Bridewell has seen his points lead eradicated over the last few races, including a Thruxton to forget where he was fighting for the final points on track, in case they were to prove crucial heading into the showdown, with a best of 14th.

‘To fight back and finish the weekend with a win is all I can ask for’

Fifth was the best he could manage in the opening pair of races – an improvement, but not what he, nor his BeerMonster Ducati Team were expecting:

“Been a really tough weekend this weekend, that we didn’t expect, Thruxton I expected it, really tough, probably not as tough as that was, but it’s been a tough weekend, so I’ve not felt that great on the bike all weekend”.

Each race was a battle through the pack. The first two races saw the PBM rider endure two row three starts, but fifth slot in race three offered some hope and it delivered, as his fight through this time lead to a seventh victory of the season – and a statement that the #46 does not intend to give up his title lead with out a fight:

“To fight back and finish the weekend with a win is all I can ask for really. When I wasn’t able to win or fight for the podiums at the end of the day, fifth was what s on offer and what I had to accept. Yes, it’s not ideal for the championship, but when the bike was correct, as it was then, and it was enjoyable to ride, I was able to bounce straight back for the win”.

Glenn Irwin had made huge swipes into that lead, performing better at Thruxton and then working his way yo the front to pick up both sprint and race two wins. Sitting at the front, a triple looked possible.

‘I lost it in the mountain on the last lap as well!’

Irwin explained after the race to BSB that although the changes made for the final run around the circuit didn’t pay off, it really didn’t effect the final laps when all the frontrunners pushed past their limits:

“For the last race we probably went the wrong way in terms of the compression setting in the rear, looking to maximise drive off turn 2/3 there was some chatter again – but that being said the last couple of laps of the race were all in, the fans got treated to a typical BSB race.

We were all flat out I lost the front a good two times,I lost it in the montain on the last lap as well!”

With no previous win at Cadwell three podium visits marks a huge improvement at a less favoured track for the Nothern Irish rider, who also picked up both BSB Rider of the Round and the King of the Mountain awards for his performance over the weekend, including his huge, career best performance to take race two.

The #2 couldn’t quite find a way around his teammate to make it three after a well timed pass from Bridewell in the closing stages of the last race, moving ahead out of Charlie’s corners:

“I though I had him lined up at that little chicane but the bike got a little snappy,but all in all we look at it as a weekend, as part of the journey, one race doesn’t define a weekend”.

Looking ahead Irwin was keen to point out that as a seasoned Ducati rider, Bridewell had an advantage in knowing how the bike would perform, while as a Honda rider in 2022, it was all new to him – returning to three tracks for the final rounds will level that difference:

“Everywhere I’ve went its been the first time, for Tommy its been the fifth year, that’s not an excuse as such, it’s something we always have to overcome as fast as possible, but I like them all – I was strong at Oulton earlier in the year, I like Brands Hatch, I like Donington Park”.

Leon Haslam toughed it out in a dramatic run to the line which saw Kyle Ryde out on the grass as he desperately tried to stay aboard the Yamaha.

It is the Rokit BMW Motorrad riders’ first rostrum visit since Snetterton and welcome after he and his own team have also suufered a dip in form which looked remedied in Thruxton, only for bike gremlins to return and cause another DNF at Cadwell Park.

‘We’ve had the pace’

Two poles proved the pace was there, so with reliablity back on the cards so was a podium:

“Cadwell’s a real riders track, you know, I’ve had a lot of success here – the BM, we’ve had the pace, but not had really had quite a battling bike today, to get a podium , we gave it all we could I feel we maximised that.

A few areas we still need to learn about this bike, but so far, so good”.

Haslam also looked ahead, happy that his team will have an easier time with bike set up at tracks that have already been paid a visit by the BSB paddock.

“The last three we’ve all been to before we made podiums at Donington and Oulton so go there and know the gearing and what sort of set up works and doesn’t work will be a big help. Ducati’s will go strong, the Yamaha’s are strong, so every weekend is a big battle.

Still yet to get a win so hopefully we can make it count in these last few rounds”.

After Cadwell Park, Tommy Bridewell now leads Glenn Irwin by 14.5 points, with a total of 303.

With the main season section of the calendar done and dusted, British Superbikes moves into the Showdown format for the last three races.The current standings mean sixteen riders can still, mathematically, take the 2023 British Superbike title.

This season on the return to Oulton Park and Donington Park the points will revert to the more usual 25 for a win, with points awarded to the top fifteen riders. For the finale there will be 35 points for the winner, 30 for second and 27 for third, with points all the way to 15th, worth two.

 

Bradley Ray doubled up after snatching a late win from Tarran Mackenzie in the second race at Snetterton, which decided the Showdown places at round eight.

