With two rounds left, McAMS Yamaha duo Tarran Mackenzie and Jason O’Halloran head to Donington Park to battle for the championship lead - with Tommy Bridewell of Oxford Products Racing Ducati breathing down their necks in third place, after a double win at the previous Oulton Park round.
Regardless of your opinion of the BSB Showdown format, there’s one thing that you can’t deny - it produces some incredibly tense racing at the tail end of (what could be) a wrapped-up season.
Heading into the Showdown O’Halloran was sitting fairly comfortably at the top, with a 106 point lead in his pocket and eyes on his first BSB title. Whilst we’re there, it’s incredibly interesting that the only BSB rider on the grid with a title to their name is current holder Josh Brookes.
Yamaha Track Experience with Jason O'Halloran
Both Mackenzie and O’Halloran shared the spoils at Donington Park earlier this year, with the pair taking a victory each in August. It’s a circuit that Mackenzie will know well, too, being the local track to his Ashby de la Zouch home address.
Mackenzie will feel he’s got it all to give in these last 6 races, with 2021 already seeing his career-best six victories in a championship year. Just 9 points separate the top three, mind, so it’s all still to play for - and laurels certainly cannot be rested.
Whatever happens, McAMS Yamaha will be keeping fingers & toes crossed for a 1-2 rider finish in the standings, both keeping well clear of each other on track...
O’Halloran will no doubt be feeling the pressure here, and as we previously noted here at Visordown, it would be something of a travesty if the Aussie was not able to finish a tremendous season with a trophy to show for his efforts.
But, whoever said racing was always entirely fair.
These last two rounds at Donington Park 1-3 October & Brands Hatch 15-17 October are certainly not ones to miss!
Who wins at Donington Park Circuit - 15th to 17th October? BSB 2021
Tarran Mackenzie - Championship: 1st (1093)
“Out of the three showdown tracks, Oulton Park is probably the worst for me on paper so to have come away from there leading the championship as we head to two tracks which I really enjoy is a nice position to be in.
I won on the Donington Grand Prix track last year and we took a win on the national layout there earlier this year too. The championship gap is now pretty much nothing, so it's all to play for over the final six races.”
Jason O’Halloran - Championship: 2nd (1091 points)
"There's no escaping the fact Oulton Park wasn't an ideal weekend for us. The championship lead we had is now gone and we are now pretty much level on points with two other riders and everyone else has closed up a bit too so we've got a six race fight for the title. We've been working hard over the last few days to reset and go again, both with the bike and myself.
In many ways the championship situation is now a lot more simple - with everyone so close the only option is to win as many races as you can and ultimately whoever does that is going to be champion at the end. We've won more races than anyone else this year, so we know we can do it."
Image credit: Impact Images
