BSB: 19 Points Separate Top 4 Heading into the Final Round

The weather was the major talking point of the British Superbike paddock on Saturday, with the majority of the day abandoned because of the torrential downpour.

This only meant the action would flow thick and fast on Sunday, as a win in race two for Josh Brookes propels him to the top of the standings. Former points leader Glenn Irwin started the day on the backfoot, crashing in the opening race, allowing brother Andrew to secure his second victory of the year.

With the opportunity to take command of the series, Brookes wasted no time in clinching the top spot with Oulton Park’s on form rider, Jason O’Halloran, following him home. The McAms Yamaha’s completed the podium, with Tarran MacKenzie taking the final victory of the day.

Race 1

Andrew Irwin mastered damp and breezy conditions at Donington Park to take victory in the opening race.

The Honda rider inherited the lead when teammate Glenn Irwin crashed out on the opening lap and held the VisionTrack Ducati’s at bay from there. Christian Iddon prevailed over Josh Brookes who had to settle for third.

Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) took the holeshot into Redgate from the front row, closely followed by brother and teammate Andrew Irwin. Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati), Danny Buchan (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki) and Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) lined up behind them.

The two Hondas immediately started to break away, but delight turned into disaster when Glenn Irwin went down at Goddards on the opening lap. Andrew Irwin was left on top, already with a handsome lead over his chasers.

Iddon, Buchan and Brookes were pulling away from the field, Joe Francis (Lloyd & Jones Bowker Motorrad), who had a brilliant start to the race, being their closest chaser. Francis started to drop pace and subsequently fell victim to Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha), Ryan Vickers (RAF Regulars and Reserves Kawasaki) and Luke Mossey (Rich Energy OMG Racing) on Lap 3.

O’Halloran struggled on the drying track and was claimed by Vickers through the Foggy Esses on Lap 3 before also falling behind Mossey.

Brookes made his way past Buchan into third at the Melbourne Hairpin on Lap 4 and as Irwin ran wide, the leading quartet bunched up. Buchan, however, gradually lost touch and the front runners were reduced to a trio.

Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) was on the move and executed an inch-perfect manoeuvre through the Foggy Esses on Mossey on Lap 7. His next target was Buchan, who had fallen behind Vickers, and by Lap 11, the Scotsman had made his way past.

All of the front runners were hit by tyre degradation issues on the drying track with more than half race distance completed. A few riders, among them Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki), Kyle Ryde (Buildbase Suzuki) and Jack Kennedy (RAF Regulars and Reserves Kawasaki) had opted for the intermediate compound and were now running at superior pace. Although it was too little too late for them in the opening race, they exchanged fastest laps and secured great grid spots for Race 2.

The two Ducatis of Iddon and Brookes put pressure on Irwin, but the Honda rider stayed calm and collected. He stretched out a gap over the final laps and brought an almost two seconds advantage home. Iddon meanwhile held his teammate at bay and clinched the championship lead with second place.

Mackenzie had claimed Vickers through the Foggy Esses on Lap 13 and came home in fifth. Rea ended the race in sixth ahead of Kennedy who set the fastest lap and will start Race 2 from pole. Ryde finished eighth from Buchan while Lee Jackson (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki) rounded out the top 10.

Race 2

Josh Brookes returned to the top step of the podium with victory in Race 2 at Donington Park.

The Australian took the lead on Lap 5 and fought off a late charge from Jason O’Halloran. Tarran Mackenzie secured the remaining podium spots with numerous overtakes in the final third of the race.

Brookes also claimed the championship lead and sits 11 points ahead of O’Halloran in second. Christian Iddon is third a further two points adrift while Glenn Irwin trails the table lead by 22 points.

Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) took the holeshot into Redgate from the second row but was immediately beaten to the lead by Kyle Ryde (Buildbase Suzuki). Mackenzie ran wide at the Melbourne Hairpin on the opening lap and dropped positions, but drama struck behind him.

Ryan Vickers (RAF Regulars and Reserves Kawasaki) and Peter Hickman (Global Robots BMW) went down at the Melbourne Hairpin in separate incidents and wiped out Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) and Danny Buchan (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki) with them respectively.

