Ray victorious from Ryde as Bridewell makes podium return at Snetterton

Bradley Ray was victorious in the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship race at Snetterton, marking a winning return to the Snetterton circuit for Raceways Yamaha, with Kyle Ryde and Tommy Bridewell making it a podium of title-winners.

At the start of the race, Ray launched into the lead ahead of Ryde and Rory Skinner who had completed the front row after Bandero Café Shoot Out Qualifying. Tommy Bridewell though was on a mission and he made a move on Skinner ahead of him; the Cheshire Mouldings Ducati rider instantly repaid the pass, but it wasn’t until a lap later the Honda Racing UK contender could make it stick.

Ray was delivering consistently rapid lap times, which gave him the edge to break the pack, whilst Ryde was again on the podium in second place, but for Honda Racing UK it marked their return to the top three after a challenging start to the season.

The battle for fourth was intense, but Leon Haslam emerged ahead of Christian Iddon and Danny Kent, with Max Cook getting ahead of Charlie Nesbitt who completed the top eight. Josh Brookes had been closing on the group but ended the race ninth just ahead of Storm Stacey who completed the top ten.

Hager PBM Ducati’s Glenn Irwin did not take part in the opening race after he crashed during Free Practice 3. Following a CT scan at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, he has been found to have fractures to his hip socket and pelvis. He is in stable condition. Glenn will be reviewed tomorrow by the specialist team to decide an ongoing management plan.

What The Winner Said: BRADLEY RAY, RACEWAYS YAMAHA

“You know what it’s like in races, sometimes you have a plan and sometimes it doesn’t go to plan. I thought, ‘I’m going to put two good laps in at the start and see what happens,’ and then set into the rhythm which I knew I could do and what we did in Free Practice. So I am over the moon, but just overheating a little bit. Honestly I wasn’t expecting those lap times similar to Qualifying, but I just kept digging in and I felt good on the bike. I saw a little gap at the start, so I went again for it on the second lap and then it just about broke Kyle, so I was then able to set into the rhythm and do my own race, but I really enjoyed that.”

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 1 result:

1. Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha)
2. Kyle Ryde (OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) +5.380s
3. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +10.561s
4. Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) +18.848s
5. Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +19.044s
6. Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) + 19.629s
7. Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +20.416s
8. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +20.598s
9. Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +21.674s
10. Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing BMW) +26.075s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) 104
Kyle Ryde (OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) 82
Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) 77
Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 74
Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) 51
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) 47
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 47
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 45
Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) 35
Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing BMW) 29

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com