Glenn Irwin claims his first pole position in 2023
Glenn Irwin claimed his first Omologato Pole Position of the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship in this afternoon’s eBay Qualifying at Knockhill to fire the BeerMonster Ducati to the top of the times in another incredibly close session in Scotland.
Irwin set the fastest lap of the session with six minutes still on the clock and as the positions shuffled behind him; he was able to stay ahead at the chequered flag by 0.067s.
Ryan Vickers secured his first front row start in eBay Qualifying this season for the LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha team, he also set his best lap before the closing stages of the session and despite Jason O’Halloran closing in, he held third fastest on the McAMS Yamaha.
Kyle Ryde missed out on the front row by just 0.099s on the second of the LAMI OMG Racing Yamahas, just ahead of Charlie Nesbitt who had his best qualifying performance of the season on the MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing.
Leon Haslam was sixth fastest for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team as he completes the second row for the BikeSocial Sprint Race, pushing Josh Brookes on the leading FHO Racing BMW Motorrad into seventh.
Brookes held the position by just 0.001s from Storm Stacey on the Starline Racing Kawasaki with Lee Jackson and championship leader Tommy Bridewell completing the top ten, with the 18 riders in eBay Q2 covered by just 0.732s.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, eBay Qualifying:
Glenn Irwin wins the BikeSocial Sprint Race
Glenn Irwin served up his third victory of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship season for the BeerMonster Ducati team in the BikeSocial Sprint Race at Knockhill, holding off his Yamaha rivals Kyle Ryde and Jason O’Halloran ahead of tomorrow’s two races.
O’Halloran had initially launched off the front row into the lead onboard the McAMS Yamaha, but Irwin was instantly fighting and on the second lap, he made his move on the brakes into turn one. He then controlled the race with the leading trio making the break.
Irwin was able to extend his advantage to 0.606s at the chequered flag and the victory moves him back to the top of the standings, trading places with teammate Tommy Bridewell to lead the title chase by three points.
Ryde has traditionally found the Scottish circuit a challenge in the past, but he proved that he remains a threat to his Ducati rivals as he secured his first podium finish at Knockhill in Bennetts BSB for the LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha team, just ahead of O’Halloran in third place.
Bridewell meanwhile carved his way through the pack to claim fourth place, giving him a six-point edge over Ryde in the standings ahead of tomorrow’s two races.
Christian Iddon equalled his best result of the season in a hard-fought fifth place for Oxford Products Racing Ducati; he was able to move ahead of Leon Haslam who finished sixth despite his recent shoulder injury.
Ryan Vickers had a good start from the front row, but a mistake on the brakes into the Hairpin on the early stages dropped him right down the order and he had to fight back to seventh, narrowly ahead of Storm Stacey who celebrated his best finish of the season in eighth place.
Josh Brookes was the leading FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team rider in ninth place with Lee Jackson completing the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, BikeSocial Sprint Race results:
Kyle Ryde returns to winning ways with first Knockhill race victory
Kyle Ryde claimed his fourth win in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship after a determined performance in the second race of the weekend to launch himself to within four points of Tommy Bridewell who moved to the top of the standings with a strong second place.
Jason O’Halloran had initially taken the lead from the Omologato Pole Position ahead of Ryde, Ryan Vickers and Glenn Irwin.
The lead group became a train of five riders as Bridewell worked his way through the order after his start from ninth on the grid and Christian Iddon was also in contention.
O’Halloran was piling the pressure on Ryde for the lead, but after attempting a move at the Hairpin, the McAMS Yamaha rider went wide and then as the pack crossed the line to start lap 23, Irwin passed both of his Yamaha rivals to move into the lead.
Irwin was then leading the pack from Ryde, O’Halloran, Bridewell, Vickers and Iddon. However, it was a disaster for the BeerMonster Ducati rider when he crashed out of the lead at the Hairpin with three laps to go.
Ryde was then the race leader with Bridewell promoted to second after he had carved his way up the order with O’Halloran in third and that was how the podium lined up at the chequered flag.
Vickers missed out on the podium in fourth place with Iddon equalling his best result of the season in fifth place.
Lee Jackson was sixth as he held off Storm Stacey, who celebrated his best finish of the season so far ahead of Tom Neave, Josh Brookes and Leon Haslam.
Several riders crashed out of the race including Danny Kent, Charlie Nesbitt, Josh Owens and Liam Delves.
Bridewell now leads the championship standings by four points from Ryde with Irwin dropping to third ahead of Brookes and Haslam.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, Race 2 result:
Glenn Irwin and BeerMonster Ducati bounce back to win Race 3
Glenn Irwin bounced back from his race two crash to celebrate victory in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship race of the weekend at Knockhill, holding off his teammate Tommy Bridewell by 0.879s to celebrate a second win in Scotland.
Jason O’Halloran was the race leader on the opening lap as he launched off the line ahead of Christian Iddon and the BeerMonster Ducatis of Bridewell and Irwin.
The Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider wasted no time in trying to capture the lead and moved ahead of O’Halloran on the brakes into the Hairpin on the opening lap, but his McAMS Yamaha rival instantly fought back and regained the position before the start line.
It was disaster for O’Halloran though as he crashed his McAMS Yamaha out of the lead a lap later. Meanwhile Bridewell had moved into second and with the Australian out of contention, the BeerMonster Ducati rider was then leading the pack.
Kyle Ryde had been working his way up the order and he was second by the third lap ahead of Iddon and Irwin.
Irwin though was determined to bounce back from his race two crash and he was into second by the tenth lap with a move on Ryde into turn one.
The leading group then became Bridewell, Irwin Ryde, Iddon and Ryan Vickers, but the BeerMonster Ducatis broke the pack in the closing stages. Irwin then grabbed the lead from Bridewell on lap 18 with another move on the brakes into turn one before holding him off until the chequered flag with the pair separated by 0.879s at the finish.
Iddon had been holding third place as he fought for his first podium finish of the season but he overshot the Hairpin with ten laps to go and was forced to go into the gravel and re-join the race in tenth. He was able to get the better of Dean Harrison in the closing stages but he had to settle for ninth place.
Vickers meanwhile had been shadowing his LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha teammate and he hit third with a move at the Hairpin on lap 20 before holding off the race two winner to claim his second podium finish of the season.
Lee Jackson was fifth as he battled with Leon Haslam ahead of Tom Neave who scored his season best result for Honda Racing UK after keeping Josh Brookes at bay on the leading FHO Racing BMW Motorrad.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, Race 3 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
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