Eugene McManus delivered a strong performance over the Bank Holiday weekend at Cadwell Park, securing a third-pace podium finish in the Feature Race on Bank Holiday Monday. He had earlier secured a fifth-place finish whilst battling for the podium in the weekend’s other British Supersport race. His Brother James was out this round nursing an injury but with luck will make his return at the next round at Oulton Park.
Free Practice
The weekend kicked off with unpredictable weather, setting the stage for a dramatic couple of races at Cadwell Park in the British Supersport Championhsip. On Saturday morning, riders were met with persistent rain during FP1, forcing cautious laps as they sought to post times that could secure their spots in the all-important Q2. The tricky conditions added pressure, as only the top 18 from FP1 and FP2 would advance directly to Q2. By the time Q2 arrived, the rain had subsided, but a wet track still posed challenges.
Eugene McManus of Rokit Haslam Racing was among those who navigated the early session cautiously, starting on a wet setup. However, with a dry line rapidly emerging, McManus made a strategic pit stop to switch to dry tyres. As the track conditions improved, McManus steadily increased his pace, poised to capitalise on the drying track in the closing minutes. Just as he found his rhythm, a red flag brought the session to an abrupt end. Despite this setback, McManus’s earlier efforts were enough to secure a 12th-place finish, earning him a direct passage into Q2.
Qualifying
Sunday's weather provided a stark contrast, with clear skies and sunshine greeting the riders for the 15-minute Q2 session. McManus quickly got to work, posting a competitive lap time of 1:30.298 before heading to the pits for final adjustments. With just two and a half minutes remaining, he returned to the track, hoping to improve his time. However, he was unable to better his earlier effort, which placed him 7th on the grid for the Sprint Race later that afternoon.
Sprint Race
As the 12-lap Sprint Race commenced under continued dry conditions, McManus made a strong start, quickly moving up a position on the second lap. By lap five, he was embroiled in a fierce battle for 4th place with two other riders. The trio remained tightly packed for the remainder of the race, with McManus climbing to third at one stage. However, he was edged out in the closing stages, crossing the line in 5th. His impressive pace though, secured him the fourth-fastest lap time, placing him on row two for Monday’s Feature Race.
Feature Race
The good weather held through Bank Holiday Monday, and McManus made his intentions clear early on, setting the second-fastest time during the morning warm-up. Confidence high, he lined up for the 16-lap Feature Race, ready to take on the current British Supersport Champion and two former champions. McManus held his own in the leading pack during the opening laps, demonstrating his form as he set a 1:28.955 on the third lap. He was one of only three riders to make the 1:28s during the race. A small error on the seventh lap saw him drop back slightly, but the drama was far from over.
As the laps ticked down, McManus found himself in a fierce duel, fending off a determined challenger. The battle intensified when one of the leading riders crashed out, leaving McManus and his rival to fight for the final podium spot. With steely determination and impeccable concentration, McManus held firm, crossing the line to secure third place and a well-deserved spot on the podium.
Eugene McManus said, “I am so happy to be back on the podium this weekend. We had a good result in the Sprint Race where we weren’t far from the podium, so to get there on Sunday was fantastic. I would like to thank all my sponsors and the Haslam family who do so much for me. Wilf at Oxford MotoRapido Ducati has had a hard time recently so this podium was for him. I’m really looking forward to Oulton Park, I like the next run of tracks so hopefully we can continue the momentum.”
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