Kiyonari fires Showdown warning with Donington double

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Ryuichi Kiyonari threw down the gauntlet ahead of the MCE British Superbike Showdown as the Buildbase BMW rider completed a brilliant double at Donington Park.

The three-time BSB champion was made to work hard in the opening race by title rival Shane 'Shakey' Byrne, but this time Kiyonari was never troubled as the Japanese star dictated matters from the front, crossing the line to win by 0.489 seconds with Milwaukee Yamaha's Josh Brookes finishing in third.

Byrne could never get close enough to the BMW S1000RR and on the final lap he was out of the seat at Craner Curves as any slim hopes he had of overhauling Kiyonari evaporated.

The pair touched at Redgate on lap one, with Kiyonari moving to the front from Stuart Easton as Byrne dropped to third. Byrne soon found a way past his team-mate and chased after the leader, but Kiyonari always seemed to have a little more in reserve.

Aussie Brookes - in talks over a move to the World Superbike Championship in 2015 with Pata Honda and Crescent Suzuki - mounted a late challenge on the YZF-R1 and began to close on the leaders, but his victory assault petered out on the last two laps and Brookes finished 1.183 seconds adrift of Kiyo as he gained the final place on the rostrum behind Byrne.

Easton took fourth on the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki, but missed out on a spot in the Showdown, with Chris Walker's 10th place result on the GBmoto Kawasaki enough for the veteran racer.

Tyco Suzuki's Josh Waters - who started from pole - and wildcard Julien da Costa on the Honda Racing Fireblade were the top six.

American John Hopkins battled to ninth behind Peter Hickman (RAF Reserves Honda) and James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) after starting from row seven following his crash in race one.

Milwaukee Yamaha's James Westmoreland saw his hopes of a double podium finish go up in smoke when he came off at the Old Hairpin on lap seven.

James Ellison continued his comeback from injury as he finished 11th behind team-mate Walker, while Showdown contender Dan Linfoot was 14th on the Quattro Plant Kawasaki.

Byrne heads into the opening Showdown round at Assen on September 21 with a lead of 26 points over Brookes, with Kiyonari now only a further point behind in third. Bridewell (508), Walker (506) and Linfoot (501) round out the top six Title Fighters.