Smart signs for Suzuki

Scott Smart has signed for the Rizla Suzuki team for the 2005 British Superbike season, replacing the departing Yukio Kagayama.

Smart finished fourth in the 2004 championship on the Hawk Kawasaki ZX10, and will partner reigning British Superbike champion John Reynolds in developing the new 2005 GSX-R1000 for racing.

Kagayama, meanwhile,looks set to join the Alstare World Superbike team in 2005, alongside Troy Corser.

Within the team, Niall Mackenzie will increase his involvement with the riders, while Robert Wicks becomes Team Manager due to Paul Denning heading up the Suzuki MotoGP team. John Reynold’s crew chief Dave Morton is taking a year out from racing, so he will link up with Yukio Kagayama’s ex crew chief, Stewart Johnstone. The last time Johnstone and Reynolds worked so closely was in 1992, when Reynolds claimed the championship for Kawasaki. Smart’s crew chief is yet to be decided.

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