The number 57 wins out in a final lap squabble for supremacy at Snetterton
After his second crash in three races on Saturday, Johnny Garness (City Lifting by RS Racing) needed to bounce back and he did so in style in Race 2 at Snetterton. With a breakaway top six squabble coming down to the final corner and the drag to the line, the number 57 played his cards right to take a valuable second win of the season. Casey O’Gorman (Microlise Cresswell Racing) retains his record of finishing first or second in every race he’s contested, however, as he came home in P2, with points leader Evan Belford (City Lifting by RS Racing) completing the podium to mitigate the damage after another strong ride.
It was Garness who took the holeshot from pole, as he nearly always does when afforded the opportunity, but O’Gorman was quick to strike in Race 2. But the number 57 found an answer and what looked like an early advantage for the two was not so on Sunday, with a tight top six breaking away this time around – Garness, O’Gorman, Belford, Carter Brown (City Lifting by RS Racing), James Cook (Wilson Racing) and Harrison Crosby (Banks Racing).
There was some drama early on as Sullivan Mounsey (iForce Lloyd & Jones), Lucas Brown (Amphibian Scaffolding/SP125 Racing) and JJ Cunningham (Thorneycroft56/JCRsupersport) crashed out, as did Julian Correa (Microlise Cresswell Racing), but at the front Garness pushed on with O’Gorman as his shadow.
This time though, there was no real pace advantage to be found and the top six remained locked together, lap after lap. O’Gorman was just ahead as the final lap began, but it wasn’t until the final corner where it would all ultimately be decided. The number 67 and number 57 swapped and changed positions, but then Carter Brown made his move. The number 74 went for a 2-for-1 as O’Gorman went to pass Garness, and it was Garness who got the best cutback. He gassed it to the line and was able to hold onto it for his second victory of the season, with O’Gorman also holding onto second and Brown losing out as Belford got past his teammate to take third.
Cook took fifth just 0.017 behind Brown over the line, with Crosby taking sixth a few tenths off but in some comfortable space.
Behind, Cormac Buchanan (Microlise Creswell Racing) took a lonelier seventh, with Ollie Walker (Moto Rapido / SP125 Racing) winning a duel against Jamie Lyons (C&M Motors Ltd / Tooltec Racing) for eighth. Corey Tinker (CT Racing) also carved out some space to complete the top ten.
That’s it from Snetterton, with Silverstone National next up and next week. It’s just ten points at the top now between Belford and O’Gorman, so it could prove a pivotal round. Tune in for more next Saturday and Sunday!
