RED Piranha Racing rider Simon Andrews continued his run of good form at the Thruxton circuit with a third consecutive front row grid position for the season and fourth-placed finish.

Thruxton has proven to be something of a happy hunting ground for the 20-year-old Wickhamford rider, having secured pole position at the circuit and second place in the 2002 Supersport Championship.

Good Friday, however, didn't bring much joy to the Cheltenham-based team that was beset with persistent set-up problems.

The problem was finally isolated late on Friday night and the team was confident of a substantial improvement for Saturday's qualifying.

Proof that the Yamaha R6 was back to form was evident in the first qualifying session when Andrews secured the eighth quickest time.

His times continued to fall in the second session with him recording a lap a few thousands of a second off the third best time.

"We had a really tough day with nothing we did making much of an improvement. Late on the Friday night we sorted the problem and I was confident Simon would post a good time on the Saturday which he did," commented Red Piranha Racing chief engineer Ian Cook.

Sunday's race saw Andrews get away to his best start of the season and he was quickly embroiled in a thrilling three-way battle for third with John Crockford and Tom Sykes.

Positions between the trio changed several times with each rider jockeying for the final podium place behind Stuart Easton and Karl Harris.

The Vale-based rider finally had to settle for a fine fourth place with a future podium position surely not far out of his reach.

"We had a great battle and, each time we go out, we get a little quicker and finish one better," Andrews recalled. "Once the rest of the bits arrive for the bike, I know we'll be right up there."