Jason O'Halloran overcame his Knockhill demons to claim his first ever Bennetts British Superbike Championship race win at the Fife circuit, holding off his title rivals to put McAMS Yamaha back at the top of the podium in the second race.
At the start of the race Kyle Ryde hit the front of the pack ahead of championship leader Bradley Ray and Rory Skinner, but the local contender was into the lead by the time they crossed the line to complete the first lap.
The race was over prematurely for Peter Hickman and Andrew Irwin as the pair crashed out on the second lap at the Hairpin.
At the front, Skinner was trying to hold off Ray and O’Halloran, who had pushed Ryde down the order, but on the eighth lap Leon Haslam and Storm Stacey crashed at the Hairpin, causing a BMW Safety Car intervention.
When the race resumed, Skinner was still able to hold off Ray and O’Halloran initially, but the McAMS Yamaha rider was on a charge. On lap 22, Ray got slightly out of line coming into the Hairpin and O’Halloran seized the opportunity to move ahead.
O’Halloran then had Skinner in his sights as he hunted his elusive first race win in Scotland. He made his move to hit the front of the field with four laps remaining as Lee Jackson had joined the trio ahead of him to join the fight for the podium.
As O’Halloran had the marginal edge, the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki riders were duelling for second place and Skinner led the teammates on the final lap, before Jackson made his move after trading blows for several laps.
Jackson held off the counter attack from Skinner as the pair awarded the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki team their first double podium finish with Ray taking the chequered flag in fourth place.
Tommy Bridewell completed the top five for the Oxford Products Racing Ducati team as he had an advantage over Josh Brookes, Danny Buchan and Glenn Irwin. Ryde meanwhile dropped to ninth as Tarran Mackenzie salvaged tenth place following his back of the grid start after he missed yesterday’s eBay Sprint race.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, Race 2 result:
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha)
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +0.715s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +1.010s
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +1.821s
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.810s
- Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +3.406s
- Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +4.327s
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +4.439s
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +6.094s
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +7.286s
For the full session result please click here
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Knockhill Race 2:
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 196
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 175
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 158
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 148
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 134
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 124
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 83
- Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) 71
For the full standings please click here