Shane Byrne (motorcycle racer)

Shane Byrne
Byrne at Oulton Park British Superbikes in 2016
Nationality	British
Born	(1976-12-10) 10 December 1976 Lambeth, London
Current team	Be Wiser PBM Ducati
Bike number	67
Website	shakey.com
Motorcycle racing career statistics Superbike World Championship Active years 2002–2003, 2009–present Manufacturers Ducati Championships 0 2009 championship position 8th (192 pts) BSB Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 54 2 3 0 1 395 British Superbike Championship Active years 2004–2016 Championships 5 2015 championship position 2nd (610 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 312 75 171 40 48 1888

Shane Byrne (born 10 December 1976 in Lambeth, London),^[1] often known as Shakey, is a British motorcycle road racer. He is a five-time champion of the British Superbike Championship (2003,^[2] 2008,^[3] 2012, 2014, and 2016), the only person in the history of the series to win five titles. He was also a race winner in the Superbike World Championship^[4] and has competed in MotoGP.^[5]

Early days

While working as a road tester for Colin Schiller's Fast Bikes magazine, Byrne participated in track days on a Ducati 996 SPS at a wet Oulton Park. He caught the attention of Paul Bird, his future boss.

Byrne emerged in the British Superbike Championship in 1999, initially on a private Kawasaki. In 2001 he finished eighth in the championship onboard the performance house Suzuki, which was raced in the world Superbike Championship in 1997 by the Harris brothers and is now being restored back to this specification. Byrne had five top-five finishes in the 2001 season and was champion of the Cup for privateers; he was the privateer winner in 22 races out of 26.^[6]

Success

He then joined Renegade Ducati for 2002, taking his first British Superbike Championship win, replacing reigning champion Steve Hislop with MonsterMob for 2003. He stunned the paddock by storming to a string of wins, taking the title with ease. He impressed further by achieving a double win at Brands Hatch for the British round of the Superbike World Championship.

International racing

Byrne riding a Proton KTM at the 2005 British Grand Prix

For 2004 he joined fellow Brit Jeremy McWilliams in MotoGP with Aprilia,^[7] although he missed several races because of injury. He spent much of 2005 racing for Kenny Roberts' team on a KTM bike,^[8] before they were forced to pull out due to an internal dispute between the chassis and engine manufacturers.^[9] He raced in Malaysia and Qatar for Camel Honda, replacing the injured Troy Bayliss. But after finishing 14th and 13th, Byrne did not impress Honda and was replaced by Chris Vermeulen.^[10]

Back to Britain

For 2006 he returned to the British Superbike Championship with Rizla Suzuki squad.^[11] His first podium came in Race Seven despite suffering a severe stomach virus that weekend. He missed Races 11 and 12 after a 187 mph crash caused by a brake failure; he was not seriously injured. At Knockhill he qualified second and followed with a second place finish in Race One. The team's first win of the season came in Race Two. This was despite the team's bikes having been stolen and dumped in a barn alongside horse manure the previous week. At the final round of the season he was running third when he highsided, being knocked out in the process. Although he again escaped serious injury, he was unable to compete in the final race of the year, which meant he slipped from fourth to sixth in the championship standings.^[12]

For 2007, Byrne was reunited with his former Monstermob boss, Paul Bird, who was now running the Stobart Vent-Axia team, a privateer team using the 1000cc Honda Fireblade. The Honda was competitive from the start, giving Byrne more opportunities to fight at the front. He finished fifth overall, with a win, a pole position, and nine further podiums.^[13]

For the 2008 British Superbike Championship, Byrne competed for the Airwaves Ducati squad on a Ducati 1098 alongside Leon Camier.^[14] The combo was immediately dominant. Byrne won three of the opening four races. In the second race at Oulton Park he went wide on Lap One, dropping to 13th place, but he fought back. Almost immediately after he passed Cal Crutchlow for third place, Leon Haslam hit Tom Sykes, giving Byrne the lead. This race was stopped four laps early after several riders, including Crutchlow and Karl Harris fell. In Race Two at Snetterton he was held up by a crash involving Harris on Lap One, dropping to 13th position before fighting back for the win. He finished each of the first 14 races on the podium, often coming through the field after poor starts.

