McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran claimed his fifth win of the season in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship race of the weekend at Donington Park, as the title race took a further twist.
The Australian had a relatively clear run to victory in challenging conditions, but there was yet more drama for his fellow championship contenders, as then championship leader Glenn Irwin retired on the first lap with a technical issue, while BeerMonster Ducati teammate Tommy Bridewell reclaimed the championship lead, but only via a slow drop down the order to ninth.
Leon Haslam was poised to benefit the most, running second until an engine failure on lap 15, which brought out the red flag and dented his championship hopes. Kyle Ryde meanwhile could only finish 12th, with Bridewell therefore holding a 7.5 point lead over Irwin heading to Brands Hatch.
O’Halloran started second, but shot into an immediate lead, building a margin of approaching a second on the first lap.
That margin extended big time across the opening laps, up to over five seconds at the end of lap four, until Haslam began to reel him in, reducing the margin to 3.3 seconds within three laps. But that was as close as it got, as the Australian then pulled away.
Haslam looked comfortable in second, but his engine blow on lap 15 and subsequent smoke left no choice but to throw the red flags, with Haslam absent from the results by virtue of causing the stoppage.
That promoted Christian Iddon to second on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati, ahead of FHO Racing BMW Motorrad’s Josh Brookes.
Charlie Nesbitt was fourth, courtesy of a strong ride on the MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing machine, ahead of Mar-Train Racing Yamaha’s Jack Kennedy and Starline Racing Kawasaki’s Storm Stacey.
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW), Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki), Bridewell and Davey Todd (Milwaukee BMW Motorrad) completed the top-10.
Eight riders remain in contention for the championship, with the season finale taking place at Brands Hatch on 13-15 October.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 3 result:
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha)
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +6.936s
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +10.884s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +13.561s
- Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) +16.183s
- Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki) +16.414s
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +16.797s
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +17.368s
- Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +17.862s
- Davey Todd (Milwaukee BMW Motorrad) +19.937s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 368
- Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 360.5
- Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 333
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) 327
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 324.5
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 317.5
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 292
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 264