It will be back to business as usual for Fenay Bridge racer Kyle Smith in the World Supersport series on Sunday.
He will be driving across the Iberian peninsula from his home in Alicante to southern Portugal for the seventh round of the championship at Portimao.
Having left Huddersfield at the age of seven, Smith will be at ‘home’ having grown up on tracks in Spain and Europe and will be looking to get his title aspirations back on course after crashing out in the last round.
That last outing saw Smith crash out at Donington Park – his first ever race in the UK.
“It really was a funny one for me at Donington having been born in England but brought up in Spain,” said Smith, who was in Huddersfield on a visit to Crosland Moor Airfield with his main personal sponsor Robert Taylor-Hughes of Huddersfield-based Bikekini, to meet up with twice British Superbike champion and television pundit Jamie Whitham.
“I do feel English but, having raced all over the world for teams run by different nationalities, to have never raced in England ever before was all a bit strange.
“But it was great that all my family over here were able to come and watch at Donington – it was a very different experience.”
The 23-year-old got a good start at Donington and had climbed to eighth place before he crashed out of contention and he said: “It was a really bad weekend for me in my first race in the UK.
“There are a couple of issues at the front of the bike that I’m not comfortable with, so I need to find a solution and re-group for the next race.”
In his first season in World Supersport, Smith feels that plenty of progress is being made with the Pata Honda team and is hoping that he will have a chance of battling for the title with the team next year.
And stability is arguably what Smith is in need of after a couple of disrupted seasons.
Having made his name racing in Spain he was picked up by the Avintia Blusens Moto2 team, but financial problems led to the team folding before the end of the season – and Smith filled the gap riding the Agro-On Racedays Honda in the World Superstock.
“It is funny how things work through in racing,” said Smith.
“The Moto2 experience was something to live through when it all went to pot because we ran out of sponsorship, and at the time you think that everything has gone. I had put in a lot of effort to race in Moto2 and then was left feeling the door had been closed, however on the other hand, what happened was another door opened.
“Had I not been involved in Moto2 I would not have met up with the people from Honda and got a chance in World Superstock, and from that came the link with Ten Kate and Pata Honda which has led to me getting the chance to ride with one of the best teams in the world.”
It is a combination Smith feels can blossom over time and added: “Obviously it is a first full season in the World Superbikes series and it is the first time that I have raced on a lot of the tracks.
“So if I can go back armed with that experience then I am already a step further on for next year.
“I would like to think that we would be in a position to win the championship next year, which obviously I want to do.
“This season every track we go to we find ourselves a second off the pace in practice, half a second off in qualifying and then by race day we are pretty much there to compete.
“At times we have been in a position to fight for podium places, so if we can take that into another year then we should be pretty much on the pace.
“But racing is a challenge all the way through and it doesn’t matter what level you are riding at because all you can do is try to be the best and do your best.
“This season is the best opportunity I have ever had to show my best and that is the challenge.
“When it stops being a challenge then that bis probably the time to give up.”
And Smith also benefits from having former World Superbikes rider and long-time family friend Whitham to turn to when he is in need of advice.
“I have known him since I was born as he is a good friend of my dad, so it is good to have someone that close who has been there and done it,” said Smith.
His backing is also firmly in place for the coming seasons with Birkby firm Bikekini, who manufacture motorcycle covers, having signed up as his personal sponsors.
“Sponsoring Kyle in World Supersport obviously puts the brand in front of a global audience,” said Taylor-Hughes, chief executive officer of Bikekini.
“But more importantly it continues the link with the great motorcycling talent that comes from the Huddersfield area, such as Jamie, Tom Sykes and now Kyle.”
