Double podium for Ben Currie at Oulton Park

Ben Currie leads the pack around Oulton Park

Ben Currie’s strong speed on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati Panigale V2 in Saturday’s Supersport race saw him qualify for Sunday’s 14-lap race on the front row of the gird in second. 

Another great start saw Ben get the holeshot to lead the early stages. But by the start of lap 5 title contender Rhys Irwin (Suzuki) had cut through the pack and passed Ben into turn one, with Ben demoted a further position later that same lap when Tom Booth-Amos (Kawasaki) came past.

By half-race distance the leading duo had stared to pull a small gap over Ben with Richard Cooper (Yamaha) closing behind. 

On lap nine Irwin’s exhaust came loose with Race Control bringing the rider‘s race to a premature end a couple of laps later. This gifted Booth-Amos the lead, with Cooper and Ben up to second and third respectively, and the three riders went on to take the flag in those same positions. 

Irwin’s second DNF of the weekend saw Booth-Amos snatch second in the championship from him, but Ben’s podium saw a further increase his championship lead at the top of the standings by a couple of points to a gap of 68.

Ben Currie (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) – 3rd
“I saw Coops coming past and he was on a good pace there. I just tried to stick on his wheel as I knew he’d take me away from everyone else. Just wasn’t feeling very comfortable, just riding a little bit tense, thinking about the championship, thinking about people running into the back of me. I’ve never been in the position where I’m nursing such a big championship lead, just going to go home now and think about it through. 

I had the pace to win both the races this weekend, we put it on pole, so that’s a real plus. We’ve taken one and half seconds off our time from here earlier in the year so that shows our progress. Huge thanks to he guys, we’re working really good, we’re in a good place.”