BSB: Kyle Ryde to defend his crown following the launch of OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing
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OMG's Paul Curran and Alan Gardner with the Nitrous Competitions Co-Owners Matt Phillips and Dave Williams
Kyle Ryde will get the chance to defend his Bennetts British Superbike Championship crown this year following a sensational turn of events within the OMG Racing team.
The reigning champions sent shockwaves throughout the paddock and BSB fanbase on April 1 when the team announced its withdrawal from the championship just a few days before the opening pre-season test at Navarra. That
At the time of the announcement, the team stated that “due to a significant unforeseen commercial matter” they would not be on the grid. This left Ryde, 2022 champion Bradley Ray and newcomer Joe Talbot without rides with just a month to go until the opening round.
However, the team has now been saved following a new partnership being formed with Nitrous Competitions. The rescue deal sees the team rebranded as OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing, whilst Ryde will continue to race the Yamaha R1.
“I am just so happy to be able to defend the title with the team after the panic of the last week,” Ryde said. “This is the best scenario for me after what happened; I have my familiar bike and team ready to defend the number one plate. I need to thank everyone who has been working so hard behind the scenes to make this happen and now we are ready to get going.”
Ryde and the team will make their first appearance at the two-day Donington Test on April 18-19, with Ryde running the number one plate following his dramatic title win last season. Ryde won the title by a single point after a stunning final race victory against Tommy Bridewell.
A further two-days of testing is scheduled at Oulton Park on April 23-24, with the Cheshire circuit also hosting round one on May 3-5.
“This is such an exciting venture for me and co-owner Matt Phillips,” Dave Williams, co-owner of Nitrous Competitions said. “I am a huge fan of the sport and even currently race myself too! For this opportunity to come and for us to be involved is a dream come true and we can’t wait to see Kyle and the OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing team in action.”
The new OMG team will be a one-rider effort, with Ray joining forces with Steve Rodgers and the returning Raceways Yamaha team for the upcoming season. Talbot’s 2025 plans are currently unknown.
