2022 British Superbikes, Thruxton - Race Results (2)

Jason O’Halloran continued his winning streak at Thruxton,  becoming the first rider to be confirmed for the Showdown later in the season after a thrilling three-way battle at round six of the championship.

The McAMS rider immediately worked his way to the front from third on the grid on the first lap with the ever dominant Yamahas forming up behind.

The next few laps felt processional with nobody in the lead three keen to take over from the Australian as they rehearsed their fast lines and overtaking places. The caution allowed Peter Hickman to remain in touch with the trio.

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• 2022 British Superbikes, Thruxton - Race Results (1)
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The race truly came alive over the final five laps with all of the three taking a turn at the front, touching paint and making errors as battle commenced and the on track action became as hot as the weather.

First Bradley Ray looked to have the measure of the race, after getting ahead with a huge move out of Club, but his lunge proved to be too soon.

All three were in contention in the run out of the final corner, three abreast as they looked for a way to the front in the run to the line. The Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha saw Tarran Mackenzie make a late move for the win, but the pair were both taken by O’Halloran as he took a double draught from the duo to win by just 0.079s.

The victory is the 22nd for the number 22 and his seventh of the season, making him the first rider to guarantee their place in the Showdown.

Mackenzie kept ahead of Ray for another McAMS 1-2, with Ray, who topped morning warm-up ahead of the race and started from pole, third.

The three eventually left Peter Hickman behind on track as the superior Yamaha pace proved too much to stick with, leaving the FHO Racing BMW rider a lonely fourth.

The incredibly tight battle for fifth was next to reach the chequered flag. Lee Jackson brought home his Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki home just in front of Honda’s Glenn Irwin.

The pair were being chased down by Jackson’s team-mate, Rory Skinner, back on form after his Moto2 stint in seventh, powering through from eleventh on the grid.

Danny Buchan also had a spell in that battle before fading off to SYNETIQ BMW, he was eighth, clear of Leon Haslam, who started fourth but also dropped like a stone over the closing laps for VisionTrack Kawasaki in ninth. 

Tommy Bridewell dropped as low as 15th before rallying to complete the top ten at his local track for Oxford Products Ducati.

Thruxton Race One Result:
1: Jason O’Halloran
2: Tarran Mackenzie
3: Bradley Ray

2021 at Thruxton

Race One (Sprint): Jason O’Halloran
Race Two: Jason O’Halloran
Race Three: Jason O’Halloran

Tom Sykes was as high as fifth for MCE Ducati but found himself battling for eleventh as the fiish line approached, with Christian Iddon.

The Buildbase Suzuki man took the place, leaving Sykes twelfth.

Irwin in the points after huge combeack from last on the grid

Andrew Irwin started from last after being a non-starter in yesterday’s sprint race. Up to 18th by the end of lap one the SYNETIQ BMW rider kept pushing, rising to 13th at the finish, making up an incredible eighteen places from his grid position. Irwin was however handed a time penalty (the equivalent of a long lap as there is no safe place for a loop at the track) after cutting the chicane in the race.

The final points places in the race went to Honda’s Ryo Mizuno who made late gains for 14th and  Josh Brookes in 15th for MCE Ducati.

The fight for seventeenth was even closer than the one for the win with Dean Harrison (DAO Kawasaki Racing) just one thousandth ahead of Kyle Ryde who started strongly and was at one point battling Tom Sykes for fifth.

Storm Stacey started the race from pitlane after the chain came away from his bike before the race. The team frantically tried to fit a new chain as the grid formed up, and Stacey fought back to bring his Kawasaki home in 24th.

Tito Rabat was classified last but much closer to the pace of the regular British Superbike riders in race two for TAG Honda.

Luke Mossey retired to the pits as the race started. Ryan Vickers was an early faller, along with Tom Neave.

Where does that leave the championship?

Jason O’Halloran remains out in front, now with 315 wins after taking 7 wins in the last eleven races. That points haul sees the #22 enter the Showdown first, guaranteeing his place with hos 22nd BSB win.

The Australian holds 47 podium points.

Bradley Ray needs a podium in both races on Sunday to also make the Showdown at the Thruxton meeting, the first part of that job done with third in the second race, he now has 28 points less than O’Halloran and 32 podium points.

Lee Jackson’s consistency sees him hold third, while Rory Skinner keeps fourth with no changes to the 8 places. That means Kyle Ryde sits sixth, Tommy Bridewell seventh and Tarran Mackenzie stays eighth, though closing down on Bridewell and with more podium points than most ahead of him, with 19 after his return to form.

Peter Hickman is just outside in ninth, but 30 points behind Mackenzie.