#PeterHickman

[sbknews]

Hicky makes it 4 in a week with superb Senior TT victory.

On the hottest day of the 2023 TT Festival, we had a scorching hot Milwaukee Senior Race to keep us on our toes. The very bright sunshine meant that going into shaded areas would be problematic for the riders. The track was dry and well rubbered in after two weeks without even one drop of rain. There were fans on top of the very low bank along the length of Sulby Straight, from the houses alongside the kink in the middle of it, to the bridge. Quite how anyone was allowed to put up a grandstand at the exit to the kink, I will never know; bikes are doing 200mph and people can sit totally unprotected less than 5 metres away from the track (safety officers look at Le Mans 1955) then think again. The race began on time, with Davo Johnson (Jackson Honda) the leaf blower and bird scarer for the others. With Michael Dunlop having won 4 races and Peter Hickman 3, it was expected that this would be a duel in the sun between the pair. They were both Superbike mounted; as was Dean Harrison; third placed finisher in all of his races. Davey Todd; bravely came to the line; but he was far from recovered from the virus that had afflicted him. The pace to Glen Helen was rapid and it was Dean Harrison (DAO Kawasaki) who set the best sector time; he was 0.5s faster than Hickman (FHO BMW); with Dunlop (Hawk Honda) third; 2.7s further back. James Hillier (OMG Yamaha), Conor Cummins (Milenco Padgett Honda) and Davey Todd (Milenco Padgett Honda) completed the top 6. The margins were tiny; 3.9s covered 6th to 10th. Hickman then opened the taps and reached Ballaugh in just 2m 59.883s to set a sector record. His lead was up to 3.48s. Cummins set his best time ever to grab 4th from Hillier by 0.65s. For Jamie Coward the race was over at Ballaugh. Dean Harrison was first to Sulby Bridge; then it was Davo johnson; John McGuinness; then Michael Dunlop with James Hillier. Josh Brookes was next; then Hicky, who passed Todd on the approach to the bridge. The action was excellent as the riders slowed from 190mph+ to take the tight right hand bend over the bridge and then power away to Ginger Hall. 4 miles further along at White Gates the lead for Hickman was 4.75s, after another sector record. At the Bungalow, he led by 6.135s after another sector record. The fastest ever standing start lap at 135.349mph gave Hickman a lead of 6.12s from Harrison (134.529mph). Dunlop (133.999mph) was third; Cummins (132.058mph) was 4th, Hillier 5th and Josh Brookes 6th; the latter two lapped at over 131mph. Johnson, John McGuinness (Honda), Dom Herbertson (APERO BMW) and Craig Neve (Batham’s Honda) held 7th to 10th. Newcomer Ryan Cringle was going very well; he lapped at 125.987mph. For Mike Browne the ill luck continued; he retired at the pits. Next to retire was Dom Herbertson, at Ballacraine. At Glen Helen; Hickman led by 7.4s having set another sector record. Dunlop was 3rd; 4.2s down on Harrison. Hickman continued to edge away from Harrison and led by 10.57s at the top of the mountain climb. Going into the pits, Hickman led by 11.862s; his lap speed of 135.507mph; a new lap record for the Senior TT. Harrison had the fastest pit stop and gained at least 3s on each of the other top 6 riders. At Glen Helen on lap 3; the lead for Hickman was 8.02s. Dunlop was 12.59s was behind Harrison. Cummins, Brookes and McGuinness completed our top 6. A very slow pit stop had dropped Hillier to 10th. At Sulby Bridge, we had the spectacle of Cummins and teammate Todd coming into the corner a couple of metres apart; two courageous men; neither fully fit. At Ramsey; the lead for Hickman had grown to 9.96s; it was 9.92s at the Grandstand; try as he might Hickman could not shake off Harrison; despite the latter’s bike being 13mph down on top speed. Hickman added tenths on each sector to lead by 13.1s at the top of the mountain on the fourth lap. As he entered the pits for the second stop his lead was 12.38s. Harrison had increased his advantage over Dunlop to 23.64s. Cummins, Brookes and McGuinness kept their, by now, established positions. Harrison again had the best of the pit stops; gaining 2s on all of his rivals. On lap 5 at Glen Helen, the lead for Hickman was 9.3s; nowhere near enough to allow him to ease off. At Sulby Bridge, we had the sight of Hickman and Dunlop circulating a couple of metres apart; Hickman having made the pass on the first part of the straight. Hickman had joined his teammate Brookes in doing the “Doctor’s Dangle” whilst braking for the bridge. Four miles down the road the lead was 12.69s. At the end of the lap, the lead was 15.935s; comfortable, but not entirely secure. At Glen Helen on the final lap Hickman led by 18.4s; Dunlop was using the tow from being right behind Hickman to take some time back from Harrison; the deficit being 25.2s. Harrison was the first rider to take the acclaim of the crowd at Sulby Bridge; he then had a moment when the machine tried to throw him off as he opened the taps going away from the corner; thankfully, he saved it. Hickman and Dunlop were together coming down Sulby Straight to rapturous applause. The enthusiastic crowd gave generous applause to all of the riders and they deserved after their performances. Hickman’s final lap was at 134.842mph; this gave him a record race average of 132.526mph. He was 19.98s ahead of Harrison (132.097mph). Dunlop was fastest on the last lap; he finished 20.433s down on Harrison; his race average 131.661mph. Conor Cummins (129.755mph) took a fine 4th; Josh Brookes (129.27mph) was 5th and James Hillier (128.506mph) was 6th; those riders all lapped at over 132mph on the final lap. McGuinness, Johnson, Todd and Rob Hodson completed our top 10. Amongst the local riders; Mikey Evans (Suzuki) was 18th at 122.885mph; his best lap was at 126.595mph; Best Newcomer was Ryan Cringle; he was 19th at 122.794mph. Hickman was delighted to win and equal Michael’s tally for the week. His crew had finally been able to make the machine do what he wanted without him having to wrestle it. Dean was happy to be second; his was the ride of the day given his lack of top end speed. Michael was fairly downbeat; unable to explain why nothing was quite as it had been for his wonderful Superbike win. He will have to come back next year to equal his uncle’s record of 26 wins; can’t wait. Read the full article

