EVESHAM-based Jones Dorling Racing experienced mixed feelings at Cheshire’s Oulton Park circuit in round two of the British Superbike Championship’s Superstock series.
With Suzuki 1,000 rider Ben Godfrey bravely riding whilst still recovering from a broken hand from his crash at Silverstone, it was left to Jordan Weaving on the team’s other Suzuki and Cameron Fraser and Worcester’s Ewan Potter on the Yamaha 600s to bring home the results.
All four riders struggled in Friday’s free practice, with Godfrey P19 being hampered by his injury. There was really no expectation of being in the top 20 with only being out of his cast the day before and four weeks earlier than it should be.
Fraser and Potter had challenges with set-up for the track, together with mixed weather conditions, but both still finished within the top 20 and knowing what they needed to improve for qualifying.
Weaving crashed out at Cascades and, although he was unhurt, damage to the bike meant he was unable to ride for the rest of the weekend.
Godfrey, although gutted to be riding with a big injury, qualified 21st in the competitive field of 40 riders and Potter, still struggling with the bike set-up, finished in P28.
However, Fraser, determined to be near the top of the field following his podium finish at Silverstone, improved his position and knocked a second off his qualifying with a P11 start on the grid for Sunday’s race.
In view of his injury, Godfrey decided not to race with weather conditions looking sketchy with showers. Fraser swapped tyres to full dry ones in the last few minutes and Potter chose a wet front and dry rear.
Potter had won his issues with the settings, battling from a near back of the grid position to consistently improve his times on each lap, with a new personal best and finishing in 12th.
Fraser had an exciting and strong race, surging through the field to cross the line in eighth. A technical exclusion meant their positions were moved up one to 11th and seventh respectively.
Potter had qualified to race in the final Supersport race of the day and he finished 23rd in his first race in the British Supersport Championship and managed to battle it out with some of the Supersport and GP2 riders over the shortened race after an issue with the start procedure.
However, the race was cut short due to a red-flagged accident which was a shame as Potter was catching two more GP2 bikes.
This great performance from the team’s young riders ended with Fraser leaving Oulton Park joint third in the championship. The team are at Donington Park for the next round. Follow the team’s progress at www.jonesdorlingracing.co.uk.
