Sporadic rain, high winds and a broken thumb couldn't stop Jentin Racing - BMW Motorrad as the team leave Cadwell Park with three race wins, a new Superstock 1000 lap record and a 48 point BSB-EVO championship lead.
Jentin Racing - BMW Motorrad's Superstock 1000 rider Richard Cooper returned to racing with a bang at Cadwell Park following a three-race break to recover from an arm pump operation. The Nottinghamshire lad rode his BMW S 1000 RR hard to secure his first Superstock pole position on Saturday and followed it up with his first Superstock win of the season - despite racing with what turned out to be a painfully broken thumb from his wind-assisted fall in qualifying.
Richard got a good start and held onto second place behind fellow BMW rider Jon Kirkham until lap five when he got a good drive out of Barn to pass at Coppice, leading the race until the chequered flag fell.
The icing on the cake came when Cooper smashed the class lap record not once but twice - becoming the first Superstock rider to break the 1.30 barrier with a stunning 1.29.956 on lap six. The Metzeler National Superstock 1000 race ended with four BMW S 1000 RRs in the top five
Richard Cooper said: "It's been a mega comeback weekend! I don't think you could have written it. The team have been so supportive over the six weeks I've been off and I owe a massive thank you to BMW Motorrad and the team. I had to deliver something in return for that - and we've done it in the best way possible!
"To take my first Superstock win and a second for the team is a fantastic outcome - me and Tristan now have one apiece - and to take the lap record really just topped the weekend off. Thanks again to everyone involved. Oh, I've just been to the medical centre for an x-ray of my thumb, turns out I broke it in yesterday's crash! Oh well!"
Fellow Jentin Racing - BMW Motorrad Superstock rider Tristan Palmer fought hard on a brand new bike and took fifth place, which sees him move ahead of Howard Mainwaring to secure second place in the championship behind BMW rider Jon Kirkham - who extended his championship lead to 65 points.
Tristan Palmer said: "I'm quite happy - but a little disappointed because we qualified third and had been hoping to be battling for the win. But considering we've had to build the bike in only seven days, it was a good performance. We'll keep refining the bike and have it just right for Croft in two weeks time. And I've strengthened my second place in the championship which is not a bad spot to be in."
Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO rider Steve Brogan secured a double victory - and the much-desired championship lead. Race one went smoothly with Brogan building an early lead and winning with a 0.8s gap on second-placed rider Gary Johnson.
Race two was two-thirds complete, with Brogan and Johnson battling up through the overall standings. On lap nine, the Liverpudlian rider managed to overtake Walker and put another rider between him and EVO challenger Johnson - but the AIM Suzuki rider soon closed the gap. But the race was brought to an early close when a highsided exiting the chicane and the race red flagged - giving Brogan his second EVO win of the day. Steve now has a 48-point lead in the championship.
Steve Brogan said: "I had fun in the first race - it was nice and straightforward! I got off to a cracking start enjoyed dicing with Adam Jenkinson and Chris Walker. I was chasing Chris down and trying to have him, but he kept his pace and I didn't quite get there. But it's great to add those 25 points to my total.
"In the second race I had what was probably my worst start ever - Gary Johnson got away and got a lead of a few seconds. I put in three or four very quick laps and caught then passed him. Around then I started to feel a really bad vibration, and thought it may have been a puncture, but the tyre pressure didn't seem to go down. I wondered if it was a wheel weight gone missing - it was getting worse and worse as the race went on, but thankfully the red flag came out and the race was over - and I had my second win of the day.
"It was nice to have a bit of good luck for a change - especially after the puncture and being knocked off at Brands Hatch - and it's great to walk away with a near 50-point lead. The championship is well within our reach now."
Team Manager Bernie Toleman said: "It's been another fantastic weekend. Richard Cooper has rejoined the team after having his arms unraveled by a Belgian surgeon. We knew he could deliver but we didn't put any pressure on him to deliver... but to say he's delivered is an understatement really! Pole position to win - it doesn't really get any better than that. Tristan Palmer, our second Superstock rider, was on a bike that's only eight days old. There are a few things to work out with it, but he qualified on the front row and came home in fifth - good show.
Steve Brogan on our EVO bike once again won both races in his class. The dedication of the team and the hours they put in seem to know no limits. It's been an incredible weekend - if you could bottle an experience to enjoy again and again, this would be the one to keep!"