Motorbiking

At last weekend's rain-lashed meeting at Brands Hatch, Dean, from Kendal, took his Bradgate Containers sponsored Honda SP1 superbike to a win and a second place.

He qualified fourth in the privateer class of the blue ribbon superbike race and was further encouraged when he was twelfth fastest overall in the Sunday morning warm up.

For race one Dean took a calculated gamble by fitting heavily-treaded full wet tyres.

The gamble paid off when four laps into the race the heavens opened.

It let him carve his way past the full factory-supported bikes, eventually passing World Superbike and TT race winner Michael Rutter to take second place overall when the race was controversially stopped on lap seven.

The race was re-started with all riders on full wet tyres and again Dean delivered another stirling performance to be second-placed privateer on aggregate times for the two-part race.

Wet weather tyres were again the order of the day for the second superbike race.

Tricky conditions and reduced visibility meant Dean had some work to do to improve upon his seventh place at the end of lap one.

Hungry for another race win to complement his recent victory at Knockhill in Scotland, Dean attacked the competition with some first class overtaking and a fastest lap to win the privateers cup.

Dean's younger brother James also competed at the meeting in the British Superstock championship on his Highgate Carpets Honda CBR900 Fireblade.

James, currently leading the European Superstock championship, used the event as practice for the final round of the European championship which will be run at Brands Hatch on October 15.

Riding his number two machine James found himself chasing the ideal suspension setting during qualifying and started 11th on the grid.

Hindered by slower riders in the early laps, James eventually got some clear track to set a fastest lap just two-tenths behind that of the eventual winner and finally finished the race in ninth place.