Shane Byrne took a winning double in an incident littered Oulton Park round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship to tighten his grip on the crown.
The first race was stopped on the opening lap when five riders, including early leader Tom Sykes, tipped off in three incidents and with rain falling prior to the re-start the teams gambled on tyre choice.
“We had six, maybe eight minutes to make the most important decision of the whole weekend, and that was what tyres to go with. The boys in the team chose the tyres for me, and I just rode them, pushing as hard as I could,” reflected Airwaves Ducati rider Byrne.
Sykes again led on his Rizla Suzuki but Cal Crutchlow nosed his HM Plant Honda ahead on the fourth lap, only to run wide at Lodge at half distance, giving the lead to Airwaves Ducati rider Byrne.
Byrne held off the close attentions of Leon Haslam in the closing stages to take the victory: “I tried real hard to keep the bike upright and keep the win – it made for a really amusing race which I am pleased to have won.”
Leon Camier took third place while Michael Rutter, continuing his early season run of form was fourth for North West 200 Ducati ahead of Sykes and Crutchlow.
Steve Mercer, riding the Bob Farnham Tuning Sondel Yamaha, enjoyed maiden victory in the Daily Star Cup, finishing some four seconds clear of STP MV Agusta rider Chris Burns and Leon Morris aboard the Trimite Brookspeed Ducati.
Sykes led the second race from Crutchlow and his team-mate Haslam but by the fourth lap, Haslam had moved second and was riding hard, eager for a first victory of the season.
Haslam made controversial attempted overtaking move at the chicane on the eleventh lap, taking the inside line but it ended in disaster. Sykes crashed out while Haslam ran wide across the grass.
Crutchlow had the lead, but not for long before Byrne, who at one point had dropped back to eleventh place after an error at the chicane, had nosed ahead on the twelfth lap.
Next time round, Crutchlow crashed, sustaining ankle injuries, with the action red-flagged and Byrne credited with the victory which gives him the lead in the title chase 95-56 over his team-mate Leon Camier,who finished the second race in third place.
Haslam crossed the line in fourth place ahead of Michael Laverty, on the Relentless Suzuki and MSS Discover Kawasaki rider Stuart Easton with Rutter just adrift.
However after an investigation by the Judicial Clerk of the Course, Haslam was excluded from the results, a decision that following an appeal was upheld by the MCRCB Chief Steward.
John Laverty took the victory in the Daily Star Cup, this third of the season, ahead of Luke Quigley, PDM Suzuki, and Burns while Mercer tumbled out of the second race.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship results - Oulton Park.
Race One – 18 laps:
1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) 32m 29.161secs
2. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) +0.204s
3. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +2.604s
4. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) +11.495s
5. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) +20.015s
6. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) +22.023s
7. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +37.259s
8. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +39.322s
9. Tristan Palmer (Tena for Men Honda) +54.028s
10. Stuart Easton (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +57.885s
Race Two – 13 laps:
1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) 21m 13.862secs
2. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +4.247s
3. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +8.027s
4. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +1 lap
5.. Stuart Easton (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +1 lap
6. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) +1 lap
7. Simon Andrews (Jentin Racing/Lloyds British Yamaha) +1 lap
8 Scott Smart (Hawk Kawasaki) +1 lap
9. Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla Suzuki) +1 lap
10. Billy McConnell (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +1 lap
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
1.Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) 95
2. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) 56
3. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) 55
4. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) 54
5 James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 46
