Chris Walker and Shane Byrne shared the race wins in the third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park.
Chris Walker and Shane Byrne shared the race wins in the third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park.
Walker recorded his first race win in the championship since 2000 at Brands Hatch as his experience proved invaluable in difficult conditions at the drying Cheshire circuit.
New regulations to ban electronic aids such as traction control have made the championship much closer this season and Byrne proved that when he became the sixth rider from different teams to win in as many races.
Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki rider Walker said: "It's amazing really. I've missed winning a race for so long, though I always felt it was in me to do it but I began to think it would never happen again and that it might have gone away.
"It has been nice to keep up with Shakey (Byrne) - last year we were at a totally different level but the new rules have altered that.
"Now I can hold my own and take them on in a level playing field," added Walker, who was only ninth in the second race.
Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki's Stuart Easton made the early pace in race two and was joined at the front by Tyco Suzuki's Josh Brookes and Swan Yamaha's reigning champion Tommy Hill after they had both passed Walker.
Byrne joined team-mate Easton in the battle for the lead after moving up to second at just over half distance.
Hill came under intense pressure and was passed by Byrne at Lakeside with two laps remaining to take a victory that consolidates his third place in the overall standings.
Hill remains at the top of the standings, leading by six points over Brookes who finished the race in fourth place, adrift of the determined Easton who claimed his first podium of the season.
