BMP confirms Premier Teams' League line-up.

British Motorsport Promoters [BMP] has confirmed the line-up for the inaugural British Superbike Championship Premier Teams' League, adding extra spice to the most eagerly awaited campaign in many years.

The new initiative was introduced to reward the two-rider teams and is set to pay out ?520,000 in 2002. Fifteen two-rider teams have registered to compete in the Premier Teams' League, even if some line-ups are not necessarily from the same stable.

The new league system comes into effect as part of a ?1.144m cash injection by BMP into Britain's premier motorcycle championship for 2002 and 2003. There will be a ?40,000 prize fund for every round this year, and payments will be made to all 15 teams. Teams that have only entered a one-rider entry will be grouped in pairs to boost the numbers and, this year for example, MonsterMob Ducati's Steve Hislop partners Dean Ellison of D&B Ducati under the Team Ducati UK banner.

Points will be awarded to each rider in the team for both qualifying and race results. A maximum of 30 points will be awarded for a win and a reduction thereafter of a point per place, therefore the person who qualifies 30th will be awarded one point. Identical scales will be in place for qualifying.

Payments will be made to the team according to the points scored at the end of the weekend in the form of a Participation Allowance. The Allowance will be split into three bands, the first five teams in the league will receive ?3,000, the next six ?2,500, and the final four ?2,000.

Each of the teams in the Premier League are contracted and registered with BMP. The team name is registered along with a team logo, which will be used in all advertising, marketing and promotional materials.

"Last year, I wanted to see a full grid of two-rider teams in the 2002 Championship," BSB series director Jos Foulston commented, "We have achieved this with the 15 teams that will be lining up at the first race at Silverstone.

"The teams have responded positively to this new initiative and I feel that the series will go from strength to strength. The League system not only rewards the front runners, but also those further down the grid."

The full Premier Teams' line-up is as follows:

1. John Reynolds Rizla Suzuki
11. Karl Harris Rizla Suzuki

2. Steve Hislop Monster Mob Ducati
12. Dean Ellison Ducati UK/D&B Racing Ducati

4. Steve Plater Virgin Mobile Aiwa Yamaha
9. Simon Crafar Virgin Mobile Aiwa Yamaha

6. Michael Rutter Renegade Ducati
8. Shane Byrne Renegade Ducati

22. Mark Burr Hawk Racing Kawasaki
75. Glen Richards Hawk Racing Kawasaki

14. Matt Llewellyn Motopower Honda
15. Gary Mason Motopower Honda

24. Darren Barton Colin Appleyard Yamaha
25. Paul Jones Colin Appleyard Yamaha

19. Adrian Coates Padgetts Suzuki
88. Marty Nutt Padgetts Suzuki

3. Sean Emmett IFC Racing Ducati
5. Paul Brown IFC Racing Ducati

18. Kenny Tibble IFC Racing Ducati
32. Jamie Morley IFC Racing Ducati

96. Paul Young Grafters Recruitment Suzuki
98. Neil Faulkner Grafters Recruitment Suzuki

16. Peter Berwick DBK-PR Racing Honda
68. Gordon Blackley DBK-PR Racing Honda

23. Dean Thomas Dienza Ducati
77. Jamie Robinson JRRA Motorsport Honda

7. John Crawford Crescent ETI Suzuki
111. Nick Medd Rizla/Crescent ETI Suzuki

10. Lee Jackson Marshall Tufflex TW2 Honda
17. Jason Davis Marshall Tufflex TW2 Suzuki