SWAN HONDA SET FOR CADWELL’S ‘PARTY IN THE PARK’ The Swan Honda team return to action this August Bank Holiday weekend for the ninth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as the series arrives at Cadwell Park for the second time this season. Easton currently lies eighth in the overall standings ahead of Cadwell Park, but he still has a mathematical chance of securing the final sixth place as a Title Fighter in the Showdown against rivals Alastair Seeley and John Laverty. Ellison makes his first racing visit to the challenging Lincolnshire circuit this season, having missed the earlier round in May when he was sidelined through injury and is setting his sights firmly on a return to the podium. Easton said: “I can’t wait for Cadwell Park; I am really looking forward to it as it is a proper racer’s circuit and a real challenge. It’s surprising really as I haven’t had the best of luck there so far this season on the two occasions I have been there I have crashed quite heavily, so hopefully it will be third time lucky this weekend. I know that I still have an outside chance of getting in to the Showdown, but we know that anything can happen, so I really need to get my head down and finish ahead of Alastair (Seeley) and John (Laverty). We definitely need to build on the last few rounds and give it everything, there are still nine races left of the season so we need to finish on a high.” Ellison said: “In the break I have been back to America to spend time in the sun with my wife Sarah, the family and our two best friends which has been so good for me. Since the accident I haven’t stopped fighting to get back on the track and up to speed. I’m not going to lie it has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It’s been a constant battle spending most of every day either in physio, gym, cycling, hyperbaric chamber, x-ray table, MRI machine and endless nights of no sleep, so this break really has given me chance to recharge and come back stronger than when I left. I may have been away for a couple of weeks, but not one day has gone by where I haven’t been itching to get back out on my Swan Honda. I have enjoyed this break immensely, but I’m ready to get back out on track and fight for wins this weekend!” More, from a press release issued by Warr’s Harley-Davidson: McWilliams gets set for CadwellPark showdown With just one event remaining in the shortened four-event race calendar for the Henderson Harley-Davidson XR1200 Trophy, current championship leader and Warr’s Harley-Davidson rider Jeremy McWilliams is leaving nothing to chance as the series moves to the famous Lincolnshire Cadwell Park circuit. With three remaining races and 75 points at stake, there is still everything to play for in the title chase to become the inaugural XR1200 Trophy Champion! One race on Sunday and two Bank Holiday Monday races will be the deciders. In preparation, McWilliams has returned home to Northern Ireland to train in the beautiful countryside and his Warr’s team mate Darren James has also returned home to Canada. James has been in the gym training in kickboxing and endurance cycling sessions to help build the strength and stamina needed to handle the 90bhp, 240kg race-spec Harley-Davidson XR1200 over the famous CadwellMountain jump. Fitness will be paramount for the final three showdowns. Crew chief Martin Szlagowski said: “Although consistency is important, the fact that we’ve won almost every race this year doesn’t mean that the title is ours. There are 75 points to be had for three race wins at Cadwell and we intend to make sure we bag the maximum possible. Both riders are undergoing intensive preparation in the build up to what will no doubt be a very intense weekend.” The Cadwell Park Superbike races are expected to attract huge Bank Holiday crowds with an estimated 50,000 race fans making the pilgrimage to the twisting 2.3-mile track. Warr’s Racing would like to thank it’s partners, Rossetts Mercedes-Benz, Mobil 1, Alpinestars, Muc-Off, Dunlop, SBS, DeeleyCanada, Capit Performance, CV Graphics, Foga Systems, Teng Tools, Harris Performance, Pipercross Air Filters More, from a press release issued by British Superbike Championship organizers: ADVANTAGE KIYONARI BUT HILL AND BROOKES CLOSING IN FAST Round nine Cadwell Park 28/29/30 August MCE INSURANCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Ryuichi Kiyonari takes a slender seven points advantage into the Bank Holiday Monday ninth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park but the Japanese rider is expecting tough challenges to his supremacy from both his HM Plant Honda team-mate Josh Brookes and Worx Crescent Suzuki rider Tommy Hill. The return visit to the undulating Lincolnshire circuit, with its unique ‘mountain’ section comes at a crucial point in the series, as it provides the cut-off point for the deciding the six rider who will be become the “title-fighters” over the final seven