GUISBOROUGH'S Dennis Hobbs gritted his teeth and put in an heroic performance at Croft in round ten of the THINK! British Superbike Cup on Sunday.

Riding the Scott Leathers backed 1000cc Suzuki, the 22-year-old was racing just days after being hospitalised with neck and back injuries after crashing at more than 140mph in testing last week.

After undergoing intensive physiotherapy for a week, he was pronounced fit enough to ride just in time for his local meeting.

Unable to rotate his neck properly or to crouch down behind the screen, the Hobbs Racing rider qualified on row four of the grid before charging to 14th place overall in race one and amazingly, bringing the machine home in second place in the Privateer's class where he holds second place.

Another physiotherapy and massage session between races enabled Hobbs to take his place on the grid for the final gruelling 22 lap race in the hot and humid conditions. Once again he responded by scoring yet another podium finish, this time in third place in class despite his 14th overall.

"I'd like to apologise to the crowd for not winning as I'd promised to be up there and challenging but after the happenings of last week, I should count myself lucky I was able to race at all," said Hobbs. "I can't move my neck and I was getting buffeted by the wind as I couldn't get behind the screen and it was just a case of hanging on.

"Another couple of weeks and I should be in a lot better shape at Cadwell," added Hobbs who saw the gap between himself and championship leader James Ellison extend to 53 points courtesy of the Cumbrian rider's double win.

Round 11 of the series takes place at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire on August Bank Holiday Monday.

* Middlesbrough's Paul Veazey was lucky to survive unscathed after a first corner incident during Sunday's round of the British Supersport Championship at the same meeting.

The JR Motosport rider was in the middle of the pack after making his best start of the season.

And Veazey, 17, was looking to move up further places when another rider cannoned into him, forcing him wide and sending him down the field as a consequence.

Despite this scare Veazey battled his way back to finish a creditable 18th, all things considered.

"I found a gap on the run into the first corner and I was well in the mix when all of a sudden Tom Tunstall side-swiped me and pushed me onto the dirt," he said.

"I was lucky to stay on but by the time I'd got things under control I was third last.

"It was an uphill struggle after that but I'm sure I could have scored my first points if it handn't been for that," added Veazey who will be hoping to achieve that aim at Cadwell Park.

* Yorkshireman Justin Wilson put in a steely performance to bring his struggling Mi-Jack Conquest Racing Lola home in seventh place on the treacherous Denver street course that played host to round nine of the Champ Car World Series.

In a race punctuated by spins and contact between other drivers, the Briton battled successfully throughout the 90 laps with Brazilian rival Mario Haberfeld.

"All things considered, I'm pleased with my race," he said.

Published: 17/08/2004