MotorcycleRaceParts | TYSERS
BSB Oulton Park 2 2023
Tunstall Extends Title Lead
After a month’s layoff Tom Tunstall returned to action in the British Supersport Cup class taking a win and second place at Oulton Park to strengthen his Championship lead.
The latest British Superbike event brought a welcome return to action for MotorcycleRaceParts racer Tom Tunstall. Having not selected the previous Cadwell Park event as a “chosen round” for his 2023 Supersport Cup Campaign.
During the downtime the team had found a technical issue which would have been impeding the Yorkshireman at previous events. It was with a renewed focus the team took to the Cheshire track in a positive mood.
Progress through practice and qualifying meant Tunstall was placed first of the Cup riders going into Saturday’s sprint race.
With multiple crashes on the opening lap Tunstall had lost some ground, holding second cup rider but with other class riders in between.
Having shaken off the attentions of Adon Davie, Tunstall set about closing the near three second gap to the group ahead containing cup class leader Josh Wood.
With two laps to go Tunstall had got within striking distance and entering Knickerbrook chicane on the final lap out-braked Wood to take the lead. Half a lap later he crossed the line as first Cup and 13th place Supersport rider overall. Making it his sixth Cup win of the season.
Sunday’s feature race saw Tunstall recover from 3rd to leading Cup rider at the end of the first circulation. The race quickly became another three-way battle between Tunstall, Wood and Davie.
An error by Wood left Tunstall and Davie to fight it out over the whole race, the pair matching each other’s pace throughout. A strong push by Tunstall including setting his fastest lap of the weekend on the final lap wasn’t enough, crossing the line only a couple of tenths from another win.
The weekend results extended his Cup Championship lead to 44 points going into the penultimate round.
Tunstall summed up his weekend:
“Great to get another win and be fighting for another in race two, with close racing throughout.
It’s been a relief to find the bike issue, meaning we’ve had to start again with the suspension setting but we’ve made progress each time out.
It’s the best the bike has felt this year and I know there is more to come from both it and more importantly from me as I build the feeling and confidence with it.
I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum going at Donington and seeing what we can do there”.
The penultimate round of the 2023 series takes place at Donington Park over the weekend of the 29th Sept – 1st Oct on the GP circuit layout.