Bradley Ray enjoyed a clean battle at the front with fellow Yamaha rider Tarran Mackenzie which saw him come out on top around the Snetterton 300 layout for the second time at Snetterton.

The Rich Energy OMG racing rider started on pole but was immediately put under pressure from the defending champion.

British Superbike Snetterton – Race results (2) Pos Rider Nat Team Time 1 Bradley Ray GBR RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha 28m 56.976s 2 Tarran Mackenzie GBR McAMS Yamaha +0.267s 3 Tommy Bridewell GBR Oxford Products Racing Ducati +7.201s 4 Glenn Irwin GBR Honda Racing UK +7.896s 5 Peter Hickman GBR FHO Racing BMW +9.450s 6 Kyle Ryde GBR RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha +11.526s 7 Danny Buchan GBR SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad +12.037s 8 Lee Jackson GBR FS-3 Racing Kawasaki +12.945s 9 Jason O’Halloran AUS McAMS Yamaha +13.622s 10 Tom Sykes GBR MCE Ducati +16.974s 11 Rory Skinner GBR FS-3 Racing Kawasaki +22.084s 12 Josh Brookes AUS MCE Ducati +29.359s 13 Storm Stacey GBR Team LKQ Euro Parts Kawasaki +32.655s 14 Tom Neave GBR Honda Racing UK +36.648s 15 Ryo Mizuno JAP Honda Racing UK +39.244s 16 Liam Delves GBR Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki 1 lap 17 Leon Haslam GBR Visiontrack Kawasaki 3 laps 18 Dean Harrison GBR DAO Racing Kawasaki 10 laps 19 Christian Iddon GBR Buildbase Suzuki 12 laps 20 Leon Jeacock GBR Specsavers Suzuki 12 laps 21 Josh Owens GBR Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki 12 laps 22 Andrew Irwin GBR SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad 14 laps 23 Danny Kent GBR Buildbase Suzuki 0 laps 24 Takumi Takahashi JAP Honda Racing UK 0 laps 25 Chrissy Rouse GBR Crowe Performance BMW DNS

The #28 stayed out front until he ran wide on lap six, where he ran wide at the hairpin and Mackenzie, who had put in a new record lap while behind, took advantage of the error.

Keeping in close company, Ray played a waiting game, going for the win on the last lap. Lining up Mackenzie in the run to the straight, he passed and managed to hold the move and stay ahead, with it the the #1 rider needing to find away around.

Not near enough to make a move in the final corner and without enough slipstream to try and overtake to the line, Mackenzie shook his head as Ray punched the air in victory.

There was only 0.267s between the duo, with Tommy Bridewell quickly regaining third after a slow start where he remained for Oxford Products Ducati, holding off a late challenge from Honda’s Glenn Irwin.

Peter Hickman benefited from Christian Iddon having an issue ahead, but put excellent passes on fading Tom Skyes and Kyle Ryde to claim fifth for FHO racing as the best BMW on track.

Showdown places confirmed

 

Ryde halted his fall through the field, having been as high as fourth in the race, guaranteeing his Showdown slot from sixth on the second Rich Energy OMG machine.

Bridewell’s third saw him also make the showdown, with Lee Jackson’s eighth in the race enough for the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki rider to also make it in before the third race.

Ryde had the biggest competiton as he was eighth overall before the race, with Danny Buchan willing to put everything on the line to try at grab the final spot.

Having pulled himself back into contention with a double win at Cadwell Park, the Synetiq BMW Motorrad rider had his back against the wall again after a poor qualifying left him down the grid, leading to being the victim of a three-way carsh right at the start of the sprint race.

That fall saw Buchan down the gird again – starting race two in 20th. Aggressive riding saw him pick up five places on the first lap and he kept the momentum going. On reaching Tom Skyes and Lee Jackson he forced his way underneath and then had Ryde in his sights.

With finishing ahead of the #77 the only chance to keep his Showdown hopes on track he made a final lunge to pull closer on track but ran too wide, that saw the #83 drop back a place. He fought back to finish the race seventh, but it was not enough with Ryde ahead in sixth.

Jason O’Halloran was ninth as an off-key weekend continued for the Australian. The McAMS Yamaha rider was riding in the top five when he was hit from behind by an impatient move from Andrew Irwin, he crashed after contact with his front tyre and O’Halloran’s rear wheel. The #22 lost positions as he recovered from the incident.

Tom Sykes completed the top twn for MCE Ducati.

After missing the sprint race to recover after a big crash in qualifying Rory Skinner was back in action as started stone dead last on the grid.

The Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 rider pushed his Kawasaki to the limit, and was just outside the points places by the end of the first lap.

