James Hillier was on course to sustain his challenge for the Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup when he crashed out in spectacular style at Brands Hatch yesterday.

The 19-year-old Winchester rider, second in the first round at Silverstone, was challenging hard for third place when he stepped off at the exit of Graham Hill Bend in the closing stages of Monday's race.

Hillier now slips to fifth in the Championship which is being strongly led by newcomer Adam Jenkinson, who for the second race running came through the field to take the chequered flag.

l The Crescent Rizla Suzuki team from Verwood in the New Forest are sitting high and proud in the British Superbike Championship after John Reynolds's victory at Brands.

Reynolds powered to a commanding victory in the first race and, although he was pushed back to third next time out, he leads Honda's Michael Rutter by one point in the championship. Race two winner was Sean Emmett on the Monster Mob Ducati, who atoned for crashing out on the first lap of the opening race,

John Crockford's first ride on the Stamford Superbikes Suzuki produced a top-ten finish in the Superstock race. The Southampton rider came home in ninth place to mark a satisfactory debut for a team who are helping to develop new racing tyres for Japanese giants Bridgestone.