race “Showdown”. The leading trio are already through to this stage, together with RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati rider Michael Rutter and Michael Rutter aboard the Relentless Suzuki but all five are focussed on the need for a strong performances as they chase top three finishes and the all important “podium credits” which could be decisive in the outcome of the country’s premier crown. In terms of these credit points, Kiyonari currently has the edge, three clear of the rest, and on his, and his team’s home circuit, he is gunning for a repeat of his earlier victory there to boost his hopes of taking the British title for a third time. The top five have their agendas sorted, but just adrift of them, there is a three into one scrap for the remaining place among the “title-fighters” with Alastair Seeley riding the Relentless Suzuki well placed to go through, though he cannot afford any slip up as he is only just ahead of the consistent John Laverty riding Buildbase Kawasaki while Swan Honda’s Stuart Easton is the outsider. Easton is hoping for a change of fortune at a circuit where in two previous visits, first in pre-season testing, and then in the fourth round back in May, he has crashed, hampering his efforts but now the former British Supersport Champion is determined to set the record straight. “I know that I still have an outside chance of getting in the Showdown, but anything can happen, so I really need to get my head down and finish ahead of Alastair Seeley and John Laverty hopefully for me it will be a case of third time lucky,” said Easton. After these two races, the top six in the standings will have their current points score deleted and each be credited with 500 points, plus the podium credits accumulated to date, rewards for heading the action in the opening three quarters of the season. They then score points in the normal method in the final races, with the champion crowned at Oulton Park in October. Those not making the cut-off will be riding for pride and points to fill the rankings from seventh down, with riders including James Ellison, a pre-season title favourite, riding Swan Honda, whose chances were wrecked by injury; Simon Andrew aboard the MSS Colchester Kawasaki and Dan Linfoot on the Motorpoint Yamaha all keen to impress and finish races ahead of their title chasing rivals. And, the action will be equally intense in the battle for honours in the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class where former South African champion Hudson Kennaugh, now riding for Splitlath Aprilia has a lead of just two points from Liverpudlian Steve Brogan aboard the Jentin BMW. Brogan had the better of the earlier visit to Cadwell Park, winning both races, while Kennaugh was not far down, taking second and third placings, to set up a real duel for supremacy in the final stages of the series. The packed racing programme also includes rounds of the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship; SpeedyRetail.com British 125GP Championship; Metzeler National Superstock 1000 and 600 Championships together Henderson Harley Davidson XR1200 series; Triumph Triple Challenge and the International Classic Grand Prix UEM Cup. For the record: Superbikes on track Saturday 28 August 11.25-12.10 and 16.05-16.50 Free practice Sunday 29 August 10.15-11.00 Free practice 14.15-15.10 Swan Combi Roll for Pole Monday 30 August 09.30-09.45 Warm up practice 13.30 Race one 18 laps 16.40 Race two 18 laps Superbikes on television British Eurosport 2 Monday 30 August 12.30-17.30 Live raceday 22.00-23.30 Highlights Full television listings www.britishsuperbike.com Superbike lap record Leon Haslam, Ducati, 1m 26.654s, 90.56mph (2007) Flashback Round 4 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, 23 May 2010 Race one 18 laps 1 R Kiyonari, Honda 2 M Laverty, Suzuki 3 M Rutter, Ducati Race two 15 laps 1 J Brookes, Honda 2 T Hill, Suzuki 3 M Laverty, Suzuki More, from a press release issued by Honda: KIYONARI SEES TEAM-MATE BROOKES AS MAIN THREAT IN TITLE SHOWDOWN Ryuichi Kiyonari takes a slender seven points advantage into the ninth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship being held over the August Bank Holiday weekend at his HM Plant Honda team’s home circuit of Cadwell Park. The Japanese rider’s nearest rival in the title stakes is Suzuki rider Tommy Hill, but Kiyonari believes that the main threat to him taking the race victories at the challenging Lincolnshire circuit, with its unique ‘Mountain’ section, will be his team-mate Josh Brookes who returns to the action refreshed from a break back home in Australia. The top three riders have already qualified among the six ‘title fighters’ who go forwards into the seven ‘showdown’ races that follow this round and which will decide the outcome of the crown, but, the importance of strong results at Cadwell Park is not lost on any of them, as podium finishes bring