Editorial Note: Americans Julian Correa and Joshua Raymond, Jr. finished third and 16th, respectively, in British Talent Cup Race Two Sunday at Donington Park. Then in Race Three, Correa took fifth and Raymond was 21st. Correa ended up fourth in the final Championship point standings with Raymond taking 17th.
More, from a press release issued by MSVR:
Ryde regains championship lead by four-points ahead of crucial Brands Hatch decider
Kyle Ryde was victorious in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship race of the weekend at Donington Park as his double win edged him ahead of defending champion Tommy Bridewell by a slender four-point margin ahead of the Brands Hatch decider (11/12/13 October).
Three riders remain in title contention as Ryde leads the hunt from Bridewell whilst Glenn Irwin is 46-points adrift of his OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing rival at the top. However, with 105 points available at the finale, three teams representing three different manufacturers will go head-to-head for the crown.
Glenn Irwin kept his title hopes alive in race two at Donington Park by returning to winning ways for Hager PBM Ducati following an intense four-way battle with title rivals Bridewell and Ryde whilst Danny Kent narrowly missed out on the podium.
Bridewell was fighting hard to hold his lead in the standings and he had initially led before a battle with his nemesis as the pair once again traded blows at the front with Ryde and Kent also in the mix.
Irwin held the advantage despite nothing between the top four throughout the 12-lap contest, but then Ryde moved into the lead. The Hager PBM Ducati rider fought back hard though and went on to take the victory.
Bridewell had saved a huge moment at the top of the Craner Curves and then had to regain momentum to claim second with a move on Ryde to force his closest rival back to third place at the chequered flag.
Bridewell held a five point standings lead moving into the final race of the weekend, but the Honda Racing UK rider had to relinquish his position as Ryde returned to winning ways in the final contest of the weekend.
Ryde claimed his eighth win of the season in the red-flagged final race, whilst his title rivals Irwin and Bridewell finished in fourth and fifth respectively.
Irwin had grabbed the initial advantage off the line to lead from Bridewell and Andrew Irwin with Kent and Ryde next in the freight train of riders.
Ryde moved into third a lap later and then was able to make another pass on the brakes on lap five. His Hager PBM Ducati rival fought back though and a lap later regained the position at the Fogarty Esses.
Ryde was back ahead as they crossed the line to complete the next lap though as Kent was on a charge. The McAMS Racing Yamaha rider made his signature pass at the Old Hairpin to take second and then chase down Ryde as he pushed to try to secure a debut Bennetts BSB race win.
Ryde was holding off Kent’s challenge, but behind Ryan Vickers had carved his way through to third ahead of Irwin and Bridewell.
However, the race ended with a red flag on lap 18 when Billy McConnell crashed on the exit of the Melbourne Hairpin, collecting both Christian Iddon and Jason O’Halloran. O’Halloran sustained a shoulder injury in the crash, whilst Iddon fractured his right foot.
Ryde now heads the hunt to Brands Hatch in a bid for a debut title as Bridewell prepares to fight back to become the first rider to win consecutive crowns for two different manufacturers.
However, Irwin can still give the Hager PBM Ducati team a tenth title if he can capitalise on any errors from his rivals.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 2 result:
- Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati)
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +0.241s
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +0.431s
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +0.741s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +1.742s
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +3.067
- Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +5.348s
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +5.899s
- Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +5.968s
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +6.128s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 3 result:
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +0.384s
- Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +1.727s
- Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) +3.042s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +4.521s
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +4.826s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +5.133s
- Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +5.544s
- Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +6.635s
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) +11.155s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 398
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 394
- Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 352
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 290
- Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 265
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 261
- Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) 237
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) 218
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) 193
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 189
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Kyle Ryde
OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing
“After the Friday and Saturday morning we had, obviously Saturday afternoon we won the race. I was disappointed with third this morning because I came so close, and I actually got to the lead at one point. It just shows how far we’ve come throughout the season, to be annoyed at a third place!
“I made amends in the last race, started sixth and chipped a few people off into Melbourne. And when I got to the front, I tried to do a lap time which would kind of break the people, but Glenn kept passing me at the end of the back straight, and made it hard work. I used that much rear tyre to keep him behind me.
“When I actually got the gap and Danny was behind me, I thought I was in trouble. I just basically won that race by being faster through the chicane and the last two corners, so I’m glad to win. The championship lead is obviously a big bonus ahead of Brands Hatch.”
