BSB: Bridewell rules at Oulton Park, Mackenzie takes title lead

Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) was the standout rider at Oulton Park with a Race 2 comeback from 14^th to victory and a one-man demolition job in Race 3.

Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) triumphed in Saturday’s Race 1 to clinch top of the championship standings. Previous title leader Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) meanwhile had a nightmare weekend with two DNFs.

Mackenzie heads the table by two points over his teammate O’Halloran. Bridewell is firmly in contention for the title with a nine-points deficit in third while Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) has a 33-points disadvantage to overcome.

RACE 1

O’Halloran claimed the lead into Old Hall but was under immediate attack from Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) who overtook going into Shell Oils. The two Australians battled for P1 and the position kept changing hands between them.

A committed move at Hislop’s on Lap 4 gave Brookes the advantage and the Ducati rider defended hard to hold on to it over the next few laps.

What could have been a decisive manoeuvre for victory turned into disaster for O’Halloran. He regained command of the race at Knickerbrook on Lap 10 and started to edge away, only to crash out at the same corner two laps later.

Brookes inherited the lead but had his hands full with Mackenzie, Iddon and Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki). The trio had upped the pace in the chasing group and made their way into punching distance of the Ducati.

Mackenzie emerged as Brookes’ toughest challenger and the pair would decide the race win between themselves exclusively. The Scotsman stalked his rival and executed a move on the brakes into Hislop’s on the final lap.

He defended the position through the final turns and stormed towards his sixth victory of the season. Iddon narrowly beat Jackson to the final podium spot with a dash to the line, the Ducati and the Kawasaki separated by only two hundredths of a second.

RACE 2

O’Halloran maintained the lead from pole while Iddon beat Mackenzie to P2 on the opening lap. The top two stretched out a marginal advantage while Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) challenged for third and executed the move on Lap 3.

Hickman briefly contested second, but Iddon held on to the position. He closed right in on O’Halloran and the duo sought to stretch out a gap. Brookes had taken control in the chasing group and reeled the leaders back in, dragging Mackenzie, Jackson and Hickman with him.

Halfway through the race, O’Halloran headed the VisionTrack Ducatis with Mackenzie hanging on in fourth. Hickman and Jackson shadowed the group and were soon joined by Bridewell.

Bridewell was on the move and tidily picked his way up the order. Brookes meanwhile executed a manoeuvre on his teammate through Hislop’s. Astonishingly, Iddon managed to retaliate and an unsettled Brookes dropped into fourth.

Mackenzie claimed P2 at Old Hall on Lap 16 and eyed up his teammate who held a five tenths advantage. Bridewell executed the same move on Iddon a lap later and claimed Mackenzie too through Island Bend. He closed in on O’Halloran and took the lead at Old Hall going into the final lap.

No one could answer Bridewell’s call who bagged victory while O’Halloran just held Mackenzie behind him. Iddon crossed the line in fourth, but Brookes’ race ended with a crash on the last lap.

RACE 3

Bridewell stayed in the lead from pole and immediately gained some breathing space. At the end of the opening lap, the gap was up to a second. Brookes and Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad) were fighting for second while O’Halloran had work to do down in ninth.

Only a few laps in, Bridewell was already racing against the clock exclusively out front. Brookes held P2 ahead of Buchan, but proceedings were feisty between Mackenzie and Jackson for fourth. O’Halloran and Hickman were in trouble in ninth and 10^th respectively, likely struggling with tyre issues.

Brookes stretched out a marginal gap and Mackenzie responded by taking charge of the chase in third. Buchan successively also dropped behind Jackson and Iddon. O’Halloran’s weekend turned into a nightmare when he crashed out at Cascades on Lap 12, costing him valuable championship points.

Drops of rain started to fall with two thirds race-distance completed, meaning the race positions could turn into the race result. Bridewell was untouchable with an eight second advantage, but P2 was far from decided.

Jackson saw his chance and punched his way past Mackenzie who looked impacted by the spots on his visor. The race was effectively over for Iddon on Lap 15 when he ran off track and into the air fence.

Mackenzie dived down Jackson’s inside at Old Hall on the penultimate lap. Jackson was forced wide at corner exit and got caught out by the wet kerbs, ending his race in the grass.

Bridewell secured a dominant victory ahead of Brookes who was comfortable in second. Mackenzie crossed the line in third but was demoted into fifth by a long-lap equivalent penalty of three seconds for the incident with Jackson. Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) inherited the podium spot.