Ryan Vickers stormed from his fiftheenth place grid position to take the victory in a dramatic second Bennetts British Superbike Championship race at Thruxton as the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing continued their winning form.
Max Cook fired off the Omologato Pole position to take the lead on the opening lap ahead of Storm Stacey and Glenn Irwin, but there was drama for the Hager PBM Ducati rider who crashed out after a huge highside at Campbell, which meant the race was red flagged.
On the restart, Stacey launched the Team LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki into the lead ahead of Cook, Josh Brookes and Danny Buchan, but on the second lap, Alex Olsen and Franco Bourne crashed out at Village and the BMW Safety Car was deployed.
When the race got back underway, it became a five-lap sprint to the finish and Cook was holding the lead until the penultimate lap when Vickers gained two places to return to the front of the field, making his move on his Kawasaki rival into the Complex.
Cook then had Brookes and Danny Kent for company, as the McAMS Racing Yamaha rider carved his way through the pack and he was pushing for a return to the podium. Cook was able to hold second to the line to celebrate his first podium finish in Bennetts BSB and be the 13th different rider to feature on the podium.
Brookes had been running in second in the closing stages before Vickers initially made a pass, and then the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad rider narrowly missed out on his first podium of the season as Kent stole third on the final lap.
Brookes was able to take his best win of the season in fourth place ahead of Billy McConnell and Christian Iddon. Tommy Bridewell and Kyle Ryde were inside the top eight, whilst Leon Haslam and Storm Stacey completed the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, Race 2 result:
- Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)
- Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +0.531s
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +0.873s
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +1.613s
- Billy McConnell (C&L Fairburn Properties/Look Forward Racing Honda) +1.889s
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.298s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +2.427s
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +2.613s
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) +3.190s
- Storm Stacey (Team LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki) +3.232s
For the full race result please click here
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 238
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 211
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 210
- Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 200
- Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 180
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 162
- Jason O'Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) 142
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) 139
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 110
- Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) 110
For the full standings please click here