James Ellison became the seventh different race winner in the 2017 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park. The McAMS Yamaha rider shared the victories with Leon Haslam in a dramatic raceday which also saw Lee Jackson claim his first podium finish in the class.
In race two Jackson had started from pole position for the Smiths Racing BMW team for the first time and he had a lightening start off the line to lead on the opening lap from Jake Dixon, Shane 'Shakey' Byrne and Peter Hickman.
Ellison was holding strong in fifth, but he had a moment and was forced to run on through the chicane which dropped him back and he had to regain the ground.
By the fifth lap Dixon had fired himself into the lead with a move on the brakes into Park and then Jackson, Byrne and Peter Hickman on the second of the Smiths Racing BMWs were in contention for the lead.
As Jackson smashed the lap record on the eighth lap, Ellison was vying to move up the order and he pulled a move on Hickman to move into fourth place.
Dixon was setting the pace at the front of the field but on the ninth lap the Knockhill double race winner slid off at Hall Bends, ending his chance of moving into the top six of the standings this weekend.
There was plenty more drama to come though as Byrne was then stalking Jackson for the lead; the Be Wiser Ducati rider made his move at Park, but just two laps later the defending champion was forced to retire with a technical problem. Championship leader Byrne’s retirement from the race marked the first time that none of the six Showdown riders have been confirmed ahead of the final race of the Main Season.
However it wasn’t just Byrne that was halted in race two. On the same lap race one winner Haslam had gone for a move on Hickman into Park but a gearbox issue forced him to scrub off speed and ended up on the grass at over 90mph, resulting in him crashing out unhurt.
The leading trio was then Jackson leading Ellison and Hickman and with three laps to go the McAMS Yamaha rider made his move to take the advantage at the front of the field with the trio three wide going into Park on the 15th lap.
Ellison went on to take the chequered flag by 0.696s from Jackson with Hickman giving the Smiths Racing BMW team their first double podium finish.
Jason O'Halloran claimed fourth place for Honda Racing as he kept his chance of a Showdown place alive as he moves up to fourth in the overall standings ahead of Christian Iddon on the leading Tyco BMW. Iddon was able to capitalise on Dixon’s non score to move to within eight points of Luke Mossey who holds sixth place in the standings ahead of the Silverstone triple-header.
Tommy Bridewell gave Team WD-40 their best result of the season in sixth place just ahead of Josh Brookes on the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha, who will also arrive at Silverstone currently inside the top six in the standings.
Michael Laverty, Glenn Irwin and Sylvain Guintoli completed the top ten.
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, race two result:
James Ellison (McAMS Yamaha)
Lee Jackson (Smiths Racing BMW) +0.696s
Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +2.237s
Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) +5.739s
Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +6.010s
Tommy Bridewell (Team WD-40 Kawasaki) +7.501s
Josh Brookes (Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha) +7.670s
Michael Laverty (McAMS Yamaha) +10.336s
Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati) +10.367s
Sylvain Guintoli (Bennetts Suzuki) +15.830s
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings after Cadwell Park:
Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) 219
Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 209
Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) 193
Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) 178
Josh Brookes (Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha) 167
Luke Mossey (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 161
