AND YOUR SHOWDOWN CONTENDERS ARE…

It’s been a rather peculiar month in BSB yet again, with that seemingly perennial inconsistency virus still sweeping the grid – although it is truly making for some fascinating viewing! The rounds at both Silverstone and Oulton Park verged on being completely bonkers, Silverstone to set the Showdown seats, and Oulton to kick off the Showdown proper.

But, honestly, where to start with it all is a tricky ask! Silverstone’s triple-header was properly weird, even that first race which was half wet and half dry. Those that took the risk of using slicks ended up paying the price, despite it being declared a wet race. Many of the title contenders went down (Leon Haslamwouldn’t finish a single race all weekend…), including Shane Byrne who was apoplectic with race director Stuart Higgs after the race.

Now, we love Shakey, he’s an ex FB boy after all and we totally understand why he had the raging arsehole after crashing. But in this instance, and given that Higgs turned out to be right in his assessment (and that all those on wet tyres were fine throughout), he did seem a little silly. True to form, the following day he manned up and apologised, as a great champion does, and got on with the job. Race two was a far more usual affair with Shane on the podium behind James Ellison and winner Josh Brookes. But then came the third outing, and utter bedlam. It was rather wet, and only seven riders finished the race, one of whomwas Jake Dixon who at the death worked his way into the Showdown at the expense of Luke Mossey and Christian Iddon. We also saw Dan Linfoot win his first ever race, coincidentally the only thing a new Honda Fireblade has done anywhere at the top level. Dan would go on to win another race at Oulton, too, but Silverstone will always be remembered for the worst attrition rate, like, ever...

At Oulton Park, Leon Haslam won the first outing while Shakey was weirdly off-form in both races. We did get the pleasure of seeing Bradley Ray get his first ever BSB podium though, which was brilliant work and thoroughly deserved. Really, the only one of the contenders to come out of Oulton with anything meaningful was Leon Haslam. Shakey, Josh Brookes, Jake Dixon, Jason O’Halloran and Peter Hickman will likely be trying their all at Assen and Brands Hatch to counter his early advantage, but as much as we’d love Shane to win it again, Leon hasn’t won a title since he raced scooters! So perhaps it’s about time the Pocket Rocket won BSB, and as we hear he’s staying in 2018, it’d be great to see him with the ‘1’ plate on a bike after all these years, nay?