LOCAL rider Glyn Ormerod suffered a frustrating end to his New Era Super Club Championship season at Donington Park.

The Morecambe ace has been contesting the leadership with keen rivals Rick Ellis and Steve Tomes all summer - but bad luck and a late mechanical failure cost him dear in the final meeting of the year..

The bad luck came in pre-race practice as Ormerod set the pace in his favourite wet conditions. But he hit a patch of oil at the fastest point on the circuit and crashed out into the gravel trap.

Despite being bruised and shaken, he took his place on the grid in 24th position - way behind his rivals. He scorched through the field off the grid to climb to seventh place.

But that was when more bad luck kicked in as his bike lost power and, despite his best efforts he lost track position to finish in an unsatisfactory fourteenth place.

The Morecame man's team had to race against time to rebuild the machinebefore race two, which saw Ormerod start in 20th place and again blast his way through the field - this time rising to fifth place.

He needed to win while both Tomes and Ellis failed to score if the title was to be his. But the fairy tale wasn't to be.

The roller coaster season ended with a fifth place in the race and third overall in the championship deservedly won by Tomes with Ellis in second.

Glyn is now seeking sponsorship for 2005, when it is his target to have two race prepared machines in the championship.

Picture: Maria Salt