Shane Byrne has labelled the latest of his seven British Superbike wins this year as his favourite after a superb ride up the order from 13th place at a slippery
Snetterton.
Although Byrne has plenty of highlights to consider in a championship that is quickly becoming a foregone conclusion, he has singled his performance around the Norfolk circuit following a determined response to a first lap delay.
Getting a fair start from pole position, Byrne slotted into third place but found himself with a foot on the ground when he was brought to a sudden standstill by a tumbling Karl Harris in front of him. While most riders simply streamed past, Byrne had to wait for Harris to pick himself up before he could get going, leaving him a classified 13th at the end of the first lap.
Nonetheless, with seemingly plenty of grip at his disposal on the greasy surface, Byrne charged up the order to be tailing race leading team-mate Leon Camier with just two laps to go. Simply out-dragging him into the Esses, Byrne was home and dry, much to his obvious delight – and surprise…
“I think that has been my favourite race of the year,” he told
Crash.net Radio. “I was relieved to get a good start, then that happened in front of me and I was thinking ‘what do I have to do to get a bit of luck'. I kept my head down though and the Airwaves Ducati was working really, really well.
“The bike was getting grip in places that others weren't and although I thought the rear tyres were going off, I kept picking off places and about five laps before the end I thought ‘I can win this', so I just got my head and that's exactly what I did.
“My job is to finish first and once I got my head together, off we went! Fortunately for me, it worked out really well.
Indeed, Byrne admits he was relieved not to hit Harris right in front of him when he fell, although that fact helped make his win all the sweeter.
