IMPRESSIVE BRIDEWELL RACKS UP THE POINTS AT OULTON

Quay Garage Racing rider Tommy Bridewell scored his first points of the season with a superb double top ten placing in round three of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park.

Despite having the little finger on his right hand amputated following a crash at Thruxton two weeks ago, the 21 year old from Etchilhampton near Devizes posted tenth place during the Swan Combi Roll for Poll qualifying session to start from row three of the grid.

In race one, Bridewell was eager to get a good start in the dry conditions but was a bit too keen and was adjudged to have jumped the start meaning he was penalised with a ride-through penalty dropping him down the order. Despite the handicap, Tommy climbed his was up through the order and had elevated himself to tenth at the chequered flag.

Race two had Tommy starting from row three again but saw the weather conditions deteriorate with the track dampened from rain showers, meaning Bridewell opted for wet weather tyres like most of the field. Circulating inside the top ten, and with the track drying slowly, Bridewell rode a calculated race to end up in seventh at the end of the shortened 15-lap race aboard the 1000cc Honda.

With his two points scoring rides, Bridewell now occupies 15th place in the series points table going into the next round at Cadwell Park in three weeks time.

Tommy Bridewell:  "It was important to get some points on the board today but it's not been without its problems I have to admit. My finger was OK but took some adapting to and we didn't have an ideal set up but it came good in the end. I only have myself to blame for the jump start in race one and I enjoyed battling my way back up the order so tenth was good and the rain didn't help in race two. I had no tyre left at the end so to claim seventh is a good result but I feel we can improve further."

Ian Woollacott, Team Principal: "I thought Tommy did a fantastic job for us this weekend as the odds were stacked against us a little. A tenth following a ride-through penalty and seventh in the rain speaks volumes about how hard Tommy and the team are working. Hopefully all our bad luck is out of the way and we can show both Tommy's and the bike's true potential from now on."

The fourth round of the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Cadwell Park over the weekend of 21/23 May.

MCE British Superbike Championship Race 1 (18 laps)

1 Stuart Easton (Honda)2 Tommy Hill (Suzuki) +0.058s3 John Laverty (Kawasaki) +10.399s4 Alastair Seeley (Suzuki) +10.843s5 Michael Laverty (Suzuki) +10.849s6 Josh Brookes (Honda) +11.073s7 Gary Mason (Kawasaki) +23.428s 8 Chris Walker (Kawasaki) +27.478s9 Dan Linfoot (Yamaha) +35.997s10 Tommy Bridewell (Quay Garage Honda) +36.709s

MCE British Superbike Championship Race 2 (18 laps)

1 Michael Laverty (Suzuki)2 Michael Rutter (Ducati) +6.000s3 Tommy Hill (Suzuki) +11.333s4 Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +16.029s5 John Laverty (Kawasaki) +23.590s6 Alastair Seeley (Suzuki) +27.258s7 Tommy Bridewell (Quay Garage Honda) +30.287s8 Josh Brookes (Honda) +30.823s9 Hudson Kennaugh (Kawasaki) +32.463s10 Adam Jenkinson (Kawasaki) +54.950s

MCE British Superbike Championship (after 3 rounds)

1 Hill 126pts2 Easton 753 Brookes 744 Michael Laverty 655 Seeley 636 John Laverty 5915 Bridewell 15

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2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Calendar

R1 Brands Hatch 3/4/5 April R2 Thruxton 16/17/18 April R3 Oulton Park 1/2/3 May R4 Cadwell Park 21/22/23 May R5 Mallory Park 25/26/27 June R6 Knockhill 2/3/4 July R7 Snetterton 16/17/18 July R8 Brands Hatch GP 6/7/8 August R9 Cadwell Park 28/29/30 August R10 Croft 10/11/12 September R11 Silverstone GP 24/25/26 September R12 Oulton Park 8/9/10 October