Ian Lowry and Padgetts Honda made history this afternoon at Thruxton by securing their first race win in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as they snatched the lead and victory from defending champion Tommy Hill.

More to follow.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, race one result:

Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda)
Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +2.794s
Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +13.136s
Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki ) +13.566s
Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki ) +14.435s
Michael Laverty (Samsung Honda) +18.433s
Jon Kirkham (Samsung Honda) +18.473s
Luca Scassa (Padgetts Honda) +19.867s
James Westmoreland (WFR Honda) +24.609s
Graeme Gowland (WFR Honda) +26.896s

Clive Padgett: That was ace!

Clive Padgett and his team celebrated their first victory in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as Ian Lowry secured his maiden BSB win in the opening race of the day at Thruxton.

Team owner Clive Padgett has managed his family-run team for several decades, leading them to wins in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s both in the British classes and on the international road race scene. The team last won the main British title in its previous guise in 1986 ahead of the factory contenders before finishing runner up the following season. The team returned to the Superbike class in 2001 but with riders out injured the Padgetts Honda team missed out on success and then ran riders in the Supersport and Superstock classes. This season the Batley-based team returned to the premier class and in only the second race of the season returned to the top step of the podium.

Padgett said:

"We have been on the pace this season and what can I say, we are still learning. This is our first year back in Superbike and we have no data to work with so we are picking up everything as we go along. We are a family team; we have a crew that have been with us for a while and we keep building - our line up includes a postman, a builder and me! Full credit to the whole team and the reception we have had has been fantastic. It was just ace; we were not expecting it and full credit toIan. I think if it hadn't been for Luca getting a slow puncture in the race he could have also been up there in the top five. It feels great, we have always come racing to win so this is just what we had hoped for after a winter of hard work from the whole Padgetts 'family'."


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