Croft British Superbikes: HM Plant Honda pairing boosted for weekend

Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow both have their own confidence boosters ahead of this weekend’s round 10 of the British Superbike Championship.

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Haslam, who has won the last three races on the trot, heads to Croft with fond memories of the Yorkshire circuit.

“I’m looking forward to Croft this weekend as I believe it should be a good track for us,” said Haslam, who jumped to third in the championship at Cadwell Park.

“We did about 20 laps there in wet pre-season testing and did well, but we’ve come on so much with the new Fireblade since then.

“Last weekend at Donington we had even more wet track time, so we’ve had more than our fair share of wet testing and with the way the season’s gone so far, we know it will also be wet at some point over the weekend at Croft!

“It’s a special circuit for me too as I’ve got some good memories from there, especially from a couple of years ago when I came back from a big deficit to beat my mate Karl Harris to the win.

“With the last three wins to my name in the championship I’m hoping to at least make it four on the trot this weekend.”

Haslam’s team-mate, Cal Crutchlow, is also on a bit of a high this weekend after his second place finish at Donington Park last weekend as a World Superbike wildcard.

And Croft has been pretty good to the 22-year old Coventry rider, too.

He scored his first career BSB pole here in 2007.

He said: “The excellent result at the weekend in World Superbikes has really given me a boost ahead of Croft.

“I just now need to carry this through to the weekend, which I’m looking forward to.

“I know what I can do and I know what I am capable of in the Bennetts British Superbike series and in the World Superbike championship also, so I simply need to build on this.

“Leon’s had a double at Cadwell, so I’d love to do the same before the end of the year.

“Last year I took my maiden BSB pole at Croft despite not liking the track at all…my opinion of the place changed last year, so I’m looking forward to the weekend!”