For the first time since Snetterton Glenn Irwin returned to the British Superbike (BSB) podium as he finished in second place.
Glenn Irwin returned to the podium at Oulton Park as he finished runner-up to Kyle Ryde. This was Irwin's seventh visit to the British Superbike podium this season but it was his first time not standing on the top step.
Irwin started the opening race of the weekend from the head of the second row in fourth place. Early on in the race, Irwin made his way into the lead where he stayed for the majority of the race. However, the Hager PBM Ducati rider was passed by Ryde for the lead of the race.
"It was a great typical BSB battle at the end," Irwin said. "I think the first two-thirds of the race was very calm, Josh (Brookes) was in second and sometimes I could see Kyle (Ryde) was in second. We just tried to sit at the front, with it being a long race making a break on the first lap will cost you in tyre wear. I took it quite steady in sectors two and three, I tried to be a bit of a nuisance. But when Kyle came through at the end the race woke up, I tried to come back at him, my best lap was nearly equal to my best. We weren't too far away in some areas of the track, but there were others where we were weaker."
Irwin's last visit to the podium was at Snetterton in July when he won two races on the Sunday. However, a second place was crucial at Oulton as the former Championship leader, Tommy Bridewell, crashed out of the race.
Before Saturday Irwin was 60 points off the Championship leader, whereas he is now 44 points behind Ryde at the top of the table.
Irwin continued by saying: "To come back on the podium, something I haven't done enough this year, it is my first time being on the podium when it hasn't been a win. Seven podiums now for the team and we have reduced the gap in the Championship. I was well aware of that when Tommy (Bridewell) went out, I think I became a bit lethargic as you have to score big. But 22 or 25 points you would take either of them today to be truthfully honest."