[artbymandy]

At home relaxing in the sunshine after an amazing day at World Superbikes Castle Donnington! We only got to meet TT Hero @hickyracer60 🏍🦸‍♂️ Thank you for the tickets and passes Middlebrook Transport Ltd @pirelli 😍 #peterhickman #worldsuperbikes #donningtonpark #pirelli #wsb #artbymandyuk https://www.instagram.com/p/CgH9LNirZjC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[motoary]

Those who know us, know how much we love the Isle of Man 🇮🇲 TT. @hickyracer60 came through in a big way and sent us over the @ironmaiden Trooper TT helmet by @shoeihelmetsusa #motoary #shoei #hickyracer60 #peterhickman #smithsracingbmw #isleofman #tt #ironmaiden #troopertt #maidenfans #roadracing #motorcyclesofinstagram #bikestagram #like #love #followus #bsb #supersport #moto #superbike #bmws1000rr #triumph #ttraces #motorcycleracing #potd #motorcyclehelmets (at Motoary) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFZxy5SH-X9/?igshid=11k6wx538s32o

[rudeandracer]

Wheelie saturday #peterhickman #ifeeltheneed #nothingmovesfaster #letsrace #racingislife #motorcycleway #fasterfasterfaster #onfire #rudeandracer Pic via @hickyracer60

[lucassart94]

Finish 🇲🇴 🏍 Finish!! :) Peter Hickman, BMW s1000rr N.1 Macao GP 2016, pencil on smooth paper. #motorcycle #motorcycles #bike #ride @top.tags #rideout #bike #biker #bikergang #helmet #draw #drawing #painting #color #paint #toptags #drawings #sketch #sketching #art #artist #artistic #artists #arte #dibujo #myart #artwork #illustration #lucassart @hickyracer60 #peterhickman (at Macao, China)

[cyclelaw1]

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A post shared by BRADLEY BRENNER (@cyclelaw)

🌎Most dangerous race on the 🌎 Tagg someone who loves watching this Race ❓ @iomttoriginal @hickyracer60 with a victory wheelie exiting the Creg Ny Baa⁣ in today’s RL360 Superstock Race!🇮🇲🤘 ⁣ ⁣⁣ #iomtt #iomtt #iomttraces #peterhickman #superstock #bmw #winner #tt #roadracing #tt2019 #ttraces #bikes #iomttoriginal https://www.instagram.com/p/Byar3HKAJHe/?igshid=1gcip856c0k03

[coachbranco]

Finalmente começou.... . Que nossos corações vivam mais em 5min... Do que os desafortunados uma vida inteira.. . ISLE OF MAN 2019 . Reposted from @iomttoriginal - The #TT2019 is finally here folks, let’s hope for two weeks incredible road racing action on the beautiful Isle of Man!🤩🇮🇲⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #tt2019 ⁣#iomttoriginal #iomttraces #isleofmantt #roadracing #iomtt #iom_tt #michaeldunlop #jameshillier #peterhickman #kawasaki #deanharrison #bmw #honda #suzuki #bikesracing #bucketlist #travel #iomtt_travel #greatestshowonearth - #regrann (em Isle of Man) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7VVWygbY0/?igshid=o6a9bb8v6x9v

[sbknews]

Hickman doubles up to make it a dozen.

The afternoon’s Supertwin Race broke the pattern of having the same podium trio in Race 2 as in Race 1. The mythical “luck of the Irish” took a break as the fancied men from the Emerald Isle hit problems. The afternoon was warmer than the morning; it was t-shirt order for the crowd in the Parliament square. The crowd was small by TT standards; especially for a local bank holiday. It seemed that normal service would be the order of the day as Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Paton) led at Glen Helen by 1.02s from Mike Browne (Burrows Paton), with Peter Hickman (PHR Yamaha) in third. Hickman’s Yamaha had a new engine purchased from Michael Rutter and worked on all of the previous day by his team. Jamie Coward (Steadplan Kawasaki) was 4th, Stefano Bonetti (ILR Paton) 5th and Josh Brookes (Dafabet Kawasaki) was in 6th. Michael Rutter was seventh, but he clipped a kerb in Kirk Michael whilst checking the rev counter and broke his steering damper; he pulled out in the pits. Paul Jordan never reached Glen Helen; he was forced to retire at Harold’s. Coward soon joined the list of retirees; he was out at the far end of Kirk Michael. At Ballaugh, Dunlop was on lap record pace; he led by 3.35s from Mike Browne; with Hickman 5.82s down in third; this on a bike that he was hoping would give him a top 10 finish.  Dominic Herbertson was first into Ramsey on the CC Engineering Kawasaki, Rutter was next; then the flying Dunlop. Still on lap record pace, Dunlop led by 5.28s from Browne; who was on a personal best lap. Hickman was 9.2s back in third; Brookes, Bonetti and Pierre-Yves Bian completed the top 6. Browne set a sector record on the mountain; but took only 0.1s from Dunlop. Then the drama began in earnest; Dunlop had to grab the clutch on the climb to Brandywell; his race was over; he would not draw level with Joey on 26 wins. With a lap at 121.069mph, Mike Browne led by 11.65s as the riders came in for the mandatory pit stop. Brookes was third going into pit lane; a long stop due to him accidentally switching of the electronics cost over 30s and dropped him off the leader board. Bian was the rider on the move; he was 4th entering pit lane. At Glen Helen; Browne’s lead was 12.2s over Hickman. Bian was third; but only 1.7s ahead of Herbertson. At Ballaugh, the lead was 13.8s as they jumped the bridge. Herbertson had cut his deficit to Bian down to 0.03s. Herbertson was the leader on the road in Ramsey; however, there was trail of bluish smoke coming out of the machine; the harbinger of his eventual demise. He had taken 3rd from Bian by 0.43s. At the head of the field, Browne had an advantage of 16.6s over Hickman. Bonetti and Hodson filled out the top 6; but Brookes was on a mission and closing rapidly. Browne’s lead was 17s at Cronk ny Mona; then misfortune hit him; the clutch gave up the ghost coming out Governor’s Dip and he was forced to retire at the Grandstand; where he was given a big round of applause. This left Hickman with the lead; Herbertson second and Bian in third. At Glen Helen for the final time, Hickman led by 40s from Herbertson. Herbertson’s bike expired at Barregarrow. As they swept through Ramsey for the final time Hickman had a comfortable lead of 49s over Bian; with Josh Brookes 5.15s behind and closing. There were no dramas on the mountain section; Hickman duly took his 12th TT victory; one that was unexpected; at a race average of 119.319mph. Bian managed to keep Brookes at bay; he finished 47.784s behind Hickman at an average of 117.671mph. Brookes was the fastest man on track on the final lap; his lap average 120.939mph. His race average of 117.603mph left him just 2s behind Bian. Stefano Bonetti; Rob Hodson (SMT Kawasaki) and Baz Furber (DC Auto Yamaha) completed the leader board. Hickman was delighted with his victory; giving fulsome praise to his team. With more development the Yamaha may be able to match the Patons for top end. Bian was ecstatic to take a podium finish; he is fine rider; more will surely follow. Brookes was left to rue the little mistake that cost him second; he learned a lot in his first races on a Supertwin; he will be pushing for a win; if he returns next year. Read the full article

