Category: British Superbikes

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BSB 2020: The Story So Far

As the Bennetts British Superbike Championship heads to the Cheshire countryside for it’s fourth meeting of the season at Oulton Park, let’s recall what took place during the first half of the truncated 2020 season. 

Tarran Mackenzie winner of Race 1 at Silverstone BSB 2020. Image courtesy of Impact Image/McAMS Yamaha

The action got underway at Donington Park with Honda Racing’s Andrew Irwin making the headlines for both the right and wrong reasons.

Northern Irishman Irwin took the first two races of the season ahead of brother Glenn before controversy reigned in the final race of the weekend when Andrew collided with VisionTrack Ducati’s Josh Brookes, which led to the Australian rider crashing out of the race at Hollywood.

While replays showed that there was a gap that many believed Irwin was right to attempt to exploit, the BSB officials took a rather dim view on the incident, claiming that the Honda rider had made ‘unfair and avoidable’ contact and disqualified Irwin from the race and ordered him to start the next race from the back of the grid. The incident had no effect on the race winner as Oxford Products Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell took the spoils.

After a decade of trying, Christian Iddon finally claimed his maiden BSB in race one of the second meetings at Snetterton. The Mancunian rider was embroiled in a tough battle with VisionTrack Ducati team-mate Josh Brookes before taking the lead with five laps remaining and then sprinting clear of the Australian to claim a comfortable victory.

Brookes took his first victory of 2020 in the second Snetterton race after an intriguing tussle with championship leader Glenn Irwin. The two men battled hard and traded the lead until a mistake by Irwin allowed Brookes to build a decisive lead. The Honda rider attempted to snatch the lead back at Agostini’s but ran wide thus shutting the door on his hopes of victory.

Irwin responded with a win of his own in the third race of the meeting to prevent a Ducati hat-trick and extend his lead in the standings by 23 points. Despite being as low as seventh at the end of the first lap, Irwin showed great determination to fight his way through the pack and eventually take the lead during lap 10. The Honda man wouldn’t surrender his position and finished 1.138s ahead of nearest challenger Tommy Bridewell.

The championship front runners had their noses bloodied at the third meeting of the season at Silverstone as two more riders took the spoils to take the tally of BSB competitors taking victories in 2020 to a magnificent seven.

Tarran Mackenzie on the McAms Yamaha took an emotional win one tenth of a second ahead of Buildbase Suzuki’s Kyle Ryde with Yamaha team-mate Jason O’Halloran taking third place. Mackenzie showed tremendous pace to fight his way through the pack from twelfth position to take the second victory of his BSB career, his first coming at the same venue in 2019.

Buoyed by his maiden BSB podium in the first Silverstone race, reigning British GP2 Champion Kyle Ryde backed up his impressive form in the early rounds to claim victory in races two and three in Northamptonshire. In the second race, Ryde perched himself behind long-time race leader Josh Brookes before opening up the taps and making his move on the Australian on lap 27. Ryde soon pulled the pin and scorched clear, eventually coming home a comfortable 1.686s ahead of the Ducati rider.

Kyle Ryde, winner; Tarran Mackenzie, second place and Jason O’Halloran third in Race 2 at the 2020 BSB Silverstone round. Image courtesy of Impact Image/McAMS Yamaha

In the third race of the weekend, Ryde put in a dominant performance and controlled the pace of the race to romp home 1.549s ahead of race one winner Mackenzie.

Going into the Oulton Park round, it’s Glenn Irwin who heads the championship some 35 points clear of VisionTrack Ducati’s Josh Brookes and Oxford Products Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell. Ryde’s brace of victories at Silverstone catapulted him into fourth place ahead of McAms Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran (the only rider in the top seven to have not yet won a race in 2020). Christian Iddon sits in sixth place, five points clear of Tarran Mackenzie.

It’s all to play for now as we enter the business end of the season with race one of the weekend at Oulton Park getting underway at 16.15 on Saturday (September 18th).

 

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The BSB Winner’s Enclosure Welcomes Two New Members At Silverstone

Two more riders entered the winner’s enclosure in the Bennett’s British Superbike Championship at Silverstone as McAms Yamaha’s Tarran Mackenzie and Buildbase Suzuki’s Kyle Ryde took the spoils in Northamptonshire over the weekend.

