Championship leader Glenn Irwin aiming to extend BSB title advantage at Donington Park on BeerMonster Ducati

The Carrickfergus man was the runner-up in the series last year and his top priority is to go one better and be crowned champion for Paul Bird’s BeerMonster Ducati team.

Fresh from clinching his second successive Superbike double at the North West 200 to give him eight wins in total at the event, Irwin will now be concentrating solely on BSB for the remainder of the season after deciding against competing at the Isle of Man TT.

He leads team-mate Tommy Bridewell and FHO Racing BMW’s Josh Brookes – prevented from racing at the NW200 after his team pulled out in a row over the carbon wheels fitted to his M1000RR – by only four points after the first two rounds at Silverstone and Oulton Park.

Irwin, who has won twice so far on the V4R Panigale, said: “Oulton Park seems like a few weeks ago now, it was nice to leave there on a high and I feel in a great moment – the team are working fantastic.

“I have been speaking to the team manager, Johnny Mowatt over the past few days on how great it is at the moment and how well everyone is working.

“The atmosphere, morale and passion is really, really high – that is so refreshing. It’s a big part of our success so far this year I think,” he added.

“It is kind of nice going to Donington Park as it kind of feels like we are going to a new track, now it has been resurfaced.

“I am looking forward to it and I am excited to ride the new Donington Park with the new tarmac as it is one of my favourite tracks on the calendar, and one where I have had success in the past.

“One of my best moments came there last year when we completed the race with one foot-peg and I was fighting at the time with my new team-mate Tommy Bridewell, so I have great memories of it.”

Bridewell has plenty of experience of the Ducati after riding for the Oxford Products Racing team before taking the chance to join Bird’s outfit, and Irwin feels he can benefit from his team-mate’s knowledge.

“Tommy is clearly doing a great job as well and there are only a couple of points between us at the top of the championship,” he said.

“For me he is the perfect team-mate because he has so much experience on the Ducati, so I couldn’t ask for a better team-mate.

“I can tap into that and he is also a multiple race winner and probably my closest championship challenger.”

On Friday, Irwin was fourth fastest overall in free practice, three tenths down on Kyle Ryde (OMG Yamaha), while his brother Andrew was 10th on the Honda Racing Fireblade.

The BSB Sprint race is due to take place at 5pm on Saturday with Sunday’s races at 1.15pm and 4.30pm.

Alastair Seeley, who won both Superstock races at the North West 200, was sixth quickest on his SYNETIQ BMW in free practice for the National Superstock 1000 class, with Donegal’s Richard Kerr fasest on the AMD Motorsport Honda.