Sean Gallagher comes across as a big brute of a man.

By Zoe Burn and Mic Archbold. Images by Full Throttle Imaging

SHANE "Shakey" Byrne has won an eventful opening MCE Insurance British Superbike race of the 2011 season at Brands Hatch.

The HM Plant Honda rider started the 30-lap race from pole, and despite dropping down to second in Lap Two, emerged victorious as the chequered flag fell in the glorious Kent sunshine.

Second man home was the Swan Honda of Tommy Hill, followed by Tommy Bridewell's Tyco Honda.

By Zoe Burn and Mic Archbold. Images by Full Throttle Imaging

CHRISSY Rouse has stunned the Sunoco British 125GP paddock after qualifying ninth for his first ever round.

And astonishingly, the 15-year-old from Burnhopfield revealed to Burning Rubber that he still has much more to come.

Rouse has joined forces with the new SGR Racing team, and together they're proving to be a force to be reckoned with this weekend.

By Mic Archbold. Images by Full Throttle Imaging

GRAEME Gowland has stamped his authority on the Mirror.co.uk BSB-Evo Championship after taking pole at Brands Hatch.

The Allendale rider and his Team WFR Honda team-mates Glen Richards and Alex Lowes have been the dominating force of the class all weekend.

Between the three of them they have locked-out the top three spots all weekend, with each of them taking the top spot at various points.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch
By Zoe Burn and Mic Archbold. Images by Full Throttle Imaging.

SHANE "Shakey" Byrne smashed the Brands Hatch Indy lap record this afternoon with a hotlap of 45.112secs around the Kent track.

The two-times BSB champion had already proved himself to be the fastest man on two wheels around the circuit a lap previous when he knocked his HM Plant Honda team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari down to P2 with a 45.171.

But the local hero still had a little bit left in the tank as he knocked in a second fast lap, this time clocking the 45.112, a time which was to go unbeaten with just 26 seconds of the session remaining.

By Mic Archbold

NORTH Superbike squad Swan Yamaha are gearing up to launch their assault on the 2011 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as it gets underway this weekend.

The Guisborough-based outfit are already being tipped as potential favourites for the crown, with top riders Tommy Hill and Michael Laverty making their race debut for the team at Brands Hatch.

Both have shown strong pace in pre-season testing. In Caragena earlier this year Hill set a new lap record, and Laverty proved to be the fastest rider at Snetterton last week.

Fretex is a secondhand  clothing chain operated by the Salvation Army. To publicise the store during Oslo Fashion Week they created a catwalk (called a runway in the trade) at a subway exit.

After all, the clothes people are wearing today will be the things they donate in the future; what you are wearing now is the coming Fretex collection.

CARLOS Checa was back to his best as he took the win in the second World Superbike Championship race at Assen.

The championship leader extended his points tally after beating reigning champ Max Biaggi across the line at the end of the 22-lap race.

Third man home was Race One winner Jonathan Rea, closely follwed by Biaggi's Alitalia team-mate Leon Camier.

CHAZ Davies celebrated his maiden World Supersport win after dominating a dramatic and accident-hit race.

The Yamaha ParkinGo rider led the Hanspree Ten Kate Honda of Fabien Foret across the line, with Broc Parkes' Kawasaki Motocard.com machine taking third.

But it was a dramatic race with several huge crashes which saw the race stopped twice.

JONATHAN Rea continued his reign at Assen with a solid win in today's opening World Superbike Championship race.

The Northern Ireland star picked up where he left off last year as he held off Max Biaggi to win his third race in succession at the Dutch circuit.

Third across the line was championship leader Carlos Checa.