The Bennetts British Superbike Championship arrives in Cheshire for the second round of the 2023 season at Oulton Park this weekend and the leading contenders have their first chance to stake a claim to the Milwaukee Grand Slam if they put the hammer down with race wins.
The Milwaukee Race of the North kicks things off with riders competing for three potential prizes with a heavy duty £50,000 up for grabs. This weekend’s round is paired with the Milwaukee King of Donington (19-21 May) as the chase unfolds over six races.
If any rider can deliver victories in all six races across the two Milwaukee Spring Grand Slam rounds, they will claim the main £50,000 prize. Should a rider win five of the six races, they will claim £25,000, whilst four victories across the two events will bag a £10,000 prize.
Three different riders from as many different teams and manufacturers celebrated victory at the season opener as the championship fight heads to the North West.
Two-time champion Josh Brookes leads the standings after returning to the winning form which carried him to his titles. The FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team rider has a strong record at the Cheshire circuit and will be aiming to maintain his early season momentum.
Just behind him in the standings is the BeerMonster Ducati pairing of Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin. Like Brookes, Irwin was a race winner at Silverstone, whilst Bridewell enjoyed a consistent weekend at the sharp end to ensure the teammates head into this weekend’s action separated by just two points.
Kyle Ryde claimed the opening spoils at Silverstone and he is fourth for reigning champions LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha, marginally ahead of Yamaha rival Jason O’Halloran who topped the recent Oulton Park R&G official test for McAMS Yamaha.
2018 Champion Leon Haslam and the new ROKiT BMW Motorrad team hold sixth in the standings after an impressive debut at the season opener, just four points ahead of reigning Quattro Group British Supersport Champion Jack Kennedy who delivered a strong performance at Silverstone for Mar-Train Yamaha.
Danny Kent and the Lovell Kent Racing Honda team continue their debut campaign after a promising start at Silverstone, just ahead of Honda Racing UK’s Andrew Irwin and Lee Jackson on the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki who complete the top ten in the standings.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 48
- Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 46
- Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 43
- Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 39
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 35
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) 30
- Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Yamaha) 26
- Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) 26
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 15
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 15
Josh Brookes
FHO Racing BMW Motorrad
“Obviously we are carrying a lot of positive energy after winning the race at Silverstone; however I am not shy to say that Silverstone has always produced, not strange results, but hasn’t always been the same character as the rest of the season as a whole. We still have a whole season ahead to prove.
“Looking to Oulton Park though I have had success there in the past and I think it is a fantastic circuit, it’s very technical and physically demanding. I am looking forward to getting there and see what we can do in the races.
“At the test we were really competitive in the times, both Peter [Hickman] and I were in the top six, so that bodes well but we also know we have areas and room to improve with the general package of the bike because of the limited time we had before racing. We haven’t got what I would think the bike in the perfect range yet.
“I feel it is quite easy at this stage to possibly make changes that will really improve our potential, against say later in the year where you just set up from track to track. So given the proximity to where we started and where we are, I think there is a good optimism amongst us that we are going to improve at the round. I am looking forward to getting started.”
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