Mixed fortunes for V&M at Knockhill.

The V&M Racing Team had a weekend of mixed fortunes at the Knockhill racing circuit in Scotland, when the eighth round of the British Superstock and British Supersport championships took place over the weekend of 11/12 August.

After qualifying on the front row of the grid in appalling wet and foggy conditions during Saturdays timed practice sessions, reigning British Superstock champion David Jefferies (pictured - #1), looked set to make up some ground at the top of the points table. But Sundays race played into his rivals hands with dry conditions meaning their extra power became more usable on the dry track.

Despite getting a good start in the twenty six-lap race, Jefferies was soon overpowered by his main Suzuki rivals, and despite pushing his machine to the limit, he struggled to hang on to the leaders. In the closing stages of the race the Yorkshireman was forced to settle for fifth place, after overworking his tyres as he battled to stay in touch.

"I was riding so hard I probably pushed the tyres too hard in the early part of the race," he said. "When I wanted to make a bid for fourth place at the end, the bike was just sliding about everywhere. I made a bid for a last lap last corner pass, and the back end came right round on me, all I could do was bring the bike home in the points."

If Jefferies was unhappy with fifth place, teammate Matt Llewellyn had to be over the moon with his fifth place position in the British Supersport 600 event. The Leicester rider had to start Sundays race from the back row of the grid after being penalised for speeding out of the pit lane during Saturday afternoon's timed qualifying session.

Then in the race, Llewellyn had to take avoiding action on the opening lap when a crashed bike came scuttling towards him at the hairpin, before he staged an amazing fight back through the field from nineteenth position on the grid to fifth place at the flag, on his V&M Racing R6 Yamaha.

"That has to be one of the most eventful weekends of my racing career," said Llewellyn. "At one stage the meeting was just going from bad to worse. All things considered I can't be too disappointed to finish in fifth place, although I am disappointed to lose some ground at the top of the table."

Team owner Jack Valentine summed up the eventful weekend. "I'm relieved but disappointed," he said. "The way the Suzuki's have dominated the Superstock series, David's result was probably the best we could expect. We had high hopes that Matt would be able to close the gap at the top of the Supersport championship, but after the disappointment of qualifying, I'm relieved we haven't lost too much ground in the title chase."

With twenty-five points separating Llewellyn from leader Kirk McCarthy, the championship chase is still far from over, and with five rounds and a possible one hundred and twenty five points still available; the Supersport 600 title is still within grasp. Jefferies Superstock challenge is a tougher mountain to climb. He also lies in second place in the standings, but is forty-five points adrift of championship leader Paul Young.

The weekend was enjoyed by the V&M Racing teams guests from Whirlpool, Bikes UK and Dawsons Fibrous Plasterers, who after enjoying the use of the teams hospitality unit, joined the bumper 20,000 spectators who lined the hilly Scottish Knockhill circuit to watch the action.

RESULTSSuperstock
1. John Crockford (Suzuki)
2. .Glen Richards (Honda)
3. Paul Young (Suzuki);
4. Pete Jennings (Suzuki)
5. David Jefferies (Yamaha)
6. Jamie Morley (Suzuki)
7. Gary Mason (Honda)
8. Marty Nutt (Suzuki)
9. Phil Giles (Suzuki)
10. Steve Allan (Suzuki).

Supersport 600
1. Karl Harris (Suzuki)
2. Kirk McCarthy (Honda)
3. Paul Young (Suzuki)
4. John McGuinness (Honda)
5. Matt Llewellyn (Yamaha)
6. Gary Mason (Honda)
7. Leslie Shand (Honda)
8. Ross McCullough (Yamaha)
9. Gary May (Yamaha)
10. Callum Ramsay (Suzuki).

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTSSuperstock
1. Paul Young 157
2. 2. David Jefferies 112
3. John Crockford 103
4. Gary Mason 80
5. Glen Richards 80
6. Jamie Morley 78
7. Chris Burns 60
8. Gus Scott 42
9. Pete Jennings 40
10. Dave Heal 33.

Supersport 600
1. Kirk McCarthy 147
2. Matt Llewellyn 122
3. Karl Harris 115
4. John McGuinness 105
5. Paul Young 99
6. Scott Smart 61
7. Rob Frost 48
8. Gary Mason 46
9. Woolsey Coulter 44;
10. Glen Richards 44.