Reigning Quattro Group British Supersport Champions Jack Kennedy and Mar-Train Yamaha Racing kicked off their Bennetts British Superbike campaign in style at Silverstone, securing a hat trick of top ten finishes.
Kennedy finished seventh in Saturday's opening Bennetts BikeSocial Sprint race at Silverstone and followed that up with a repeat performance of a seventh-place result in the second race. The Dubliner, who also secured two front-row starts for Sunday's races, ended the weekend with an eighth-place finish.
Kennedy said: "I am really pleased with the three results. Our goal at the weekend was to get some top tens and that's exactly what we did. We ran at the front of the pack and collected some valuable points, so we are delighted. It is something to build on. The bike felt good from Free Practice One. It did everything I wanted it to do. We fine-tuned a few things for the rest of the weekend.
"Saturday's opening race was nerve-racking, but I was excited as well. I didn't know what to expect but things worked really well. We ran at the front end of the pack and started off with seventh place which was a good start. That gave me a lot of confidence for Sunday's races, and for the rest of the season.
“It felt amazing to be at the front and challenging those guys. We were overtaking them and challenging for second and third, which gave me a really good feeling. To know I can do it in the first race of the season gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.
"To collect 26 points from the first round is great. It is exactly what I wanted; three strong finishes and get as many points as I could. The Mar-Train team worked brilliantly. I suppose I have set the bar pretty high for myself and it is something I have to build on now."
Mar-Train Yamaha Racing Team Owner, Tim Martin, commented: "It really was a super weekend's work by Jack and the whole team. Everyone deserves immense credit for the effort they put in.
"To secure three top ten finishes and two front-row starts in our first British Superbike outing is a brilliant return and a great start to the season. It gives us a base to work from and now we look forward to the next round at Oulton Park over the May Day weekend."