British Superbike Championship – Oulton Park – Round 9

Report and images by David Gowshall additional images by David Harbey

Sunday 19^th September 2023

The hotly contested 2023 British Superbike Championship is drawing to a close and last weekend saw the first of the “Showdown” rounds, when an enhanced points system came into play, which gives added incentive and rewards to those still in with a chance of championship honours.

I had attended the early round of the championship at Oulton Park, held over the May Bank Holiday, which was cut short when heavy rain flooded the circuit, and was looking forward to my second trip of the year to one of my favourite tracks, which always plays host to some exciting two-wheel action.

SUPERBIKE RACE 1

I watched Saturday’s Sprint race from the living room of my home on TV, and saw Irwin (#2) take victory, after Bridewell (#46) made a mistake on the last lap on the downhill approach to the Hislop Chicane, allowing Lee Jackson (#14) and Kyle Ryde (#77) to relegate him to fourth place and fill the podium spots.

A Sunday morning six o’clock alarm call and a miserable two and half hour journey, through dense fog and heavy rain over the highest motorway in England, the M62, did little to quell the appetite for some “live” action, and with the rain relenting on reaching the circuit, I was keen to get my camera out of the boot and start shooting.

Although there is some safety fencing, most notably at the start / finish, the Knickerbrook complex and Lodge Corner, most of the circuit is lined with low fencing, particularly around the in-field, so finding good spots to take photos is relatively easy, although a long lens is useful in some spots as the fence is set back some distance from the tarmac.

I usually initially head for Druids, the fast double apex right-hander in the wooded part of the circuit, which can provide some spectacular “knee down” action, but decided, with a large crowd present, I was going to concentrate on the less “inhabited” parts of this scenic parkland venue, from Brittens to Knickerbrook.

On track action got underway promptly at 12 noon with a series of ten-minute warm up sessions for each class.  The first racing action was the first 18 lap “Feature” Superbike race, which was to prove highly competitive and very controversial.

SUPERBIKE RACE 2

In dry, overcast conditions, Ducati team-mates Glenn Irwin and Tommy Bridewell, who had dominated both Qualifying and Race 1, were once again the pace-setters, with a group of three riders, Kyle Ryde, Leon Haslam (#91) and Lee Jackson, just about hanging on to the leaders.

The real drama regarding the race ensued after Storm Stacey crashed at Clay Hill on lap 14.  As a consequence, the Safety Car was deployed, before racing resumed with three laps remaining.

Questionable tactics from Bridewell, who speeded up and then slowed at the restart, which caused the remaining riders to back up and was rightly deemed unsafe, resulted in him being given a three second penalty.

As a result, Irwin, who finished second on-track, was presented with his second win of the weekend.  Taking full advantage of the Safety Car restart Jackson successfully claimed second place from Kyle Ryde. 

Fourth and fifth place were filled by BMW mounted Haslam and Josh Brookes (#25) respectively, with Bridewell, clearly very unhappy at the conclusion of the race, demoted to sixth.

The top ten was completed by Christian Iddon (#21), Jason O’Halloran (#22), Ryan Vickers (#7) and Peter Hickman (#60).

The win meant the championship had a new leader, Irwin overtaking his team-mate at the top by the slim margin of 3.5 points.

Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki - Adam Brown #33  

Up next on Sunday were the Support races but first we are going to take a quick detour and have a quick look at Adam Browns weekend, he is a young racer we are following this year. Oulton park was an extremely busy weekend for Adam, who was riding in both the Pirelli National Junior Superstock & HEL Performance British Junior Supersport. His team put a few words together for us.

Friday - Junior Superstock 

A solid start to the weekend in with Adam finishing 22nd in Free Practice 1 with a time of 1:49.875. Having never raced at Oulton before it would be a steep learning curve, mastering both the Superstock 600 and the track was challenging. Free Practice 2, still learning with every lap Adam finished 27th with a lap time of 1:47.00

Junior Supersport 

On lap 2 of the first free practice while registering some fast sector times, Adam tucked the front and had a small crash, he was unhurt and able to walk away.

Saturday - Junior Supersport Race 1

With some minor changes made to the bike, Adam was still cautious of trusting the bike due to the previous crash, with this he was only able to qualify 17th in the morning session. Race 1, making a good start from 16th he quickly moved up through the pack and started battling with other riders, however on lap 5 the bikes electrics started to cut out and Adam had option but to pull into the pits.

Junior Superstock 

Getting more confidence on the 600 with every lap Adam was able to record a time of 1:45.00, improving all the time and qualifying 26th ahead of more experienced riders. A very short free practice 3 was scheduled for the end of the day with Adam registering 5 laps Adam and was 24th fastest on worn tyres.

