OULTON Park played host to round four of the Metzeler Racetech British Superstock Championship.Ipswich-based Kieran Murphy was in good form on his Crescent Performance backed Goldstar Suzuki and qualified in second position for the race.

OULTON Park played host to round four of the Metzeler Racetech British Superstock Championship.

Ipswich-based Kieran Murphy was in good form on his Crescent Performance backed Goldstar Suzuki and qualified in second position for the race.

He started the race well but was in sixth position when the race was red-flagged and, since the leaders had not completed two-thirds race distance, the race was restarted with Murphy sixth on the grid for the eight lap race.

Murphy launched off the start-line and was fourth into turn one. He held the position for several laps before he dropped to sixth position.

His second consecutive sixth place finish has pushed the 27-year-old up from 11th position to ninth in the championship.

Murphy said: “Overall I'm fairly pleased with the weekend. We are now playing less of a catch up game when it comes to bike set up. Before, I was suffering with trying to ride the big 1000cc machine like a 600. I'm slowly getting there and this weekend has proved we can be at the front of the pack.

“I'm a bit disappointed that I couldn't get on the podium, but at the same time I'm confident we aren't far off reaching the silverware.”

Murphy is due to test the Rizla Suzuki GSXR600 supersport machine after round five of the series at Snetterton this Sunday. He has confirmed he will be riding the supersport machine at Mallory Park on July 22 for round nine of the Supersport Championship and an offer to ride the machine in the next year's Supersport Championship has been laid on the table, which Murphy will accept.

Woodbridge-based Martin Buckles' team, X-Bikes MV Agusta Racing, came away with mixed fortunes. His team-mate Howie Mainwaring won the Superstock race aboard the MV Agusta, by a healthy margin, however Buckles didn't have such a good day and finished down in 12th after starting 14th on the grid after the restart.

This may not seem much for Buckles but he was lapping 1.5 seconds quicker than he did in the Superstock Cup last year, showing that he has made good progress since the start of the year.

The next round of the British Superstock Championship is at Sneterton in Norfolk this Sunday.