Mixed weekend for Buxton racer Chris Kent at Donington Park

Buxton racer Chris Kent competed on his Buxton Powder Coating supported MZ 250cc bike as the British Motorcycle Club returned to Donington Park.

Kent claimed a fifth place and a fourth on the Saturday .

He was unable to start the third race on the Sunday before claiming another fifth in the final race.

“The racing was brilliant,” he said afterwards. “But a couple of mistakes and a binding brake disc cost me the chance of podium places.”

Kent will be hoping for better results at the next round on 8th and 9th June at Snetterton in Norfolk.

At Donington, race 3 on the Sunday morning began with a bang.

As the lights went out to start the race, the local man’s bike misfired and blew the spark plug out of the engine, leaving him stranded as the other racers accelerated past.

A scary few seconds passed but fortunately everyone managed to avoid the stalled rider.

Race four saw Kent start from the back row due to his non-finish in the previous race.

Determined to get involved in the lead fight, the Buxton man got a great start and was in third place by the end of the first lap and up to second by the end of lap two.

The lead bike was very fast on the straights so Kent was struggling to match his speed, but he was able to catch up in the corners, making a few passes only to lose out again on the straights.

At the end of lap four there were six riders within 1.5 seconds of each other.

Possibly the best race for years was unfolding.

But as the 10 laps wore down, Kent’s bike seemed to lose power and gradually he dropped back to sixth before a final lunge at the last corner allowed him to get a run to the line and claim fifth.

“The racing was brilliant” he said afterwards “but a couple of mistakes and a binding brake disc cost me the chance of podium places this weekend”. Kent will be hoping for better performance at the next round on June 8/9 at Snetterton in Norfolk.