 BSB Round 11 - Cadwell Park
Steve is certainly getting to grips with the Rizla Suzuki as he continues to deputise for the injured James Haydon. Steve claimed his best qualifying result of the season and went on to secure a strong sixth place in the second race after being caught by another rider and crashing out of the first encounter.
Steve qualified ninth for a third row start and said: “I needed to qualify well to get off the line quick. I really could have done with a second row start but just didn’t quite make it. But ninth is good as I am behind the pole man and can hopefully follow him through.”
But it didn’t work quite that way for Steve who got a terrible start being 20th after the first lap. But he soon knuckled down to it and steadily reeled in the riders ahead. He passed Kirkham and Mainwaring on lap two and Wilson and Bridewell on lap four to move up into 13th place before forging ahead of both Thomas and Coxhell.
But it all went wrong as he approached Barn corner on lap 10 and was caught by a rider avoiding a crash ahead of him.
“It was just one of those things,” said Steve. “One rider crashed and another took avoiding action but just caught my front tyre taking me down.”
As it turned out if Steve had kept going and avoided the crash he would have been looking at a fifth or sixth place finish but it wasn’t to be.
 Race two went much better for the Rizla Suzuki rider who held ninth place in the opening laps before moving through to eighth and then seventh to chase after Michael Laverty a few yards ahead.
Steve was determined to end his weekend on a strong note and made a determined effort to catch Laverty. He caught and passed him on the very last lap to take sixth place – his best result of the season.
“I am delighted with that result,” said Steve. “I had a good race. I didn’t get a mega start but was able to stay with the midfielders and gradually pick them off. Sixth is my best result this year and while it isn’t a win I am over the moon with the progress I have made with the Rizla Suzuki. The whole team deserve a result for their efforts supporting me – thanks guys. Also a big thank-you to my home fans who were cheering me on today.”
Steve is scheduled to compete in the Bol D’Or at Magny Cours for Kawasaki France on September 17 but if James Haydon is still not fit this could all change as the next round of the British Superbike championship is on the same day at Silverstone.
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