Karl Harris

Karl Harris (21 October 1979 – 3 June 2014) was a three-time British Supersport champion. In 2010, he switched to the British Superstock Championship on a GR Motorsport Aprilia. Harris was killed when racing during the 2014 Isle of Man TT.

Early career Harris started his career in 1996, moving through the junior ranks to race in the European Superstock Championship, winning the title on the Suzuki GSX-R750, as well as taking in some rounds of World Supersport in 1999, with a best result of fourth. He returned to the UK in 2001, racing a Suzuki in the British Supersport Championship, which he won. He then graduated to Superbike racing in 2002 on a Suzuki, but this was not a successful season. In 2003 and 2004, he again raced in Supersport for HM Plant Honda, winning the title in both years.

British Superbikes 2005–2014 For 2005 Harris returned to BSB with a Honda run from their UK factory in Swindon, finishing ninth overall with a best result of third.

Harris moved to the main HRC Honda team alongside Ryuichi Kiyonari for 2006, taking a second place at Oulton Park, less than 0.1 seconds behind race winner Gregorio Lavilla. A crash in the first race at Snetterton caused him to miss the second, although he was not seriously injured. He took his first pole position at Oulton Park that year. He came close to his first series win in the second race at Croft in the wet, passed by Leon Haslam with half a lap to go. While Kiyonari won the title, Harris finished fifth overall, behind the semi-works bike of Jonathan Rea, who replaced him in the factory team for 2007.

Harris switched to the Hydrex Honda for 2007, with a best result in the first half of the season a sixth place, again showing good pace at Oulton Park. He scored an emotional second place in the second round at Oulton Park in August.

For 2008, Harris moved to Rob Mac Racing, riding a factory Yamaha. He crashed in the first round after being struck by Tom Sykes' fallen Rizla Suzuki. He did not finish any of the first six races of the year, leading him to largely give up on the season. At the final meeting of the season, he was quick in practice, before being forced to pull out. He made a one-off appearance on a works Yamaha in the World Supersport championship at Brands Hatch, crashing out of 5th place.

For 2009, Harris moved to Shaun Muir's Hydrex Bike Devil's Honda team. He was tipped as a dark horse for the title by former rival Leon Haslam, but struggled to meet expectations. Following two second-place finishes in round two of the championship at Oulton Park, Harris struggled to compete with the championship contenders throughout the season. On 4 September 2009, with three rounds of the championship remaining, his contract with the Hydrex Honda team was terminated with immediate effect. having been on a race-by-race deal for much of the season due to Muir being unhappy with his performance He contested the final two rounds on a Sorrymate.com SMT Honda, but crashed heavily in the final meeting at Oulton Park.

For 2010, Harris switched to the British Superstock Championship on a GR Motorsport Aprilia, but left the team after three disappointing races.

In 2012, Harris took the place of Gary Mason in the PR Racing under the banner of Quattro Plant Kawasaki. He raced in a few selected rounds and had some promising finishes including finishing seventh and ninth at Cadwell Park. These results were some of the team's best finishes all season. Harris then continued with PR Racing for the rest of the season racing at Assen (18th), Silverstone (13th) and Brands Hatch (12th).

In 2013, Harris signed a new contract with PR Racing and started his first BSB season since 2009 when he was racing with Hydrex Honda.

Death Harris died on 3 June 2014 after an incident at Joey's Corner on the second lap of the Superstock Race during the 2014 Isle of Man TT.

Career results Year Series Position 1999 European Superstock Championship (1st) 2000 British Superbike Championship (26th) 2001 British Supersport Championship (1st) 2002 British Superbike Championship (12th) 2003 British Supersport Championship (1st) 2004 British Supersport Championship (1st) 2005 British Superbike Championship (7th) 2006 British Superbike Championship (5th) 2007 British Superbike Championship (11th)2008 British Superbike Championship (11th) 2009 British Superbike Championship (14th) 2012 British Superbike Championship (Selected rounds)

In 2012 Harris made his TT debut for the SMT Honda racing team finishing 21st in the superbike race and 28th in the superstock race whilst also lapping in excess of 121 mph.

British Superbike Championship By year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 2005 Honda BHI6 BHI6 THR6 THR8 MALRet MAL6 OUL3 OUL3 MOP4 MOP7 CRORet CRORet KNO8 KNO11 SNE6 SNERet SIL4 SIL9 CAD4 CAD5 OUL8 OUL5 DONRet DON9 BHGPRet BHGPRet 7th 195 Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Pts R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 2006 Honda BHI2 BHI5 DON6 DONRet THRRet THR3 OUL5 OUL2 MONC MONC MAL7 MAL4 SNERet SNEDNS KNO7 KNO6 OULRet OUL2 CRO10 CRO2 CAD10 CAD5 SIL3 SIL6 BHGPRet BHGP4 5th 244 2008 Yamaha THRRet THRRet OULRet OULRet BHGP BHGP DON7 DON7 SNE8 SNERet MALRet MAL5 OUL26 OUL9 KNO7 KNO3 CADRet CAD10 CRO8 CRO8 SILRet SIL5 BHIDNS BHIDNS 11th 102 2009 Honda/Yamaha BHIRet BHI6 OUL2 OUL2 DON6 DON18 THR11 THR9 SNE8 SNE9 KNORet KNORet MALRet MAL7 BHGP8 BHGP6 BHGP14 CAD15 CAD8 CRO14 CRO16 SILRet SIL14 OULRet OULDNS OULDNS 14th 124.5 Yamaha BHI BHI THR THR OUL OUL CAD CAD MALRet MALRet KNO KNO SNE SNE SNE BHGP BHGP BHGP CAD CAD CRO CRO SIL SIL OUL OUL OUL NC 0 2011 Aprilia BHI BHI OUL OUL CRO CRO THR THR KNO KNO SNE SNE OUL OUL BHGP BHGP BHGP CAD CAD CAD DON DON SIL SIL BHGP BHGP BHGP 27th 10 2012 Kawasaki BHI BHIC THR THR OUL OUL OUL SNE SNE KNO KNO OUL OUL OUL BHGP13 BHGP12 CAD7 CAD9 DONDNS DONDNS ASS18 ASSRet SIL13 SILRet BHGP12 BHGPRet BHGPRet 21st 23 Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 2013 Kawasaki BHIRet BHI7 THR7 THRRet OUL16 OULRet KNODNS KNODNS SNE SNE BHGP15 BHGPRet OULRet OULRet OUL17 CAD16 CAD12 DONRet DONRet ASS ASS SIL18 SILDNS BHGPRet BHGPRet BHGPRet 21st 23

British Supersport Championship

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts 2010 Triumph BHI THR OUL CAD MAL KNO SNE BHGPRet CAD9 CRORet SILRet OULRet 26th 7