Hickman scythes to spectacular maiden BSB win
CLICK HERE for BSB Race Results (2) at Cadwell Park
Peter Hickman has taken a magnificent maiden MCE British Superbike Championship win after mastering tricky conditions in peerless style at his local Cadwell Park circuit.
One of the most experienced riders on the grid with 195 BSB starts, Hickman came into the weekend with just one BSB podium finish to his name, but had already shown strong pace in race one with a run to a season's best sixth.
However, with conditions worsening between the day's races, the local man made full use of an intimate knowledge of his local track to power into the lead on the opening lap before managing the gap to Shane Byrne and pulling away in the closing stages.
Indeed, persistent rain and treacherously wet conditions made their presence felt before the race had even begun when Josh Brookes slid off his Milwaukee Yamaha at the base of the Mountain. Though he got going again to resume his place on the grid, race rules dictate that any bike that crashes cannot rejoin a race, the Australian subsequently black flagged straight away.
With the race underway, Hickman showed fearless determination to snatch second place through the opening bends from fifth on the grid before grabbling the lead from Byrne shortly afterwards.
Stretching out the leaders, Hickman pulled out a gap initially, only to be reeled in again by Byrne, who in turn was towing Ryuichi Kiyonari along. However, the Japanese rider's push would instead result in a high-side out of the hairpin, consigning him to his second DNF of the day.
With Kiyonari out, Byrne managed to get onto the tail of Hickman once more, only for the RAF Reserves Honda rider to get the hammer down again, leaving the title contender to settle for the points knowing is closest rivals weren't scoring.
As such, Hickman was left to seal a remarkable first win for himself and the RAF Reserves team, while it also signals a first win of the year for Honda. More poignantly, the win is a fitting tribute to Simon Andrews, who started the season with the team but was tragically killed in an accident on the North West 200.
Behind Byrne, race one winner Tommy Bridewell completed a fruitful day to pick up another podium finish to guarantee his place in the Title Showdown, while Gary Mason put in a charging wet weather ride to fight his way up to fourth place, marking easily the best result yet for the Tsingtao Kawasaki outfit.
A race winner in the wet at Brands Hatch, Josh Waters couldn't replicate that form as he settled for a solid fifth place, ahead of an intense Kawasaki battle for sixth that went the way of Jon Kirkham, fending off Glen Richards, Chris Walker and Ben Wilson.
Michael Rutter rounded out the top ten, ahead of a nervous Dan Linfoot, whose 11th place was not quite enough to ensure he progresses to the Title Showdown, even if he remains poised to do so regardless.
With just 15 riders reaching the finish line, Howie Mainwaring, Patric Muff, John Ingram and Scott Smart secured the remaining points' positions.
