British fans are all set for a spectactular event at Brands Hatch on 1/2/3 August when the annual round of the HANNspree SBK Superbike World Championship (WSB) rocks into town and several home-grown heroes are lining up to take on some of the best riders on the planet.
Fans’ favourite Chris ‘Stalker’ Walker is all set to make a dramatic return to the WSB grid on the Paul Bird Motorsport Honda. Walker is already a WSB race winner and stood on the podium as a wildcard at Brands Hatch back in 2000, scoring a third place. Now ‘The Stalker’ is ready take on the best in the world when the Championship return to the UK.
Walker said: “Brands Hatch is the biggest race of the whole year and the Superbike class is obviously the main event. It’s a great opportunity and I couldn’t be happier. British race fans are fantastic and the good thing about Brands Hatch is that it’s not just the racing that makes it a fantastic event; there are loads of other things to do. I really don’t know how I’m going to do; I’m desperate to have a good weekend for the team and for the fans. It’s a big ask coming in half-way through the year but I’ll be pushing 110% that’s for sure all weekend and hopefully the fans will come down to cheer on the Stalker.”
Walker will not be the only British hope though at Brands Hatch; he will be joined by Rizla Suzuki’s wild-card Tom Sykes who secured a spectacular double victory at the British Superbike Championship round at Oulton Park last weekend.
Sykes said: “I can’t wait to represent the Brits at the WSB round at Brands Hatch. Everyone knows that round is one of the biggest on the calendar and I want to give it my best shot at winning it for the home fans. Shakey did it here a few years ago so it is possible, I just hope the fans get right behind me as that makes all the difference. Brands Hatch has a great atmosphere and there are so many fans which makes it such a massive event.”
Lloyds British Yamaha’s Simon Andrews is also hoping for a strong showing whilst it has just been announced that fellow BSB star Karl Harris will also be called up to race in the World Supersport Championship to replace Fabien Foret after he was injured in a crash at the last round in Brno.
Harris: “I am really looking forward to Brands Hatch; it is going to be fantastic. I just hope we can give the British fans something to cheer about. The bike and the team are really competitive – they are running strong in the championship so I am going there to enjoy it and hopefully do a good job. I can’t wait and I am not going to Brands Hatch to just make up the numbers!”
Harris will be aiming to mix it at the front with fellow Brit and former BSB star Jonathan Rea, who took his first World Supersport Championship win at Brno last weekend for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team.
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