Accident Advice Solicitors supported rider Johnny Blackshaw riding for Smiths Triumph was unlucky to miss out on his first podium of the year in the Metzeler National Superstock 600 Championship at Oulton Park this weekend. The 20-year-old Newcastle University student was lying in a fantastic second place and hunting down the leader Josh Wainwright when he crashed heavily in front of him leaving JB no-where to go except over the stricken rider Wainwright. Fortunately both walked away, sore and relatively uninjured from what was a terrible crash.
JB had been riding the Triumph well all weekend at the difficult Oulton Park circuit and despite a few initial set up problems the Smiths Triumph team they got everything sorted in time for the race. After qualifying on the second row for the scheduled 14-lap race JB got a good start and was lying in fifth after the first lap. After the initial chaotic first lap JB took advantage of the situation and was through to second by lap two. He was soon locked in a tight three way battle for the lead with Josh Wainwright and Grant Whitaker.
Wainwright began to bridge a small gap at the front but soon JB was in second and towing Whitaker and the rapidly catching Olsen with him towards Wainwright. Soon JB was right on the back of the leader and with four laps remaning JB was looking strong and setting some consistently fast lap times and was set to make a pass for the lead. However this was not to be, as at one of the fastest corners on the track the leader Wainwright high-sided coming out of Druids and JB was so close that he was unable to take avoiding action to miss him, running him over the chest area forcing him to crash heavily also, the race was immediately red flagged and declared a result.
JB - "I'm really disappointed to have crashed out today but to be honest I'm just thankful that neither of us was seriously hurt. I just had no-where to go, I was that close to Josh that it all happened so fast I didn't know what was going on. I knew I'd run him over and I was very shook up when I saw the aftermath of the crash but thankfully we are both ok as it could have been much worse and I wish Josh a speedy recovery. I'd like to thank all the Smiths team for all their hard work this weekend and to my mechanics who helped set up my Triumph for me. I'm sorry to all the guys at Accident Advice Solicitors but hope I can get them some good results at the future rounds, thanks for their sponsorship this year and sorry if I gave Dave a bit of a fright at his first race meeting!"
