BSB: Brookes wins from heroic Hickman

Josh Brookes stormed to the top step in a scorching second race at Thruxton this afternoon, holding off a heroic Peter Hickman to take his third win of the season.

After missing out on the rostrum in the opening race, Brookes vaulted off the line to scrap at the front from the off, eventually pulling a gap over early race leader Jake Dixon and series frontman Leon Haslam to cruise to victory.

After a steady start, Hickman, who missed morning warm-up after being hospitalised with a kidney infection, picked off the Kawasakis of Haslam and Dixon to lead the chase for Brookes in the second half of the race, but he wasn’t quite able to match the Aussie as he crossed the line in an impressive second place.

Dixon managed to get the better of Haslam for the final rostrum spot to take an important podium credit from the championship leader.

Rookie Tarran Mackenzie took a strong fifth place as he continues to shine for the McAMS Yamaha team while Jason O’Halloran, who has impressed this weekend as he continues to recover from injury, completed the top six.

Tommy Bridewell was the first Ducati home in seventh ahead of Luke Mossey, while Glenn Irwin crossed the line a disappointing ninth.

Rookie Mason Law rounded off a strong weekend for the Team WD40 squad in tenth ahead of the second Be Wiser Ducati of Andrew Irwin, who was held back after his first race crash.

Movuno.com Halsall Racing’s Chrissy Rouse crashed out in the early stages, as did Danny Buchan after becoming tangled in an accident involving TAG’s Shaun Winfield.

Haslam now leads the series standings by a whopping 82 points ahead of Dixon with Brookes’ victory moving him ahead of Glenn Irwin to third.