Honda Road Racerhead #5

One year ago last Friday—on the eve of the official pre-season World Superbike test—Road Racer X Senior Shooter Andrew Northcott and I checked into Hotel Algarve Casino, dropped our bags off in our room, and strolled down Praia da Rocha in search of a good bar. We happened across one pub where a couple of British photographers Andrew knew were already enjoying an evening beer, so we grabbed some chairs and joined them.

The conversation immediately turned to the fast-approaching 2009 SBK season and how we expected it to play out. Andrew and I confidently predicted that Ben Spies was the favorite for the title, but the Brits were doubtful. Three titles in AMA Superbike was all fine and well, they said, but this was world championship racing. Shakey Byrne—even on a satellite Sterilgarda Ducati—was the man, according to them. The two men in question (who shall remain nameless) are talented photographers, but despite the fact that Byrne did in fact turn out to be the fastest rider at that test, we all know now that Northcott (who has lived in the UK himself) and I had it over them in the fortune-telling department. Not only is Elbowz the reigning World Champion, but Byrne ended up just eighth in the final points, with just two wins on the year going to a UK rider (Jonathan Rea).

Fast forward almost exactly one year later, however, and those British shutterbugs may have had better reason for feeling optimistic after the three-day Portimao test, which concluded last Sunday. Yes, Spies has moved on to MotoGP, but at least as important, several young riders from Great Britain are looking extremely impressive. How impressive? Well, they swept the top four fastest times overall, and five of the top six, with Rea’s 1:42.270 leading the way. (There was also a test this week in Valencia, attended by teams including Ducati Xerox, Aprilia, and Althea Racing, but rain made it next to useless.)

Before I continue, I should say that I know that Rea is from Ballyclare, Northern Ireland, not Jolly Olde England. Still, just like second-fastest Leon Haslam (from from Derbyshire, England), third-quickest Byrne (from London), fourth-quickest Cal Crutchlow (from Coventry, England), and sixth-fastest James Toseland (from Doncaster, England), Rea is officially considered a Brit, even if he’s also proud to be from Northern Ireland. “It’s such a small country and motorcycling is such a big part of everyone’s life,” Rea said of Northern Ireland in a Jesse Cecil interview earlier this year. “You know, Joey Dunlop was a massive name back in the day and he was quite a humble guy and he came from home. It seems that everyone who comes from Northern Ireland are quite grounded as people, and no one really tends to blow smoke up your ass…. It’s pretty popular as a sport back home.”

A lot has been made of the fact that MotoGP is now completely devoid of Brits, following Toseland’s forced move out of that series, but clearly, that problem does not exist in World Superbike. In addition to the five British riders listed above, Ashford, England’s Leon Camier is racing this year for Aprilia, and although he was just twelfth-fastest at Portimao, many expect him to be competitive this season.

Of course, Great Britain has a proud history in World SBK, with no fewer than seven championships over the series’ twenty-two-year history (second only to the U.S., with nine). Among them is the man with more SBK titles and victories than any other, Carl Fogarty, with four and fifty-nine, respectively. Carl was England’s first king in 1994, and he also came out on top in ’95, ’98, and ’99. Neil Hodgson earned a crown in 2003, and Toseland added his two in ’04 and ’07. (Click page 2 below)

British fans hope that one of their current riders can recapture the glory days of Carl Fogarty.

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