British Superbikes: O'Halloran moves into top five

Market Rasen rider Jason O'Halloran moved up to fifth in the MCE British Superbike championship standings with a brace of top seven finishes at Knockhill last weekend.
Jason O'Halloran at Knockhill EMN-170619-113249002Jason O'Halloran at Knockhill EMN-170619-113249002
Jason O'Halloran at Knockhill EMN-170619-113249002

The Australian rider collected 22 points at the Scottish circuit, taking his total to 83, as the championship resumed with round four.

O’Halloran was up in the top five throughout free practice, but the three-stage qualifying session was replaced with a half-hour qualifying session after the track was contaminated with oil dropped all around the track on the racing line by a competitor in a previous solo class.

A two-hour delay ensued while the track was made safe to race on and O’Halloran completed his qualifying in fourth position for a second row start for Sunday.

He maintained fourth place through the first five laps of the 30-lap opening race before moving forward into third.

Shane Byrne passed him on lap 16, but he was able to stay in touch and complete the race in a strong fourth place.

Lining up on row three for the second race, O’Halloran got a good start, moving up into fourth place on the first lap.

But his success was short-lived when he was overtaken by his Honda Racing team-mate Dan Linfoot.

As the race progressed he was then overhauled by fellow Australian rider Josh Brookes and completed the race in seventh place.

“It’s not the best, but it’s certainly not the worst,” O’Halloran said.

“We are coming away with a bunch of points and now sit fifth in the championship. So, from that side it is good and definitely positive.

“I always struggle here and it’s a tough circuit for me for some reason; I can never quite find that last tenth I need.

“It was like it in the second race and I just couldn’t do any more. We need to rethink things for here next year as the way I ride the Fireblade doesn’t seem to suit the track.

“But at the end of the day we have done the best job we can; we can go to Snetterton feeling positive with that.

“At the test a few weeks ago we were fastest at Snetterton so hopefully we can repeat this and get back to the top.”

The championship moves on to Snetterton on July 2, the scene of O’Halloran’s first win in the championship last year.

He is looking forward to returning to the Norfolk circuit to see if he can repeat the trick.