A DRYING track didn't help Tommy Bridewell's chances at round two of the MCE British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park.

Etchilhampton rider Bridewell posted competitive times in both the wet and dry conditions in the free practice sessions, ending both in fifth place.

However, the tricky conditions saw him take 15th and 14th place finishes from both races, as the setup of his GSX-R1000 favoured the wet but saw him struggle as the surface dried throughout the 18-lap encounters.

Bridewell said: "The mixed conditions made it a nightmare weekend for us to be honest. It's such a shame as I felt really good in the dry and really good in the wet.

"We we're strong in both conditions and our lap times were competitive in practice. I felt I had some in reserve too for the races.

"But the conditions we weren't really prepared for were the mixed conditions, which we got in both races. In the proper wet at the start of race one I felt good and made some passes, but as it dried I couldn't increase my lap times.

"It's frustrating, because after a difficult Silverstone we made some real progress this weekend, solved the issues from the opening round and I felt really comfortable and confident. We just hadn't mastered the mixed conditions."

Team owner Martin Halsall added: "He (Bridewell) was really looking good in practice in either wet or dry conditions, but in the tricky drying conditions of both races, we couldn't find a setup to really suit him, and while he made a good start in the first race, as the track dried the race went away from him and he dropped out of the top 10.

"But he's salvaged two points-scoring finishes from a tough weekend. We'll now keep working for Brands Hatch."