Source: Tyco Suzuki.

The War for Four MCE British Superbike Championship titles got back underway at Brands Hatch with an epic opening race on the grand prix circuit on Sunday.

Ryuichi Kiyonari and Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne were immersed in a monumental battle for supremacy until the chequered flag where they were separated by just 0.103s.

Byrne fired off the pole position to hit the front of the pack as they streamed into Paddock Hill Bend on the opening lap ahead of the Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasakis of James Ellison and Chris Walker.

Ellison was instantly on the attack and went for a move ad Druids, but went wide on the exit of the corner. Byrne cut the line back with Walker then taking the advantage to move ahead of his team-mate at Surtees.

Byrne led Walker and Ellison until the fifth lap when the Nissan GT-R Safety Car was deployed after Barry Burrell crashed his Team WD-40 Kawasaki at Druids. On the restart Byrne held the position but the Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasakis swapped positions with Ellison moving ahead, however Buildbase BMW’s Kiyonari was within striking distance.

Kiyonari hunted down the team-mates to pass them Walker at Paddock Hill Bend and the four were inseparable at the front. Ellison then had his moment at the front of the pack as they crossed the line for the thirteenth time, but Byrne had the edge into Paddock Hill Bend. Kiyonari then wasn’t waiting any longer and he moved second at Druids.

At the front the scrap was then between Byrne and Kiyonari with the triple-champions swapping positions with a thrilling climax to the opening race of the day. Kiyonari was stronger on the run into Paddock Hill Bend and on three consecutive laps he made a move, but on the GP circuit Byrne moved back ahead.

Kiyonari led the penultimate lap but Byrne made a move at Hawthorns, but then Kiyonari charged back to the front and he was the rider in front on the final lap. Byrne was pushing for the first win, making several attempts to pass his Buildbase BMW rival, but the Japanese contender had the edge to cross the line 0.103s ahead with Ellison just 0.687s adrift in third.

Walker held on to fourth from Dan Linfoot and Josh Brookes on the leading Milwaukee Yamaha. Jakub Smrz, Richard Cooper and John Hopkins, who started his Tyco Suzuki from the back row after a problem on the grid, was tenth.

Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Waters scored a debut victory at Brands Hatch in a dramatic second MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race later in the afternoon.

As the race initially got underway Ellison held off Byrne but on the second lap the Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki rider touched the grass at Dingle Dell and crashed out. Ellison’s stricken bike cart-wheeled across the track, clipping the front of Byrne as both the championship leader and the pack took evasive action.

The race was stopped and restarted, but just two laps in, the conditions changed and the race was stopped for rainfall.

The wet restart again saw Byrne hit the front of the pack on the opening lap from Kiyonari, who was determined to make it a double win. The Buildbase BMW rider moved ahead of Byrne with a determined move Surtees and then behind Richard Cooper and Byrne duelled for second over the opening laps.

On the third lap Cooper took the lead as the Anvil Hire TAG Kawasaki led a MCE BSB race for the first time in the debut campaign. Kiyonari though, was dropping back through the field and later retired.

At the front Waters had pushed through and the Tyco Suzuki was soon within striking distance of Cooper and once he had closed in he waited until the fourth lap to make his move, with a decisive pass at Surtees.

Waters then started to edge out an advantage throughout the race, but behind the battle was on for second as Cooper came under increasing pressure from Farmer on the PR Kawasaki. Farmer moved second on the seventh lap and then the pair continued to swap paint in their quest for second as the both pushed for their debut podium finishes.

Cooper fired back ahead on the eleventh lap and despite his best efforts, Farmer was held off by the Anvil Hire TAG Kawasaki rider after a determined challenge. The podium featuring three riders to have never celebrated a top three finish before in the Championship.

Tommy Bridewell was the first of the Milwaukee Yamahas in fourth place as he moved ahead of Byrne over the final laps with Jon Kirkham scoring his best result for Halsall Biker Gear Kawasaki in sixth.

Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Dan Linfoot was seventh ahead of Josh Brookes with Chris Walker dropping to ninth despite a fierce start to the race on the lone Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki. John Hopkins completed the top 10 for the Tyco Suzuki team.

Mar-Train Yamaha’s Alastair Seeley closed in on Billy McConnell in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship standings after a stunning double win in the Feature race.

Graeme Gowland had led off the start from Luke Jones and Jake Dixon with Seeley holding fourth, but the ‘Wee Wizard’ was determined and moved up to third over the opening laps. At the front Jones moved ahead of Gowland, but Seeley was pushing hard.

Seeley hit the front on the fifth lap and then was coming under huge pressure from his Smiths Racing Triumph’s Gowland but the former champion kept his cool. Gowland was pushing until the final lap to make a move, but Seeley was defending hard to hold the lead to the line with Jones in third.

Australia’s Olly Simpson claimed his first Motostar race win at Brands Hatch in a continuation of his strong 2014 form.

Danny Buchan edged out Honda-mounted Aussie Jason O’Halloran for the Superstock 1000 win, while in the Superstock 600s Levi Day was top Australian in eighth and Benjamin Currie 19th.

2014 MCE British Superbike Championship
Round five – Brands Hatch GP

Superbike race one results:
1. Ryuichi Kiyonari
2. Shane Byrne
3. James Ellison
4. Chris Walker
5. Dan Linfoot
6. Josh Brookes (AUS)
7. Jakub Smrz
8. Richard Cooper
9. John Hopkins
10. Stuart Easton
14. Josh Waters (AUS)

Superbike race two results:
1. Josh Waters (AUS)
2. Richard Cooper
3. Keith Farmer
4. Tommy Bridewell
5. Shane Byrne
6. Jon Kirkham
7. Dan Linfoot
8. Josh Brookes (AUS)
9. Chris Walker
10. John Hopkins

Superbike championship standings:
1. Shane Byrne 221
2. Josh Brookes (AUS) 129
3. James Ellison 124
4. Ryuichi Kiyonari 107
5. Tommy Bridewell 101
6. Chris Walker 96
7. Dan Linfoot 90
8. Stuart Easton 82
9. Richard Cooper 69
10. John Hopkins 64
11. Josh Waters (AUS) 46

Click here for detailed results