Glenn Irwin edged out in last-lap thriller as Tommy Bridewell seals Snetterton BSB hat-trick

Glenn Irwin claimed a battling British Superbike podium in the final race of the weekend at Snetterton after a last-lap battle with team-mate Tommy Bridewell.
Kyle White
By Kyle White
Published 9th Jul 2023, 17:54 BST
Updated 9th Jul 2023, 18:58 BST
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The BeerMonster Ducati riders were separated by three hundredths of a second on the line as Bridewell completed a career-first treble, increasing his lead in the championship over Irwin to 25 points after five rounds.

FHO Racing BMW’s Josh Brookes, who led the race from lap two, was forced out with an issue with his M1000RR on lap 10.

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Irwin inherited the lead with Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW) and Bridewell giving chase.

BeerMonster Ducati riders Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin were locked in battle at Snetterton. Picture: David YeomansBeerMonster Ducati riders Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin were locked in battle at Snetterton. Picture: David Yeomans
BeerMonster Ducati riders Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin were locked in battle at Snetterton. Picture: David Yeomans

With four laps to go, Bridewell moved into second with a pass on Haslam at Murrays.

Haslam attempted to hit back at Riches but went wide, allowing Bridewell through on his inside.

As the race reached a climax, Bridewell took the lead from Irwin at the Bomb Hole, but the Ulster rider forged ahead again with a pass at Murrays.

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Irwin then ran wide at Montreal hairpin on the penultimate lap, with Bridewell and Ryan Vickers (OMG Yamaha) both taking full advantage.

However, Irwin quickly made amends and was back into second place past Vickers, with Haslam also overtaking the Yamaha rider to go third.

Bridewell had opened a gap of a few tenths of a second but a determined Irwin was hunting him down on the last lap and had closed onto his team-mate’s rear wheel at Murrays.

The Ducati riders then engaged in a drag race to the line, with Bridewell getting the verdict by only 0.032s for his third victory of the weekend at the Norfolk circuit.

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Haslam held on for third, four tenths down, with Vickers, Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Ducati) and Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) the top six.

Jack Kennedy was 12th on the Mar-Train Yamaha, while a miserable weekend for FHO Racing BMW rider Peter Hickman was compounded by a crash on the second lap, when Franco Bourne also came off in the same incident on the Honda Racing UK Fireblade.

The 19-year-old was making his BSB debut this weekend after being handed the chance to deputise for the injured Andrew Irwin.

Round six of the championship takes place at Brands Hatch in Kent from July 21-23.

Related topics:BMW