BSB: O’Halloran Victorious in Thrilling Brands Hatch Opener

Jason O’Halloran came out top of an epic scrap for the win in the opening race at Brands Hatch.

Seven riders were in contention for the win for most of the 16-lap race and it was not until Lap 14 that the Australian managed to make a breakaway. Christian Iddon held off Tarran Mackenzie who had to settle for third despite a desperate attempt to overtake at Clark Curve.

The title fight intensified ahead of the final day of the 2020 championship. Josh Brookes still leads the table on 238 points, but O’Halloran moved up into second seven points adrift. Iddon is nine points short of the top in third while Glenn Irwin misses 21 points. Mackenzie sits fifth with a 43 points disadvantage.

Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) took the holeshot from pole and led the field into Paddock Hill Bend for the first time. Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing), Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) and Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) lined up behind him.

The quartet looked set to make an early breakaway, but with punches constantly being exchanged, they allowed the pack to close back in on them. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) was soon running with the front group, followed up by Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) and Lee Jackson (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki).

Positions kept swapping and changing and the lead changed hands multiple times. All riders in the front group – and crucially all championship contenders – were within a shot of victory and keen to control the race from the front.

Iddon was running first from O’Halloran going into Lap 12 and with paint being swapped behind them, the pair managed to gradually make a break. Mackenzie was the only rider able to match the pace and reeled the duo in again.

O’Halloran executed a crucial move on Lap 13 when he took the lead and went on to set two consecutive fastest laps. The Australian had pulled the pin and put clear air between himself and his chasers, enough to win the race by almost two seconds.

The battle for second between Iddon and Mackenzie got feisty on the final lap and the Scotsman was almost out of his seat at Graham Hill Bend. Unimpressed, he kept the pressure up high and started a desperate assault through the final sector. Coming out of Clearways on an untidy line though, Mackenzie was left without a chance at Clark Curve and Iddon held on to second.

Brookes came home in fourth while Glenn Irwin lost out to Danny Buchan (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki) who found great pace late in the race. Andrew Irwin was seventh from Jackson and Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing) while Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki) rounded out the top 10.