Scott Smart on the Hawk Kawasaki 2008

As the Moto Rapido Ducati team revealed that they would be stepping-up to the premier class in 2010 it has now been announced that they have signed Scott Smart as one of their riders.

Moving up from the Superstock series, the team will be taking advantage of the new ‘Evo’ rules as they enter a pair of Ducati’s for the coming season.

Scott Smart began his first full season in the British Superbike series back in 2003 for the Hawk Kawasaki team, where after twice qualifying on the front row of the grid he finished the season in ninth place overall and the following year ended the season in fourth position after three race wins.

In 2005, the 34-year-old rode alongside John Reynolds for the Rizla Suzuki team but after struggling with the bike he ended his season midway through the year and moved to the smaller Vivaldi racing team.  Smart had to sit out a few rounds due to a broken collarbone but the following season he finished the wet, chaotic Donington Park round with a win.  Later in the season Smart broke his wrist before moving back to the Hawk Kawasaki team for 2007 and then spending a year in the Superstock series.

John Laverty – Buildbase Kawasaki 2009

This weekend the British Superbike Championship gets underway at Brands Hatch with a four-day event starting on 10th through to the 13th April.

The GSE Racing team have revealed their 2009 YZF-R1 in it’s new racing livery.  The Airwave Yamaha riders Leon Camier and James Ellison are both said to be pleased with the new paint job and eager to get on the circuit.  The GSE Racing crew signed a 3-year-deal to partner Yamaha after ending their commitment with Ducati.

The Relentless Suzuki team have signed Ian Lowry to ride alongside their other rider Atsushi Watanabe for the 2009 season.  Lowry has been riding for the team in their Supersport series for the past three seasons.

The MSS Kawasaki team will be on the grid with their riders Julien Da Costa and Simon Andrews.  Andrews missed some of the recent testing after suffering a crash at Mallory Park in March.  He was blown off track by a strong gust of wind as he entered Gerrards and was hit by the bike causing severe bruising to his shoulder.  Andrews is now fit and ready for the start of the season and are pleased with the work done on their machine over the winter months.

Another Kawasaki team who will be racing against the MSS team are the riders Tristan Palmer and John Laverty, riding for the Buildbase Kawasaki team.  The team formerly known as Hawk Racing completed their sponsorship deal with Buildbase in December 2008.

Sylvain Guintoli will be aboard the Crescent Suzuki who have recently revealed that they have secured a two-year sponsorship deal with Worx, the power tool brand.  The former MotoGP rider has been very strong in testing and is aiming for no less than a double win at this Easter weekend round.

The HM Plant Honda team are aiming to be the top Honda team again this year with their Australian riders Josh Brookes and Glen Richards. This season they are facing competition with the Hydrex Honda team who have the riders Karl Harris and Stuart Easton, both showing impressive speed during testing.

Jason O’Halloran is the sole rider for the SMT Honda team after making his debut in the BSB series at Croft in 2008 where he got the team a top ten result for the first time.

The Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha team will have the riders Chris Walker and Graeme Gowland, both intending to give their team 100%.  Walker was signed by Rob McElnea after a year in WSB and was desperate to get back in front of the British Superbike crowd.

The other Rob Mac signing was that of Michael Rutter who will be riding the North West 200 Yamaha.  Rutter has shown impressive form in the 2008 season and is a favourite for this year.

Jon Kirkham will be riding the Lloyds British Jentin after a successful 2008 season in the National Superstock championship where he finished runner-up.

The STP-JHS Racing MV Augusta have the riders Chris Burns and Victor Cox. The team confirmed that last season the bike was overweight and underpowered and that the improvements to the machine will make a massive difference to the handling and performance of the bike.

The Red Viper Honda team has Aaron Zanotti and Alastair Fagan riding for them.  Zanotti will continue his season with the team alongside Fagan who competed in the British Supersport Cup in 2008 where he finished in sixth place overall.

Gary Mason will once again be riding for the Quay Garage Honda team after racing in the Daily Star British Superbike Cup in 2008 for the team.  He was given the task after James Buckingham was forced out due to injuries and showed an impressive ride.

Brian McCormack is on the MAR Racing Kawasaki and is also intending to compete in the TT with the full backing of his crew.

Tom Tunstall will be riding for the Hardinge Doodson Motorsport Honda team and will also be racing in the Daily Star Cup Championship which runs alongside BSB.

Peter Hickman is with the Ultimate Racing Yamaha team after finishing third in the 2008 National Superstock 1000 Championship.

Martin Jessopp is aboard the Riders Racing Honda, Kenny Gilbertson is on the Jx Fuelcard Kawasaki, Matt Bond is riding the Mist Suzuki and David Johnson for Team Maxxis Branson Yamaha.

(UPDATE)

According to reports Josh Brookes will not be racing this weekend after he was stopped by immigration this morning from entering the UK as his paperwork was not in order.

