Rutter enjoyed a victory at Cadwell Park last year, and he knows that nothing less will suffice this time around if he is to finally take the trophy that he has come so close to winning on several occasions. There are no team orders however, and Kiyonari is equally determined that he should take the silverware, becoming the first Japanese winner of the British title.
Their private duel, however, is no more. Lavilla can head them off, although he too has an in-team rival in young Leon Haslam, fourth in the standings and riding consistently well to suggest that he could be front-running in the races.
Apart from the championship scrap, there is plenty more. Steve Plater, the local favourite, is keen to turn on the speed and the style aboard the Hydrex Honda; Ben Wilson and Tristan Palmer ride the locally backed Vivaldi Kawasakis; Karl Harris, three times the British Supersport Champion, is overdue success aboard his Louth prepared Honda Fireblade and the three Virgin Mobile Samsung Yamaha riders Sean Emmett, Tommy Hill and Richard Wren are keen for positive results.
Keep an eye out also for reigning champion John Reynolds who, riding the Rizla Suzuki, is virtually back to full fitness and after two third placings in the previous two rounds is keen to take the top step of the podium, as is his team-mate James Haydon.
Hawk Kawasaki riders Glen Richards and Dean Thomas are proving increasingly on the pace, while the Stobart Honda riders Michael Laverty, who took a bruising tumble at
Silverstone, and Gary Mason need strong showings.
That is also uppermost on the mind of James Buckingham. As team managers begin to think of contracts for 2006, the Devonian is anxious for another British Superbike Cup winning double aboard his Quay Garage Suzuki to boost his chances of a factory backed ride in the near future.
