2024 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch (Showdown Finale) - Race Results (3)

The BSB championship came down to the final race of the Brands Hatch Showdown and whoever finished winner between title rivals Tommy Bridewell and Kyle Ryde set to be the 2024 title holder.

Bridewell had put himself into pole position, literally and also in terms of the title, after a race one win, swinging the standings to a four point lead in his favour.

The duo were at play from the very start, with Bridewell’s Honda teammate Andrew Irwin being the perfect wingman keeping Ryde’s Grilla OMG Yamaha in third.

His brother Glenn Irwin was next to come to play, racing his way to second as Ryde found himself fourth, with the #1 bike still out front.

Glenn Irwin hit the front, on lap seven , with a wealth of swapping to come - with contact between last years Ducati teammates, leading to Ryde leading the race for the first time.

Ryde attempted an escape but was caught - Bridewell setting a new BSB lap record of Brands Hatch to do so.

From then on it was truly ‘winner takes all’. Ryde , who admitted he had been “ too nice” in race one soon succumbed to Bridewell’s favoured move at Stirlings, setting the pattern for the rest of the race, a series of non-stop, clean but hard overtakes.

• 2024 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch (Showdown Finale) - Race Results (2)
• 2024 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch (Showdown Finale) - Race Results (1)

In the closing stages Bridewell had looked to have gotten the better of Ryde running defensive lines, but a determined Ryde was back in touch. There was contact between the duo at Graham Hill Bend, as their two differing lines of attack and defence met.

The last laps saw Bridewell clearly struggling to keep his bike in check, with the front wheel off the ground as his rear struggled for grip. That allowed Ryde to pull away over the final corners, defending through Stirlings, ready for his rival to pounce after all the rehearsals, with a huge slide for Bridewell out of Clearways, who was barely upright behind over the line.

The hard fought win gave Kyle Ryde the 2024 title by 0.296s and just one point, taking seven of the wins available over the last four rounds.

Behind Ryan Vickers, who had helped keep Andrew Irwin out of the picture in the opening laps once in the mix was closing in again, for third in the final race completing the podium for Yamaha.

Danny Kent, who picked up his first win in race one, was best of the rest in fourth, just over three seconds behind the record pace being run out front for McAMS Yamaha.

Kent held a second advantage as the group behind stretched out in the closing laps, back to Max Cook, who was the best of the Kawasaki riders for Completely Motorbikes in fifth.

A 400th race start saw Josh Brookes back to his role as top BMW rider, in sixth for FHO Racing BMW Motorrad after gaining the most positions on track.

Glenn Irwin slipped back to seventh, with a gap back to the race for eighth.

That was won by MasterMac Honda rider Charlie Nesbitt, with Andrew Irwin ninth after his efforts to help at the start of the race on the second Honda.

Billy McConnell finished the season with a top ten finish for C&L Fairburn/ Look Forward Racing.

The Australian had clear air between himself and the second FHO bike, with Peter Hickman aboard, taking the chequered flag three seconds later.

The road racing expert had pressure all the way to the line from Storm Stacey, who pushed forward from 14th on the grid.

Lewis Rollo was 13th on the Pathway Aprilia bike, with the remaining points going to DAO Racing’s Danny Buchan in 14th and his teammate Brayden Elliott in 15th.

James Westmoreland was the only other finisher in 16th for IWR Honda.

Official British Superbike Brands Hatch Records:

Old Lap record: Josh Brookes (Yamaha, 2017) 1m 24.873s
New lap record Tommy Bridewell (Honda, in race, 2024) 1m 24.759s

Brands Hatch in 2023:

Round 6
Qualifying: 
1: Tommy Bridewell
2: Ryan Vickers
3: Josh Brookes

Race 1 (Sprint):
1: Ryan Vickers
2: Danny Kent
3: Christian Iddon

Race 2:
1: Tommy Bridewell
2: Christian Iddon
3: Danny Kent

Race 3:
1: Tommy Bridewell
2: Glenn Irwin
3: Ryan Vickers

Round 10 (showdown):
Qualifying:
1: Jason O’Halloran
2:Leon Haslam
3: Charlie Nesbitt

Race 1 (sprint):
1: Kyle Ryde
2: Jason O’Halloran
3: Tommy Bridewell

Race 2: 
1: Glenn Irwin
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Kyle Ryde

Race 3:
1: Glenn Irwin
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Kyle Ryde

Main Season 2024:

Qualifying:
1: Ryan Vickers
2: Danny Kent
3: Glenn Irwin

Race 1:
1: Ryan Vickers
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Andrew Irwin

Race 2 (Sprint):
1: Ryan Vickers
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Kyle Ryde

Race 3:
1: Ryan Vickers
2: Christian Iddon
3: Kyle Ryde

Crashes, Injuries and Replacements

Rory Skinner withdrew after his fall in race two.

Luke Hedger was the first to retire, pulling into the pits, he was soon joined by NP Racing's rookie recruit, Connor Rossi Thomson, Xavi Fores replacing the injured Christian Iddon at Oxford Products Ducati, Leon Haslam and Lee Jackson.

Final Championship standings

A final race win, taking his total for the season to seven saw Ryde finish the season on 487 points, just one ahead of Bridewell, with everything left on the track in race three.

Glenn Irwin finished third overall on 382, with Kent’s challenge for position finishing on 373 points.

Lewis Rollo had long had the Pathway title sewn up, finishing with 76 points, finally able to accept his trophy.

After the Sprint Yamaha were declared the manufacturer champions of 2024, with 38 podium finishes from Ryde, Vickers and Kent before race three, added to by  the OMG duo, with another third and first to compete a stellar season for the outfit securing the team award.