The incredibly windy conditions at Knockhill did nothing to slow down Bradley Ray as he dominated the opening sprint from flag to flag to win in the first British Superbike race of the Knockhill weekend.
Challenged briefly as the lights went green, the Rich Energy OMG racing rider bit back immediately to lead at the first corner and never looked back.
2022 British Superbike Knockhill Race Results (1)
Pos
Rider
Nat
Team
Time
1
Bradley Ray
GBR
RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha
17m 36.028s
2
Jason O'Halloran
AUS
McAMS Yamaha
1.676s
3
Rory Skinner
GBR
FS-3 Racing Kawasaki
2.218s
4
Lee Jackson
GBR
FS-3 Racing Kawasaki
2.294s
5
Danny Buchan
GBR
SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad
3.688s
6
Kyle Ryde
GBR
RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha
5.053s
7
Glenn Irwin
GBR
Honda Racing UK
6.142s
8
Tommy Bridewell
GBR
Oxford Products Racing Ducati
6.263s
9
Storm Stacey
GBR
Team LKQ Euro Parts Kawasaki
6.643s
10
Josh Brookes
AUS
MCE Ducati
11.373s
11
Leon Haslam
GBR
Visiontrack Kawasaki
11.488s
12
Tom Sykes
GBR
MCE Ducati
12.381s
13
Peter Hickman
GBR
FHO Racing BMW
13.719s
14
Andrew Irwin
GBR
SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad
13.875s
15
Ryan Vickers
GBR
FHO Racing BMW with Attis Sports
15.372s
16
Chrissy Rouse
GBR
Crowe Performance BMW
22.026s
17
Tom Neave
GBR
Honda Racing UK
22.765s
18
Ryo Mizuno
JAP
Honda Racing UK
23.217s
19
Danny Kent
GBR
Buildbase Suzuki
23.560s
20
Luke Mossey
GBR
TAG Racing Honda
23.867s
21
Takumi Takahashi
JAP
Honda Racing UK
25.452s
22
Dean Harrison
GBR
DAO Racing Kawasaki
26.161s
23
Luke Hopkins
GBR
Black Onyx Security Honda
26.676s
24
Leon Jeacock
GBR
Specsavers Suzuki
31.504s
25
James East
GBR
Kawasaki - NP Racing
1 lap
26
Dan Linfoot
GBR
IForce BMW
6 laps
27
Dan Jones
GBR
Iforce BMW
15 laps
28
Christian Iddon
GBR
Buildbase Suzuki
17 laps
29
Josh Owens
GBR
CDH Racing Kawasaki
0laps
30
Tarran Mackenzie
GBR
McAMS Yamaha
DNS
31
Liam Delves
GBR
CDH Racing Kawasaki
DNS
Pressure came in the opening stages by Jason O’Halloran and then Rory Skinner. An error from the latter allowed the #28 to extend his lead, which at it’s biggest was almost at three seconds around the shortest track of the season.
O’Halloran gave chase but it was too little too late and Ray could not be caught, leading over the line by a final 1.676s advantage.
It sees Ray continue the dominant form which sees him top of the title standings, on the podium at every race except for his one blip, when he crashed out of the lead at Silverstone.
His third win of the season extends his title lead to a total of 183, now 33 ahead of O’Halloran who in finishing second did all he could to keep his own title hopes on track at a circuit he does not favour.
Ray also set the fastest lap - 47.434 - a new record as it was set in race, so the Rich Energy rider will be on pole for race two tomorrow.
The final podium spot went to home hero Rory Skinner, who fought back after being overtaken by both O’Halloran and Kyle Ryde after his error for a podium finish on Scottish soil on the Cheshire Mouldings FS03 Kawasaki.
He had big competition in the closing stages from his team-mate Lee Jackson, who had fallen back into the pack from third on the grid.
That group also included Danny Buchan, on the SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad entry who finished fifth, ahead of Ryde who was sixth after dropping from third on the second Rich Energy OMG entry.
Glenn Irwin won the battle for seventh for Honda Racing, holding Tommy Bridewell at bay after he moved up from ninth on the grid to take eighth for Oxford Products Ducati.
Storm Stacey (Team LKQ Euro Car Parts Ducati) was running in the same group on track and backed up his solid eleventh on the grid with a ninth place finish, a best result so far this season for the youngest rider on the grid.
They were, in turn, clear of the battle for tenth. That featured some big names and was lead over the line by Josh Brookes who held station on the MCE Ducati.
Former champion Leon Haslam was close behind for VisionTrack Kawasaki after making up places in the early laps to join the fight from his 15th place grid start.
The duo pulled clear of Tom Sykes who was twelfth for MCE Ducati.
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) won his duel with Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad) at the line for 13th, while Ryan Vickers (FHO Racing BMW)ccollceted the final point on offer in 15th.
Danny Kent had qualified an impressive twelfth for Buildbase Ducati after he used the gap between races to recover from the punctured lung he sustained in his crash at the last round, but faded to 19th in the race.
Sighting lap crash ends race weekend for Christian Iddon.
A rare error from Christian Iddon saw him hit the side of Josh Owens on the sighting lap. It was then a mad rush for his mechanics to get his Buildbase Suzuki on the grid to start the race. Iddon exited the pits on time for the final line-up on the grid and was allowed to join at the back. Despite giving it his best shot he was forced to retire early in the race. Josh Owens did not attept to start. Iddon has been diagnosed with a wrist fracture that will keep him out of the rest of the race weekend.
Dan Jones and Dan Linfoot made it to racing but both also failed to finish.
Tarran Mackenzie missing from home round
One huge crash is usually enough to take out a rider but reigning champion Tarran Mackenzie suffered two before he was withdrawn ahead of the sprint race.
His first came in the morning session, losing the front on a cold tyre, where he hobbled away from his damaged McAMS Yamaha, a reminder of how injured Mackenzie has been so far this season.
A second came in qualifying where he again sent the #1 plate barrel rolling through the gravel, forcing him out of the Q2 progression places with his bike in no fit state to compete further anyway.
With his R1 written off again and a trip to the medical centre required a decision was taken to withdraw him from the rest of Saturday’s action.
Mackenzie was fit to ride and disappointed not to take part, so will be able to take part in Sunday’s two races to try and charge up a title challenge.
Liam Delves was also absent following his fall earlier in the day.
