BSB 2013: Snetterton Race Results
Lowes and Byrne battle it out in a fiery contest at the front of the field
IT WAS one of the hottest race weekends in recent years for the Snetterton round of the 2013 British Superbike Championship, and the intense heat certainly took its toll on the riders with one of the highest attrition rates we have seen so far this season. At the front, however, the usual suspects were pushing as hard as ever to eek out an advantage in the battle for the 2013 crown.
A stunning lap time from Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes on Saturday put the Derby-based rider on pole position for the first race, although it was Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brooks that made the best getaway off the line and the Australian led for the opening stint. A safety car period following an oil spill on track from the #46 machine of Tommy Bridewell meant that Brookes’ advantage was baulked, and on the restart the ever-aggressive Lowes made a pass and went on to lead from lap five all the way to the flag.
Behind Lowes it was a scrap for the remaining podium places between Brookes, Shayne Byrne and James Ellison, but it was Brookes that held on to take second place from the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki that appeared to be struggling to keep pace in the final few laps.
Race two saw the front four finishers from race one make up the first row on the grid, but unlike the first race, Alex Lowes would not be able to break away from the chasing pack. Set-up changes in between races allowed Byrne to take the initiative and lead the way. He was pushed hard by the pairing of Lowes and Brookes, with the latter carrying a bit too much speed coming off the Bentley Straight on the penultimate lap, running wide and putting pay to any hopes of catching current championship leader. Lowes was close to making a move in the dying moments, but didn't quite have enough in the tank to get past the experienced #67.
In the perfect conditions and in front of a packed out Snetterton crowd the two races shaped up rather like the championship as a whole over the first half of the season, with Byrne and Lowes just having the edge over the likes of Brookes, Ellison, and the resurgent triple champion Ryuichi Kiyonari.
British Superbike Championship, Snetterton results:
Race 1
1. Alex Lowes GBR Samsung Honda CBR1000RR (16 Laps)
2. Josh Brookes AUS Tyco Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1.984
3. Shane Byrne GBR Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki ZX-10R +2.027
4. James Ellison GBR Milwaukee Yamaha YZF-R1 +3.523
5. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Samsung Honda CBR1000RR +6.009
6. James Westmoreland GBR Buildbase BMW S1000RR +20.065
Race 2
1. Shane Byrne GBR Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki ZX-10R (16 Laps)
2. Alex Lowes GBR Samsung Honda CBR1000RR +0.245
3. Josh Brookes AUS Tyco Suzuki GSX-R1000 +7.018
4. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Samsung Honda CBR1000RR +7.868
5. James Westmoreland GBR Buildbase BMW Motorrad S1000RR +8.587
6. Chris Walker GBR Quattro Plant Kawasaki ZX-10R +12.961
British Superbike Championship standings after Round 5 – Snetterton
- Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 207
- Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 175
- Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) 172
- James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) 100
- Ryuichi Kiyonari (Samsung Honda) 83
- Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) 81
