Manxman Conor Cummins got his 2010 season off to a flying start on Easter Monday when he took fourth place in the opening round of the Metzeler National 1000cc Superstock Championship at Brands Hatch. The Team Blackhorse Kawasaki rider was in fine form throughout the weekend, never out of the top 5 in the practice and qualifying sessions, and a brilliant ride in the 24-lap race, that saw him running in 2nd at one stage, was just reward for his stirling efforts.

With both wet and dry weather during free practice and qualifying, the Ramsey man proved to be more than adept in either and after placing 5th in the first (damp) qualifying session hopes were high for improving on that in Sunday's second and final 25-minute session. Sure enough, a time of 50.378s in the dry conditions saw Conor move up to 3rd in his group and this meant that when the positions were combined for the two groups of qualifying, Conor was handily placed in 6th and on the second row of the grid.

Always a strong starter, Conor served up his usual flying getaway when the lights turned green for Monday's race and he completed the first lap of the Indy circuit in fifth place. Briefly relegated to sixth on lap 4, Conor was back up to fifth two laps later and part of a terrific 5-rider battle for second. When Sam Warren crashed out on lap 15, there was enough confusion in the pack for Conor to move up to 3rd and a lap later he was up to 2nd and looking very good for a rostrum position. However, the cool temperatures were causing a few anxious moments for all the riders and when the rear tyre let go exiting Graham Hill Bend on lap 19, it was enough for both Jon Kirkham and Howie Mainwaring to move past and push Conor back to 4th. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't find a way past around the tight, twisty 1.198-mile circuit in the final few laps and he crossed the line in 4th, albeit just two tenths of a second off second, for 13 extremely valuable and hard earned points.

Speaking afterwards, a highly satisfied Conor said:

"I always enjoy my racing but I definitely enjoyed that race today and it's so nice to get my season underway with a strong result and with some decent points on the board. I had a few skippy moments out there when the rear let go due to the colder temperatures but the bike was flying and the team have done a terrific job in preparing it for me. I thought 2nd could have been mine today but it was one of those races where the result could have gone either way and when I had a bit of a slide at one corner it was enough to let two of the boys through. I was a bit tentative for the next couple of laps after that as I was worried about the rear grip but 4th is a great result for all of us. We haven't been out of the top 5 all weekend, whether wet or dry, and it's great for my confidence to be so competitive so soon. The Championship is harder than it's ever been with ex-British Superbike riders, the reigning British Supersport Champion etc but I'm not in awe of anyone and I think we're going to have a great year. I'm really, really chuffed with 4th place so a big thanks to all the team and sponsors as they've put together a great package that has allowed me to show what I can really do - roll on round 2"


Meanwhile, it was a weekend of mixed fortunes for the team's new recruit David Pearce but an encouraging one nevertheless.

The 16 year old is making the transition this season from 125cc racing to that of competing in the highly competitive Metzeler National 600cc Superstock Championship. With 67 riders trying to claim 38 places in the race, practice and qualifying was split into two groups. David was in Group B and posted a very respectable time of 50.487 secs during Free Practice on Friday. Progress in the first official qualifying session on Saturday was curtailed by an oil leak which meant he only got four laps in the session.

In the second qualifying session on Sunday David, still learning the grip characteristics of his rear Metzeler, suffered a massive highside exiting the fast Clearways section whilst lying in 10th position. David's bike escaped relatively unscathed with the young rider sustaining severe bruising to his back.

Undaunted, David went out in the shoot-out race to determine final grid places and battled his way to 21st, once again posting very good lap times.


David Pearce:

"I've got a lot to learn but Ian and the team have given me a great, well set-up, ZX-6 and I can't wait for Thruxton now. I'm just sorry I made such a silly mistake and crashed out, but these things will happen until I get more miles under my belt I guess."


Thruxton in Hampshire hosts the next round of both Championships on April 16/17/18.


Photographs: Clive Challinor - Motorsport Photography