Byrne responds with stunning final lap victory at Assen

CLICK HERE for BSB Assen Race 2 results

Shane 'Shakey' Byrne atoned for a costly mistake in race one to take victory in the second race with a calculated last-lap move on MCE British Superbike Showdown rival Ryuichi Kiyonari at Assen.

Byrne, whose championship advantage was whittled down to seven points after he came off in the wet in the first race while holding third place, was content to sit behind race leader Kiyonari, who led over the line on every lap of the 18-lap race on the Buildbase BMW.

Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider Byrne - locked in battle with his Japanese adversary as both bid to become the first rider in BSB history to win the crown four times - lined up a pass on Kiyonari on numerous laps at the chicane without making a decisive move.

However, he timed his race-winning pass to perfection when it mattered on the final lap, going underneath Kiyonari in a classic Assen manoeuvre to snatch his first BSB win since Knockhill in the summer to extend his lead in the Showdown standings to 12 points.

In sunny conditions, dramatically at odds with the grey, overcast and wet weather earlier in the day at the legendary Dutch venue, Milwaukee Yamaha's Tommy Bridewell claimed the last place on the rostrum ahead of fellow Showdown contender Dan Linfoot on the Quattro Plant Kawasaki.

But it has been a weekend to forget for Australian rider Josh Brookes, who was forced to start from pit lane in race before crashing out and encountered more misfortune in race two, retiring to the pits on lap nine with an apparent machine problem.

Bridewell is now only five points behind his team-mate with two more rounds remaining at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, with Brookes now 51 points behind Byrne and seemingly out of the running for the title.

Halsall Kawasaki's Jon Kirkham started from pole but it was Tyco Suzuki rider John Hopkins who took up the running ahead of James Westmoreland, but Kiyonari quickly moved into second position as Byrne slotted into sixth.

Kiyonari took the lead at the end of the opening lap at the chicane from Hopkins, with Stuart Easton on the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki crossing the line in third ahead Linfoot and team-mate Byrne.

Several riders went down in an incident on the opening lap, with Showdown rider Chris Walker involved in the pile-up along with Patric Muff, Peter Hickman and Ben Wilson, who managed to return to the action on the Gearlink Kawasaki.

On lap two, Byrne was on the move, passing both Linfoot and Easton before setting his sights on the Suzuki of Hopkins.

The Kawasaki rider was keen not to allow Kiyonari any breathing space at the front and he dispensed with American star Hopkins on the third lap to put his title rival firmly in his sights.

Bridewell was making ground on the Yamaha and was up to fifth on lap six behind Easton as Kiyonari and Byrne circulated in close contention.

Christian Iddon, who set pole for race one, came off on lap five on the Alstare Junior Bimota to end his weekend on a sour note, but escaped unhurt.

It was a similar story for pole-sitter Kirkham, who went down on the same lap to compound a disappointing weekend.

The order remained the same at the front at the half-way point although Bridewell continued to close in, taking third place from Hopkins on lap 10 with Linfoot also finding a way past the former Suzuki MotoGP rider, who was pushed back to fifth.

Byrne showed Kiyonari his front wheel at the chicane on a number of laps but each time the BMW rider seemed to have an advantage on the brakes, retaining his position in the lead.

But Byrne finally made the pass stick on the very last lap, pouncing late to deny Kiyonari as he sealed a timely victory - his 58th BSB win - to land a psychological blow prior to the final two rounds.

Kiyonari, though, is right in contention and only 12 points behind with the duo poised to battle all the way to the finish in their pursuit of a record fourth title.

Bridewell held on for a strong third, only 0.460s behind Byrne, with Linfoot, Hopkins and Easton the top six.

GBmoto Kawasaki's James Ellison was seventh followed by race one winner Josh Waters (Tyco Suzuki), while Filip Backlund claimed a fine ninth place result on the FFX Yamaha after a heavy fall in the opening race.

James Westmoreland completed the top 10 on the second of the Buildbase BMW machines with Lee Jackson bagging another BSB finish in 12th.