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BSB: Walker And Byrne Split On Monday
Six different riders from six different teams have won races during the 2012 British Superbike Championship.
Media Release  |  Posted May 07, 2012   Outlon Park (GBR)
Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki's Shane Byrne (Photo: MSVR)
Chris Walker stunned his title rivals in the third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship by taking the victory in the first of the two races ahead of Shane 'Shakey' Byrne who then became the sixth rider from six different teams to taste the victor’s champagne in the six races so far.

The championship introduced new technical regulations for this season, abolishing electronic aids such as traction control and it has again proven to have leveled the playing field at Oulton Park.

For Walker it was an emotional ride to glory, his first in MCE BSB since winning in September 2000 at Brands Hatch and the Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki rider who drew deeply on his years of experience to master the difficult drying conditions at the Cheshire circuit enthused: “It’s amazing really. I’ve missed winning a race for so long, though I always felt it was in me to do it but I began to think it would never happen again and that it might have gone away.

“It had been nice to keep up with Shakey – last year we were at a totally different level but the new rules have altered that. Now I can hold my own and take them on in a level playing field,” added Walker who was unable to repeat his performance next time out, having to settle for ninth.

Byrne had to work hard to take the victory next time out. His Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki teammate, Stuart Easton, made the early charge with Josh Brookes and Tommy Hill, once they had taken Walker in hot pursuit. But, the former two times winner of the title was soon reeling them in, moving into second place just into the second half of the race.

Hill, who on Sunday had won the race postponed from Brands Hatch aboard his Swan Yamaha, was under intense pressure and it was no surprise that Byrne pushed ahead of him at Lakeside with two laps remaining to take a victory that consolidates his third place in the overall standings.

Hill remains at the top of the overall standings, leading by six points over Tyco Suzuki’s Brookes who finished the race in fourth place, adrift of the determined Easton who claimed his first podium of the season.

Race 1 – Top Six:

1. Chris Walker (Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki)
2. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +1.790s
3. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +4.212s
4. Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +14.865s
5. Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +17.512s
6. Alastair Seeley (Tyco Suzuki) +18.071s

Race 2 – Top Six:

1. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2. Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +2.612s
3. Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +5.481s
4. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +6.093s
5. Tommy Bridewell (Supersonic BMW) +10.464s
6. Noriyuki Haga (Swan Yamaha) +13.209s

Championship standings:

1. Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 98
2. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) 92
3. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 88
4. Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 58
5. Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) 52
6. Alastair Seeley (Tyco Suzuki) 49
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