Cheery news at Cadwell

THERE was good news all round for the three local competitors at Cadwell Park during the latest round of the Bennett’s British Superbike Championship.

Killyman’s Cameron Dawson returned to action after his premature departure from the Rokit Rookies British Supersport Championship team, making his Pirelli National Sportbike Championship debut on the CD Racing PHR Triumph, while Dungannon’s Adam Brown produced a solid performance as he continues his recovery from a nasty off at Thruxton and Omagh’s Jamie Lyons produced a PB lap time at one of his least favourite venues ahead of welcoming a new team-mate to his Ability Energy/Lyons Racing team for the Donnington Park meeting this coming weekend.

Former British Junior Supersport champion, Dawson, had endured a disappointing and frustrating season since joining Rokit Rookies at the end of last year, but his smile returned last week when, just three days before the Cadwell meeting, he earned a ride in the Sportbike Championship for the rest of the season.

“It took me longer than expected [to get back to action] but this wasn’t a week or two in the making, this was Monday!,” he explained.

“It literally only came together on Monday. About two weeks ago I had asked Pete [Hickman] to ride his Triumph and I left it with him for a week.

“I texted him last Friday and he said it’s not going to be possible because he has only got the one bike, but I called him back and asked if he could build a sportbike.

“He said he could possibly do that before next week but I should check the entries beforehand, which I did on Monday morning and got the entries for the rest of the year, then rang Pete and he said yeah, we’re ready to go.

“Got a bike Tuesday evening, so it was last minute, no testing, straight out and I loved every minute of it!”

Despite having no time to get used to his new machinery, Dawson took to the Triumph like the proverbial duck to water, finishing 11th on his debut.

And he believes there’s more to come, once his team get the bike fully sorted and he adapts to it.

“It took me a while to get used to riding the smaller bike again, which was difficult, but we kept chipping away each session and we got there in the end,” he added.

“There’s still a wee bit left to come out of it and me as well, but I was right there with ninth or eighth.

“A top 10 would have been lovely, but we had to settle for 11th and we’ll take it!”

Brown, meanwhile, finished 24th in race one of the Supersport Championship before improving and moving into the top 20 in race two, despite still feeling the after-effects of his crash at Thruxton.

“[Cadwell was] a real challenge with the rib pain still lingering from Thruxton” he admitted. “ But I dug deep and pushed through and managed to fight my way into the top 20, staying right in the battle for 17th [in race two].

“A great way to end the weekend, and plenty more recover still to do before Donington, but I’ll be back stronger and in top shape.”

And Lyons also had a largely positive weekend at Cadwell, finishing 18th after starting 19th on the grid at a circuit he’d happily avoid for the rest of his racing career.

“The result wasn’t too bad because I could see the top 10 the whole race,” he said.

“Cadwell is a track I severely dislike but I got a new PB lap time wise and that’s the best ever finish I’ve had there, so when you look at it in those terms, it’s a lot better than 18th looks.”

This coming weekend at Donington, Lyons won’t have his awning all to himself as Dom Herbertson joins the team as a one-off after his regular bike expired at the Armoy road races a few weeks earlier.

“We’re running two bikes at Donington,” Jamie beamed.

“It will be cool for Dad [Steven]. He’s always wanted to see two bikes with the same colours going out of the awning.”