It was a solid weekend of racing for New Zealand motorcycle champion Gareth Jones at the penultimate round of the IDM German Superbike Championships at Assen.

Jones, who ran away with the 600cc sports production class in the New Zealand Superbike Championships in March, was making a rare appearance in the IDM series but he was nonetheless on the charge at the famous Dutch circuit.

Despite riding a 2007-model Yamaha R1 against the newer machines of his rivals, the 22-year-old Australian, from Canungra on the Gold Coast, qualified his bike in ninth spot.

“Qualifying was a frustrating experience,” said Jones.

“In the first session I had an electrical problem in which I blew a fuse and had to push the bike back to the pits and then we set up for the qualifying tyre with 10 minutes to go and I couldn’t get a clear run.

“I honestly believe that people stopped on the race line to have a picnic, in the end I had to take a chance and rode around the outside of people and ducked inside to lay a lap down, I had to be happy that I was in the top 10 especially when (former MotoGP rider) Jeremy McWilliams threw in an incredible last lap to snatch eighth position from me.”

In the racing proper, Jones finished eighth and sixth in the star-studded field of riders, cementing his place among the top 10 in the championship despite him having raced just two of the seven rounds thus far.

In race one, Jones got away to a good start and forced his way up to sixth place on the opening lap, working his way into fifth spot before being forced to give way to avoid colliding with another rider.

As the laps ticked away, Jones fought back, battling with four riders before a last-lap pass on German ace Stephan Nebel saw him snatch eighth place. With only three seconds covering the riders placed fourth to 10th, it was a mad dash to the line.

Race two was even more exciting with Jones making an incredible pass through the two front rows of the grid to snatch fourth spot on lap one. He then had to face up to the fact that his older bike was not as fast in a straight line as the 2009 model factory bikes and had to settle for sixth at the finish.

“I have enjoyed my time in the IDM championship and people have been so helpful and friendly to me, despite the fact I am only visiting (the series), at this stage,” said Jones.

“I am really looking forward to the IDM season finale in Hockenheim an then returning here to Assen to race the final round of the ONK Dutch Superbike Championships.”

Jones leads the Dutch Superbike Championships and is tipped to wrap up the title next month.

Meanwhile, with a fifth and a third at the weekend, Yamaha’s Jorge Teuchert clinched the German superbike crown, his second national superbike title, with one round remaining.

Czech rider Matej Smrz and Austria’s Martin Bauer shared the race wins at Assen.

Jones is due to return to New Zealand in late October or November. He will again be based in Wanganui and ride for the Bernard Racing Yamaha Team.

The New Zealand Superbike Championships kick off at Christchurch’s Ruapuna circuit on January 16-17 and wind up, five rounds later, at Hampton Downs, near Meremere, on March 27-28.

Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com