Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot had to wait a few years for his debut MCE British Superbike victory, and then two come along in a week as he fought hard to snatch the win from JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Leon Haslam at Oulton Park.
It was a battle that went down to the final lap on the last corner and in the end only 0.054s separated the pair. It was also a memorable race for Bradley Ray as he bagged his maiden BSB podium, coming away from the final race in third place.
Initially it was Haslam who got the hole-shot but he was soon overtaken by Linfoot and then Dixon. Haslam was the only rider who opted for the harder rear Pirelli tyre, with all the racers competing on slicks after the track dried up after an earlier rain shower.
Byrne, Ellison, Brookes, Dixon, Jackson and Hopkins all decided to go with the softer front and rear Pirelli tyre compounds. Meanwhile on the seventh rotation Dixon was pacing ahead with Linfoot, Haslam, Ray and Iddon hot on his tail.
At the end of lap eight Haslam made a move at Lodge to go up to second. Two rotations later it was a case of déjà vu as Haslam made exactly the same overtake, but this time on Dixon to go into the lead at Lodge. Then at Hizzys Linfoot lunged into second after passing the RAF backed Kawasaki.
Further down the field there was a battle emerging between showdown riders, Byrne, Brookes and Hickman who were all vying for fifth on lap 13, and the trio were all pushing hard to out-pace each other. Back at the sharp end at Old Hall on lap 15 Ray went up to third after getting the better of Dixon to go up into podium contention. Also on the same lap it looked like Byrne went wide as Brookes and Hickman edged through.
Brookes then gained some momentum and on the final corner on lap 16 went up to fourth after overtaking Dixon, and had Ray as his next target. When the chequered flags appeared Hickman got the better of Brookes on the last lap to clinch fourth, followed by Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha’s Josh Brookes. The R1 rider is now up to second in the overall standings. Fellow showdown rider Jake Dixon slipped back to sixth, with Be Wiser Ducati’s Shane Byrne crossing the line in seventh. The Panigale man is now third, one point behind Brookes in the championship chase.
Title fighter, Jason O’Halloran did not make it on to the podium like his team-mate did but he did end the race behind Byrne with Iddon and Ellison rounding off the top ten. Guintoli, Irwin, Smrz, Laverty and Jackson all ended the final race inside the points.
It was not a great race for Moto Rapido Ducati’s John Hopkins, who was unable to replicate his podium finish from the opening event, as he crashed unhurt at Brittens with 15 laps to go.
JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Luke Mossey was missing from the starting line-up as he decided to withdraw from the final outing as he is still nursing a back injury that he irritated during the last round at Silverstone, after a big high-side crash.
