The first race day of Round 2 of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park was a positive one for McAMS Racing and Danny Kent, who finished sixth in the opening race of the weekend.

Danny Kent secured more crucial championship points today, securing a strong top-six finish in the opening 18-lap encounter at Cheshire’s Oulton Park.

Having wrapped up the opening day of action in seventh, the McAMS Racing rider rolled out for Qualifying 2 and once again showed his speed in the 15-minute session. The 30-year-old from Tetbury clocked an impressive 1:33.758, securing him a second-row start for the weekend’s opening race.

Making a strong getaway from his second-row grid slot, the number 52 rider pushed on, as he gradually closed the gap to Ryan Vickers ahead.

Having caught Vickers with just a handful of laps remaining, Kent looked for a way through, and the opportunity soon arose. A late-race lunge into Shell Oils on the final lap rewarded him with the top five position, but despite his best efforts to stay ahead, he narrowly missed out on a top-five as the pair crossed the line with just 0.093s between them.

Kent’s strong top-six finish sees him hold third in the standings ahead of Monday’s two races, starting the 12-lap Sprint Race from third on the grid.