At last the final name as been added to the riders due to battle for this seasons British Superbike title. Jentin Racing who will once again race under the Lloyds British banner, have named rising star Jon Kirkham as their solitary rider for the BSB season, aboard the latest Yamaha YZF-R1.
Kirkham enjoyed a most successful 2008 season racing in both the Metzeler National Superstock championship and the Henderson Yamaha R1 cup, and finally being rewarded with a ride aboard the official factory team Yamaha in the final two races of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch.
The 24 year old rider achieved a superb 9th place in qualifying at Brands Hatch and recorded two top ten finishes for his first British Superbike results, all the more remarkable as he was drafted into the team at the last minute.
That may have been the icing on the cake for Kirkham’s 2008 season, but the real work had already been done with the Derbyshire rider proving to be a runaway winner in the 2008 Henderson Yamaha R1 cup, taking wins in both the Spring and Autumn cups, along with an impressive nine race wins on the way to becoming the overall championship winner.
Although Kirkham could only manage the runners up position in the Metzeler National Superstock championship, he was able to claim no less than ten podium finishes in his pursuit for the title. Three race wins and seven second places is pretty impressive at any level, however it was not enough to overcome the eventual title winner Steve Brogan in what was an exciting two rider race for the championship.
Lloyds British, or Jentin Racing had an excellent year themselves, finishing the BSB season as the top points scoring Yamaha in the series, never out of the top ten and with a couple of fifth places to their credit. Looking forward to 2009 the team will be hoping that Kirkham’s penchant for podium finishes continues as the team look set to build on the foundations laid in 2008.
The Superbike news of Kirkham’s addition to an already formidable grid line up for this season is fantastic for the sport. A great mix of riders form the young and promising to the experienced and mature. Some champions and not a few who will see this season as their last chance at this level. Everyone has something to prove-roll on April 10th for the Easter weekend opening round at Brands Hatch.
2 comments so far
1 andy // Jan 28, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Good to see that Jon has got a ride in this year’s British Superbikes. After his monumental effort last year he definately deserves it… hopefully he will be able to be competitive amongst a sea of Yamaha R1’s racing in this year’s championship…
2 Steve Guest // Jan 29, 2009 at 7:12 pm
I think with Jon riding, the team are going to spring a surpise or two this season