BSB: O'Halloran title chances slashed after crash

It was a difficult weekend for Jason O’Halloran at Donington Park despite taking to the podium in Sunday’s opening race.

After three crashes on Friday, he could only manage ninth on the grid for the first race but things would get worse in the second outing as he crashed out after contact with JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Peter Hickman on the first lap.

Crashing out of a race for the first time this season, O’Halloran became witness to the cruel side of BSB’s Showdown system as he dropped from third to fifth in the title standings.

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“The Showdown is great but it’s really hurt us today,” he said. “I’ve been third in the championship all year and had a good gap until the Showdown changed that and after today I’m now fifth.

“It’s frustrating to be taken out by someone not in the Showdown, as that’s cut my chances dramatically after a year of hard work. I felt really comfortable today, but that’s racing! We’ll have to come back hard at Assen!” 

Hickman has since apologised for the move. He told MCN: “I saw Jason’s bike was leaking fluid so I wanted to get past him as soon as possible so I could warn him, but unfortunately we touched and he went down. I’m really sorry he crashed out, I went to see him afterwards but he had already left the garage.” 

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