Donington BSB: Ray extends lead as Irwin brothers podium

Bradley Ray put one hand on this year’s Bennetts British Superbike Championship with victory in the final race of the weekend at Donington Park, the win giving the Rich Energy OMG Yamaha rider a 66-point lead ahead of the final round.

Ray saw off the challenges of Andrew and Glenn Irwin, the latter looking on course for the win until he lost a foot peg, with the Synetiq BMW of Andrew taking second. Honda Racing’s Glenn managed to get the better of Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Ducati) on the final lap for a hard-fought rostrum. The race started with yesterday’s podium finisher Peter Hickman (FHO BMW) at the back of the grid after a technical issue prevented him from taking his second-row position and at the end of the lap, the running order was Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati), Andrew Irwin, Glenn Irwin, Bridewell, Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) and Bridewell but the red flag was quickly out due to a crash involving Chrissy Rouse exiting Goddards. Re-started over 18 laps, and with original grid positions – which allowed Hickman to line up in sixth – Sykes again got the holeshot and he led the field round the first lap, leading from O’Halloran, Ray, Glenn Irwin, Andrew Irwin and his Synetiq BMW teammate Danny Buchan. O’Halloran briefly took the lead on lap two, nipping ahead at the Melbourne Hairpin, but Sykes quickly got back ahead, the front five immediately pulling away, their cause aided slightly by Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki), Bridewell and Hickman running wide at Melbourne. Glenn Irwin then pushed O’Halloran down to fourth with brother Andrew doing the same at Redgate at the start of lap four, the same lap seeing Ray take the lead from Sykes at the Old Hairpin. Sykes was then relegated to third by Glenn