[sbknews]

Michael Dunlop takes 25th TT victory and shatters 130mph barrier in sensational Supersport Race 2.

Michael Dunlop took his 25th TT win and; with a stunning final lap burst; became the first Supersport rider to break through the 130mph barrier. He was pushed to it by Peter Hickman; who also broke that barrier on his final lap. On another sun drenched afternoon in the Isle of Man the large crowds were treated to some spectacular action. The inside of the exit to Parliament square was the vantage point. This corner is much faster than it once was due to changes to the pavement and removal of some trackside furniture. The state of the road in the square is not the best; but has been ignored for many years. The race itself was virtually a carbon copy of race one; with the top three finishing in the same order; but this time ripping up the record book. Mike Browne’s chance of a top 6 finish was over on the start line; his steering damper broke; leaving him to have a “steady tour.” Nine miles into the first lap the first timing beam showed that Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Yamaha) had been quickest of all; he led Dean Harrison (Russell Racing Yamaha) by just 0.11s. Peter Hickman was third on his Trooper Beer Triumph. Davey Todd (Milenco Padgett Honda); James Hillier (Russell Racing Yamaha) and Craig Neve (Batham’s Triumph) completed the top 6. At Ballaugh; the best sector time allowed Dunlop to extend his lead to 2.685s. Harrison was just 0.877s down in third. Jamie Coward (KTS Yamaha) was rapid in the sector and had claimed sixth. Dean Harrison was the first into the square; he was bang on the ideal line and very fast. Davo Johnson (Jackson Honda) was next then; Jamie Coward and Paul Jordan (Prez Yamaha). Then the race leader, closely followed by James Hillier; whose race ended ¼ mile away at White Gates. The action was excellent for the crowd with a few nice wheelies and some running a tad wide after missing their braking point. Dunlop was leading by 5.2s as he powered “the wee girl” away towards the mountain climb. Hickman was sticking to Harrison; only 0.76s separated them. Todd was 4th; Coward up to 5th and rising young star James Hind (Bass Yamaha) sixth. An opening lap at 128.809mph gave Dunlop a lead of 6.692s from Harrison (127.997mph). The mountain is normally Hickman’s strongest area; not today; he was 2.44s down as he crossed the line. Todd, Coward and Hind held station. Jordan, Neve, Rob Hodson (SMT Yamaha) and Dom Herbertson (Dafabet Yamaha) completed the top 10. Dunlop was fastest to Glen Helen and Ballaugh; where the lead was 11.36s. Hickman was second quickest in each sector and had cut his gap to Harrison down to 1.43s. Coward was raising his pace and had displaced Todd to take 4th. Hickman was fastest on the 7 miles to Ramsey, and he now held second place 12.56s behind Dunlop; 1.41s ahead of Harrison. A lap at 129.089mph gave Dunlop a lead of 11.636s from Hickman (128.378mph); with Harrison (128.347mph) 5.49s further back. In the battle or 4th, Todd had edged back ahead of Coward. Most pit stops were around the 50s mark; Dean Harrison’s was slow and cost him 5s. At Glen Helen, Dunlop led by 11.84s; Harrison was now 11.48s adrift of Hickman. Todd, Coward and Hind completed the top 6. Hickman was fastest in the run to Ramsey; Todd was right behind and using the tow to distance himself from Coward. Dunlop’s lead was 10.2s at White Gates. Hickman was fastest on the mountain climb; Todd second fastest as he benefited from the tow. Starting the final lap Dunlop led by 8.15s; Harrison was 20.61s down in third; Todd had closed his gap to Harrison down to 3.76s. Hickman was on lap record pace at Glen Helen; he set a new sector record; however, Dunlop’s signallers had made him aware of the threat posed by Hickman and Michael had upped his pace to also average over 135mph on the first 9 miles. Dunlop set a sector record to Ballaugh; Hickman just 0.4s slower. Another sector record saw Dunlop’s lead up to 9.46s as they left us to climb the mountain for the final time; both well inside the old lap record. Dunlop was the fastest by 2s on the Bungalow sector; Hickman was 0.4s faster on the drop to Cronk ny Mona; but it was Harrison who set a new record on this sector. An amazing final lap at 130.403mph gave Dunlop victory by 9.617s from Hickman; whose last lap was at 130.219mph. Dean Harrison repelled the challenge from Todd with the aid of a lap at 129.697mph; also inside the old lap record. The race record was blown into the weeds; Dunlop’s average was 127.831mph; Hickman’s 127.542mph and Harrison’s 126.804mph. Davey Todd; Jamie Coward; James Hind; Paul Jordan, Craig Neve, Davo Johnson and Dom Herbertson completed the top 10 in what was a sensational race. Mike Browne did remarkably well to finish 12th with no steering damper. Local newcomer Ryan Cringle put in a superb performance; he finished 18th at 118.975mph. With 3 races left; for one of which he is the strong odds on favourite; it seems certain that Michael Dunlop will equal his uncle Joey’s record tally of 26 wins and he could go clear at the top of the list of the greats of the TT. Read the full article

[sbknews]

Michael takes his 24th win to close in on Joey; Browne takes first podium finish.

