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All Shane Byrne at Thruxton

Two more for Byrne
By Dan Moakes April 29 2003
The fast circuit at Thruxton always seems to generate excitement when the British Superbikes arrive, with plenty of place changing in the space of even a single lap. The 2003 races were no different, but somehow it was still MonsterMob Ducati’s Shane Byrne who came through.

It was the two Ducati 998s of Byrne and Michael Rutter that set the pace in qualifying, but Rutter’s record lap gave him pole ahead of the championship leader. Steve Hislop was back on form with third on the Yamaha, and Glen Richards continued to impress with fourth on the 750cc Kawasaki. Row two was led by Hislop’s team-mate, Gary Mason, ahead of John Reynolds and the first Suzuki. ‘JR’ was still in pain with his collar bone, but lined up in front of the two Hondas of Mark Heckles and Steve Plater. Sean Emmett was back in twelfth, and Yukio Kagayama was fifteenth.

The start of race one saw Rutter take a small lead, with second disputed by Hislop, Byrne and Richards. At one point the Kawasaki was the last of these three, and then it was ahead, and then the Yamaha and the Ducati came past again! As they raced into the final chicane for the first time, Byrne and Richards went either side of second placed Hislop, putting him back to fourth in an instant. The order as lap two commenced was Rutter, Richards, Byrne, Hislop, Emmett, Mason, Plater and Reynolds. Mason had been fifth earlier in the lap, but grid order wasn’t counting for much.

Jon Kirkham was an early casualty, high-siding his Appleyard Yamaha, but the drama was far from over. The slipstreaming continued apace, with Byrne overtaking both Richards and Rutter into the chicane, and starting to build himself a lead. The battle was now on for second, with Rutter and Richards running side-by-side as they fought for the advantage. The green machine seemed to get the verdict, and make itself a small gap into the bargain. Then it was Hislop’s turn to pass Rutter.

With Byrne now safely out front, the excitement behind him gained all the more attention. Mason passed Emmett for fifth, and Plater was still right with this pair. Eighth placed Reynolds had dropped back from the group. Hislop was back to his best, and again attacked Richards for second. He made it through and was able to pull away this time. The Scot had apparently been uncomfortable with his R1 at Snetterton, and given up on it, but not today. Meanwhile, Emmett took back P6 from Mason.

As the laps ticked down, a few gaps began to develop. Rutter’s machine started to jump out of gear, so he had to settle for third. Byrne was triumphant for the fourth time this year, with Hislop comfortably second. Richards and Plater were together for fourth, with the Kawasaki ahead, and Emmett was on his own in sixth. Mason was next, from Heckles, Kagayama, John Crawford, and Lee Jackson. Reynolds had found it tough going, and dropped to twelfth at the flag.

Race two also began with Rutter taking a bit of a lead, but this time from a fast staring Plater. The Honda man was pursued by Byrne, Hislop, Richards, Emmett and Heckles. Byrne and Plater swapped positions twice through the complex, early in the lap, and the race was set from more of the same drama as the earlier one. Byrne’s third place came under threat from Hislop, and the pair of them went past Plater. Emmett had a go at Richards for fourth, but the Australian was intent on demoting Plater by one more spot.

Hislop was trying to pass Byrne when Richards went around the outside of Plater, and as if that wasn’t enough this foursome was now catching Rutter! The Renegade Ducati man’s time in front was not to last. First Byrne went by on the inside, and then Hislop did the same. Rutter fought back to repass the Yamaha, but Byrne was soon out on his own again.

Plater retook fourth by going around the outside of Richards, and their struggle for the position continued with several more swaps. Likewise the contest for second, between Rutter and Hislop, with all four riders remaining close. Richards would pass Hislop, and in no time at all the Kawasaki would be back behind both the Yamaha and Plater’s Honda. This seemed to help Rutter edge away from the three chasing bikes. Mason was by now all alone in sixth.

Reynolds withdrew from the race, the physical nature of the circuit obviously aggravating his injury. But the thrilling action was not yet over. Richards continued the onslaught, and briefly overtook Rutter for second. The same group of four were virtually together as Rutter shuffled his rival backwards again. This pair remained close to the flag, but by then had edged clear of the next two.

Byrne pulled his second huge wheelie of the day, in celebration of another consummate victory. Rutter was second, from Richards, and the Hawk Kawasaki man had reason to be pleased. Despite a speed deficit, Glen’s riding skills had kept him and the ZX-7RR in touch with the dominant Ducatis. Plater was fourth, and had got away from Hislop. Sixth went to Mason, from Emmett, Heckles, Kagayama, Dean Ellison, Scott Smart and Jackson.

The 998 Ducatis may have started the season as series favourites, but ‘Shakey’ Byrne’s ascendant form is now looking pretty ominous, and the four-cylinder brigade already have a lot to do.

Standings after six races: Byrne 140; Rutter 99; Richards 72; Mason 59; Kagayama 58; Plater 51; Hislop 50; Smart 40; Crawford and Emmett 39; Reynolds 36; Jackson 30.


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