Neil Hodgson Talks About Return to Brands for BSB Opener This Weekend

Neil Hodgson on the #100 Parts Unlimited Ducati 999R comes out of the turn 9 area for the run into 10 and into the blind uphill left under the pedestrian bridge during qualifying for the Honda Super Cycle Weekend at Lexington, OH. in July of 2005. Hodgson came to the U.S. in '05 after winning the British Superbike Championship in 2000 and the World Superbike Championship in 2003. He won race one at Road America in a downpour that was red flagged just over half way into the 16 lap final approximately six weeks before the Mid Ohio event shown here. His return to British Superbikes is America's loss, and we look for him to do well in the Rob Mac Motorpoint Yamaha team this year and wish him the very best!

The great blokes across the pond at the British Superbike Series Blog have a post from former British and World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson talking about his return to Brands Hatch for this weekend's season kick off for the BSB series. With Neil back in the UK we look to see him up at the front on the Rob McElnea-run Motorpoint Yamaha team with top notch equipment at their hands in the form of the new generation crossplane R1.

Here's what Neil has to say in anticipation of returning to the scene of some of his greatest wins in front of his home crowd. We miss him here in the States already. Good luck and ride safe, Neil, and get back on top of that box!

Jamie Hacking's Name Mentioned in Rumor Mill to Fill the #23 Michael Jordan Motorsports Superbike in Aaron Yates' Absence--UPDATED

Kurtis Roberts on the #80 Erion Honda Racing RC-51 leads '95 AMA Superbike Champion Miguel Duhamel on the #17 Team Honda RC-51 through the carousel section at Mid Ohio during superbike race 2 in July of 2001. Jamie Hacking on the #92 Team Yoshimura GSX-R750 holds off the challenges of 3-Time AMA Superbike Champ Doug Chandler on the #10 Team Kawasaki ZX750 while Pascal Picotte on the #21 Team Harley VR1000 makes way behind them. With the injury to Aaron Yates leg from his practice crash at Fontana most likely to keep him out of action for at least the Road Atlanta round beginning on April 16th, Hacking's name came up in the rumor mill as being the most likely to be given some seat time to fill Aaron's ride while he recuperates. Just as with all bad news, sometimes good news comes with it and being a Hacker fan this could be a great chance for him to show more of his stuff. Let's hope the rumors are true!

While congratulations are in order to The Hacking Family on their new edition, the rumor mill churned out Jamie Hacking's name this week to fill-in for Aaron Yates on the #23 Michael Jordan Motorsports superbike while Aaron recuperates from his practice crash at Fontana from Sunday morning. With the Road Atlanta round ready to rumble on April 16th, Team Jordan knows it is in a position to have to fill the seat while Aaron gets well. And with The Hacker being out of work due to the downturn in the economy and the racing cutbacks, what better man to fill the seat of those that would and could be available. Even though Jamie last rode a Suzuki back in '01 for Team Yoshimura, the demographics of the class have changed some, and he is more then capable of jumping on an open ride and performing well. Being a multi-time AMA Champ, Jamie would be more than up to the task and would give it all it's worth and then some;

We wish The Hacking Family safe and healthy journey, congratulations on the new edition to the family, and we hope as well that the rumor mill has churned out a good one and The Hacker gets to ride the #23 Michael Jordan GSX-R1000 superbike in Aaron's place while he recovers from his injuries.

Happy Easter From Stu's Shots and Nicky Hayden (Check Out Nicky on Wind Tunnel Tonight!!)

With the checkered flag in site, Nicky Hayden comes through the carousel section of Mid Ohio on his Team Honda Universal Films RC51 superbike in route to his race two win in July of 2001. Nicky would win the AMA Superbike Championship in 2002 and go on to the MotoGP series and win that championship in 2006. Nicky will be on Wind Tunnel tonight as a guest to his long time friend Dave Despain.

Happy Easter to everyone from Stu's Shots and Nicky Hayden. We hope you all have a wonderful day and don't eat too many chocolate eggs!

Nicky announced on his website that he will be on SpeedTV tonight on Dave Despain's 'Wind Tunnel' show which airs at 9:00 PM EDT here in the States. What better way then to top off the weekend and listen to Nicky talk about the upcoming MotoGP season which kicks off in Qatar on Friday April 9th. After moving up in testing and finding some new changes to his liking, Nicky's second year on the Ducati is looking brighter for him and his fans.