Bradley Ray defends for victory - “There’s not many places to pass around Cadwell Park”
Bradley Ray picked up record pace but was still hunted down in a close finale to the opening British Superbike race at Cadwell Park.
British Superbikes race one was Bradley Ray’s eleventh win of 2025, but despite starting on pole with a new record lap set in Superpole and a race lap record as he sped away, the race went all the way to the chequered flag.
The pace has picked up at Cadwell Park, with Ray capable of the fastest laps out front for Raceways Yamaha , the former champion was happy with the elevated pace:
“To be honest, the pace was phenomenal. The first few laps were 35s and I felt comfortable doing that and I had plus zero, so I thought I’d just keep pushing on at the start.”
- 2025 British Superbikes: Cadwell Park - Qualifying Results
- 2025 British Superbikes: Cadwell Park - Race Results (1)
The plus zero was telling as, despite his best efforts there was no break, with first Tommy Bridewell holding on behind, until he fell - leaving a comfortable gap of over two seconds, only for Kyle Ryde to pick ip the chase and reel in the #28 bike:
“Got to point A but the lap times were stupidly fast to be honest, but the gap wasn’t really growing, so it got to, I think, two point something, maybe.
Kyle started to reel me in a little bit towards the end and I was pushing on. I think maybe the start of the race hindered a bit, on the tyre. I just, basically, last three laps backed off to save something for the last lap of the race.”
The nature of the Lincolnshire track means there are few obvious overtaking opportunities, something which Ray used to his advantage to defend for the win:
“Defended really well. There’s not many places to pass around Cadwell Park, so just had to defend as best I could up the back straight, defending the areas where I thought he could make a pass and bring it home.”
Looking ahead the 2022 BSB champion is hoping the data picked up over Sunday will steer him in the right direction for the two races on Monday, Ray adding:
“A few things to improve for tomorrow. Haven’t been back here for three years, since ‘22 - so it was an important race. A lot of data gained and we’ll have another crack tomorrow.”
