Stockport’s Christian Iddon came within a whisker of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship’s annual Showdown that sees the top six riders fight it out for the overall title.
The Tyco BMW rider was challenging for a place in the three-rounds event but a technical issue in the final race at Oulton Park means he will focus on the Riders’ Cup.
Iddon was fast throughout the weekend’s three free practice sessions leading up to qualifying, and once again made his way through to Q3, challenging for the top nine places on the grid.
Pressing hard for a good time, Iddon took a tumble at the challenging Cascades corner, leaving him to start the first of the weekend’s triple-header in ninth on the grid.
Race one, that same afternoon, saw Iddon claim fifth place, and with most of his Showdown rivals failing to score it meant vital places were gained in the overall standings.
Seventh place in race two left the former World Superbike rider with eight points to overcome, going in to the final race before the Showdown.
Having battled back to fifth, a technical fault on lap 11 left Iddon out of the race and out of the fight for the Showdown.
Iddon said: “It was a disappointing way to end the weekend, so now the thing is to focus on a strong end to the season.
“I’m very happy with the way I’m riding, I feel like I’m getting what I should be getting out of the package and I feel like I’m riding well and confidently.
“I’m looking forward to having a strong end to the season and proving that we should have been in there [the Showdown] in the first place”.
Next up the British Superbike Championship heads to Assen for its annual overseas trip to the Netherlands on September 20-22.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings ahead of the Showdown:
- Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) 548
- Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) 545
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) 524
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 515
- Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 514
- Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) 501