Thruxton BSB: Laverty takes race one win

Michael Laverty took his first win of the season for Swan Yamaha at a rain-soaked Thruxton. In a closely contested race one, Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) finished second ahead of Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda), with the two riders vying for position in the final lap, culminating in Rutter re-claiming second in the final moments.

Byrne put in an incredible performance, having started the race from thirty-third on the grid due to a crash in qualifying, to set the fastest lap. The HM Plant Honda rider will start race two this afternoon on pole.

John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) led the race briefly in lap four, but dropped back to finish in fourth, ahead of Tyco Honda rider Peter Hickmann and Dan Linfoot (Sorrymate.com Honda), who finished in fifth and sixth respectively.

Alex Lowes (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) suffered a poor start, dropping back to fourth position in the first lap from pole, but was able to take third from Rutter on lap three. Lowes climbed to first place on lap six, before losing the lead to Laverty on lap eight. The twenty year old finished in seventh place, ahead of Chris Walker (Pr1mo Racing Kawasaski) and Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki). Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) finished the race in tenth place.

1. Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha)
2. Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) +1.281s
3. Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +1.333s
4. John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) +1.923s
5. Peter Hickman (Tyco Honda) +2.473s
6. Dan Linfoot (Sorrymate.com Honda) +3.097s
7. Alex Lowes (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +8.863s
8. Chris Walker (Pr1mo Racing Kawasaki) +10.948s
9. Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +14.718s
10. Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +17.123s