British Superbikes: Brands Hatch Indy - Shake & Bake!

Last week saw the launch of the 2013 British Superbike Championship and, being an avid follower of this for the past few years now, I figured it time I get my proverbial helmet on and digest what happened in the season opener at the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit. 

Being an avid fan of current world champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne, I thought this would be a test to see if he could start as he finished last season...


In short, the answer is 'yes he could' and he took the top step of the podium in Race One, a commanding display dicing with the evermore increasingly consistent Alex Lowes (a bro' whom I was incredibly impressed with last year as he finally got to winning ways right towards the end!) and Josh Brookes, who certainly made him work for the result!

Race Two was a different matter, however, as even though he diced with Lowes similarly, it had to be said that James Ellison was the star of that show, starting on pole and finishing in the very same position!

Ellison was unlucky in Race One as a visor malfunction forced him through the pits for a drive thru penalty because he did not start from the back of the grid, instead started from the pit lane against the permitted rules... he called the visor issue a "schoolboy error", and must've been glad to come away from Brands as Race Two winner to make up for it with his team.

So you could say that things definitely came good for James in the end, from finishing 16th in Race One, to the top step of the podium in Race Two!

What made me laugh was how he said on ITV4's BSB programme that he ended up watching Shakey's pit board to find out how far back third was once he was comfortably in front of him!

It was just a single mistake from Shakey, when trying to gamble with Ellison's positioning backfired, that cost him not only the top step, but also his then current position of 2nd place (that would eventually go to Lowes, scoring 2nd in both races!) resulting him coming home on the bottom step of the podium (but hey, a podium cred's a podium cred for the 'Showdown', ain't it, bro's?!).

Leading the way, after the first race weekend, it's Shakey in first, Alex Lowes second & Josh Brookes third... hardly surprising really is it?!

Finally, my best wishes go out to Dan Linfoot who broke his pelvis in a collision with James Westmoreland in Race One so here's hoping for a speedy recovery and that we'll see you back on the grid soon, bro'!

Peace out!


The Lanky Penguin