Defending champion Tarran Mackenzie was victorious in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship race of the weekend, taking his first Superbike win at Thruxton by just 0.019s, following another final lap thriller in front of a packed crowd at the Hampshire circuit.
The race went down to the wire between the leading three contenders and Bradley Ray started the final lap in the lead on the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha with the McAMS Yamaha pairing of Mackenzie and double race winner Jason O'Halloran in close company.
Mackenzie dived for the inside at Church, grabbing the lead, but Ray was instantly retaliating to run alongside the reigning champion on the run down to the Club Chicane; however, Mackenzie had just enough to keep Ray at bay on the drag to the finish line.
O’Halloran had been there right to the finish too, recovering from a big moment earlier in the lap to be back in the fight to the finish, with just 0.293s covering the top three at the chequered flag.
The podium scores this weekend means that both O’Halloran and Ray are now confirmed Title Fighters for the Showdown with six races remaining to decide the final six positions.
It was disappointment for Peter Hickman on the FHO Racing BMW though; he had been holding another strong fourth place when a technical problem forced him to retire mid-race and then the fight for fourth became a six-way tussle in the closing stages.
Glenn Irwin emerged at the front of the chasing pack to take fourth place; his consistent weekend and a crash for Kyle Ryde in race three means the Honda Racing UK rider has now moved ahead in the overall standings into fifth position after round six.
Lee Jackson completed the top five for Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki team, getting ahead of Leon Haslam on the VisionTrack Kawasaki and Tommy Bridewell who surged his way through the pack on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati.
Andrew Irwin ended his weekend on a positive with eighth place for the SYNETIQ BMW team, with Rory Skinner and Tom Sykes completing the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, Race 3 result:
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha)
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.019s
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.293s
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +10.573s
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +11.846s
- Leon Haslam (VisionTrack Kawasaki) +11.900s
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +12.018s
- Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +12.156s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +12.232s
- Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +16.767s
For the full race result please click here
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Thruxton:
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 331 – SHOWDOWN CONFIRMED
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 307 – SHOWDOWN CONFIRMED
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 219
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 199
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 192
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 173
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 170
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 158
For the full championship standings please click here