British Superbikes, Donington Park: Podium success finally comes for Kent

Danny Kent ended his run of fourth places in styleꦦ with a sublime podium swoop in the final British Su♛perbikes race at Donington Park.

Podium, Race three, Donington park, O'Halloran, Bridewell and Kent, 19th May 2024
Podium, Race three, Donington park, O'Halloran, Bridewell and Kent, 19th May 2024
© Ian Hopgood Photography


Danny Kent looked at home instantly in the opening BSB round in Navarra, which played to his strengths having raced heavily in Europe on his journey🍷 to Moto3, with a rostrum vis🃏it eluding him in Oulton Park, registering a best of fourth, twice.

That run of just missing out on the McAMS Yamaha continued🍨 into Donington Park with fourth in the first race and t🏅he sprint.

 

The shorter race did see improvements pay off - Kent set a 💧new best in-race fastest lap of the Derby track, which brought him pole position for the final outing.

Though he didn’t keep first, that went to a fast starting Tom♉my Bridewell, the elevated grid position did enable him to run at the front, but the #52 felt the slow nature of the first laps d🍎amaged his tyres:


“The first sort of ten laps the pace was so slow and then, to be fair, I think it actually caused a bit of a problem for me personally - I think it made my rear tyre pressure drop a little bit, which then caused me problems🌌 later on in the race for drive grip.

Racing from Donington park, Kent in group, race three, 2024
Racing from Donington park, Kent in group, race three, 2024
© Ian Hopgood Photography

A new factor came into play with old rivals and t🃏eammates Bridewell and Glenn Irwin sizing each other op out front, a bonus for the duo behind, Kent and Jaso꧙n O’Halloran, who did not have to worry about chasing down a leader, sat in behind ready to capitalise on any errors as the pair fought:

“The rivalry between Tommy and Glenn was coming out the las♎t couple of laps and, to be fair, it helped me a litꩵtle bit in the last sector.

Kent then came into his own in a race the riders involved described as ‘like Moto3’ - a championship where he took the  2015 title.  Clearly pleased with the progress he has made with his new team for 2024, if any🅺thing Ken🐽t was a little disappointed not to feature on the podium more:

“The team have worked mega, I felt great on the bike all weekend, just a shame that I wasn’t able to get some more podiums this🐻 weekend because I felt like me and the team deserved them.

My race strategy at the beginning of the first two races didn’t go quite to plan but overall I’m happy to come away second it the championship, managed to take a few points out of Glenn in that final ꦦrace so I know everything is going in ✅the right direction and I’m real pleased.

In⛦ my BSB career this is the strongest start to a year I’ve ever had so, you know it’s just building on my confidence and I think tღhat’s just something I need to improve on anyway”.

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