Shakey Byrne overcame a 33 point deficit to win his 6th British Superbike title. Blokes a legend and a top fella
Also lets wish Leon Haslam and John Hopkins a speedy recovery, Leon broke his ankle when his brakes failed at 170mph in the final race. Hopkins is a lot more serious, he's broken both his knees and several vertebrae in a qualifying crash.
We also can't knock Josh Brookes for his incredible season, it might not seem that big a deal finishing second when you consider he's a former champion but the TAG Anvil Yamaha team he is riding for is one of the least funded on the grid and get no factory support so a great achievement for Josh and the Winfield family who own and run the team.
Joined Apr 2011
477 Posts | 195+
Romania
So sorry for Haslam, he really had a chance this year. Such a great gesture to come and congratulate Byrne for his championship. And what happened to JG team, two big fuckups in the season finale is unacceptable! First the clutch and then the brakes, what are they, amateurs?
Also, i didn't think Byrne could overcome that point deficit, this just shows how good he is. I wonder which riders will challenge him next season, with a chance, of course.
Poor Hopkins, this injury may put an end to his career, let`s just hope Haslam have a full recovery over the winter.
Also, i didn't think Byrne could overcome that point deficit, this just shows how good he is. I wonder which riders will challenge him next season, with a chance, of course.
Poor Hopkins, this injury may put an end to his career, let`s just hope Haslam have a full recovery over the winter.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Unfortunately we're not getting coverage of BSB this year. I'm a Haslam fan and wanted to follow but it's just too difficult now for me to download torrents.
Anyway, I feel for Haslam and Hopkins. They have thee most awful luck.
If you live in a glass house don't throw rocks.
Anyway, I feel for Haslam and Hopkins. They have thee most awful luck.
If you live in a glass house don't throw rocks.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
I was hoping he'd stop racing because I was worried something like this might happen, or worse. Hopkins is a real nice guy, cool dude. Real talent that never quite materialized. Losing the BSB title on "last lap" of season really haunted him, though he lost it when he suffered a points mechanical previous event. That last lap battle was one of the best ever in racing, reminiscent of Edwatds/Bayliss Imola. John shouldnt have needed it with the mechanical, but that's racing.
I have lots of admiration for this bloke. Whilst Hack Oxley was writing such ........ describing Rossi broken leg comeback as of "biblical proportion" and Rossi masking the pain and fear like "no other" ever, I was disgusted knowing John Hopkins has endured far worse. I would have like to see Rossi and Hopkins as teammates at Suzuki, I'm sure Rossi would have got on like his Ducati stint know he was unwilling to risk. But that's racing too, some are given all the glory via advantages. Hopkins has come within an inch of his life at least 3 times in his career, you'll never read the gutless GP media write about it in such lofty terms.
If you live in a glass house don't throw rocks.
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The more I see that crash, the more I feel he's lucky he came away with a broken ankle, wrist and thumb, that is horrific, the deceleration when he hit that barrier! .... me, that could have been a fatality.
Haslam is still relatively young at 33(Byrne's 41), so he can hopefully come back and be competitive again but it's almost like he seems destined to be the bridesmaid, he's been runner-up in BSB 3 times and once in WSBK.
Haslam is still relatively young at 33(Byrne's 41), so he can hopefully come back and be competitive again but it's almost like he seems destined to be the bridesmaid, he's been runner-up in BSB 3 times and once in WSBK.
John missed an entire round in that 2011 season due to an injury too. Cruel blow but then I was happy for Hill as he had to comeback from some horrible injuries himself.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
I'm kinda disappointed in BSB safety standards. BSB is just below Wsbk but the run off areas at some venues look .....
If you live in a glass house don't throw rocks.
To be fair Jumkie BSB has a very good safety record despite the fact a few of the tracks seem a bit hairy. Safety wise BSB is on a parr with WSBK.
Joined Oct 2006
3K Posts | 197+
Living the dream in Scotland
Fantastic show by Shqkey, amazing rider. Gutted for Hopkins, I wasn't always a fan.......but his 2011 season in BSB was inspirational and heartbreaking. A sad end if this finishes his career. Haslam? Sorry, but, he just isn't the rider he's hyped up to be. He's never had to struggle on .... machinery, and he just doesn't have that championship quality. Roberts Jnr was slated for getting rides on his surname, and he took the 500 title on the Suzuki. A well deserved champion, as is Shakey Byrne.
I've always liked Shakey, sad that he never got a proper go on the world stage, a couple of seasons in MotoGP were wasted on the dreadful Aprilia RS Cube and the equally bad Team Roberts bike though he did have a few points finishes on both I think 10th was the best he could manage. He won some WSBK races but ultimately his machinery wasn't competitive enough to sustain a proper challenge.
Leon had some pretty .... rides in GP to be fair but off the top of my head yeah he's pretty much been on top machinery in both BSB and WSBK.
