STP Motorsport and Chris Burns returned to Bennetts British Superbike action in style with a second Cup victory of the season at
Mallory Park.
Having been forced to miss the previous round at Snetterton when supply issues prevented them from getting their bike out on track, STP had hoped to get back to podium-winning ways again, with Burns duly doing as much with a third place finish in the first race.
However, rainy conditions for the second race prompted a chance for lesser fancied runners to gamble on tyre choice, with Burns choosing to fit intermediate rubber onto the sole MV Agusta bike.
The move proved to be a shrewd one because when his wet-shod rivals began slipping back down the order as the race progressed, Burns moved into the opposite direction to eventually cross the line 15th overall and, crucially, first of the Cup runners.
"I'm happy, but I'm also pretty relieved that we made the right choice with regards to tyres," he said. "Everyone was in the same position before the race and it was always going to come down to what the weather was going to do and who had chosen what.
"I came into the weekend confident I could get two third places, but I feared Laverty and Mason would be too fast to catch. I've not ridden at Mallory since 2002 and the track has seen a few changes since then, but we were also at a big disadvantage by our weight.
Our bike is weighing-in at around 200kg, it's almost the equivalent to having a small child sitting on the back compared to every other bike out there, so at stop-and-go track like Mallory was one we really worried about.
"I'm delighted to come home with a win and a third place. It's great to get the victory not just for me but for everyone in the team. We were all gutted to have to miss
Snetterton, so I'm happy I've been able to give them all something to smile about."