Skinner continued his forward trajectory to finish eleveth, making up an incredible fourteen places over the course of the race.

Josh Brookes was a distant twelfth on the MCE Ducati, with his own gao back to 13th placed Storm Stacey (Team LKQ Euro Car PArts Kawasaki).

Honda’s Tom Neave crossed the line 14th , with his team-mate, Japanese rider Ryo Mizuno, picking up the final point.

The only other riders to see the chequered flag were Liam Delves in 16th for Rapid CDh Kawasaki and Leon Haslam , who had pulled into the pits after running off track but returned to be classed as three laps down.

Dean Harrison, Christian Iddon, Leon Jeacock and Josh Owens all pulled into the pits and retired. Takumi Takahashi took out Danny Kent when he fell on the first lap.

Chrissy Rouse missed the race after an issue on the warm-up lap.

Snetterton Statistics

Qualifying:
1:Christian Iddon (1m 54.591s)
2:Kyle Ryde
3:Tommy Bridewell

BSB Snetterton Lap Record – 2017 Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1m 47.143s

Race One (Sprint):
1: Bradley Ray
2:Tarran Mackenzie
3:Kyle Ryde

2021 at Snetterton

Qualifying:
1: Glenn Irwin
2: Jason O’Halloran
3: Tarran Mackenzie

Race One (sprint): Tarran Mackenzie
Race Two: Jason O’Halloran
Race Three: Tarran Mackenzie

Round Six Results (Thruxton) 

Qualifying (superpole format):
1: Bradley Ray
2: Rory Skinner
3: Lee Jackson

Race One (sprint): Bradley Ray
Race Two: Danny Buchan
Race Three: Danny Buchan

 

Where does that leave the championship standings?

 

After the second race of the weekend Bradley Ray increases his overall lead, now with 422 points and a extended 52 point advantage over Jason O’Halloran.

Ray also extends his podium points advantage with a total of 56, with the Austarlain still holding 48, while Mackenzie’s second moves him onto 30.

The Showdown places confirmed the top eight now stands as 1:Bradley Ray, 2:Jason O’Halloran, 3:Rory Skinner, 4:Lee Jackson, 5:Glenn Irwin, 6:Tarran Mackenzie, 7:Tommy Bridewell and Kyle Ryde now confirmed in eighth.

It was all change over the line with a time penalty added for passing the safety car as it entered the pits, but Bradley Ray had a big enough advantage to keep his win and pull off a treble at Snetterton.

Following on from a dominant race one and tactical win over Tarran Mackenzie in race two, the third race looking to be going the same way, with the Yamahas having broken up ahead, Glenn Irwin was giving chase.

The safety car was deployed to remove Storm Stacey’s smoking bike, which bunched the field back up.

British Superbike Snetterton – Race results (2) Pos Rider Nat Team Time 1 Bradley Ray GBR RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha 29m 40.682s 2 Peter Hickman GBR FHO Racing BMW +0.739s 3 Tarran Mackenzie GBR McAMS Yamaha +1.548s 4 Glenn Irwin GBR Honda Racing UK +1.945s 5 Jason O’Halloran AUS McAMS Yamaha +2.422s 6 Leon Haslam GBR Visiontrack Kawasaki +4.063s 7 Tommy Bridewell GBR Oxford Products Racing Ducati +4.189s 8 Kyle Ryde GBR RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha +5.379s 9 Andrew Irwin GBR SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad +6.59s 10 Lee Jackson GBR FS-3 Racing Kawasaki +6.656s 11 Josh Brookes AUS MCE Ducati +8.568s 12 Danny Kent GBR Buildbase Suzuki =10.375s 13 Tom Neave GBR Honda Racing UK +10.402s 14 Ryo Mizuno JAP Honda Racing UK +12.252s 15 Dean Harrison GBR DAO Racing Kawasaki +14.322s 16 Leon Jeacock GBR Specsavers Suzuki +17.252s 17 Takumi Takahashi JAP Honda Racing UK +25.427s 18 Storm Stacey GBR Team LKQ Euro Parts Kawasaki 8 laps 19 Josh Owens GBR Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki 8 laps 20 Liam Delves GBR Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki 10 laps 21 Danny Buchan GBR SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad 12 laps 22 Chrissy Rouse GBR Crowe Performance BMW 12 laps 23 Tom Sykes GBR MCE Ducati 14 laps 24 Christian Iddon GBR Buildbase Suzuki 0 laps 25 Rory Skinner GBR FS-3 Racing Kawasaki DNS

 

 

Launching from pole after setting a new lap record in the second race, Tarran Mackenzie, launched again as the safety car pulled in from the lead, with the two riders behind following and also being deemed to have passed the car too soon.

That caused the final standings to jump all over the place.

