Sprint Race
Glenn Irwin served up his third victory of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship season for the BeerMonster Ducati team in the BikeSocial Sprint Race at Knockhill, holding off his Yamaha rivals Kyle Ryde and Jason O’Halloran.
O’Halloran had initially launched off the front row into the lead onboard the McAMS Yamaha, but Irwin was instantly fighting and on the second lap, he made his move on the brakes into turn one. He then controlled the race with the leading trio making the break.
Irwin was able to extend his advantage to 0.606s at the chequered flag and the victory moves him back to the top of the standings, trading places with teammate Tommy Bridewell to lead the title chase by three points.
Race 2
In race two Ryde claimed his fourth win of the season after a determined performance to maintain his momentum for LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha.
O’Halloran had initially taken the lead ahead of Ryde, Ryan Vickers and Irwin. The lead group became a train of five riders as Bridewell worked his way through the order after his start from ninth on the grid and Christian Iddon was also in contention.
Irwin was then leading from Ryde, O’Halloran, Bridewell, Vickers and Iddon. However, it was a disaster for the BeerMonster Ducati rider when he crashed out of the lead at the Hairpin with three laps to go.
Ryde was then the race leader with Bridewell promoted to second after he had carved his way up the order with O’Halloran in third and that was how the podium lined up at the chequered flag.
Vickers missed out on the podium in fourth place with Iddon equalling his best result of the season in fifth place.
Race 3
In race three, O’Halloran was again the race leader on the opening lap as he launched off the line ahead of Iddon and teammates Bridewell and Irwin.
Iddon wasted no time in trying to capture the lead and moved ahead of O’Halloran on the brakes into the Hairpin on the opening lap, but his McAMS Yamaha rival instantly fought back and regained the position before the start line.
It was heartbreak for O’Halloran though as he crashed his McAMS Yamaha out of the lead a lap later. Meanwhile Bridewell had moved into second and with the Australian out of contention, the BeerMonster Ducati rider was then leading the pack.
Ryde had been working his way up the order and he was second by the third lap ahead of Iddon and Irwin. Irwin though was determined to bounce back from his race two crash and he was into second by the tenth lap with a move on Ryde into turn one.
The leading group then became Bridewell, Irwin Ryde, Iddon and Vickers, but the BeerMonster Ducatis broke the pack in the closing stages.
Irwin then grabbed the lead from Bridewell on lap 18 with another move on the brakes into turn one before holding him off until the chequered flag with the pair separated by 0.879s at the finish.
Iddon had been holding third place as he fought for his first podium finish of the season but he overshot the Hairpin with ten laps to go and had to re-join after an excursion through the gravel but was then in tenth. He was able to get the better of Dean Harrison in the closing stages but he had to settle for ninth place.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
1. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 163
2. Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 155
3. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 152
4. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 136
5. Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) 136
6. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 98
7. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 97
8. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 85
9. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 78
10.Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 61
