British Superbikes: Glenn Irwin runner-up in race one at Snetterton

Glenn Irwin is competing for Be Wiser Ducati for the third consecutive season

Glenn Irwin finished second behind series leader Leon Haslam in race one of the fourth round of the British Superbike Championship at Snetterton.

The Carrickfergus man took over at the front after leader Bradley Ray crashed out on lap 14 of 16 but encountered tyre problems in the latter stages.

Be Wiser Ducati rider Irwin, 28, was taken out in a crash involving Ray in race two and is fifth in the standings.

Debutant Andrew Irwin came off early in race one and was 10th in race two.

Andrew was drafted in to join his elder brother in the Paul Bird Motorsport-managed team after six-time champion Shane Byrne was badly injured in a testing crash on 17 May.

Honda riders Dan Linfoot and Jason O'Halloran, plus Toomebridge Tyco BMW rider Michael Laverty, were all taken out on the opening lap of the race one crash involving Irwin, who is taking part in the World Supersport series this year.

Glenn Irwin was battling for fourth when his interest in race two ended, with Laverty ending up ninth to occupy 10th in the championship standings.

Haslam made it a race win double, with Jake Dixon completing the rostrum in race one and Dixon and Australian Josh Brookes second and third in race two.

BSB back after lengthy break

The BSB series was resuming after a six-week break to accommodate the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT international road races, with Glenn Irwin back in competitive action for the first time since securing a 'big bike' double at the North West last month.

Glenn was third fastest in qualifying and looked well placed to add to his maiden British Superbike success at Silverstone in 2017 when he assumed the first race lead following Buildbase Suzuki rider Ray's departure.

Haslam took over at the head of affairs to secure a fourth consecutive race win and made it five in a row by taking victory in the next later in the afternoon.

Irwin's second-placed result equals his best of the season so far as he also took a runner-up spot at the Brands Hatch Indy round in mid-April.

The Northern Irishman finished 12th in the overall championship standings in both 2016 and 2017.

NI riders in Support classes

Clogher's Keith Farmer was fourth in the Superstock 1000cc race won by EHA Aprilia Racing pilot Joe Collier, with Alastair Seeley sixth.

Josh Elliott and Andy Reid were both fallers and Reid now lies fifth in the series on 66 points and Seeley sixth on 54.

Billy McConnell heads the standings with 113, while Tyco BMW rider Farmer is third on 95.

Eunan McGlinchey won the opening British Junior Supersport championship race.