The Bennetts British Superbike Championship Showdown kicks off with the return to the TT Circuit Assen (September 19/20/21) and defending champion Kyle Ryde leads the title contenders into the crucial final three rounds.
The Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha rider hunted down Bradley Ray’s initial advantage to now lead the hunt into the Showdown, but the reigning champion has yet to race a Superbike at the ‘Cathedral of Speed’. The last time the championship visited the circuit in 2019, Ryde was competing in the British GP2 series, where he was a race winner.
Ray will be relishing the chance to regain ground with Raceways Yamaha and knows that recent experience in the World Championship could prove vital in the three races, similarly for Hager PBM Ducati’s Scott Redding, who was back to winning ways at Donington Park.
Whilst the leading pair have 28 points between them and a maximum of 255 available from the final nine races, Rory Skinner and Cheshire Mouldings Ducati surged into third place with a treble podium finish at Donington Park. The Scottish star is another rider with recent experience of the Dutch circuit, having completed in the Moto2 World Championship.
Leon Haslam is four points adrift of Skinner and will be determined to overturn the deficit; the Moto Rapido Ducati Racing rider holds the record for the most number of Bennetts BSB race wins at the TT Circuit Assen with five, and will want to add to that statistic.
AJN Steelstock Kawasaki’s Christian Iddon had another strong weekend at Donington Park to hold fifth in the overall standings, just seven points ahead of 2023 champion Tommy Bridewell in the standings.
Danny Kent meanwhile faces a race against time to be fit after the McAMS Racing Yamaha rider crashed in the third race at Donington Park, with Max Cook completing the top eight.
Redding’s podium haul at Donington Park have pushed him to ninth in the standings and the 2019 champion scored a double victory when the championship last visited the circuit, with Josh Brookes who is a three-time race winner, completing the top ten in the standings for DAO Racing Honda.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) 354
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) 326
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) 235
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) 231
- Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) 207
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 200
- Danny Kent (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) 200
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) 172
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) 169
- Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) 156