Harris fastest, ahead of Hydrex Honda team-mate Stuart Easton ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli Free practice Brands Hatch round one, 10-11-12-13 April Karl Harris reckoned he was leaner and fitter ahead of his return to heading up the Hydrex Honda challenge in the ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli and the ‘new look’ Yorkshire rider delivered the goods in free practice ahead of the Easter Monday opener. The former three times winner of the domestic Supersport title headed the leaderboard in both sessions as the 28 strong entry dialled into the rigours of the short, fast Indy circuit, with Harris the fastest with a lap in 46.658secs, a split second ahead of his team-mate Stuart Easton. “The bike is really good the team has put a lot of hard work into it, and I am enjoying it out there on track,” said Harris who is aiming to put several years of ill-fortune, littered by injury and machine problems, in Superbikes behind him, by taking maiden race winning glory here. “I’m not making any predictions, but the pace I’ve had in practice I can maintain over a race distance, and, I know that there is more to come from the bike, so I am well happy with the game,” added Harris who previously had ridden for the Hydrex team two years earlier. Easton, who had won the Macau Grand Prix last November with the team, securing his place in the country’s premier race series as a result, was riding strong, with a lap of 46.700secs to head off the challenge of Aussie Glen Richards aboard the HM Plant Honda. Richards, who in the past two seasons has won first the National Superstock and then the British Supersport titles, closed in on the leading duo with a lap in 46.750secs. He is back in the top flight, and for the first time riding a factory bike: “I feel that I have unfinished business in this series and am keen to start the season on a high note.” Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, a MotoGP rider for the past three years, made his debut into Superbike racing with the Worx Crescent Suzuki team and was quickly in the thick of the action, running fourth with a best lap of 46.802secs. Steve Plater, deputising for the absent Josh Brookes the Australian rider who is still resolving the issue of his visa to enter the UK took a tumble but still held fifth place, ahead of Leon Camier who making good progress aboard the Airwaves Yamaha, despite a shortage of pre-season testing. Gary Mason, riding the Quay Garage Honda, was the fastest of the Mirror.co.uk Cup riders, running seventh overall with a lap of 46.947secs, just ahead of World Endurance championship rider Julien da Costa aboard the MSS Colchester Kawasaki. Jon Kirkham, like da Costa, returning to the series put up ninth best time, while Michael Rutter, riding in North West 200 Coca Cola Zero colours, eased his Rob Mac Racing Yamaha team-mate Chris Walker, aboard the Motorpoint Henderson backed bike, out of the top ten. ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli Top ten times in Free Practice Karl Harris, Hydrex Honda, 46.658secs, 92.48mph Stuart Easton, Hydrex Honda, 46.700 Glen Richards, HM Plant Honda, 46.750 Sylvain Guintoli (Fr) Worx Suzuki, 46.802 Steve Plater, HM Plant Honda, 46.825 Leon Camier, Airwaves Yamaha, 46.863 Gary Mason, Quay Garage Honda, 46.947 Julien da Costa (Fr) MSS Colchester Kawasaki 46.990 Jon Kirkham, Jentin Yamaha, 47.072 Michael Rutter, North West 200 Coca Cola Zero Yamaha 47.125 Free practice continues through Saturday, with Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole starting at 15.30 on Sunday with the two 30 lap races of the opening round on Monday starting at 13.00 and 16.00. More, from another press release issued by British Superbike Championship organizers: New title partner for British Superbikes ViSK is the new title partner of the 2009 British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli. ViSK is a new venture with a mission to present the best value in bike insurance, specialising in those riders over 25 years old and with a motorcycle of 500cc plus, so is sure to be of interest to many BSB fans. ViSK has one of the most experienced underwriting partners in the country in Chaucer Holdings PLC, the parent company of Chaucer Syndicates Limited (Chaucer), a specialist Lloyd’s insurance and reinsurance underwriter. Chaucer provides the management skills, expertise and capital required to underwrite insurance business at Lloyd’s, the world’s leading insurance and reinsurance market, placing nearly £600m of business last year. Chaucer works with approaching 2000 brokers in the UK and provides underwriting services to some of the best known names in motorcycle insurance. However ViSK has been formed by MotorSport Vision to provide motorcycle owners with the kind of benefits easyJet and Ryanair have provided for air passengers mainly outstanding value. The massive communication medium of being BSB title partner will introduce ViSK.com to a combined UK television and trackside audience of 8 million as well as creating extra privileges that will be revealed month by month to make sure ViSK policy holders are the VIPs of BSB. Jonathan Palmer, Managing Director of ViSK UK said: “This new venture with Chaucer is extremely exciting and I am determined to provide a service without the costs of various layers which ultimately end up reflected in the price to the customer. You won’t for example find ViSK on the insurance comparison web sites as we won’t be paying any premium-inflating commissions! “Why the name ViSK? Simply that we wanted something short, different, memorable and with an easy to recall web site, so it’s www.visk.com. The ViSK call centre will open on Monday 13 April 2009 and is staffed by BSB enthusiasts. Also our full on-line quotation service for those who prefer finger tip quotations is being designed and more information on this will follow. I look forward to meeting our rapidly expanding number of ViSK policy holders soon!” The first round of the 2009 ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli takes place at Brands Hatch this Easter Weekend, April 10-13. For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com