BSB Sunday started with fireworks at Donington Park, venue for the third of the eleven rounds scheduled in the calendar. The championship once again proved to be in healthy shape with a high level of competitiveness and drama. All elements capable of generating an exciting (crazy) Race 2 on the Midlands facility. After a series of crashes and retirements of the top riders, Jason O'Halloran got back onto the winners’ podium after the clear difficulties suffered in yesterday afternoon's Sprint Race, ahead of a surprising Ryan Vickers (first podium of his career) and Josh Brookes, new championship standings leader.
Sensational BSB race 2
All this and more happened in front of the massive domestic crowd, typical of the big occasions. A sequence of twists and turns that first saw the crash at Redgate on lap 5 by the now former championship leader Glenn Irwin, followed (in the same corner) by that of the then race record holder Kyle Ryde on lap 12. A huge mistake for the Race 1 winner as he seemed to have control over Tommy Bridewell. With his Yamaha R1 and some debris left in the trajectory, the race direction opted to send the Safety Car in, thus leading to the possibility of a very close finish with the group compact.
O'Halloran returns to victory
Was that it? Not at all. Once they restarted, there was another sensational volte-face with Tommy Bridewell the unfortunate protagonist. Up to that moment battling with the 2018 Champion Leon Haslam for the lead, on lap 18 the BeerMonster PBM Ducati rider was forced to retire due to a technical problem with his Panigale V4 R. Jason O' Halloran took advantage of all of this on his McAMS Yamaha to take his first win of the season and the 23rd of his career.
Vickers on the podium
The Australian managed to get the better of an unrestrained Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha), who from nowhere found himself in contention for the win, and who scored his best result ever in his fifth season in British Superbike. With both BeerMonster Ducatis out of contention, third place in Race 2 allowed Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) to take the championship lead now eight points ahead of Tommy Bridewell and nine over Glenn Irwin and Leon Haslam (4th at the finish line).