2023 British Superbikes Oulton Park Race Results (3)
Glenn Irwin worked his way forward through the pack for the final victory of the Oulton Park British Superbikes weekend.
Irwin started from pole after Leon Haslam was demoted for bike alterations, but it was his brother who was the early race leader, chased down by the Ducati.
The power of the PBM bike soon had the BeerMonster Ducati rider in the lead, but challenges came thick and fast from Leon Haslam and his brother, before the lead group extended to five with title leaders Tommy Bridewell and Josh Brookes adding themselves to the mix, with Kyle Ryde not far behind.
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Errors up front as the riders played cat and mouse with each other meant there was no escape, with the new front trio - Glenn Irwin, Haslam and Bridewell only pulling away again on lap eleven.
That break did not last long - Andrew Irwin started to slip back and was rapidly passed by Brookes and Ryde who had one more run at catching and joining the lead group.
Up front the #91 bike was rehearsing overtakes, but the extra push needed caused instability and wobbles, allowing Irwin a small lead for the first time.
The Defensive line of the Ducati allowed one final lunge - but Irwin just held on in a dramatic run to the line to win by 0.062s, echoing his Silverstone performance where he also came back to win the final race.
- British Superbikes Oulton Park: Brookes leads the way as rain stops play
- 2023 British Superbikes Oulton Park Race Results (2)
- 2023 British Superbikes Oulton Park Race Results (1)
Leon Haslam bounces back after grid penalty
Haslam had needed a good start after being pushed back to seventh as he took the penalty for his bike alterations, and the ROKIT BMW Motorrad rider got a great launch to pull up to fourth and wasted no time in positioning himself behind the leader.
The final podium spot went to LAMI OMG Yamaha rider Kyle Ryde, completing a good spread of manufacturers represented on the podium. After starting second there was less work to do moving through the field after keeping the leaders in his sights, with a brave final move on the final lap with both feet off the bike helping him to third, recording a better result every race this meet.
Tommy Bridewell was pushed off the podium after being in the hunt for victory on the second PBM Ducati.
Josh Brookes finished fifth after going back to his race one setting s after the alterations made and meant to progress in race two didn’t pay off. Though only one position better in terms of race finish the Australian was much closer to the podium finishers this time out for FHO Racing BMW Motorrad.
Peter Hickman was a distant sixth behind his teammate after a more considered performance following his rash spill at the start of race two.
The #60 bike was clear of seventh placed Christian Iddon, who has worked hard to alter the bike and improve his performance over the weekend with the Oxford Products team.
Lee Jackson was once again the best Kawasaki in eighth for Cheshire Mouldings, passing the fading early race leader Adnrew Irwin late in the race to leave the Honda Rider ninth.
Jason O’Halloran finally recorded a points finish - his first at Oulton Park in five attempts, making up places quickly from seventeenth on the grid on his way to a determined top ten finish for McAMS Yamaha.
Storm Stacey had the exhaust fixed between races on his Starline Kawasaki to finish just behind the Australian at the chequered flag in eleventh.
Jack Kennedy survived contact during the duration from Dean Harrison when the duo were fighting for eleventh, crossing the line thirteenth for Mar-Train Yamaha,behind the DAO Racing Kawasaki.
Charlie Nesbitt was back in the points for MasterMac Honda in 14th with the last scorer Davey Todd in 15th for Milenco by Padgetts Honda.
Rookies Bradley Perie (Lee Hardy Racing Kawasaki) and Max Cook (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) just missed out in 16th and 17th respectively.
The final race had an early exit for Danny Kent who pulled over onto the grass on the first lap.
Liam Delves and Tom Neave also failed to finish.
Oulton Park current records and history:
BSB Lap Record - Oulton Park: Bradley Ray (Yamaha) 1m33.620s (2022)
2022 at Oulton Park:
Round two - pole: Kyle Ryde (2nd Josh Brookes, 3rd Rory Skinner)
Race One:
1:Bradley Ray
2:Rory Skinner
3:Kyle Ryde
Race Two:
1:Bradley Ray
2:Lee Jackson
3: Leon Haslam
Race Three:
1:Lee Jackson
2:Tommy Bridewell
3:Bradley Ray
Round nine(Showdown) - pole: Bradley Ray (2nd , 3rd Jason O’Halloran)
Race One:
1:Bradley Ray
2:Tommy Bridewell
3:Leon Haslam
Race Two:
1:Lee Jackson
2:Tommy Bridewell
3:Bradley Ray
Race Three:
1:Tommy Bridewell
2:Glenn Irwin
3:Lee Jackson
Where does that leave the championship?
Josh Brookes loses his championship lead as round two draws to a close.
The consistent podium from of Glenn Irwin coupled with a race win sees him take over at the top, with 91 points to his credit.
Brookes is now second and only fouer points behind, on the same total as Tommy Bridewell after he too ended race three off the podium.
Leon Haslam’s trio of rostrum finishes helped him to fourth and 76 points with Kyle Ryde’s slow improvement over the Oulton weekend taking him to 73 and fifth in the standings.
