Brad Ray delivered Raceways Yamaha a sensational triple victory this weekend, as he battled to three wins at Donington Park for Round 2 of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

Raceways Yamaha returned to the circuit this weekend as the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship arrived at Donington Park for the second time this season.

Following a strong test at the East Midlands venue, backed up with an impressive opening round at Oulton Park, which saw Ray arrive as joint series leader, the target was clear to get more crucial points on the board for the team’s Championship quest.

A strong Friday saw Ray assert his place at the front, finishing second fastest after the two Practice sessions, cementing himself well within the all-important Top 12 and securing his spot directly in the Bandero Café Shoot Out Qualifying 2 session.

Venturing out for a red flag-interrupted Qualifying session, the #28 R1 slotted himself into third after the first run, just 0.081 seconds adrift of the top time. A return to the track for a second run saw the rider from Ashford go purple, topping the session and securing pole with a blistering 1:26.907.

Starting Saturday’s opening 20-lap race from pole, Ray dropped to third on the charge into Redgate, but bided his time before making his move forward. Jumping up to second on Lap 8, then hitting the front on Lap 14 with a move at the Melbourne Loop, the Yamaha man didn’t look back, opening a lead of 2.7 seconds before crossing the line comfortably ahead of the pack for a second win of the season.

After the opening encounter, Ray would start Sunday’s Sprint Race second on the grid but scolded into the lead off the start. Aware that the 12 Lap sprint would provide a different strategy, the 28-year-old, who celebrated his birthday across the Donington weekend, pushed from the start, with a persistent Glenn Irwin shadowing him throughout.

A mistake from his rival on the eighth lap of 12 gave him the breathing space the R1 rider needed, controlling the race to the end to secure a second victory of the weekend.

The final 20-lap race of the weekend got underway with eyes firmly locked on Ray and G.Irwin, who looked set for another nail-biting race at the front. Getting away in the early stages, the Raceways rider looked to have broken the chasing field, but a mid-race charge from Irwin brought him back in contention. However, an identical mistake from the Irishman at the Foggy-Esses on Lap 17 set Ray free, but it wasn’t over there. With two laps remaining, Irwin posted the fastest lap of the race, reeling Ray’s R1 back in.

Using his experience, Ray defended well on his final tour of Donington Park, covering off the overtaking places to eventually cross the line 0.396 seconds ahead of Irwin, marking a third BSB victory of the weekend and his second career treble.

Ray heads into Snetterton, the venue of his 2022 treble win 12 points clear at the head of the Championship table, with Raceways Yamaha sitting clear in the teams’ standings. Yamaha leads the constructor’s table by ten points ahead of Round 3.

In the Pirelli National Sportbike Championship, Ash Barnes delivered a first podium finish on Saturday, crossing the line third in what was a lonely race for the Yamaha R7 rider. Launching from fifth on the grid, Barnes got his elbows out in the early stages, and eventually broke free of the battling pack behind, crossing the line 2.326 seconds ahead of fourth place.

More of the same in Race 2 ended in disappointment for the 19-year-old, who finished 17^th after a costly mistake late on in the race dropped him out of the points-paying positions and a strong result in Race 2.

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship and Pirelli National Sportbike Championship return to action in Norfolk across the 20-22^nd June.

Bradley Ray
Raceways Yamaha
Championship: 1st (86 points)

“I didn’t really expect to win all three races coming into the weekend – I knew we’d be strong but I didn’t think we’d be in a position to take the triple given how strong Glenn and Kyle were at the test. We worked well as a team all weekend, worked hard on used tyres to find our rhythm for the end of the race. Glenn kept me honest in the last race and that one was probably my best win of my BSB career, having to dig deep after Glenn came back to me towards the end! I had to find something in myself and the bike to keep him behind, and we did, so I’m happy for myself, Raceways Motorcycles, Yamaha and all my team to back up Saturday’s win with the Sunday double.”

Ash Barnes
Raceways Yamaha – Pirelli National Sportbike Championship
Championship: 6th (34 points)

“Overall, our weekend at Donington Park was a positive one. We demonstrated strong pace throughout and were able to walk away with some silverware for the trophy cabinet back home. It was a shame to have ended Race 2 in the way we did. I was pushing so hard to keep up with the field, and a small mistake cost me a second strong finish of the weekend. We’ll focus on the positives and head into Snetterton with confident minds.”

Steve Rodgers
Team Owner

“It’s amazing to do the triple here at Donington – what a job from the Team, Brad and everyone involved. I can’t thank everybody enough, for everyone who came up with the goods to help us last minute when they were committed with other teams. Thank you to Yamaha and everyone involved as weekends like this don’t happen often. He rode well in all three races and it’s nice to be bringing some more trophies back to Fleetwood. It was a shame Ash’s weekend ended as it did because he was strong throughout the weekend, as we saw with a really good result and a trophy heading his way on Saturday, but that’s racing. He was giving it his all and he can be proud of his weekend.”