HARRIS TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS
30 June 2004 - Honda Racing

After dominating last year’s British Supersport Championship, Karl Harris takes a 20-point lead into round eight of the current series at Knockhill.

The defending champion won the last round on his all-conquering CBR600RR at Brands Hatch to extend his advantage over closest challenger Michael Laverty.

Harris has now won four races in this year’s series and is showing the form which enabled him to win last year’s championship with two rounds to spare. The 24-year-old Yorkshireman was in imperious form two weeks ago over the 2.6-mile Grand Prix circuit. He took the lead on the first lap and pulled away from the pack to win comfortably.

The Supersport race was held in a downpour and Harris proved his matchless talent by using the smooth power delivery and superb handling of the HM Plant Honda to decimate his rivals. Karl’s Red Bull Rookies Honda team-mate Jonathan Rea also thrived in the wet conditions by clinching a second consecutive top ten result.

The 17-year-old Ballyclare rider put his schoolboy motocross experience to good use on the soaking track and rode with remarkable maturity. He made steady progress during the race, moving up from a lowly 16th at the end of the first lap. He is now 11th in the points table – just reward for his skill and determination.

Karl Harris (1st = 136 points): “I’m happy with the lead I’ve got at the top of the championship after winning at Brands Hatch. The HM Plant Honda Racing CBR600RR is an awesome package and I’d like to thank the team for all the development work they’ve done to help me throughout the season. You need a good mix of power and handling at Knockhill and I’m confident that I’ll be able to continue where I left off last season. I like the circuit – it’s where I had my first-ever road race win – and I managed an important victory there 12 months ago.”

Jonathan Rea (11th = 26 points): “Brands Hatch was my first wet Supersport race, and although I was a bit timid to start with, I was pleased with my finishing position and lap times. I’m building confidence all the time and I’m hoping to finish consistently in the top ten for the rest of the season. The Red Bull Rookies Honda team and CBR600RR are meeting my expectations, so I’m really pleased with how everything’s going at the moment. Knockhill will bring a different type of challenge, but I’m looking forward to it already.”

www.honda-racing.co.uk

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