By Hager PBM Ducati’s Glenn Irwin, TAS Racing’s Davey Todd warmed up nicely for this week’s Briggs Equipment Northwest 200, following imperious performances today at Oulton Park.
Speediest TT newcomer in history Irwin, wrapped up a fantastic hat-trick of BSB race successes, after holding off determined pursuits from Tommy Bridewell, Christian Iddon, Danny Kent and Ryan Vickers.
Irwin’s latest purpose-built circuit victory captures, have thrust him into the BSB Championship lead, topping previous series leader, OMG Grilla Yamaha Racing’s Vickers by six points.
Fellow multiple NW200 winner, 2022 King of The Roads Champion, Davey Todd backed up impressive pre-season test, practice, qualifying showings via a well crafted National Superstock 1000 race conquest.
Pole sitter Todd astride the TAS Racing ran Cheshire Mouldings BMW, gradually broke the challenges of Joe Talbot, David Allingham, and Josh Owens, going onto finish victorious by just past 3.2 seconds.
Peter Hickman’s character-building weekend at Oulton, ended with more disappointment, sliding off (un-injured) out of the third, final Superbike race.
Before this, the world’s fastest road racer had placed 15th in the 12-lap Superbike sprint race.
FHO Racing team-mate Josh Brookes attained seventh, eighth place finishes, Jamie Coward, Conor Cummins secured respectable finishes whilst Honda Racing’s Dean Harrison, John McGuinness MBE had mixed fortunes.
2019 Senior TT winner Harrison didn’t start the second SBK race, following a technical issue whilst the third big-bike race encounter yielded a finish just outside the points (16th).
Speaking post-race, Bradford’s No.1 Mountain Course exponent stated:
“Not the best day of racing but it very much is what it is, we had a technical in the warmup lap of race one which meant unfortunately we had to miss that race.
The team then did a good job to get us back out, but we had to start from the back of the grid, which let’s face it is never easy. I think the difficulty was that it just took too long to get through on everyone and into the fight with the guys with similar pace.
I was swapping paint with Billy (McConnell) for a few laps but then I just lost too much time with Hickman’s crash – I had to dive to the outside of the track and get hard on the brakes because I didn’t know which way he was going to go as he got up.
Then I could see Andrew (Irwin) coming back to me, but there was just too much of a gap. We’ve got through the weekend and now we’re off to the Northwest, which is always such a great event.”
Team-mate, McGuinness MBE, 17th post the ending of the sole Stock 1000 race, added:
“For where I am in my career and with my targets, I am honestly super happy. I think if I’d gone with the next group up the road sooner, I’d have been in the fight for some points but hey.
I got a mega, mega start off the line and the bike just hooked up, I’d done a row of them on the run to turn one but then it all went a bit mad, and I got beat up a bit, which I think is why we couldn’t get onto the next group.
But you know, I’ve got through the weekend in one piece and we’re off to the Northwest, the job’s great, bike’s mint and we’re happy.”
Quotes courtesy of Honda Racing UK press team.
Photo courtesy of Honda Racing UK press team.
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
