Irwin's BSB title hopes dented by Brands Hatch crash

PBM Ducati rider Glenn Irwin has fallen 19 points behind British Superbike championship leader Tommy Bridewell after a crash at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

The former team-mates, who were separated by just half a point in Bridewell's title-winning season of 2023, went into the second day of round six level in the standings.

But Irwin was involved in a turn one collision with Danny Kent and Danny Buchan in a red-flagged sprint race later won by OMG Yamaha's Jason Vickers.

Bridewell earned 16 points for second place to open a gap at the top.

Irwin was seen being carried on a stretcher into an ambulance at the Kent course and was later confirmed to be suffering from muscle spasms in his neck, although he avoided any fractures.

The Northern Irish rider was cleared to start the third and final race of the weekend and came from the back of the grid to finish in seventh, limiting the damage from his earlier crash and crossing the line just three places behind his great championship rival Bridewell.

Vickers would win that race too, the Englishman completing a dominant treble across the weekend having previously not a topped the podium since a double at the opening round of the series in Navarra in Spain in April.

Christian Iddon was three seconds further back, with his second place finish closing the gap to Irwin in the standings to just five points, while Kyle Ryde completed the podium.