Brands Hatch is the venue for the final round of the Fuchs/Silkolene British Supersport championship which takes place on Sunday, October 12 and AIM Yamaha are confident that Lincolnshire rider Steve Plater can pull off another top result for the team as he attempts to maintain his record of completing every race that he has finished on the podium. After switching from the British Superbike championship to Supersport for AIM Yamaha mid-season, Plater has proved he is a force to be reckoned with by taking the win at Snetterton and Cadwell, second at Mallory and third at Silverstone and is aiming to continue his winning streak by clinching the win in the final race of the season. Qualifying is expected to be a close and exciting affair as there are few passing places on the short and technical 1.1986-mile Indy circuit and Plater will need to get a clear run to secure a strong grid position for Sunday’s season finale. But the jovial Lincolnshire rider is up for the challenge and seeking a front row grid position so he can get away to a clean start and establish the lead at the earliest opportunity. STEVE PLATER I am not too bothered about my position in the final rider points as I have not contested every round so therefore am not in a position to make it any further up the order than fifth. But I would like to round off the year with a win so will be doing my best to make that happen on Sunday for AIM Yamaha. Free practice and qualifying take place on Friday and Saturday ahead of the 25-lap final encounter at 4pm on Sunday. More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: As we approach the final round of the Fuchs/Silkolene British Supersport Championship, Woodhall Spa ace Steve Plater is determined to end his season on a high with a win in the final round to continue his run of podium finishes in the series. After switching from the British Superbike championship to Supersport for AIM Yamaha mid-season, Plater has proved he is a force to be reckoned with by taking the win at Snetterton and Cadwell, second at Mallory and third at Silverstone and is aiming to continue his winning streak by clinching the win in the final race of the season. “I am not too bothered about my position in the final rider points as I have not contested every round so therefore am not in a position to make it any further up the order than fifth,” said Plater. “But I would like to round off the year with a win so will be doing my best to make that happen on Sunday.” Qualifying is expected to be a close and exciting affair as there are few passing places on the short and technical 1.1986-mile Indy circuit and Plater will need to get a clear run to secure a strong grid position for Sunday’s season finale. But the jovial Lincolnshire rider is up for the challenge and seeking a front row grid position so he can get away to a clean start and establish the lead at the earliest opportunity. Free practice and qualifying take place on Friday and Saturday ahead of the 25-lap final encounter at 4pm on Sunday. More, from a press release issued by British Superbike Championship organizers: Byrne plans winning finale under fire from ‘young-guns’ BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Final round 10/11/12 October Brands Hatch Shane Byrne has a close affinity to Brands Hatch, having begun his racing career there, also taking his first victory, and now he plans to celebrate his success in clinching the Bennetts British Superbike title with a winning double in the final round, prior to his graduation back to the world stage. The Airwaves Ducati rider took the country’s premier crown for the second time in five years in the penultimate round but that has not lessened his desire to add to the eight race winning pedigree that put him clear of the pack in the title stakes. “It’s my home circuit, and I can just go out there and enjoy myself knowing that the Championship is mine,” said Byrne who knows the Indy circuit well and that it suits Ducati, as illustrated by Gregorio Lavilla’s victory aboard the Airwaves bike last year. “I really hope I can sign the season off in style and I’m going to be pushing 100% to get back onto the top step of the podium.” That will not come easily. Five riders go into the final two 30 lap races scrapping for the runner-up spot and that promises a real high-speed ‘shoot-out’ for supremacy. Leon Haslam, riding HM Plant Honda for the last time in British action before moving into the World series, is the in form man of the moment having won five of the previous seven races. “Winning is what it is all about and and I want to end the season with a double, ending on a real high my aim at the start of the season was the title, but now I want to be the best of the rest. In the last four rounds I’ve been the top scorer and I am keen to continue that to make up for the bad start I had to the season,” said Haslam who takes an 18 points advantage into the action over Tom Sykes. Riding the Rizla Suzuki, Sykes has made a big impact in only his second year of Superbike action, and particularly in the second half of the campaign he has taken the fight to the sharp-end of the pack, winning three times, something that he is keen to extend as a fitting farewell to the series prior to his move into the World series next term. “I am going there in the mind set to win the races,” said Sykes. “I need to at least beat Leon Haslam as we want the runner-up spot in the standings rather than third.” Cal Crutchlow, whose second victory on this season came at the Kent circuit back in May, is keen for a winning finale. He too is moving onwards and upwards next season, riding in World Supersports, but first, he feels he has unfinished business with his current HM Plant Honda team. “I desperately want to end this year on a high and for me a win at least would be the best way to sign-off things in the UK but I will be doing everything I can to do the double,” pledged Crutchlow who like Leon Camier, aboard the second Airwaves Ducati, has an uphill struggle to take the ‘number 2’ plate. Camier claimed his third win of the season last time out and is enjoying some of his best form and that could spell problems for his rivals, although they should all check the form of the rejuvenated Michael Rutter aboard the North West 200 Ducati. Rutter is running sixth overall in the rankings, ahead of the impressive James Ellison, riding Hydrex Bike Animal Honda; Simon Andrews on the Lloyds British Jentin Yamaha and Relentless Suzuki rider Michael Laverty whose elder brother John is planning to underline his Daily Star Cup championship success aboard the Buildbase NW200 Ducati by signing off his season with a double victory. For the record Lap records: 1.1986 mile Indy Circuit Superbikes Gregorio Lavilla, Ducati 45.460s, 94.91mph, 14/10/07 Supersport Jay Vincent, Honda, 47.242s, 93.44mph, 28/03/05 125GP Sam Owens, Honda, 48.993s, 90.10mph, 02/09/01 Superstock Adam Jenkinson, Suzuki, 47.874s, 90.13mph, 14/10/07 600 Superstock Craig Jones, Suzuki, 49.753s, 86.72mph, 14/04/02 KTM 990 Dave Wood, KTM, 51.396s, 83.95mph, 14/10/07 R1 Cup To be established Flashback: Round 13 13 October 2007 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Pole: G Lavilla Ducati, 45.190s Race One – 30 laps 1 G Lavilla Ducati 23:35.208 2 J Rea Honda 23:37.707 3 R Kiyonari Honda 23:38.598 Fastest lap: Lavilla, Ducati, 45.460s, 94.91mph/152.75kph Race Two – 20 laps 1 G Lavilla Ducati 15:22.873 2 J Rea Honda 15:25.055 3 C Crutchlow Suzuki 15:25.341 Fastest lap: Lavilla, Ducati, 45.482s, 94.87mph/152.68kph British Superbike Cup Race One – 1 T Palmer Honda 24:02.783 Race Two – 1 T Palmer Honda 15:47.486