BSB: Glenn Irwin seals maiden win of season as Leon Haslam crowned champion at Brands Hatch

Glenn Irwin clinched his first Bennetts British Superbike victory of the season with a dominant ride in race one at Brands Hatch on Saturday.
Glenn Irwin won the opening British Superbike race at Brands Hatch on Saturday.Glenn Irwin won the opening British Superbike race at Brands Hatch on Saturday.
Glenn Irwin won the opening British Superbike race at Brands Hatch on Saturday.

Derbyshire’s Leon Haslam won the title for the first time with two races of the final Showdown weekend remaining on Sunday, with sixth place on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki enough to seal the title.

Haslam, who won 14 races this year, will make the move to the World Superbike Championship in 2018, teaming up with Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Rea in the official Kawasaki Racing Team.

He will be replaced at JG Speedfit Kawasaki by Carrick man Irwin, whose victory at the Grand Prix circuit has moved him into third place in the Showdown standings going into Sunday’s final races.

Carrick man Glenn Irwin will leave the PBM Be Wiser Ducati team to join JG Speedfit Kawasaki in 2019.Carrick man Glenn Irwin will leave the PBM Be Wiser Ducati team to join JG Speedfit Kawasaki in 2019.
Carrick man Glenn Irwin will leave the PBM Be Wiser Ducati team to join JG Speedfit Kawasaki in 2019.

Irwin claimed a fitting victory for Paul Bird’s Be Wiser Ducati team as the 28-year-old prepares to move to pastures newin 2019.

Jake Dixon finished as the runner-up on the RAF Reserves Kawasaki ahead of Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha), with Andrew Irwin taking fourth. Irwin had challenged his older brother Glenn for the lead after the midway point of the race before the 24-year-old eventually slipped back on the PBM Ducati.