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John Hopkins maintains second position in the 2011 British Superbike Championship after placing second in race one at Knockhill yesterday, but unfortunately crashed out of the second race in circumstances beyond his control. His Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki-mounted teammate Jon Kirkham finished 8th and11th to lift himself to eighth in the championship after five rounds.

After wet practice and qualifying, yesterday’s races were held in dry conditions, so there was a degree of relearning the track for Hopkins, but he learned quickly and while being unable to challenge for the win in race one, he was able to defend his second place position when under sustained attack in the closing stages.

The second outing proved a major disappointment for Hopkins when a rear tire issue compromised his race from the very start and eventually led to him crashing out on lap seven. Unwittingly, Kirkham was brought down in the melee but was able to remount and battle back to 11th place.

John Hopkins:
“Race one went well. I’m glad I had that test session here 11 days ago as the knowledge I gained from that certainly helped. I was riding too tight at the beginning to be able to match Tommy Hill, but as the race progressed I understood the track better and so was able to defend my position against Shane Byrne.

“Right from the start of race two I was struggling with an issue that seriously compromised rear grip. This led me to crash when the bike wouldn’t slow coming into turn two. As I went down I hit my elbow and shoulder on the curb and so I’m pretty sore, but I should be okay with some rest.

“Fortunately we’re still where we want to be: in the top six, still in second place. And importantly, we racked up more podium credits, which are going to be vital come the Showdown. The bike itself was excellent today and I’m sure we’ll be battling for podiums again come Snetterton in two weeks time.”

Jon Kirkham:
“I’m disappointed because I wanted to achieve much more this weekend. We had a brake problem in warm up this morning which meant I didn’t sort a dry setting for the races. Then in race one I had rear grip issues, so finished eighth.
“In the second race I started from P13. I made a poor start and then straight after the first pace car I found John and his bike sliding on the track immediately in front of me. I went grass tracking to avoid a collision – and slid off. I was so annoyed with myself that I picked up my bike and rode on aggression through to the finish.

“So, not the weekend I was looking for. I’m looking forward to Snetterton, though; I liked this track when we tested there earlier in the year. I’ll be looking to score better points and make that jump back into the top-six.”

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“Hopper ran another calculated race in the first outing today. With his limited dry-track knowledge it was always going to be difficult for him to match Hill, but his defense against Byrne at the race-end was inspired.

“What happened in the second race was through no fault of his own. A rear grip issue left him with compromised control and he crashed while trying to overcome that. Inadvertently his crash brought about what was probably the ride of the weekend from JK. His charge from lying last (27th) to finish 11th, passing some top riders on the way, was nothing short of brilliant.

“All up, we’ve certainly had a tough day. We’re fortunate that we’ve really only sustained minor damages so far as the Championship goes. Hopper’s position looking forward to the Showdown is still very strong and JK has in fact improved his position even if he didn’t leapfrog straight into the top-six as we’d hoped.

“So we’re looking forward to Snetterton in a fortnight’s time. With the new ’300′ track layout, Hopper for once, won’t be the only track Rookie – it’ll be the same for everybody. Our goals will remain unchanged: more podium points for Hopper and an uplift to top-six for JK.”
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MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship fans can enjoy even more action at Snetterton later this month as the timetable will now feature three thrilling BSB races July 16-18.

Severe weather conditions at the previous round at Knockhill led to the second BSB race being cancelled, but Norfolk racing fans will have the added bonus of seeing this encounter play out on the super quick Snetterton circuit – where riders reach speeds of as much as 200mph.

The grid positions decided this past weekend at Knockhill will determine the starting order for race one, with Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati’s Michael Rutter – who secured race one victory in Scotland – starting from pole position ahead of HM Plant Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari.

However, they will face strong competition from Kiyonari’s teammate and championship leader Josh Brookes, who now has a four-point advantage in the standings over Worx Suzuki’s Tommy Hill.

Race one will take place after qualifying on Saturday, while races two and three will get underway on Sunday. Weekend and Saturday prices remain the same.

Snetterton will also feature support series action including the British Supersport Championship, National Superstock 1000 and 600 and Formula 2 Sidecars.

Discounted tickets are now on sale from £24 for adults, with free entry for children aged 12 and under.

Visit the MSV website or call (UK) 0870 950 9000 to book tickets for BSB Snetterton.

Fresh from his Isle of Man TT Superbike podium on the Relentless by TAS Suzuki, Cameron Donald will make a welcome return to the British Superbike paddock this weekend, riding in the National Superstock class at Knockhill.

