(Pic by Double Red)

The Smiths Racing BMW team celebrated a debut race win in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Thruxton this afternoon as Peter Hickman delivered a hard-fought victory for the local team.

Jake Dixon had again got off to a lightening start onboard the RAF Reserves Kawasaki to lead Hickman and race one winner Josh Brookes on the opening lap with the pack all lining up to try and gain the early advantage.

Shane 'Shakey' Byrne was determined to be back in podium contention and he had moved second by the end of lap two as Bradley Ray ended his race prematurely with a crash whilst running inside the top ten.

Byrne had hit the front of the pack, but Dixon fought back strongly with a determined move at the chicane, but a lap later and the defending champion repaid the move in exactly the same place. Hickman was then ready to get involved in the fight for the lead and on the eighth lap he nudged his way ahead to lead for the Smiths Racing BMW team.

Byrne regained the position but Hickman wasn’t giving up and a lap later he was back at the front of the pack as Brookes had launched himself through to second place on the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha. The Australian was then pushing for the lead, claiming the top spot on lap 14 as Byrne was dropping back dramatically.

Brookes lead until the penultimate lap when he crashed out unhurt, leaving Hickman to hold the advantage with Dixon in second place at the finish. Meanwhile there was an epic scrap for the final podium position as Christian Iddon, Leon Haslam and Jason O'Halloran battled for the valuable points.

Haslam bided his time and waited until the last lap to make a move on the Tyco BMW rider to score the final podium place ahead of Iddon and O’Halloran with Martin Jessopp scoring an impressive sixth place.

Lee Jackson held off Sylvain Guintoli for seventh place with James Ellison for McAMS Yamaha and Jakub Smrz for the Lloyd and Jones PR Racing BMW team completing the top ten.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, Race two result:

Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)
Jake Dixon (RAF Reserves Kawasaki) +0.6044s
Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +11.227s
Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +11.467s
Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) +14.971s
Martin Jessopp (Ridersmotorcycles BMW) +18.505s
Lee Jackson (Smiths Racing BMW) +18.600s
Sylvain Guintoli (Bennetts Suzuki) +19.199s
James Ellison (McAMS Yamaha) +19.512s
Jakub Smrz (Lloyd and Jones PR Racing BMW) +19.725s

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings after Thruxton:

Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) 203
Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 184
Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) 164
Luke Mossey (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 161
Josh Brookes (Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha) 154
Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) 154