VisonTrack Ducati made it two wins from two in the second Bennetts British Superbike Championship race at Snetterton on Sunday with Josh Brookes putting in a flawless display to chalk up his 50th BSB career victory.
The Australian overhauled Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) on the third lap and despite there never being more than a second covering the leading quartet, he withstood the pressure from Irwin, Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) and Lee Jackson (Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki) to take his first win of the 2020 season.
Brookes grabbed the holeshot going into Riches before Irwin nosed ahead at the next Montreal corner but the first drama came on the second lap when Jackson’s team-mate Danny Buchan crashed out on the entry to Ago’s after tagging the back of Bradley Ray.
The Synetic BMW rider dropped down the order as a result but at the head of the field, Brookes retook the lead from Irwin at the start of the third lap as the leading four riders of Brookes, Irwin, Bridewell and Jackson made a slight break from Saturday’s race winner Christian Iddon.
At half race distance, the leading quartet were almost 1.5s clear of Iddon with Kyle Ryde (Buildbase Suzuki) and Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) close behind as Andrew Irwin moved up into the top ten, the Honda Racing rider setting the fastest lap of the race as he tore through the field from the back of the grid.
The gap between the top four remained under a second but Glenn Irwin made an attempt for the lead at Ago’s on lap 11 only to immediately run wide and hand the lead back to Brookes. Iddon wasn’t giving up without a fight either and with the fastest lap of the race he began to close back up to the rear wheel of Jackson.
Further back, there was more controversy involving Andrew Irwin as he rode round the outside of Ryan Vickers around Coram Curve only to cut across the Kawasaki rider as they braked for the chicane with both riders crashing out.
Iddon lost ground again with two laps to go and try as he might, Glenn Irwin couldn’t find a way past Brookes and he almost lost second as he ran wide at the end of the Bentley Straight on the final lap.
Brookes duly took the win with Irwin taking his fourth second place finish of the season just ahead of Bridewell and Jackson as 0.853s covered the quartet at the chequered flag.
Iddon was safe in fifth with Ryde just getting the better of Mackenzie as Jason O’Halloran, Luke Mossey and the recovering Ray completed the top ten.