Tuesday evening brough us more, warm and sunny weather. There was a large crowd gathered at Ballaugh Bridge for the Carole Nash Supertwin Race 1. Michael Dunlop started as favourite; but there was much interest in how Peter Hickman would fare on a bike that had completed just one lap of practice and was powered by a borrowed engine. At Glen Helen, it was Michael Dunlop who led on his SC Project Paton. Jamie Coward on the Steadplan Kawasaki was second, 4.5s down on Dunlop; with Mike Browne third on the Burrows RH Racing Paton. Peter Hickman (PHR Performance Yamaha) held fourth; Josh Brookes (Dafabet Kawasaki) was fifth and Stefano Bonetti (ILR Paton) was sixth. Dominic Herberston was the first rider to reach Ballaugh; he was followed by Michael Rutter (Batham’s Yamaha) who produced his normal stylish jump over the bridge. Jamie Coward was next; closely followed by Paul Jordan (Prez Kawasaki) who had started 10s before him. Dunlop was next and he gave us his usual front wheel landing. Josh Brookes and Pierre-Yves Bian (VAS Paton) gave us low flat jumps; Peter Hickman gave a nice jump with perfect rear wheel landing. The clocks showed that Dunlop led by 9.1s from Coward with Browne third. Hickman, Brookes and Rutter completed the top 6. Dunlop pulled away from the chasers and led by 11.6s at the Bungalow. As he came into the pits for the mandatory stop, his lead was 14.43s, after a lap at 121.229mph. Coward lapped at 119.697mph and Browne in third at 119.438mph. Hickman, Brookes and Rutter filled out the top 6. Hickman lost 7s in the pits and Rutter 14s; as his machine refused to restart. The leader board at Glen Helen showed Dunlop with a 19.4s lead over Coward; who was just 0.5s ahead of Browne. Hickman, Brookes and Bian completed the board. Dunlop was first on the road at Ballaugh; Coward next; both gave us front wheel landings. Best action of the lap came when Hickman arrived with Bian. They jumped in tandem; Hickman gave us the higher leap and they then powered away through the village inches apart. Dunlop added to his lead as the lap progressed; but at the Bungalow it was Browne who held second place due to a rapid climb of the mountain. As the final lap started Dunlop had a comfortable lead of 22s over Browne; so, no need for lap record pace. Browne was now 2.1s ahead of Coward; Hickman, Brookes and Bian completed the top 6. At Glen Helen; Michael led by 25.93s; whilst Browne was only 1.22s ahead of Coward. Dunlop gave a low flat jump; it was impressive as powered away almost brushing his shoulder on the bus stop wall. Hickman and Brookes gained the most style marks for their high jumps and perfect landings. Starting the mountain climb, Dunlop could afford to go into cruise mode; he led by 30.66s from Browne. Coward was giving it everything and was just 1.22s behind Browne. Despite easing off in the last few miles; Michael Dunlop set the fastest lap of the race at 121.905mph to win by 26.783s at a race average of 120.505mph. Browne’s final lap at 121.374mph enabled him to keep Coward at bay; the margin just 2.237s. Coward’s final lap of 121.362mph was his best of the race; his podium finish richly deserved. Hickman took fourth; Brookes fifth; both lapped at over 120mph; with Bian taking a deserved sixth after a very fine ride. Dominic Herbertson, Michael Rutter, Barry Furber (superb effort) and Rob Hodson completed the top 10. Michael Evans was best of the locals in 11th; debut boys Paul Cassidy and Jamie Cringle were 20th and 22nd respectively. The race has now been overshadowed by the sad news that popular Spanish rider Raul Torras Martinez lost his life in an accident at Alpine Cottage during the race. We send our condolences to his family and friends; he will be very much missed. May he rest in peace. Read the full article

[sbknews]

Masterful Hickman gives Faye Ho silver lining.

