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Hardinge
Ice Valley racer Tom Tunstall celebrated his best finish of the season
at Snetterton on Sunday with a well-deserved sixth place.
The free practice and qualifying sessions once again saw Tom and the
team continuing to play catch up as they progressed up the grid. After
provisionally holding a grid spot of 10th, session two saw the Huddersfield
rider nudged into twelfth.
"I'm not at all disappointed with qualifying, I didn't really get
a clear run on the qualifying tyre, and then the session was stopped
early due to a crash so it ruled it out. But the changes we made meant
I was quicker on race tyres and getting more feeling from the bike."
Race day saw the Norfolk track bathed in sunshine, and it started well
for Tunstall as he set his fastest time of the weekend on worn race
tyres in the 10 minute warm up session.
By the start of the race the ambient and track temperatures had soared.
Tunstall launched off the line and finished the first of twenty-two
laps in an impressive eighth after passing four riders. However as at
the previous round a crash caused the race to be halted, allowing the
track to be cleared.
In the restart Tom was unable to repeat the feat and finished the first
1.95 mile circulation in 13th. Lap two saw Tunstall up to 12th and right
on the rear wheel of Simon Andrews. However, before Tom could get past,
Andrews' Suzuki engine started blowing oil out and within half
a lap it had expired. All of which cost Tunstall over 2.5 seconds on
the riders ahead. Six laps later Tom had not only caught but passed
both Honda mounted Matt Llewellyn and Sam Owens and taken 8th.
With both Stuart Easton and Craig Jones crashing out in the fast pace,
Tunstall crossed the line in an excellent sixth place with an average
race speed of 99.77mph.
"It's great to get a reward for the improvements we are making. For
me it was a shame the race was stopped as I was looking strong. But
I worked hard in the restart and clawed my way back through. I was having
problems with grip, especially at the front, which hadn't been a problem
before, but I don't think I was the only one! It's a shame there is
a break in the season now, as we are getting back to where we should
be."
The next round of the British Championship is at Silverstone on the
21st August.
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