Reigning champion Kyle Ryde got his title defence in the ZYN British Superbike Championship off to the best possible start at the Oulton Park season opener by claiming a hat trick of victories as the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing rider held off Leon Haslam to make it a winning hat trick.
Ray grabbed the lead at the start of the race with another rapid start off the line on the McAMS Yamaha to put himself ahead of Haslam, Scott Redding and Ryde.
Redding put a determined move on Ryde to move third on the fifth lap as the Hager PBM Racing Team rider aimed for his first podium finish of the season. At the front of the pack, Haslam was pushing for the lead, and then dived down the inside at Shell on lap ten to take the advantage from Ray.
Ryde had a determined lap 11, first passing Redding at Old Hall before then moving ahead of Ray at Brittens to put him within striking distance of Haslam, who held the lead until a lap later, when Ryde seized the advantage.
Two laps later and Haslam was able to make an attack for the lead, firing himself down the inside at Lodge to regain the position for the Moto Rapido Racing team. Ryde kept his cool, and a lap later made the exact same pass on his rival to retake the lead.
Ryde then had the advantage to the chequered flag with Haslam holding off Ray again as the champions again completed the podium line-up, with Redding narrowly missing out in fourth for the Hager PBM Racing Team.
Glenn Irwin was tenth on the grid for the race after a challenging weekend but the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing rider delivered a determined ride to take fifth place, as he was able to move ahead of Rory Skinner, Max Cook and Ryan Vickers, who completed the top eight.
Storm Stacey was in the leading pack in the opening stages of the race, but he later dropped to ninth place, whilst Christian Iddon completed the top ten for the Sencat Racing Yamaha team.
ZYN British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, Race 3 result:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competition Racing)
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) +1.162s
- Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) +1.364s
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team) +1.457s
- Glenn Irwin (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competition Racing) +6.962s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +8.158s
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) +8.288s
- Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) +15.590s
- Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing Ducati) +16.453s
- Christian Iddon (Sencat Racing Yamaha) +18.599s
ZYN British Superbike Championship standings:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) 54
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) 48
- Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) 42
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team) 35
- Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing Ducati) 30
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) 29
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) 27
- Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) 25
- Christian Iddon (Sencat Racing Yamaha) 18
- Lee Jackson (DAO Racing Honda) 16