HILL LEADS BYRNE AHEAD OF BSB TITLE SHOWDOWN It is Showdown time in the chase for the MCE Insurance British Superbike crown and as the six Title Fighters power into Donington Park for the first of three critical rounds of the championship Tommy Hill has a slender seven point advantage over former double champion Shane Byrne. The Leicestershire circuit hosts the first two of seven races that are crucial to the elite six riders as they try to outgun each other for the title. After the previous round at Cadwell Park the top six riders’ points scores were set at 500 to which have been added bonus points in the form of podium credits which reflect their performances at the sharp-end of the main season races. Swan Yamaha’s Hill has the slight edge as he bids to take the title for the first time. He has won seven of the opening 19 races and that consistency and front-running style has put him just ahead of the rest although the Lingfield rider is taking nothing for granted as he returns to a circuit he has not raced at in four years. “It feels good to be leading going into the Showdown but this is racing and anything can happen, we know how fast things can change,” said Hill. “I am a racer and want to win races. We have to remain consistent as every point now is crucial.” HM Plant Honda’s Byrne though has his sights set on equalling his team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari with a third BSB title this season. He had already qualified as a Title Fighter ahead of the Cadwell Park round and used those races to test various parts to further refine it ahead of the final push towards the final title-deciding races. Byrne has the immediate target of closing the seven point margin he currently trails Hill and said: “We tested a lot of new parts at Cadwell and we found something then that should make out life easier and there is no reason why we cannot have a Showdown doing what we did in the first part of the season which was winning races and taking podium places.” Pushing them hard will be John Hopkins who experienced racing the circuit during his MotoGP career. He is four points down on Byrne and aboard the Samsung Crescent Suzuki is intent on becoming the first American to lift the British title. He returns to action after surgery on fingers broken during a wild-card ride in MotoGP last month in Brno but is confident that he will be fully fit for these races. Hopkins said: “I’m really looking forward to getting back on the Samsung Crescent Suzuki and most importantly finally getting the Showdown underway! Unfortunately it will be my first race back from having surgery on my hand but the treatment and recovery processes has all been going to plan and both the doctor and myself are confident that I should be close to full fitness and ready to go. I was very disappointed about having to miss the last round but it’s only added to my motivation and drive toward winning this year’s BSB championship and I’ll be giving it everything I have in order to do so.” The fourth Title Fighter is Michael Laverty on the second Swan Yamaha and after a win and a further two podiums at Cadwell Park he will be pushing his rivals all the way. Laverty heads into the Showdown 19 points down on Hill but knows a strong pair of races could see him overhaul the riders ahead of him currently. Aussie Josh Brookes is a point down on Laverty and the Relentless Suzuki by TAS rider who made the Showdown with a late run of form, racking up the points over three all important rounds, has to maintain that standard to stay in the chase. That leaves three times title winner Kiyonari in sixth place, 21 points adrift of Hill but ready to end an inconsistent season aboard the second HM Plant Honda with a repeat of last year’s stunning climax to the title chase to snatch the crown for a record fourth time. Aussie Glen Richards should move closer to securing the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO crown amid a highly consistent season aboard his WFR Honda while his team-mate Graeme Gowland is aiming to maintain his recent run of top form to nose ahead of Buildbase BMW rider Barry Burrell in the scrap for the number two plates. MCE INSURANCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS GOING INTO THE SHOWDOWN 1.Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 529 2. Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) 522 3. John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Suzuki) 518 4. Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) 510 5. Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 509 6. Ryuichi Kyonari (HM Plant Honda) 508 For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com More, from a press release issued by Samsung Crescent Suzuki: SAMSUNG CRESCENT RACING READY FOR THE SHOWDOWN John Hopkins and the Samsung Crescent Racing team are readying themselves for the crucial Showdown phase of the 2011 British Superbike Championship, that gets underway this weekend at Donington Park in Leicestershire. Hopkins is still recovering from the finger injuries he sustained at the Bruno MotoGP in August, but confirms he fully expects to be able to fight for wins this coming weekend. As the top-six in the championship start their three-round battle to determine the series champion Hopkins says he couldn’t be in more motivated. Hopkins team-mate Jon Kirkham, having narrowly missed inclusion in the top-six Title Fighters, begins his own battle to win the Riders’ Cup awarded to the best rider outside of the top-six. John Hopkins: “I’m ready to return to racing. Tomorrow they take the last pins out of my middle finger then I’ll have full articulation in all fingers. I’ve been keeping up my fitness and exercising my hand so I expect to be able to push right from the get-go. I know Donington Park well from my MotoGP years, I love the place, so I’m right on the game there. “I’ve been waiting for this phase of the championship to start, and now it’s here I can’t wait to get stuck in. I can sense this weekend is going to be fantastic, we’re all going to be going for it and it’s my intention to be right at the very front!” Jon Kirkham: “The disappointment of missing out on the Title Fighters has been more than made up by the excitement of racing at the front again and the impending battle to grab the Riders’ Cup. That will be no less difficult than trying to make the top-six, there are plenty of riders who have plenty of form right now, but I’m keen to stay in the top-six in the race results and if at anytime my being there will help Hopper then so much the better.” Jack Valentine, team manager: “To say Hopper is ready would be an understatement. He’s is literally ‘pulling the pin’, or pins, as we speak. We’ve stayed in contact as he’s been recuperating back at his home in the States and he’s certainly fired-up for this weekend, he’s really up for it and I think we can expect him to come out fighting. This is a very exciting point in the championship, as we literally start all over again, and with Donington, Silverstone and Brands being the final rounds all good venues for Hopper we can expect a very strong and determined run to the flag from him. “It’s been good to see JK coming back up to speed over the last couple of rounds, and that last race at Cadwell Park really recharged him, there’s nothing like racing within sight of the lead to spark up a racer. I think we can expect to see JK getting into the top-six again, with the Riders’ Cup there’s motivation for him too. “Within the team we have the bikes ready, all the tools needed to do the job, everything is set for this final stage of the championship. The energy levels in the team are at an all time high, we’re definitely ready!” More, from a press release issued by Swan Yamaha: SWAN YAMAHA LEAD TITLE RACE TO DONINGTON PARK The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Showdown reaches Donington Park this weekend (9-11 September) and Swan Yamaha’s Tommy Hill leads the title standings by seven points with Michael Laverty joining him in the title battle ahead of this weekend’s two races. Hill has secured seven wins ahead of the Showdown, but with Laverty just 19 points off the lead of his team-mate the pair are preparing to challenge for the top step of the podium again after sharing the three victories last time out at Cadwell Park. The Championship returns to the circuit for the first time since 2008 and after completing some laps of the track recently the team are feeling confident ahead of the weekend. Hill said: “It feels good to be leading the championship standings into the Showdown but this is racing and we know how fast things can change. The last time I rode at Donington Park was in 2007 but we know that we have a strong package with the Swan Yamaha and we are full of confidence ahead of the event. I am taking the Showdown race by race and we need to remain consistent but not too consistent as every point is crucial and we need to be finishing ahead of the other Title Fighters to maintain our position.” Laverty said: “I am looking forward to it as Donington Park has always been one of my favourite tracks. I think some of the changes we made at Cadwell Park just clicked and that little bit extra we were looking for we found. We did a few laps around there a few weeks’ back and we know we have good pace so I am feeling ready for the races. The whole season is about building for the Showdown and I am mentally prepared for it and I just want to get stuck in now for those wins. We need to try and win every race as inevitably whoever wins the most is going to be champion. We need to be riding on the edge and taking those chances to win as the last seven races are the most important of the season.” For more information visit www.swanyamaha.co.uk