Milwaukee Yamaha's Josh Brookes delivered an impressive second victory at Cadwell Park edging out his MCE British Superbike Championship title rivals to extend his points advantage in the overall standings and move ahead of Shane 'Shakey' Byrne in the Podium Points tally. The battle to be inside the top six has also intensified with just three races at Oulton Park now remaining before the Showdown.
Brookes maintained his incredible pace in race two and he instantly hit the front of the pack on the opening lap with Luke Mossey, Peter Hickman and Byrne in close contention. The rider on the attack though was Tommy Bridewell after he was denied a podium finish in the opening race on the final lap. The Tyco BMW rider was pushing the defending champion hard and he made a calculated move at Park corner on the fourth lap to move into fourth position.
Mossey in second place was equally coming under pressure from home hero Hickman and the Quattro Plant Kawasaki rider made an error into the Chicane, running on and then rejoined but dropped back to third and then was passed by Bridewell at Coppice a lap later.
The second Tyco BMW of Michael Laverty had been closing in, but on the twelfth lap he slid out of contention at the Chicane, leaving Hickman, Bridewell, Mossey and Byrne to battle for the final two podium positions.
Bridewell was fired up for another move and a lap later he pushed ahead of Hickman at Park to hit second place, however the RAF Reserves BMW rider wasn't going to give up on second place without a fight to the finish. Hickman retaliated on the final lap at the Chicane to reclaim the position with the pair still able to keep a closing Byrne at bay as he failed to finish on the podium for the first time this season.
Mossey held on to fifth despite the best efforts of race one podium finisher Billy McConnell's best efforts to snatch the position. Richard Cooper improved to seventh on the leading Buildbase BMW whilst Danny Buchan, James Westmoreland and Dan Linfoot completed the top ten.
Brookes said:
"I am sorry I just went out the front and led the whole race, but I just wanted to get out there and not let up and keep going. It is easy to make mistakes and lose concentration when you are not in a battle. In a battle you are fighting for every corner so you don't lose concentration, so I wanted to be smooth and calculated so I kept it pinned and rode it to the flag. I am really pleased for the Milwaukee Yamaha team and everything is all working really well now so we are ready for Oulton Park!"
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, race one result:
Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha)
Peter Hickman (RAF Reserves BMW) +1.878s
Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing BMW) +3.557s
Tommy Bridewell (Tyco BMW) +3.831s
Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) +3.977s
Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +4.128s
Luke Mossey (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +4.999s
Richard Cooper (Buildbase BMW) +5.980s
Christian Iddon (Bennetts Suzuki) +6.582s
Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) +6.656s
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, race two result:
Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha)
Peter Hickman (RAF Reserves BMW) +5.089s
Tommy Bridewell (Tyco BMW) +5.264s
Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +5.422s
Luke Mossey (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +10.177s
Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing BMW) +14.333s
Richard Copper (Buildbase BMW) +14.581s
Danny Buchan (Be Wiser Kawasaki) +14.729s
James Westmoreland (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +15.033s
Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) +15.242s
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings after Cadwell Park:
Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) 316
Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) 277
James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 147
Tommy Bridewell (Tyco BMW) 141
Stuart Easton (PBM Kawasaki) 139
Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) 126
The 2015 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship returns to Oulton Park for the triple-header Showdown decider on 4/5/6 September.