Bradley Ray bounces back
Bradley Ray was on fine form at Donington, the track where the bespectacled, now 22-year-old, set the world alight when he had a double victory at the start of the 2018 season. Fast-forward 18 months and the Buildbase Suzuki star couldn’t replicate that breakthrough ride, but he did impress by storming through the field from 19th to sixth in Race Two. Qualifying on the front row, Ray was at the sharp end of Race One when he was forced out with an errant rear brake caliper. Not only did it rule him out, but his lap four retirement meant no decent time had been set for his second race grid position. But he muscled his GSX-R1000 up 13 positions almost resulting in a heroic fifth place before his Suzuki finally crossed the line just 0.098 seconds behind Christian Iddon’s BMW to take sixth.
“We wanted to prove Oulton wasn’t a fluke,” said Ray, having scored two seconds at the Cheshire track. “We were strong again here and I think we could have taken the fight to the front guys. It’s a shame, but I think the performance in Race Two was good. Hopefully we can finish strongly.” MCN can also reveal that six-time BSB champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne is now Ray’s manager. The two men have been working together since Cadwell Park in August and it seems Shakey has been a busy man with Ray now linked to a number of top teams in the paddock including Tyco BMW and PBM along with a number of squads in World Superbikes.
‘We wanted to prove Oulton wasn’t a fluke’