Kent’s Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne was happy after scoring his first podium of the season in the second round of the MCE Insurance BSB Championship at Thruxton.

The Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki team, sponsored by Hull-based Rapid Solicitors, missed out at the opening round however two determined rides from team-mates Byrne and Stuart Easton saw the pair prove at the high-speed Hampshire circuit that they are title contenders.

In the opening race Byrne and Easton both had to fight their way through the field to finish fourth and fifth respectively and in the second encounter ‘Shakey’ led the race before he was forced to settle for third in the closing stages. Easton continues his heroic return from serious injury and he also ran in a potential podium position before team-mate Byrne snatched the third place leaving him fourth.

Byrne said: “In the first race we had a lot of work to do as we had a bit of drama in qualifying and that put us on the fourth row of the grid. It clearly is a Thruxton legacy for me; last year I was on the back of the grid, this year nearer the middle so next year maybe I can get pole!

“I had been working my way through but we had a few problems although we still finished fourth. In race two I got to the front and after the problems we had in the first race it felt good to lead.

“I didn’t really want to lead to start with as you never know how hard to push at Thruxton and I think most of us thought the same. I tried to stay as consistent as possible but I just lost feeling once Tommy had come past me and I didn’t have an answer to him.

“I was happy to get the first podium of the season for Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki, I was just not ecstatic like I would have been if I had won!”

Picture by Jon Jessop Photography