Glenn Irwin celebrated his first treble victory in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Silverstone today, following up his win in yesterday’s opening race to score a sensational double for Honda Racing UK as the Japanese manufacturer celebrates their 30th anniversary year of the Honda Fireblade.
Glenn Irwin had claimed the opening race win of the season yesterday, and in the second race of the weekend, he held off an incredible last lap attack from Kyle Ryde to win the drag to the line by just 0.079s.
Glenn Irwin had carved his way through the pack and was handed the lead courtesy of Bradley Ray crashing dramatically out of the lead, with Ryde and Rory Skinner in close contention.
Ryde was piling on the pressure, but Glenn Irwin was defensive and did just enough to hold him off to the chequered flag.
Skinner claimed FS-3 Racing Kawasaki’s first podium finish of the season with a strong third place, whilst his FS teammate Lee Jackson secured fourth after getting ahead of Andrew Irwin on the leading SYNETIQ BMW.
Jason O’Halloran completed the top six, breaking away from Peter Hickman, Tommy Bridewell and Danny Buchan as Christian Iddon completed the top ten.
In the final race of the weekend, the target was on Glenn Irwin’s back, but he was able to hold off his rivals to celebrate his first treble victory in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.
Skinner had launched into the lead on the opening lap from his front row start ahead of his Honda rival and Andrew Irwin.
On lap four, Glenn Irwin captured the lead as his brother Andrew moved into second place two laps later as they bid to make it a family affair at the front of the field.
The leading group was a freight train of seven riders with McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran and Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha pairing of Ray, Ryde plus Tommy Bridewell and Danny Buchan.
Ray had been dicing with Andrew Irwin throughout the closing stages, but the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider emerged ahead. Ray had enough pace to hold off Andrew Irwin who became the fifth different podium finisher of the opening round.
Buchan was also in the mix and trying to move ahead of his SYNETIQ BMW teammate, but on the penultimate lap, he ran wide at Brooklands and lost ground. Skinner and O’Halloran seized their opportunity to move ahead and the pair held on to fourth and fifth ahead of Buchan as they crossed the line for the final time.
Bridewell was seventh on the leading Ducati to hold off Lee Jackson whilst Peter Hickman and Kyle Ryde completed the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Silverstone, Race 2 result:
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK)
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.079s
- Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.994s
- Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +4.032s
- Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +4.321s
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +4.979s
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +7.798s
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +8.586s
- Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +8.642s
- Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki) +10.553s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Silverstone, Race 3 result:
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK)
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.864s
- Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +2.487s
- Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +2.550s
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +2.693s
- Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +2.969s
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +4.183s
- Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +4.242s
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +6.017s
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +11.257s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Silverstone:
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 75
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 46
- Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 42
- Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) 37
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 36
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 32
- Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 28
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 26
Glenn Irwin – Honda Racing UK
“Three doesn’t come often for anyone and it’s a first time for me! In one sense in racing when you get success you keep your head down, Ben Wilson told me after the Race 1 victory, ‘put it away now and today is a new day’.
“I had a good chat with him this morning again and it’s a little bit of that approach as we have Oulton on our mind, but three don’t come a lot and we’re going to enjoy this.
“I hope everyone on the team celebrates and enjoys these wins, I don’t think people on the outside know what went on inside this garage this weekend – all positive in great team work – but the boys had such a challenge, not just with my bike but with all the bikes.
“Those three wins were for the team, there’s no ‘my’ team in this, I want all of Honda Racing to enjoy today.
“To come away with three wins, we rewrote the script this weekend. I am buying the beers tonight!”
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