Ray, who had been able to use the safety car to his advantage had pulled away from Mackenzie and Irwin who fought each other for the final podium places. That gap was enough to keep his win after the two second penalty was applied to the first three riders over the line – Ray, Mackenzie and Irwin.

It is the #28’s first ever triple win at a BSB meeting and his dominant weekend also saw him pick up Snetterton’s Race Of Aces trophy.

McAMS Yamaha rider Tarran Mackenzie was given third, which caused him to apologise to the riders who followed, especially Glenn Irwin.

That was because although he drove his bike down to parc ferme thinking he had bagged a podium in second, he rode past the track staff trying to wave him back to the pits as he additional time meant he was dropped to fourth, which the team disputed with race direction after the race as Irwin felt holding back was more dangerous as he could be hit from behind.

The other podium position was instead awarded to FHO Racing BMW rider Peter Hickman – his first rostrum finish of the season.

 

Jason O’Halloran worked his way up to fifth, the best finish of the weekend for the McAMS rider.

The Australian was clear of Leon Haslam, who again made gains in the race, climbing from thirteenth on the grid to sixth for the with the VisionTrack Kawasaki team.

 

Tommy Bridewell got a front row start and got away well, but eventually faded back to seventh on the Oxford Products Ducati, just behind Haslam.

They gapped Kyle Ryde on the second Rich Energy OMG bike who crossed the line eighth, in turn clear of Andrew Irwin (Synetiq BMW Motorrad), another rider who got off to a strong start, initially up to third and racing his brother before he slipped back to ninth.

 

He found himself racing Lee Jackson for positon after the safety car and kept ahead, meaning the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki rider had to settle for tenth.

Josh Brookes was two seconds further back down the road for MCE Ducati in eleventh.

 

The battle for twelfth was next to hit the finish line, with Danny Kent (Buildbase Suzuki)working his way up from 19th on the grid after crashing out of the previous race, to finish just ahead of Tom Neave (FHO Racing BMW with Attis Sports).

 

The remaining points on offer went to Honda’s Ryo Mizuno in 14th and his team-mate Dean Harrison in 15th

Again there were very few riders finishing with 16th placed Leon Jeacock (Rapid CDG Ducati) and Takumi Takahashi (Honda Racing) the only other riders to meet the chequered flag.

 

Absentees and DNFs

 

There were several riders not starting with Ryan Vickers still out with concussion and Rory Skinner withdrawn again to continue his recovery after his qualifying crash.

There was an early off for Christian Iddon. Tom Sykes followed a few laps later, helped off after contact with Danny Buchan, who later retired himself.

Josh Owens, Liam Delves and chrissy Rose also failed to finish.

 

Snetterton Statistics

 

Qualifying:

1:Christian Iddon (1m 54.591s)

2:Kyle Ryde

3:Tommy Bridewell

 

BSB Snetterton Lap Record – 2017 Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1m 47.143s

 

New Lap Racord (Race 2) – Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha) 1m 47.079s

 

Race One (Sprint):

1: Bradley Ray

2:Tarran Mackenzie

3:Kyle Ryde

 

2021 at Snetterton

 

Qualifying:

1: Glenn Irwin

2: Jason O’Halloran

3: Tarran Mackenzie

 

Race One (sprint): Tarran Mackenzie

Race Two: Jason O’Halloran

Race Three: Tarran Mackenzie

 

Round Six Results (Thruxton)

 

Qualifying (superpole format):

1: Bradley Ray

2: Rory Skinner

3: Lee Jackson

 

Race One (sprint): Bradley Ray

Race Two: Danny Buchan

Race Three: Danny Buchan

 

Where does that leave the championship standings?

 

Bradley Ray’s momentum and form continued to increase his lead in both the overall standings before the showdown and the podium points.

 

The #28 has an overall total of 447, 61 more than nearest rival Jason O’Halloran. Ray’s podium points haul now stands at an impressive 61.

 

The Australian’s Snetterton blip sees him remain on 48 podium points, while Mackenzie’s podium finishes see him having collected 31 despite missing the beginning of the season.

Round eight got it’s racing under way in the dry after a slow wet qualifying which left a lot of riders miles away from their plans for the weekend. Bradley Ray soon righted that with a dominant win of the sprint race on Saturday at Snetterton

Taking a fourth sprint race win this seaon was against the odds – Ray had qualified down in fifth. The Rich Energy OMG rider wasted no time in hitting the front. Christian Iddon soon faded back from pole and Ray passed his team-mate Ryde after just a couple of corners of the first lap.

Ray knew he had the pace to lead and break if he could make it to the front:

“ Going into the race I sort of knew I had a real good pace after the second free practice on the Friday . I knew I had to try and get to the frontand sort of set my own pace and lead my own race.

