Norwich racer Matt Layt was back on track last weekend at the super fast Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire. Just days before the meeting he had the light-weight cast removed from the injured leg which he broke at a motocross event last year but chose to race without the temporary support provided by the hospital even though he is still experiencing considerable pain from the injury.

Norwich racer Matt Layt was back on track last weekend at the super fast Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire.

Just days before the meeting he had the light-weight cast removed from the injured leg which he broke at a motocross event last year but chose to race without the temporary support provided by the hospital even though he is still experiencing considerable pain from the injury.

So bad was the injury that it required bone grafts and eight pins to hold the bone together. The leg was supported by a metal cage for seven months until that was replaced by a more conventional cast. Layt is still in the recovery period, which will be lengthy as he continues to build up his strength.

Although dogged by slow punctures in both practice and first qualifying sessions, Layt faired better in final qualifying where he went on to achieve his fastest ever lap of the Hampshire circuit to put him in 26th place on the grid out of 62 riders attempting to qualify for the race.

With 40 bikes on track for the Superstock 1000 race it was always going to be a dog fight in the middle of the pack and Matt, struggling for grip, found he was relegated to 30th position on the opening lap.

But he hung on in a group of five riders and managed to pick his way up through the group to earn a hard fought 25th place, just three places behind his Formwise/Astro Racing team mate, Luke Quigley.

After the race Layt said: "It was an up and down weekend and slowly but surely we are getting there in the toughest championship in the country. The team are all working really hard and the bikes are good, so as soon as I am 100pc fit I think we will be up there."

For Layt's home race at Snetterton in July, he will be riding the Graphic uk/Trademate Honda in the British Superbike Championship as well as the Formwise/Astro Racing Suzuki in British Superstocks.

The series moves on to Oulton Park in Cheshire for the next round on May 1-3.

n The Euro F1 Sidecar Challenge headlines a long list of exciting bike racing as the Thundersport GB motorcycle racing series will be hitting Snetterton on the Bank holiday weekend of Sunday and Monday, May 2 and 3.

The televised event including crews from Motors TV and Eurosport will be present to film the stars of the future in the Aprilia Superteen Challenge. Local star Peter Baker looks to defend his Powerbike title in the GP1 class.