It was Mackenzie who took race one on Saturday at the end of an exciting final lap that saw the Yamaha cross the line just 0.105 seconds clear of an improving Ryde who took his first BSB podium. McAms team-mate Jason O’Halloran rounded out the podium in third.

A fourth placed finish for Glenn Irwin allowed the Northern Irish Honda rider to extend his lead at the top of the championship with brother Andrew coming home in fifth, Josh Brookes finished sixth ahead of Lee Jackson. Brookes’ VisionTrack Ducati team-mate Christian Iddon finished eighth with Tommy Bridewell claiming a points finish to hold on to second place in the championship.

Mackenzie, son of triple BSB Champion Niall, replicated his heroics from Silverstone in 2019 and truly catapulted himself into contention for the 2020 title.

If Saturday belonged to Mackenzie, then there is no doubt who should have joined him in the headlines on Sunday as Kyle Ryde earned his first British top-flight wins with a pair of fine victories.

Ryde was clearly brimming with confidence after securing his maiden BSB podium on Saturday and bided his time and held his position behind Josh Brookes before making his move on the Australian on lap 27. After pulling in front of the Ducati rider, Ryde put the hammer down and opened up a healthy lead to cross the line 1.686 seconds clear of Brookes and recording the fastest lap of the race in the process. Jason O’Halloran once again came home in third with Glenn Irwin replicating his result from race one in fourth.

Bradley Ray came out on top of an exciting battle for fifth place ahead of a chasing pack that included Tommy Bridewell, Lee Jackson and Danny Buchan, although FS3 Kawasaki rider Buchan was docked a grid place for exceeding track limits out of the final corner. Honda’s Andrew Irwin came home in ninth with OMG Racing’s Hector Barbera rounding out the top 10.

Kyle Ryde, winner; Tarran Mackenzie, second place and Jason O’Halloran third in Race 2 at the 2020 BSB Silverstone round.
Image courtesy of Impact Image/McAMS Yamaha

It was more of the same for Ryde in the final race of the weekend as he led from lights to flag to secure a dominant win, coming home 1.549 seconds ahead of nearest challenger Tarran Mackenzie. Jason O’Halloran finished on the bottom step of the podium for the third time this weekend with Glenn Irwin also recording a hat-trick of fourth placed finishes which allowed the Honda rider to extend his lead at the top of the championship to 35 points.

Tommy Bridewell prevailed after a three-way Ducati battle for fifth place, getting the better of Brookes and Iddon who finished sixth and seventh respectively. Lee Jackson finished in eighth position ahead of Andrew Irwin and Luke Mossey (ninth and tenth respectively) who just edged Danny Buchan out of the top 10 on the final lap of the weekend.

Ryde’s double wins puts him into fourth place in the standings with 114 points behind Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell who are both locked on 122 behind Glenn Irwin on 157.

All eyes will be on the Cheshire countryside on the weekend of 18-20 September when BSB heads to Oulton Park for round four.

Featured image courtesy of Impact Image/McAMS Yamaha

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Thrills And Spills Aplenty As The #BSBRestart Heats Up At Donington

After all of the drama and excitement of yesterday’s (Saturday August 8th)  opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, how would rounds two and three pan out on day two of the #BSBRestart? Read on to find out. 

Round Two

It was more of the same for Honda Racing’s Andrew Irwin as he once again saw off older brother Glenn to take maximum points from round two at Donington Park.

Pole sitter Josh Brookes started brightly aboard his VisionTrack Ducati but was pegged back by Glenn Irwin at the Old Hairpin. Christian Iddon improved his position to third place and soon had Andrew Irwin for company with the Carrickfergus man performing an excellent manoeuvre on Iddon at the Craner Curves whilst McAms Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran edged himself into the thoughts of the front runners by running in fourth.

Australian rider O’Halloran was soon engaged in an interesting battle with Oxford Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell as the two swapped places during the midway point of the race. O’Halloran eventually prevailed and attempted to pilot himself within distance of the Hondas after swatting away the challenge of Iddon on lap 16.

With five laps to go, the Australian made his move on Andrew Irwin and temporarily held second place before the Northern Irishman fired back and took back his position with a move at Schwantz Curve.

