BSB Brands Hatch: Tommy Bridewell beats Kyle Ryde in race two to take championship lead

Tommy Bridewell will start the final race of the 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season with the championship lead winning an exciting sprint race at Brands Hatch.

Title fighters Bridewell and Kyle Ryde fought their way through from the second and third rows respectively within a couple of laps to lead the field. The pair would then exchange positions multiple times, with Bridewell fighting back instantly each time Ryde overtook him.

Both riders were on the limit, with Ryde having a few edgy moments onboard his Yamaha. Bridewell managed to break away from his rival in the last couple of laps after setting the fastest lap of the race.

Victory, his third of the season, moves Bridewell four points clear of Ryde with one race remaining. If the pair find themselves in first and second again later this afternoon, fans will be treated to a winner takes all scenario. The pair will start from first and second on the grid.

Ryan Vickers completed the podium onboard the second of the GRILLA OMG Racing Yamaha R1s, but was 4.679s behind the race winner.

Race one winner Danny Kent crossed the line in fourth ahead of Josh Brookes and Andrew Irwin, whilst Max Cook finished in seventh. Peter Hickman, Charlie Nesbitt and Glenn Irwin completed the top 10. Irwin is riding battered and bruised following his two crashes on Saturday afternoon.

Leon Haslam finished 11^th despite starting the race from 20^th on the grid, coming home ahead of Lee Jackson and Storm Stacey. Billy McConnell and Danny Buchan secured the final two points on offer in the sprint race.

Connor Rossi Thomson crashed out on the opening lap on the Cooper Straight, whilst Luke Hedger retired with a bike problem. Rory Skinner crashed out with five laps remaining on the Cooper Straight.

The final race of the weekend at Brands Hatch is scheduled to begin at 16:00.

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Danny Kent is a Bennetts British Superbike Championship race winner after mastering the wet conditions at Brands Hatch.

The McAMS Racing Yamaha man got the better of Ryan Vickers and pulled clear to cross the line with an advantage of 1.625s. Kent’s maiden victory comes in his 100^th BSB race, whilst it’s also the Mar-Train Racing squads maiden Superbike success.

Tommy Bridewell completed the podium ahead of Kyle Ryde, with the latter overtaking Max Cook and Peter Hickman in the closing stages to keep hold of his championship lead. Going into the final day, Ryde is one-point clear of Bridewell.

Glenn Irwin’s title dream is over for another season after a crash at Graham Hill Bend. Irwin had fought his way through to fourth from 15^th on the grid, and was the fastest man on track when he hit the deck. Irwin is 70 points behind Ryde with 70 points still available.

Hickman completed the top five to celebrate his best result of the season ahead of Cook, with Josh Brookes crossing the line in seventh. Lewis Rollo, who was second at one stage, Storm Stacey and James Westmoreland completed the top 10.

Andrew Irwin came home in 11^th ahead of Danny Buchan, whilst Lee Jackson, Luke Hedger and Brayden Elliot secured the final points on offer today.

Billy McConnell and Rory Skinner crashed out together at Hawthorns on the opening lap. McConnell went down, with Skinner unable to avoid the stricken Honda.

Charlie Nesbitt suffered a huge highside at Clark Curve at the end of lap eight. Nesbitt was taken to the medical centre as a result.

Leon Haslam returned to the pits and retired from the race. Haslam had already been lapped after opting to take a risk on an intermediate rear tyre. Xavi Fores and Connor Rossi Thomson both retired from the race.  

Sunday’s races at Brands Hatch are scheduled to take place at 12:30 and 16:00.

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Ryan Vickers claimed pole position in a dramatic qualifying session at Brands Hatch for the final round of the 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season.

Rain fell just before the start of Q1, but the shower didn’t last long before the sun came out. That said, whilst the start of the lap was largely dry, the back section, under the trees, was damp and greasy.

The session was red flagged with just over 10 minutes remaining due to a highside for Lee Jackson. The MasterMac Honda rider was the first to venture out on slick tyres and posted the fastest lap-time just before he crashed after clipping the white paint on the exit of Stirlings.

The red flags returned shortly after the restart when Glenn Irwin’s Hager PBM Ducati engine appeared to let go. Smoke and oil poured out the back, launching the Northern Irishman off the bike into Surtees.

Brother Andrew Irwin was behind him and went down as well, immediately jumping up and running over to lift the Ducati off of his brother. Both men were assessed at the scene, with Glenn limping away to the medical centre. Fortunately, Glenn was declared fit, but will have to start race one from 15^th on the grid.

Once back underway, it was Vickers who posted a best lap-time of 1:25.324 to claim his fourth pole of the season. Vickers won all three races in dominating fashion at Brands Hatch earlier in the year.

Jackson recovered to qualify second, whilst Josh Brookes completed the front row for FHO Racing BMW. Its Brookes’ third consecutive front row, whilst the superbike veteran will also celebrate his 400^th BSB start tomorrow.

Championship leader Kyle Ryde heads row two ahead of an impressive Max Cook. Tommy Bridewell qualified sixth onboard his Honda Racing UK Fireblade. Ryde and Bridewell are separated by four points heading into race one.

Peter Hickman was seventh on the second of the FHO Racing BMWs, ahead of Danny Kent and Leon Haslam. Charlie Nesbitt completed the top 10 despite crashing out of the session at Surtees with a few minutes remaining.

Danny Buchan qualified 11^th for DAO Racing Kawasaki, whilst Andrew Irwin managed to get back out after his crash to put his Honda 12^th on the grid. Storm Stacey and James Westmoreland completed the grid ahead of Glenn Irwin.

Brayden Elliot narrowly missed out on a spot in Q2 by just 0.002s, and will line-up alongside Rory Skinner and Billy McConnell on the sixth row.

Billy McConnell heads row seven ahead of Luke Hedger and Lewis Rollo, whilst the returning Xavi Fores and debutant Connor Rossi Thomson completing the grid.

Multiple riders are missing from the final round. Jason O’Halloran is out after undergoing shoulder surgery following his incident at Donington Park, whilst Christian Iddon is also missing with a broken foot after being involved in the same collision at O’Halloran earlier this month.

TAG Honda are also not competing this weekend. Fraser Rogers has opted to give his fractured femurs more time to heal, whilst teammate Jaime Van Sikkelerus is also injured. With Franco Bourne still recovering from his injury sustained at Thruxton, Rapid Honda have also taken the decision to miss the final round.

The opening race of the weekend at Brands Hatch is due to begin at 16:00.