Gearlink Kawasaki’s Glenn Irwin claimed his first Motorpoint British Supersport victory after seeing off pressure from Acumen Triumph’s Luke Jones on the last lap.
The Northern Irishman took the holeshot before Smiths Triumph’s Graeme Gowland slipped under the inside on the brakes into Paddock Hill Bend. Irwin wrestled the advantage back from Gowland, with the Allendale rider then slipping back further to third place.
Appleyard Macadam’s Jake Dixon then moved through into third place, pushing Gowland further back. The Smiths Triumph rider then crashed out at half race distance, halting the momentum of Power Project Racing’s Alex Olsen and Mar-Train Yamaha’s Alistair Seeley.
Irwin, Jones and Dixon were left to battle it out for the win with Gearlink’s Irwin firmly in charge. The trio came across numerous back-markers but dealt with them without difficulty. Jones finally made his move for the lead with four laps remaining, moving past Irwin on the brakes into Paddock Hill Bend but he ran wide at the following corner of Druids, allowing Irwin to move back through.
As the trio entered the last lap they were three abreast, Jones looking to get past Irwin and Dixon looking to pass the pair. Irwin held on at Paddock Hill Bend and once again at Druids when Dixon tried to drive past Jones on the exit of Druids but the Essex lad got on the power too early. The rear wheel span up and he was ejected over the top, ending his search for a first Supersport podium.
Irwin stormed through to take the chequered flag and his first Supersport victory by a tenth of a second, followed by Luke Jones who claimed his first Supersport podium. Mar-Train Yamaha’s Alistair Seeley was handed third place after coming through from the fifth row of the grid.
Power Project Racing’s Alex Olsen rode brilliantly on his EVO machine to take fourth place and the EVO victory on his Supersport debut. Gearlink Kawasaki’s Luke Hedger took fifth place on his Supersport debut, ahead of Smiths Triumph’s Billy McConnell who recovered from a sixth row grid start to claim sixth place.
Pacedays Yamaha’s Callan Cooper ended in seventh place in his first Supersport outing, getting the better of Appleyard Macadam’s Bjorn Estment in eighth. Rounding out the top ten was Sam Hornsey and Daniel Cooper.
