The British Superbike Championship makes its annual pilgrimage to Knockhill in Fife this weekend and the happiest rider bidding for glory is Dalbeattie’s Stuart Easton.
The 24-year-old Hawick-born racer, who won the British Supersport crown in 2002, hasn’t competed since breaking his right wrist in a 180mph crash at Snetterton in June.
But today the talented young Scot admitted he was desperate to get back on his bike for this weekend.
“There was no way I was going to miss my home round at Knockhill,” Easton, who will ride his MSS Kawasaki, explained. “I’ve had more than a week now since the pin was taken out of my wrist, so I’ve been able to train and I’m feeling pretty good.
“Knockhill is the first date on the season’s calendar that I always look for and I’ve been looking forward to it all year. I know I’m going to be pretty uncomfortable, but I’ve just got to put that to the back of my mind and race.
“I know a huge number of the guys who work at the circuit so that, allied to the fact it’s the only time I get to race in front of Scottish supporters, I was always going to be here.
“The Scottish fans are always terrific at getting behind their own riders, so I’m determined not to disappoint them.”
Easton, a protégée of his close friend, former Borderer and BSB champ Steve Hislop who was killed in a helicopter crash a few years ago, will be up against some fierce competition this weekend.
Ducati ace Shane Byrne comes to Knockhill as favourite to win this year’s title having established a 99-point advantage over Honda’s Cal Crutchlow. Byrne was quickest in today’s practice clocking 49.221secs on the 1.3-mile circuit.
The Ducati rider edged out the second Honda of Leon Haslam, currently fourth in the championship, by the slenderest of margins, just 0.001s. Yorkshire’s Tom Sykes, who won the last round at Oulton Park, sits third in the championship.
JM