SMT Racing’s Adam Jenkinson got his Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship challenge back on track on Sunday with the 28-year putting in a fine ride to claim second place at his local Oulton Park circuit and with main championship rival Hudson Kennaugh finishing in fourth place, it meant his Championship lead crept up from a single point to a more useful eight.
 
Keen to reassert himself at the top of the Championship table, the Knutsford rider was in fine form throughout practice and qualifying and he took fourth place and a front row start for the 15-lap race, whilst fellow title contenders Kennaugh and Joe Burns were back on the third row.
 
It gave Adam the perfect opportunity to capitalise and he maintained his fourth place starting position at the end of the opening lap. Battling with fellow Kawasaki riders David Johnson, Tommy Aquino and Luke Quigley as well as the Ducati of Knockhill winner Tristan Palmer, the race soon became a three-way battle between Aquino, Palmer and Adam. Palmer led from start to finish despite coming under extreme pressure from Adam and Aquino and it looked like Adam was going to end the 14 laps on the final step of the podium.
 
However, American rider Aquino suffered a slide at Druids on the final lap and Adam needed no second invitation to dive up the inside and seal the runners-up spot. The 20 points gave him his fifth podium of the season, the perfect way to bounce back after his Brands Hatch spill and with Kennaugh in fourth and Burns disqualified for a technical infringement it was a strong day all round.
 
Speaking later, team owner Robin Croft said; “We’re more than happy to be back on the podium and although we all would have liked a win at our local circuit, the results have gone our way this weekend. It would have been nice to have opened up a larger gap to Kennaugh but the lead’s increased nevertheless and that’s what you want at this stage of the season. We knew Tristan would be the man to beat this weekend as he’s been strong right from the off but the podium is where we want to be and Adam never put a wheel wrong all weekend. He’s riding well and proving what he’s capable of so we’ll be looking for more of the same next time around.”
 
The next round sees the team head to Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire with the meeting taking place on August 24-26.
 
Picture by Glynne Lewis.