Tommy Bridewell became the fourth different race winner in the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship in the second race at Oulton Park as the BeerMonster Ducati rider held off the pressure from his title rivals to claim victory.
Peter Hickman led the pack into Old Hall on the opening lap as the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad rider grabbed the initial advantage off the line, but he crashed on the exit of the corner unhurt. That gave Bridewell the lead ahead of Andrew Irwin, Kyle Ryde and Leon Haslam.
Jason O'Halloran’s torrid luck at the Cheshire circuit continued when he crashed out unhurt art Cascades on the opening lap and his stricken McAMS Yamaha took Josh Owens down with him.
Ryde was up into second place by the end of the opening lap, but Haslam was moving up the order and he soon was just behind Bridewell and ready to try to fight for the win ahead of Andrew Irwin and brother Glenn.
Haslam was trying to attack Bridewell and defend against Andrew Irwin at the same time, a moment for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider at Lodge gave his Honda Racing UK rival the chance to move ahead. However, Haslam was instantly on the attack and back ahead into second by the time they reached Old Hall again.
Bridewell was holding the advantage and the leading group became a pack of five with Bridewell, Haslam, Andrew and Glenn Irwin plus Ryde who later lost ground in the closing stages.
Bridewell made a break over the final three laps to score his first win for BeerMonster Ducati this season, but behind Glenn Irwin had charged into second to make it a 1-2 for Paul Bird’s team.
The fight for third went down to the wire and Andrew Irwin made a move down the inside at Lodge for the final time, but Haslam wasn’t giving up the podium and he managed to regain the advantage on the run over Deer Leap to the chequered flag.
Andrew Irwin had to settle for fourth place, his best result of the season so far for Honda Racing UK, ahead of Ryde and yesterday’s race winner Josh Brookes who managed to get back ahead of Christian Iddon.
Lee Jackson was eighth for the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki team with Jack Kennedy once again back inside the top ten for Mar-Train Racing Yamaha team with Dean Harrison taking his first top ten finish of the season for DAO Racing Kawasaki.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, Race 2 result:
- Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati)
- Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +1.571s
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) +2.686s
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +2.809s
- Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +7.511s
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +9.739s
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +10.777s
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +15.465s
- Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) +23.418s
- Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) +25.871s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 76
- Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 75
- Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 73
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) 60
- Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha ) 59
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 37
- Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 37
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 35
- Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) 32
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 29