2023 British Superbikes Thruxton Race Results (1)

The track that provided the closest race last season didn’t disappoint as the shorter sprint saw a Jason O’Halloran take control from the front for the first win of the round seven meet at Thruxton in the sprint race, with a big battle for position unfolding behind.

Starting from pole for the second time this season, O’Halloran pulled away from lights out but didn’t initially have everything his own way, with challenge on from Lee Jackson, who hit the front just before the start of lap six.

That was enough of a warning for the McAMS rider who went about putting his Yamaha back at the front of the lead group immediately and then began pulling out a lead.

With over a second gap by the penultimate lap, the #22 went on to lead over the line by 1.591s a comfortable distance ahead of the battle for second, which ran all the way to the line.

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It takes O’Halloran’s recent win tally at Thruxton to six victories out of the last seven races held at the track.

A four way battle for second meant the rostrum places were far from decided as the final lap got underway.

Exiting the club chicane Ryan Vickers and Lee Jackson were neck and neck, and while careful to avoid taking each other out of the turn, rookie Charlie Nesbitt had the peace of mind to move up the inside and ahead of the pair to secure an incredible second - a first podium finish at his home race for MasterMac Honda by Hawk racing.

The result marks a slow upturn in performance from Honda, who were also on the podium with Danny Kent at the last round.

Ryan Vickers was all action from the front row, with almost contact on the very first lap with his LAMI OMG Yamaha teammate. Going on to settle a little too far into the pack, he left it too late to try and go with O’Halloran and almost lost out on a rostrum finish after starting the final lap second in the run to the line but held onto third - just.

Rookies continue to impress at Thruxton

Nesbitt was incredibly close to being joined on the podium by another rookie - Max Cook.

The duo qualified well, in fifth and sixth and Cook was able to keep with and often in front of his much more experienced Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki temamate, Lee Jackson.

He too was able to make a move in the run to the line - Jackson was all caught up with Vickers so the #30 took his chance and powered past for fourth. that left Jackson the last of the lead group in fifth in a photo finish for the duo.

Leon Haslam on his own Rokit BMW was the highest placed rider for the manufacturuer. Qualifying tenth, he dug deep to make up places as the BMW and Ducati riders continued to be ill suited to the new tyre available and it's grip levels, climbing to be the best of the rest after passing Kent, who also flirted with a top five finish before slipping back on his own Lovell Kent Honda.

Kyle Ryde was also feature at the front and was still in second as late as lap seven. A trip wide at the chicane on lap ten saw him fall back into the clutches of the riders behind, on his way to an eighth place finish on the second OMG Yamaha.

Glenn Irwin was again the best of the Ducati riders as they continued to struggle, losing a place on his grid position to finish ninth for BeerMonster Ducati. He managed to claw five points out of teammate Tommy Bridewell’s lead as the championship leader finsihed an even more lowly 14th.

Peter Hickman made enough of a recovery for a top ten finish as the best of the FAO Racing BMW riders.

There was very little between Halsam in sixth all the way down to eleventh , which is where Jack Kennedy took the chequered flag for Mar-Train Yamaha.

Luke Mossey (Tactix by Lloyd & Jones BMW) was not much further back in eleventh, pressured all the way to the line by Christian Iddon, who made up four places after a lacklustre qualifying for Oxford Products Ducati as he too struggles to find grip on the side of the tyre.

With Bridewell next to finish, the remaining point went to Josh Brookes (FAO Racing BMW Motorrad) coming from 21st to 15th - the most places gained in the race.

 
Pre-race drama for Stacey

There was disaster for Storm Stacey - a failure for his bike to start from seventh on the grid for the warm-up lap saw him wheeled off to get his Kawasaki moving. Back on board he joined up for the lap late and took his new position at the back of the grid.

Climbing as high as fourteenth and passing Bridewell briefly points were possible despite his race start drama, but it was not to be, slipping back over the closing laps he finished just over a second behind Brookes for 16th.

Official British Superbike Thruxton Records:

Lap Record: Josh Brookes (Ducati) 1m 14.655s (2019)

2022 at Thruxton (Round Six)

Pole: Jason O’Halloran (2nd Peter Hickman, 3rd Andrew Irwin)

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

Race Two:
1:Jason O’Halloran
2:Tarran Mackenzie
3: Bradley Ray

Race Three:
1:Tarran Mackenzie
2:Bradley Ray
3:Jason O’Halloran

Last Round (Brands Hatch)

Pole: Tommy Bridewell (2nd Ryan Vickers, 3rd Josh Brookes)

Race One:
1:Ryan Vickers
2:Danny Kent
3:Christian Iddon

Race Two:
1: Tommy Bridewell
2:Christian iddon 
3:Danny Kent

Race Three:
1:Tommy Bridewell
2:Glenn Irwin
3:Ryan Vickers

Crashes and Injuries and replacements

 Josh Owens (Crendon Honda) misses the Thruxton races after picking up a wrist injury in the first practice session.

Franco Bourne was back in for Andrew Irwin at Honda UK, he placed 19th.

Louis Valleley finished his first BSB race in 21st for Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki.

A still heavily injury affected Hector Barbera took the chequered flag in 23rd on his TAG Honda.

Danny Buchan and Tito Rabat both ended their race in the pits.

Where does that leave the championship?

Bridewell remains ahead, now with 260 after picking up just two points. Irwin pulls slightly nearer, now with 236 points and a gap of 29.5.

Kyle Ryde remians fourth despite his late slip back through the field, on 189, under pressure after another good performance from Leon Haslam, who now has a tally of 182. Josh Brookes slis to fifth on 178.

His win takes Jason O’Halloran to within touching distance of those riders overall scores, now with 176.5 to his name.