After stubborn mist moved away action began several hours late at TT 2023. The solo warm up lap was significant because it allowed Peter Hickman to complete a lap on his Supertwin Yamaha and thereby qualify for the evening’s first race for the class. Mike Browne was out on his Stocker, to test changes made in response to handling so bad that he made an unscheduled stop in the Superbike race. The Sidecar warm up allowed Dave Molyneux /Dan Sayle to test the troublesome KTM on track. The warm-up lap made the riders aware of a small patch of cement dust on the approach to White Gates. Normal weather service had been restored when Davo Johnson led the Superstock away on their 3 lap race. The riders were obliged to have a pit stop at the end of lap 1. Michael Dunlop’s crew chief set out what most were expected to do and that was simply top up the tank and clean the screen and rider’s visor. Starting this race pulled Michael Rutter level with his father Tony on 83. For Josh Brookes the race was over before he reached St Ninian’s on the FHO BMW. Peter Hickman had no such problem; the machine was ready to go after just four laps of practice; this allowed him more time to try to tame the unruly Superbike. Michael Dunlop’s MD Racing Honda machine had similarly been ready to go early in Practice Week. When the Glen Helen was reached, Dean Harrison (DAO Kawasaki) was right behind Davo Johnson (Jackson Honda) and passed him on the Cronk y Voddy straight; Dean remained the pigeon scarer for the remainder of the race. Behind them, Dunlop had nearly closed the starting interval on James Hillier (OMG Yamaha).  Passing slower riders did cause some minor delays for the podium riders but tended to even out and did not affect the result. The times at Glen Helen showed that this was going to be a race with close battles throughout the field of 46 riders left in the contest. Michael Dunlop had been the fastest of all over the first 9 miles; he led by 0.65s from Peter Hickman, with Dean Harrison 1.69s down in third; in what was becoming a recurring theme. Davey Todd (Milenco Padgett Honda), Conor Cummins (Milenco Padgett Honda); heroically back on track three days after being on drip in hospital; James Hillier and Jamie Coward (Steadplan Honda) were the top 7. Just 3.6s covered the four riders. On Sunday Dunlop set the fastest ever sector time from Glen Helen to Ballaugh; today Hickman returned serve with the fastest ever Superstock sector time. This gave him a lead of 2.26s as they hopped over the famous bridge. Harrison was third, but 4s down on Dunlop. Todd, Cummins and Coward completed the top 6. May Hill in Ramsey is a good vantage point; with the bikes powering out of Cruickshank’s Corner and coming close to the low kerb on the left side of the track. The sound of the machines on full gas echoes back from the house walls. Dean Harrison was first, and he was trying; using all of the road. Davo Johnson was next; followed almost immediately by the rejuvenated John McGuinness. Jamie Coward has settled onto the Honda superbly, and he was wringing its neck as he went past. Michael Dunlop has been using all of the road; but he is never out of shape; yet again he was very fast, but very stable. Hicky was rapid and holding a tighter line than most of the top runners; apart from James Hillier. As they started the mountain climb, Hickman had a lead of 3.4s from Dunlop. Harrison was third, 6.74s down on Dunlop. Todd, Cummins and Coward completed the top 6; Hillier was 7th just 0.141s down on Coward. Hickman is normally the fastest over the mountain; but today Dunlop was, and cut the lead to 2.7s as they came into the pits for the mandatory stop.  The pits stops saw Hickman and Harrison gain over 1.5s on Dunlop. Dom Herbertson; 11th at the time, missed the pit lane and had to come in via the return road. After some words were exchanged with the stewards, he was allowed to continue, despite his off track activity. Back on track Hickman’s lead was 5.3s as he powered the big BMW up Creg Willey’s Hill for the second time. Dunlop had increased his advantage over Harrison to 10.8s. Todd, Coward and Cummins completed the top 6; with Hillier just 0.2s behind Cummins. Hickman continued to set the best sector times; he led by 9.1s as swept out of Cruickshank’s in fine style; the front wheel pawing the air as he powered through. Coward; Hillier and Cummins were covered by 1.5s in their exciting battle for the final leader board places. With the best time for each sector over the mountain Hickman had a comfortable lead of 15.7s as he headed off for the final lap; the lap that would be the fastest of the race. Dunlop had 10.1s in hand over Harrison. Todd remained under pressure from Coward; but Conor Cummins was starting to lose time; no doubt exhausted after his illness. John McGuinness was riding a fine race in 8th; Johnson was 9th and Herbertson 10th in spite of his pit stop faux pas. Hickman was on outright lap record pace for part of the lap; but lost some time behind slower riders and then eased back over the last two sectors; but still set the best lap of the race at 134.311mph; to seal a 23.17s victory over Michael Dunlop. This win moved into double figures. Harrison; Todd, Hillier and Coward all lapped at over 132mph on the last lap. Conor Cummins took 7th; John McGuinness went out at Guthrie’s handing 8th to Davo Johnson; he lapped at over 130mph on the final lap. The excellent form of Mike Browne and Shaun Anderson continued; they finished 9th and 10th respectively. This was a race of the highest quality and Hickman’s win repaid team owner Faye Ho for her support. The second race should be at least as good; weather permitting. I can’t help thinking that four laps would have been even better. Read the full article

[sbknews]

Masterclass; Dunlop takes 22nd win; Birchalls break 120mph barrier.

