Tom Grant returns to the British Superbike paddock this season riding for Centurion Racing in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship and is happy to have a full-time seat for 2009.
The Shiptonthorpe-based rider spent 2008 doing rides here and there before suffering a season-ending injury at Knockhill when he was stepping in as a replacement rider for the British Superbike SMT team.
Now fully recovered he was fortunate to be contacted by Centurion team boss Paul Rees to see if he was available and before he knew it he was testing in Spain and starting his 2009 season.
Grant said: “It is good to have the security of a full-time ride, I know that I will be here all season not just taking it round by round and the team are a great bunch to work with.”
The youngster has taken just under three seconds off his first practice time this weekend to qualify 11th ready for today's race to improve on his overall 11th position in the championship standings.
Grant said: “We had a hard weekend at Brands, I had to miss a session, but we still got 11th.  It's just about getting the bike dialled in to what how I ride and making it into a good package that can go forward. Even though we have had problems we have not stood still, the bike is getting better.  I would like to be in the front two rows, I think we can do it, but we will take it as it comes.”