Source: Supplied.

The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship intensified at Oulton Park between Josh Brookes and Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne with the pair sharing the wins at the triple-header. The Australian leads the standings by just two points into the crucial Showdown opener.

In the second race of the triple-header weekend Brookes and Byrne again went head-to-head and it looked set to go down to the wire between the pair of them until the defending champion was sidelined by a technical problem on the penultimate lap.

Brookes claimed the vital five podium points for the win ahead of MCE BSB rookie Danny Buchan who scored his best ever finish in second place.

A spectacular crash for Tommy Bridewell elevated Dan Linfoot to third for Honda Racing as he edged closer to his Showdown position at the expense of Stuart Easton, who withdrew from the races due to his injury.

In the final race of the weekend Brookes made the perfect start but again Byrne was piling on the pressure. The scrap at the front was briefly paused when the Safety Car was deployed after Shaun Winfield crashed out.

When the race resumed Byrne saw his chance and made a lunge to pass Brookes, but it cost him as he ran wide and dramatically lost ground dropping him back down the field. A determined string of laps put him back into second ahead of Bridewell.

The final laps again came down to a battle of supremacy between Brookes and Byrne. The PBM Kawasaki rider was locked on his target, making a move at Shell Oils corner and then defending hard to hold off his Milwaukee Yamaha rival on the final lap.

Bridewell scored an impressive third place despite being battered from his earlier crash ahead of Buchan and Ellison, who had confirmed his place in the Showdown after the opening race for JG Speedfit Kawasaki.

Bridewell and his Tyco BMW teammate Michael Laverty confirmed their places inside the top six with Linfoot finishing sixth in the final race to become the last rider to make the cut for the Showdown.

Of the remaining Australians, Josh Waters (Bennetts Suzuki) went 15-19 on Sunday, Jed Metcher (Gearlink Kawasaki) 19-21 and Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing BMW) claiming a point for 15th in race three.

2015 British Superbike Championship
Round nine – Oulton Park

Superbike race two results:
1. Josh Brookes (AUS)
2. Danny Buchan
3. Dan Linfoot
4. Luke Mossey
5. James Ellison
6. Peter Hickman
7. Michael Laverty
8. Richard Cooper
9. Christian Iddon
10. James Westmoreland
15. Josh Waters (AUS)
19. Jed Metcher (AUS)

Superbike race three results:
1. Shane Byrne
2. Josh Brookes (AUS)
3. Tommy Bridewell
4. Danny Buchan
5. James Ellison
6. Dan Linfoot
7. Richard Cooper
8. Christian Iddon
9. Ryuichi Kiyonari
10. Howie Mainwaring
15. Billy McConnell (AUS)
19. Josh Waters (AUS)
21. Jed Metcher (AUS)

Superbike championship standings:
1. Josh Brookes (AUS) 553
2. Shane Byrne 551
3. James Ellison 522
4. Dan Linfoot 507
5. Tommy Bridewell 507
6. Michael Laverty 500
7. Stuart Easton 139
8. Richard Cooper 119
9. Luke Mossey 118
10. Jason O’Halloran (AUS) 103
13. Billy McConnell (AUS) 89
20. Broc Parkes (AUS) 38
22. Josh Waters (AUS) 24
30. Jed Metcher (AUS) 1

Click here for detailed results