Wednesday, November 30 2011
Pr1mo and Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing have joined forces to become the seventh Elite team to be confirmed for the 2012 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. The partnership has also announced their team line-up: confirming that Chris Walker and James Hillier will race next year.
The team is looking to make a combined effort in the hope of clinching a spot in the 2012 Showdown. Walker continues to build on his relationship with Kawasaki as one of BSB’s most experienced riders. Hillier aims to build on his debut season in which he took some promising results, including a fourth place at Brands Hatch.
Walker: “It exciting that the team has come together and we have been accepted as a part of BSB next season, with the new rules and the Elite team status. That Danny and Pete have joined forces is great, as they have some big plans and it is fantastic to be able to be back on the BSB grid next year. For me it is brilliant to be with the same team for a second consecutive season as we know what we need to build on and how we can make improvements. I am familiar with the team and the Kawasaki and the new rules I think will suit riders like me who have raced Superbikes for over a decade; hopefully that experience will close the gap. I was desperate to be back in BSB next season and we want to be pushing for the top six in the Showdown as that is my ambition for the year ahead. We had some top five finishes last year and we will be more prepared next season so hopefully we can achieve that goal. The team and the machine have the potential and I can’t wait to get started now.”
Hiller: “I am really looking forward to next season and working alongside Chris as a two man team. Last season was my first full year and as a one rider team it does make it more difficult, whereas in 2012 we will be able to work together and I can learn from him and his experience. Everyone knows it is hard racing in BSB but everyone in the team will be determined and giving one hundred percent. We have some data now from last year so we have a better starting point and with the new rules I don’t think we will now be a million miles away. For me I want to have a consistent season and score top ten finishes and I think the team’s hard work is invaluable in order to achieve this.”
Pete Extance, Bournemouth Kawasaki: “2012 brings a whole new dimension to the BSB Championship and for a small team like Bournemouth Kawasaki it is a fantastic opportunity to be involved. The new rules dictate a two rider team is needed and we have joined forces with Danny Cheevers’ Pr1mo Kawasaki Racing and will be joined by the hugely popular Chris Walker and his crew chief Ray Stringer who between them have worked wonders with the new ZX10R in 2011. We are happy to retain James Hillier in 2012 and James knows the task ahead of him to ensure BSB status and help his road racing career too. The whole Bournemouth Kawasaki team is really happy to have the knowledge and set-up available to them from such established technicians and Chris himself will really help push James up the grid.”
Danny Cheevers, Pr1mo Racing: “We have worked really hard in 2011 to make a competitive machine out of the new ZX10R and we made huge steps towards the end of the season. This progress, along with retaining Chris Walker on the bike gives us real continuity and we relish the opportunity to work with Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing as a joint team and combine all our skills to make Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki a real contender under the new rules. 2012 will be a good year for all of us and with the knowledge we can take from last season we will certainly be looking to hit the ground running at Brands Hatch in April. We see no reason why a Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki bike can’t be challenging for a position in the Showdown.”
