Round 10 of the British Supersport Championship proved to be a tough one for Triumph ValMoto rider Craig Jones of Castle.
The race was run at a furious pace dictated by series leader Karl Harris who took another comfortable victory to clinch the 2003 championship title with two rounds yet to run.
Nevertheless Jones rode as hard as the new champion around the technically demanding 2.17-mile circuit, crossing the line in 13th place.
Jones discovered a faulty seal resulting in a small oil leak during his sighting lap, forcing him to switch to his number two bike at the very last minute.
This meant that he had to start from last on the grid and sacrifice eight places before the lights had even changed, as well as racing on a machine with which he was slightly less comfortable.
The 18-year-old remained undeterred, however, and was able to pass ten riders with very little effort.
He said: "My original grid position wasn't that great, but if I'd started from there I think that I could have been challenging for sixth place by the end of the race."
He remains optimistic for the future adding: "My number one bike has more power than the bike I had to use today and I can't wait to get back on it at Brands."
Triumph ValMoto is next in action at round 11 of the British Supersport Championship at Brands Hatch on September 12-14.
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