BEN WILSON – SNETTERTON
Ben Wilson suffered mixed results
at Snetterton in the seventh round of the 2006 Bennetts British Superbike
championship on Sunday when he equalled his best result of the season in the
opening race but crashed out of race two injuring his back and left hand.
Wilson from Boston dipped well
under his lap times from last year to complete his qualifying in 17th
place and started race one from row five. Although he didn’t get away to the
best of starts the 24-year old soon made up the ground moving through to 11th
place after just four laps.
His progress was halted by the
safety car brought out to slow the riders after Karl Harris suffered a heavy
crash but three laps later the car returned to the pits and Ben was soon back on
the case. He immediately took up 10th position and began to make
inroads to Dean Thomas a few yards ahead. He gradually reeled in the Hawk
Kawasaki rider moving ahead on lap 17.
But his progress was short-lived
as he in turn was passed by Billy McConnell on the penultimate lap. Ben
completed the 21 laps in 10th position to equal his best result of
the year and claim a further six championship points which move him up the
standings to 13th.
“I slowed towards the end,” said Ben. “My rear tyre had gone off and I was
sliding around quite a bit.”
Race two saw Ben promoted up the
gird to 15th and this time he shot away to a good start, moving
straight into 12th place. He then took Jon Kirkham on lap three and
was homing in on Gary Mason when disaster struck. The bike high sided at
Russells and threw Ben off injuring his left hand and back in the progress.
A few laps later the race was
red-flagged for another incident allowing Ben to walk back to the pit garage,
pick up his scooter and head off to the medical centre for assessment.
“It looked as though I may have
broken my fingers as they are all swollen and are very tender,” explained Ben.
“But I have now been for an x-ray and its good news. The fingers are just
badly bruised and not broken and the damage to my back is just a bit of tissue
damage.
“I went into the chicane at
Russells exactly the same as every other lap but the rear just let go and I was
thrown over the handlebars. I am really disappointed as I was well in the
running for a strong finish.”
With a non-finish and no points
scored in leg two Ben drops back down to 15th place in the overall
standings but a good set of results in the next round could see him advance
further.
The next round is at Knockhill on July 16 and it is hoped that Ben will be ready
to take on the challenge of the short and tricky Scottish circuit.
Report by Helen Pask
Picture courtesy of Turn One
Photography
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