Battling Brits, led by Tom Sykes, bid for ‘wild-card’ World glory

DONINGTON PARK – Sunday 7 September
Hannspree World Superbike Championship Bennetts Round

Troy Bayliss is intent on a winning finale as he races Superbikes for the last time in this country at Donington Park on Sunday 7 September prior to hanging up his leathers at the end of the season, but five ‘wild-card’ British riders, among them Tom Sykes, are determined to spoil the party for the Aussie ace.

Sykes, riding Rizla Suzuki, made a big impression on his debut onto the world stage in the previous round at Brands Hatch, and now the 22 year old Yorkshireman is promising bigger and better things as the ‘home-pack’ aim for glory at the expense of Bayliss who is hoping to secure the crown for a third time in this his final season in the sport.

"I’m very excited about this opportunity and looking forward to mixing it with the regulars in the World championship again," said Sykes whose entry into the races at the Leicestershire circuit has to be rubber-stamped by the sport’s governing body the FIM.

"I will be carrying on from where I left off at Brands Hatch and hopefully taking it to the next level. I want to be racing closer to the sharp-end of pack with more of the big names of the world championship behind me again."

Sykes is the form man of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship having won three of the four races recently at Oulton Park and Knockhill and he reckons he can maintain that rich vein of form, although his rivals from the domestic series will have a big say in that.

Leon Haslam, the winner of the second race at Knockhill, returns to the world stage with the HM Plant Honda team – the 25 year old lives nearby to the circuit at Smalley and has enjoyed a successful pedigree at Donington Park, something that he will be working hard to continue in his efforts to secure a full time ride in the World Championship next term.

That is also the driving force for his team-mate Cal Crutchlow, another race winner in the British series, and currently placed second in the overall rankings – the Coventry rider will be riding on the world stage for the first time.

James Ellison, a former winner of the British Superbike Cup who has ridden MotoGP and seen American action, will be one to watch aboard the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda, while Lincoln’s Gary Johnson, riding the Robinsons Concrete Honda will be hoping to reproduce the form of this year’s Isle of Man TT Festival, in which he took four top six finishes.

Rob Frost, riding the Team Buff Triumph, and Chris Martin, aboard the Gearlink Kawasaki, have ‘wild-card’ promoters option tickets to ride in the World Supersport race while Peter Hickman and Derby’s Jon Kirkham have entries into the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup. Leon Hunt and Joe Burns have the opportunity to race in the European Superstock 600 Championship race.
Practice and qualifying for all classes are through Friday/Saturday 5/6 September.

Tickets are available now.

Bennetts-backed Toseland raises 5,500 for Riders

A James Toseland charity cycle ride in association with Bennetts, the UK’s number one for bike insurance* has raised more than £5,500 for MotoGP’s official charity - Riders for Health. Fifty-two members of the public – who each paid £52 to take part – completed two laps of Donington Park’s circuit on Thursday 19 June at the 2008 Day of Champions.

Many of the cyclists also raised further sponsorship for the motorcycling charity and James Toseland supporters who were unable to take part donated generously via www.justgiving.com/bennettscharitycycleride. The fundraising page will remain open for further secure donations until 19 August.

Riders for Health trains African health workers in motorcycle riding and maintenance, enabling them to reach remote villages with the kind of regular, reliable health care the developed world takes for granted. Across Africa, Riders is working with ministries of health and smaller, community based organisations, making sure they have vehicles that never break down, no matter how harsh the conditions. Riders has programmes in the Gambia, Nigeria, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Kenya, and is reaching over 10 million people.

The Tech 3 Yamaha rider – who completed the laps just three days before his first ever British GP – was also supported by Pinarello riders Russ Downing and Malcolm Alliot. James used the Pinarello Prince cycle given to him by Bennetts to help with training and learning the MotoGP tracks.

“I’m amazed that we’ve managed to raise so much money for Riders for Health and I’d like to thanks everybody who supported us in any way,” says James. “I was convinced that nobody would pay £52 to cycle with me, so it’s incredible that we filled all 52 places and raised the same amount again in sponsorship. The work Riders for Health does is admirable and I’m proud that, with Bennetts’ support, I’ve been able to help.”

Bennetts’ Marketing Director Mark Fells also accompanied Toseland, “What an experience! You get a totally different perspective of the track by riding round and it helps give a feel for exactly how fit James and his racing rivals are to go out there and complete 30 laps on much more powerful machinery. As James’s personal sponsor, we already know how hard he works off track, but I can now also appreciate what a true athlete he is. As the UK’s number one for bike insurance*, we wish him the best of luck for this weekend as the UK’s number one rider.”

*Based on brand tracking research in April 2008.

Wet weather woes for Toseland

The English weather has not been kind to Britain’s James Toseland on day two of his first-ever home GP at Donington Park today. Difficult track conditions, caused by intermittent wet weather, have made Toseland and his Tech 3 Yamaha team work even harder to find the optimum set-up for the 2.7-mile track. It means that Toseland finishes the day with his worst qualifying position of the season to date – 16th place at the head of the final row of the grid.

Toseland slid off the track during morning practice today and, with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining was unable to get back to the Tech 3 Yamaha garage to complete the session aboard his second bike. The 27-year-old banged his knee during the incident but was uninjured.

He returned to the track for the afternoon’s qualifying session and was making progress – proving once again, as he did in yesterday’s dry practice sessions, that he can keep pace with the frontrunners at Donington Park. However, incorrect tyre selection with only five minutes of the session remaining led to the Isle of Man resident uncharacteristically high-siding twice in one lap.

It means that the British rider has a huge amount of work ahead of him in tomorrow’s 30-lap race. “It’s obviously hugely disappointing to have my worst qualifying session of the season at my home Grand Prix,” says James. “I didn’t make the most of my best qualifying tyre and then I tried to push too hard towards the end on the wrong tyre for the job.

“Having said that, I couldn’t be expected to go out there and not try my best. Unfortunately, I tried too hard and paid the price. This weekend was always going to be difficult and the bad weather has just added to that. I’ve got a tough job ahead of me tomorrow and a lot of hard work, so I’m hoping for some dry weather. However, as always I will try my best and the support of my home crowd will help to spur me on. ”

Toseland’s supporters will be hoping that the rider’s BKS special edition St George’s flag leathers that he will wear tomorrow will bring him more luck than he has had today.
Keep up to date with all James Toseland news at www.jamestoseland.com

Qualifying
1. C. Stoner 1’38.232; 2. V. Rossi +0.649; 3. C. Vermeulen +0.786; 4. N. Hayden +1.038; 5. C. Edwards +1.369; 6. A. Dovizioso +1.551; 7. A. West +1.763; 8. B. Spies +2.012; 9. D. Pedrosa +2.118; 10. S. Nakano +2.185; 16. J. Toseland +3.519