Image: Supplied.

It was a crushing outcome for British Superbike Championship (BSB) contender Jason O’Halloran at Oulton Park as he was brought down in two successive races during the first round of the all-important Showdown.

O’Halloran commenced the weekend on a positive note and qualified third behind title-rival Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) and Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati).

The number 22 was looking to make a move on Bridewell for second in the closing stages of the Sprint Race when a controversial pass from Peter Hickman was made on O’Halloran that saw the Australian crash and the FHO Racing BMW rider disqualified.

“I’m disappointed, we’ve worked all year for this and someone that’s not even in it has just absolutely cleaned me out,” O’Halloran explained after race one. “I didn’t see him, I didn’t hear him I just got hit really hard into Druids.

“Physically I’m alright, the bike is bent in half so the boys have got a big job on tonight. I’m gutted, I was lining Tommy up for a pass into the last turn, it should have been 20 points for us and now we are a pretty big chunk behind.

“I’ve worked my balls off all year for this and I’ve been taken out just like that. I felt like I was riding really well, we did a couple of 1’33s in the race which I was really happy about and I had the pace to match Tommy, Brad had a bit more but I definitely had enough for second so I’m sure we’ll be in the fight tomorrow.”

O’Halloran attempted to regain lost points in race two and led in the early stages before Ray found his way through. As the field passed through Druids on the first lap there was contact between himself and Bridewell which resulted in the Ducati rider being issued a ride-through penalty and O’Halloran forced out of the race.

A statement from McAMs Yamaha following the round read: “Following contact in an incident in the second race, O’Halloran fell from his machine heavily. While nothing was broken, he was battered and bruised and chose to sit out the final race of the weekend. The rider involved was issued a penalty for causing a collision.”

The team made no further comment regarding its or O’Halloran’s stance on the outcome but round nine of the season was certainly a bruising one for the outfit, with defending champion Tarran Mackenzie sustaining a broken femur from an incident in race two.

Despite winning seven races this season, O’Halloran is fifth in the BSB standings with two rounds remaining as much of the advantage he held on riders behind was absorbed when the Showdown commenced. The penultimate round of the 2022 BSB Championship begins this Friday at Donington Park.