Chris Walker returns to race at Oulton Park for the first time in seven years this weekend and is intent on carrying on causing problems for championship leaders Gregorio Lavilla and Ryuichi Kiyonari, in the fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.
Spaniard Lavilla, with a string of four early victories aboard his Airwaves Ducati, has built up a 32 points advantage over reigning champion Kiyonari, the double race winner at
Silverstone last Sunday.
However, 2006 WSBK race winner Walker showed at Silverstone that he is back on the pace, and that the test session last month at the Cheshire circuit was paying dividends. Third and fourth placings have boosted his confidence ahead of the races at a circuit where he signed off with a winning ride back in the 2000 season.
The Rizla Suzuki rider has been at the centre of some of the most talked about incidents and races in the domestic series held at
Oulton Park, a circuit that he clearly enjoys riding, and that suggests that he could be the man to head off the international challenge and move towards bringing the title back to Britain.
But Lavilla, the champion of two years ago, has a strong pedigree at the picturesque parkland circuit, having taken a winning double in the corresponding round of last year, while Kiyonari put his title bid firmly on track in the second visit of the series later on last season as he powered his HM Plant Honda to double glory.
They expect to dictate terms again, but the home challenge is gathering pace and - as well as the rejuvenated Walker - young hot-shots Jonathan Rea, Leon Camier, Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes are making their presence felt. For each of them, a taste of the winner’s champagne would be a perfect reward after a competitive start to the campaign.
20-year-old Rea has settled in well on the factory Honda and has twice finished second - he has high ambitions for his career and to fuel them further he now needs wins. That is also the case for Leon Haslam, the runner-up of last year and a rider who demonstrated his fighting spirit last time out when he scored strong points despite riding through the agony of a thigh injured the previous day in a 175mph accident.
Camier, who, like Sykes and Cal Crutchlow, has graduated from the British Supersport Championship, is another highly talented 20 year-old, and he too has taken a pair of second places aboard his Bike Animal Honda.
The youthful challenge will again be to the fore, although riders of the calibre of former champion Shane Byrne will be keen to put them in their place. He had a miserable last round, tipping off twice, and now he is intent on setting the record straight aboard the Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda.
Also keep an eye out for Michael Rutter as he races and develops the Isilon MSS Discovery Kawasaki, with Tommy Hill on the Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha also due a strong result.
Adding to the Holiday Monday action is a full supporting race programme featuring the fourth rounds of the Maxxis British Supersport Championship; the British 125GP Championship; the Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship and Cup and the Virgin Media Cup.
