Kent claims debut BSB win at Brands
Words and images courtesy BSB
Danny Kent claimed a debut Bennetts British Superbike Championship race win in the opening contest of the weekend at Brands Hatch as he took McAMS Racing Yamaha team to their first Superbike victory. However, an intense race one leaves the championship fight on a knife-edge ahead of tomorrow’s two decisive races with just a single point now between Kyle Ryde and Tommy Bridewell.
The first race of the weekend got underway with Ryan Vickers launching off the Omologato Pole Position to lead the pack on the opening lap from Kent and Josh Brookes, whilst the race was over prematurely for Billy McConnell and Rory Skinner who crashed out at Hawthorns.
Vickers held the lead until lap nine when Kent launched ahead and the McAMS Racing Yamaha rider delivered an inch perfect performance to take his first win in the Championship on his 100th race start to become the ninth different race winner of the season.
Danny Kent said: “It’s an amazing feeling to have achieved my first Bennetts British Superbike Championship win. I feel over the moon with my performance today, and I can’t thank the team enough for giving me a package capable of fighting at the front. It’s been a long time coming, not through lack of trying; sometimes you just need everything to align. Today was one of those days. I’m really happy for McAMS Racing, to share our debut win together is a great way to spend the final round of 2024. We’ve also narrowed the points gap to third in the standings, and with two more to go this weekend, we’ll focus ahead and aim to do more of the same tomorrow.”
Behind Tommy Bridewell had carved his way up the order to third by lap seven and then the Honda Racing UK rider broke the chasing pack to claim third place and in doing so move to within a single point of Ryde ahead of tomorrow’s two title-deciding races.
Bridewell said: “In the wet conditions, it’s not the physical side, it’s keeping your focus. You don’t ever get any margin to make a mistake. I knew we needed to get away, we’ve got a new swing arm this weekend and it was a mega calculated risk setup from the team. The bike was working great, and I just knew I needed to get away with the front guys. It was nice to see on my pit board that I had like an eight and a half second gap. Those conditions are so easy to make a mistake. We didn’t make a mistake. We went in four points behind, we’ve come out of it one point behind. A three-point gain is better than no point. And it sets it up tomorrow real nice because in the dry I feel like the bike is working really well. I feel great on the bike and I feel like I can really just attack. I’m excited – which is strange when there’s so much at stake. May the best man win!”
Ryde was able to take fourth place on the final lap with a decisive move on Peter Hickman at Surtees; the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing rider maintains his marginal advantage ahead of tomorrow’s decider.
Glenn Irwin had been showing his determination again to move from his 15th place grid position following a high-speed crash in Speedy Hire Qualifying into fourth place and rapidly closing on Bridewell ahead of him, but the Hager PBM Ducati rider crashed out at Graham Hill Bend unhurt. The DNF puts him 70-points adrift of Ryde with a maximum of 70 available from the two races tomorrow.
Max Cook was able to take sixth place ahead of Brookes and Lewis Rollo, who had been running second earlier in the race on the BSB Pathway specification In Competition SENCAT Aprilia. Storm Stacey and James Westmoreland completed the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 1 Result:
1. Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha)
2. Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +1.625s
3. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +6.366s
4. Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +14.877s
5. Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +15.433s
6. Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +16.688s
7. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +17.076s
8. Lewis Rollo (In Competition SENCAT Aprilia) +25.207s
9. Storm Stacey (Team LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki) +26.812s
10. James Westmoreland (Team IWR Honda) +46.440s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
1. Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 422
2. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 421
3. Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 352
4. Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 325
5. Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 295
6. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 261
7. Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) 243
8. Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) 218
9. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 207
10. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) 193
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com