The opening race of the Showdown at Oulton Park was ꦿan eventful one for Kyle Ryde.

The OMG Grilla rider had started from pole o♊n his Yamaha, only to lose out on the first lap after an electric start from Josh Brookes sa🦂w the Australian take over out front.

• 2024 British Superbikes:ꦰ Oulton Park (Showdown) - Race Results (1)
• 2024 British Superbi🍃kes: Oulton Park (Showdow꧋n) - Qualifying Results

A change of tactics was required when sitting in behind soon brought fel𓆉low podium finisher Glenn Irwin in♔to play:

“The plan was to be on pole position - to try and do what I did at Cadwell really, see if I can - not pull a gap - but control the race at the front and make it hard for the guys behind, but Josh was really fast in the first three, four laps, espe💎cially in sector one and even when I did use a lot of tyre to try and pass him, he passed me straight back.

So I was clever in that I just sat behind him to save the tyre, but then it o🌃bviously brought Glenn into the picture and when Glenn passed me I thought I was going to be in trouble, ‘cause when Glenn gets in his little mood at t🦂he front of the race it’s very hard to pass, very late on the brakes, and his bike’s real good where it needs to be.

The only thing I did was save the tyre best I could so I had a great shot at the endꦜ to try and win the race”.

Sat in third the #77 saw his race take a further dramatic turn when he ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrapidly fell from the lead three back into the clutches of Lee Jackson behind. Ryde explained his need🌟 to go backwards was based in safety after his dash protector had come loose on his bike:

"That little hiccup… the plastic ca🐷se on my dash was rattling and eventually it fell off and I wanted to chuck it off the track safely, so I didn’t get told off or get penalised, so I cost myself a second or two 🧜and I was lucky really, ‘cause it gave me a gap back to the guys so I ended up setting the fastest lap, which put me on pole for tomorrow, so I was fortunate for that and had just enough time for a pass on both and win the race as well".

Hopes had been high after a strong Cadwell Park, where Ryde had taken two wins and a second place, but after dropping Ryde initially thought third was the best on offer in race one. Knuckling down, a series of three fastest laps saw him back in the leaders and in with a shout of a win.ꦓ Ryde took his chance and came out on top - as he had at the last round where he had seen little success previo🐷usly - for his first win at the Cheshire track:

“൲After the issue I had I was going to accept third might have been good enoug𒊎h, anything else was a bonus.

To win my first race at𝕴 Oulton - it was a bit… I wouldn’t call it the easiest race, a lot going on, but yeah, it was a good race and roll on tomorrow”.