Donald last competed in the British series at Oulton Park in 2009, but will use the Scottish round for some added track time on his GSX-R1000 Auperstock machine before the Southern 100 Road Races on the Isle of Man,  July 12–15 and the Adelaide International Kells Road Races, July 17-18 in County Meath, Ireland.

Cameron Donald:
“I’m really excited about getting over to a BSB round as I still love to get involved in short circuit racing, and I’d like to thank Philip and the team for giving me this opportunity. My last outing in the BSB Superstock class was at a wet Oulton Park last year, but I’ve raced at Knockhill before and I like the circuit. It’s technical and tricky; a bit like my local circuit at home in Melbourne, and more importantly, it gives me some extra time on the Superstock Suzuki. I’m going to keep it simple this weekend and have some fun, but I’m also here to give it my best shot – so hopefully the weather is kind to us.”

Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“Our idea is to keep Cameron as sharp as possible, and giving him some extra track time on our Superstock GSX-R1000 at Knockhill will stand him in good stead for the forthcoming races at the Southern 100 and Kells Road Races. Since we came back from the TT, Cameron has shown a huge desire to get back out on our bikes, and on his day he’s no mean performer on the short circuit scene. There will be no pressure on him this weekend, and some extra miles on the Superstock bike will also provide the team with important set-up information, should we decided to take in any other races this year.”

FTR Moto is looking for more Moto2 success in this Sunday’s seventh round of the MotoGP World Championship at the Circuit de Catalunya, near Barcelona, Spain with FIMMCO Speed Up Team rider Andrea Iannone looking to become the first rider to win three races in the inaugural year of the 600cc four-stroke class.

Iannone has taken the FTR M210 to wins in Italy and last Saturday in Holland and sits fourth in the World Championship, 33 points behind with 11 races to go. Aeroport de Castello-Ajo Team M210 rider Alex Debon will race in his home GP despite suffering a shoulder injury at Assen last week.

Iannone’s FIMMCO Speed Up team-mate Gabor Talmacsi will be looking to improve on his 10th place in the World Championship while Czech Republic rider Karel Abraham continues to adapt to the M210 after his career-best ninth place finish at Assen on his Cardion AB Motoracing FTR machine.

FTR Moto's M210 Moto2 machine has been successful all over Europe in 2010

In addition to the Catalunya Grand Prix, FTR Moto has a presence at other major events this weekend – all in addition to retaining its focus on the CEV Spanish Championship and the Kev Coghlan - Monlau Competicion program and today’s test session at the new Motorland Aragon circuit.

The FTR M210 will make its debut at a British Superbike Championship round this weekend when Scottish rider Coghlan will perform demonstration laps on his Silverstone Grand Prix wild card machine at the Knockhill sixth round on Saturday and Sunday.

Also this weekend, the FTR Moto2 race machine will make an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the Dunlop Live Arena. The event, held at Goodwood Estate in Sussex, Eng, runs today through Sunday and features a historic-vehicle hill climb, expo and celebration of motorsports.

FTR’s Steve Bones:
“From heading into the first round of the World Championship in Qatar less than three months ago with three riders we’ve now got four riders on the M210 and two more teams in discussions about running the FTR machine.
We’ve become the first Moto2 constructor to contest the Isle of Man TT races and this weekend’s activities probably typify just how far the FTR Moto name has come in such a short space of time. Obviously we’d like further success at World Championship level but success in the Spanish Championship also remains crucial to our machine and rider development program.
We hope that the BSB fans enjoy the sight and sound of the FTR at Knockhill this weekend and I’m sure the first ever Moto2 machine to be present at the Goodwood Festival of Speed will attract a lot of attention. We also need to say thanks to our various partners for their support in all of these activities.”

The Worx Crescent Suzuki team head north of border to the Knockhill Circuit in Fife, Scotland this weekend for round six of the 2010 British Superbike Championship.

The team will be without Yukio Kagayama after the Japanese star was found to have broken a bone in his right hand, the result of his crash in race one at last weekend’s Mallory Park round.

Meanwhile championship leader Tommy Hill is 100% fit and ready for the racing and ready to gather up more podium points in preparation for the year-end Title Fighters’ Showdown.

Jack Valentine – Team Manager:
“Yuki being out this weekend is a disappointment, but it’s vitally important that he rests his hand to be fit again for Snetterton. The team remain fully behind Yuki, and it’s been his bad luck that he’s collected two injuries that have stopped his riding for periods of this year. We really enjoy working with him, and – as at Thruxton – he’s shown he’s podium potential all the way, so we look forward to his return. For his part Yuki says he’s gutted, he’s been wanting to put his championship back on course, and he’s disappointed he’ll not be seeing his fans in Scotland this weekend.
While our weekend at Mallory Park was a disappointment, it was by no means a reflection of our potential. Tommy remains 100% focused, as does the team and we know in the GSX-R1000 we have the machine to do the job. And it was only two seasons ago that Tom Sykes scored us a win at Knockhill so we know we can lead there, that’s not a concern. For now we’re staying focused and putting our efforts into getting Tommy more of those podium points that will be so important come the end of the season.”

