TEAM Appleyard racer Keiran Clarke had to call on all of his experience as rain hit the British Superbike Championship at Knockhill.

The Scottish circuit was damp but drying and the 24 competitors lined up with an assortment of tyre choices

Clarke started from the fifth row of the grid and avoided the first lap mayhem and steadi ly worked his way up to 12th after 25 difficult laps to claim two points.

A cloudburst forced a lengthy delay before the start of race two with the 19-year-old racer again taking 12th place.

After the race Clarke said: "I would have liked to finish higher but in the conditions I'm happy with the result."

Team owner Colin Appleyard, "Kieran had two mature rides today and a pair of 12th places in the conditions is a good result."

Team Appleyard 125cc rider Joe Dickinson fell off and cracked a rib before racing began, an injury that was to affect his performance for the rest of the weekend.

The Saturday afternoon session was started in dry conditions before torrential rain returned to restrict the riders' qualifying to just six minutes, leaving Dickinson seventh on the grid.

Fifteen-year-old team mate Ashley Beech was one place behind, also on the second row.

Because of the wet conditions the race itself was reduced to 19 laps. Beech got off to a flying start and led the race going into the first bend of the tight 1.2-mile circuit.

He struggled with the conditions, however, and slipped back during the middle section of the race before eventually finishing ninth. Dickinson's sore rib affected his performance throughout the race and he eventually crossed the line in 13th place.

Team manager Robin Appleyard said: "The bikes are running well and getting better and better. There's no doubt we are capable of a race win, now the lads' qualifying has improved. We just need things to go our way."

The team now moves on to Mallory Park in Leicestershire on July 18, hoping an improvement in the weather will bring better fortune.