Beech on top after long duel

MOTORCYCLE RACING:

MOORSIDE rider Ashley Beech finished 17th in round eight of the National Superstock 1000 Championship at Oulton Park.

Beech made his debut for Team JD Racing at the circuit in May — and this time he broke his personal best lap time by more than 1.5 seconds to finish 21st, which meant starting from row six on the grid.

A wheelie off the line cost him a fraction of a second at the start and despite negotiating the first few corners successfully, he became involved in a battle with a clutch of riders which lasted the entire race. After a great struggle Beech eventually managed to get ahead of the group to finish in 17th place.

The next round is at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, over the August Bank Holiday weekend.