The HM Plant Honda team are preparing for their home round of the British Superbike Championship season this August Bank Holiday weekend at Cadwell Park. Shane 'Shakey' Byrne currently leads the overall standings and has secured his place as a Title Fighter in the Showdown whilst Ryuichi Kiyonari is determined to maintain his position in the top six of the overall standings ahead of the Showdown.
The team were victorious at the round last season and now Shakey is looking to maintain that form after winning last time out at Brands Hatch whilst Kiyonari will have an uphill task in the opening race of the weekend as he will start from the fifth row of the grid in the postponed race from Oulton Park in July. The pair are targeting a strong final round of the Main Season as they bid to outscore their title rivals ahead of the Showdown.
Shakey said: “I am definitely looking forward to getting back out again on the HM Plant Honda Fireblade. We had a test last week but unfortunately it didn’t go completely according to plan. We didn’t have some new parts we had planned on testing and then the second evening it rained! That said though, we were able to get some laps around Cadwell Park on the first evening and it did give us some things to think about – oh and I did a 52-mile cycle ride to Skegness whilst I was there! This weekend is the team’s home round so I am keen to do a good job for them there, as they have had in the past, and I want to be pulling in those Podium Credits. Then it’s all about the Showdown!”
Kiyo said: “We tested again before Cadwell Park as we needed to make more improvements for this weekend from me and the HM Plant Honda Fireblade. This is the home round for me and the team and I know I need to push here for results in order to fight for the championship. We have lots of ideas for improvements and have been trying very hard as I know this is going to be a very tough round because there are lots of riders who are trying to be in the top six for the Showdown. We will be doing everything this weekend to get back on the podium again as I want to be winning again and I have to try and do that here. The most important thing for me is to be inside the top six for the Showdown.”
Team Manager Havier Beltran concluded: “This will be a crucial weekend for the HM Plant Honda team and it is going to be exciting for everyone having three races rather than two with the extra race that was postponed from Oulton Park. It is going to be key that we keep Kiyo inside the top six; although it won’t be easy, particularly starting race one from the fifth row of the grid for the first race. Shakey is already in the Showdown and there is less stress for him but of course his objective is going to be to score as many Podium Credits as possible in these final three races. As a team we have high expectations for this weekend, we have a fantastic following at this event in particular so we will be pushing hard again for strong results.”
