TAMWORTH-BORN racer Gary Mason has vowed to put his ViSK British Superbike Snetterton disappointment to one side this weekend – despite admitting the Knockhill circuit is his least favourite track.

The 30-year-old's 100 per cent record in the privateers' Mirror.co.uk Cup came to an end in frustrating circumstances as mechanical problems robbed him of win number nine of the season in the first race of the weekend.

Like a true champion, Mason roared back to top the podium in race two but was still left fuming as newcomer Tommy Bridewell took the chequered flag in his first race of the season.

And while Mason still has a massive 225 points to his name this term – a lead of 56 over second-placed Peter Hickman – he conceded the blot on his copybook was a bitter pill to swallow.

"I don't particularly like Knockhill, it isn't my favourite track but there is nothing I can do about it," he said. "I like the big tracks like Oulton Park, Brands Hatch GP, the real tracks, but I have just got to go there and race the bike and enjoy it and get some race wins.

"It was a bit of a frustrating weekend with a DNF but I suppose our winning streak had to come to an end at some point.

"But I still have an impressive record and at least it was a DNF and not a finish because every race I have finished I have won so that says a lot and that is the main thing."

Mason's major frustration at Snetterton was his failure to add more than two points to his tally in the main championship during a season that has already seen the Lichfield ace break new ground for a privateer. The Quay Garage rider became the first privateer to qualify on the front row of the grid when he did so at Thruxton, while he has amassed 59 points and currently lies joint 10th with superbike legend Chris 'Stalker' Walker.

And Mason is confident he can climb back in to the top 10 of the main championship when battle resumes this weekend.

He added: "We will roll on. We knew we were going to struggle at Snetterton because we have got a new bike and that affects things on the turns and on other parts of the track.

"So we knew that, but hopefully at the next ones we can be back to where we want to be and that is in the top 10 and beyond."

● British Eurosport 2 has live coverage from every round of the 2009 British Superbike Championship. See the action on Sky channel 411 or Virgin Media channel 525.

Next race, Knockhill on Sunday, July 5, and for updates head to uk.eurosport.yahoo.com