The first race day of TT 2023 had warm, dry and still conditions, ideal for racing. The crowds gathered around the 37.73 miles of the Mountain Course were treated to record breaking racing in both of the day’s events. Racing was delayed for several hours whilst a road traffic accident at the 33rd Milestone was dealt with by the emergency services. The curtain raiser was a solos warm up lap; essentially untimed practice; on any machine that the riders chose. This proved to be the end of Mike Browne’s participation for the day; his Supersport machine blew its engine shortly after leaving the start line. Hopefully, he will be good to go in the second Supersport race. The first race of the afternoon was the four lap Supersport 1 Race. Michael Dunlop has been the dominant force in the class in recent years and he headed the practice times. In perfect conditions, Davo Johnson (Jackson Honda) was the first man to take the plunge down Bray Hill. Dean Harrison (Russell Racing Yamaha) is always fast on the 9 miles out to Glen Helen, and it was he who led at the checkpoint by 0.55s from Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Yamaha). Peter Hickman (Trooper Triumph) held third 1.11s down on Dunlop. Davey Todd (Milenco Padgett’s Honda), James Hillier (Russell Racing Yamaha) and Jamie Coward (KTS Racing) Yamaha completed the top 6. Dunlop was rapid on the sector to Ballaugh and led the race by 1.57s as he jumped the famous bridge. Harrison was second; Hickman third; Coward had moved up to fourth, ahead of Todd and Hillier. Rising young star Jim Hind (Bass Yamaha) held seventh. Dunlop set the fastest ever sector time to Ramsey, where he led by 3.676s. Tower Bends; above the Waterworks means a long walk from Ballure or the Gooseneck; but the S-bend provides a super vantage point. The slight remodelling of the road profile and new surface have made it faster. The action in this race was excellent for the connoisseurs who had gathered to watch it. First to reach us was Dean Harrison; it still seems strange for him not to be in DAO colours; instead, it was the dark blue of the Russell Racing team. The flying Dunlop was next, and like Harrison, he kept it pinned through the bends. The action was excellent as Coward, Paul Jordan (Prez Yamaha), Davo Johnson, James Hillier, Davey Todd and the Peter Hickman, on the lovely sounding Triumph, charged past us. Dunlop set a sector record to the Bungalow and led by 4.49s at the top of the mountain. Harrison was now 4.16s in front of Hickman. After a lap at 128.305mph, Dunlop led Harrison (127.643mph) by 5.49s as they raced past the Grandstand. Hicky was third, 4.63s down on Harrison. Coward, Todd, Hillier, and Hind were next; they all lapped at over 125mph. Best of the locals was birthday boy Mikey Evans in 11th. Dunlop set another sector record to lead by 7.37s at Glen Helen; Harrison was also rapid adding 1.8s to his advantage over Hickman. By Ramsey, Dunlop was inside lap record pace and led by 11.22s. Hickman was now matching Harrison whose advantage was 6.46s. At the end of the lap Dunlop was just shy of his own lap record; with a lap at 129.136mph; his advantage entering the pits was now 13.44s; with Harrison 8.6s ahead of Hickman. Jim Hind dropped from 7th to 11th for being well over the pit lane speed limit. Julian Trummer suffered a similar fate for being just 0.1kph over the limit. A rapid pit stop gained Harrison 1.5s over Dunlop and 1s over Hickman. In his early years at the event Dunlop would have continued to wring the neck off the bike; not now; he showed his maturity by riding to his boards and managing his advantage over Harrison. At Glen Helen the lead was 11.13s; with Harrison 10.60s ahead of Hickman. Coward, Todd and Hillier continued to fill the leader board places. Hickman upped his pace and began to edge closer to Harrison; the gap down to 8.3s as they began the mountain climb. At the end of the lap the lead was 17.53s; but the advantage for Harrison had been narrowed to 3.94mph. Hickman was on a mission; he set the best ever sector time from Glen Helen to Ballaugh to be just 2.34s down as they approached the half distance marker. With Dunlop managing the lead at around 16s, all eyes were on the battle for second. At Ramsey, Harrison’s advantage was down to 1.12s; at the Bungalow it was just 0.12s. At Cronk ny mona Hickman had grabbed second place; 0.275s ahead of Harrison. Hickman was the fastest on the last 1.1 miles to the finish; to take second place by 0.394s after 4 laps of the most demanding course in the world. The lap record remained intact; however, Michael broke his old race record with his average of 126.880mph. Hickman’s average was 126.516mph; with Harrison’s 126.504mph. Coward took a superb fourth; edging out Todd by 2.84s. Hillier completed the leader board at the end of a scintillating race. Race 2 promises to be just as close, if not closer. Mikey Evans was best local in 12th; Ryan Cringle was the best newcomer in 22nd; he averaged 117.979 mph and his best lap was over the magic 120mph barrier; a superb first race. The second race of the day was for the Sidecars; a class dominated by Ben and Tom Birchall; they have won every race that they have completed since 2013. They grabbed the early initiative; leading by 3.962s from Pete Founds / Jevan Walmsley at Glen Helen. Ryan and Callum Crowe; getting faster with each lap after their first practice mishap; held third. John Holden / Maxime Vasseur; Gary Bryan / Philip Hyde and newcomer driver Daryl Gibson with Tom Christie completed the nascent leader board. Four of the 25 outfits did not reach Glen Helen; three were past winners; Dave Molyneux; Tim Reeves and Conrad Harrison. At Ballaugh, the lead was up to 5.095s; with the Crowe brothers 7.9s down on Founds / Walmsley. Founds was not going to lie down; he and Walmsley were fastest on the run to Ramsey; cutting the lead to 3.552s. The outfits were superb at Tower bends; tight to the wall on the inside of the right hand part of the s-bend; tight to the grass verge on the inside of the left hand part and out close to the wall on the exit. The Birchalls were quickest on the mountain climb widening the lead to 4.84s. Founds was quickest on the final two sectors cutting the lead to 3.36s at the Grandstand. The opening laps for the leading crews were; 118.577mph; 118.230mph and 115.875mph. Having settled into their rhythm, the Birchall brothers pulled the pin on the second lap. They set the fastest ever sector time to Glen Helen; 1.6s inside lap record pace, to lead by 6.778s. The Crowe bothers were now 27.5s behind Founds / Walmsley, in a (seemingly) safe third place. Two more sector record times saw the Birchalls leave Ramsey 12.545s ahead of Founds / Walmsley. They set new sector records for Ramsey to Bungalow and Bungalow to Cronk ny Mona; with Founds / Walmsley taking that honour on the final stretch. At the end of the historic first ever 120mph sidecar lap the Birchall brothers led by 16.009s. The new record is 120.357mph; almost unbelievable for those of us who can remember Dick Greasley / Mick Skeels putting up the first 100mph lap, on a 700cc Yamaha outfit. The Crowe brothers were forced to retire at Keppel gate; this promoted John Holden / Maxime Vasseur to the final podium place. The Ramsdens held fourth, Gibson / Christie 5th and Bryan / Hyde 6th as the final lap began. The Birchalls eased their pace slightly on the final lap; keeping their lead at around the 20s mark. They duly came home to their 10th consecutive win at a record average speed of 119.365mph; 24.066s clear of Founds / Walmsley (118.529mph). Holden / Vasseur took third place; how heartening to see a French competitor on the podium. Steve and Matty Ramsden (father and son) finished fourth; Bryan / Hyde eased past Gibson / Christie on the mountain climb and took sixth by just 2.43s. The next race is the Superbike TT; scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Read the full article

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2022 is go! Buchan leads the way on the opening day at Snetterton

Danny Buchan kick started his 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season by topping the opening day of Official Testing at Snetterton, optimising the open pitlane track time to set the benchmark, edging Bradley Ray by 0.091s at the top of the timesheets. Buchan had consistently stayed at the top of the times, but as the afternoon session ticked down, Ray surged up the order into second place as he experienced the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha for the first time, easing Peter Hickman into third. Hickman held third place at the end of the opening day for the FHO Racing BMW team after running at the top of the times earlier in the session. SYNETIQ BMW’s Buchan said: “The plan was to work through some components this afternoon and we stuck some new bits on the bike - some we liked, some we didn’t, we ended up with quite a good lap time so I was quite happy. It is only testing, but everybody is still out there and everybody is still trying so we will see what we can improve on tomorrow.” Rory Skinner bounced back from a morning crash to finish fourth fastest for the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki team, just ahead of Jason O'Halloran on the leading McAMS Yamaha who completed the top five. Defending champion Tarran Mackenzie posted the 13th fastest time. Leon Haslam had a strong start to his return to the Championship, positing the sixth fastest time as he made his debut with the VisionTrack Kawasaki team at their home circuit. Danny Kent led the Buildbase Suzuki charge in seventh place, pipping Tommy Bridewell on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati. Tom Sykes made his much-anticipated debut with the MCE Ducati team, getting his first taste of the BSB-spec Ducati as he recorded the ninth fastest time with Christian Iddon completing the top ten on the second Buildbase Suzuki. Bennetts British Superbike Championship, R&G Official Test, Snetterton, Friday combined result: - Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) 1:47.380s - Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.091s - Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.357s - Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.438s - Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.455s - Leon Haslam (VisionTrack Kawasaki) 0.584s - Danny Kent (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.624s - Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.655s - Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +0.666s - Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.760s For more info check out our dedicated British Superbikes News page Or visit the official Bennetts British Superbike Championship website www.britishsuperbike.com Read the full article

