Brookes sees off Irwin for victory in Brands Hatch opener
Full BSB race one results from Brands Hatch
Josh Brookes has claimed his maiden win of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike championship after fighting off Glenn Irwin in a race-long battle in the opener at Brands Hatch.
Full BSB race one results from Brands Hatch
Josh Brookes has claimed his maiden win of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike championship after fighting off Glenn Irwin in a race-long battle in the opener at Brands Hatch.
The McAMS Yamaha rider, running the special edition 20th anniversary YZF-R1 livery, bolted into the lead at the first corner ahead of pole-sitter Irwin with the pair trading passes over the opening two laps, while behind the front two a five-rider battle sparked for third place.
With the riders finding their rhythm, Brookes began to build a small lead but Irwin kept him in check as the front two pulled away along with Tarran Mackenzie moving clear of Leon Halsam for third place.
Brookes made a late race dash, setting consecutive fastest laps, to pull out a half-second lead only to see the Be Wiser Ducati rider battle back to cut down the lead into the final two laps.
But it was the 2015 BSB champion who held his nerve to keep clear of any late attacks from Irwin to seal his first win of the year – at the same race he also claimed his maiden win during his title-winning campaign three years ago.
It was heartbreak for Brookes’s McAMS Yamaha team-mate with Mackenzie crashing out of a first-ever BSB podium running in third place when the BSB rookie tipped off at Hawthorns Bend on the penultimate lap.
That allowed BSB championship leader Haslam to jump on to the podium for JG Speedfit Kawasaki having pulled clear of Jake Dixon on the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki in fourth place and Tyco BMW’s Christian Iddon in fifth.
Further back Peter Hickman claimed a solid sixth place for Smiths Racing BMW having had a race-long battle with Buildbase Suzuki’s Richard Cooper and Danny Buchan on the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki.
Be Wiser Ducati’s Andrew Irwin impressed to take ninth place on just his third round in the series ahead of Michael Laverty on the Tyco BMW.
Movuno.com Halsall Suzuki’s Chrissy Rouse claimed 11th ahead of the team's ex-rider Tommy Bridewell who claimed points on his debut for new squad Moto Rapido Ducati.
Buildbase Suzuki’s Bradley Ray, Honda’s Jason O’Halloran and Team WD-40 Kawasaki’s Mason Law rounded out the points places.
