MCE INSURANCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 02 HOLIDAY MONDAY 2 MAY OULTON PARK KIYONARI RETURNS TO HAPPY HUNTING GROUND Ryuichi Kiyonari is determined to extend his impressive race winning pedigree at Oulton Park in this Sunday’s second round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship to move ahead of both his HM Plant Honda team-mate Shane Byrne and Yamaha riding Tommy Hill in the early season title stakes. The 28 year old Japanese rider enjoyed one of his greatest triumphs at the Cheshire circuit last year when over an October weekend he powered in a winning hat-trick to take the British crown for a third time. Those performances took his tally of race victories at the circuit to nine, amid a total of 41 successes since his first appearance in the domestic series. Kiyonari is on the back foot going into the races, having suffered a rare machine failure in the opening race of the new season at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday, in some part a legacy of the heavy tumble he took, in the process badly damaging his bike, as he avoided a slowing rider during the morning warm-up session. He was back on the pace for the second race, overtaking first race winner Byrne on the final lap of the race to take second place, and Kiyonari is confident that he has now put his early misfortune behind him, enabling full concentration in his efforts to take an unprecedented fourth title. Byrne could have a big say in that. He has settled quickly with the team and the bike, importantly striking up a strong relationship with his crew chief Chris Pike whom he thanked for his expert setting and preparation of the Fireblade for the opening round of the series. Already two times a winner of the title, and in each of those championship winning years a double race winner at Oulton Park, Byrne will again pose major problems for everyone, Kiyonari included. He is back on the domestic scene after two tough years on the World stage and determined both to enjoy himself, and to be at the top of his game. Byrne took pole for the opening race at record pace, and after a few anxious moments when Michael Laverty crashed right in front of him quickly composed himself to regain the initiative, controlling the race to take the victory. And, it might easily have been a double on his debut with the team as he briefly grabbed the lead in the second race from Hill on the final lap, only to run a little wide and settle for third. Both of the factory Honda riders are well aware of the strength and speed of the Yamahas in the hands of Hill and Laverty as they demonstrated at Brands Hatch. Laverty enjoyed his maiden victory at Oulton Park last season, and is keen for more of the same while Hill believes he has unfinished business at the circuit having lost the title he looked certain to clinch there last year, but for his costly crash. American John Hopkins is in the groove with the Suzuki team, being pushed along by his team-mate, National Superstock champion Jon Kirkham, while last year’s runner-up Josh Brookes, now riding Suzuki is more than capable of a winning ride. But an outsider to upstage the pack is Tommy Bridewell riding for the Tyco Honda team, making good use of last year’s title winning bike to take a third place in the season’s opening race, but then giving his team a lot of hard work with a crash next time out. The Wiltshire rider is undaunted by that, and promising to give his rivals a tough time. And in the “back to basics” BSB-EVO class, WFR Honda team-mates Glen Richards and Alex Lowes continue their duel for the crown, level pegging going into Oulton Park after each took a win and a second in the opener. Honda rider quotes: Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda): “I won three times at Oulton Park last time we raced there, but I know winning is going to be hard this weekend. Everybody has shown at Brands Hatch that they are faster and so I know I need to find more from me. I have a mixture of memories from Oulton Park and some are very good, some not so much. This circuit is more technical than Brands Hatch Indy circuit so a good setting is going to be so important. I need wins and podiums for the championship so I will do everything I can.” Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda): “I can’t wait for Oulton Park, if anything I could have left Brands Hatch Monday evening after the race and gone straight there! I think the first races of the season are always pretty hectic, but I feel quite settled now that we have the first round done and dusted. We have a good base setting for my bike and the team also have knowledge from previous rounds so we expect to be in a position to fight for wins and podiums. The whole of the team did a great job at the last round and we want more of the same at the next round.” Tommy Bridewell (Tyco Honda): “The aim is to stay in the top six all season and that’s where I am after Brands Hatch. I’m bitterly disappointed that I crashed out in race two as the points I’d have gained would have had me third in the series, but I’ve learned a lesson and that won’t happen in future. I like Oulton Park and we know it suits this bike so I’m really looking forward to challenging for the podium again.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Samsung Crescent Racing is heading north as it gets ready for the second round of the British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park in Cheshire this weekend. After the mayhem of the incredibly-short Indy circuit at Brands Hatch, this weekend’s prospect is altogether bigger: The 2.692 mile course, set in the estate grounds of the former Oulton Hall, combines rolling contours with breathtaking high-speed sweepers to create one of the season’s most challenging circuits. After the close-quarters cut-and-thrust of Brands Hatch, this weekend will be about high-speed mastery; and for John Hopkins and Jon Kirkham, it’ll be about putting together two high-points-scoring rides as they look to establish themselves in the crucial top six ‘Title Fighters’ league. John Hopkins: “Last weekend was certainly a tough introduction to BSB. I guess it was everything I expected – not for one minute I have imagined this task to be a walk in the park – but it certainly brought it back to me that I have to take this job step-by-step. “Oulton Park is the next step; quite a big one at that. I first visited the circuit a fortnight ago for a track day on a road bike, so that I’d get an idea of where it goes and what the challenges will be. And, oh yes, there are lots of ups and downs and no question you have to know where you’re going if you’re to get a fast lap time. I’m in no doubt, this weekend I’ve a lot of work to do.” Jon Kirkham: “After Brands Hatch, I want to bag two good finishes from this weekend. To not make the start of second race last weekend – because of one very small part – that was massively disappointing. So coming here I’m ready to pull in a lot more points. “I feel for Hopper having to learn this place from scratch, but for me Oulton Park has to be my favourite track; I simply love this place. And tracks like this really show the difference between the true Superbikes and the Evo bikes in the class – which I rode last year – so I’m really looking forward to what I’m sure is going to be an exciting ride.” Jack Valentine – Team Manager: “Coming to Oulton Park the team has a lot of work to do. The past two seasons we’ve led into this round – this year the lads are equal 10th. That’s down to the manic nature of Brands Hatch and not a little bad luck. But both Hopper and JK showed they can do the lap times, they both took away a top-five finish and proved they can run at the front. So this weekend will be about hauling in as many points as we can to get the both of them closer to, if not in, the vital Title Fighters top-six bracket. That’s an intermediate goal, of course. Both our riders can, and will, be podium contenders, we’ve 11 more rounds to run, so much can happen.” This weekend’s BSB round gets underway with free practice on Saturday, with qualifying Sunday. Race day is May Day (Bank Holiday Monday).