Ryde was forced to retire with a technical issue on Lap 2, leaving Jack Kennedy (RAF Regulars and Reserves Kawasaki) in the lead ahead of Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki), Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) and Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing).

Paint was being swapped and a leading quartet broke away, led by Rea from Brookes, Irwin and Kennedy. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) was on their case though and had caught up with the group by the end of Lap 4.

Brookes punched his way into the lead on Lap 5 and started to put in a consistent run of laps to break the pack. O’Halloran responded to the Ducati stretching away and picked up one position after another and was up into second by Lap 9.

Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing) and Mackenzie had meanwhile joined the chasing group and as Brookes and O’Halloran were out on their own, positions were swapping and changing behind them.

Irwin started to drop pace and lost positions 11 laps into the race while Mackenzie was on the move. The Scotsman claimed Bridewell at Coppice before sweeping around Rea through the Foggy Esses and was up into a podium position at the end of Lap 12.

O’Halloran was out to chase down his countryman in the lead and reduced the gap in the final laps. Brookes, however, controlled the race and brought a half a second advantage over the line to secure victory and the championship lead.

Mackenzie had broken away from the chasing group and came home in a comfortable third place. Rea recorded a great result in fourth ahead of Bridewell and Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati). Irwin had suffered heavily in the final stages and salvaged seventh from Kennedy while Luke Mossey (Rich Energy OMG Racing) and Joe Francis (Lloyd & Jones Bowker Motorrad) rounded out the top 10.

Race 3

Tarran Mackenzie came out victorious in Race 3 at Donington Park and became the third different winner of the meeting.

The Yamaha rider took the lead with four laps remaining and stretched out an advantage from there. Glenn Irwin finished runner-up while Josh Brookes rounded out the podium in third.

Brookes extended his championship lead and holds a 16 points advantage over Christian Iddon ahead of the final races at Brands Hatch. Irwin trails the top by 18 points in third while Jason O’Halloran sits fourth, another point adrift.

Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) stole the holeshot from polesitter Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) and led into Redgate from the Yamaha. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing) had a great start and moved up into third with an inch-perfect manoeuvre around the outside at the opening corner.

Bridewell made his way into second on Lap 1 with Brookes in his sight. The pair looked to make an early breakaway, but O’Halloran and Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) swiftly reeled them back in again. Behind, paint was being swapped between Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) and Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) in positions five and six.

Irwin was on the move and claimed O’Halloran at Goddards on Lap 4 before taking Bridewell through the Foggy Esses two laps later. Mackenzie had found great rhythm too and made his way past his teammate O’Halloran at Goddards. Iddon pounced at the opportunity and also followed past the Australian.

The race was over for Bridewell on Lap 7 when he dropped down the order and had to retire his Ducati with a mechanical issue.

A trio broke away at the front with Brookes. Irwin and Mackenzie while a fierce fight developed behind them. Iddon and O’Halloran made contact on Lap 9 and with his clutch jammed in his lever guard, O’Halloran had to surrender multiple positions.

Irwin surprised Brookes with a manoeuvre at the Old Hairpin and punched his way into the lead on Lap 10. Mackenzie followed suit and took second off the Ducati coming out of the Foggy Esses. Brookes gradually lost touch and the fight for victory was reduced to a two-horse race.

Mackenzie executed what would be the race winning overtake on Lap 12 when he lunged down Irwin’s inside at Coppice. The Scotsman stretched out an advantage and crossed the line 1.2 seconds ahead of Irwin to win the race and keep his title hopes alive.

Brookes was unchallenged in third while Iddon profited from a fight between Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki) and Lee Jackson (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki) that kept him safe in fourth. Rea just held Jackson behind him for fifth while Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) was not far behind in seventh.

O’Halloran completed the race in eighth ahead of Luke Mossey (Rich Energy OMG Racing) while Joe Francis (Lloyd & Jones Bowker Motorrad) rounded out the top 10.

The British Superbike championship returns for their series finale on 16-18 October 2020.