BSB: Redding wins Showdown opener from Brookes as Bridewell crashes out.

Scott Redding scored the opening victory in the British Superbike Championship Showdown by stealing the show in race one at Assen to move into the lead in the standings by just two points from his Be Wiser Ducati teammate Josh Brookes.

At the start of the race Redding hit the front of the pack ahead of Luke Stapleford, Tommy Bridewell and Brookes, however the Oxford Racing Ducati rider was determined to move into second which he did by the end of the opening lap.

However a lap later Ryan Vickers crashed out heavily which meant the BMW Safety Car was deployed at the start of the fourth lap. The pack formed up behind with Redding, Bridewell, Stapleford and Brookes first in line when the race resumed on lap six.

Bridewell was pushing hard to take on Redding but on the ninth lap he reached the limit and he crashed out at turn nine, with Christian Iddon also falling at the same corner, both riders were unhurt.

Redding then was breaking the pack at the front of the field but Brookes was embroiled in a huge battle for second with Showdown spoilers Stapleford and Jason O’Halloran who had hunted down the pair ahead of him.

By lap 14 the scrap had really intensified with Stapleford making a move on Brookes, only for the Australian to strike straight back to regain the position for Be Wiser Ducati. As the laps counted down the trio in the battle for second were inseparable and on the penultimate lap Stapleford had the edge over Brookes and O’Halloran.

Brookes still had more fight left though and on the final lap he dived back into second place and as Stapleford drifted slightly wide, O’Halloran saw his opportunity and he was into third for McAMS Yamaha.

As Redding took the flag to claim his eighth win of the season ahead of Brookes, O’Halloran became the 12 different podium finisher of the season ahead of Stapleford, who scored his best result of the season for Buildbase Suzuki.

Xavi Forés was fifth for Honda Racing ahead of Showdown contenders Danny Buchan, Tarran Mackenzie and Peter Hickman who completed the top eight ahead of Bradley Ray and Hector Barbera.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Assen, Race 1 result:

1. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati)
2. Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) +4.977s
3. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +5.254s
4. Luke Stapleford (Buildbase Suzuki) +5.293s
5. Xavi Forés (Honda Racing) +7.434s
6. Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +7.505s
7. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +8.017s
8. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +9.204s
9. Bradley Ray (Buildbase Suzuki) +12.896s
10. Hector Barbera (Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +14.984s