The 24-year-old rider lies second in the overall standings, one point shy of series leader and current champion Gregorio Lavilla, and arrives at the world-famous Kent track determined to clinch the coveted British championship title aboard his Michelin-shod Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, and if successful, he will be the first-ever Japanese rider to do so.

So far this season, the series has been action-packed from start to finish and has witnessed three riders top the Championship standings, Kiyo, Lavilla and Leon Haslam. There are now only nine points separating the trio and all three are in the running to claim the Championship title this weekend.

Kiyonari currently has a tally of ten victories and if he puts in a repeat performance of two-weeks ago at Silverstone, a double win, he will not only equal his tally of 12 victories of last year but he will lift the 2006 British Superbike crown.

The action will also be intensified this weekend with the double points scenario. Earlier in the year the Mondello round was cancelled due to poor weather and as a result it was decided that the final round would carry a maximum of 50 points for each race.

While Kiyo will be solely focussed on returning to Japan as the newly crowned British Superbike Champion, Sheffield-based Karl Harris will also be looking to finish his season on a high-note. So far this year, Harris has visited the rostrum on six occasions, with four second and two third place finishes. Ideally, he would like to finish by scoring his elusive BSB victory but is also conscious of the fact that he may well play an important role in keeping Lavilla and Haslam off the rostrum at the 2.62-mile track.

In the National Superstock Championship riders John McGuinness and Steve Brogan will also be bringing their year to a close aboard their HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades. McGuinness and Brogan currently lie in tenth and 11th places respectively and will be looking to consolidate their points’ haul at the famous GP track.

Ryuichi Kiyonari:
“Obviously all I want to do this weekend is win, it means a great deal to me and the team. Everyone has worked very hard all season and to win the Championship means everything. It is as close as it can get, we have all won races and led the Championship, the only thing that is certain this weekend is that it will be some of the best racing the fans have seen this year.”

Karl Harris:
“I will be riding as hard as ever this weekend, it has been a good year but I would still love to win at the weekend. It would also be great to see Kiyo win the Championship this year and then it will be celebrations all round.”

Qualifying for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place on Saturday 30 September at 13.50 with the two 20-lap races taking place on Sunday 1 October at 13.25 and 16.40. Qualifying for the National Superstock Championship takes place on Friday 29 at 15.50 and Saturday 30 September at 10.50 with the final race of the season at 11.40 on Sunday 1 October.

Television Schedule
Sunday 1 October
ITV 16.00 – 17.30
Sky Sports 2 22.00 – 01.30

Monday 2 October
Sky Sports 2 16.00 – 19.30

Wednesday 4 October
Men and Motors 21.00 – 21.30

Thursday 5 October
Men and Motors 13.00 – 13.30

Sunday 8 October
Men and Motors 12.00 – 12.30