From a press release issued by MonsterMob Ducati:

MONSTERMOB DUCATI BRITISH SUPERBIKE TEAM

Round 6 – 2003 British Superbike Championship powered by HALLS, Brands Hatch

Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June 2003

BYRNE INCREASES LEAD AT BRANDS

MonsterMob Ducati rider Shane Byrne battled through the pain barrier to increase his lead in the British Superbike Championship with another superb performance at his home track at Brands Hatch today.

Suffering from injuries sustained in a crash on Friday, the 26 year old from Minster, Isle of Sheppey kept up his winning streak with his eighth successive victory in the opening race of the day after a race long battle with Suzuki’s John Reynolds.

But his hopes of going into the record books with a history making ‘quadruple double’ were dashed when Reynolds claimed victory with a last corner manoeuvre to outdrag ‘Shakey’ to the flag.

“Those have been the hardest races of my career and I really struggled but to increase my lead when it looked as if I may not be racing is a bonus. It’s disappointing not to get the record but I’ll just have to make sure I win more races than anyone else for the rest of the year.”

Byrne’s lead now stands at 133 points at the half distance stage of the season.

For team mate Stuart Easton, it was also a visit to the rostrum aboard the 748 Ducati.

The 18 year old Scot posted third place after a race long Supersport battle to consolidate his second place in the championship.

“A five week lay off didn’t help as I was a little race rusty but I clawed my way back. I felt good in the early stages but struggled for grip later on, but it could have been worse.”

Team boss Paul Bird commented “On Friday we didn’t think Shakey would be racing today, so to come away with a win and a second place is fantastic, all credit to him and the team. Stuart rode well but we need him to start winning soon if we want to hold onto that particular title”.


Superbike Results

Race One
1. Shane Byrne (MonsterMob Ducati) 30:54.420
2. John Reynolds (Suzuki) 30:54.597
3. Steve Plater (Honda) 30:58.526
4. Gary Mason (Yamaha) 30:58.585
5. Steve Hislop (Yamaha) 31:01.359
6. Glen Richards (Kawasaki) 31:01.811
7. Scott Smart (Kawasaki) 31:02.136
8. John McGuinness (Ducati) 31:06.353
9. John Crawford (Ducati) 31:11.581
10. Lee Jackson (Kawasaki) 31:13.146

Race Two
1. John Reynolds (Suzuki) 29:08.941
2. Shane Byrne (MonsterMob Ducati) 29:09.063
3. Michael Rutter (Ducati) 29:24.710
4. Sean Emmett (Ducati) 29:26.996
5. Glen Richards (Kawasaki) 29:27.661
6. Gary Mason (Yamaha) 29:27.826
7. Steve Hislop (Yamaha) 29:34.923
8. Steve Plater (Honda) 29:42.531
9. Scott Smart (Kawasaki) 29:44.873
10. Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) 29:45.420

Superbike Championship Standings after Round 6
1: Shane Byrne (MonsterMob Ducati) 285pts
2: Michael Rutter (Ducati) 152pts
3: John Reynolds (Suzuki) 145pts
4: Glen Richards (Kawasaki) 131pts
5: Steve Plater (Honda) 117pts
5: Gary Mason (Yamaha) 117pts
7: Steve Hislop (Yamaha) 111pts
8: Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) 103pts
9: John Crawford (Ducati) 74pts
10: Scott Smart (Kawasaki) 72pts

Supersport Results

1. Dean Thomas (Honda) 27:18.358
2. Karl Harris (Honda) 27:18.379
3. Stuart Easton (MonsterMob Ducati) 27:18.952
4. Leon Haslam (Ducati) 27:26.512
5. Simon Andrews (Yamaha) 27:26.966
6. Tom Sykes (Yamaha) 27:31.198
7. Takeshi Tsujimura (Honda) 27:33.813
8. Jamie Robinson (Yamaha) 27:34.079
9. Rob Frost (Kawasaki) 27:44.675
10. Craig Jones (Triumph) 27:47.677

Supersport Championship Standings After Round 6
1: Karl Harris 135pts
2: Stuart Easton 80pts
3: Simon Andrews 61pts
4: Leon Haslam 60pts
5: Adrian Coates 53pts
6: Dean Thomas 52pts
7: Rob Frost 48pts
8: Michael Laverty 47pts
9: John Crockford 45pts
10: Craig Jones 39pts
10: Tom Sykes 39pts


More, from a press release issued by Scott Smart Racing:

Brands Hatch – Race Report

FACTORY BRITISH Superbike racer Scott Smart secured a brace of good points finishes at his home circuit of Brands Hatch today, crossing the line in seventh after race one and ninth in race two.

The 27-year-old, who now lives in Yorkshire, was happy with his results and was pleased to beat Rizla Suzuki rider Yukio Kagayama in both races.

Commenting on race one, Smart said: “I got a pretty good start but Paul Young got a better one from behind me. We got up into Druids and there were a couple of small gaps so I made some places. I took a long time to get past John McGuinness and then, after I went by Yukio, I was running up with Hizzy.

“Then the pace car came out and everyone closed up. I just couldn’t get past Steve at all. He was really fast everywhere. I could have probably got him through Clearways near the end but I went to the inside and he got the run on me. I think if I’d stayed on the left, I might have got past him. I slowed up on the last lap to let Glen by because he needs the points more than I do and he had a nightmare of a race.

“In race two,” said Smart, “I got another reasonable start and basically had to try and hang on to Steve Plater and Yukio for the whole race. I didn’t have quite as much grip, so it was difficult to try and stay with Steve but I managed to get by Yukio again and finished in ninth.

“We made a load of changes to the Hawk Kawasaki over the course of the weekend and I’m happy with the set-up now. We go to Rockingham next and I’ve won there before, so I’m really looking forward to that weekend.”

Today was also an emotional day for Scott and his family because a corner at the Kent circuit was renamed Sheene Curve, in memory of Scott’s uncle, Barry Sheene, who tragically passed away earlier this year. Scott did a parade lap on an ex-Sheene Yamaha TZ750 racebike and said that it was more nerve wracking than racing as if he fell off Barry’s bike, he’d never hear the end of it.