Aaron Clarke recorded a brace of 19th places in the back-to-back races at Donington Park on Saturday – but crashed out of the third race on Sunday in round three of the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship.
Qualifying went well for the Kirton rider, who recorded a 22nd position and started the first of two races on Saturday from an eighth row grid position. But when the lights went out he didn’t get the best of starts and completed the first lap down in 26th place.
However, he made progress through the midfielders and crossed the finish line in 19th position.
There was a hurried fuel top up and tyre change in the pit lane before the second race got underway which Clarke began from the seventh row.
Again he got a bad start but he persevered and made it through to 19th place at the end of the 22 lap affair.
He said: “I am improving my race position with every outing but I need to sort out my starts as I just can’t get the BMW off the line quickly enough.
“But it is a problem with a BMW and other riders suffer the same.
“There must be a knack to it so I need to get out on track and test it out. Other than that my race pace is good and I love the bike, it is really fast and smooth.”
The third race for Clarke was on Sunday afternoon but the track was treacherous due to heavy rain a little earlier.
Clarke started from the seventh row once again but his progress was short lived as he was one of many riders that succumbed to the slippery conditions and he slid off the track at McLeans on the first lap.
There is now a three week break to allow for the Isle of Man TT races, with the next round being at Brands Hatch on June 14/16.