As the action moved into the final lap, either one of the Irwin brothers or Jason O’Halloran could have taken the victory. It would be the younger Irwin sibling who prevailed, performing a smart braking move at Roberts to force his older brother wide and eventually take the win to complete a second Honda/Irwin 1-2 of the weekend with O’Halloran taking third for McAms Yamaha’s first podium of 2020.

Kyle Ryde at BSB Donington Park 2020. Image courtesy of Suzuki Racing

Buildbase Suzuki’s Kyle Ryde recorded a career best fourth place after securing the position thanks to a last lap move that consigned Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki’s Danny Buchan to fifth place. Josh Brookes made up some lost ground to finish sixth ahead of Tarran Mackenzie and team-mate Christian Iddon.

Tommy Bridewell’s bid for third place on lap 24 almost ended in disaster but the Oxford Ducati man recovered and fought his way back through the field to finish ninth with Hector Barberá rounding out the top 10 on the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW.

Round Three 

The Honda monopoly during the opening weekend of the #BSBRestart was broken as Tommy Bridewell turned out a superb, dominant win aboard the Oxford Products Ducati to take his first win of 2020.

Save for a hairy moment early on that almost unseated the Wiltshire native, Bridewell’s dominance shone through from lights to flag and by lap 11, he was running at almost four seconds a lap quicker than the remainder of the field.

Josh Brookes looked comfortable in second before being reined in by both Irwin brothers and Jason O’Halloran. Glenn Irwin was the first to move on the Australian before the race’s dramatic moment when Andrew Irwin made his move up to second.

At the exit of Redgate, the younger Irwin pulled level with Brookes and a slight collision at the entrance to Hollywood saw the Australian fly off his VisionTrack Ducati and off the track at high speed, thankfully the 38 year old came out of the accident unhurt.

The Irwin Brothers at BSB 2020 Donington Park. Image courtesy of Honda Racing

The collision means that at the time of writing, the result remained under investigation however the maximum points achieved by Tommy Bridewell doesn’t need to be scrutinised further. Andrew Irwin finished in second but faces a time penalty with Glenn coming in third.

Jason O’Halloran ended in fourth position ahead of Christian Iddon, Danny Buchan and Tarran Mackenzie. Kyle Ryde ended an impressive race weekend with eighth place in round three ahead of Hector Barbera in ninth and Ryan Vickers completing the top 10 aboard the RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki.

Support Class Round-Up 

Former British Talent Cup winner Rory Skinner took maximum points from the opening rounds of the British Supersport/British GP2 Championship with a  pair of dominant wins on the Tyser Yamaha R6.

Honda’s Tom Neave took race one of the Superstock 1000 weekend before Chrissy Rouse on the Crowe Performance BMW held off the challenge of first Lewis Rollo and then Billy McConnell to take the spoils in race two.

Owen Jenner made it three from three aboard his Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki in the Junior Supersport class while Casey O’Gorman and Franco Bourne were the weekend’s victors in the British Talent Cup.

Featured Image courtesy of Ducati

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All Systems Go At Donington As BSB Finally Gets Underway

At long last the 2020 Bennetts British Superbike Championship got underway this afternoon (Saturday August 8th) at Donington Park. Here’s how the action unfolded during round one of the #BSBRestart. 

Andrew Irwin Winner, Glenn Irwin second and third Josh Brookes. Image courtesy of Honda Racing

Honda Racing’s Andrew Irwin claimed victory at the climax of a thrilling three-way battle alongside his brother/team-mate Glenn and VisionTrack Ducati’s Josh Brookes.

Buildbase Suzuki’s Kyle Ryde took the early initiative from his qualifying position of third and led during the early stages going from Hector Barberá, the Irwin brothers, Danny Buchan and the Ducati pair. Andrew Irwin went into second place during the second lap, out braving Barberá in a classy move at Roberts.

Buchan crashed out early on and was joined back in the garages by Synetiq BMW’s Bradley Ray and then Barberá himself.

Andrew Irwin claimed the lead from Ryde in the sixth lap as the Suzuki rider found himself as the filling in an Irwin sandwich as Glenn took second position to fight for supremacy with his brother. Josh Brookes had been biding his time and made his move on lap eight before being reeled back in by Ryde. Unfortunately for the Buildbase Suzuki man, technical issues forced his withdrawal from the race allowing Brookes back into third.

