BSB: Mainwaring-Smart joins Anvil Hire Yamaha for final round

Howie Mainwaring-Smart will return to the MCE British Superbike grid this weekend as he joins the Anvil Hire TAG Racing Team for the final round of the 2016 season.

The former BSB race winner was left without a ride after parting ways with the Smiths BMW team at Thruxton but returned to the grid in a one-off appearance for ePayMe Yamaha at Cadwell Park, where he sustained a collarbone injury after crashing out of the second race and was forced back to the sidelines. 

Mainwaring-Smart will join James Rispoli and Shaun Winfield as the Anvil Hire-backed Yamaha squad expands to three riders this weekend. 

“As you can imagine I’m really looking forward to it!” he said. “It’s been a little while off a motorbike, which wasn’t really my choice due to injury. I know it’s the last round, which isn’t great but it’s the right time to come back, my shoulder is strong and my rib has settled down now, and I must thank Rob and Tracy for the opportunity.

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“It will be good to get back on a bike that I really do enjoy riding, I really enjoy the Yamaha and I felt like I wanted more time on it, so it will be great to get another run out on it this weekend. I want to do the best I can, I’ve got to aim for the top ten, and realistically top 15 which is still going to be quite difficult, but I think we can do it. 

“Brands Hatch is one of my favourite tracks, alongside Oulton Park and Thruxton, I’m only ten minutes down the road, and it’s always a fantastic place with the atmosphere. I’m looking to see what happens for the future, and find out what the team want do aswell.”

Team boss Gary Winfield added: “We are delighted to welcome Howie to the team, albeit for the final round. There is no pressure on him to succeed, but points should be fully within his reach on a track that he knows, and a bike that he has experience of.

“He performed well back in August and he impressed a lot of people having just jumped on that bike. It will take him time to adjust having not ridden since then, but we all know that he is a quick learner and I’m hoping he will spur on James and Shaun, so we can end the season on a high.”

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