IF the opening two rounds of this season’s MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship are any kind of barometer, then this weekend’s races at Croft Circuit should prove spectacular viewing.

There have been thrills and spills, huge highs and big lows, bruised bodies, wrecked machinery and liberal amounts of champagne sprayed.

Shane “Shakey” Byrne leads the way after the opening sorties at Brands Hatch and Oulton Park.

The HM Plant Honda rider has 70 points, courtesy of one win, two thirds and a fourth.

His nearest rival is MSS Colchester Kawasaki rider Stuart Easton who has 59 points, while Byrne’s teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari is third.

Those statistics, though, go nowhere near explaining the real drama witnessed on the track, much of which has involved the Guisboroughbased Swan Yamaha team.

Leading race one and looking odds on for victory, Michael Laverty high-sided at Clark Curve, parted with his machine and was lucky not to be collected by team-mate Tommy Hill and Byrne.

Hill dropped to 11th, but fought back in terrific fashion to end up on the runner’s-up step beneath Byrne.

He went one better in race two, holding off both Byrne and Kiyonari to take victory at his home round.

Despite his fall, Laverty finished a highly respectable fourth. Not what he had hoped for before the day began, but, bearing in mind what had happened earlier, no mean feat.

The circus then headed to Oulton Park, widely regarded as the most picturesque race circuit in the country. But the scenery was the last thing the thousands of spectators were interested in.

Hill had been leading the championship as the warmup session began, but suffered shoulder damage in a fall and was unable to take part in the weekend and is facing a race against time to be fit for Croft.

That left the way open for his rivals, and first to make a move was Kiyonari who, after experiencing a few technical issues earlier in the weekend, took victory in the opening race, working his way through the pack and finally making the move on then leader Laverty as it reached its climax.

Samsung Crescent Racing rider, John Hopkins, twice made history in coming second in the opening race, the first time an American had stood on the podium, and then surpassed that by winning the followup.

Easton, who managed to steer clear of a spectacular crash involving Relentless Suzuki rider, Josh Brookes, grabbed second, with Byrne third.

That meant Byrne moved into the overall lead of the championship, a position he will be looking to further cement this weekend.

Croft Circuit manager Tracey Morley said: “We can’t wait for the BSB to arrive at Croft – the championship never fails to put on a fantastic show and this really is an event not to be missed.

“The BSB is more than just a motorsport event – it is a huge social occasion for people to come and enjoy, whether they be seasoned or casual motorbike fans or families looking for an exciting day out.”