ACTION ALL THE WAY FOR SEASON-OPENER OF UK’S TOP BIKE RACING SERIES
16 March 2005 - MotorSport Vision

The British Superbike Championship blasts into action on Easter Monday at Brands Hatch in Kent for what promises to be an explosive start to the season.

With the British Superbike field looking stronger than ever this year, the famous 1.2-mile Brands Hatch
Indy circuit is the perfect place to catch what is acknowledged as one of the best national motorbike
racing series in the world. The spectator-friendly track, set in a natural amphitheatre, offers visitors
unrivalled views of all the action, with 90 percent of the circuit visible from any point.
The championship offers some spectacular action – the 1000cc, 200bhp Superbikes will reach around
140mph as they plunge into Paddock Hill Bend at the end of the start/finish straight.
For Maidstone rider Scott Smart, his home round at Brands Hatch will mark the beginning of a new
and exciting chapter in his career, as he begins his first season with the 2004 title-winning Rizla
Suzuki team alongside reigning champion John Reynolds.
Smart, 28, was sixth in testing at Brands Hatch on his Suzuki GSX-R last Tuesday (March 15). He
said: “I’ll have lots of support at Brands Hatch, but sometimes that adds to the pressure. You might
think that being from Maidstone would mean I know this place like the back of my hand but actually I
only did club racing for one season, and didn’t race here much, so I’ll have no home field advantage.
“Last year on the Kawasaki, I was there or thereabouts at Brands. With the Suzuki, I’ve got my basic
set-up – it’s just a case of improving what I’ve got. Brands Hatch is probably one of the scariest circuits
in the country, so it’s going to be a challenge.”
A large part of that challenge will come from Smart’s Suzuki team-mate Reynolds but, in another
intriguing twist, the 39-year old champion is fighting to be fit after a crash in testing last month in which
he broke his right leg in five places. Despite this, Reynolds is vowing to be back on his bike at Brands
Hatch in order to defend his title – there’s only one way to find out if he’s there, by being there too.
Meanwhile, pre-season testing has been dominated by HM Plant Honda star Ryuichi Kiyonari, who
topped the test at Brands Hatch by breaking the Indy circuit lap record with a time of 45.973s.
Tickets for the British Superbike Championship weekend cost £8 per adult on practice day (Saturday,
March 26), £10 per adult on qualifying day (Sunday, March 27) and £25 per adult on race day (Easter
Monday, March 28). Children aged 12 and under go free.

www.motorsportvision.co.uk

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