Editorial Note: American Brandon Paasch, riding his Dynavolt Triumph Street Triple RS 765, finished 7th in British Supersport Race Two at Knockhill.
Buchan takes home a double win as Skinner celebrates in Scotland
Danny Buchan took home a double Bennetts British Superbike Championship race win at Knockhill today, twice holding off rookie sensation Rory Skinner for glory.
The SYNETIQ BMW rider became the third different race winner of the season and Tarran Mackenzie became the seventh different podium finisher of 2021 in a pair of hard-fought races.
Christian Iddon had been victorious in yesterday’s opening race at Knockhill, but it was Buchan who emerged victorious in the second race of the weekend; edging out Skinner, who delivered an incredible second place finish in only his fifth race to score his first Bennetts BSB podium finish.
At the start of the race, Iddon had launched his VisionTrack Ducati into the lead on the opening lap ahead of Buchan, Peter Hickman and Skinner.
Hickman was fighting hard and within six laps, he had forced his way into second place with a move at the Hairpin, before Skinner also made the same pass a lap later on the SYNETIQ BMW.
It was a disastrous race for the championship leader Jason O’Halloran, who relinquished his position at the top of the standings when he crashed out unhurt on the eleventh lap.
Meanwhile in the leading pack, Iddon was holding off his rivals as Buchan had moved back into second position with Mackenzie and Skinner in close contention.
Buchan bided his time before executing a move at the Hairpin on the 17th lap to claim the lead and then despite initial early pressure, he was able to bridge a gap of just over a second to claim the first race win for the all-new BMW M 1000 RR.
The battle for second though took a turn on lap 20 as Skinner claimed the position by passing Iddon and he was able to hold off the pair behind him, scoring a superb second place for FS-3 Kawasaki.
On the final lap, the scrap continued for the final podium position as Mackenzie lunged ahead on the McAMS Yamaha to push Iddon back into fourth place at the chequered flag. The VisionTrack Ducati rider though moved ahead in the title standings.
Tommy Bridewell completed the top five, as he was able to gain positions after Hickman saved a huge off track moment after a promising start, which saw him in the podium fight for FHO Racing BMW, dropping him to seventh position.
Buchan and Skinner renewed their rivalry in the final race of the weekend as the pair went head-to-head for the victory in race three.
The victory for Buchan came as the SYNETIQ BMW rider made a crucial move on Skinner just a lap before the race was red flagged.
Mackenzie led the pack off the line at the start, but it wasn’t long before Skinner was on the attack and he instantly grabbed the lead at the Hairpin. The Scottish rider was heading the field as Iddon moved into second, pushing Makenzie into third by the end of the second lap.
Hickman was also getting stuck in, fighting for a podium position, firing the FHO Racing BMW ahead of Mackenzie on lap four.
Buchan was holding fourth position by lap ten, but ahead of him, Hickman had dived up the inside of Iddon at the Hairpin to claim second.
The VisionTrack Ducati rider was targeting his counterattack and as they reached the Hairpin the next time around, he dived up the inside ofs Hickman. Buchan also saw his opportunity when Hickman was forced to sit up, and he stuck the SYNETIQ BMW ahead, but the pair touched and they subsequently lost ground.
Buchan was determined to fight back for the podium and after hunting Mackenzie, he was able to edge ahead on lap 15, but the McAMS Yamaha rider instantly reclaimed the position.
Buchan eventually made a move that stuck and he then had Skinner and Iddon ahead of him.
A lunge into the Hairpin put the SYNETIQ BMW rider back into second as Iddon was nudged back into third and then he was duelling with Skinner for the victory.
Skinner was fighting hard to hold the lead and as Buchan moved ahead the FS-3 Kawasaki rider was desperately trying to retaliate, but the race was red flagged when Glenn Irwin crashed a lap later, leaving his stricken Honda in the track.
Mackenzie held on to claim his second podium finish of the day for McAMS Yamaha with Iddon in fourth place to remain on top of the standings by six points ahead of the next round at Brands Hatch.
Bradley Ray was back in the top five for Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW ahead of O’Halloran, who bounced back from a race two crash to finish in sixth place.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, Race 2 result:
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW)
Rory Skinner (FS-3 Kawasaki) +1.069s
Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +1.422s
Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) +1.600s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +5.134s
Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) +5.555s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +6.664s
Lee Jackson (FS-3 Kawasaki) +11.030s
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) +11.381s
Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki) +11.770s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, Race 3 result:
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW)
Rory Skinner (FS-3 Kawasaki) +0.240s
Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.356s
Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) +0.673s
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) +1.141s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +2.724s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +3.226s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +3.873s
Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) +4.102s
Lee Jackson (FS-3 Kawasaki) +4.411s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Knockhill:
Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) 111
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 105
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) 91
Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 76
Rory Skinner (FS-3 Kawasaki) 61
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 60
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) 57
Lee Jackson (FS-3 Kawasaki) 46
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Danny Buchan – SYNETIQ BMW
Knockhill Race 2 and 3 winner
“To bring home wins for the SYNETIQ BMW team is fantastic – they’ve had a hard few years so to repay those guys on the new M 1000 RR is obviously a fantastic thing for everyone involved.
“It’s very early days in the project still and we’re still building on it, so I am over the moon.
“To get the double hasn’t quite sunk in just yet, but it’s fantastic. It was a hectic last race and there was a lot going on, and I sort of knew if I got in front I could pull a gap, so the plan was to get my head down and go and that’s what we started to do.
“I started to edge away and then the red flag came out, so I timed it right, lady luck was on my side there definitely, but credit to SYNETIQ BMW. To get two wins today is fantastic for them, so massive credit to the team, my sponsors and everyone involved.”
Rory Skinner – FS-3 Kawasaki
First Bennetts BSB podium finish in Knockhill race 2
“I came into this weekend just hoping to build on the performance we had at Oulton Park – maybe get a top 10 or maybe be up there in the races for a while… I never expected to come home in P2!
“You know to be right up there with the best in the country in BSB in my second round on a superbike, I was blown away!
“I’m so, so happy with it and just have to say a massive thanks to FS-3 Kawasaki for giving me a home and giving me the best package possible.
“I had no plan; I was just going with the flow of things. I was watching my board and I just rode my heart out and to bring home podiums is amazing.”
