2023 British Superbikes: Cadwell Park Race Results (2)

Glenn Irwin doubled up after a push through from eighth on the grid to hit the front for the last lap and defend to the finish to take race two of round eight with one of the best performances of his BSB career at Cadwell Park on Bank Holiday Monday.

Irwin had work to do and both he and his BeerMonster Ducati teammate Tommy Bridewell made little progress on the opening laps. By lap seven the Northern Irish rider had only gained one position, rising to fifth by lap nine as he and Jason O’Halloran looked to join the lead group.

Once in touch his braking and skill shone, aware of Kyle Ryde taking over at the front and stretching the group apart, a series of brave overtakes moved the #2 ever forward to keep hopes of a win alive.

Ryde still lead at the end of the penultimate lap, with Irwin sat in behind and ready to pull off his race winning move - ahead at Coppice he blocked and at the narrow Lincolnshire track, making passing tricky, he used the Ducati’s power to pull in front through the section where the Yamaha typically runs better.

Irwin kept his nerve and lead all the way to the chequered flag to lead over the line by 0.468s for his sixth win of the season and second of the weekend, leaving him on course for a treble in race three.

• British Superbikes - Cadewell Park: Irwin back on top
• 2023 British Superbikes Cadwell Park Race Results (1)
• 2023 British Superbikes Cadwell Park- Qualifying Results

Ryde was reasonably happy with second. The LAMI OMG rider had issues from lap eight, but was able to ride around them in the lead group. Cadwell Park is not a track favoured by the Yamaha rider so second was a strong result, like Irwin, finishing in the same position as he did in the sprint after his hard work out front.

O’Halloran moves though for third

Jason O’Halloran had his own late burst to pick up the final podium spot. Starting sixth, like the Ducati riders behind him he made little progress in the opening laps and dropped to seventh by lap seven as Irwin passed him.

Sticking with the BeerMonster bike, he too came through on the McAMS Yamaha, with the duo soon in a clear fourth and fifth and chasing down the then lead trio of Leon Haslam, Lee Jackson and Kyle Ryde.

Lap sixteen saw the Australian still stuck in fifth as Irwin made his break for the podium places, but a big move on Haslam, followed by a forceful lunge on Jackson at the hairpin, which pushed the Kawasaki onto the grass, saw him collect third at the line.

Haslam was on pole, having been incredibly fast before bike issues took him out of race one, when he was running in the lead group. Again fast and in amongst the frontrunners, and at one point the race leader after Ryan Vickers fell from the lead, it wasn’t until the closing laps of the race where he was shuffled out of contention for the rostrum, bringing home his Rokit BMW Motorrad in fourth.

Lee Jackson also missed out, moved down to sixth as the race drew to a close thanks to a late push from championship leader Tommy Bridewell on the second PBM bike, stealing away fifth late in the race.

Christian Iddon was seventh - he received two time penalties to be added for cutting the corner at turn 9/10 in the race on his Oxford Products Ducati.

Josh Brookes made up the six places in the race, bettered only by race winner Irwin, from 14th on the grid to finish right behind Iddon in eighth for FHO Racing BMW Motorrad.

Storm Stacey had run with the lead group for much of the race distance on his Starline Racing Kawasaki before fading to ninth as the last of that group on track.

Tom Neave was a distant tenth for Honda Racing UK, in turn enjoying his own gap over Lee Hardy Racing’s Bradley Perie in eleventh. Franco Bourne was right on his rear wheel in eleventh on the second Honda Racing entry, with Luke Mossey (Tactix by Lloyd & Jones BMW) pressuring him from behind, having to settle for 13th.

Only fifteen riders finished the race, so the remaining points went to Jack Scott (Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki) and Hector Barbera (TAG Racing Honda).

Official British Superbike Cadwell Park Records:

Lap Record: Bradley Ray (Yamaha) 1m 25.858s (2022)

BSB Best Lap: Bradley Ray (Yamaha) 1m 25.457s (2022, superpole)

Qualifying:

Pole: Ryan Vickers (2nd Leon Haslam, 3rd Glenn Irwin)

Race One: 1:Glenn Iwrin (2nd Kyle Ryde, 3rd Ryan Vickers)

2022 at Cadwell Park (Round Seven)

Pole: Bradley Ray (2nd Rory Skinner, 3rdLee Jackson)

Race One:

1:Bradley Ray

2:Rory Skinner

3:Danny Buchan

Race Two:

1:Danny Buchan

2:Bradley Ray

3:Tommy Bridewell

Race Three:

1:Danny Buchan

2:Bradley Ray

3:Tommy Bridewell

Last Round (Thruxton)

Pole: Jason O’Halloran (2nd Ryan Vickers, 3rd Kyle Ryde)

Race One:

1:Jason O’Halloran

2:Charlie Nesbitt

3:Ryan Vickers

Race Two:

1: Jason O’Halloran

2:Lee Jackson

3:Charlie Nesbitt

Race Three:

1: Jason O’Halloran

2:Lee Jackson

3:Charlie Nesbitt

Crashes and Injuries and replacements

The biggest fall in terms of the race was Ryan Vickers from the lead, by then Louis Valleley had exited on his birthday and Peter Hickman had already pulled into the pits.

Luke Stapleford deputised for Dean Harrison (at the Manx Grand Prix) for DAO Racing but was another rider picking up a DNF in race two.

Charlie Nesbitt parked up at Park with bike issues, while the also already injured Jack Kennedy was the last to exit with two laps remaining, from a top ten finish.

Max Cook and Danny Buchan were both withdrawn by their teams following earlier crashes,while Josh Owens and Andrew Irwin remain out of action due to their longer term injuries.

Tito Rabat has split with McAMS Yamaha after his stint on the second bike. Danny Kent is also absent as the team looks to be back financially at the next round after his crash at Thruxton.

Where does that leave the championship?

Tommy Bridewell’s lead was cut further after another win for his teammate and rival, Glenn Irwin. The #46 now has 285, with Irwin moving onto 272.5, now just 12.5 points away from taking over at the top.

Ryde is third overall on 240 after another podium finish, with Jason O’Halloran on 238.5 in fourth. Leon Haslam remains fifth on 213.