Samsung Honda's Alex Lowes scored a double win at Donington Park as the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship main season reached a climax with James Westmoreland fighting to fourth to become the final Title Fighter in the Showdown which kicks off at Assen.
Lowes claimed the opening MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race win at Donington Park as the Samsung Honda held off the intense pressure from title rivals Shane 'Shakey' Byrne and James Ellison.
Lowes got a flying start off the front row of the grid to lead the pack into Redgate for the first time ahead of Byrne, Josh Brookes and Ellison, but the Milwaukee Yamaha was instantly on the attack and pushed ahead. The Australian reclaimed the position but as the pack reached the Fogarty Esses, Ellison was able to make another move and then keep Brookes at bay.
Byrne had been pressurising Lowes throughout the race but despite coming up level with his Samsung Honda rival he was unable to get ahead and Lowes was able to celebrate his third consecutive race win. Ellison achieved his goal of adding to his podium credit tally whilst becoming the fourth rider to confirm his place in the Showdown, but for Ryuichi Kiyonari he still has to face a tense race two after only finishing thirteenth in race one.
Brookes claimed fourth place ahead of pole-sitter James Westmoreland who is now just four points adrift of his sixth placed team-mate Jon Kirkham who ended the first race in sixth.
Kirkham had to fight off the attack from Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki's Chris Walker and Padgetts Honda's Jakub Smrz as the trio were embroiled in a race-long battle.
PJ Jacobsen was able to claim a top ten position for Tyco Suzuki in ninth with Barry Burrell finishing inside the top ten for the first time this season with the Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki team. Tommy Bridewell was forced to retire from the race with a technical problem.
Race Two:
The final race of the main season was an intense battle for supremacy as the confirmed Title Fighters aimed for the final podium credits ahead of the Showdown, whilst Ryuichi Kiyonari and the equally-matched Buildbase BMWs of James Westmoreland and Jon Kirkham targeted the final top six position.
On the opening lap race one winner Lowes again got off to a flying start as he pushed ahead of Shane 'Shakey' Byrne on the exit of Redgate for the first time. The chasing pack of James Ellison, Josh Brookes and Westmoreland didn't wait long to attack with the Australian making a move on the Milwaukee Yamaha rider to move third at the Old Hairpin.
Ellison made a charge back ahead of Brookes at the Esses and the Australian was relegated a further position back as Westmoreland moved ahead with a determined move down the inside at the Melbourne Loop.
The leading pack of Lowes, Byrne, Ellison, Westmoreland, Bridewell and Brookes were in close contention but a mistake on the tenth lap cost the Milwaukee Yamaha rider dearly as he tried to make a move into the Esses, but ran on and dropped down the order.
Bridewell had been looking to make amends for his retirement in the opening race and he moved up to second by the eleventh lap onboard the Halsall Racing Kawasaki. Byrne wasn't prepared to settle for third though and he made a move on his Kawasaki rival at the Fogarty Esses and was shadowing Lowes.
At the front Lowes was pushing and despite a last lap attack from Byrne he held his nerve to claim his second win of the day from Byrne and Bridewell who was back on the podium for the Halsall Racing Kawasaki team.
The fight for the final Showdown position was intense as Westmoreland and Kirkham continued to try and be the first Buildbase BMW on track in the tussle for the final Title Fighter position. Westmoreland though had another strong race to claim fourth and despite equal on points, the count back on positions gave him the edge over team-mate Kirkham.
Brookes claimed fifth place ahead of the recovering Ellison with Kirkham in sixth, just missing out on a Title Fighter position. Chris Walker won the battle for eighth place for Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki after a huge tussle with PJ Jacobsen and Jakub Smrz.
The Showdown kicks off at Assen as five different teams representing five different manufacturers with riders from three different nationalities battle for the MCE BSB title.