If I got in with people and started battling I knew it would hinder my lap time so I was really aggressive at the start, I managed to get from fifth to first on the first lap and then unfortunately the safety car came out”.

 

“I didn’t know if it was going to last to the end of the race!”

 

Issues with his Yamaha did nothing to dent the pace of the championship leader as he managed his mechanical issues to the end of the race to lead over the line by 2.437s, controlling his gap, albeit carefully, from the front:

“Unfortunately I had a few issues with the bike, I didn’t know if it was going to last to the end of the race, which I was quite worried about, but I tried to be gentle with it and it got me to the end of the race.”

Ray had a lot of contenders for second behind him over the duration but it was Tarran Mackenzie who took the position at the line after fighting back from a poor start. Mackenzie explained why he initially went backwards:

“Just completely sleeping on the line – we have red lights where you can get your optimum start and I just couldn’t get it to settle it kept going up and down and up and down and I just missed the lights basically, so I went for sixth back to eighth, I think and then Hickman came past after the safety car so I was back to ninth.

The McAMS Yamaha rider did plenty of passing to make up the places but was also helped by some more unfortunate riders ahead having issues with machinery or crashing.

“I knew I had the pace for the podium but I knew I had to pass a lot of people”

 

After working his way back to the leaders the #1 plated rider was helped along by Glenn Irwin running wide and dropping back, while Tommy Bridewell gound to a halt and needed to restart his bike, having been sitting in second. By that point in the race Mackenzie had already picked his way through all the other riders he had found in front of him, so inherited the position.

“I was riding real aggressive, I was trying to make way – I knew I had the pace for the podium but I knew I had to pass a lot of people… it felt like I went from ninth to second within a few laps.

‘I had a lot of confidence for that race’

Kyle Ryde came into the weekend styled as a ‘marked man’ – holding the eighth and final Showdown spot he was the man to beat if not already in one of the title fight progression positions.

After a lacklustre few rounds following a strong start to the season the #77 picked the right time for a renaissance and, after faltering slightly, staged a comeback of his own to make sure he was ahead of all of his rivals for position and bag the final podium spot – his first since he was a race winner on a high at Donington Park.

His performance gives him a buffer back to ninth in the standings but the Rich Energy rider, completing an all Yamaha podium as the manufacturer continues to dominate BSB this season, di not have getting a gap on his rivals as a main focus:

“The buffer was not so much my focus, it was just the opportunity cam to try and get a podium.

It was so nice to have a good Friday yesterday and obviously a good qualifying in the mixed conditions. I had a lot of confidence for that race – even though I had a few little issues with the front end of the bike I still managed to finish third.

 

Off the podium

 

Fighting back from his bike problems meant polesitter Christian Iddon was made to settle for fourth for Buildbase Suzuki.

Leon Haslam made up two places on his 21st place qualification from non-starters and kept moving forward, finishing an evental and very impressive fifth for VisionTrack Kawasaki.

Lee Jackson’s sixth brought enough points home for the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki rider to secure his podium spot. Glenn Irwin also claimed his despite his excursion onto the grass on the Honda, which dropped him to ninth.

Both Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) and Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) finished ahead of him in seventh and eighth.

Danny Kent was back in business follwing his qualifying crash, which left him 18th on the grid, bouncing back to put both Buildbase Suzuki’ inside the top ten.

Takumi Takahashi continued his better form in eleventh for Honda, just ahead of Jason O’Halloran, who luckily has no points worries as the first man to qualify for the showdown – his trying qualifying time continued into the race where he was raced back to twelfth on the second McAMS Yamaha.

Josh Brookes was 13th for Ducati, Tom Neave came from the back of the grid after not setting a time in Q1 dor 14th for Honda while the final point on offer went to Storm Stacey ( Team LKQ Euro Car Parts) in 15th.

Several riders failed to make it to the end of the race, but the most notable was Danny Buchan. Off the back of a double win at Cadwell Park last time on hopes had been high to keep the momentum running and attack the Snetterton 300 layout for more points and keeping the hope of reaching the showdown alive. Those hopes took a blow right at the start of the race – a three-way collision between the Synetiq B<W Motorrad rider, local man Josh Vicersand Joah Owens saw race one finish off track and in the gravel.

That crash brought out the safety car so that debris from their bikes could be cleared from around the track.

 

Bradley Ray quickly worked his way to the front to dominate another sprint race to get the racing action started at Snetterton, round eight of the championship.

The Rich Energy OMG rider was sat in fifth on the grid but only needed a couple of corners to cut his way to the front of the pack, with team-mate Kyle Ryde settling in behind after a brief moment leading.