It was Glenn Irwin who held the lead when Brookes eventually made his bid for first on lap sixteen, which was successful but only temporarily as the Irwin brothers made a brave attack on Brookes at Schwantz which powered the two Hondas into the top 2.

During a pulsating final lap, Andrew Irwin made his final and decisive move on his brother which saw him take the lead, a stern defensive approach followed which saw the younger Irwin brother take the first win of the delayed 2020 season by a tight margin of 0.119s with Brookes in third.

Brookes’ Ducati team-mate Christian Iddon claimed fourth place ahead of Oxford Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell. Luke Mossey aboard the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW came home in sixth. Tarran Mackenzie finished in seventh, ahead of team-mate and pole sitter Jason O’Halloran, whose progress was hampered by the necessity for evasive action after Danny Buchan’s accident. Ryan Vickers on the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki and Lee Jackson on the Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki rounded out the top 10.

Attention now shifts to races two and three which will take place tomorrow afternoon (Sunday August 9th).

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Jackson Fastest In BSB Testing Despite Impressive Showing From Honda

The 2020 Bennett’s British Superbike Championship season is now tantalisingly close and the excitement kicked up a gear on Tuesday 28th July as the teams descended on Donington Park for an official test session.

Andrew Irwin, aboard the new Honda FireBlade for the factory team, set the pace in the first two sessions posting a fastest lap time of 1.07.079 in session one, followed up by a 1.06.663 in the second run-out. Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki’s Danny Buchan was second fastest in the first two sessions recording times of 1.07.216 and 1.06.813 respectively.

The elder of the Honda Racing Irwin brothers, Glenn, was quickest in the third and final session, posting a time of 1.06.640 with Buchan again recording the second fastest time with a 1.06.776.

In session four, it was Buchan’s team-mate Lee Jackson who finished top of the pile, recording an impressive 1.06.583 aboard his Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki with McAms Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran finishing the final session second fastest with a 1.06.597.

It was indeed Jackson who ended the day fastest overall, with O’Halloran again in second. Hector Barbera (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) was third, Glenn and Andrew Irwin rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth respectively.

Many people’s tip for the championship, Josh Brookes (PBM VisionTrack Ducati), best time came in session four with a 1:06.719. Brookes’ team-mate Christian Iddon’s best time was recorded in session three with a 1:06.719.

In the support classes, Rory Skinner of Tyser Yamaha was quickest of the Supersport riders across the four sessions, finishing top of the pile in all four with his quickest coming in session three with a 1.08.450. Bradley Perie aboard the Diamond H Racing Yamaha was second in all four sessions.

Chrissy Rouse dominated the test sessions for the Superstock riders, finishing fastest in three of the four sessions, piloting his Crowe Performance BMW to a 1.08.236 in session four, his fastest time of the day. Danny Kent, aboard the Morello Racing Kawasaki, finished fastest in session three, posting a 1.08.304.

With testing out of the way and some of the lockdown-enforced dust shaken off, focus shifts to the weekend of 7-9 August when BSB returns to Donington for the opening round of the 2020 season.

Featured Image courtesy of Honda Racing

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Six Of The Best: BSB Nuggets

As the countdown to the 2020 Bennett’s British Superbike Season ticks towards the series roaring into life at Donington Park on August 7th, here are a few fun facts about the series’ history for you to wow your mates with down the pub when taking in a (socially distanced) cold one.  Each fact is relevant to its numerical position in the list.

1. The Birth Of The Championship 

The British Superbike Championship (BSB) can trace its origins back to 1988 at the start of the Superbike racing boom, which coincided with the inaugural World Superbike Championship season.

The first BSB season was contested under Formula TT rules with race number one taking place in May 1988 at the Carnaby track on the site of a former RAF base near Bridlington in East Yorkshire. The first race winner was Darren Dixon who piloted his Suzuki RG500 all the way to the first championship title later in the year.

Dixon went on to become a star in the field of sidecar racing, winning the World Sidecar Championship in 1995 and 1996. Dixon’s son Jake came second in the 2018 BSB Championship and now competes in Moto2.

2. Always The Bridesmaid 

Fact number two refers to the second position in the BSB Championship achieved by Chris ‘Stalker’ Walker four years on the trot between 1997 and 2000.

