Bridewell keeps BSB lead as Irwin earns win
Glenn Irwin's two podiums at Oulton Park have brought him within 45 points of Tommy Bridewell
- Published
Reigning champion Tommy Bridewell will take a slender advantage into the final six races of the British Superbikes season after wins for both Glenn Irwin and Kyle Ryde at Oulton Park on Sunday.
Ryde temporarily moved top of the standings after his victory in Saturday's opening race of the weekend when Bridewell crashed out.
In wet conditions at the Cheshire course on Sunday, Irwin took the chequered flag in the delayed 10-lapper before Yamaha rider Ryde won again in a final race that was red-flagged and reduced to a five-lap sprint.
But fourth and second-place finishes for Honda rider Bridewell were enough to see him end the weekend top of the standings, though he now leads by just six over Ryde and 45 from last year's runner-up Irwin.
After a delay of almost an hour and a half because of the wet conditions, Irwin started fourth on the grid of the day's first race, but took advantage of a quick start to lead by the end of the first lap.
The PBM Ducati rider was passed by Christian Iddon on lap three and then lost further time when having to avoid the race leader as he crashed out.
Falling to seventh after the incident, Irwin had to work his way through the chasing pack but was soon back in pursuit of leader Leon Haslam.
Irwin, from Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, would make his move on the final lap, topping the podium ahead of Danny Kent with Haslam falling to third after going off the track as he tried to fend off Irwin.
Sunday's second race started an hour later than planned with Irwin starting on pole but, as the rain fell, he dropped down to fourth off the start.
Leader Ryan Vickers crashed out only four laps in and the red flag came out in lap seven.
Ryde would win the shortened race by almost six seconds from Bridewell with Storm Stacey rounding out the podium.
After a second and first to start the weekend, Irwin finished ninth in the concluding race.
The championship resumes at Donnington Park over the last weekend of the month before concluding at Brands Hatch two weeks later.