Sunday - Junior Superstock Race

Adam started 26th and soon got into a race long battle with fellow Ulsterman Gary Scott. His times improved with each lap and he recorded a 1:44.504 on lap 7, his fastest of the weekend. He finished a commendable 20th.

Junior Supersport Race 2

Starting immediately after the Jnr Stock race, Adam jumped onto the smaller 400 for the last race of the meeting. On the sighting lap Adam discovered he was minus a knee slider. With seconds remaining until the grid was cleared one was hastily acquired from Sam Laffins mid podium celebration from coming 3rd in the SuperStock race. Without Sam’s slider Adam would not have been able to start the race.

Starting from 13th on the grid Adam battled with fellow Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki riders, Kalvin Kelly and Rossi Dobson placing as high as 10th. But problems with the handling of the bike persisted and Adam was finding it hard to turn the bike into corners, eventually running wide and dropping back several places. Adam eventually finished 17th, disappointed as he was battling for a top 10 finish in the points.

SUPPORT CLASSES

Ok back to Sunday and the eagerly awaited second and final Superbike Feature race was due to take place almost 3 hours later, but the three Support races held in that period were equally as exciting, with the winning margin in the British Talent Cup race just 0.006 of a second, with Amanuel Brinton (#43)  “elbowing” out championship leader Sullivan Mounsey (#4) on the run-in to the line, who had been part of a five machine thriller from flag to flag. 

The final podium spot was filled by Lucas Brown (#29), who crossed the line in a blanket finish.



Following that excitement “veterans” Dan Linfoot (#4), the championship leader, and Alastair Seeley (#34) fought out a thrilling race, in which they swopped position on virtually every lap, being separated by just just 0.027 of a second as they crossed the line in the Superstock event.

Riding to a steady 3^rd spot, and keeping the pressure on Linfoot in the championship, was Richard Kerr.

How do you follow that you might ask? Well the 14 lap Supersport race lead changed many times, with Tom Booth-Amos (#96) doubling up on his win on Saturday, as “evergreen” Richard Cooper (#47) rapidly closed him down in the latter stages of the race. 

Unlucky Rhys Irwin (#69), who before the weekend had been very much in contention in the championship, experienced his second non-finish, a mechanical issue side-lining him when in the lead. 

As a consequence, Ben Currie (#61), who came home third after leading the first half of the race before overshooting “Hizzy’s”, extended his lead at the top of the table.

Three outstanding races that had kept the crowd thoroughly entertained, but the “main event”, the final Superbike race of the day, was next up on the programme.

SUPERBIKE RACE 3

A simmering Tommy Bridewell, still feeling hard done by after his time penalty in the day’s first outing had robbed him of victory, led from the off, with team-mate Irwin in hot pursuit.  Like the first race Haslam, Jackson and Ryde were not far behind, but this time they were joined by Brookes, Iddon, O’Halloran and Vickers. 

As the race progressed the PBM boys pulled out a slight advantage, but were being hotly pursued by Lee Jackson, whose Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki was the quickest of the rest, as the race reached its climax.

Despite his best efforts “Lee-Bob” was unable to overhaul Irwin, who had to settle for second spot after Tommy B put in a superfast lap two laps from the end to open up an unsurmountable gap and claim a crucial victory.  Behind the podium group the consistent #91 Leon Haslam took a lonely fourth as an improving Josh Brookes overcame Ryde to take fifth spot.

Iddon, Vickers and O’Halloran filled positions 7 to 9, with Storm Stacey (#79), having recovered from his off in the first race of the day, rounding off the top ten.  

The BSB “circus” now heads to Donington Park in two weeks time (29th Sept – 1st Oct), with Irwin leading the championship from his PBM team-mate Tommy Bridewell by just 0.5 points!



Even with the enhanced points system, which will change again for the final round at Brands Hatch, realistically the only riders seemingly with any chance of overcoming the PBM teamsters are Kyle Ryde and Leon Haslam, who, as part of the small ROKIT BMW team, has fought his way into contention with some very impressive and consistent rides in the second half of the season.

Lee Jackson, without a ride for 2024, reminded any potential employees of his pace, with three podium finishes to be the “best of the rest”, and just keeps his faint hopes of the championship title alive, although it would need something very special for him to end up at the top of the table.

Six races remain in what will undoubtedly be another exciting climax to the season.

Will the title go to Glenn Irwin, who seems to date, to be coping with the pressure the best, or the extraordinary Tommy Bridewell, who is capable of brilliance on any given day?

Or will both succumb to the pressure and allow Kyle Ryde to follow in the footsteps of his former Yamaha team mate Bradley Ray and take the crown?