Atherton Godfrey Solicitors Yamaha's Dean Hipwell will be riding with a broken back, caused by a high speed crash at Cadwell Park,  for the tenth round of the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Cup championship at Croft this weekend.
The Doncaster rider went to his home track, one of his most liked circuits, over the August Bank Holiday confident that he would be able to pick up vital points towards the championship but it turned out to be all about damage limitation.
In first practice on Saturday, Hipwell high-sided at the Gooseneck, one of the fastest parts of the circuits.  His bike, severely damaged, carried on across the grass towards the other side of the track and he broke a bone at the bottom of his back. In true racer style and as a rider who is fighting for a championship trophy, he literally battled through the weekend to pick up vital points.
On a fully fixed bike Hipwell will be back on track this weekend to do it all again, he said: “I am feeling not great, but not any where near as bad as I felt at Cadwell.  I would say I was 10% and now I’m 80%.  I was disappointed about Cadwell as I love that track also I had friends and people I knew there, I felt like I let them down a bit.”
“I went out for ten laps in the first free practice session, came in and changed the rear tyre for a second hand tyre.  I went out on it, I think I was trying too hard and on the second lap at the Gooseneck I put down the power, the next thing I knew I was in the air.  I didn’t have a chance to do anything.”
After medically being cleared and given the highest dosage painkillers he was allowed to take while racing Hipwell was back on the bike on Sunday for the first qualifying session.  Problems continued with as soon as the bike hit 60,000 revs the crank snapped likely due to an unknown hairline fracture caused in the crash.  Once the engine was replaced he later qualified 24th overall and the fourth fastest cup rider which he held in the race picking up 13 points finishing 21st overall.
This made the best of a bad situation regarding his current third place in the overall cup championship standings which he still fully aims to improve on in the remaining three races of the season.  Hipwell said: “The next few tracks I like, from Brands onwards I was looking forward to it.  At Brands I had my best qualifying ninth, in the race I was about eighth or ninth but Marty Nutt high sided in front of me so I went off track and down the order."
"I could have got my best result all season there.  Then at Cadwell this happened, but I am still going for a higher position.  I would say I am average at Croft it’s not my best circuit, but it’s not my worst so we will see.”