Tommy Bridewell overcomes running off track to claim a fantastic victory at Oulton Park

Tommy Bridewell won a fantastic race at Oulton Park this afternoon, climbing up the field all the way from down in thirteenth position after running off track at Hizzy’s.

Bridewell had started his race from 6th on the grid but dropped three places on his opening lap, but after running off the track on Lap 4 he re-joined all the way down in thirteenth position.

By half race distance the Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider had climbed back up to seventh position. And on Lap 12 he passed FS-3 Kawasaki’s Lee Jackson to take sixth before passing FHO Racing’s Peter Hickman at the start of the following lap to move up into fifth. 

Josh Brookes was next to be passed by Bridewell before he got the better of fellow VisionTrack Ducati rider Christian Iddon for third on the penultimate lap. Moments later Bridewell passed McAMS Yamaha’s Tarran Mackenzie at Island for second, before making a move on Mackenzie’s teammate Jason O’Halloran at Old Hall and going on to claim a fantastic victory, at the track where he got his very first win for the Oxford Products Racing Ducati team.

Sadly, the race was not one to celebrate for the VisionTrack Ducati team. Christian Iddon and Josh Brookes had been running at the sharp end in second and third respectively in a strong race for the duo following yesterday’s podium success. But Brookes crashed out on the last lap at Druids, and Iddon finished just off the podium in fourth.

Bridewell posted the fastest lap of the race so will start the final race of the weekend from pole and will be joined on the front row by Brookes who starts from third position, while Iddon will line up on Row 4 in eleventh. 

Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati #46) – 1st
“So chuffed to do the long lap and still win. There are not many riders that can do that. Many riders will drop their head, it's a good excuse. I will never give up. 

I will pull the handlebars off until the very end. And if that's winning, or if that's tenth, whatever that will be I will never give up.

I'm really proud of my efforts as a rider, proud of the way I'm riding and approaching the races and really proud of the way the team is working and the way the Ducati is still performing. It's a phenomenal package. It's no hidden secret that the Yamaha is the dominant throughout the world at the minute with WorldSBK, Grand Prix, BSB. We've been losing a little bit in a few areas, but we know what it is and we're trying hard to rectify it. And we are getting there. So, credit to the team and everyone involved, and we'll try and do it again later on.”