With Round 6 of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship underway at Brands Hatch, McAMS Racing and Danny Kent faced heartbreak in the first of the weekend’s races, crashing from second place on only the fourth lap of 20.

Despite early race disappointment, both Kent and the team had enjoyed a productive start to the weekend, taking steps to improve the Yamaha R1 set-up in Friday’s Free Practice sessions and securing a spot in Qualifying 2 for Saturday.

Finishing Free Practice 3 in ninth overall, and with a sheer degree of confidence in their ability to clock a competitive lap time, the team hit the track for the second qualifying session at 11:12.

The 15-minute session to decide the grid for Race 1, ended with Kent producing a best lap time of 1:25.154, placing him second on the grid ahead of the evening’s 20-lap charge to the flag.

Being able to fight for a spot at the top, Kent, aboard the Yamaha R1, made a strong start from the line to sit firmly in second for the opening laps of the race, producing competitive lap times and breathing down the neck of front runner, Ryan Vickers.

Despite exemplary form early on, lap 4 of the race presented a wave of devastation to the team, with Kent losing the front at Stirling’s and falling down the order.

A challenging opening race of the Brands Hatch weekend sees himself and the team start from seventh on the grid tomorrow, where they hope to deliver a result more tailored to their true potential at the circuit.

With fellow Yamaha rider, Vickers taking a dominant win around the 2.4 mile circuit, the McAMS Racing team can take confidence in their machine’s ability to deliver the goods, in the good hands of potential race contender, Kent.

With Saturday’s track action now concluded, the team sit fifth in the overall championship standings, slipping ten points behind Kyle Ryde in fourth.

Two more opportunities lie ahead on Sunday, with the team remaining fully focused on prevailing through the challenges of today.