BSB racing doesnt get much closer at 0.012 seconds -Byrne shrugged aside the pain to snatch the advantage in the last corner and then win the dash to the line by 0.012secs in a photo finish.
Weds, Oct 16th 2013 – A single point separates Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne and Alex Lowes ahead of the final three races of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship this weekend (18/19/20 October) as the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit is set to host another exhilarating title-deciding finale.
Last weekend –
Shane Byrne pulled off one of the most remarkable victories in his career to maintain his single point advantage over Alex Lowes in the chase for the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in a dramatic penultimate round at Silverstone. The three times winner of the country’s premier crown could only walk with the aid of crutches after high-siding off his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki and slamming down heavily on the Luffield section of the Northamptonshire circuit, painfully bashing his right hip during Saturday’s free practice. Lengthy physio and pain-killers had Byrne back on track to face the challenge of Lowes who was brimming with confidence after powering his Samsung Honda to his seventh pole position but as the adrenalin kicked in, Byrne was full of fight in two frantic encounters which both were decided on the last corner.
Lowes grabbed the first by 0.094 seconds and looked to have done just enough to complete the double but Byrne had other ideas and shrugged aside the pain to snatch the advantage in the last corner and then win the dash to the line by 0.012secs in a photo finish.
This weekend –
Byrne returns to his home circuit targeting a record-breaking fourth MCE BSB crown after his heroic ride at Silverstone. Young gun Lowes has been his nemesis throughout the season – the pair have been virtually inseparable and last time out at Silverstone they shared the wins as race two was decided by 0.012 seconds and a photo finish!
Byrne said: “I am feeling a lot better now than I was straight after Silverstone. I have had more physio and been back in training so I am in the best possible shape ready for Brands Hatch. Two big crashes within two weekends unfortunately have left me a bit battle scarred but I’m ready to come out fighting that’s for sure; we certainly never came this far to give up now! I think the final round will be similar to the rest as it has been so close between myself and Alex but hopefully I get the balance in my direction at Brands Hatch! We have had some great battles and with only one point between us we both know that we need to beat each other. To be honest no words can describe what winning the title again would mean to me because it is worth far more than I can say. I will be giving everything.”
Lowes said: “I am feeling good ahead of Brands Hatch; all season we have worked so hard to be in this position for the final round and we have as good a chance of winning as anyone. It has been a great season and we have had some awesome races but we need to win again at Brands Hatch because that is going to decide the championship. We have all had a really good season and we have had great competition between us – myself, Shakey plus James and Josh and I am sure they will all be strong again this weekend. I have everything in place to do the job and it is now down to me.”
Byrne and Lowes head the title chase by 42 points from third placed James Ellison but a wrong move from the leading pair could see Milwaukee Yamaha’s Ellison or Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brookes snatch the advantage at the crucial stages of the 2013 season.
