SWAN YAMAHA PREPARE FOR BRANDS HATCH TRIPLE HEADER ROUND The Swan Yamaha team prepare to carry their race-winning momentum to Brands Hatch this weekend (5-7 August) as the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship returns to the Grand Prix circuit for a triple-header race weekend. Tommy Hill won the single race at the previous Oulton Park round and heading to his home circuit he is determined to maintain his winning form in a bid to secure as main podium credits as possible with only six races remaining before the Showdown. Michael Laverty is also seeking a return to the podium in the three races this weekend as he looks to consolidate his position inside the top six in the overall standings ahead of the Showdown. Hill said: “It’s great to be heading back to Brands Hatch again and as it’s my local circuit I always get great support there. I think we are all raring to go now after having the second race at Oulton Park postponed due to the weather so we want to get back out even more! It is getting close to the Showdown now but with three races we can’t settle for points, we need the wins and podiums to remain in the top six and wrack up those podium credits as they are so important. We need to push hard and we need three good races; we won on the Indy circuit earlier in the year so I won’t be aiming for anything less for Swan Yamaha.” Laverty said: “I am really looking forward to getting back out on the Swan Yamaha at Brands Hatch. As it will be the track the title decider will take place on we really need to get the best set up we possibly can as it will be so important when we return at the end of the season. We need to remain inside the top six and in the next six races we really need to score some more of those podium credits. We may still be a few races away from the Showdown but that is what everyone is focused on and then working towards the season finale. We know the Swan Yamaha had the pace on the Indy circuit earlier in the season and we made some god progress at Oulton Park which should benefit us on the Grand Prix circuit. The Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit is definitely going to be a case of a double whammy for all of us and it will be a case of looking for a good weekend to put ourselves in a strong position for the last round. I want to be back on the podium for the Swan Yamaha team and with three races there is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to be challenging again.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: MCE INSURANCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 08 SUNDAY AUGUST 7 BRANDS HATCH GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT BYRNE AND KIYONARI FOCUS ON SECURING PLACE AMONG THE “TITLE-FIGHTERS” Shane Byrne returns to Brands Hatch determined to extend his lead in the MCE Insurance British Superbike title standings while his team-mate, the three times winner of the crown, Ryuichi Kiyonari, needs strong results to ensure that he consolidates his fifth place in the championship. Byrne, a former two times winner of the British Championship who began his racing career at the Kent circuit, marked his comeback to the domestic series earlier in the season with a winning ride and then a third place. Now, he is facing up to a triple race challenge with races run over the full Grand Prix circuit, with the action coming at a crucial time of the season. Including these races there are six remaining to finalise the half a dozen riders who will become the “title-fighters” going forward into the final seven race “Showdown” phase that will decide who wins the crown. Going into this round, there twelve riders in with a realistic chance of making the cut. Byrne is well placed, with his three victories so far taking him 32 points clear of Suzuki riding John Hopkins, but Kiyonari, who is back fresh from his fourth victory in the Suzuka Eight Hours race, needs to string together strong results after an inconsistent campaign. This has left him in fifth place in the standings and under some pressure to maintain his position, starting these races only ten points clear of Aussie Josh Brookes. Kiyonari had mixed fortunes in the opening round at Brands Hatch, crashing heavily in the morning warm-up session and then being forced out of the first of the two races with a machine issue. However he hit back with a strong second place next time out, pushing eventual winner and Yamaha title contender Tommy Hill all the way. Hill will again be a strong threat in these races, like Byrne, riding on his home circuit, as Kiyonari bids to add to his two race winning pedigree so far this season to ensure he remains on track to bid for an unprecedented fourth British title. Peter Hickman is on the fringe of the pack bidding for a place among the “title-fighters” with the Tyco Honda rider needing to regain the form that he showed in the recent Thruxton round where he enjoyed his best result in the series, second. If he is to peg back the 26 points deficit he has on the sixth placed rider in the standings, Suzuki riding Brookes. Adding further spice to the action is the “wild-card” appearances of Kawasaki World Superbike team riders Joan Lascorz and Yorkshireman Tom Sykes. Sykes was a double race winner in the corresponding round of last year, but who faces a race against time to be fit after tumbling during the Silverstone round of the World series. Meanwhile in the “back to basics” BSB-EVO class Aussie Glen Richards, riding the WFR Honda, should tighten his grip on the leadership of that category, but is under pressure from BMW riding Barry Burrell. Adding to the challenges will be the two team-mates of Richards, Graeme Gowland and America Jake Zemke who have both show strong form in recent races. Honda rider quotes ahead of the races: Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda): “I am obviously looking forward to my home round and I do have such good memories from Brands Hatch. I desperately want to win this weekend and I know we have the Kawasaki World Superbike team also racing, but that won’t change my goal. We won on the Indy circuit at the opening round, but you can’t really compare the two, all I know is that I need to concentrate solely on winning again as we haven’t in the past rounds. I know we have had the pace, but it just hasn’t worked out. This weekend will be so important for the championship with three races and we will be pushing hard to make sure we stay ahead.” Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda): “I am happy because there are three races and this is one of my favourite tracks on the calendar. It is going to be so close, but that means harder for us riders. It is important to do well because it will be the same track as the final round so we need to be fast. There are many riders that can win there, but I need to be strong. The top four riders you know are going to be fast and fighting for the win, but there are other riders too that could be there. I think we can win, we have made lots of progress with the bike so we need to go out and push hard. I have the number one plate on my bike and that means I should be up the front fighting for the win and nothing less.”