Ray powers to dream victory
BRADLEY RAY roared to his first Bennetts British Championship win as the 2018 season started a day early at Donington Park.
Ray, 20, went to the front on the sixth lap and controlled the remainder of the 18-lap race to bring his Buildbase Suzuki home first, ahead of Shane Byrne and James Ellison.
Ray, in only his second season in the UK’s premier racing series, said: “It hasn’t sunk in yet.
“To even lead a BSB race this early in the season is incredible, but to win it as well is something else.
“I didn’t think we’d get a win this early in the year and to be able to have the pace we did was brilliant. “This is what you dream of when you’re coming up through the ranks – to win a race and also to be champion. “To win the first race at the first round of the year with a team that has put so much effort in is just amazing, and I still can’t believe it.” Race chiefs were forced to switch the schedule amid fears of a washout today and moved the first Superbike race to yesterday afternoon. LUKE ROWE was disqualified from the Tour of Flanders by the race jury yesterday.
The Team Sky rider was forced to ride on the pavement behind some spectators just before the Oude Kwaremont climb, 56km from the finish. The Welshman has only returned to racing this year after suffering a broken leg on his brother’s stag party in 2017.
“I put myself through hell to get here but I have to live with the decision. I’m gutted and it’s heart-wrenching,” said Rowe.