2024 British Superbikes: Snetterton - Race Results (1)

The first half of the race in round five, for all of it’s tyre gamble drama, became nothing more than grid positions for a five lap dash around Snetterton, won by Storm Stacey after a dramatic run to the chequered flag.

The LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki rider had worked his way to the front of the original start, thanks to his intermediate tyre choice, handing Stacey, pole - though he initially thought he had completed enough laps for the result to stand at the red flag, out for Rory Skinner’s nasty fall.

That false win was followed by another false start as on the sighting lap - the designated riders put their hands up to say visibility was so awful they didn’t feel it was safe to race, causing a delayed start.

Back on track and all on wets, Stacey initially lost the lead from pole, to a massive launch from Danny Kent, though he didn’t last long, swiftly off and heading to the barrier. The former Moto3 champion had to take evasive action as Tommy Bridewell was heading towards him moments later, though their bikes missed each other their bodies hit, clashing heads on the grass. Both were well enough to watch the remaining laps trackside.

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That saw Stacey back in the lead - with another rider hunting for a first win closing in - Pathway rider Lewis Rollo.

The In Competition/ Sencat Aprilia rider was brave and went for it after gaining nine places - and made it ten after completing the move to start lap three ahead.

Rollo had shown his capabilities in the morning FP3 session which he finished with a huge lead - and a fall.

This time there would be no exits but staying upright when Stacey challenged back on the final lap meant the #79 could pull clear for the win - his first in BSB on his 128th race start.

Rollo was happy with his first podium in second, 0.222s behind at the chequered flag. It is also his Aprilia teams first BSB podium finish.

Kyle Ryde was able to give his championship a boost, carefully picking up four places from his last grid position for OMG Grilla Yamaha in a lonely third.

2023’s polesitter Jason O’Halloran worked his way forward to start fourth on the restart and held on after being passed by Ryde to finish there for Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki.

A chance to pick up places was grabbed by Glenn Irwin, who was all at sea on the wrong tyres on the first start, leaving him 15th on the grid.

On rubber he could now push on, Irwin made rapid progress for PBM Ducati for fifth.

Christian Iddon arguably gained the most from the red flag.

There was drama before the original grid formed when Iddon headed back to his garage instead of forming up on the grid as expected. That lead to a pit lane start and a big tyre gamble, with a slick rear and intermediate front.

In 21st when the red flag came out he too was able to make rapid progress for Oxford Products Ducati, just over a second behind Irwin for sixth.

Andrew Irwin initially went with his brother before grip concerns held him back, finishing seventh for Honda Racing UK.

Leon Haslam yet another rider on a charge.

The ROKiT Haslam Racing rider had endured crashed in the dry in practice and in the wet  in the morning, leaving his bike not fixed by Q1 and Haslam at the back of the grid. By the time the race was stopped the #91 was 18th after his tyre gamble, with the dry tyres only just coming into play at the red flag.

In the rain on wets, Haslam could show his talent and managed his charge through the treacherous conditions and blinding spray for eighth.

Original polesitter, OMG Yamaha’s Ryan Vickers, went the wrong way in ninth after starting third in the restart, with Franco Bourne completing the top ten for Rapid Honda.

Dean Harrison used his experience for eleventh for Honda, ahead of Tom Neave for Stauff Fluid Power Kawasaki.

Josh Brookes had hoped to make forward progress with his tyre gamble for FHO Racing, but never recovered the places lost in 13th, ahead of Louis Valleley in 14th and Danny Buchan who picked up the final point in 15th in a race with only sixteen finishers - Alex Olsen was the rider missing out.

Official British Superbike Snetterton Records:

Lap record: Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha, 2022) 1m 47.079s

Snetterton in 2023:

Round 4
Qualifying: 
1: Jason O’Halloran
2: Glenn Irwin
3: Tito Rabat

Race 1 (Sprint):
1: Tommy Bridewell
2: Josh Brookes
3: Jason O’Halloran

Race 2:
1: Tommy Bridewell
2: Josh Brookes
3: Leon Haslam

Race 3:
1: Tommy Bridewell
2: Glenn Irwin
3: Leon Haslam

Crashes, injuries and replacements

In an incident packed meet, it was Rory Skinner’s fall that brought out the red flag, stopping the first iteration of race one at the Snetterton 300 track.

Off on lap nine from P9, the Cheshire Mouldings BMW rider was left with a suspected broken leg after his fall at Coram Curve. There was initially a safety car deployed as it was a delicate procedure to move the Scottish rider, which was swiftly changed to a red flag for his safety after the hard fall.

Lee Jackson suffered a bike failure on the original start, raising his hand to let Stacey pass, so he missed the restart.

There was more pitlane drama when trying the the restart, with Jamie van Sikkelerus desperately trying to make it onto the grid after his crash at the same corner as Skinner. Charlie Nesbitt was also delayed but made it out to join the back of the grid on the warm-up lap. Nesbitt had been due to start fifth. That all came to be in vain when the race was further delayed due to the rain, allowing the bikes the chance to re-join in place. Both went on to crash out.

Peter Hickman and Brayden Elliott both fell on the last lap, while Max Cook and Luke Hedger also failed to finish.

Billy McConnell had qualified second, but was looking shaky on his feet as he stumbled away from his strewn bike, so he was withdrawn by his C&L Fairburn/ Look Forward Racing team ahead of race one to recover.

Championship Standings

Glenn Irwin picked up enough points in the race to tie the title lead with Tommy Bridewell. Both on 141 points Irwin is placed ahead on race win countback.

Iddon’s recovery sees him to 128 points, 13 behind in third overall. Danny Kent remains on 125 points in fourth after his DNF while a podium finish sees Ryde close in, just one point behind the #52 after race one.