Team AIM Yamaha heads to the Cheshire circuit of Oulton Park for round two of the British Superbike championship which is set to take place at the 2.692-mile International circuit over the Bank Holiday weekend May 3-5. Lincolnshire rider and AIM Yamaha team coordinator Steve Plater returns to action with the team after missing the opening round because of a date clash with the Le Mans 24-hour race. He will be eager to get as much track time in as possible to find a suitable set-up in readiness for the North West 200 race and the TT which are looming up fast. Twice a previous winner at Oulton Park, Plater will be looking for two strong results to pick up some points and get his championship challenge underway. Fresh from his eighth place at Thruxton, Ian Hutchinson will be looking to capitalise on this at Oulton Park where he will be aiming his sights at the podium in the British Supersport race on Monday. He too is a previous winner at Oulton and will be looking to replicate this result for AIM Yamaha on Monday. STEVE PLATER Team coordinator Because I missed the Thruxton round and prior to that had limited track time because of the weather at Brands Hatch, it is imperative for both myself and AIM Yamaha to get a good result at Oulton Park and find a good set-up on the bike for the North West 200 and the TT. I go directly to Albacete for the six-hour World Endurance race after Oulton and will therefore miss the Brands Hatch re-run scheduled for the same weekend (May 10/11). I then head straight to the North West 200 in Ireland for practice on Tuesday and Thursday ahead of racing on Saturday (May 17) so there is little time to spare. With Oulton Park being one of his favourite circuits, Ian Hutchinson will be out to bag some more points for AIM Yamaha and should be in a position to challenge for a podium finish this weekend. Free practice at Oulton Park takes place over Saturday and Sunday with qualifying on Sunday afternoon to determine the grid positions for Monday’s two 18-lap Superbike races which are scheduled for 1pm and 3.30pm. The 16-lap British Supersport race begins at 2.40pm. More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: STEVE PLATER OULTON PARK PREVIEW Woodhall spa race ace Steve Plater heads to Oulton Park for round two of the Bennetts British Superbike championship which takes place over the Bank Holiday weekend at the Cheshire circuit. Plater was absent from the opening round of the series because of a date clash with the World Endurance 24-hour race at Le Mans where he lead the field in the early stages before his team Yamaha France were forced out with a clutch problem. A winner at Oulton Park on two previous occasions in the premier British series, Plater is anticipating a strong performance with AIM Yamaha this weekend and is hopeful of picking up a clutch of valuable championship points from the two 18-lap Superbike races. “Because I missed the Thruxton round and prior to that had limited track time because of the weather at Brands Hatch, it is imperative for both myself and AIM Yamaha to get a good result at Oulton Park and find a good set-up on the bike for the North West 200 and the TT,” commented Plater. “I go directly to Albacete for the six-hour World Endurance race after Oulton and will therefore miss the Brands Hatch re-run scheduled for the same weekend (May 10/11). I then head straight to the North West 200 in Ireland for practice on Tuesday and Thursday ahead of racing on Saturday (May 17) so there is little time to spare.” Free practice at Oulton Park takes place over Saturday and Sunday with qualifying on Sunday afternoon to determine the grid positions for Mondays two Superbike races which are scheduled for 1pm and 3.30pm.