John Banks Honda's Lewis Tombs off to solid start to the season

John Banks Honda-supported rider Lewis Tombs
put together a solid performance at the annual Hawkstone International
race at Hawkstone Park in Shropshire this past weekend. After qualifying
in twentieth in cold but clear conditions, Tombs pushed for a top
fifteen result in the first race, only to be frustrated by the
affliction that every rider dreads – armpump. Gritting his teeth, Tombs
fought hard to keep his hard-earned position, but had to concede two
places in the latter portion of the race to end in eighteenth.





The second race got off to a better start with Tombs completing the
first lap in sixteenth, and he soon found himself in battle against
Buildbase Honda's Ryan Houghton, a battle that would continue throughout
the race. Tombs emerged the winner with a coveted top fifteen spot, and
an eighteenth place on the day, setting a good starting place for the
season ahead.





Commented Lewis Tombs: "Today was not so bad considering it's the
first race of the season. I struggled a bit in qualifying, but I ended
twentieth, which was alright and gave me a decent gate pick. In the
first race I had a terrible start, then managed to come through in the
top fifteen which is good. I struggled with really bad arm pump halfway
through, so I dropped back to eighteenth. In the second race I spun on
the start, came through pretty well, rode my own race, picked a few
people off, lost a few places, and ended up fifteenth, which is good. I
wasn't feeling too great afterwards, so I passed on the super final."