SWAN HONDA SET TO FLY AT HIGH-SPEED SNETTERTON The Swan Honda team are determined to get their championship challenge back on track this weekend at the triple header seventh round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Snetterton in Norfolk. Stuart Easton and James Ellison had a challenging opening race at Knockhill last time out, but with the second race cancelled due to the weather conditions; both riders will get the chance to make amends with the rescheduled second race taking place on Saturday ahead of the two races on Sunday. Easton and Ellison are both feeling fired up to put their Swan Hondas back in contention of podium finishes as the pair fight to return to the top six in the overall standings ahead of the championship ‘Showdown’. Easton said: “I am pleased we have three races this weekend as Snetterton should suit the Swan Honda and I really feel that we can make up some points. The last few rounds have been a disaster by our standards, but we intend on putting it right this weekend as we know that we have the pace to do it. I need to go out and win races and if I do that the points will look after themselves and we will be inside the top six come the Showdown. We know we are fast, we showed that at the past few rounds, we just need to keep it together for the races. We have three chances this weekend and I don’t intend on wasting them.” Ellison said: “I’m feeling pretty good about the weekend; I’m getting stronger all the time and I think these races will be easier for me as it is not such a physical circuit to ride. That said, I felt good at Knockhill and was putting in some good long runs, but this weekend should be better. I was disappointed by the result at Knockhill the problem was tyre pressure being too high and there was no grip, but now we have to concentrate on Snetterton and get back to winning races to get into the Showdown. I have to start finishing on the podium, it is not unrealistic but it won’t be easy, but that is definitely the goal for the three races this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by Jentin Racing: JENTIN RACING-BMW MOTORRAD GEARING UP FOR SNETTERTON TRIPLE-HEADER Jentin Racing-BMW Motorrad’s Steve Brogan is preparing for a renewed assault on the top spot in the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO championship at this weekend’s three-race Snetterton round while stand-in rider Tristan Palmer will be contesting the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 race in place of Richard Cooper. BSB-EVO Rider Steve Brogan has been recovering from injuries sustained at Mallory Park – including a fractured vertebrae and ligament damage in his thumb – aided by some time in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and is in high spirits about the weekend’s racing. Superstock rider Richard Cooper is preparing for an operation in Belgium on Friday. Cooper has been suffering from arm pump which ruled him out of the Knockhill round – but is set for an operation this week. Former BSB rider Tristan Palmer will be running Richard’s BMW S 1000 RR machine in the Superstock races. Rider Steve Brogan said: “Things are going well. I’ve had lots of physiotherapy and I spent a total of 12 hours inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber on the Isle of Man – which was an odd experience! But it pretty much doubles the rate at which you heal and it’s done wonders. I feel great for it. My back feels strong and I’m ready to race. “I’m pleased to have three races at Snetterton, I enjoy racing there and the two long straights will really suit the power of our BMW S 1000 RR. I’m fitter than I would have been if the race had been run at Knockhill. If we can get some wins under our belt the championship will sort itself out, but I’m not thinking about it yet – I just want to start winning some races again.” Following the cancellation of a weather-lashed race two at Knockhill, Snetterton has had another added to the bill. Race one will take place on Saturday at 15:15 with Race Two and Race Three at 12.30 and 16.35 on Sunday. Bernie Toleman, Team Manager said: “Things are looking up for Jentin Racing-BMW Motorrad. Our racers are on the mend – Steve’s back is healing well and Richard’s all set for the operation which will eliminate his arm pump issues. In the mean time we’ve got Tristan Palmer filling in for him. Richard will be off for a few weeks to recover but he’ll be back on the bike at the last three or four rounds. “Tristan is standing in for the next few races until Richard is back. We know him pretty well; he’s ridden for us before and has performed very well in this year on his own BMW. The bikes are in great shape, Steve is riding really well and has healed very rapidly, Richard is going to get this operation which will sort him out for good and Tristan is the perfect stand-in until then. All we’ve got to do now is get to Norfolk and do it!”