After a successful test at Brno the previous week the team were looking forward to the race weekend. Free practice went well with both Matt and Chris in 20th and 12th respectively.

First qualifying saw Matt second fastest overall in the first sector after just a few laps and running well inside the top 20, ahead of both Brendan Roberts, current British SuperStock champion, and Sheridan Morais, ex-South African Champion.

Disaster struck when Matt returned to the pits with a very sick sounding engine. It turned out that it had dropped a valve meaning it was game over for the weekend. He still ended up 31st overall despite only managing five laps. Despite being the largest British team in the paddock, MIST Suzuki probably have the smallest budget also meaning there was no spare bike to fall back on.

Chris continued to improve and finished the first qualifying session in 9th overall. A good start as Chris had only just returned from South Africa where he is leading the South African SuperSport 600 championship (run to rules similar to our SuperStock series) as part of the official factory Suzuki team.

Despite not taking part in the remainder of the weekend Matt was still in 36th position which only underlined the frustration and disappointment of the team and the missed opportunity after the pace he had shown in testing. Chris dropped to 14th in the second qualifying as many riders went faster on new rubber whilst Chris was able to match his previous times on very worn tyres which was encouraging for the race.

A red flag stopped the 600 race before the first lap had even been completed and Chris got away well on the restart and soon settled down and made good progress reeling in the group ahead. Chris fought his way through the pack only to be pushed wide by a Czech wildcard rider letting the bulk of the group back through. The wildcard began making some desperate moves, even resorting to using the rumble strip to get underneath him on several occasions. Each move slowing Chris as he retook him whilst the pack gradually pulled away.

By the end of the race the wild card just pipped him to the line but he was rewarded with his first point of the season. Fate smiled on the team as two other finishers were excluded for technical irregularities moving Chris up to 13th.

Roll on Brands Hatch!