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Hickman denied the home hat trick by O'Halloran but crowned Milwaukee King of the Mountain

Peter Hickman was denied his first ever Bennetts British Superbike Championship triple victory in race three at Cadwell Park, when a last lap mistake gave Jason O'Halloran the opportunity he needed to grasp the lead on the final lap to celebrate his first win at the Lincolnshire circuit. Hickman had a spectacular start to the weekend, claiming Faye Ho’s FHO Racing BMW team their first Superbike race win yesterday. The local legend was then able to carry the momentum into the second race of the weekend, despite coming under pressure on the final lap from standings leader O'Halloran. O’Halloran got a tremendous launch off the line in race two, leading the pack on the opening lap but Hickman was instantly on the attack. However, it wasn’t until lap nine that he could make a pass on the McAMS Yamaha rider, diving down the inside on the brakes at Mansfield. Hickman continued to try and break his rivals, edging out an advantage over O’Halloran but the Australian reeled him back in over the final three laps. The McAMS Yamaha rider was within striking distance on the final lap, but despite piling on the pressure, Hickman had the edge at the chequered flag. The battle for third was initially between Christian Iddon, the region’s fastest plumber Lee Jackson, and the Irwin brothers, but disaster struck for the VisionTrack Ducati rider when he crashed out of third at Charlies on lap four. Jackson then had the upper hand, but Tommy Bridewell was storming through the pack after another bad start, running in eighth on the opening lap. The Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider first moved ahead of Glenn Irwin, and then hit a top three position with a decisive pass at Coppice on lap 14, pushing Jackson back to fourth. Bridewell was able to break the group behind him, but reigning champion Josh Brookes had been building momentum throughout the race from his fourth row start, and was able to force his way through to fifth. The lone VisionTrack Ducati rider held off Glenn Irwin, who was then embroiled in a fight with his brother Andrew, as the pair exchanged blows, but it was the Honda Racing rider who had the edge. Andrew Irwin’s seventh place put him just ahead of rival BMW rider Bradley Ray. Ryan Vickers, still feeling sore after his high-speed qualifying crash, was ninth as Storm Stacey returned to the top ten. Tarran Mackenzie was watching from the sidelines after the McAMS Yamaha rider decided to sit out today’s races after breaking his finger in his race one crash yesterday. In the final race, O’Halloran hit the front to take the initial advantage off the line, but by the time the pack had reached Park, Glenn Irwin went for a move down the inside to grab the lead. O’Halloran was then pushed back into third place when Hickman made a move on lap three, before the FHO Racing BMW rider was able to take the lead at Mansfield two laps later. Bridewell again had one of his bad starts off the pole position, which dropped him down to fifth on lap one, but by the sixth lap, he had wrestled his way through into third place. The leading trio remained the same as the previous two races with Hickman and O’Halloran ahead of Bridewell, until the closing stages. Hickman managed to save a big moment on the final lap, but it meant that he lost momentum at Coppice. O’Halloran seized the opportunity and made a decisive move down the inside at Charlies. O’Halloran was able to hold off a counter attack to score his first race win at Cadwell Park, and with it claims the Milwaukee Summer Grand Slam Trophy. Hickman meanwhile took second place and his highest points’ score of this round crowned him Milwaukee King of the Mountain. The battle for fourth was between Brookes and Jackson, which went down to the wire. Brookes had made a spectacular pass on Jackson and Glenn Irwin in the early stage of the race to move into fourth. Brookes continued to defend hard from Jackson, but the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki rider was able to match his best season result, making a move with three laps to go to push the Australian back a position. Today’s fifth places marks Brookes’ best result of the season in dry conditions. Glenn Irwin held off Iddon to claim sixth place with Ray in eighth, but dropping out of the top eight in the standings by just two points. Andrew Irwin and Vickers completed the top ten. Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 2 result: - Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) - Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.155s - Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.817s - Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +1.672s - Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) +7.384s - Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) +10.159s - Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +10.605s - Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) +10.758s - Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) +12.567s - Storm Stacey (Team LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki) +24.172s Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 3 result: - Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) - Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.203s - Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.332s - Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +5.832s - Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) +6.004s - Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) +8.953s - Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) +9.351s - Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) +9.669s - Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +10.135s - Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) +17.308s Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Cadwell Park: - Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 342 - Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati)  223 - Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 223 - Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 205 - Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) 200 - Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) 165 - Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) 154 - Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 133 Peter Hickman - FHO Racing BMW Race 2 winner “Race two was certainly a harder race than yesterday, although it is never easy around Cadwell Park! “I was watching my pitboard and was up to 0.7 and then I had a little bit of arm pump, but I saw Jason was getting closer and I could hear him out of Charlies! “I knew I had to be a bit more defensive but not compromise my speed. I got away with it towards the end but it was fantastic to make it a double. “To say I am disappointed to have not made it a hat trick would be an understatement, but it was my only mistake all weekend in the third race. “It cost me the race, so that was frustrating but I am pleased I was able to save it, as the rear came right around at 120-140mph! “That gave Jason the chance and I thought about having a lunge back, but I just wasn’t close enough. “Two wins and a second place, plus Milwaukee King of the Mountain, so I am really pleased with a fantastic weekend for the FHO Racing BMW team as that is a big point’s haul for the championship.” Jason O'Halloran - McAMS Yamaha Race 3 winner “It’s been an amazing weekend. I know we’ve done some triples this year, but that win means a lot to me. "I have wanted to win here for a long time, it’s the closest thing I’ve got to a home round and over the years I’ve had a lot of local support from both the fans and people sponsoring me so it’s a special place for me and I’m really pleased I could do it. "The whole team have done an awesome job this weekend, we were up against it with the weather so we had to use the races to figure out a setting. Each race the bike was better and in the last race the bike was the best it’s been all weekend. "The pace was so fast, fair play to Peter he was setting a really good place at the front but I never gave up, hung on for as long as I could and went for the opportunity when it arose. I’m really pleased with the weekend and can’t wait for Snetterton.” For more info checkout our dedicated British Superbikes News page Or visit the official Bennetts British Superbike Championship website www.britishsuperbike.com Follow us on social media: Instagram: @superbikenews Twitter: @sbknews Facebook: @superbikenews

