Aiming for 'home' tonic: Tom

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), June 22, 2009

Byline: TOM REYNOLDS

HUDDERSFIELD'S Tom Sykes has vowed to give the home support something to celebrate at Donington Park next Sunday after another frustrating weekend of World Superbike action.

The 23-year-old had to settle for seventh and eighth in San Marino yesterday as fellow Brit Jonathan Rea and Yamaha WSB teammate Ben Spies took the chequered flag at the Misano Adriatico circuit.

Sykes' latest efforts on the world stage remain a far cry from the fourth place he registered in Assen back in April, while his points tally of 130 means he is now 162 behind leader Noriyuki Haga.

But with the paddock heading to the UK for round nine of the season this weekend, Sykes is adamant he can improve on the second place he achieved last year when he was handed a wild card entry aboard the Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000.

"Your home round is always special and I had a great result there last year," said Sykes. "It's a track I love and it'll be really special knowing that the crowd will be behind me. I felt we could have won last year and if I can go one better this year that would really make my season.

"I can't wait to get to a track that I know really well after the struggles I've had this year and it could be the turning point for me in the season because it'll mark the half way point.

"To have a British winner at Donington would really give the crowd something to shout about and after doing so well there last year, I'm hoping it could be my year." Sykes has regularly finished inside the top 10 this season but arrived in San Marino low on confidence after struggling to ninth and 13th in the USA.

British Eurosport has live coverage from every round of the 2009 Superbike World Championship.

See Sky channel 410 or Virgin Media channel 521. Next race Donington Park on Sunday June 28 and for SBK updates visit uk.eurosport.yahoo.com