Oulton BSB: FS-3’s Jackson takes maiden win

Lee Jackson claimed a maiden Bennetts British Superbike Championship win at Oulton Park on Monday afternoon, the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki man overhauling Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Ducati) in the final third of the race.

Jackson soon pulled away to take a long-awaited win with Bridewell getting the better of double race winner Bradley Ray for second although the Rich Energy OMG Racing rider did take over the championship lead. Ray’s team-mate Kyle Ryde grabbed the holeshot from Ray with Rory Skinner and Jackson slotting into third and fourth but Ray was soon in the lead although the safety car was quickly out after Tom Neave crashed heavily at Old Hall Corner. Ryan Vickers was also out with smoke coming from the FHO Racing BMW. The safety car pulled in at the end of the third lap and Jackson quickly moved ahead of Skinner but Andrew Irwin had a monster highside coming out of Old Hall although he was, thankfully, able to walk away. As the race settled down once more, it was Ray who led by 0.8s from Ryde, Jackson, Bridewell and Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki) but by lap five Ray’s lead was already up to 1.7s. Jackson had now taken over second with Bridewell also following him past Ryde but Iddon had dropped back to 13th. With a lap of 1’33.645s, Ray increased his advantage to 2.5s on lap six but it was a lot closer for second; indeed three seconds covered the second to ninth placed riders with Sykes leading the chasing pack in tenth albeit a further two seconds adrift. Lap eight saw Bridewell slip up the inside of Jackson at Hizzy’s and the duo had pulled a second on Ryde in fourth who now had Skinner, Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) and Leon Haslam (VisionTrack Kawasaki) crawling all over him. Glenn Irwin (Honda