Brookes scores second win of 2023 with rain interrupted Oulton Park opener
Josh Brookes claimed his second Bennetts British Superbike Championship race win of the season for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team, celebrating the opening victory at Oulton Park in the BikeSocial Sprint Race that was red flagged on the penultimate lap for rain.
Brookes got a flying start from the Omologato pole position to lead the pack into Old Hall for the first time ahead of Storm Stacey, Leon Haslam, Glenn Irwin and Jason O’Halloran. It was disappointment for the McAMS Yamaha team though when O’Halloran crashed out at Cascades on the second lap.
Haslam made a move on Stacey at Island to move second with Glenn Irwin moving into third at Hizzys on the opening lap and the trio then became the force at the front of the field.
Brookes was withstanding the pressure from his ROKiT BMW Motorrad and BeerMonster Ducati rivals as they continued to try to line up an attack for the lead.
As the race reached the penultimate lap, rain began to fall at the race was subsequently red flagged as Brookes became the first race winner in the Milwaukee Grand Slam. Haslam became the fifth different podium finisher of the season so far in second place, whilst Glenn Irwin completed the top three.
Peter Hickman delivered a determined ride to carve his way through the field to finish fourth on the second FHO Racing BMW Motorrad machine, closing in on the leading trio over the closing stages of the race.
Tommy Bridewell had an equally strong performance, finishing the race fifth on the second BeerMonster Ducati after starting 15th on the grid after a difficult eBay Qualifying session earlier in the afternoon.
Bridewell had got the better of Andrew Irwin who led the Honda Racing UK charge in sixth, just ahead of LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha’s Kyle Ryde. Christian Iddon meanwhile was able to stay ahead of Stacey in the closing stages to get his best result of the season so far in eighth, as Stacey ended his positive day in Cheshire with a top ten finish.
Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki’s Lee Jackson completed the top ten ahead of tomorrow’s two races.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, BikeSocial Sprint Race result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Bridewell becomes fourth different race winner in 2023 Bennetts BSB
Tommy Bridewell became the fourth different race winner in the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship in the second race at Oulton Park as the BeerMonster Ducati rider held off the pressure from his title rivals to claim victory.
Peter Hickman led the pack into Old Hall on the opening lap as the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad rider grabbed the initial advantage off the line, but he crashed on the exit of the corner unhurt. That gave Bridewell the lead ahead of Andrew Irwin, Kyle Ryde and Leon Haslam.
Jason O’Halloran’s torrid luck at the Cheshire circuit continued when he crashed out unhurt art Cascades on the opening lap and his stricken McAMS Yamaha took Josh Owens down with him.
Ryde was up into second place by the end of the opening lap, but Haslam was moving up the order and he soon was just behind Bridewell and ready to try to fight for the win ahead of Andrew Irwin and brother Glenn.
Haslam was trying to attack Bridewell and defend against Andrew Irwin at the same time, a moment for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider at Lodge gave his Honda Racing UK rival the chance to move ahead. However, Haslam was instantly on the attack and back ahead into second by the time they reached Old Hall again.
Bridewell was holding the advantage and the leading group became a pack of five with Bridewell, Haslam, Andrew and Glenn Irwin plus Ryde who later lost ground in the closing stages.
Bridewell made a break over the final three laps to score his first win for BeerMonster Ducati this season, but behind Glenn Irwin had charged into second to make it a 1-2 for Paul Bird’s team.
The fight for third went down to the wire and Andrew Irwin made a move down the inside at Lodge for the final time, but Haslam wasn’t giving up the podium and he managed to regain the advantage on the run over Deer Leap to the chequered flag.
Andrew Irwin had to settle for fourth place, his best result of the season so far for Honda Racing UK, ahead of Ryde and yesterday’s race winner Josh Brookes who managed to get back ahead of Christian Iddon.
Lee Jackson was eighth for the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki team with Jack Kennedy once again back inside the top ten for Mar-Train Racing Yamaha team with Dean Harrison taking his first top ten finish of the season for DAO Racing Kawasaki.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, Race 2 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Glenn Irwin makes it three different race winners at Oulton Park
Glenn Irwin denied Leon Haslam his first race win of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship season as the BeerMonster Ducati rider celebrated his second victory of the season, making it three different race winners at round two. The Northern Irishman now take the standings lead by four points ahead of the next event at Donington Park (May 19/20/21).
Andrew Irwin was the rider with the best launch off the line to lead his brother Glenn and previous champions Josh Brookes and Leon Haslam with race two winner Tommy Bridewell and Kyle Ryde close behind.
On the third lap, Glenn Irwin made a move on his brother for the lead with a dive down the inside at Old Hall, and then Haslam was next to have the Honda Racing UK rider in his sights. The ‘Pocket Rocket’ made a pass of his own on the sixth lap to move into second.
A lap later, Haslam had a huge moment on the ROKiT BMW Motorrad into Old Hall and that meant he lost ground on Glenn Irwin ahead of him that he needed to claw back as he got back into his race rhythm.
Bridewell was then on the move and launched himself into third place to relegate Andrew Irwin back a further position, as Haslam split the BeerMonster Ducati teammates on lap ten.
Glenn Irwin was fending off the challenge but Haslam was typically determined, making a brave move into Old Hall on lap 12. The BeerMonster rider was unsettled, giving his teammate Bridewell the opportunity to move into second place.
Glenn Irwin was back into second at Lodge later on the same lap though with a decisive move on his teammate. He recaptured the lead a lap later when he passed Haslam on the brakes into Hizzys.
The leading pack were inseparable but Glenn Irwin had enough to hold the advantage to the finish on the final lap, with Haslam in second. Behind however, Ryde had been carving his way through and was into third after a dive down the inside on Bridewell at Hizzys with three laps to go.
Ryde held off Bridewell to the finish with Brookes claiming a top five finish ahead of his FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team teammate Peter Hickman and Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Christian Iddon.
Lee Jackson moved into eighth on the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki ahead of Andrew Irwin who eventually finished in ninth and Jason O’Halloran, who worked hard to secure a top ten finish after a 17th place grid start after his race two crash.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, Race 3 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
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