BSB Round 11 - Cadwell Park
Steve rode to his best result of the current campaign when he secured a 9th and 13th place finish to his two Bennetts British Superbike races on Bank Holiday Monday.
Re-united with his AIM Yamaha R1, Steve encountered a few technical issues with the bike but persevered through qualifying to secure a fifth row start to Monday's two races.
"I don't know what to say really," said the affable 35-year-old rider. "I have been pushing as hard as I can and shaved a further second from my lap times. The qualifying tyres did a good job and I am riding the wheels off the bike but still am down in 20th place. If I push any harder I will end up in the tyre wall and I cant afford to do that as I have a World Endurance race in three week's time. My aim for today is to bring it home safely within the top 15".
As race one got underway Steve made up a couple of places on the first of 18 laps and gradually picked off riders finding himself up into 13th place at the chequered flag to claim three championship points.
But when the lights went out at the start of race two Steve was quick off the line to move straight into 14th place before dropping back to 15th as James Haydon went past.
But Steve wasn't to be outpaced and followed Haydon all the way home eventually finishing in ninth place just half a second behind him to claim a further seven championship points and move up the standings to 18th.
 "That was a good result, considering our disastrous practice and qualifying," said Steve. "I got a cracking start in both races and got away with the tail end of the front group. Obviously the pace car coming out for the incident involving Leon Camier in the second race helped me a bit and then Scott Smart and Michael Rutter had a coming together at the Old Hairpin, which elevated me further up field. But the bike was quite a bit better and my lap times improved in the second race so we were happy that we have gone forward.
"We still have a few issues which need resolving before the next round but we are aware of these and hopefully they will be rectified and we will be much stronger for Donington and looking at some more top ten finishes."
There is a four-week break before the next round but there will be no respite for Steve who will be heading off to Magny Cours in France for the penultimate round of the World Endurance Championship on September 15/16. The Bol d'Or 24-hour race begins on Saturday (15th) at 3pm (2pm GMT) finishing the next day at the same time. Steve along with the other two Team Kawasaki France riders is currently holding second place in the series and a good result at Magny Cours could see him edge nearer to the series leaders SERT.
Steve was testing at Magny Cours last week but the rain hampered his progress. He found a good wet set up on Tuesday but although the track dried out on Wednesday for a while the rain came back with a vengeance ruining any chance of making further progress.
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