2023 British Superbikes: Donington Park Race Results (3)
Results from race three, round three of the 2023 Bennetts Superbike Championship at Donington Park.
Kyle Ryde bounced back with a performance that echoed his sprint win to double up at Donington to finish the third race weekend of the British Superbike season.
Again nobody could show a wheel to Kyle Ryde who controlled the final race around Donington Park on his LAMI OMG Yamaha.
The local rider lead from lights to chequered flag and really pulled the pin with only Tommy Bridewell, who had started from pole but was instantly passed, able to follow.
It was a turnaround for the duo after a strange fall for Ryde and a mechanical failure for Bridewell meant they both did not finish the second race of the meeting.
The #77 remained untouchable to be the first rider to do a double this season, leading over the line by a final 1.397s as the BeerMonster Ducati rider, found his tyres rapidly losing grip, so he turned his attention to preserving second, with the race action hotting up behind.
- 2023 British Superbikes Donington Park Race Results (2)
British Supersport: Max Wadsworth taken to hospital following warm-up crash
British Superbikes Donington Park: Perfect start for dominant Ryde
Irwin fights back for third
None of the podium finishers saw the rostrum in race three, Glenn Irwin crashed out after dropping to 17th and needing to push to try and feature.
Also making up for his middle race, the PBM rider had been a lowly eleventh on the grid after his early exit, but immediately made waves with some hard passing and a few exits ahead.
Holding the final podium slot after passing Leon Haslam, the #2 came under late pressure from Ryan Vickers - on fire after scoring his first podium finish earlier in the day.
The second OMG bike had been in a busy, fantic battle for fourth before pulling clear after hitting the front of the group - and was close enough to attack Irwin several times over the final lap, but he could not stay ahead, so had to settle for fourth.
It remains Vickers best race weekend to date.
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Christian Iddon lead the four man battle for fifth over the line, making up a huge ten places to be in contention - a superb, determined performance from the Oxford Products Ducati rider.
The #21 bike held off pressure from a mich improved Lee Jackson, who looked back to his best in sixth for Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki, their best rider again. Race two winner Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha)fell into the mix from his front row start after bike issues to finish seventh with Leon Haslam Fading to eighth. The Rokit MMW Motorrad racer still featured on the podium as his consistent performace over the Oulton and Donington weekends saw him awarded the Milwaukee trophy.
Charlie Nesbitt passed Danny Buchan late in the race for ninth on the MasterMac Honda, leavinf the SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad rider tenth.
Similarly Peter Hickman’s late move on Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Yamaha) saw him bring home the FHO Racing BMW in eleventh.
Josh Brookes had the kind of race he feared when he was given the gift of the safety car re-bunching the field in race two. This time there was no way back from being off the pace, finishing almost five seconds after his FHO team-mate in 13th.
The remaining points on offer went to Tom Neave for Honda in 14th and Hector Barbera on the TAG Honda in 15th.
Crashes, absentees and injuries
Max Cook was the first to exit. Starting from a best so far of tenth on the grid,it was the first time the youngest rider in the class has fallen out of contention for Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki this season.
Andrew Irwin had a Donington to forget after completing a trio on DNFs - this time taking a high flying Storm Stacey with him as he slid out trying to make a pass fit.
Josh Owens was shown the black flag for not complying with his jump start penalty.
Danny Kent started well but was already fading when he exited form sixth. Luke Mossey also failed to finish while both Dean Harrison and Davey Todd did not feature,
Donington Park records:
Old BSB Lap Record - Donington Park: Bradley Ray (Yamaha) 1m 28.597s (2022)
Lap record 2023: Leon Haslam (BMW) 1m27.593s)
2022 at Donington Park:
Round three - pole: Jason O’Halloran (2nd Bradley Ray, 3rd Kyle Ryde)
Race One:
1:Kyle Ryde
2:Jason O’Halloran
3:Bradley Ray
Race Two:
1:Jason O’Halloran
2:Bradley Ray
3: Lee Jackson
Race Three:
1:Jason O’Halloran
2:Bradley Ray
3:Lee Jackson
Round Ten (Showdown) - pole: Jason O’Halloran (2ndBradley Ray , 3rd Tom Sykes)
Race One:
1:Tom Sykes
2:Jason O’Halloran
3:Peter Hickman
Race Two:
1:Tom Sykes
2:Bradley Ray
3:Glenn Irwin
Race Three:
1:Bradley Ray
2:Andrew Irwin
3:Glenn Irwin
Where does that leave the championship?
With the third round of the championship completed it is once again Tommy Bridewell who finds himself in charge in the overall standings with a total of 119 after his podium bounce back.
Glenn Irwin working hard to keep third sees him second but it is very tight at the top - just three points separate himand his Ducati teammate.
Josh Brookes slips to third after his 13th place, with 114 points.
Leon Haslam is not far behind on 110, while race winner Kyle Ryde has just one point left - the top five covered by just a slim nine points difference.
Jason O’Halloran pulled himself back into the conversation after his race two win, but the gaps are beginning to appear. The Australian has 70, the same amount as Lee Jackson, both 49 away from leader Bridewell ahead of the next round at Knockhill in June.
