The ultra fast Thruxton circuit played host to the latest British Superbikes round where Team ILR were again assisting Team Sandown's Robert Kennedy in the Pirelli National Superstock 600 race.

This was Robert's first visit to the Hampshire venue but he quickly got to grips with the place, finishing 9th and 19th in both Friday's Free Practice sessions, with 1.9 seconds covering the Top 20 riders.

In contrast to the previous day, Saturday saw wet weather and as the riders took to the track for the qualifying session rain began to fall with the session being red flagged. 

It was re-started, but just as Robert was getting down to business on his second lap, the rain returned leaving him unable to post a quick lap and subsequently down in 20th position, and very much with it all to do in Sunday's race.

Robert made the best of a bad situation to stay calm and steadily work his way through the field, improving his best lap time in the process and posting the fastest speed through the start-finish speed trap at 119.1mph to finish the race in 11th position and just outside the Top 10, in what was a good ride given his starting position on the grid.

It's a two-week break now for Robert until the next round at Cadwell Park where he'll be joined by young KTM RC390 British Junior Cup rider Sam Laffins.

For Team ILR though it's an immediate return to the roads with Joey Thompson as he makes his debut at the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod.

In closing, the thoughts of everyone at Team ILR are with the family and friends of Mark Fincham who sadly lost his life in a crash in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 race at Thruxton.


Team ILR owner/manager Ian Lougher:

"Thruxton is probably one of the big test tickles and hardest circuits on the BSB calendar.

That's because it is so fast and bumpy and difficult to adjust to and where you get so little time at this Hampshire track.

But Robert took to it like a duck to water ending his first free practice in 9th position, which is an unbelievable achievement.

He ended up with a very unlucky 20th on the grid after qualifying, after a shower of rain came at just the wrong time on the second lap of the session and wrecking his chances of a top 6 qualifying position. 

However, Robert dug deep and came within 0.2 of the winner's best lap time, coming home in a quality 11th place... top man. 

Back at the Ulster GP now with Joey "Yorkshire" Thompson.

He is really looking forward to it and I hope I can help him carry on progressing and round off 2017 with some decent results."

Robert Kennedy:

"It was a tough but enjoyable weekend at Thruxton, and it was another new track for me to learn.

P20 on the grid I knew it was going to be tough. I ended up finishing in 11th which I was ok with, and I improved my laps time by nearly 1.5 seconds.

Big thanks to all my sponsors, Team Sandown, Team ILR, Willy, my dad, Ian and Asa and everyone else who helped me over the weekend

A big good luck to everyone racing at the Ulster Grand Prix this week, not jealous at all."