2022 British Superbikes Snetterton- Race Results (1)

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.

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.

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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.