Ben Wilson battled with the pain from his newly-healed leg to record a 14th place in the first race at Assen and went on to finish tenth in the second race on Sunday.
It’s only seven weeks since Wilson suffered a heavy crash at Thruxton which resulted in a double break to his leg and caused him to miss the next two meetings.
But after having his cast removed last week Wilson was this time pronounced fit to race at Assen and eased his way back into race fitness in the two free practice sessions.
After completing the first session in tenth place he went out in the second session only to suffer a crash after just two laps.
He said: “That was a weird crash for me in free practice two but thankfully I was OK and good to go for qualifying in the morning.”
Wilson managed to qualify in 19th place (27th overall) in the mixed grid of riders and began the Sprint race on Saturday from a ninth row grid position.
Wilson is renowned for his swift starts and he was not to be denied this time. He made up five places on the opening lap and a further four places on lap two.
By lap three he had settled into 13th place in his class (17th overall), but as the race wore on, the pain in his leg began to hamper his progress.
He slowed, which allowed Kurt Wigley to make a pass and – although suffering through the final few laps – Wilson crossed the finish line in 14th place (20th overall) to pick up two points.
Wilson added: “The pain I battled through in that race was unreal but I pushed through and managed a 14th place which, under the circumstances, I am content enough with.”
Starting Sunday’s feature race from the eighth row Wilson was up to 15th on the opening lap and when another rider crashed on lap two he was elevated to 14th.
Two riders ahead of him crashed on lap eight and Wilson was the benefactor as he moved up to 12th.
He continued to make progress and eventually completed the 15-lap affair in a fine tenth position to pick up six points, which brings his total to 119 and maintains his ninth place in the standings.
The penultimate round of the championship is at Donington Park on October 4/6, which gives Wilson two more weeks of physio and training to get nearer to full fitness.
