Knockhill BSB: O’Halloran opens Sunday with a win

Jason O’Halloran claimed his third Bennetts British Superbike Championship victory of the season on Sunday with the McAMS Yamaha rider getting the better of the Cheshire Mouldings by FS-3 Kawasaki pairing of Lee Jackson and Rory Skinner in the second race at Knockhill.

It was polesitter and championship leader Bradley Ray who grabbed the holeshot from Rich Energy OMG Yamaha teammate Kyle Ryde and Skinner but it was the latter who led the field across the line at the end of the opening lap from Ryde, Ray, O’Halloran, Jackson and Storm Stacey (LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki). Ray moved up to second next time around but the BMW pairing of Peter Hickman (FHO Racing) and Andrew Irwin (Synetiq) crashed out at the hairpin although that was of little concern to Skinner who was pressing on at the head of the field. His lead was up to half a second at the end of lap five with O’Halloran now third having overhauled Ryde. Jackson was looking to do the same with Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Ducati) now sixth, one spot ahead of similarly-mounted Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati). The front two had already broken away from third placed O’Halloran, the Yamaha man more than a second adrift but he, in turn, had done the same to fourth placed Ryde who was coming under extreme pressure from Jackson. Indeed, the latter took over fourth on lap eight. The safety car was out shortly afterwards due to a crash involving Stacey and VisionTrack Kawasaki’s Leon Haslam at the hairpin but racing resumed on lap 13 with Ryan Vickers soon in the dirt on the second FHO BMW. Back at the front and O’Halloran dived up the inside of Ray at the hairpin only for the latter to quickly respond and at half distance the running order was Skinner, Ray, O’Halloran, Jackson,