bonus points that could prove decisive in the final outcome of the crown. Kiyonari, the former two times winner of the British title, won at the circuit in the early season round there, as did Brookes, and they are again expected to be engaged in a front running duel for supremacy, with two other riders, Michael Rutter riding Ducati and Michael Laverty on a Suzuki, who are also already assured of a place in the top six joining them. To some degree, the immediate pressure is off the top five in the standings, but just adrift of them, there is expected to be a scrap of epic proportions for the final place, with three riders, Alastair Seeley, John Laverty and Stuart Easton all gunning for that one remaining spot. Easton, riding a Swan Honda, has the toughest task, but the Flying Scot is determined that he can peg back the 36 points deficit he has on John Laverty, the rider currently occupying the sixth place, by bringing to an end the run of ill-fortune he has suffered at the circuit. Easton suffered a badly gashed knee in a tumble there in pre-season testing, and also crashed during the fourth round. Easton is fully fit and has a point to prove as he goes into these races, determined to take the Honda tally to three in the “showdown” stages if he is successful, then Easton, together with the other five “title fighters” will have his current points score wiped clear, and instead be given 500 points, to which will be added the ‘podium credit scores’ achieved in the races up to and including the Cadwell Park round. If that scoring system was in place currently, Kiyonari would have a three points advantage over Hill, with Brookes just a single point adrift with the series organisers delighted that the system introduced this season to take the title fight through to the last race of the season at Oulton Park in October is working to the full. One rider arguably not so pleased is James Ellison, one of the pre-season favourites for the crown, who is out of the running, his hopes wrecked by injury the Swan Honda rider, who had a win and a third in the opening round at Brands Hatch, suffered a broken leg in practice for the next round at Thruxton, ruling him out of six races. Ellison, fresh from taking a break in the USA since the previous round, however is aiming for positive ending to the campaign, riding for victories to show what might have been. Honda BSB rider quotes ahead of round nine: Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda): “Cadwell Park is my home track. I only live a few miles away, so I am motivated to have good results there for myself and the team. The championship points are so close, so I know I need to have two good races to get the podium credits, because they are important for the standings after the weekend. I think as a team we are stronger now than we were when we won at Cadwell Park earlier in the year, so I am feeling confident that the improvements we have made mean we can do it again. I think for me, the main problem will be my team-mate Josh as he doesn’t give up and he was fast there before, but I will enjoy another battle with him.” Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda): “I liked Cadwell Park on my first visit earlier in the year and I loved the support that the spectators gave me for my jumping style over the Mountain so I’m looking forward to another strong weekend there. I want two good races so I can get back to the top of the standings before they get set for the Showdown. I thought I would use the time off since the last round to go back to Australia and see my family – going home always sparks me up. I have had heaps of support from people back in Oz and everyone has been telling me to get back to BSB and win the title.” Stuart Easton (Swan Honda): “I am really looking forward to this round as it is on a proper racer’s circuit and a real challenge. That might be surprising as I haven’t had the best of luck there so far this season – on the two occasions I have been there I have crashed quite heavily so hopefully it will be third time lucky this weekend. I know that I still have an outside chance of getting in the Showdown, but anything can happen, so I really need to get my head down and finish ahead of Alastair Seeley and John Laverty. We definitely need to build on the last few rounds and give it everything, there are still nine races left of the season so we need to finish on a high.” James Ellison (Swan Honda): “Since the accident I haven’t stopped fighting to get back on the track and up to speed and I’m not going to lie it has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It has been a constant battle spending most of every day either in physio, gym, cycling, hyperbaric chamber, x-ray table, MRI machine and endless nights of no sleep, so taking this break in the USA has really has given me chance to recharge and come back stronger and I’m ready to get back out on track and fight for wins!”