Byrne returned to the British Superbike Championship in 2011 with Lincolnshire-based HM Plant Honda alongside Japanese rider and three-time British Superbike Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari.

In 2012 Byrne made a return to Paul Bird Motorsport along with Stuart Easton.

In 2016 Byrne again comped in British Superbike Championship on a fully factory supported Ducati Panigale R sponsored by Be Wiser Insurance.^[15]

World Superbikes

Twenty-four hours after clinching the British Superbike Championship, Byrne confirmed that he would compete in the 2009 World Superbike Championship with the Sterilgarda Ducati team along with Alex Polita.^[16] This was his first full-time World Superbike Championship, although he has made successful wild card appearances in the past.^[17] Byrne became Sterilgarda Ducati's sole rider in February (due to apparent financial problems forcing Polita out) and recorded his first podium with the team in second place in the first race at the San Marino round of the Championship.

Due to financial problems, the Sterilgarda team failed to announce its intention to compete in the 2010 Superbike World Championship season, leaving Byrne without a confirmed ride for 2010. In November 2009, Byrne announced that he had signed with the Althea Racing team for the 2010 season. He raced alongside former Honda rider Carlos Checa.^[18] He was well behind Checa in performance and had no top-five finishes by midseason. He said he was "bitterly disappointed" with the season as a whole.^[19]

Torrens Trophy

Shane Bryne was awarded the prestigious Torrens Trophy in 2014 in recognition of his winning multiple British Superbike Championships.

Personal life

Byrne married Czech-national, Petra, in November 2010. The couple have two children and share their time between homes in Kent and Spain.

Career statistics

Stats correct as of 19 October 2014

By championship

British Superbike Championship

• * Season still in progress

Notes

1.^ 2011/2012 - Byrne qualified for "The Showdown" part of the British Superbike Championship season, thus before the 11th round he was awarded 500 points, plus the podium credits he had gained throughout the season. Podium credits are given to any rider finishing first, second, or third with three, two, and one points awarded respectively.

2.^ 2013 - Byrne qualified for "The Showdown" part of the British Superbike Championship season, thus before the tenth round he was awarded 500 points, plus the podium credits he had gained throughout the season. Podium credits are given to anyone finishing first, second, or third with three, two, and one points awarded respectively.

3.^ 2014/2015 - Byrne qualified for "The Showdown" part of the British Superbike Championship season, thus before the tenth round he was awarded 500 points, plus the podium credits he had gained throughout the season. Podium credits are given to anyone finishing first, second, or third, with five, three, and one points awarded respectively.

Superbike World Championship

Pos	Class	Bike	ESP		AUS		JPN		ITA		GER		GBR		SMR		USA		GBR		NED		ITA		FRA		Pos	Pts	Ref
			R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2
2003	SBK	Ducati																	1	1							16th	50

Yr	Class	Team	AUS		QAT		SPA		NED		ITA		RSA		USA		SMR		GBR		CZE		GER		ITA		FRA		POR		Pos	Pts	Ref
			R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2
2009	SBK	Ducati	Ret	Ret	6	12	9	11	11	8	14	18	9	Ret	11	10	2	6	5	4	4	8	10	Ret	Ret	7	8	7	4	4	8th	192	[27]

Pos	Class	Bike	AUS		POR		SPA		NED		ITA		RSA		USA		SMR		CZE		GBR		GER		ITA		FRA		Pos	Pts	Ref
			R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2
2010	SBK	Ducati	14	12	6	7	Ret	8	9	8	13	9	15	13	6	7	9	7	12	9	9	8	9	10	8	6	9	8	10th	169	[28]

See also

• 2006 British Superbike season
• 2008 British Superbike season
• 2009 Superbike World Championship season

References

Citations

• Rizla Suzukis stolen
• Rizla Suzukis recovered

External links

• Official website
• Team Sterilgarda BRC Racing website
• World SBK rider stats