Josh Brookes put his title attack back on track at Oulton Park after the Be Wiser Ducati rider celebrated a double race win at the famous Chesire circuit.
There was drama however before the lights went out after Peter Hickman was pulled off the grid after being caught running too low tyre pressures, the rules state the pressure in the tyres must be above the set PSI for that track.
Brookes’ closest rival in race one, Tommy Bridewell, lined up on pole position ahead of the two Aussies of Brookes and Jason O’Halloran. Brookes got the perfect start and grabbed the holeshot at Old Hall Bend whilst fellow Aussie Jason O’Halloran slotted into third position onboard the McAMS Yamaha but was forced to give up the position on lap two when Bridewell made the pass and started hunting down Brookes.
It didn’t take long for yet more drama to unfold as Glenn Irwin was locked in battle with TT Star Dean Harrison. Irwin was following the Silicone Engineering Kawasaki into the Hislop Chicane but made a late lunge on Harrison, forcing both of the Kawasaki riders to sit up and run off the track, losing vital time and track position.
Back at the front, Brookes was edging away from his fellow Ducati V4 R of Tommy Bridewell whilst the McAMS Yamaha of Jason O’Halloran became under threat from a hard-charging Christian Iddon who was out to make amends after being forced to retire from the opening race. Iddon made an easy move on the suffering Yamaha before the FS-3 Kawasaki of Danny Buchan also followed through, pushing O’Halloran down to fifth. Whilst this battle was going on, the second Be Wiser Ducati of Scott Redding was closing down, also bringing the championship leader of Tarran Mackenzie into the fight.
Credit: Double Red Photographic
O’Halloran made it easy for Redding, who has been enjoying the Oulton Park circuit, as he made the move into Old Hall, leaving the McAMS pair to scrap over sixth position.
The first faller of the race was TAG Yamaha’s Shaun Winfield, whilst Hipwell and Ellison pulled in to retire.
With Josh Brookes’ lead just over two and a half seconds, it ended up being a comfortable win for the 36-year-old who took yet another race win around Oulton Park. Tommy Bridewell crossed the line in second position, taking his 7th podium at Oulton Park whilst Danny Buchan came home for his third consecutive podium onboard Nigel Snook and Darren Fry’s FS-3 Racing Kawasaki.
Scott Redding came home in fourth position ahead of Tarran Mackenzie who was happy to round out the top five after a difficult weekend for the 2016 Supersport champion. Mackenzie came home ahead of Christian Iddon and his teammate Jason O’Halloran, whilst Farmer lead Andy Irwin and Ryan Vickers across the line in ninth and tenth.
Rounding out the points was Peter Hickman who fought back to eleventh after the earlier penalty that forced him to start from the back of the grid, Hickman was ahead of Bradley Ray, Dan Linfoot and the OMG Suzuki pair of Mossey and Elliott.
Credit: Double Red Photographic
After his double success today at the undulating Oulton Park, Brookes leaps up ahead of his teammate in the championship standings, whilst it’s all tied at the top with Mackenzie and Bridewell sharing the sixty-four points.
Brookes also has the most podium credits after the second round with ten, the next best is Mackenzie and Elliott with eight.
The third round of the season kicks off at Donington Park, with what should be yet another twist in the championship as the riders will take on the shortened National Circuit on the Bank Holiday weekend, with track action happening on the 24-26th May.
