Ryuichi Kiyonari heads for the ultra-fast
Thruxton circuit on Easter Monday needing a double win in the third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship to get back on terms with reigning champion and early 2006 leader Gregorio Lavilla.
The Spaniard has won two of the four races so far this season - and hauled points in the others - with his smooth riding style suiting both wet and dry races. Those performances have seen the Airwaves Ducati rider open up a healthy 24 points advantage over his HM Plant Honda rival who, while winning once, crucially crashed out of a soaking wet race two at
Donington Park last weekend.
Kiyonari now needs an 'action replay' of his double success of last year at the Hampshire circuit to put his title bid firmly back on track - the factory backed Honda team are in their third year of the domestic season and they expect success.
That puts the pressure on Kiyonari, especially with Lavilla and his Airwaves Ducati team-mate Leon Haslam riding so well. The young Derbyshire rider, who sustained a dislocated right ankle in the opening race of the season, has ridden through the pain barrier, twice second and once third, to be just a couple of points down on Kiyonari.
Haslam is gunning for the crown in his own right as he bids to put himself back onto the world stage and his confidence is growing with every race, something that showed in the second of the two races at Donington last Sunday when he snatched second place from Lavilla on the final lap.
Karl Harris, the former three times British Supersport Champion who partners Kiyonari in the HM Plant team, will also have a big part to play after settling in quickly.
Also keen to be running up front are the Rizla Suzuki riders Shane Byrne, British champion of three years ago, and James Haydon. They had a miserable time last Sunday, falling no less than five times during the two races, with the team working overtime to have their bikes ready for the third round. They will be keen to make amends, and that could spell major problems for the early season points leaders.
Scott Smart, with his career fourth win, delighted the Vivaldi Suzuki team by powering them to their first ever Superbike victory in the Donington rain - and now they are expecting more. That is also the case with Hawk Kawasaki who will be looking for strong results from Dean Thomas, while Craig Coxhell is nursing a broken collarbone after his Donington race two fall.
Add in the challenge of the Hydrex Hondas in the hands of Gary Mason and Glen Richards and Thruxton promises hot action, with the Virgin Mobile Yamahas in the hands of Tommy Hill, Kieran Clarke and Billy McConnell all well up to speed also.
In the British Superbike Cup, defending champion James Buckingham - now riding a Honda in the Quay Garage colours - will be hoping to build on his Donington success of last Sunday, though the competition is intensifying with Malcolm Ashley, Chris Martin and Marty Nutt all racking up the points.
But, even before the racing begins, the Superbike aces will be chasing for points in the Audi Performance Award - that rewards the fastest rider in qualifying over the full season with a £50,000 limited edition car. Lavilla, with two pole starts, heads the action.
Around the two Superbike races, there is a full supporting race programme, featuring the third rounds of the British Supersport Championship, the British 125GP Championship, the Virgin Mobile Cup and the Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship and Cup.
