Qualifying on the front row of the grid for the second time this year, 21 year old Sykes followed up a sixth place finish in race one with a superb fourth place result in race two, just missing out on a podium position by 0.055 seconds as he battled with defending champion Ryuichi Kiyonari.

Meanwhile 30 year old Byrne overcame vision problems in race one to post a fourth place finish which he followed up with a hard earned fifth place in the second of the day’s races to round off a decent day’s work for the team.

Both races were reduced in distance due to torrential rain which fell at the Fife venue but the organisers did well to battle against the elements to prepare the track for two cracking races which as a result sees Shakey and Tom in fifth and seventh places in the championship respectively.

The team moves on to Oulton Park in two weeks time whereby the Stobart, VK and Vent Axia backed team will be looking to return to the podium.

Shane Byrne: “I just got really beat up at the beginning and just tried to pick my way through. On my own I had a good pace but trying to pass people was a totally different matter and I just rode quite sensibly. I knew I had Leon Camier behind so that was important to me championship-wise. Tom got a couple of points off me as well but a fourth and fifth from a bad qualifying I am quite happy with really. I could have done with a couple of podiums but they will come.”

Tom Sykes: “I got a decent start in the second race and just took it a bit steady at the start to make sure I didn’t spin it up. I settled into my race and just took it lap by lap as we’d made some changes from the first race and it took a couple of laps to get settled in, the whole package was brilliant. I was so close to Kiyonari at the end, I tried my hardest but I just couldn’t quite get past him at the hairpin. It’s really gutting to be just 0.055 seconds off the podium but I’m happy to get fourth. I’ve learned a few things today which will help me in the future and I’d like to thank the whole team and hope I can put it on the podium soon because they deserve it.”

Paul Bird: “It’s been a good day considering the weather and we had two strong points scoring rides from both riders in both races. We’re looking forward to Oulton Park now and hopefully some decent weather!”



Bennetts British Superbike Championship Positions after Round 7

1, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 248pts

2, Jonathan Rea (Honda) 237pts

3, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 220pts

4, Leon Haslam (Ducati) 205pts

5, Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 151pts

6, Leon Camier (Honda) 145pts

7, Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 138pts

8, Chris Walker (Suzuki) 104pts

9, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 86pts

10, Karl Harris (Honda) 79pts



Round 1 – 7th to 9th April – Brands Hatch GP, Kent

Round 2 – 14th/15th April – Thruxton, Hants

Round 3 – 27th/29th April – Silverstone, Northants

Round 4 – 5th/7th May – Oulton Park, Cheshire

Round 5 – 18th/20th May – Snetterton, Norfolk

Round 6 – 15th/17th June – Mondello Park, Co Kildare

Round 7 – 30th June/1st July – Knockhill, Fife

Round 8 – 13th/15th July – Oulton Park, Cheshire

Round 9 – 20th/22nd July – Mallory Park, Leics

Round 10 – 10th/12th August – Croft, North Yorkshire

Round 11 – 25th/27th August – Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire

Round 12 – 21st/23rd September – Donington Park, Leics

Round 13 – 12th/14th October – Brands Hatch Indy, Kent