Byrne's team-mate Leon Camier was gutted when his home round was cancelled, but it gave him the chance to recover from testing injuries.
"I was a little sore after practice and qualifying at
Brands Hatch but I knew I what I could have achieved in the race, so I was gutted when it was cancelled," said Camier. "My shoulder is feeling a lot better now and I hope to be challenging for the top positions this weekend.”
Separating the two Leons during Brands qualifying was new Rizla Suzuki rider Tom Sykes.
"
Thruxton is a circuit I really enjoy as it is fast and flowing," he said. "It is very abrasive so it has good grip but is hard on tyres. To string together a good lap you need to make sure once you are through the first turn that you make the following corners flow together. I try to be pin point accurate and very smooth. I’m really looking forward to it as it produces good racing. It is my team’s home round so I will be trying my hardest like I do at every round - I’ll give it 110 per cent."
The 2.34-mile Thruxton circuit is wide, bumpy and fast, featuring some of the quickest corners on the BSB calendar. Sykes' team-mate Atsushi Watanabe, who should have lined-up ninth on the grid for his first ever BSB races, will be facing it for the first time.
"Everyone tells me it is very fast corners, I think it will suit my style," said the Japanese. "My Rizla Suzuki will be geared for high speed I think I will like this track as it is very, very fast. It is Rizla Suzuki home round so I will try hard for my team and for me."
Other more familiar faces to watch this weekend include Karl Harris, who qualified an excellent third at Brands for Rob McElnea's new-look Yamaha outfit, and Michael Rutter - riding a North West 200 Ducati.
In addition, all eyes will be on Pirelli, who take over as the control tyre supplier to the Bennetts British Superbike and Supersport classes for the next three years.
