SOLIHULL’S Liam Delves says he will be looking looking up, rather than down the Pirelli Junior Superstock Championship rankings, following the opening two races of the new season.
The 21-year-old claimed finishes of fifth and tenth at Oulton Park to get off to a positive start in the Championship, a level he is debuting at this term, ahead of the next round at Donington Park this weekend.
While there was disappointment for Delves having found an improvement in the rankings tough to come by in the second race of the weekend, he believes there is more to come from him and team JR Performance Racing next time out.
“That was not the result either me or my team was looking for, but we have claimed a good points haul which place me seventh in the overall Championship,” he said.
“We now head into the World Superbike Championship round, where my class has three races, and I am confident we can move forward in the rider standings.”
Qualifying in eighth, a troubled start led to Delves crossing the line for the first lap in tenth.
However, having overtaken Jack Bednarek, the Solihull race ace continued to grow in confidence as he went in search of the leading pack.
With misfortunes for the race leader and a number of other competitors seeing them crash out early, Delves took full advantage by moving through the rankings and beating Luke Verway for fifth position.
There was, however, a more laborious feel to race two, as a lack of progress from the third row meant Delves saw little in the way of overtakes.
He did however, beat Sam Laffins to break into the top ten, followed by the overtakes of Simon Reid and Louis Valleley to move into eighth.
But with the pair recovering, Delves had little time to respond before the chequered flag.
