Tommy Bridewell achieved a remarkable feat in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship as he secured his first-ever treble win at Snetterton, narrowly edging out Glenn Irwin in an intense final race. The BeerMonster Ducati teammates crossed the finish line separated by a mere 0.032 seconds.
The race commenced with local rider Ryan Vickers taking the lead, closely followed by Bridewell, Josh Brookes, and Irwin. Leon Haslam and Danny Kent were also in contention within close proximity.
Brookes swiftly launched an attack, claiming second place at Brundle before vying for the lead. Initially, he made a move at Riches on the second lap, but Vickers quickly regained his position.
Unfortunately, Peter Hickman endured another disappointing race as he crashed out alongside Franco Bourne at Wilson on the second lap. Meanwhile, Brookes’ FHO Racing BMW Motorrad teammate seized the lead at Nelson on the same lap.
Bridewell demonstrated impressive progress, moving into second place on lap three, with his BeerMonster Ducati teammate closely trailing as he secured third at Brundle, surpassing Vickers.
Brookes continued to lead the race, while Irwin advanced to second at Agostini on lap four, displacing his teammate to third. However, the duo faced strong competition from Haslam, who moved into third place on the following lap, overtaking Bridewell at Riches.
Irwin and Haslam engaged in a battle for second place, exchanging positions on the seventh lap, but the BeerMonster Ducati rider ultimately maintained his advantage.
Heartbreak struck the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team as Brookes was forced to retire from the lead on lap ten due to a technical issue. Consequently, Irwin inherited the position, with Haslam, Bridewell, and Vickers comprising the leading pack on the track. Christian Iddon also pursued closely, aiming to close the gap.
While Irwin led the race, Bridewell relentlessly challenged Haslam for second place. Bridewell executed a pass at Murrays on lap 12, but Haslam swiftly regained second at Riches. Undeterred, Bridewell reclaimed the position as they approached Wilson.
The battle intensified between the BeerMonster Ducati teammates, with the fight for podium finishes persisting until the very end. However, Irwin made an error at Wilson, running wide and dropping to fourth place, necessitating a recovery effort.
Irwin relentlessly pursued Bridewell, with the narrowest of margins separating them at the checkered flag. Haslam and Vickers also maintained close formation, but Haslam denied the local contender a podium finish on his home turf.
Iddon secured fifth place, followed by Jason O’Halloran, who skillfully worked his way up the order to claim sixth. Lee Jackson and Kyle Ryde finished in seventh and eighth positions, respectively. Danny Kent secured ninth place, while Tito Rabat secured another top ten finish in the Bennetts BSB championship.
PIC CREDIT : MSVR
