Cadwell BSB: Hickman takes stunning debut win in the rain

Peter Hickman became the second rider to celebrate a debut MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race win in the final race of the day at Cadwell Park as the RAF Reserves Honda rider scored the team victory ahead of Byrne. However it was disappointment for title contenders Josh Brookes and Ryuichi Kiyonari who both crashed out unhurt.

Byrne initially hit the front of the field on the opening lap from Hickman and race one winner Tommy Bridewell, but the RAF Reserves Honda rider didn’t wait long to make a move and he passed the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider to claim the advantage.

Hickman was edging away from Byrne as he mastered the wet conditions and although at the mid-point of the race the gap closed, the triple champion couldn’t get close enough to make a move and the RAF Reserves Honda team celebrated victory in their debut season in MCE BSB. Byrne held on to second to double up on podium finishes but for his closest rivals it was a disastrous second race.

Josh Brookes’ race was dramatically cut short when he crashed at the top of the Mountain on the warm up lap and although the Milwaukee Yamaha rider took his position on the grid he was black flagged and had to return to the garage.

Brookes wasn’t the only one of the confirmed Title Fighters to crash out of contention with Kiyonari high-siding out of third place at the Hairpin on the fifth lap to end his hopes of closing in on Byrne in the Podium Points standings.

Bridewell had a double celebration as he scored a third place finish to secure his position as a Title Fighter in the Showdown but behind the battle raged throughout the race. Gary Mason carved his way through the order to score the Tsingtao Kawasaki team their best result in the championship in fourth place and behind Josh Waters and Jon Kirkham both bounced back from their race one crashes to finish in fifth and sixth respectively.

Hickman said: “This win feels unbelievable and I couldn’t pick a better place to do it that at my home round of Cadwell Park. I have been top seven all weekend and I said if we were on the front two rows in qualifying I would be happy and then we were fifth. Sixth in race one was good but I felt we had more in us. I just want to say a massive thanks to everyone that has supported me and everyone in our small RAF Reserves team – to get a podium is a massive thing but to win is just unreal. This one is for Simon.”