Home hero Stuart Easton is looking forward to a cracking reception at Knockhill this weekend when he competes in the latest round of the British Supersport Championship.
The Hawick Mar-Train Yamaha rider is relishing a return to Scotland and will go into the weekend’s racing just two points in arrears in the overall standings.
While much of the focus will of course be on the headline British Superbikes Championship, 29-year-old Easton aims to share some of the spotlight on the Fife circuit in his class.
“It’s always nice to come to Scotland and race in front of my home crowd,” he said.
“You can learn Knockhill pretty fast straight away but that last two to three 10ths is hard to find, you have to really string the corners together smoothly and use the whole track.
“The first sector needs a lot of commitment and the final hairpin is also vital for that last lap move. If you stay fast and consistent you can be hard to pass round here for sure.
“Physically it’s one of the hardest tracks as there is no rest throughout the lap. But at the end of the day it’s all about digging in, biting the screen and keeping your head down!”
As one of the Scottish contingent taking part in this weekend’s festivities, Easton will also be involved in the tribute planned to motorsport legend Steve Hislop, who was killed in a helicopter crash 10 years ago.
Easton will take to the track on Sunday morning riding a replica Monstermob Ducati alongside Jamie Whitham and Hislop’s team-mate Niall Mackenzie, both of whom will be aboard the iconic Cadbury’s Boost Yamahas.
Teams have been arriving since Wednesday and the scene is set for a fantastic weekend’s racing, with tickets still available for all three days.
Practice sessions in various categories begin today ahead of qualifying on Saturday and the main day of racing on Sunday.
The main attraction will be the two British Superbike races and competition will be fierce as the opening three rounds have produced three different winners.
Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes leads the standings by a point and is the only rider to have finished each race on the podium. The Lincolnshire man is aiming for his first Superbike win at the Knockhill circuit and goes into the weekend ahead of Shane Byrne, Josh Brookes and James Ellison.