Glenn Irwin became the fifth different winner in the 2020 Bennetts British Superbike Championship in the final race of the day at Snetterton, and in doing so added his name to an illustrious list of previous winners by claiming the Monster Energy Race of Aces trophy.
In the final race of the weekend, Christian Iddon got the leap off the pole position to lead the pack, ahead of his VisionTrack Ducati teammate Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati.
The Ducati trio were battling at the front with the order changing on lap four as Bridewell took the lead ahead of Brookes and Iddon when the trio went three deep into Wilsons. Meanwhile as they battled for the advantage, Glenn Irwin had been making his way up the order; he had been running seventh after the opening lap, but he was soon fighting with his brother Andrew for fourth place on track.
Glenn Irwin soon had made a move on his brother at Agostini on lap five, but Andrew was ready to fight back and a lap later regained the position at Riches.
As the Honda Racing pairing fought it out for fourth place, the VisionTrack Ducati teammates were also trading blows with Iddon moving ahead of Brookes into Wilson on lap six. The Australian was then coming under attack from Glenn Irwin, who had managed to get the better of his brother.
Glenn Irwin made his move on Brookes and then had Bridewell and Iddon ahead of him, after the Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider had taken the advantage at the front of the pack.
By lap nine it had all shuffled again with Iddon leading from Bridewell with Glenn Irwin pushing the Ducati pairing ahead of him, the Honda Racing contender then moved into second with a move on lap nine at Agostini and then a lap later claimed the lead.
Brookes had moved into third and back into a podium position with Bridewell back in fourth place by lap 11 with Lee Jackson, Tarran Mackenzie and Andrew Irwin also in the lead group as the leading manufacturers battled for the points.
By lap 15 Bridewell had moved back ahead of Brookes and then had Iddon in his sights for second place after Glenn Irwin had edged a gap at the front in the closing stages. Bridewell waited until the final dive into Murrays to make a move on Iddon to put him into second, which he held until the finish line.
Jackson meanwhile had got the better of Brookes for fourth place on the final lap with Mackenzie leading the McAMS Yamahas home, just ahead of teammate Jason O'Halloran. Andrew Irwin, Bradley Ray and Kyle Ryde completed the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Round 6 result:
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing)
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +1.138s
- Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) +1.441s
- Lee Jackson (Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki) +2.255s
- Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) +2.300s
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +2.359s
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +3.462s
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) +6.510s
- Bradley Ray (SYNETIQ BMW) +7.303s
- Kyle Ryde (Buildbase Suzuki) +7.402s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Snetterton:
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) 118
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 95
- Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) 86
- Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) 82
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 65
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) 58
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 56
- Lee Jackson (Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki) 52
- Kyle Ryde (Buildbase Suzuki) 44
- Bradley Ray (SYNETIQ BMW) 30