Perhaps the most heartbreaking of these second placed finishes came at the climax of the 2000 season. With just three laps remaining in the final race, Walker led the pack only for his engine to fail on him. Despite trying desperately to reignite his machine, the mechanical problem allowed title rival Neil Hodgson to overtake Walker not just in the race but overall in the championship.

3. Niall’s Treble Triumph 

They say three is the magic number and it certainly was for Niall Mackenzie who became the most dominant rider of the 1990s, taking the BSB title three years in a row in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

Riding on the spectacular Cadbury’s Boost Yamaha team—run by former Grand Prix rider Rob McElnea—Mackenzie racked up 14 wins over the course of the 1997 season. This record was only bettered by Leon Camier with 19 during his dominant 2009 title win, and only Shane Byrne has won more BSB titles than the super Scot.

The Mackenzie name lives on as Niall’s sons Tarran and Taylor both now compete in the BSB and Superstock championships respectively.

4. Champions From Afar 

Over the course of British Superbike history, there have been four riders from outside the UK and Ireland who have finished the season top of the pile.

The first was Australian Troy Bayliss who piloted his GSE Ducati 996 to the 1999 title before going on to win a hat-trick of championships in World Superbikes. Spaniard Gregorio Lavilla only got his ride aboard the Airwaves Ducati 999 just days before the start of the 2005 season as a substitute for the injured James Haydon, but ended the season as champion after surprising many and holding off the challenge of the Honda riders and team-mate Leon Haslam.

Ryuichi Kiyonari became the first Japanese rider to claim the BSB title when he prevailed at the end of the dramatic 2006 championship decider at Brands Hatch. ‘Kiyo’ repeated the feat in 2007 and then after a spell in World Superbikes returned in 2010 to make it a hat-trick of titles all aboard the HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR FireBlade.

The most recent foreigner to win the British championship was Australian King of the Cadwell Park Mountain Josh Brookes who won his first (and to date only) BSB crown aboard the Milwaukee Yamaha R1 in 2015.

5. Rockin’ All Over The World 

Five British Superbike riders (including two former champions) have gone on to win the World Superbike crown after making the move from the domestic series.

As mentioned earlier, Troy Bayliss won the British title in 1999 before going on to add the World crown on three occasions in 2001, 2008 and 2009. Lancashire rider Neil Hodgson capitalised on Chris Walker’s dramatic engine failure in the final race of the 2000 season to win the BSB title aboard the GSE Ducati 996 (same bike ridden by Bayliss the previous year) and then conquered the world in 2003.

James Toseland rode the Paul Bird-backed Vimto Honda VTR1000 during the 2000 BSB season before moving up to the World Championship, winning the global crown on two occasions in 2004 and aboard the HannSpree Ten Kate Honda in 2007.

In the same year that Toseland bagged his second World Championship, Tom Sykes made his BSB debut aboard the Stobart Vent-Axia Honda FireBlade. After a year with Rizla Suzuki in 2008, Sykes made the step up to WSBK with Yamaha Moto Italia. Four years after making his World Championship debut in 2013, Sykes won his maiden title aboard the Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-10R.

Perhaps the most successful rider to have won the WSBK title after making his debut in BSB is none other than Jonathan Rea. After making his bow aboard the Red Bull Honda FireBlade in 2006 and then eventually stepping up to the factory HM Plant Honda team for 2007, finishing second in the championship behind team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari, Rea made the move to World Supersport for 2008. After eventually making the step up to the WSBK Championship in 2009, Rea went on to record five successive World Championships between 2015 and 2019, becoming the most successful rider in the history of the series.

6. Shakey’s Supremacy 

We couldn’t mention this number without making reference to the six British Superbike titles won by the most successful rider in the championship’s history, Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne.

Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne At BSB Oulton Park 2017. Image courtesy of Ducati

The first of Byrne’s titles came aboard the Monstermob Ducati 998 in 2003 before spells in World Superbikes and Moto GP. After returning to the British series in 2006 with Rizla Suzuki and Stobart Vent-Axia Honda in 2007, another ride aboard a Ducati (this time the 1098) yielded his second championship in 2008.