The British Superbike Championship heads north for the Scottish Knockhill round. MSS Colchester Kawasaki riders Simon Andrews and Gary Mason look for a good points haul, while Superstock star Howie Mainwaring has the series lead in his sights.

Knockhill marks the midway point of the season, but with the new series format, riders know that to have a chance of being in the top six Title Fighters group, they need big points before the final Showdown phase kicks in at round nine at Croft.

The picturesque, forest-lined circuit has been good to the official Kawasaki squad over the years, with the team picking up good results in past events. At the corresponding round last year, Simon scored 4th and 6th placings so he knows that he and the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R work well together at this mountainside circuit. Simon has returned to the team with strong results at Mallory after a lengthy period of injury while Gary looks for a better set-up this time around.

Howie Mainwaring looks to move closer to the Superstock lead this weekend

Howie Mainwaring returns refreshed after the Superstock teams took a sabbatical at Mallory following a double-header race the week before at the Silverstone MotoGP. The 23-year-old lies second in a talent-packed championship field and is determined to reel in series leader Jon Kirkham.

MSS Junior Superstock rider Danny Buchan will ride a series double header at Knockhill but has never seen the track before. He must emulate his more-senior teammate who was one of only a few riders not to have ridden the new Silverstone circuit.

Simon Andrews
“I’m looking forward to Knockhill, I went well there last year and I’m happy with how Mallory panned out especially as it’s the first time I have been on a Superbike since the Valencia crash. It’s great to be back with Nick, Gary and everyone; it’s really enjoyable. There is a small hope I can get into the Showdown if other people take some of my bad luck, but we will have to see.”

Gary Mason
“I feel like I’ve got to turn it around at Knockhill, Mallory was really disappointing to be honest. It’s a relatively simple track so you’ve just got to get stuck in and that’s what I intend to do.”

Howie Mainwaring
“I feel really strong and up for the challenge at Knockhill after a mixed weekend at Silverstone for the GP. The plan this weekend is to keep maintaining good points as we’re right there in the Championship chase, saying that I do feel right up for a win now.”

Nick Morgan, MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team Boss
“As a team we like Knockhill circuit and it’s been good to us in the past. Simon has really bounced back with a vengeance and is looking for more. I think Gary will be motivated by that also and we need to help him get the right set-up to have the confidence to push. Howie knows he needs to beat Kirkham to reel in the points as he has big cushion behind him to the injured Steve Plater. It will be interesting to see how Danny gets on at his first trip to Knockhill, the last Junior Superstock race at Cadwell was pretty outrageous.”

The Swan Honda team head to Fife, Scotland this weekend for the sixth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship north of the border at Knockhill Circuit. Stuart Easton will be targeting victory at his home round while teammate James Ellison is determined to build on his impressive point scoring finishes at Mallory Park.

Easton has his sights firmly set on becoming the first Scottish rider to win a BSB race at Knockhill since former BSB champion Steve Hislop in 2002 and get himself back inside the top six following a challenging weekend at Mallory Park.

Ellison marked his return to the championship at Mallory Park with two solid point-scoring results, and this weekend is determined to raise the bar again with expectations of scoring two top ten finishes.

Stuart Easton:
“I had a disappointing weekend at Mallory Park, but then it has never been my strongest circuit. However I love Knockhill and I want to turn things around this weekend for my home fans as it is the only chance they get to see me race in Scotland. My mind is already on the weekend and what we can do to put us back inside that all important top six again as that is where we need to be and it is critical to have a strong weekend and get back on the podium on Sunday. I have yet to win at my home round so that is definitely the aim for the weekend, especially as I missed out last year with a second place.”

James Ellison:
“I am looking forward to Knockhill as last weekend was a real test for me and now I know what to expect. I am going there with the same mentality I did for Mallory Park – to go out and give it everything to score as many points as I possibly can. I am desperate to just get back up there and put the Swan Honda where it deserves to be, especially for everyone that has supported me. I think I can improve on Sunday as in the second race at Mallory Park I could battle with Dan Linfoot and Gary Mason and my lap times at that point of the race were the third fastest on the circuit, so that was a boost for me. I am heading back to the hyperbaric chamber again before Knockhill and every day I am getting stronger so the top ten is my aim.”