Kyle Ryde was victorious in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship race of the weekend at Donington Park as his double win edged him ahead of defending champion Tommy Bridewell by a slender four-point margin ahead of the Brands Hatch decider (11/12/13 October).
Three riders remain in title contention as Ryde leads the hunt from Bridewell whilst Glenn Irwin is 46-points adrift of his OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing rival at the top. However, with 105 points available at the finale, three teams representing three different manufacturers will go head-to-head for the crown.
Glenn Irwin kept his title hopes alive in race two at Donington Park by returning to winning ways for Hager PBM Ducati following an intense four-way battle with title rivals Bridewell and Ryde whilst Danny Kent narrowly missed out on the podium.
Bridewell was fighting hard to hold his lead in the standings and he had initially led before a battle with his nemesis as the pair once again traded blows at the front with Ryde and Kent also in the mix.
He held a five point standings lead moving into the final race of the weekend, but the Honda Racing UK rider had to relinquish his position as Ryde returned to winning ways in the final contest of the weekend.
Ryde claimed his eighth win of the season in the red-flagged final race, whilst his title rivals Irwin and Bridewell finished in fourth and fifth respectively.
Ryde now heads the hunt to Brands Hatch in a bid for a debut title as Bridewell prepares to fight back to become the first rider to win consecutive crowns for two different manufacturers.
However, Irwin can still give the Hager PBM Ducati team a tenth title if he can capitalise on any errors from his rivals.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
1.Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 398
2.Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 394
3.Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 352
4.Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 290
5.Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 265
6.Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 261
7.Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) 237
8.Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) 218
9.Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) 193
10.Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 189
