More Solid Points For Byrne And Irwin At Donington

Despite the unseasonal Easter weather doing its best to disrupt the opening round of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Donington Park, the Be Wiser Ducati Racing Team of Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne and Glenn Irwin scored solid points in today’s second race following on from the opening encounter yesterday.

24 hours before, 41-year-old Londoner Shakey scored a podium for Paul Bird’s Penrith-based team whilst 28-year-old Ulsterman Irwin, from Carrickfergus, posted a top six placing on the factory-backed Be Wiser Ducati Panigale Rs. However, heavy overnight rain looked like it would scupper any chances of racing taking place, but it eventually stopped, and a rearranged schedule meant conditions were as good as they’d been all weekend when the second race came under orders in late afternoon.

Both Byrne and Irwin lined up on the front row and at the completion of the opening lap, six-times and defending champion Byrne occupied fourth place with Irwin one place further back in fifth. Two laps later and the duo had slipped back to fifth and sixth respectively and although the circuit had a dry line, straying off line had major repercussions, which is what happened to Irwin at half race distance when he ran wide at Redgate and dropped down to 11th.

As the race progressed, Shakey battled hard to try to claim fourth but had to settle for fifth position in the end as Irwin fought back by overhauling four riders to clinch seventh at the flag, just missing out on another top six placing. The results mean that after the opening round, Byrne occupies second place in the standings behind double winner Bradley Ray whilst Irwin is in the all-important top six going into the next round at Brands Hatch in two weeks’ time.