Source: Suzuki Racing.

Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne bounced back from a high-speed first race crash to snatch a dramatic last corner victory over his arch rival Ryuichi Kiyonari as the ‘War for four’ MCE Insurance British Superbike crowns intensified in the first Showdown round at Assen.

Byrne who hadn’t won a race since Knockhill in June, had fought hard to close in on Kiyonari throughout the weekend, but it was Australian Josh Waters who won his second race for Tyco Suzuki in the opening affair.

In the second race the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider Byrne made a decisive move through the final chicane on the last lap and won the dash to the line by 0.152s as the triple title-winners continued their fight for the crown.

“I’m over the moon. It has been a long time since I won a race though it was almost cruel to take it like that,” said Byrne as he enjoyed his 58th victory in the series. “I had looked at a way past Kiyo but it was going to be a bit of a gamble as on the last lap we were really close.

“My speed through the previous corner was a bit faster than his, and then I was along the side of his bike. I thought my bike had better stick and grip, or I am going to launch myself over the top to the moon.

“Luckily for me it held and I took the win in that one, making up for the first race when I threw it up the road. I had even decided that third place then was better than a crash!”

The opening race, run in wet conditions, brought early misery for Title Fighter Josh Brookes. The Milwaukee Yamaha rider failed to exit the pit lane before it closed for the sighting lap, which demoted him down the order to start from the back row of the grid. His disappointment was compounded further by a crash on the opening lap and he was then excluded for re-joining the race after falling.

Byrne had forged clear but it was Waters who was closing in and then taking the lead just into the second half of the race. Kiyonari moved second, but Byrne tumbled into the gravel and out of third place, handing the final podium position to his teammate Stuart Easton.

Byrne rescued the situation with his second race victory, though his lead was halved to 12 points ahead of Kiyonari. Waters meanwhile was again the top Australian finisher, crossing the line in eighth.

Brookes suffered a DNF in race two with a clutch problem that dropped him to third in the overall standings with his teammate Tommy Bridewell closing to within five points after a return to the podium with a third place finish.

PR Racing Kawasaki’s Jed Metcher had a glowing BSB debut with seventh in race one and 13th in the second, while Mitchell Carr (TAG Racing Kawasaki) finished both races with a 17-18 scorecard.

Billy McConnell claimed an impressive victory following an epic five-way battle for the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Feature race at Assen, making a last lap move to extend his lead to 12 points in the overall standings.

On the opening lap Luke Jones held the lead from Glenn Irwin and Graeme Gowland whilst the second Smiths Racing Triumph of McConnell was seventh. The Australian was forcing his way through the pack with the lead changing five times between the tightly-packed group.

Luke Stapleford hit the front after making consecutive passes on the riders ahead of him but as it came into the final lap the battle intensified. McConnell waited until the final corners to hit the front as Glenn Irwin spectacularly crashed out of a potential podium finish.

Stapleford dropped to fourth as Gowland and Luke Mossey claimed the final podium positions with Jones claiming fifth place.

Bo Bendsneyder was again the class of the Motostar championship, as Australian Red Bull Rookies regular Olly Simpson rose for the challenge in the race to claim second position.

2014 British Superbike Championship
Round 10 – Assen, Netherlands

Superbike race one results:
1. Josh Waters (AUS)
2. Ryuichi Kiyonari
3. Stuart Easton
4. James Ellison
5. Christian Iddon
6. Dan Linfoot
7. Jed Metcher (AUS)
8. Howie Mainwaring
9. Tommy Bridewell
10. Lee Jackson
17. Mitchell Carr (AUS)

Superbike race two results:
1. Shane Byrne
2. Ryuichi Kiyonari
3. Tommy Bridewell
4. Dan Linfoot
5. John Hopkins
6. Stuart Easton
7. James Ellison
8. Josh Waters (AUS)
9. Filip Backlund
10. James Westmoreland
13. Jed Metcher (AUS)
18. Mitchell Carr (AUS)

Superbike championship standings:
1. Shane Byrne 587
2. Ryuichi Kiyonari 575
3. Josh Brookes (AUS) 536
4. Tommy Bridewell 531
5. Dan Linfoot 524
6. Chris Walker 505
7. Stuart Easton 176
8. James Ellison 153
9. Josh Waters (AUS) 151
10. John Hopkins 111

Supersport feature race results:
1. Billy McConnell (AUS)
2. Graeme Gowland
3. Luke Mossey
4. Luke Stapleford
5. Luke Jones
6.Alastair Seeley
7. Kyle Ryde
8. Kervin Bos
9. Samuel Hornsey
10. Luke Hedger

Supersport championship standings:
1. Billy McConnell (AUS) 332
2. Graeme Gowland 320
3. Alastair Seeley 277
4. Glenn Irwin 245
5. Luke Jones 230
6. Luke Stapleford 221
7. Luke Mossey 206
8. Jake Dixon 140
9. James Rispoli 121
10. Taylor Mackenzie 108

Click here for detailed results