Vickers celebrates first Bennetts BSB win

Vickers celebrates first Bennetts BSB win as Kent and Iddon claim first podiums in 2023.

Ryan Vickers claimed his first Bennetts British Superbike Championship race win at Brands Hatch this afternoon in the BikeSocial Sprint race as the LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha rider held off Danny Kent before a red flag for track contamination. The race was not restarted and half points were awarded as two-thirds race distance had not been completed.

At the start, championship leader Tommy Bridewell launched into the lead, but Vickers was determined and as the BeerMonster Ducati rider had a big moment, he took advantage and made his move at Stirlings.

Kent was in close contention too and as the leading trio crossed the line for the start of lap three, he was able to get better drive out of Clearways to take second and ease Bridewell back into third place.

Vickers and Kent were controlling the race at the front, with a slight edge over their rivals as the pair, both fighting for their first Bennetts BSB race win, made a break from the chasing pack.

Vickers had a few moments, but he was able to keep Kent at bay, but behind Christian Iddon had moved his way into third and he was bidding to close down the pair. However, the race was red flagged for track contamination, and was not restarted due to track conditions.

That meant Vickers became the sixth different race winner in 2023 Bennetts BSB with Kent and Iddon sealing podiums for the first time this season, making it nine different riders to score top three finishes so far this year and the first in the series for the Lovell Kent Racing Honda team.

Jack Kennedy and the Mar-Train Racing Yamaha team also took advantage of the conditions, with the reigning Quattro Group British Supersport champion celebrating his best result in Bennetts BSB with a fourth place, edging just ahead of Jason O’Halloran and McAMS Yamaha.

Leon Haslam was sixth for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team, meanwhile Bridewell dropped to seventh, but still maintains his championship lead with 26.5 points now separating him from his BeerMonster Ducati teammate Glenn Irwin who finished in tenth place.

Storm Stacey was eighth after a hard-fought performance for Starline Racing Kawasaki ahead of Peter Hickman who led the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team effort.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, BikeSocial Sprint Race result:

1. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha)
2. Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) +0.152s
3. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.173s
4. Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) +3.431s
5. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +4.566s
6. Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +4.941s
7. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +5.817s
8. Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki) +17.412s
9. Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +17.501s
10. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +17.814s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

1. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 221.5
2. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 195
3. Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 171.5
4. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 169.5
5. Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) 169
6. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 138.5
7. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 125
8. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 115
9. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 113
10. Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 85

Ryan Vickers
LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha
“I am so happy to have taken my first win and I can’t thank the team enough. It is an amazing feeling. There have been times in the last couple of years when I didn’t think winning would happen again, but I had people who believed in me, and with this team and package I am in a really good place.

“It is difficult to know what a rider is doing behind you, especially in the wet as Danny was stronger in some areas, but then I was stronger in others. You don’t know when someone will make a move, but I was riding my own comfortable pace. There was one corner that was tricky, but I was consistent and I just was hitting my markers and was focused on my own race.

“I felt comfortable leading and I felt happier being there, especially in wet conditions. I could see my pit board was +0.1 and it was difficult – I just tried to make no mistakes. We feel in a good place for tomorrow, I need to thank everyone who has supported me as without them over the last few years I wouldn’t be able to experience this amazing moment and I am going to enjoy every minute of it.”

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