BENNETTS BSB HAT-TRICK FOR HAGER PBM DUCATI AND IRWIN AT OULTON PARK

Spread the love

The final day of racing at the second round of the British Superbike championship at Oulton Park kicked off with the sprint race, and once again, it was Glenn Irwin who asserted dominance for a second consecutive victory.

Taking pole position after setting the pace in race one, the Ducati rider had the esteemed Carl Fogarty handling umbrella duties for him on the grid, a testament to the support from PBM.

As the lights went out, the #2 swiftly surged into the lead, with fellow Ducati contender Christian Iddon applying early pressure from behind.

Though the positions behind him fluctuated throughout the race, Irwin remained unfazed, expertly managing each challenge and ultimately pulling away to secure his second triumph of the day. With one more race still to come at Oulton Park, Irwin stands poised for a potential treble, showcasing his formidable prowess on the track.

Race 3 at Oulton Park culminated in a triumphant triple victory for Glenn Irwin, yet the final race unfolded in a markedly different fashion.

Christian Iddon surged into an early lead from pole position, leaving Irwin content to trail behind on the Hagar PBM. Confident in his strategy, Irwin, aware of both riders piloting Ducati machines, bided his time, anticipating that allowing his adversary to expend tire wear would ultimately work to his advantage.

It wasn’t until the twelfth lap that the #2 machine made its move for the lead, yet Iddon, aboard the Oxford Products Ducati, proved relentless in his pursuit.

In stark contrast to his previous confident and dominant wins at the Cheshire track, Irwin found himself on the defensive, compelled to employ strategic lines to thwart Iddon’s advances.

In a nail-biting finale, with the local rider pushing to find a way around the Northern Irishman, Irwin expertly blocked every attempt, deploying wide lines and late braking maneuvers to clinch victory by a mere 0.128 seconds. Iddon secured his third podium of the weekend with a commendable second-place finish, marking his best result of the season.

Meanwhile, Danny Kent maintained third position for much of the race, but Ryan Vickers, now with the issues on his OMG GRILLA bike resolved, closed in and executed a pass on the final lap at Hizzys. Although Vickers displayed impressive pace, the Ducati duo remained out of reach.

Kent settled for fourth, holding off the pursuing pack with a comfortable margin. Behind him, Leon Haslam and Tommy Bridewell engaged in a fierce battle for fifth, with Haslam ultimately emerging victorious on the penultimate lap.

Jason O’Halloran, amidst the action-packed midfield, claimed seventh for Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki after briefly leading the duo.

Further back, Josh Brookes secured eighth for FHO Racing, while Max Cook crossed the line in ninth aboard the second Completely Motorbikes entry.

Storm Stacey led the charge for the next group, clinching a solid tenth for LKQ Euro Car Parts.

Lee Jackson showcased improved form as he brought his MasterMac Honda home in eleventh, closely followed by Danny Buchan, who achieved his best finish of the season thus far in twelfth for DAO Racing.

Rounding out the points-scoring positions were Charlie Nesbitt in 13th for MasterMac Honda, Fraser Rogers in 14th for Tag Racing Honda, and Andrew Irwin in 15th aboard the factory Honda.

Dean Harrison made notable progress in the race, gaining nine positions to narrowly miss out on points in 16th.

Lewis Rollo once again demonstrated his prowess as the highest-placed Pathway rider, securing 18th aboard the Aprilia.