Source: Supplied.

Australian Josh Brookes (Anvile Hire Yamaha) and Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) recorded their season-first victories last weekend at Thruxton’s seventh round of the 2017 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship (BSB).

Brookes engaged in a battle with Hickman in the opening race, although in dying stages it was Brookes who prevailed to make a late pass for the win.

Pole sitter and early leader Jake Dixon (RAF Reserves Kawasaki) was third, as Shayne Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) recovered from an early mistake to finish fourth ahead of Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW). Australian Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing) was sixth, as countryman Billy McConnell (Kawasaki) crashed out in the opening laps.

In race two, it was Hickman who claimed the win after leading much of the early stages before Brookes stormed into the lead, but with a lap to remain, the Aussie crashed out of the race, handing the win to the BMW rider.

Dixon pulled through for second, followed by Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki), Iddon and O’Halloran. Byrne was another casualty with just a few laps remaining, although he still maintains the championship lead. McConnell didn’t line-up for the second outing following his race one crash.

Of the remaining Australian riders, Arthur Sissis (Yamaha) lodged DNF-15 results in Supersport, while Benjamin Currie (Kawasaki) went DNF-7. Fellow Aussies Brayden Elliott (Yamaha) and Sam Clarke (Yamaha) contested the Superstock 1000 class, going 26-22 and 13-DNF respectively, as Levi Day (Ducati) recorded a super impressive 3-2 scorecard in the Ducati TriOptions Cup.

The Thruxton round unfortunately saw the tragic and sad passing of Mark Fincham, who succumbed to his injuries following a two-man crash in the second Superstock 1000 race. The next round of the British Superbike Championship is slated for Cadwell Park on 18-20 August.