Bridewell does the double to be crowned Monster Energy King of Brands

Tommy Bridewell had never won a Bennetts British Superbike Championship race at Brands Hatch before today, but the BeerMonster Ducati rider celebrated a double victory to add to his tally and be crowned the Monster Energy King of Brands winner.

After yesterday’s first win in the Championship for Ryan Vickers, the weekend featured five different riders on the podium representing four different teams and three different manufacturers.

In race two, Bridewell got his day off to a winning start as he fought to the front of the pack and then pulled the pin in the closing stages to have an edge of 2.406s at the chequered flag.

Kent had initially hit the front of the pack ahead of Christian Iddon, Vickers and Jason O’Halloran. However, the lead changed on the second lap as Iddon grabbed the advantage with a move down the inside at Paddock Hill Bend.

Kent recaptured the lead at Surtees a lap later, but Iddon instantly attacked back to put the Oxford Products Racing Ducati back ahead. Vickers and O’Halloran were equally looking for their chance to make a move, but on lap seven Dean Harrison crashed heavily at Paddock Hill Bend and the BMW Safety Car was deployed. The DAO Racing Kawasaki rider was unhurt in the crash, meanwhile Josh Owens also tipped off at Graham Hill Bend.

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Iddon was then back in the lead when the race resumed, but Bridewell was moving through the pack and by lap 12 he was fighting at the front and he made a decisive move at Hawthorns to head his rivals.

Bridewell then made his charge, breaking the pack whilst behind it became an intense run to the finish with five riders fighting for the final two podium positions. It was Iddon and Kent who held the advantage to secure consecutive top three finishes backing up their podium finishes in the wet yesterday with a repeat performance in the dry with Glenn Irwin fighting through to fourth ahead of Vickers and O’Halloran.

Race three became an intense five-rider race-long fight for victory in the final action of the weekend, with it coming down to the final lap between Bridewell and his BeerMonster Ducati teammate Irwin and BikeSocial Sprint Race winner Vickers.

At the start of the race, Josh Brookes was caught up in the pack and crashed out at Paddock Hill Bend unhurt. Meanwhile at the front, Kent had dived into the lead ahead of Bridewell, Iddon and Kyle Ryde, who later retired from the race on the LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha.

Iddon then took the lead on the second lap and he was holding the advantage until lap 12 when Bridewell had edged ahead with a move at Hawthorns. The lead group had become a five-rider freight train and Bridewell was holding the advantage over Iddon, Irwin, Vickers and Kent.

Irwin moved into second at Surtees on lap 15, pushing Iddon back to third and then the Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider was under attack from Vickers who made his move at Stirlings.

On the last lap, both Irwin and Vickers were hunting Bridewell but it wasn’t enough to deny him the double victory with just 0.237s covering the top three at the chequered flag.

As Bridewell claimed a second win, Irwin fought back to finish on the podium for the first time this weekend, whilst Vickers ended the event on a high with third place.

Iddon held off Kent to take fourth place with O’Halloran completing the top five for McAMS Yamaha. In the closing stages, Lee Jackson was able to get ahead of Leon Haslam on the ROKiT BMW Motorrad with rookies Charlie Nesbitt and Max Cook completing the top ten.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 2 result:

1. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati)
2. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.406s
3. Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) +2.463s
4. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +2.512s
5. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +2.732s
6. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +3.039s
7. Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +3.351s
8. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +6.821s
9. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +8.473s
10. Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Yamaha) +8.598s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 3 result:

1. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati)
2. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.133s
3. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.237s
4. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.000s
5. Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) +3.481s
6. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +4.744s
7. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +6.343s
8. Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +7.373s
9. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +8.046s
10. Max Cook (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +13.706s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

1. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 258
2. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 223.5
3. Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 181
4. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 177
5. Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) 172
6. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 158.5
7. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 143
8. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki 142.5
9. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 138
10. Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) 100

Tommy Bridewell
BeerMonster Ducati
“It’s been a great weekend in all aspects. To win one BSB race is an achievement so to win two in a day shows how confident I am and how I feel within myself, with the bike and with the team.

“I’m really proud of what we’re doing at the moment. I’m thinking more about what I’m doing which is allowing me to analyse more, understand more, and learn more and all of that combined is helping me go faster.

“In the final race, I knew Glenn would be there with me but it’s testament to the hard work we’re doing on Friday and Saturday that I could hold him off and it’s all about maintaining the good momentum we have. To be crowned the Monster Energy King of Brands is great!”

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