By Finishing third in Road Racing News top ten riders of the 2018 season is, the UK’s first IRRC series champion Danny Webb.
Tunbridge Wells Webb has enjoyed a quite incredible year of roads competition, achieving various historical feats, impressing at selected International events and establishing himself amongst England’s leading pure road racers.
Sampling for the first time, the growing in popularity International Road Racing Championship, Wepol Racing by Penz 13.com’s immediately showcased his series potential in early May at Hengelo, scoring a string of second place finishes.
After his maiden roads stint on Dutch soil, round 2 of the series at the high speed Czech Terlicko course, saw him continue his ultra impressive start to the season.
Dominant in both Superbike encounters, back to back race wins left no one in any doubt about his title winning credentials.
Photo by Robby Repsol
The good times continued at the ex Finnish Grand Prix course of Imatranajo, as the Wepol Racing by Penz 13.com racer secured another brace of victories.
Already looking odds to become 2018 IRRC Superbike champion, he strengthened his series lead at Belgium’s most famous roads course Circuit De Chimay, banking two second place finishes, after gripping battles with event wildcard, former IRRC champion Vincent Lonbois.
Going into competition at the famous Horice circuit in the Czech Republic, ex Moto 3 World Championship star Webb knew that two more strong results would be more than enough to wrap up the IRRC Superbike crown.
Qualifying third quickest behind nearest title rivals Didier Grams and Erno Kostamo, the stage was set for enthralling 10 lap Superbike races.
The opening Superbike encounter at Horice saw Webb quickly jump into race lead, moving by lap seven over a second clear of the chasing pack.
With red flags emerging onto the horizon on lap eight, and fifty percent race distance completed, the race result was called, giving Webb not only race victory, but also the 2018 IRRC Superbike title and becoming the first racer from UK shores to win an IRRC affiliated championship.
Following his historic achievement, he went onto the bank Superbike race 2 spoils at Horice, whilst final round of the IRRC series at Frohburg, Germany, saw him dominate the opening big bike race, plus claim in fine style opening IRRC Supersport race honours, to remind everyone of his prowess on middleweight class machinery.
Recently a fine fourth at the 52nd Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, S1000RR BMW specialist Webb stellar 2018 racing CV also includes a top 15 finish within the record breaking Pokerstars Senior TT, plus claiming the prestigious BMW Motorrad Race Trophy crown.
Perhaps underestimated by some prior to this season, Danny Webb has jumped up ten fold in stature, prominence within the closed roads fraternity.
Finishing at least second or better in every IRRC race that he competed in, he’s already established as a history maker, iconic figure within the worldwide popular pure road racing based series.
Targeting joining the 130 mph club at TT 2019, he’s anticipated to return to IRRC action next year to defend the Superbike title he so thoroughly earned in 2018.
Words by Stevie Rial
