FORMER MotoGP star Chris Burns will contest the Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship at Knockhill this weekend with Team STP Racing. The Geordie will race the outfit’s MV Agusta after spending the past month helping the squad with development work.
Burns was drafted in to help the leading Superstock outfit after team riders Victor Cox and newly-signed two-times World Endurance Champion Warwick Nowland both suffered broken wrists in earlier rounds.
And after three productive tests on the machine, Team Principal Jon Strike has rewarded him with the chance to race at Knockhill – with the possibility of more rounds in the coming months.
Burns, 27, of Newcastle, is looking forward to returning to the Superstock class. It was here that he rose to fame with the Roundstone Suzuki team. He set the lap record at Knockhill in 2002, which only beaten last year.
“I have to say I’m more excited about coming back to Superstock than I have been about anything else for a few years now, ” he said. “I was always at my best in this class, and even in the MotoGP years I used to miss the thrill of the thousands.
“Since I began working with STP, I’ve really started to enjoy riding again. I’m with a fantastic team who are really forward –looking and supportive, and I have been very impressed with the bike.
Team Principal Jon Strike commented:
“This weekend is a one-off at the moment, but we will be looking at how well it goes and who knows what the future may hold. This is a fantastic opportunity for ourselves and Chris, and we are all hoping that something really good will come of it.
“Obviously Chris is a rider who does not want to get on a bike which isn’t going to be competitive, and the tests have been very reassuring to us all. Chris is reasonably confident that the MV he will be riding can get up to and run at the pointed end of the grid.
“He wants it as much as all of us at STP want it to work for him, and he is historically excellent around Knockhill, so our hopes are high we can get a good result on Sunday. ”
Burns’ weekend will roar into action with free practice on Friday afternoon, followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday. Sunday’s race gets underway at 12.10pm.
“The MV Agusta has great potential and it is a fantastic Marque to be associated with, ” he added. “My lap times throughout testing have been consistently good and I am very grateful to Jon and everyone involved at Team STP Racing for giving me this opportunity. ”
| 
|