Following a pre-race Eurosport feature interview Rhys was ready to race at Round 8 of the British Supersport Championship as the newly named ‘Smiling Assassin’ at Cadwell Park UK.
With the Championship heating up – Currie, Irwin, Booth Amos and Stapleford are all in the mix for the Championship with Currie leading Irwin by only 12 points for the top spot.
Practice 1 & 2 with mixed conditions had a fast pace with Currie and Irwin being the racers to watch. In Saturday qualifying, Rhys set the second fastest lap leaving him on the front row of the grid for Race 1 and again it proved to be Currie and Rhys in the lead closely followed by World Supersport contender Booth Amos and Stapleford.
A small mistake on lap 7 saw Rhys crash out leaving him bruised and battered with a badly damaged bike. The team worked until late getting the bike race ready. Morning warm up saw Rhys’s bike blow his engine leaving doubt over whether he would be ready for Race 2 but beyond all expectations and the diligent work of the team mechanics, they got the bike to the line for the race.
With no testing and racing after a fast crash Rhys kept his nerve and raced a steady safe race to bring his little Suzuki across the line in third place taking the final podium of his race weekend.
The Donegal man said afterwards,”This has been a real tough one both physically and mentally. A fast off like that in Race 1 leaves its mark and I am sore all over today, that along with the uncertainty of the replaced engine I had to make sure I finished in the points for the Championship. I am so happy that I was able to do that. Its weekends like this that I am so grateful for all the messages from my supporters and my race family in my garage. I must give a special thanks to the team who have not stopped all weekend and all my sponsors who keep my wheels turning”
