Before we bid a final farewell to the year that was 2023 and begin gazing ahead to the year that will be 2024, BSN  looks back at the 2023 British Superbike Championship to bring you our rundown of the Top 10 BSB Riders of the Year. 

First up in tenth place is Danny Kent…

After two encouraging, if somewhat inconclusive, seasons in BSB on the ageing Suzuki GSX-R1000, Danny Kent didn’t just change tact for his third campaign in the Superbike class, he went all-in with the formation of his own Danny Kent Racing team in 2023.

If dipping into his own pocket to secure a spot on the grid upped the stakes for Kent in 2023 then it didn’t show, at least initially.

Indeed, there was certainly no skimping on the initial outlay with Kent securing himself a quality customer Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade package - which certainly popped on the grid with its white and pink livery - while DKR put in the effort during pre-season testing too.

This investment in preparation certainly showed early on, Kent sprinting out of the blocks at the Silverstone opener to mingle with the front-runners and, for the first time, enjoy an extended stint in the lead of a BSB race for the first time. 

Ending the opening weekend with a best finish of fifth, while Kent’s form would elude him in the immediate rounds, he remained broadly the most competitive Honda rider in the field, a status emphasised during Round 6 at Brands Hatch with a pair of podiums results, including a career-best second place finish.

Alas, just as things were beginning to pick up again, fortunes behind the scenes were on the slide with Kent announcing the team wouldn’t be present for Round 8 at Cadwell Park. Despite some vague indications he would return before the season’s end, this was where Kent’s season would come to an end.

So a short, but sweet return to prominence for Kent in 2023, while it all came to a premature conclusion it at least had the effect of securing him a tantalising new deal with Mar-Train McAMS Yamaha for 2024…