Steve Plater will now be replacing the Australian for this round only.

Buildbase Kawasaki 2009 - Tristan Palmer & John Laverty

The brand new Buildbase Kawasaki, formally Hawk Kawasaki,  was unveiled on Monday by the 2009 riders John Laverty and Tristan Palmer at Brands Hatch.

The pair took to the track completing some demonstration laps for the press and team principle Stuart Hicken said,

“We are delighted once again to be part of the Brands Hatch season launch and to be able to showcase our new livery for the first time on the Buildbase Kawasaki ZX10-R.  We have two new riders for 2009 in John and Tristan who I believe to be great talents and I am sure we will see more from them this season.  They have both been BSB Cup champions in the past and the whole team is now eager to get the season underway at the Brands Hatch opening round.”

Laverty is the reigning Daily Star British Superbike Cup Champion who made his switch, along with his sponsors, from the Ducati team to the newly-named Buildbase Kawasaki team.

Tristan Palmer, Daily Star BSB Cup Champion in 2007, scored in all but one of the races in the 2008 season for the Tena For Men Honda team to finish tenth in the standings.

The first round of the British Superbikes Championship takes place on the weekend of 10th – 13th April at the Brands Hatch Circuit in Kent.

No Kawasaki For MotoGP

Following the recent disappointing news that the Kawasaki factory team would be withdrawing from MotoGP, the British Superbike series Kawasaki teams have been quick to confirm that they will remain involved with the national championship for 2009.

The two Kawasaki BSB teams MSS Colchester and Buildbase have reconfirmed their commitment to British Superbike in a bid to allay fears that they too would be pulling out. MSS Colchester are the official Kawasaki Motors UK entry, the team run by Nick Morgan will feature two new riders for the 2009 season.

Double World Endurance champion Julien Da Costa makes a return to British Superbikes where he will team up with Simon Andrews.

Hawk Engineering are also committed to running Kawasaki’s for 2009, under the newly formed brand name of Buildbase Kawasaki. Buildbase will also run with two riders, John Laverty the reigning Superbike Cup champion will join Tristan Palmer in the team line up. Both teams will be anxious to put some British Superbike results on the table after the uncertainty of the past few weeks.

It would appear that the Kawasaki withdrawal is restricted to the ultra expensive Moto GP series and the Japanese manufacturer will continue to have a presence in BSB along with World Superbike and Supersport for the 2009 season.

In other British Superbike news the North West 200 has announced a deal with the fizzy drinks giant Coca Cola, Michael Rutter will sport the Coca Cola Zero colours throughout the British Superbike 2009 season. The Coca Cola Zero logo will appear on Rutter’s Yamaha along with the North West 200 markings.

Rutter’s team mates Chris Walker and Graeme Gowland will, in contrast, race blue coloured bikes sponsored by Henderson and Motorpoint.

North West 200 title sponsor The Kennedy Group have welcomed the extra sponsorship from the Coca Cola company who have flirted with the NW 200 by backing it in 1992 and 2002.

This year is however the 80th anniversary year of the event and Alistair Kennedy says:

“The British Superbike Championship proved to be an excellent marketing tool for the North West 200 during the 2008 season and we are very excited to be entering the 2009 series with a new partner.”

Leon Camier & Tristan Palmer 2008

Tristan Palmer has signed for the Hawk Racing team for the 2009 season after a year riding for the TENA for Men Honda.

Palmer said,

“I’m delighted to have signed for Hawk Racing.  I worked with the team at the Race of the Year and they’re such a professional and dedicated crew that I just couldn’t refuse their offer.  I am sure that together we can do a great job and achieve good things next season.”

Stuart Hicken, the team manager said,

“Tristan has now had two great years in BSB, winning the privateers cup in 2007 and then taking 10th overall in 2008.  After making his debut with the team at the Race of the Year I believe we have the man for the job and look forward to the 2009 BSB campaign.

We are currently finalising deals for 2009 with Luke Stapleford  and James Hillier and an announcement on machinery and final team structure will be made shortly.”

Palmer is one of the few riders to compete in both AMA and British Superbike Championships, and was called back from Daytona in 2007 as a replacement rider for the injured Michael Howarth in the privateer series.

The TENA for Men Honda team was originally Team Howarth Racing,  but after Howarth shattered his leg in a spectacular crash in qualifying at Brands Hatch, Palmer was called-up.

Hawk Racing have had Scott Smart riding the Kawasaki in 2008 who did his first full season for the team back in 2003 and finished in ninth place overall.

He then went on to race for the Rizla Suzuki team alongside John Reynolds in 2005, however, he struggled with the bike and left the team mid-season moving to the Vivaldi Racing Team where he missed a few races after suffering a broken collarbone.

In 2006, he rode the Suzuki to victory in the first round at Donington Park in the wet, later in the season he suffered a broken wrist. He returned to Hawk Kawasaki in 2007, but was uncompetitive.