British Super Bikes - Round 6

Thruxton

12th -14 August 2022

PistonClick had two spectator photographers out at Thruxton for round six of the 2022 British Super Bikes championships - Darren and David. All of the PistonClick photographers are enthusiastic amateurs who have a passion for motorsport.

Most don’t want it to be a full time job, although some do and we help them out as much as we can, but for the rest of us we shoot from behind the wire and enjoy the racing while taking a few snaps.

And what racing we had at Thruxton! Some of the closest racing this year so far from the front runners Mackenzie, O'Halloran and Ray all riding the Yamaha R1. The Yams seem to have the measure of all the other machines out on track at this year's BSB championships, as they are also doing (sort of) in WSB. 

The racing at Thruxton is recognized as the fastest in the UK, and this weekend it was also spectacular edge of the seat racing with the three front runners all making a three abreast lunge for the finish line it was that close. Bradley Ray set the fastest lap in race one with a lap of 1:15.209, but it was Jason O'Halloran who won the race from his team mate Mackenzie with Ray in third.

It was the same for race two with O'Halloran and Mackenzie on the McAMS Yamaha taking the one two with Ray on his Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha again in third. Peter Hickman did stay with the Yams on his BMW for most of the race, fading away towards the end but picking up some valuable showdown points coming in fourth.

The final race had Mackenzie on the top step, Ray second splitting the McAMS Yamaha and O'Halloran taking third. These results mean that O'Halloran and Ray are the first two of the eight riders that have accumulated enough points to be confirmed in the superbike showdown. 

The showdown is loved and hated by fans, but most have come to accept it these days. It underwent a revamp a few years ago with the Assen round being dropped, one more race being added to every round and the top eight racers given 1000 points after 24 races.

The final three rounds and nine races will then be contested by the top eight racers who will be placed in order by the amount of podium points they have picked up in the previous 24 races 1st - 5 points, 2nd - 3 points, 3rd - 1 point.

This keeps the racing for the championship going down to the last races and prevents one rider or team running away with the title early in the season. The rest of the pack are not forgotten as the Rider's Cup is up for grabs for the rider coming in ninth place overall.

The best of the rest is Peter Hickman 43 points behind Tommy Bridewell in eighth place, and if you are a follower of BSB, Hickey goes very well at his home track Cadwell Park which is up next over the bank holiday weekend 27 - 29th August. 

True Heroes Racing Team

If you have been following our reports from BSB this season you will know we are following the True Heroes Racing Team this year. #22 Dave "Scrawn" Mackay and #61 Dave "Salty" Sellers were out in the Superstock 1000cc flying the colours for the team in this super competitive class. Salty put in a personal best recording a best lap of 1:18.638.

As there was no Ducati Tri Options Cup at this meeting #55 Leon Wilton and #14 Charlie White entered their Ducatis into the two Supersport & British GP2 Championship races. Finishing both races with a best lap time of 1:21.555 for Charlie and 1:21.619 for Leon, who unfortunately decided to have a close look at how dry the grass was track side - apparently it was very dry.

Rider and bike were dusted off and Leon will be available for their next meeting with the rest of the team which you can go and support at the Grand National meeting at Castle Combe this weekend. 

#61 Harrison Mackay is an associate rider for the True Heroes team racing in the British Talent Cup. He helps to promote the team ethos amongst the younger riders in the paddock. It was only Harrison's second visit to the Hampshire track but he managed to knock off four seconds from his best lap from last year.

Qualifying in 15th he battled through to 10th after the 14 lap race in some extreme heat. In race two he had moved up to 13th which is unlucky for some, but not Harrison who again pushed through the pack ending up 9th. A great result all things considered.

Photographic Post Script - A Spectator Photographers view point.

Darren Oliver-Jones Olithephoto

The spectator area at Thruxton only covers around half of the track but I enjoyed the extended viewing area around to Noble it’s a really good area to shoot down on the bikes. Thruxton are intending to extend further in the coming years so hopefully new photo opportunities are coming. 

I got to be on the grid for the British Talent Cup race 2 thanks to John and Alfie Davidson (Banks Racing) as one of the team. This was very interesting to see what goes into the build up of a race from within the team.

For me this meeting was the best racing of the season to date and hats of to all the racers, teams, marshals and support staff for putting on shuch a good event in very very hot conditions.

David Harbey Photography

A very hot day with little or no shade at Thruxton was balanced by the sight and sound of BSB. Strong sunlight, deep shadows added to the challenge of capturing a good image.

Given where the sun was for the morning action, I headed to the inside of the track and found a good spot near the Thruxton Centre. At ground level with the step or on the balcony of the Centre both proved to be good locations for panning shots. On a cooler day, I would have walked down to the Complex on the outside of the track for some cornering action.

After lunch, the Chicane proved a good spot for some action and those fabulous "all in a line" shots. For the BSB Race 1, I found myself on the big spectator bank overlooking pit-lane for a view of the start. Thereafter, it was my usual panning shots.

All of our previous British SuperBike reports can be found here.