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False start for British Superbike racing in 2008

© Raceline Photography
By Dan Moakes
April 9 2008
The eagerly awaited new season of British Superbike competition was due to kick start at the weekend, with the first meeting of 2008 on the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch, in Kent. Would it be Honda or the new Ducati, or would there be renewed challenges from Suzuki, Yamaha and/or Kawasaki? Or would it be all about the weather?

There were some clues but, in brief, unseasonable weather put further answers on hold. Significant snowfall on Sunday was sufficient for the races to be cancelled, and they have been rescheduled for the same circuit on the 11th of May.

Practice and qualifying had gone ahead, and this is how they will line up when they return to Brands next month - with some extra biographical details on the riders: BSB début year in italics

1 Shane Byrne* (Airwaves Ducati) 1999
GB Superbike Cup Champion 2001; British Superbike Champion 2003
World Superbike race winner 2003

2 Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) 2007
GB Supersport Champion 2006

3 Karl Harris (Team Yamaha) 2000
European Superstock Champion 1999; GB Supersport Champion 2001, 2003, 2004

4 Leon Haslam* (HM Plant Honda) 2003
Gilera National Scooter Champion 1997; World Superbike podium finisher 2004

5 Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) 2003

6 Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) 2007
GB 125cc Champion 2001; GB Supersport Champion 2005

7 Simon Andrews (Jentin Yamaha) 2006

8 Michael Rutter* (NW200 Ducati) 1992
World Superbike podium finisher 1997; Isle of Man TT winner 1998

9 Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla Suzuki) 2008
All-Japan Superbike Champion 2002

10 Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki) 2005
GB Supersport Champion 2007

11 Billy McConnell (MSS Kawasaki) 2006
GB R6 Cup Champion 2005

12 Stuart Easton (MSS Kawasaki) 2004
GB Supersport Champion 2002

13 Steve Plater (AIM Yamaha) 2000
GB Production Powerbike Champion 1998; World Endurance race winner 2007

14 Guy Martin (Hydrex Honda) 2007
Isle of Man TT podium finisher 2005, 2007

15 Adam Jenkinson (SMT Honda) 2008

16 James Buckingham (Quay Honda) 2003
GB Superbike Cup Champion 2005

17 John Laverty (NW200 Ducati) 2005

18 James Ellison* (Hydrex Honda) 2004
European Superstock Champion 2000, 2001; GB Superbike Cup Champion 2004

19 Scott Smart* (Hawk Kawasaki) 1996
GB Superteen Champion 1994; GB 250cc Champion 1997

20 Tristan Palmer (TENA Honda) 2002

21 Steve Mercer (Farnham Yamaha) 2008

22 Tom Tunstall (Hardinge Honda) 2007

23 Luke Quigley (PDM Suzuki) 2005

24 Dean Ellison (Co-ordit Yamaha) 1999

25 David Johnson (MAXXIS Honda) 2005

26 Malcolm Ashley (ARP MAR Kawasaki) 1999

27 Chris Burns* (STP MV Agusta) 2003
GB Superteen Champion 1996

28 Martin Jessopp (Riders Honda) 2007

29 Aaron Zanotti (Red Viper Honda) 2007

30 Michael Howarth (TENA Honda) 2006

31 Brendan Clarke (Trimrite Ducati) 2008

* has also been a Grand Prix rider

note: James Ellison races with number 7 this year, which has apparently been revived; Yukio Kagayama should have had it in 2004, but it was retired at that time as a tribute to Barry Sheene


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