Pit Pass .......................................... All the latest from the BSB, WSBK and MotoGP paddocks. 106

If you’re a fan of the British Superbike Championship, then you’re going to want to get down to a round and take in the atmosphere. And if you’re making the effort to get down to a round, then you’re going to want to enjoy the whole programme, rather than just waiting for the flagship superbikes; you might even find that some of the best racing comes from the lower echelons of the paddock.

See, it’s not about the capacity of the engine, it’s about the capacity of the racing, and whether it’s the noisy little 250cc Moto3 machines or the whopping 1000cc ‘stockers, there’s always a corker of a race to be had… so what are you missing out on?

BRITISH SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP & BRITISH GP2

Who doesn’t love a bit of Supersport racing? Often the closest battles come from the 600cc championship, and although there’ve been rumours of the class dying, there’s absolutely no signs of it happening here. Last year, Jack Kennedy won the title with unrivalled dominance, but as he’s moved into the Superbike arena, expect things to get real tasty, with the likes of Brad Jones, Lee Johnston and Rory Skinner all looking to build on last year’s form. If it’s half as good as 2018, we’re in for a treat… and that’s without even mentioning the GP2 lads and lasses.

HEL PERFORMANCE BRITISH JUNIOR SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP

Following on from its success on the World and European stages, the Junior Supersport Championship really has taken off with BSB. Unlike a lot of championships, budgets are comparatively small here, which means that there’s been an influx of new riders, based upon talent rather than just cash. The racing here is great, and is the perfect place to see the art of slipstreaming…

PIRELLI NATIONAL SUPERSTOCK 1000

Now these races really aren’t worth missing. Filled with riders and machinery that wouldn’t look out of place in the Superbike championship, the National Superstock grid has always been like a shark pool for talent, that makes for some seriously close racing. With the arrival of the Fireblade, expect our man Tom Neave to go well, while he’ll have his work cut out against the likes of former champ Coopes, and the Team Green duo of Tom Ward and Chrissy Rouse.

BRITISH TALENT CUP

For 2020, the British Talent Cup has replaced the Motostar championship as the sole GP-style feeder class, which is good news for everyone – the Motostar machinery was getting a bit out of hand. Using the same, stand 250cc Honda machines gives every rider an equal springboard, and as an incentive, two riders will also be given the chance to take part in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup selection as well. Expect some big battles here!

DUCATI TRI-OPTIONS CUP

The Ducati Tri-Options Cup has been running for years now, spanning over the 848, 899, 959 and now, the new Panigale V2. It’s a one make series that always promises some hard racing, with near enough stock machinery. There’ll be a seriously packed grid, but make sure you keep an eye out as I’ll be racing in it this year…

PIRELLI NATIONAL SUPERSTOCK 600

Who doesn’t love Superstock 600 racing? I mean, just head over to YouTube and watch the highlights of the final round, and you’ll be hooked for life. The smallest stock championship has always been a massive stepping stone for riders looking to move on in their career, and it’s looking like 2020 is going to be no different. Expect some new names to be hard hitting this year…