British Superbikes - Cadwell Park: Bridewell halts Irwin’s triple charge

Bridewell has seen his points lead eradicated over the last few races, including a Thruxton to forget where he was fighting for the final points on track, in case they were to prove crucial heading into the showdown, with a best of 14th.

‘To fight back and finish the weekend with a win is all I can ask for’

Fifth was the best he could manage in the opening pair of races - an improvement, but not what he, nor his BeerMonster Ducati Team were expecting:

“Been a really tough weekend this weekend, that we didn’t expect, Thruxton I expected it, really tough, probably not as tough as that was, but it’s been a tough weekend, so I’ve not felt that great on the bike all weekend”.

• 2023 British Superbikes: Cadwell Park Race Results (3)
• 2023 British Superbikes: Cadwell Park Race Results (2)
• 2023 British Superbikes Cadwell Park Race Results (1)

Each race was a battle through the pack. The first two races saw the PBM rider endure two row three starts, but fifth slot in race three offered some hope and it delivered, as his fight through this time lead to a seventh victory of the season - and a statement that the #46 does not intend to give up his title lead with out a fight:

“To fight back and finish the weekend with a win is all I can ask for really. When I wasn’t able to win or fight for the podiums at the end of the day, fifth was what s on offer and what I had to accept. Yes, it’s not ideal for the championship, but when the bike was correct, as it was then, and it was enjoyable to ride, I was able to bounce straight back for the win".

Glenn Irwin had made huge swipes into that lead, performing better at Thruxton and then working his way yo the front to pick up both sprint and race two wins. Sitting at the front, a triple looked possible.

‘I lost it in the mountain on the last lap as well!’

Irwin explained after the race to BSB that although the changes made for the final run around the circuit didn’t pay off, it really didn’t effect the final laps when all the frontrunners pushed past their limits:

“For the last race we probably went the wrong way in terms of the compression setting in the rear, looking to maximise drive off turn 2/3 there was some chatter again - but that being said the last couple of laps of the race were all in, the fans got treated to a typical BSB race.

We were all flat out I lost the front a good two times,I lost it in the montain on the last lap as well!”

With no previous win at Cadwell three podium visits marks a huge improvement at a less favoured track for the Nothern Irish rider, who also picked up both BSB Rider of the Round and the King of the Mountain awards for his performance over the weekend, including his huge, career best performance to take race two.

The #2 couldn’t quite find a way around his teammate to make it three after a well timed pass from Bridewell in the closing stages of the last race, moving ahead out of Charlie’s corners:

“I though I had him lined up at that little chicane but the bike got a little snappy,but all in all we look at it as a weekend, as part of the journey, one race doesn’t define a weekend”.

Looking ahead Irwin was keen to point out that as a seasoned Ducati rider, Bridewell had an advantage in knowing how the bike would perform, while as a Honda rider in 2022, it was all new to him - returning to three tracks for the final rounds will level that difference:

“Everywhere I’ve went its been the first time, for Tommy its been the fifth year, that’s not an excuse as such, it’s something we always have to overcome as fast as possible, but I like them all - I was strong at Oulton earlier in the year, I like Brands Hatch, I like Donington Park”.

Leon Haslam toughed it out in a dramatic run to the line which saw Kyle Ryde out on the grass as he desperately tried to stay aboard the Yamaha.

It is the Rokit BMW Motorrad riders’ first rostrum visit since Snetterton and welcome after he and his own team have also suufered a dip in form which looked remedied in Thruxton, only for bike gremlins to return and cause another DNF at Cadwell Park.

‘We’ve had the pace’

Two poles proved the pace was there, so with reliablity back on the cards so was a podium:

“Cadwell’s a real riders track, you know, I’ve had a lot of success here - the BM, we’ve had the pace, but not had really had quite a battling bike today, to get a podium , we gave it all we could I feel we maximised that.

A few areas we still need to learn about this bike, but so far, so good”.

Haslam also looked ahead, happy that his team will have an easier time with bike set up at tracks that have already been paid a visit by the BSB paddock.

“The last three we’ve all been to before we made podiums at Donington and Oulton so go there and know the gearing and what sort of set up works and doesn’t work will be a big help. Ducati’s will go strong, the Yamaha’s are strong, so every weekend is a big battle.

Still yet to get a win so hopefully we can make it count in these last few rounds”.

After Cadwell Park, Tommy Bridewell now leads Glenn Irwin by 14.5 points, with a total of 303.

With the main season section of the calendar done and dusted, British Superbikes moves into the Showdown format for the last three races.The current standings mean sixteen riders can still, mathematically, take the 2023 British Superbike title.

This season on the return to Oulton Park and Donington Park the points will revert to the more usual 25 for a win, with points awarded to the top fifteen riders. For the finale there will be 35 points for the winner, 30 for second and 27 for third, with points all the way to 15th, worth two.