Tim Hastings Racing #50

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Round 5 - Snetterton (13/14/15 June)

A third consecutive Cup podium and half a lap away from a stunning Championship race victory only tell part of the story of an amazing weekend for Falkirk's Tim Hastings at Snetterton.

Tim's strongest ever BSB 125GP performance saw him take almost four seconds off his best 2007 lap time, and he wasn't out of the top two places throughout all of the weekend's practice and qualifying sessions.

Even more impressive was how Tim responded so positively after walking away from a huge 133.3mph highside at the end of the super fast Revett straight. Luckily, Tim's Shark RSR2 helmet - the only current helmet to receive a 5 star NCAP safety rating - did its job magnificently, and apart from loosing some skin from his right hand after his glove wore through, Tim suffered no injury. Thanks must go to the splendid medical crew who attended the accident scene and dressed Tim's wound.

Despite his bruising fall, Tim lined up on the grid in an impressive second place behind championship leader Matt Hoyle. The race start went brilliantly as Tim took the holeshot, but almost immediately the bike cut out forcing Tim to sit up and raise his hand to alert the ensuing pack to his problem. As had happened previously at Brands Hatch, the bike then fired back into life and Tim was able to continue and fought hard to maintain a top three position.

On lap eight, Tim inherited the lead after Matt Hoyle retired with a mechanical failure. Tim was still struggling with the bike cutting out intermittently but as long as it kept running he was determined to do the best job he could. At this stage the battle for the win had become a two rider fight between Tim and his KRP team mate Paul Jordan, who had both edged 1.5 seconds clear of the 3rd, 4th and 5th placed riders by the start of the final lap.

As the two came onto the Revett straight for the final time, Tim held a slender 0.2 second advantage. Although Jordan had a marginally faster bike, Tim felt he was strong enough on the brakes into the Esses to regain the lead if Jordan passed him on the straight, but suddenly, the engine stopped completely and Tim was again forced to sit up and move over, thinking his race was over. Yet again, the engine coughed back into life and Tim was able to finish the race - albeit in a relatively lowly 5th place (2nd in Cup).

Although obviously disappointed with how close Tim came to his first BSB race victory, there are too many positives to take from the meeting to dwell on what might have been. Having spent most of Sunday rebuilding the bike following Tim's high speed crash in warm up, the team did an awesome job in providing Tim with an immaculate race bike. The entire KRP team are so professional in their approach to racing, it inspires Tim to try as hard as he can to get the results the team deserve.

With Tim now sitting 3rd in the Cup table the focus now shifts to the short Mallory Park circuit where - following the cancellation of their Donington Park race - the 125 riders will have a double header with 50 points up for grabs.

Thanks once again go to Green Machines, Pro-Scot, Digby Brown, Nevis Marketing, Phoenix Honda, Arkose Design and NGK for making this season possible.

Read the race reports from previous rounds.