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Hickman claims FHO Racing BMW their debut win at Cadwell Park

Peter Hickman became the sixth different race winner of the 2021 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season, claiming FHO Racing BMW an emphatic first race win in the series in front of a rapturous home crowd at Cadwell Park. At the start, Jason O'Halloran hit the front of the pack, narrowly moving down the inside of Glenn Irwin with Hickman holding third. However, by the time the pack had reached Chris Curve, Glenn Irwin had taken the lead for Honda Racing. Irwin was trying to break the field; edging out an initial gap of 0.8s over the opening laps, but behind Hickman had made a decisive move on O’Halloran to move into second. By the seventh lap Hickman had reeled Irwin back in and the advantage had vanished. Irwin made a small mistake to run slightly wide and Hickman didn’t need an invitation as he dived through to take the lead. Hickman then unleashed a series of fast laps, breaking the lap record with a time of 1m:26.350s, to gap O’Halloran and Irwin, before taking the chequered flag in front of an ecstatic crowd. However, the podium fight wasn’t over and whilst O’Halloran had moved into second, Irwin was soon under pressure from Tommy Bridewell. The Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider had left it to the final laps to carve his way through, taking no prisoners to grab the final podium place on the penultimate lap to push Irwin into fourth. Christian Iddon was able to get to the front of the next pack, moving ahead of Lee Jackson and Andrew Irwin in the closing five laps. Ryan Vickers, who set the fastest ever lap of Cadwell Park yesterday, was eighth as he bounced back from a high-speed crash in qualifying. Rory Skinner and Josh Brookes completed the top ten ahead of tomorrow’s two races. Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, BikeSocial Race 1: - Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) - Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +2.080s - Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +3.729s - Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) +4.348s - Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) +4.529s - Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +4.617s - Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +5.253s - Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) +7.120s - Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +8.084s - Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) +9.729s Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Cadwell Park Race 1: - Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 297 - Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 223 - Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) 214 - Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 173 - Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) 165 - Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) 155 - Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) 134 - Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) 115 Peter Hickman - FHO Racing BMW BikeSocial Race 1 winner “It is mega to win here! We have had a bad run of luck and that race was perfect. I knew I had the pace for the race, as the FHO Racing BMW has been fantastic. “It was pretty much a perfect race in the end. I saw Jason and Glenn making some moves to start with but I felt I had more pace than they did, so I just settled in at the start. “I managed to pull a clean move on Jason at Mansfield, which is always tricky there! I then needed to get Glenn and fortunately, he made a mistake, so I was able to take advantage at Barn and that gave me what I needed. “This is such a tough track, so it feels even better to win! I had to keep my concentration and not make any mistakes, so to be leading until the chequered flag felt like an eternity. “I am so happy for Faye, and to get our first win here for the team at their home round, was great. It is only our first season, and with all these fans all the way around the circuit, it made it even more special. It has been an awesome day.” For more info checkout our dedicated British Superbikes News page Or visit the official Bennetts British Superbike Championship website www.britishsuperbike.com Follow us on social media: Instagram: @superbikenews Twitter: @sbknews Facebook: @superbikenews

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Vickers top gun on day one with fastest ever Bennetts BSB lap of Cadwell Park

Ryan Vickers set the fastest two-wheel lap of Cadwell Park this afternoon, launching to the top of the times for the RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki team on his final lap of SUPERPICKS Free Practice ahead of tomorrow’s opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship BikeSocial race. The Norfolk contender left it until the final minutes of the session to up the ante, striking with a sequence of laps that put him 0.312s clear of his nearest rival and championship leader Jason O'Halloran. O’Halloran had just pipped Peter Hickman in the closing moments, moving second ahead of the local hero who had set the pace this morning. The leading three riders were under the existing lap record, set by Lee Jackson in 2017 with a time of 1m:26.478s. Tommy Bridewell had been one of the first riders to improve on his earlier session time, setting the pace at the halfway stage, but he would end the session fourth fastest, just ahead of the leading VisionTrack Ducati of Christian Iddon. Andrew Irwin was sixth fastest, pushing his brother Glenn into seventh place as the pair continued to swap positions as Lee Jackson completed the top eight ahead of his home round. Bradley Ray was ninth fastest as Josh Brookes dropped to tenth in the closing stages of the second session after a positive start this morning. Rory Skinner and Dan Linfoot completed the SUPERPICKS 12 who will progress directly into Q2 tomorrow. However, Tarran Mackenzie will again have to progress through Q1 tomorrow after a crash at the top of the Mountain during the afternoon session. The McAMS Yamaha rider holds second in the standings ahead of the three races this weekend, but he ended SUPERPICKS Free Practice in 15th place. Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, SUPERPICKS Free Practice combined times: - Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) 1m:25.816s - Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.312s - Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.515s - Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.665s - Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) +0.844s - Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +0.867s - Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) +0.929s - Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.960s - Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) +0.996s - Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) +1.028s - Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +1.167s - Dan Linfoot (TAG Honda) +1.316s Ryan Vickers - RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki Fastest in SUPERPICKS Free Practice combined times “It has gone really well today! In the first session, we got familiar with the track again after two years of not being here and we made a few changes, but we didn’t venture too far from what we had after Donington Park. “We have focused our efforts on playing with a few things and fine tuning as we were in a window of where we felt we need to be, and then we went for a bit of a qualifying drill to see what the bike felt like on new rubber. “I did the fastest ever two wheel lap of Cadwell! I was surprised with how easy it felt as there is definitely still some time out there that I could have had, but I just made a few mistakes. “The team have been working in an amazing way, we made another change and went back out but it was the chequered flag, although I think that will be an improvement again when it comes to FP3 tomorrow.” For more info checkout our dedicated British Superbikes News page Or visit the official Bennetts British Superbike Championship website www.britishsuperbike.com Follow us on social media: Instagram: @superbikenews Twitter: @sbknews Facebook: @superbikenews SBN Directory - add your motorcycle related business here

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