BSB Brands Hatch GP Race 3 Results | Irwin brothers 1-2 makes Glenn runner-up

Glenn Irwin brought the curtain down on the 2022 British Superbike Championship (BSB) season with a hard fought second win of the finale weekend at Brands Hatch, assuring himself of the runners-up spot in the overall standings.

With Bradley Ray sealing the title in Saturday’s first race, Irwin’s victory in that encounter plus his run to third in Race 2 had put him well on course to beat Tommy Bridewell to second place in the standings.

Starting from pole position, Irwin got the hole-shot into Paddock Hill Bend but ceded the lead to Danny Buchan before the end of the opening lap, the Synetiq BMW rider surprising the Ulsterman with an opportunistic move into Stirlings.

A flurry of activity in the following laps saw Irwin demoted to fourth at one stage behind also his brother Andrew Irwin and Race 2 winner Peter Hickman, but after getting back ahead of the pair on Lap 15 and 11 respectively he was quickly on the tail of Buchan for the win.

In the end, an error from Buchan would smooth Irwin’s path back through into the lead before the Honda Racing rider got the hammer down to gap his rivals and ease to the chequered flag just under a second clear of his brother.

A triple race winner at the Silverstone opener, Irwin’s bookending victory at Brands Hatch brings his season tally up to five wins, leaving him only 21 points shy of Ray in the Title Showdown standings.

Behind him, Andrew Irwin - who followed Glenn through on Buchan on run from Surtees to Hawthorns - landed his third podium in four races, leaving his team-mate to make do with third position at the flag.

Bridewell worked hard to get the better of Hickman late on for fourth, the Oxford Racing Ducati rider ending his season inside the overall top three for the fourth time in his career, while fifth place for the FHO BMW rider ensured he is given the BSB Riders’ Cup honour as the best placed non-Title Showdown contender.

New champion Ray bounced back from his Race 2 accident to complete his crowning season in sixth place, ahead of Josh Brookes and Danny Kent, the Suzuki rider enjoying his best round of the year with a trio of top eight results.

Christian Iddon and Kyle Ryde rounded out the top ten, with Tom Sykes, Charlie Nesbitt, Ryan Vickers, Josh Owens and Takumi Takahashi picking up the final points’ paying positions in 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th respectively.

2022 BSB Championship | Brands Hatch | Race 3 RESULTS