VOL. 54 ISSUE 17 MAY 2, 2017 P61
place. Jake Dixon completed the
top 10 for RAF Reserves Kawa-
saki.
The battle for the podium
points swung back in the favor
of Byrne in race two, as the
defending champion claimed
his first win of the season after
Haslam dramatically crashed out
after clipping Ellison, who suf-
fered a technical issue.
Haslam had hit the front of the
pack from O'Halloran, Ellison
and Byrne on the opening lap,
but the Honda Racing rider,
O'Halloran, was back on the at-
tack, and he moved into the lead
on the second lap. But it was
short lived, as Ellison then had
his spell at the front.
The race was over prema-
turely for Dixon, as he crashed
out on the third lap unhurt, but
at the front Byrne was closing in
on Ellison and on the sixth lap
Byrne made his move on the run
into Shell Oils corner.
Meanwhile, Michael Laverty,
on the second McAMS Yamaha,
retired from the race just a lap
later.
At the front, Byrne had
snatched the lead from Ellison,
but behind them, the JG Speed-
fit Kawasakis of Haslam and
Mossey were trading blows with
O'Halloran's Honda, with the trio
switching positions consistently
over the following laps.
Iddon, Brookes, Irwin and
Hickman were then all involved
in the battle for the podium spots
too, but in second, Ellison was
coming under fire from Haslam.
The championship leader first
tried to make a move at Shell,
but ran wide and then had to
begin a fight back.
However, it ended in disaster
for the Kawasaki rider when
Haslam clipped the back of
Ellison on the 14th lap when
his McAMS Yamaha suddenly
slowed. Haslam was down and
out of the race and the damage
consequently sidelined Ellison
too, leaving Byrne to continue
edging out an advantage at the
front of the pack.
A frantic battle then ensued
for the final podium place with
five riders going at it. Iddon was
bumped down to fourth over
the closing laps, as Irwin and
O'Halloran pushed into the top
three.
Mossey was fifth at the
checkered flag, as he held off
Josh Brookes on the Anvil Hire
TAG Yamaha and Smiths Racing
BMW's Peter Hickman. Tommy
Bridewell, John Hopkins and
Shane Byrne celebrates his
race-two win.
Billy McConnell completed the
top 10.
Haslam still lead the champi-
onship chase after three rounds.
He is currently three points clear
of Mossey, with Iddon 22 points
back in third. CN
SUPERBIKE
Race One
1. Leon Haslam (Kaw)
2. Shane Byrne (Duc)
3. Luke Mossey (Kaw)
4. Jason O'Halloran (Hon)
5. Peter Hickman (BMW)
Race Two
1. Shane Byrne (Duc)
2. Glenn Irwin (Duc)
3. Jason O'Halloran (Hon)
4. Christian Iddon (BMW)
5. Luke Mossey (Kaw)
