This weekend the MCE British Superbike Championship reaches its climax at Brands Hatch and it couldn’t be more exciting as Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne targets title number five. 
Byrne takes a 17-point lead into Brands Hatch this weekend where he is bidding for an unprecedented fifth BSB title for both himself and the Penrith-based Paul Bird Motorsport Team.
‘Shakey’ arrives at his beloved Grand Prix track with nine wins so far this season, including a superb double at the Kent track back in August aboard the factory-supported Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R. That took his winning tally around the track to fifteen as well as two unforgettable World Superbike Championship race wins back in 2003 and once again he’s hoping for more in front of his hordes of local fans expected to turn out for the triple-header meeting.
Originally from London and now living on the Isle of Sheppey, the 39-year-old is hoping to add to his titles won in 2003, 2008, 2012 and 2014 but faces stiff opposition from main rival Leon Haslam. Mathematically, Byrne can follow Haslam home in every race and still win the title but it’s not in his nature to settle for second place so he’s going all out for victory to add to the nine this year and 77 career wins in total.
Race one takes place on Saturday afternoon with the final two races held on Sunday and for anyone not attending the meeting at Brands Hatch, there is live television coverage of all three races, as well as the support classes, on British Eurosport 2 HD.
Speaking ahead of the weekend, Byrne said: “Well, this is it! This is what a whole year’s worth of hard work, determination and desire for a fifth BSB title have come down to. It’s the Brands Hatch triple header, we know what we need to do, we know what we have to do and I certainly know what I want to do.
“The plan is to give it our all and see where we’re at this Sunday afternoon. I trust my team to give me the best package possible and there’s nowhere I enjoy racing at more than the Brands Hatch GP track.”
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