WORCESTER motorcycle ace T-Fox Moreton was the victim of mechanical gremlins in the Santander KTM British Junior Cup round six at the Brands Hatch GP circuit.
Riding his KTM 390cc bike in the competitive British Superbikes support series, the 15-year-old went to Kent holding second place overall.
His last outing at Brands Hatch in May gave him two podiums and first place in the championship.
But Moreton said: “I knew this time the circuit was longer and different. We decided on the 42 sprocket for first qualifying. It was wrong so we changed it for the 43.
“But the bike got twitchy at the front end. I was struggling to hit apexes. It turned out the front bearing was gone and the brakes were rubbing.”
Having qualified eighth, Moreton’s mechanical problems did not end there and he finished seventh to drop to third in the standings.
He added: “My chain came off in the warm-up, which is unheard of.
“In the race, the bike’s front-end issues started up again from lap five. I was progressively falling back.
“The track was really good, so this is frustrating. There aren’t too many fixtures left but I can still claw it back.”
Moreton races at Lincolnshire’s Cadwell Park from August 27 until 29.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here