NG Road Racing kicks off the 2014 season at Brands Hatch this weekend, using the demanding little Indy circuit that punishes mistakes probably more than any other in the country.

Last seasons early-season Brands star was Michael Blank with his ZX10R Kawasaki. For 2014 "Blanky" is back but in the Open and Powerbike classes will have to fend off challenges from BSB and TT rider Jonathan Howarth, as well as Duncan Gibson on his very rapid JHP Panigale.

Dave Manley has stepped up to the new 600 Evo class at BSB, but will be keeping himself race sharp at the NG meetings. Manley on his R6 heads the 600 grid, but with Max Symonds and Sean Montgomery on a new ZX6R, and one of the stars on 2013 James Harrison now on a 675 the young guns will be out for early season blood.

Sixteen year-old South African Jordan Weaving, now based in the UK, is having an early outing on his KTM 250 that he will race in BSB this year.

The popular Sidecars will see former NG champs Jim Hamilton and Mick Fairhurst take on top BSB crew of Tony Brown who has 2012 world sidecar champion Ashley Hawes as his passenger going head to head on the class leading LCR Open outfits.

Paul Willis is back in the Sound of Thunder on his KTM, and Brands in a favourite circuit for the Wiltshire-man, but with BSB man Ben Broadway on a Panigale, as well as a host of 675 Triumph men headed by Tom Palmer, Shane Smith and class new-boy James Harrison, he will have to draw on all of his racing experience.

RAF services rider, Anthony Van Looy heads the F400 now that three time champ Shannon Hale has moved into the Streetstock on a CBR600R whilst the big stock class has Simon O'Donnell on his new BMW S1000RR. For the older Pre injection machines expect past champ Adam Jeffery to be up front with Rob Garland and Phil Webber chasing the points in the 700cc division.

Phoenix Open is the premier NG Road Racing series, and is again supported by Phoenix Motorcycles from Trowbridge. All the fastest riders of the meeting battling it out for one of the biggest prize funds in the country. These Open competitors have timed qualifying and longer races to earn their points for the gruelling 20 round championship, ensuring that the very best will end up as champion.

Once more, NG will promote the ACU 250GP series. These former 250cc world championship spec machines are pure race bikes and are designed with one thing in mind... to race. The main series is backed by the ACU and Dunlop with 100% Suspension Cup for non-national runners, and the new pre-'92 series.