Following another brief stint in the World Superbike Championship and then a return to BSB with HM Plant Honda, Byrne reunited with former team boss Paul Bird in 2012 and netted his third British title the same year aboard the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki, repeating the trick in 2014. After the PBM team switched to a factory backed BeWiser Ducati Panigale 1199, Byrne notched another two back to back titles in 2016 and 2017.

Another rider will have to go a long way to depose Shane Byrne’s place in the BSB history books.

Those are our top six facts from BSB history. We look forward to seeing what the 2020 season can add to that when we hit Donington Park on August 7th.

Featured Image courtesy of Ducati

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BSB: Redding Leads Brookes to Brands Finale

The 2019 British Superbike Championship concludes this weekend in Brands Hatch, as Be wiser Ducati duo Scott Redding and Josh Brookes battle it out for the title in the season-ending triple-header.

Redding comes into this weekend with a twenty-eight-point lead atop the standings over teammate Brookes, meaning the Aussie has all the work to do. However, it is not out of the question, since the 2015 BSB champion took both victories when the series visited Brands earlier this year, while Redding was third in the dry race one, but made a mistake in tyre choice in the mixed conditions of race two.

Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati #46). Image courtesy of Ducati

The Ducatis were dominant that weekend, with Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing) splitting the Be Wiser bikes in the first race and completing the podium in the second. Such dominance this weekend could work against Brookes should all three races be dry, but England in October is rarely that reliable.

Similarly, Oulton Park could be a sign of Redding’s potential for this weekend. The first round at Oulton back in May was a tough one for Redding, his first time at the Cheshire track, going 4-5 across the two races. In comparison, in the second Oulton Park round, Redding scored a win in the second race with two third places either side. It was a strong progression for Redding in Oulton Park and if he can repeat that progression from debut to second appearance in Brands Hatch this weekend it could be tough to stop the ex-MotoGP rider from clinching this year’s BSB crown.

Mathematically, the equation also factors in Tommy Bridewell, who is sixty-six points behind Redding. It has been a strong season from Bridewell and the private Oxford Racing squad, although surprising they have only amassed one win. It would take a lot to go his way this weekend for the number forty-six rider to be crowned champion, but before something is mathematically impossible, anything can happen in motorcycle racing.

Realistically, though, Bridewell’s primary goal for this weekend will be to secure a top three spot in the championship. In this fight, he is joined by Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki), Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) and Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing), although probably the latter two will wind up fighting over fifth between themselves, such is their respective differences to Bridewell and Buchan.

Brands has not recently been a strong track for Kawasaki, and although Buchan was fourth in both races earlier this season, his difference to the winner was fourteen seconds in the dry race one and six seconds in the mixed conditions of race two. It will, therefore, be an uphill task for Buchan this weekend in his fight with the Ducati-powered Bridewell.

Finally, outside of the Showdown there is the fight for the Riders’ Cup. Currently leading the way in this battle Is Xavi Fores (Honda Racing), although there are only twenty points separating the Spaniard from Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW Motorrad) in tenth, with Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) and Json O’Hallloran (McAMS Yamaha) in the mix, too, in eighth and ninth respectively.

Featured Image courtesy of Ducati

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BSB: Brookes Takes Cadwell Park Pole Position

After tremendous rainfall on Friday, the conditions were almost perfect for the British Superbike riders in Cadwell Park, for qualifying for the eighth round of the 2019 championship.

It was Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) took pole position, with a stunning lap of a 1’26.2 for his third pole of the season. Brookes has been well known for his Mountain performances over his BSB career, but his technique has faced criticism. A pole lap of that quality will silence those criticisms, at least until tomorrow. But Brookes’ pace has been strong all weekend, since the test on Thursday, so the Australian will certainly be a favourite going into race day.

Brookes’ pole lap was the target Bradley Ray (Buidlbase Suzuki) needed to take him to his first front row of the season. 2019 has been a difficult year for Ray so far but perhaps this is the beginning of a return to form for the #28.

Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing) completes the front row for sunday’s first race, as he seeks a return to the podium having missed it on both occasions in Thruxton.

Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) has had a strong Cadwell Park debut. A front row looked likely until Bradley Ray’s stealthy lap for second, but a fourth-place start is by no means a disaster for the championship leader. Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) has had a strong weekend, and qualified fifth, whilst Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) completes the second row.

