HICKMAN SEVENTH AND NINTH AT CROFT

Peter Hickman scored his best result yet in the MCE British Superbike championship when he finished seventh in Sunday’s first race on the Quay Garage Tyco Honda at Croft.  It could have been even better in race two. The 24-year-old from Louth was lining up to pass Michael Rutter but got hit from behind by Dan Linfoot’s crashing Honda, which pushed Hickman off the track. He managed to save crashing but his bike was damaged and he brought the bike home ninth.  Hickman’s continued impressive learning curve with the Quay Garage Tyco Honda means he’s now tenth in the championship standings with promise of more to come.  Hickman said: “I was pleased with my first race performance in tricky wet conditions and I was happy with the way I rode in the dry second one.  “It was only Dan Linfoot trying to ride over the top of me that spoilt my race. I was lining up to pass Michael Rutter and there was this bang at the back of my bike and I had to fight to save crashing.  “The good thing was that I’ve finally nailed the starts and each time we go out on the bike I’m learning more about it so I’m really looking forward to Thruxton on May 30.”

After two massive crashes in the previous two rounds, Tommy Bridewell bounced back with two solid tenth place rides on his Quay Garage Tyco Honda.  Bridewell said: “It’s been a tough weekend but I just needed to regain my confidence with two solid race finishes this weekend. Now I’m looking forward to racing at my local Thruxton track on May 30.”Swiss rider Patric Muff had two small crashes on Saturday in practice but finished fourth and fifth in the BSB Evo class on Quay Garage Tyco Honda and remains third in the championship.  Muff said: “I was disappointed to give my team so much work with the two crashes but everything came good on Sunday.”Team owner Ian Woollacott said: “Peter did a great job this weekend. He works away steadily with no fuss. He dad Dave told me at the start of the year that it would take three meetings before he would be on it and he’s right. Peter looks confident on the bike and I’m sure there’s more to come from him.  “Tommy just needed miles on the bike this weekend and I’ve been really impressed with his new-found focus and how well he’s worked with the team. It’s something we can build on for the rest of the season.”  “Patric has done a brilliant job again. It’s another new circuit for him. He lost track time with two small crashes but he went 1.5s quicker in the second race than he’s been all weekend which shows just how much there is to come from him too.”