Kennedy Edges Stapleford in Thrilling Supersport Sprint at Oulton Park

Day 2 of the Quattro Group British Supersport & GP2 / HEL Supersport Cup at Oulton Park delivered intense action, with a nail-biting finish in the sprint race.

Qualifying: Stapleford Continues to Dominate

Luke Stapleford of Macadam Triumph Racing maintained his impressive form from Friday’s practice sessions, securing pole position with a lap time of 1:36.595. Jack Kennedy (Honda Racing UK) qualified second, just 0.097 seconds behind, while Harry Truelove (Astro-JJR Suzuki) completed the front row in third.

Sprint Race: Kennedy Claims Victory in Close Battle

The 9-lap sprint race provided spectators with an exciting duel between Jack Kennedy and Luke Stapleford. Key highlights include:

1. Jack Kennedy (Honda Racing UK) claimed victory with a time of 14:41.865, setting a new lap record of 1:37.055.
2. Luke Stapleford (Macadam Triumph Racing) finished a mere 0.113 seconds behind Kennedy, despite leading for most of the race.
3. Ben Currie (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) briefly led at the start but ultimately finished third, 2.127 seconds behind the winner.
4. Harry Truelove (Astro-JJR Suzuki) and Rhys Irwin (Gearlink Kawasaki) rounded out the top five.

Sprint Race Results:

1. Jack Kennedy (Honda Racing UK)
2. Luke Stapleford (Macadam Triumph Racing) +0.113s
3. Ben Currie (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.127s
4. Harry Truelove (Astro-JJR Suzuki) +6.198s
5. Rhys Irwin (Gearlink Kawasaki) +6.287s

Class Victories

• In the Cup class, ROKiT Rookie Mikey Hardie showcased his skills by chasing down Cameron Hall and making a crucial pass on lap seven to secure the class win.

• Jack Nixon claimed victory in the GP2 category, piloting his Kramer Racing machine to success.

Race Breakdown

The race began with Ben Currie taking an early lead, but Luke Stapleford quickly reclaimed the front position on the second lap. Stapleford then controlled the race for the majority of the distance, setting up a thrilling two-man battle with Jack Kennedy in the closing stages.

Despite Stapleford’s best efforts to maintain his lead, Kennedy’s late-race pace proved too strong. The reigning champion made a decisive move to take the lead and held on to cross the finish line first, denying Stapleford victory by the narrowest of margins.

Looking Ahead

With such close racing at the front, the stage is set for an exciting feature race. Kennedy will be looking to build on this victory, while Stapleford will be eager to convert his strong pace into a win. Ben Currie, finishing over two seconds behind the leaders, will be aiming to close the gap and challenge for the top spot.

The performances of Cup winner Mikey Hardie and GP2 victor Jack Nixon also add intrigue to their respective class battles, promising more exciting racing across all categories in the upcoming feature race.