Bradley Ray scored his first ever Bennetts British Superbike Championship hat trick of victories at Snetterton this weekend, claiming the final win despite a penalty in race three to hold the standings lead ahead of the Showdown.
The Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider won by 0.739s following a two-second long lap equivalent time penalty, issued to the leading three riders on track as they did not stay behind the BMW Safety Car at the point of the restart.
Mackenzie took the lead on the opening lap from Ray and Andrew Irwin, but the championship leader hit the front of the pack with a move on his McAMS Yamaha rival at Williams.
Ray maintained his position at the front of the field until lap five when Mackenzie emerged ahead with a move at Wilson when the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider ran deep into the corner.
Mackenzie then held the lead from Ray and Glenn Irwin who had been working his way through the pack before a BMW Safety Car intervention on lap 10 when Storm Stacey suffered a technical failure and the track conditions were subsequently assessed.
When the race resumed the leading three riders, Ray, Mackenzie and Glenn Irwin did not stay behind the BMW Safety Car at point of the restart and were later issued a two-second long lap equivalent time penalty. Mackenzie also received two penalty points on his judicial record.
Mackenzie lost the lead when Ray made a move into Brundle after the restart, and a lap later the defending champion got eased back another position as Glenn Irwin made a pass to move into second.
Mackenzie fought back with a move at Agostini to regain second place from Glenn Irwin, but Ray had broken the chasing pair to cross the line ahead of Mackenzie and Irwin. The time penalty issued to the leading three riders meant that Peter Hickman was elevated from fourth into second place ahead of Mackenzie, with Glenn Irwin finishing in fourth position.
Jason O'Halloran was fifth to maintain his second place in the standings ahead of Leon Haslam and Tommy Bridewell on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati.
Kyle Ryde was eighth as he prepares for his first Showdown appearance with Andrew Irwin and Lee Jackson completing the top ten finishers.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 3 result:
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha)
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.739s
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +1.548s
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +1.945s
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +2.422s
- Leon Haslam (VisionTrack Kawasaki) +4.063s
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +4.189s
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +5.379s
- Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +6.590s
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +6.656s
For the full race result please click here
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings ahead of the Showdown:
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 1061
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 1048
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 1031
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 1016
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 1014
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 1013
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 1009
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 1008
For the full standings please click here
Bennetts British Superbike Championship points after Snetterton race three:
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 447
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 381
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 249
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 247
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 246
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 242
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 226
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 212