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Lydd's Brit Energy OMG Racing Yamaha racer Bradley Ray increases lead in British Superbike Championship despite mixed results at Oulton Park
05:00, 27 September 2022
Lydd's Bradley Ray extended his British Superbikes Championship lead in an incident-packed meeting at Oulton Park.
Victory in race one, followed by third place in race two and fifth in race three, gave Brit Energy OMG Racing Yamaha’s Ray a 40-point lead with two rounds remaining, but the event was marred by several crashes, with last year's champion Tarran Mackenzie fracturing his thigh in race two.
When the racing resumed Ray was plagued by a loss of grip, and poor traction continued in the final race for a mixed weekend.
“Overall it was a positive weekend," he said. "We came here with a 13-point lead and we leave with a 40-point lead but not ideal losing so many points to Tommy Bridewell, especially in race three.
"It was a shame earlier with the two restarts, we had the win in the bag but we’ve no idea what happened with the tyre for the third restart.
"It left me with nothing to give for the win so that was a bit of a shame but overall, the positives are there.”
Ray set the fastest-ever time around Oulton Park to take pole position on Saturday before storming to his eighth win of the season and his fourth in a row in the sprint race.
Race two also looked good for Ray, who settled into a comfortable lead before McAMS Yamaha’s Mackenzie crashed out and received medical attention trackside.
From the restart Ray again led the field - only for Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki's Rory Skinner to catch the back of Buildbase Suzuki's Christian Iddon. Ray's team-mate Kyle Ryde was also caught up in the incident while the medics were once again dispatched to treat Skinner and Iddon.
Ryde's bike was repaired just in time for the restart - only for him to crash out - and when Ray lost grip he was forced to settle for third at the flag, Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki's Lee Jackson taking the victory.
Ray forced his way into the lead from third on the grid in race three but again a lack of grip derailed his victory bid and he salvaged fifth place. The race was won by Oxford Products Racing Ducati racer Bridewell, who is second in the standings.
The championship continues at Donington Park this weekend.
