Sam Corke from Uckfield banked two fourth places in the privateers' category as the fourth round of the British Superbike Championship rolled into Oulton Park last Monday.

Racing on the new Suzuki GSXR 1000 he secured with a £10,000 bank loan, Corke claimed 21st on the grid, which was good enough for fourth in the privateers' category.

It was a creditable achievement considering the quality of machinery he was up against and that Corke's ride is virtually a standard road bike with new suspension and a race exhaust.

Corke is hoping to continue the success he achieved in last season's MRO championships and prove his worth at the highest domestic level.

He did his chances no harm as he claimed two fourth place finishes in the two races which marked the first round proper of the privateers championship.

With engine modifications, Corke is confident he will mount a challenge for first place at Knockhill in Scotland next Sunday.

Championship leader Tommy Hill from Lingfield had a disastrous first lap in the Virgin Yamaha R6 Cup after he was forced off the track.

Hill eventually started his bike and but was more than half a lap behind the rest of the field. Hecaught the back of the pack and worked his way through to finish tenth.

The finish dropped him to third in the championship, three points behind new series leader Peter Ward who won at Oulton.

AN ANSTY business is sending a bike and rider to compete in the Manx GP in August.

The Motorcycle Workshop is preparing to send 41-year-old Phil Harman, of Newchapel, West Sussex, to compete in the Isle of Man event on the Yamaha TRX 850 of joint-owners Mark Young and Dougie Hamilton, two regular customers of the business.

The bike is one of a pair originally prepared for Slipstream Racing to compete in the Battle of the Twins, in which it secured first place.

Harman had an earlier attempt to race in the Manx GP thwarted in 1992 when he was unexpectedly made redundant.

Anyone interested in sponsoring the team, either businesses or private individuals, should contact Jeanette on 01444 882688 or at admin@themotorcycleworkshop.co.uk.

UCKFIELD bike rider Andy Denyer has returned from competing in the Daytona 200.

Denyer said: "We qualified for it, which was great, but broke down on the second lap. Hopefully we will do it again next year. It was quite an experience. I was doing 186mph on the straights and the top factory teams were coming past at 200mph! If was just a shame I didn't finish."