The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Kirton rider Aaron Clarke recorded a strong fifth place in the National Superstock 600 Championship race on Sunday.
The result at Donington Park, which was hosting the round as part of the support package to the World Superbike round held over the weekend, sees draperRACING speedster Clarke move up to sixth in the rider standings.
Clarke was running within the top six throughout free practice and qualifying and began his campaign from a second row grid position.
As the lights went out he got a fantastic start and was up to third at McLean’s on the opening lap. He briefly shot into the lead but was beaten back by Milo Ward on lap two and then demoted to third when Joe Sheldon-Shaw overtook him on lap three of 14.
Clarke then entered into a race long battle for fourth place with Cameron Lee and Caolan Irwin, with places being exchanged between the three throughout the remainder of the race which saw Clarke finally crossing the finish line in fifth place to pick up 11 points.
He said: “It was a good race but my rear shock needed a bit more support. Everyone else was able to dig in and drive, while I was using all the shock.
“That cost me a lot of time out of the faster hard driving parts of the track, then I had a little bit of brake failure as well as in the middle stages of the race.
“When the other two came past I wasn’t sure my brakes were 100 per cent working, so just had to ride with what I had.
“But fifth is a good result and I have gained a bit of ground in the championship standings – which is pleasing.”