Once in front Ray never looked back, pulling out an almost four second advantage at one point to ease over the line by 2.437s while looking round to see who was behind, only to see clear track.

	British Superbike Snetterton – Race Results (1)   Pos Rider Nat Team Time 1 Bradley Ray GBR RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha 22m37.386s 2 Tarran Mackenzie GBR McAMS Yamaha +2.437s 3 Kyle Ryde GBR RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha +4.474s 4 Christian Iddon GBR Buildbase Suzuki +4.894s 5 Leon Haslam GBR Visiontrack Kawasaki +8.353s 6 Lee Jackson GBR FS-3 Racing Kawasaki +9.264s 7 Tom Sykes GBR MCE Ducati +10.146s 8 Peter Hickman GBR FHO Racing BMW +11.412s 9 Glenn Irwin GBR Honda Racing UK +12.713s 10 Danny Kent GBR Buildbase Suzuki +13.273s 11 Takumi Takahashi JAP Honda Racing UK +13.461s 12 Jason O’Halloran AUS McAMS Yamaha +13.507s 13 Josh Brookes AUS MCE Ducati +13.685s 14 Tom Neave GBR Honda Racing UK +21.494s 15 Storm Stacey GBR Team LKQ Euro Parts Kawasaki +24.794s 16 Ryo Mizuno JAP Honda Racing UK +32.913s 17 Leon Jeacock GBR Specsavers Suzuki +33.276s 18 Liam Delves GBR Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki +52.250s 19 Tommy Bridewell GBR Oxford Products Racing Ducati +59.070s 20 Andrew Irwin GBR SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad 10 laps 21 Chrissy Rouse GBR Crowe Performance BMW 6 laps 22 Dean Harrison GBR DAO Racing Kawasaki 5 laps 23 Danny Buchan GBR SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad 0 laps 24 Josh Owens GBR Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki 0 laps 25 Ryan Vickers GBR FHO Racing BMW with Attis Sports 0 laps 26 Luke Mossey GBR IForce Lloyd & Jones BMW DNS 27 Rory Skinner GBR FS-3 Racing Kawasaki DNS

 

The championship leader did not have everything go his way out front – he experienced gear shift issues so went manual and pushed on to win the race.

Second place changed hands several times over the course of the race. Ryde fell back for a spell as a string of riders passed him. Christian Iddon then had a while in second after claiming pole in a very wet qualifying session. 

Tommy Bridewell was holding the position when his Oxford Products Ducati had an electrical issue and his bike slowed to a halt. After restarting he finished 19th.

While all the drama unfolded, defending champion Tarran Mackenzie had been working his way back through the pack after a poor start – leaving him perfectly placed to claim second on the McAMS bike for another Yamaha 1-2.

The final podium spot went to another Yamaha as Ryde staged his own comeback. Performing when necessary, his podium and championship points came at the right time when the pressure is on for the final Showdown slot, currently held by the OMG Energy rider.

 

 

Iddon tried to hold position for what would have been his first podium of the season but had to settle for a close fourth for Buildbase Suzuki.

Leon Haslam had qualified 21st but was 19th on the grid thanks to a pair of non-starters ahead. Immediately trying to make up for his qualifying woes, the VisionTrack Kawasaki rider had already made it to tenth by the end of lap one. Some smooth overtaking and a little good fortune as riders ahead exited the race saw him all the way to fifth by the chequered flag.

Haslam was a good second ahead of Lee Jackson, who also picked up positions for sixth, which saw the Cheshire Holdings FS-3 Kawasaki rider confirmed in the showdown, along with ninth placed Glenn Irwin for Honda racing.

Crossing the finish ahead of the #2 were seventh placed tom Sykes on the MCE Ducati, and Peter Hickman in eighth for FHO Racing BMW, both the highest placing riders for their respective manufacturers.

Danny Kent was almost a second adrift of Irwin , completing the top ten for Buildbase Suzuki.

Takumi Takahashi was close company for the former Moto3 man in eleventh for Honda, while Jason O’Halloran, who had made it all the way into the top ten after qualifying 19th (17th on the grid), was then raced back to twelfth on the second McAMS entry, enduring the kind of day that makes having already guaranteed his showdown spot a relief.

The remaining points in the race went to Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) in 13th, Tom Neave, who started at the back of the grid after not setting a time in qualifying in 14th for Honda racing and Storm Stacy (Team LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki) in 15th.

Andy Irwin cut a frustrated figure after he pushed to make an overtake and sat up. Ridinig onto the grass he had little chance of saving his fall, which came with just over one lap remaining. Irwin was fifth at the time for Synetiq BMW Motorrad.

