Friday, 9th May 2008

On the advice of BSB doctor Toby Branfoot, Karl Harris has withdrawn from this weekend's rescheduled opening round at Brands Hatch.

Bruising and a broken foot sustained during a spectacular collision with Tom Sykes' Rizla Suzuki in race two at Thruxton was aggravated by heavy accidents in both races at last Monday's Oulton Park round.

As a result, Harris has been forced to surrender an impressive third position on the grid for this weekend's Brands Hatch re-run, which he had claimed during April's qualifying session - prior to the race day snow storm.

"The injuries didn't feel that bad to be honest at the weekend, riding in the wet was OK but I started to feel the pace in the dry," admitted the Rob Mac Racing rider. "I have spoken with Toby and he has advised me that it would be a wise move to sit out Brands in order to regain full fitness for Donington at the end of the month. Obviously I'm really frustrated. We've had nothing but bad luck so far this season. The team has been brilliant and deserves much more than our lack of results show."

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Having suffered a mechanical problem in race one at Thruxton, 'Bomber' Harris is yet to finish a single BSB race this year.

"I cannot believe how the start of the season has gone for him," admitted team principal Rob McElnea. "At Brands hatch he was on fire qualifying third.. Then at Thruxton he looked like a sure podium until he was knocked off, and his injury from that crash has left him nursing a broken foot!

"He really has done nothing wrong to deserve this run and we have no alternative but for him to sit out the next round. Hopefully the weekend off and time before Donington should give him time to recover and start his season from there. Our championship plans have taken a hammering but if we can start challenging for race wins we will have to wait for the rest to take their share of bad luck weekends!" he added.

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