three were out of reach. He led Camier as Ellison and Easton raced for sixth.

Crutchlow seemed to have a minor advantage as his two pursuers raced each other. Byrne moved into second with a move past Sykes at Surtees, the uphill left-hand bend that leads onto the fast back section of the circuit. Shane then went wide at the right-handed Westfield bend, which let Tom back through. But the Ducati man found another opportunity and led his former team-mate in pursuit of Crutchlow.

The leading Honda rider was quite probably suffering with his ankle by now, and the left-handed Graham Hill Bend saw him run a bit wide. Byrne went to the inside into the following Surtees, and Sykes also passed Crutchlow on the inside at the apex for the same corner, with the gap having been opened. From there the order was established to the finish, with the gaps between each man growing longer.

Leon and Leon had remained together, although at one point Camier got a bit too close to the rear of Haslam at Sheene’s corner, and had to take to the grass for a few moments. They had got closer to Crutchlow by the end, but the order remained the same. Rutter had overcome the likes of McConnell and Andrews, and was eighth and close behind Easton and Ellison when he made an exit. The rear of the Ducati spun away from him at Surtees, and that was that. Ellison regained sixth by the end, from Easton, McConnell, Andrews, Tristan Palmer, Smart, Watanabe and Martin; and with MV Agusta rider Chris Burns winning the Cup race ahead of Martin Jessopp and John Laverty.

The grid for race two formed up without James Buckingham, meaning that some riders moved up a slot. Byrne managed to lose places again at the start, with Haslam getting away well this time to lead Crutchlow, Sykes, Rutter, Michael Laverty, Camier, Andrews, Byrne, James Ellison, Easton, McConnell, Watanabe, Smart, John Laverty, Martin and Palmer. This time the earliest moves saw both Byrne and Smart gain a single place, and Michael Laverty passed his former Stobart Honda team-mate, Rutter, with a move at Clearways, where the final right-hand bend starts and feeds into the slanted and rapid Clark Curve.

This made for some Ducati competition as Rutter was challenged by Camier and Byrne. Leon challenged at Druids and Graham Hill, with Shane joining in, but the order was unchanged as they motored on. There was more at Paddock Hill Bend, the plunging first right-hander. Camier passed here on the brakes, only to go wide and let Rutter back in for Druids. Byrne then got past his team-mate at Surtees, got by Rutter at Clearways, then left the 36-year-old to fend off Camier, who this time made it at Paddock.

While all this was happening, Haslam had a small lead, as Crutchlow and Sykes followed and they all moved clear of the rest. Byrne’s progress on the Ducati 1098R continued, and he took fourth from Laverty at Surtees. A clear track allowed him to make the fastest lap so far, as he pulled away from the Ulsterman and the two following Ducati riders.

Haslam’s chances of another Brands win were diminished when he lost the lead. At Surtees, he overshot the corner and was on his way to the McLaren bend, which is part of the shorter Indy circuit. By the time he extricated the Honda and got on his way again he had lost quite a few places. Crutchlow and Sykes led now, but with Byrne closing in. Camier had moved into fourth and was also getting closer to the leaders.

Privateer rider Malcolm Ashley, on the ARP Kawasaki, suffered his second crash of the day at this stage. Unfortunately, he had to be stretchered away this time, and it was necessary to slow the pace of the field, keeping them in order behind the safety car. Before they caught it, Byrne had passed Sykes on the back straight on the way to Pilgrims Drop, but he realised that he should let the Suzuki rider back through.

The restart saw Crutchlow lead Sykes, Byrne, Camier, Laverty and Rutter, but the racing action was to be short-lived this time. Approaching the right-hand Hawthorn Bend, at the end of the fastest straight, Sykes’ Suzuki engine gave way in dramatic style, and it caused the rider to crash. As well as clouds of smoke the GSX-R1000 had dropped fluid and made the track less than safe. The red flag came out and the race was concluded right there.

Race two went to the injured Crutchlow, then, with Airwaves Ducati riders Byrne and Camier moving up to complete the podium. Michael Laverty, Rutter, Haslam, Easton, James Ellison and McConnell were next. Andrews hadn’t reached the finish, so tenth went to Smart, from Palmer, Martin, John Laverty, Aaron Zanotti, Luke Quigley and David Johnson.

Atsushi Watanabe was also missing from the leaderboard, which made it a non-scoring race for Rizla Suzuki. And with the absence of Karl Harris, Steve Plater and Simon Andrews, there were also no points for Yamaha in this one. But it was a healthy enough day for Ducati, and especially the Airwaves team. First and second for Shane Byrne made him the top scorer at Brands, with Leon Camier on the podium for the third time this year.

Cal Crutchlow managed well enough in the circumstances, but lost four more points to the championship leader overall; while Leon Haslam had more disappointment, but at least managed a double score this time around. Tom Sykes, though, had looked like Byrne’s leading challenger across the meeting, and so was particularly unlucky with his race two fate. Will there be more drama or less for the leading runners at the next round?

Standings after six races: Byrne 140; Crutchlow 96; Camier 70; Rutter 66; J Ellison 65; Haslam 56; M Laverty 54; Easton 53; Sykes 50; Palmer and McConnell 30.


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