Tarran Mackenzie has returned the family name to the British Superbike Championship (BSB) title trophy after a second victory of the weekend at Brands Hatch moved him out of his rival’s reach with a race to spare.
Twenty-three years after his father, Niall Mackenzie, won the latter of his three consecutive BSB wins in 1998, the 25-year old now stands alongside him on the BSB Champion’s roll-call.
The Scotsman was firm favourite for the title after a timely eighth win of the season swelled his erstwhile 10 point lead into a 22 point one, it was nonetheless a last gasp pass on Tommy Bridewell in the dash to the line that prevented the title race going into a final race showdown.
The first BSB title for Yamaha since Josh Brookes’ feat with the Shaun Muir Racing-prepared Milwaukee Yamaha team, it is also a maiden championship success for the McAMS (Raceways) outfit.
Mackenzie’s joy, however, will be tempered by some bittersweet emotions in the McAMS fold as his title comes at the expense of team-mate O’Halloran, who held a vast 106 point advantage over the competition prior to the Title Showdown equalising format.
His devastating run of form that yielded 11 wins then stuttered over the final three events, allowing the increasingly confident Mackenzie to snatch the initiative over his experience counterpart.
It means O’Halloran will end the 2021 BSB season with more wins and – overall – more points scored than any other rider, but his wait for the title will continue for now.
Mackenzie's success comes amid growing speculation he will be WorldSBK Championship bound for 2022 with Team Go Eleven, replacing the soon-to-retire Chaz Davies on Yamaha or Ducati machinery.
