Race 1 Results
The freezing rain that blighted qualifying gave way to dry yet blustery conditions for the opening race of the fourth round of the 2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

Shane Byrne lining up on pole, stole the holeshot from the charging James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) into Redgate. 

Ellison fought back through the notorious Craner Curves to retake the lead. Karl Harris made a blistering start from 10th to circulate in 4th by the end of the opening lap elevating the Rob Mac Racing Yamaha onto a potential podium by lap 3.

Leon Haslam made it six at the sharp end on lap 4, sniffing for a way round Tom Sykes’ Rizla Suzuki.  Airwaves Ducati rider, Byrne pulled out a slender lead from Crutchlow’s HM Plant Honda as the burning Suzuki of Luke Quigley saw the Safety Car deployed on Lap 8, bunching all the riders together for the next three laps.

With the Safety Car in and the riders back under racing conditions, Harris took the opportunity to take Crutchlow into Redgate for 2nd place. But by lap 15 Karl was under pressure from Haslam who had overtaken his team-mate in his quest for victory.  With Haslam still on the charge Harris dropped back to third at the Melbourne Loop to be taken again in the very same place a lap later by Tom Sykes.

It was apparent that Karl was struggling to maintain his position in the final stages of the race, further losing out to Ellison, eventually finishing in 7th place after suffering with arm pump. 

Haslam attempted to close the gap to Byrne but with laps quickly running out, the Airwaves Ducati rider would take the checkered flag by 2.5 seconds.

Shane Byrne, Winner Race 1:  “That was a real windy race!  I got a sensible start and followed Ellison until I could make the pass stick.  The Airwaves Ducati team has worked really hard and I knew I had the lap times in me to keep the lead.  The last few laps became a gamble between a consistently fast pace and staying on the bike the wind was so strong...”

Shane Byrne #67

Race 2
Airwaves Ducati pilot, Shane Byrne claimed his second double of the season, preventing local rider Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) from claiming his first race win. 

James Ellison took the holeshot momentarily as a determined Leon Haslam breezed past into McLeans at the midpoint of the opening lap.  Pole-sitter, Byne found his Airwaves Ducati smothered during the opening corners, dropping back through the order to find himself in an uncustomary sixth trailing race leader Haslam by 2.5s.

Karl Harris (Rob Mac Racing) posted a string of fast laps as he pushed through past the ailing Suzuki and Ducati of Laverty and Rutter respectively.  An error on lap 10 pushed the Yamaha rider back to eighth, his podium charge over.

At the sharp end, Haslam looked comfortable on home territory as he slipped into a rhythm, teammate Crutchlow riding shotgun as Ellison, Camier and Byrne began to apply the pressure.  The ten wheel freight train pulled clear in the windy conditions, as further down the field Gary Mason (Quay Garage Honda) closed in on Scott Smart’s Hawk Kawasaki for a top ten finish.

Byrne looked confident and gliding past teammate Camier, then Ellison for third on successive laps.  Reigning in the leading HM Plant Honda duo, Byrne finally took the lead as he moved under Haslam at the Melbourne Hairpin towards the end of lap 18.

Crossing the finish line after 20 laps, Haslam’s dejected body language said it all as Byrne claimed his second race win of the day to extend his championship lead to 68 points.

Shane Byrne, Winner Race 2:  “That was a very hard race.  Didn’t make the best start and got duffed up in the first few corners.  Did my usual battling through the field from eighth and picking people off strategically until I could make a pass for the lead.  Airwaves Ducati and Pirelli have done a fantastic job again this weekend.  I’m really pleased to have done the double again.  Roll on Snetterton!”