Pit Pass
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SURPRISE! RISE!
PICS:DOUBLERED,MIKEPETCH
Surprise indeed! Andassurprises go,this wasaprettybig one formost, andmost especially to the fella whogot it –ShaneByrne.Or, by rights,six-times BSB champion, Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne…
The ex Fast Bikes boywentinto thefinal,triple race roundat BrandsHatch over 30 points behindseriesleader Leon Haslam. Shakey may be aBrands Hatch specialist,but Haslamisnoslouch there and histeam-mate LukeMossey,despite beingout of title contention,isalsoaBrandsspecialist.So, Leon went into the weekend with afairly firmgrip on his firstever BSB crown and a better chance of having some back-up –what could go wrong?
Well,and it pains us to saythisthoughregularreadersmay remember us saying as much just an issue or so ago,but something always seems to happen to Leon.Bethatbad luck,injury,orwhatever, something always seems to come alongtoscupper hisambitions, timeand again–anditstruckonce more at thefinale.
Possibly the pressure upon hisshoulders meant he was alittle out of sorts,but it wasn’t untilfreepractice two thatLeon looked anything like himself.Then in qualifying hecrashed out, meaning afight through thepackinthe first race.Hefinishedfourthwhile Shakey won,not adisasterbyany means,but at the sametime he and the Kawasaki didnot seem to be getting on too well.