Dan Linfoot (Santander Salt TAG Yamaha) suffered a mechanical problem towards the end of Q3 which compromised his session, and qualified seventh. The Tyco BMW Motorrad pairing of Christian Iddon and Glenn Irwin complete the third row.

Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) was the fastest rider to not make it out of Q2 thanks to Iddon’s late lap. That means the #18 Honda will line up at the head of row four, ahead of an incensed Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing) whose final lap was ruined when he caught Gino Rea (Bike Devil Sweda MV Agusta). Luke Stapleford (Buildbase Suzuki) completes row four.

Luke Stapleford riding the Buildbase Suzuki BSB bike at Cadwell Park 2019. Image courtesy of Suzuki

Xavi Fores (Honda Racing) starts from thirteenth in Sunday’s first race, ahead of an impressive Matt Truelove (Raceways Yamaha) who is having his best weekend on a Superbike so far. Row five is completed by Rea; whilst row six sees Josh Elliott (OMG Racing Suzuki) ahead of the injured Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) and Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki) who crashed in the Hairpin in Q1, meaning his Q2 was compromised – on his first flying lap the #7 crashed again at the Hairpin, meaning he didn’t set a time in Q2.

Ben Currie (Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki) was the fastest rider to not make Q2 on his first SBK visit to Cadwell. The Australian will be joined on row seven by Billy McConnell – in place of the injured Luke Mossey at OMG Racing Suzuki – and Hector Barbera (Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki) who is now in full time as Currie’s teammate.

Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Racing) qualified twenty-second, ahead of Joe Francis (Lloyd & Jones Bowker Motorrad) and Claudio Corti (Team WD-40); whilst David Allingham (EHA Yamaha) qualified only twenty-fifth after a crash, ahead of Sam Coventry (Team 64 Motorsports) and Shaun Winfield (Santander Salt TAG Yamaha). Dean Hipwell (CDH Racing) and Fraser Rogers (Gearlink Kawasaki) complete the grid.

Featured Image courtesy of Suzuki Racing

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BSB: Showdown Battle Intensified Ahead of Cadwell

This weekend the British Superbike Championship heads to Cadwell Park for round eight of the 2019 Championship.

Despite his penalty in the second race the and victory of his teammate Josh Brookes, Be Wiser Ducati’s Scott Redding leads both the general standings and the podium points ahead of this weekend’s two races. This could be quite important for Redding, who at the top of Ducati’s list to replace Alvaro Bautista in the factory squad for the 2020 WorldSBK season, as the particular peculiarity of Cadwell makes it a place where experience can count for a lot. As a rookie not only to BSB but also to Cadwell Park, Redding’s challenge this weekend will be a tough one.

Scott Redding at Oulton Park. BSB 2019. Image courtesy of Ducati

Of course, Cadwell Park is well known for The Mountain, a feature for which it is quite unique – it is rare to leave the ground with both wheels on an asphalt circuit – but perhaps its greater challenge is how narrow the track is, barely wide enough for two of BSB’s safety cars to fit side-by-side. Of course, with a motorcycle there is more space, but with 220 or 230 horsepower, that extra space can seem non-existent. Additionally, in Cadwell Park, the bike is almost never upright, even the front straight is kinked, and the longest straight on the track has a reasonably significant curve in the centre. Being precise is the key to Cadwell Park, especially in qualifying – the narrowness means overtaking is extremely difficult, so a strong starting position is important for a good result in the race.

Last year, it was Leon Haslam who took both victories in Cadwell, and he was halfway to achieving the same feat twelve months previously before he dropped out of race two. However, in his absence this year, Kawasaki has picked up only one race win, courtesy of Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) in Knockhill. Buchan has been spectacular over the mountain in the past, but a crash at its foot last year saw him drop out of race one, able only to achieve an eighth place in race two. The #83 has shown he is fast enough to make the Showdown this year, but with it approaching could do with a healthy haul this weekend to find some more security before the Oulton Park triple-header in the beginning of September.

Despite Haslam’s successes, it is difficult to think of Cadwell Park without making the link to Josh Brookes. The Australian has been well-known for his enthusiasm at its most famous part throughout his time racing in Britain. Despite this, Brookes hasn’t found the top step there since 2015, when his race two triumph was the last in a sequence of victories spanning three rounds. The Ducati has been dominant this season, and Brookes will have gained confidence after his Thruxton victory, but finding the right setting and the necessary confidence with such an extreme motorcycle on such an extreme circuit could prove tricky in the partnership’s first year.

