Rory Skinner’s smile at the conclusion of the weekend told its own story.
He had, after all, just opened the Bennetts British Superbike Championship season in style with a curtain-raising third place podium and two fourths at the renowned Silverstone circuit.
“Couldn’t be happier” was the message from the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki rider following a performance of craft and skill. The strong opening - he is third overall in the championship behind Glenn Irwin and Kyle Ryde after event one - would not have come as a massive surprise to many.
It was the by-product of months of hard work on and off the track which has led Skinner to feeling fitter than ever before and in a relaxed state of mind. Of course, his passion for mountain biking played its part.
He has also taken a backseat from working in the family-run shop - Skinner Motorcycles - with dad Mike to turn full concentration to his racing.
Home, however, will always be where the heart is and one key driving motivating factor continues to be the chance, every time he takes to the track, to make his parents proud.
“I stopped working with my dad after the final round of last year and fully applied myself to the racing,” Skinner explained to the Perthshire Advertiser yesterday.
“It’s obviously tough for him because it’s a family-run business and it’s been me and dad for the last few years in Perth.
“My mum and dad have put so much into my racing over the years. They saw this as my opportunity to really shine and push myself to be the best I can be, so I’m really motivated.
“I’ve got the opportunity now where I can go full-time. I’m lucky enough to be in the position to do that with my racing and just train every day.
“It’s a bit different now and I can now look after myself. I’ve got a good support system around me.
“I started training at Loughborough University in late November, early December. I’ve been on their programme since then, all the way through the off-season and I’m still on it now.
“My fitness has never been better. And I’ve never been more chilled out and in a relaxed state of mind.”
Dad Mike, despite still putting in the graft at the popular shop on Glenearn Road, continues to show his support from the side of the track on race day.
Skinner smiled: “Dad will work until Friday night then drive down for the Saturday and Sunday. He’ll then drive back on the Sunday night.”
Results like Silverstone certainly make the journey home all the sweeter but Skinner, a former Perth and Kinross young sports personality of the year, is not content with being a one weekend wonder.
“Testing had been good - we were there or thereabouts in the top five - and that was a nice way to go into the season,” he said.
“I wanted to be realistic with my targets going into the season. The Bennetts British Superbike Championship is very, very tough. It’s renowned as being the hardest domestic series in the world.
“But after a learning year - and all the work we’ve put in over the winter - aiming to be top six week in, week out is realistic.
“Obviously there will be some weekends that are better or worse than others, but to have started the first round with two fourths and a third was better than I could’ve imagined.
“To come out of the weekend P3 in the championship, I couldn’t really be happier.”
There will be expectation on Skinner’s shoulders this season and he is quite aware of that.
He said: “There will be expectation. The biggest thing for me is that I know I can do it.
“I got two podiums at Knockhill last year and I knew that was always going to be a good track for me.
“But to do it at a different track - and be there all weekend - was nice for me and the team to know we can be competitive elsewhere.
“There will be people who are expecting me to be on the podium again. To be honest, I kind of expect myself to be there too.
“I’m putting in the work and so is the team. When you work hard, these things hopefully tend to pay off.”
Next up in the championship is a trip to Oulton Park at the end of the month.
“It’s fast, quite undulated and you need to be a real track expert,” Skinner noted.
“It’s a track I enjoy and have had good results at in the past. I’m looking forward to getting the test under way.”
