An emotional weekend for Kam Dixon at Donington Park.

Round Two of the 2025 Pirelli National Superstock Championship took place at Donington Park under a cloud of sadness, as the paddock came together to mourn the loss of Shane Richardson and Owen Jenner following the tragic incident in the Supersport feature race at Oulton Park.

It was always going to be an emotional weekend, with many riders and teams displaying heartfelt tributes – including #28 and #86 decals on their bikes – in memory of two much-loved friends and competitors. Despite the sombre atmosphere, the paddock continued to race on in their honour, carrying their spirit forward with every lap turned. Kam Dixon returned to action at Donington determined to do just that – to race with heart, focus, and deep respect.

The weekend began in glorious spring weather, with Donington Park looking resplendent in the sunshine. Aircraft flew overhead as they came and went from nearby East Midlands Airport, while track temperatures reached 30°C and air temperatures hovered around 19°C.

Kam returned to action, having mostly recovered from the injury that hampered his progress at Oulton Park, where he was ultimately forced to sit out the race. Donington marked a fresh start and an opportunity to get some solid laps under his belt.

Friday’s free practice sessions saw Kam steadily build confidence and pace around the fast and flowing GP layout. In FP1, he clocked a best lap of 1:31.362 to finish P15 after completing 12 laps. He looked more settled and at ease on the bike compared to two weeks earlier. That progress continued into FP2, where he improved his time to a 1:30.753 and moved up to P12 overall. It was a promising step forward, with consistent lap times and clear signs of momentum heading into the rest of the weekend.

Kam said afterwards: “It wasn’t my strongest day, but I’m glad to be back on the bike and getting laps in. There’s definitely work to do ahead of qualifying, but we’ve got a solid base to build from and I’m confident we can make progress.”

Moving on to Saturday, Kam delivered a strong performance in qualifying, setting a best lap of 1:30.076 to secure P15 on the grid - a solid step forward from Friday’s practice sessions.

“Times are really close today, and this class is faster than ever… We made a big improvement on where we were in practice yesterday, but I still think we have some easy time to find. Thanks to the boys who never stop working,” Kam commented.

Following the session, the paddock gathered on the grid for a poignant tribute to Shane Richardson and Owen Jenner. Speeches were made by Dr Jonathan Palmer (Chief Executive, MotorSport Vision), Stuart Higgs (BSB Series Director), Duncan Vincent (BSB Trackside Commentator), and Larry Carter (Pit Lane Reporter). The grid was filled with riders, teams, officials, and fans, all coming together in remembrance. A minute’s silence was observed, offering a powerful moment of reflection and unity across the racing community.

Sunday’s race saw Kam finish P26 after a challenging outing. Despite clocking a personal best lap time of 1:30.809 – the 12th fastest of the race – he was forced out wide and into the gravel early on, leaving him nearly a minute behind the pack and with it all to do.

“It was a tough one today,” Kam said. “I got pushed wide and had a trip through the gravel, which left me with a lot of ground to make up. I did my best to recover some time and managed to get a race distance under my belt. The pace wasn’t amazing but it was strong enough for a much better result if not for that early moment. It’s been seven and a half months since my last race, so getting the first one out of the way is a positive. We can get the ball rolling now. Again, a big thanks to OMG and PCR for all the hard work this weekend.”

Next up, the Pirelli National Superstock Championship joins the world stage as a support class to MotoGP at the British Grand Prix. Kam and the rest of the field will head to Silverstone from the 23rd to 25th May for what promises to be a spectacular weekend of racing in front of a huge international crowd.