Defending champion Kyle Ryde celebrated a career first treble victory in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at his home round of Donington Park, celebrating a hat trick of wins for Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha to hold the advantage in the title standings ahead of the Showdown, which kicks off at the TT Circuit Assen.
Ryde’s treble means the reigning champion takes a 28-point lead into the final three round Showdown as his closest rival Bradley Ray had his toughest weekend of the season, scoring a single podium finish in race three. The Raceways Yamaha team now prepare for the fight back as the points’ value ramps up for the final nine races of the title fight.
Scott Redding had been victorious in the first of the four races yesterday, but Ryde started the triple-header Sunday by striking back against the Hager PBM Ducati rider, holding off an attack on the penultimate lap to return to the top step of the podium for Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha.
Redding had launched off the line into the lead, but Ryde grabbed the advantage and the pair were inseparable throughout the 12-lap contest. The Hager PBM Ducati rider though was determined to try to make it a second victory with a move at Melbourne on the penultimate lap, but he ran wide and Ryde was straight back into the lead.
Meanwhile as Ryde returned to winning ways ahead of Redding, Rory Skinner added another podium finish to the tally for Cheshire Mouldings Ducati, breaking the pack behind him led by Ray who was fighting to regain ground after a nine place in yesterday’s opening race.
Ryde then delivered a decisive second victory of the day, holding off both Ray and Redding after an intense battle for supremacy.
Redding had initially led the pack for Hager PBM Ducati ahead of Ryde and Christian Iddon with Ray holding fourth. The leading trio were in the battle with Ray making a move into third at Redgate.
The BMW Safety Car was deployed when Andrew Irwin crashed at the Fogarty Esses, leaving the stricken Honda in the track. Danny Kent then crashed in a separate incident during the Safety Car period. He was declared unfit for race four and following a CT scan on his right hand at hospital, the McAMS Racing Yamaha rider will be visiting a specialist tomorrow.
On the restart, Redding was leading the pack from Ryde, Ray, Iddon, Skinner and Tommy Bridewell. On lap seven, the defending champion was on the attack again and he took the lead into the Melbourne Hairpin on the brakes, but ran wide and his Hager PBM Ducati rival moved back ahead.
Ryde made a brave move on the inside at Craner Curves for the lead on lap eight, but Redding fought back at the Old Hairpin, before the Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha rider reclaimed the position at Starkeys and claimed his second win of the day. Ray had taken advantage of the pair dicing, moving into second, and then held off Redding to the chequered flag to make a podium return.
Ryde’s dream Donington Park performance continued in the final race, taking the lead on the penultimate lap of race four from Skinner to increase his advantage to 28-points.
Ray launched into the lead ahead of Ryde at the start, but the race started with disaster for Redding as he dropped to fifth and then ran on at the Fogarty Esses to rejoin in seventh place.
Ryde was determined and seized the advantage making a move on Ray at Starkeys on the second lap, and the Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha rider was holding the edge until lap four when he had a huge moment out of the seat on the exit of the Fogarty Esses.
Ryde dropped to third with the moment as Ray recaptured the lead and Skinner took the advantage to move second into the Melbourne Hairpin. The Cheshire Mouldings Ducati rider was then targeting Ray and a lap later, he moved into the front with a move at the Old Hairpin, with Ryde relegating Ray further into third at Starkeys on the same lap.
The group of four then included Leon Haslam as the Moto Rapido Ducati Racing rider closed the leading trio, but the BMW Safety Car was deployed when Richard Kerr had a heavy crash on the start line.
The pack had regrouped and then when the race resumed, Skinner was leading from Ryde, Ray, Haslam, Josh Brookes, Redding and Bridewell. However, Haslam was instantly on the attack, moving into third place at Redgate to ease Ray back to fourth and a lap later, Redding also moved ahead of the title contender.
Ryde made his strike for the lead on the penultimate lap with his hallmark overtake at Starkeys on Skinner. The defending champion was then able to hold him off to the chequered flag to complete a perfect day for the Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha team.
Skinner was second as he completed a strong weekend to move back into third in the overall standings ahead of the Showdown, whilst Redding was able to steal the final podium position from Haslam on the final lap with a move at the Melbourne Hairpin, elevating himself from 12th to ninth in the overall standings.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 2 result:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha)
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) +0.201s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) +3.826s
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) +5.379s
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +8.301s
- Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +8.400s
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) +9.284s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +9.747s
- Glenn Irwin (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) +12.642s
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +12.888s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 3 result:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha)
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) 1.222s
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) +2.069s
- Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) 3.479s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) +4.310s
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) +4.663s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +5.086s
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +5.776s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +11.162s
- Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +11.735s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 4 result:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha)
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) +0.444s
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) +1.030s
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) +1.293s
- Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +2.622s
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +3.280s
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) 3.948s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +4.190s
- Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +4.373s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +4.868s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) 354
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) 326
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) 235
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) 231
- Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) 207
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 200
- Danny Kent (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) 200
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) 172
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) 169
- Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) 156
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
KYLE RYDE – NITROUS COMPETITIONS RACING YAMAHA
“This is the best Sunday I’ve ever had in BSB – I’ve never done the triple before, so it feels great to get that one ticked off the list.
“Achieving these kind of results isn’t easy, so I’m proud of what the team and I have managed to achieve.
“I had a great feeling on the Yamaha R1 this weekend, and the team worked hard to make it even better.
“If Kyles-berg did Sundays, this is what they would be!
“I am excited to get to Assen in a couple of weeks’ time and aim for more of the same, but I have never ridden a big bike around there!”