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Following on from the broken leg sustained in the very first round of
the Italian Superbike Championship, British teenager Tommy Bridewell bounced
back with a battling eighth place finish at round four held at Misano
today.
Having missed the previous two rounds of the ISC also, the 18 year old from
Etchilhampton near Devizes in Wiltshire was nearly back to full fitness
following recent races in the Suzuki GSX-R 750 European Cup and was determined
to put in a good performance on his Naturally Best Racing 1000cc Suzuki.
Brim-full of confidence going into the race, Bridewell's problems started on
the warm-up lap when a dragging clutch beset his challenge but despite this, he
battled with the leading group during the early stages of the 13-lap race.
However, Tom was dealt a second blow when a problem with the rear tyre
started seriously hampering his progress and the resulting time loss in the
second half of the race relegated him to eighth at the flag, albeit some 19
seconds ahead of the ninth placed rider.
"What a bummer." declared Tom afterwards. "For the first time
this season, I felt really confident that we could get a good result here this
weekend and then when I felt the clutch go on the warm-up lap I thought maybe I
could ride round the problem but then the tyre gave up the ghost a few laps
later and it was all I could do to bring the bike home. I finished the race with
no clutch and the rear tyre shredded but despite that, I'm pleased to get my
first points on the board in the series. We have a two month break now in this
series so my aim is to get fitter and look to score a podium when we come back
here to Misano in late September."
In the interim, Bridewell has two races on home ground when he contests his
local Castle Combe Superbike Grand National over the weekend of August 16/17 and
then it's on to Donington Park three weeks later for round five of the Suzuki
GSX-R 750 European Cup.
Italian Superbike Championship
20th April Mugello
4th
May Monza
25th May Vallelunga
27th
July Misano
28th Sept Misano
19th
Oct Mugello
Suzuki GSX-R750 European Cup
6th April Valencia, Spain
11th
May Monza, Italy
15th June Nurburgring, Germany
29th
June Misano, Italy
7th Sept Donington Park, GB
5th
Oct Magny Cours, France
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