MCE British Superbike Championship goes Forth to Knockhill
The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship arrived in Scotland today (Thursday) as some of the leading protagonists and the home-grown contenders blasted over the Forth Road Bridge to signal the arrival of the series this weekend at Knockhill circuit (3/4/5 July).
The annual Superbike event is one biggest sporting events in Scotland and the traffic was halted at the Forth Road Bridge this morning as the show rolled into town with riders including Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne, JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison, Tyco BMW’s Tommy Bridewell, Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran and Bennetts Suzuki’s Christian Iddon.
Stuart Easton led the home heroes as Taylor and Tarran Mackenzie plus Ducati TriOptions Cup champion Dennis Hobbs.
The riders were also enforcing the road safety message to all spectators riding to the event this weekend to save racing for the track.
Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne arrives in Scotland as the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship leader, but with four different winners from the opening four rounds the defending champion faces tough opposition at Knockhill.
Oulton Park race winner Stuart Easton is keen to give his PBM Kawasaki team-mate a hard time at his home round this weekend; the leading Scottish rider in the championship currently lies fourth in the standings and is keen to carry the momentum to his local circuit.
Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes has been denied victory so far this season, but is stacking up an impressive run of podium finishes and is targeting the win that eluded him so far in his campaign to maintain his position ahead of James Ellison in the standings. Ellison was battered and bruised last time out at Snetterton but is determined to return to the podium this weekend in his bid to regain the lead in the standings.
Tommy Bridewell was victorious at Oulton Park and the Tyco BMW rider narrowly sits ahead of Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran in the standings after the Australian’s first podium finish in the championship at the previous rounds.
With five rounds before the Showdown, the battle to be in the top six is set to get even more fraught as Michael Laverty, Dan Linfoot, Howie Mainwaring and Chris Walker bid to close in this weekend. Last year’s victor Ryuichi Kiyonari is in need of a repeat performance here to catapult him back into title contention as he aims to equal Byrne’s record-breaking fourth title.
Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki)
Championship position: 1st (151 points)
“We had a great weekend at Snetterton, but in BSB you should never count your chickens – although the boss [Paul Bird] generally does! Anything can happen and we need to keep our heads down and keep working hard. Snetterton was exactly what we needed; we have been catching up and the double win was a bit of a relief after not getting one since the first round.
“Knockhill is a completely different ball game compared to Snetterton – it is a lot more intense and you have to perfect over the whole lap to get it right. The PBM Kawasaki team haven’t stood still to be ready for this weekend so we are all set for what I expect to be another two tough races. All I can say is bring on Knockhill because I can’t wait to go racing again!”