THE latest round of the British Superbike Championship roared into Cheshire for the bank holiday weekend and, despite the forecast for heavy rain, the crowds packed out the picturesque Little Budworth circuit, writes KEVIN HUGHES.

The fans who crammed into Cheshire’s most well-attended sporting event of the year witnessed some thrilling racing, despite the weather playing havoc with the tyre choices of the leading teams.

There were three separate winners in the three Superbike races, Tommy Hill landing the first on Sunday on his Swan Yamaha in a race carried over form the washed-out Brand Hatch round earlier in the month.

Veteran Chris Walker scored an impressive first race win in damp conditions on Monday on his Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki, while Shane Byrne brought his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki home to take the honours in the final race.

Chester-born Jenny Tinmouth, 33, had to sit out Monday’s two races after destroying the engine of her Hardinge Sorrymate.com Honda in Sunday’s race.

Tinmouth finished a lowly 24th in that race with a best lap of 90.75mph as her motor grew ever more terminally ill lap by lap.

Frodsham’s Howie Mainwaring continued his run of fine form with a stirring fourth place in the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship on board his Buildbase BMW, just 7.58 seconds adrift of winner Danny Buchan’s Kawasaki.