Tommy Bridewell won an intense five-rider race-long fight for victory in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship action of the weekend at Brands Hatch, with it coming down to the final lap between the standings leader and his BeerMonster Ducati teammate Glenn Irwin and Ryan 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, Danny Kent had dived into the lead ahead of Bridewell, Christian 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 podium finishers at the chequered flag.
Iddon held off Kent to take fourth place with Jason 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 3 result:
- Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati)
- Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.133s
- Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.237s
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.000s
- Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) +3.481s
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +4.744s
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +6.343s
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +7.373s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +8.046s
- Max Cook (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +13.706s
For the full race result please click here
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 258
- Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 223.5
- Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 181
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 177
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) 172
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 158.5
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 143
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki 142.5
- Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 138
- Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) 100
For the full standings please click here