Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Dan Linfoot confirmed his place in the MCE British Superbike Showdown after finishing eighth in the opening race at Donington Park.

The rider has been making waves throughout the season, and after a total of 178 points he has secured his fifth spot in the overall championship standings, ahead of GBmoto Kawasaki's Chris Walker.

With the Showdown confirmed the rider is no longer feeling the pressure, and ‘has nothing to lose’ going into the final three rounds. Since Oulton Park – where he made it on to the podium for the first time in the class, he has been steadily racking up the points to get into the top six.

It is a case of so far so good, with everything going to plan for the Kawasaki rider, and he will give it his all in the final race at Donington Park, to fight with the top riders this afternoon.

“On one hand I feel happy, but I am a bit pissed off that I only finished eighth, and someone hit me and I had to go around with half a foot peg too. But I thought 'just stay on the bike and get the points' to secure my Showdown spot, and I thought 'just bring the thing home',” said Linfoot, speaking to bikesportnews.com from the circuit.

“I want to thank the team who have built a fast bike, and I want to fight with the top guys now, and the pressure is off too, and  I want to cause some damage with the top riders. We have had a bit of a lull after Oulton and Thruxton as I didn’t want to do anything silly and I had to be sensible and get the points. Now I have nothing to lose – and I want to fight with the boys at the front.”

Click here for results