Andrew Irwin. Winner at the 2019 BSB Thruxton Race. Image courtesy of Honda BSB racing

Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) will have also gained confidence from his Thruxton victory, the first of his career in BSB. Not only did Irwin take his first BSB win two weeks ago but he also leapfrogged his teammate, Xavi Fores (Honda Racing) for the final provisional spot in the Showdown. Irwin arrives in Cadwell Park seven points clear of Fores, who tested at Cadwell at the beginning of the year; Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing) – who won at Cadwell back in 2014 on a Honda and arrives in the BSB paddock this weekend having dominated the Ulster Grand Prix, with seven wins at the Irish road race – is sixteen back of Irwin. Having missed both races in Thruxton thanks to injuries from his qualifying crash, Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) has also been dragged into the Showdown scrap, the #95 sitting just twelve points clear of Fores. With only five races before the Showdown six are decided, this battle is only going to continue to intensify.

James Ellison, who won in Cadwell Park just two years ago, will not be racing this weekend, having split with the Smiths Racing squad. The team have not announced a replacement for the #77.

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BSB: Redding Leads the Pack Ahead of Tyre-Critical Thruxton

This weekend the British Superbike Championship heads to Thruxton for round seven of the 2019 season.

Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) arrives in Thruxton as the championship leader – both overall and in podium points – and off the back of another strong weekend in Snetterton where he took a double-victory. Redding now has six wins in 2019, more than any other rider, but Thruxton is yet another new track for the ex-MotoGP rider, and one of the most unique of the British Superbike calendar.

Thruxton has the highest average speed of the year, faster than any MotoGP track. Mostly, riders spend their time on the right side of the tyre, well in excess of 100mph, with smoke pouring off the rear Pirelli. The Hampshire track is a particular challenge for the riders, since with its speed and character comes enjoyment, so the riders want to push, they want to spin the rear tyre because it is fun. However, to win, of course you have to protect the tyre, and the rider who can balance the speed with protecting the rear tyre is generally the one that will come out on top. Perhaps this is no different to any other circuit, but the sheer amount of time spent on the side of the tyre with a lot of speed and a lot of power means that Thruxton is quite peculiar.

In the past, Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) has proven particularly successful at the game of tyre management in Thruxton, winning the second race last year as well as the first one in 2017; both races in 2015 on his way to the title; both races in 2014; race two in 2012 and race two in 2010. Brookes’ success in Thruxton has lasted a long time. With the success of his teammate, Redding, in 2019, there is perhaps no better circuit for Brookes to go to in his attempt to try and reclaim some momentum in the championship and to try to close the deficit he currently suffers to Redding in the podium points standings.

Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing) has seen success in Thruxton, too, winning in 2017 when Brookes crashed out and going 3-2 last year despite being hospitalised on Saturday night. Whether Hickman can replicate this form this year with the 2019 BMW S1000RR, vastly different to the old model, remains to be seen but regardless the #60 should be one to watch this weekend.

Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing) and Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) had difficult weekends in Snetterton, at least results-wise. Both riders arguably had the pace to win, but came away with the same score-card, with one third place and one DNF each. It will be important for both riders to rebound this weekend, since the two Be Wiser riders extended their advantage at the last round and with the Showdown edging closer podium points are becoming increasingly important.

On the other side, the battle for the all-important sixth-place is getting closer. Xavi Fores (Honda Racing) currently holds sixth in the championship, but only twenty-two points back is Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW Motorrad) in ninth. Between Fores and Iddon are Hickman and Fores’ Honda Racing teammate Andrew Irwin. These are the four riders fighting for the last spot, and they have three rounds, including Thruxton, to decide amongst them who would get it.

At Tyco BMW Motorrad, Glenn Irwin has arrived from Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki to replace Keith Farmer for the rest of the season, following Irwin’s departure from the 2018 championship-winning squad. At Quattro Plant, Hector Barbera is replacing Irwin after his good impression in his replacements so far this year, first for Ben Currie, and then for Irwin in Snetterton.

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