Image: Supplied.

Australian Josh Brookes has taken ahold of the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB) lead as the Showdown commences, his seventh race win of the season at Oulton Park over the weekend promoting him to the top spot.

The top six riders in the championship standings only become the title fighters for the final three rounds, with each rider beginning the Showdown with 500 points, plus additional points for each podium position they’ve obtained in the first nine rounds.

The standard points scoring format from the main season then continues for the Showdown, with all points scores from the final seven races counting.

Brookes won the opening race at the weekend’s ninth before finishing second to Be Wiser Ducati teammate Scott Redding in race two, while the final encounter of the triple-header saw him crash out of contention.

“I was trying to save the tyre at the beginning of the first race today to be clever at the end, but the reality was there was nothing in reserve at the end and the lap times were quick from start to finish,” Brookes explained. “Everyone’s upped their game and riding well so we’re all pushing each other on, and I just managed to get Tommy on the run into the line.

“Full credit to Scott though, he controlled the race and took a good win. The third race was going to plan until I unfortunately slid off and it wasn’t the ideal way to end the weekend. We’ve looked at the data and I wasn’t doing anything different to the previous laps, but we were on lap record pace and when you’re riding at that kind of pace, a millimetre or a bump can make the difference.

“I head into the Showdown leading the standings and whilst it would have been nice to have had a bigger gap, I’m ready for the challenge that lies ahead.”

Fellow Australian Jason O’Halloran (McAms Yamaha) recorded a 6-6-6 scorecard, while compatriot Ben Currie (JG Speedlift Kawasaki) went 11-DNF-17. The next stop on the calendar is at Assen in The Netherlands on 20-22 September.