Brands Hatch, July 28: British rider Shane Byrne won both rounds of the World Superbike series at Brands Hatch while championship leader Neil Hodgson extended his lead over Ruben Xaus of Spain. Byrne won the first of two Superbike races at Brands Hatch in England on Sunday (July 27) by over five seconds from Hodgson. Byrne, a wildcard entrant, was fourth on the first lap but moved steadily past other Brands Hatch specialists John Reynolds and Chris Walker to hit the front and move ahead. Behind him championship leader Hodgson worked his way forward in the wake of his rival Ruben Xaus of Spain. Xaus was on fine form, shadowing Chris Walker in second place and he might have been able to stick with Byrne if his Ducati had not started smoking -- forcing him to retire. Also out was Reynolds, also with mechanical problems. Hodgson closed on Walker and overtook him down the straight to Paddock Hill bend.


The championship leader held his second place to earn another 20 points and raise his points total to 375. Xaus's retirement left his total at 233 with seven rounds remaining.


In the second race of the day British rider Sean Emmett, another wildcard rider, jumped the start to lead and then refused to pull out of the race until he was blackflagged by race officials.


Behind Emmett it was Byrne who led John Reynolds with Chris Walker and James Toseland fighting together, and Ruben Xause battling with Neil Hodgson.


For much of the race this train of six riders, joined later by Gregorio Lavilla of Spain, contested the lead. But Chris Walker fell and championship leader Hodgson lost touch with the group. Xaus too fell back with a haze of smoke again spotted coming from his bike.


At the finish Byrne was the winner from Reynolds with Toseland close behind. Hodgson has 386 points after the weekend with Xaus on 246. Third is Toseland with 227. With six rounds to go, and 150 points available, Hodgson could take the 2003 championship at the next rounds held at Assen in the Netherlands.


Race one (25 laps) 1. Shane Byrne (Britain) Ducati 36 minutes 25.400 seconds 2. Neil Hodgson (Britain) Ducati 36:31.199 3. Chris Walker (Britain) Ducati 36:31.318 4. Regis Laconi (France) Ducati 36:32.208 5. Sean Emmett (Britain) Ducati 36:35.063 6. James Toseland (Britain) Ducati 36:35.326 7. Gregorio Lavilla (Spain) Suzuki 36:35.770 8. Michael Rutter (Britain) Ducati 36:57.865 9. Pierfrancesco Chili (Italy) Ducati 36:58.124 10. Yukio Kagayama (Japan) Suzuki 37:01.618


Race two (25 laps) 1. Byrne 36:25.639 2. John Reynolds (Britain) Suzuki 36:26.178 3. Toseland 36:28.530 4. Ruben Xaus (Spain) Ducati 36:30.501 5. Hodgson 36:31.443 6. Lavilla 36:35.132 7. Chili 36:41.688 8. Laconi 36:43.410 9. Kagayama 36:54.929 10. Leon Haslam (Britain) Ducati 36:57.123


Leading overall standings: Riders 1. Hodgson 386 points 2. Xaus 246 3. Toseland 227 4. Laconi 208 5. Lavilla 185 6. Walker 172 7. Chili 159 8. Steve Martin (Australia) Ducati 97 9. Marco Borciani (Italy) Ducati 95 10. Lucio Pedercini (Italy) Ducati 91


Manufacturers 1. Ducati 450 2. Suzuki 235 3. Kawasaki 84 4. Petronas 75 5. Yamaha 50 6. Honda 25


Bureau Report