Equally upset was Danny Buchan. Still on a high after his double win at Cadwell Park had brought a glimmer of Showdown hope, his chances took a blow when, trying to make up from starting 14t on the grid, he was involved in a three-way pile up in the gravel with Josh Owens and local rider Ryan Vickers. Vickers sustained a concussion in the accident and has been withdrawn from the remainder of the race weekend.

Chrissy Rouse, and Dean Harrison also failed to go the distance.

Rory Skinner out before race start

 

Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki announced between sessions that following hos crash in qualifying that Rory Skinner would take no further part in Saturday’s action, having been declared unfit to ride. The #11 is due to be reassessed in the morning following some physiotherapy on his neck injuries and rest so has not been ruled out of the entire race weekend, just the sprint race at it stands.

Luke Mossey (iForce Lloyd & Jones BMW) was also unable to start after aggravating his old shoulder injury and is out for the rest of the weekend.

Snetterton Statistics

Qualifying:

1:Christian Iddon (1m 54.591s)

2:Kyle Ryde

3:Tommy Bridewell

BSB Snetterton Lap Record – 2017 Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1m 47.143s

2021 at Snetterton

Qualifying:

1: Glenn Irwin

2: Jason O’Halloran

3: Tarran Mackenzie

Race One (sprint): Tarran Mackenzie

Race Two: Jason O’Halloran

Race Three: Tarran Mackenzie

Round Six Results (Thruxton)

Qualifying (superpole format):

1: Bradley Ray

2: Rory Skinner

3: Lee Jackson

Race One (sprint): Bradley Ray

Race Two: Danny Buchan

Race Three: Danny Buchan

Where does that leave the championship?

Bradley Ray now leads the standings with a total of 397 points, 34 ahead of Jason O’Halloran. Skinner remains third overall despite not taking part. Fourth and fifth placed Lee Jackson and Gleen Irwin are now confirmrd as Showdown participants.

Second place sees Tarran Mackenzie move into sixth, as Tommy Bridewell failed to score any points after his bike issue. Kyle Ryde remains eighth but now with a 30 point advantage over ninth placed Danny Buchan after his DNF. He has his own ten point gap back to Leon Haslam wn=ho moves into tenth after his fifth place finish.

Ray holds the most ppodium points with 51m O’Halloran is just behind on 48. Skinner remains on 9 and Jackson on 14. Glenn Irwins tally is still 16, however Tarran Mackenzie moves his tally onto 27, and Ryde now has 30. seventh placed Tommy Bridewell did not improve on his total of 7.

Christian Iddon stayed upright and focused to take pole position in a crash filled qualifying for round eight of the championship at a wet Snetterton.

With the few laps completed before the red flag scrapped and the session re-set it was Christian Iddon who had the confidence to push hardest in the treacherous conditions st Snetterton and claim only his second ever BSB pole.

The slippery track saw a slew of riders end their session in the gravel but the Buildbase Suzuki rider got to grips with the track early and remained top as the clock hit zero to claim the top slot on the grid with a best lap of 2m 06.645s.

 

British Superbikes Snetterton – Qualifying           Pos Rider Nat Team Time 1 Christian Iddon GBR Buildbase Suzuki 2m 06.645s 2 Kyle Ryde GBR RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha +0.164s 3 Tommy Bridewell GBR Oxford Products Racing Ducati +0.277s 4 Glenn Irwin GBR Honda Racing UK +0.918s 5 Bradley Ray GBR RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha +1.112s 6 Tarran Mackenzie GBR McAMS Yamaha +1.900s 7 Takumi Takahashi JAP Honda Racing UK +5.361s 8 Tom Sykes GBR MCE Ducati +5.368s 9 Peter Hickman GBR FHO Racing BMW +5.398s 10 Rory Skinner GBR FS-3 Racing Kawasaki +5.751s 11 Andrew Irwin GBR SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad +6.423s 12 Josh Brookes AUS MCE Ducati +6.814s 13 Lee Jackson GBR FS-3 Racing Kawasaki +6.970s 14 Chrissy Rouse GBR Crowe Performance BMW +7.676s 15 Danny Buchan GBR SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad +7.714s 16 Dean Harrison GBR DAO Racing Kawasaki +7.979s 17 Luke Mossey GBR IForce Lloyd & Jones BMW No Time Set 18 Danny Kent GBR Buildbase Suzuki No Time Set     Q1     Pos Rider Nat Team Time 19 Jason O’Halloran AUS McAMS Yamaha 2m 01.732s 20 Liam Delves GBR Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki 2m 01.788s 21 Leon Haslam GBR Visiontrack Kawasaki 2m 01.916s 22 Josh Owens GBR Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki 2m 04.061s 23 Ryo Mizuno JAP Honda Racing UK 2m 06.542s 24 Storm Stacey GBR Team LKQ Euro Parts Kawasaki 2m 07.871s 25 Ryan Vickers GBR FHO Racing BMW with Attis Sports 3 laps 26 Tom Neave GBR Honda Racing UK No Time Set 27 Leon Jeacock GBR Specsavers Suzuki No Tme Set

Kyle Ryde is the man to beat for many riders this weekend – he holds the final Showdown slot -and was straight out after the delay, chased around the track by Iddon and Tommy Bridewell.

