British Superbike Championship leader Shane Byrne hopes to put his local knowledge to good use at Brands Hatch.
Championship leader "desperate" to win at home track
Shane Byrne hopes to put his local knowledge to the best possible use when the British Superbike Championship visits Brands Hatch this weekend.
The HM Plant Honda rider leads the championship standings by 32 points from Samsung Crescent Suzuki's John Hopkins and will be looking to extend his advantage still further in the eighth round of the season.
The weekend features three races in all, with Byrne and his fellow competitors taking part in one race on Saturday after qualifying as well as the usual two races on Sunday.
The Londoner will be joined by team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari, who has just returned to the UK after being on the winning Honda team in the Suzuka Eight-Hour race in his native Japan.
Byrne said: "I am obviously looking forward to Brands Hatch as it is my home round and I do have such good memories from there."
Wild card
Among Byrne's rivals will be Australian Broc Parkes, who is a wild card entrant as part of the Kawasaki World Superbike team.
Parkes races in the World Supersport Championship, where he is currently fourth in the standings, but has stepped in to replace injured team-mate Tom Sykes, who was hurt during last weekend's Silverstone round of the WSB series.
Byrne added: "I desperately want to win this weekend and I know we have the Kawasaki World Superbike team also racing, but that won't change my goal and the races are going to be ones to watch."
Swan Yamaha rider Tommy Hill is, like Byrne, racing at his home circuit this weekend and said he is going all out for victory in a bid to boost his own title chances.
Hill stands 17 points behind Hopkins in the standings after winning last time out at Oulton Park, where only one race could be run because of bad weather.
"It's great to be heading back to Brands Hatch again and as it's my local circuit I always get great support there," said Hill.
"I think we are all raring to go now after having the second race at Oulton Park postponed due to the weather so we want to get back out even more."
However, French rider Loris Baz will not be taking part after the loss of his financial backing meant he had to be released by the Motorpoint Yamaha team.
