Rhys Irwin rode his MasterMac Honda into the points places for the second successive meeting of his debut season, as the ZYN British Superbike Championship visited Knockhill over the weekend.

The young Irishman added to his tally with a P14 in race two of three at the challenging hillside circuit - despite carrying painful injuries sustained in a crash during testing.

The weekend was a similar battle for his teammate and fellow ZYN BSB debutant Eugene McManus, who is recovering from a fractured wrist while trying to get to grips with his new superbike.

The pair both also picked up credible P17 finishes over the weekend while under instruction to use the meeting to continue adapting to the championship.

Steve Hicken, team manager, explained:

“It’s been a tough start to the season for us, with both riders managing painful injuries.

“They’re fit enough and determined enough to ride but realistically they can’t get the best out of themselves or the bikes at this stage, so we’ve been clear that the aim is to be patient and learn at a manageable pace while they’re getting back to full fitness.

“It’s a struggle for Eugene just to negotiate such a demanding course with his injury, so we’ve been selective about when he rides, but he’s showing plenty of promise.

“Rhys did a great job to add to the points he picked up at Donington, and I’m confident both of them will deliver improving results as the season progresses.”

Rhys and Eugene weren’t the only MasterMac Honda riders in action, as Dan Brooks competed in the Pirelli National Superstock championship.

He continued his consistent form to notch up more points with P12 and P13 finishes in the two races around the Scottish circuit.

The team will be back on the road next week, this time heading east from our Mallory Park base as ZYN BSB resumes at Snetterton in Norfolk from 3-5 July.