Brands BSB: Ray crowned 2022 champion

Rich OMG Yamaha’s Bradley Ray has been crowned the 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Champion with a fifth-placed finish at Brands Hatch.

Ray only needed nine points from the sprint race for overall victory and crossed the line just behind title rival Tommy Bridewell.

Glenn Irwin took a dominant victory the race but fifth place was enough for Ray to be made kimg.

Honda’s Irwin did all he could to take the title into the final day and led from start to finish, being joined on the podium by Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) and Andrew Irwin (Synetiq BMW), although most eyes were on Ray and the rode the perfect race to take his and the Rich Energy OMG Racing’s first BSB title. Glenn Irwin got the jump off the line, and he led the field into Paddock Hill Bend, Hickman slotting into second, but further back in the pack Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) and Tom Neave (Honda Racing) crashed out. Neave’s team-mate Ryo Mizuno and the MCE Ducati of Josh Brookes were also affected by the crash and retired to the pits. Back at the front and Irwin led Hickman at the end of the lap with Andrew Irwin slotting into third ahead Kyle Ryde, Ray and Danny Kent (Buildbase Suzuki). Tommy Bridewell had a poor start though and was back in seventh on the Oxford Products Ducati. The front four were beginning to edge away and at the start of lap three Glenn Irwin, Hickman, Andrew Irwin and Ray were a second ahead of new fifth placed man Bridewell. Ray had a slight slide coming onto the start and finish which was a gentle reminder of the fine line being trod. Ryde was now sixth with the running order behind Kent, Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha), Danny Buchan (Synetiq BMW) and Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) but back at the front, less than half a