After his European Superstock ride fell through at the beginning of the season Peter Hickman fortunately was given a last minute ride with Ultimate Racing for the 2008 Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship.
As his racing season seemed non existent a well known friend of the family Ian Drake was able to revive his dreams for the year ahead.  Ian who runs a corporate hospitality business returns to the motorbike scene after working within touring cars. 
Riding a Yamaha R1 Hickman said: “Thruxton and Oulton Park went really well, only problems we've had is at Brands as we had to start at the back of the grid because I wasn't at the first round.  Unfortunately I got caught up in the first lap accident, then on the restart I had no brakes and had a big crash at Hawthorns, which caused a lot of crash damage.”
“I was alright but the bike was fairly damaged.  I had the same problem in the race so I just had to back off, I had problems with the brakes. I wasn't happy, it's wasn't great I should have been at the front and wasn't, I was a bit disappointed, but bought it home in eighth and bought some points in, I'm joint sixth in the championship and I am looking for a top three wherever I go.  I think the bikes capable and I'm capable.”
At the fifth round this weekend at Snetterton it's so far so good for the Louth rider, after regularly appearing in the top four of the timing sheets Hickman qualified fourth, 0'002s off pole position.  He said:  “It's a good weekend so far, the bike is handling really well. We didn't really change anything before the first qualifying session apart from tyres.”
“I'm doing some fast lap times, there is only four of us that are in the 1'07s and I'm one of them.  I think pretty much that is where the race pace is going to be, I've got a really fast pace at the minute.  I am really pleased and the suspension is working really well.  The team's working really well, there isn't many of us, me, my dad and sponsor [Ian Drake]  and that's kind of it.”
When asked if the tempermental weather was a concern he said: “It doesn't bother me, I just love racing bikes, I'm really looking forward to everything.  The bike setup is pretty much there, I haven't ridden the bike in the wet as we've only got one bike so if I end up throwing it into the fence on the saturday and it's too badly damage that would stop me racing.  So if I have done one qualifying then I won't bother going out.”
All riders are passionate about their racing, but Hickman who has been road racing since 2002 after starting on a 125cc and winning the British Superstock Cup for Hawk Kawasaki in 2004 each day continues to have the same excited persona as if it is his first ever race weekend. 
Hickman's ultimate aim is to obtain a permanent ride within the European Superstock and in the meantime regularly sets his racing goals he said: “This year I think we're gonna be, I want to be top three in the championship by the end of the year, obviously I would like to win it. That's the only reason why we are here, to win.”
“We'll see what happens, hopefully I am going to be able to do the two wildcard rides in the European Superstock rounds at Brands Hatch and Donington for World Superbikes. I've put all the forms in and I will find out in the next couple of weeks.”  For more information log onto www.ultimateracing.co.uk.