Linfoot edges Haslam in Oulton Park thriller

Dan Linfoot has bounced back from his cruel engine failure while leading race one with a win in Oulton Park race two after a sublime pass on Leon Haslam on the final lap.

Linfoot led the opener in the wet at the Cheshire track by 10 seconds when a painful engine blowout dashed his hopes but he produced the perfect response in the closing stages of race two.

Sitting in second place on the final lap Linfoot made an early move up the inside at the first turn but Haslam was able to retake the lead on the drive down turn two. But with the Honda displaying impressive drive out of the corners Linfoot lined up a move up the inside on the brakes at Hislops.

With Haslam unable to respond Linfoot held on for his and new Honda’s first win in the dry having won in the wet at Silverstone last weekend. Despite missing out on a double victory, Haslam claimed an important second place to push his lead in the MCE British Superbike championship to 22 points with his title rivals off of the rostrum.

Bradley Ray was a constant presence in the podium battle and kept station behind the top two for his maiden BSB podium, as well as the new Suzuki’s first rostrum in the series, to cap an impressive showing by the rookie at Oulton Park.

Further back Peter Hickman got the better of Josh Brookes for fourth place while the 2015 BSB champion has moved ahead of Shane Byrne for second place in the riders’ championship by a single point.

Jake Dixon held on to sixth place for RAF Reserves Kawasaki after suffering with tyre wear late on with Byrne a lowly seventh place for Be Wiser Ducati. Jason O’Halloran claimed an underwhelming eighth place for Honda but comfortably ahead of Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) and James Ellison (McAMS Yamaha) who completed the top ten finishers.

Full BSB race two results at Oulton Park:

1. Dan Linfoot GBR Honda Racing CBR1000RR 18 laps, 28m 54.097s

2. Leon Haslam GBR JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10RR +0.054s

3. Bradley Ray GBR Buildbase Suzuki GSX-R1000 +0.114s

4. Peter Hickman GBR Smiths Racing BMW S1000RR +1.514s

5. Josh Brookes AUS Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha YZF-R1 +1.730s

6. Jake Dixon GBR RAF Reserves Kawasaki ZX-10RR +3.265s

7. Shane Byrne GBR Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R +4.062s

8. Jason O’Halloran AUS Honda Racing CBR1000RR +4.607s

9. Christian Iddon GBR Tyco BMW S1000RR +12.554s

10. James Ellison GBR McAMS Yamaha YZF-R1 +18.395s

11. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000 +20.332s

12. Glenn Irwin GBR Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R +23.194s

13. Jakub Smrz CZE Lloyd & Jones/PR Racing BMW S1000RR +23.265s

14. Michael Laverty GBR McAMS Yamaha YZF-R1 +24.606s

15. Lee Jackson GBR Smiths Racing BMW S1000RR +24.756s

16. Martin Jessopp GBR Ridersmotorcycles BMW S1000RR +29.838s

17. Dean Harrison GBR Silicone Engineering Racing Kawasaki ZX-10RR +57.876s

Did not finish

James Westmoreland GBR Gearlink Kawasaki ZX-10RR

Aaron Zanotti GBR Platform Hire Yamaha YZF-R1

Shaun Winfield GBR Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha YZF-R1

John Hopkins USA Moto Rapido Ducati Panigale R

Tommy Bridewell GBR Team WD-40 Kawasaki ZX-10RR

Did not start

Luke Mossey GBR JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10RR