Building all the time, the Rich Energy OMG Yamaha rider secured second as he improved to within 0.164s of Iddon’s time on his final run after enjoying purple sectors in the first two portions of the track.

Third went to Tommy Bridewell after a tentative but solid session, only shuffled back a place after Ryde’s last run for Oxford Products Ducati.

Glenn Irwin made some late improvments to secure fourth as the top Honda on the grid, ahead of championship leader Bradley Ray, who was fifth after a late fall from his Rich Energy OMG Yamaha as the rain became heavier.

 

Defending Champion Tarran Mackenzie got off to a strong start, initially holding a podium position but found himself sixth on the McAMS Yamaha after the riders who made the most of the limited window for finding improvements bettered their times.

Takumi Takahashi topped the wet warm-up session in the morning illustrating he had skills to continue his upward trajectory in the wet – like Iddon he had come through Q1 (with the second best time behind the #21) so used his time on track which had allowed him to familiarise himself with the conditions to move on to seventh on the grid for Honda Racing.

MCE Ducati’s Tom Sykes and Rory Skinner (Cheshire Holdings FS-3 Kawasaki) had pushed the limits early on as they chased Iddon’s lap time. Sykes’ charge saw him lead briefly with Skinner moving up to third before they both fell in quick succession at the start of their next lap. With no chance to improve further those times slipped to eighth and tenth best respectively, with Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) between the duo in ninth.

There were also falls for Lee Jackson (Cheshire Moulding FS-3 Kawasaki), who has a chance to be the next rider to grab a showdown place, sitting fourth overall, who starts 13th, Andrew Irwin (Synetiq BMW Motorrad) who is slightly further ahead on the grid in eleventh, and Chrissy Rouse (Crowe Performance BMW, 14th).

Danny Buchan, who got himself well and truly back into contention with a double win at Cadwell Park, could only manage 15th on the grid for Synetiq BMW Motorrad.

Red flag delay after Kent crash

 

Danny Kent initially brought out the red flag in Q2 with the clock on eight minutes remaining, his tyre wet with oil smoking out the Norfolk course as he fell from the Buildbase Suzuki. The bike may have been a little worse for wear cosmetically and with a blown engine, but the former Moto3 champion walked back to his garage unharmed. A delay for a clean up operation to remove the oil from the track occurred before qualifying got back underway> Kent was unable to restart, so placed 18th .

No Q2 for O’Halloran and Haslam

 

O’Halloran needed to progress through Q1 after a technical issue kept him off track in practice. Electrical issues continued into the morning for the Australian, but qualifying instead saw the conditions get the better of him.

The first rider to go out on wet tyres after rain arrived right at the start of the session, The McAMS rider was pushed out towards the end of the session only to force his way back into the progression places with his final lap.

It was not enough – with conditions improving and all riders now on the best tyre for the job, the Yamaha man was forced down to seventh after being bettered by both Dean Harrison and Danny Kent.

It was a similar story for Leon Haslam. Riding high and topping the timesheets with the weather at it’s worst, the VisionTrack Kawasaki rider, who still has a mathematical chance of making the Showdown, found his time shuffled back to ninth in the session – so will line up 21st on the grid.

What else happened in Q1?

 

The sketchy conditions saw the bikes rotating very slowly in the hunt for the best lap, as staying upright was a priority.

Despite this there were crashes for both Tom Neave and Leon Jeacock, who finished Q1 without a time to their names.

Local rider Ryan Vickers had a session to forget, the timing of his last exit from the pits seeing him become one of the first people to take the chequered flag, leaving him no opportunity to improve nad down in 25th on the grid in the first race.

Snetterton Statistics:

BSB Snetterton Lap Record – 2017 Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1m 47.143s

2021 at Snetterton

Qualifying:

1: Glenn Irwin

2: Jason O’Halloran

3: Tarran Mackenzie

Race One (sprint): Tarran Mackenzie

Race Two: Jason O’Halloran

Race Three: Tarran Mackenzie

Round Six Results (Thruxton)

Qualifying (superpole format):

1: Bradley Ray

2: Rory Skinner

3: Lee Jackson

Race One (sprint): Bradley Ray

Race Two: Danny Buchan

Race Three: Danny Buchan