Bennetts Suzuki’s Taylor Mackenzie soared to fifth in the opening MCE British Superbike race at Knockhill, to secure his career best finish in the class.

The local rider is still struggling a bit with physical fitness after undergoing surgery to cure his arm-pump issues, but that did not hold him back as he also had his finest qualifying session to date, with a third row start.

In the second outing Mackenzie had a good start but his recent surgery on his arms meant that he could not maintain his high pace, and was well inside the top ten for most of the race. But at the finishing line slipped back to 11th, and he was able to nab some valuable points on Sunday.

“I would have taken fifth all day to be honest, but we were in that battle for the podium. There were areas I was making up time, but I missed a gear coming out of the hairpin and they just broke the tow,” said Mackenzie.

“I didn’t want to push and risk a crash, so I settled for that fifth. It’s more than we could have asked for and shows how far we’ve come on. In race two, after four or five laps, it was just survival really.

“I haven’t ridden in so long and after the surgery I couldn’t do any strength training, and I was just really struggling. Not with arm-pump, just strength. But I’m going away happy, we’ve made lots of changes and the bike’s better, I’m better.

“I’ll try and get out and get some laps in before Snetterton, just time on the bike. I saw this as the start of my season and it’s a good place to be starting from.”