Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Howie Mainwaring bagged a top ten finish during yesterday’s first of three MCE British Superbikes races at Oulton Park this weekend. The racer is still struggling with a shoulder injury from a crash during pre-season testing, and managed to ride through the pain to end Saturday on a positive note.

Mainwaring was riding high with the second leading group, but on the final lap was edged down to tenth by Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Stuart Easton, and it is not the first time this has happened this year.

“We have done a few races now and I knew that it would be tough here with the shoulder. We have shown that we have massive race pace and we proved that in race one,” said Mainwaring, speaking to bikesportnews.com at the track.

“The shoulder and fatigue played a part, and ratty [Easton] pipped us to the post in the end. He is becoming my nemesis at the moment. Top ten is good for us and hopefully the shoulder keeps getting better and it is getting easier on the bike - it is just about making me comfy at the moment.

“It was a big injury and it is still painful, but I think as the year goes on the shoulder will get better. The physios at BSB are doing a fantastic job, and top ten is great at the moment.”