Peter Hickman, Cadwell Park, June 15

Young Willoughby racer Peter Hickman aged 16, fell victim to the tight hairpin at Cadwell Park on Sunday but overcame his problems to secure an 11th place finish to his MRO Supersport 400 race and retain a top ten position in the overall standings.

Peter, who races for the Hawk Kawasaki team and is a first year student of the ACU Race Academy, knew he would not be up with the leaders this time out as the engine is still not fully prepared but he arrived at the county circuit with the intention of salvaging as many points as possible from the outing.

" It is a little frustrating for me as we are still awaiting the arrival of some parts for the engine which have not even been manufactured as yet. Once these arrive and we get the engine fully kitted out things will hopefully improve and I will be up to full speed, " explained Peter.

Qualifying saw Hicky secure a third row start to Sunday’s race but although he powered the ZXR400 Kawasaki through to sixth place on the opening lap he was rammed by another rider going into the tight and tricky hairpin one lap later.

Peter got his feet on the tarmac and managed to keep the machine upright but had lost out on position and dropped down to 10th. He squirted on the power and chased after the race leaders but fell victim to the hairpin again when he overshot his turning point, running on up the mountain before returning to tag onto the back of a midfield group down in 16th place.

He settled down and focussed on catching the riders ahead and by the end of the 18 lap race he had made his way through to 11th place to collect a further five championship points.

" I am really disappointed, " said Hicky. " I was up with the leaders after a flying start and if I hadn’t been unsettled at the hairpin I would have secured a good finish for sure. But all is not lost; I have salvaged five points and only dropped one place in the standings down to ninth. The points are very close in the top ten and I am only seven away from fifth place. "

Peter has a four-week break before the next round at Snetterton on July 20 and will be keeping his fingers crossed that the new engine parts arrive in time for father Dave to get the bike up to full power to enable him to progress further in the championship.