Michael Rutter knows that nothing less than an action replay of his winning double of last season at his local
Mallory Park circuit will suffice if he is to put his Bennetts British Superbike title bid back on track.
The Stobart Motorsport Honda rider tested strongly at the tight, short, but demanding Leicestershire circuit, which this year has an added chicane, and is feeling confident of running out front although he acknowledges that the opposition is strengthening round by round.
Rutter lives adjacent to the circuit, and the turning point of his campaign last term came here as he took the victories ahead of Glen Richards, now riding for Hydrex Honda, and also needing strong results to boost confidence.
Both are playing catch-up, big-time, as the Airwaves Ducati riders, defending champion Gregorio Lavilla and Leon Haslam, dictate terms at the head of the standings. The Spanish rider has a 61 points advantage at this early stage of the action, and like his fellow riders is eager to return to racing after the abortive, rain-soaked trip to Mondello Park.
He had mixed fortunes on his first visit to Mallory, crashing heavily in the first race, but bouncing back to third next time out, and, he will have to acclimatise to the new configuration - however, Lavilla learns quickly, and has shown already this season he is the man for all conditions, winning six of the eight races so far.
Haslam is eager to taste his first winner’s champagne of the season and also to strengthen his own title bid, but both the Ducati men are aware that the rest are closing in on them. At
Oulton Park, they were run close by Karl Harris, riding HM Plant Honda and former champion Shane Byrne on the Rizla Suzuki.
And, before the rains at Mondello Park, Ryuichi Kiyonari was showing the speed and style that took him to a dozen victories and the runner-up spot last term as he claimed pole start at record breaking pace. The Japanese rider has won one race so far, and he has been given the hurry-up call by his Honda team whose factory backed effort want to take the title at the third attempt.
Byrne, and his team-mate James Haydon, expect to be hot on the charge, along with young Jonathan Rea, who like Rutter took part in last month’s official test at the circuit, gaining vital bike set-up information. It all points to a tough task for Rutter if he is to impress his local support. He is seventh in the rankings, and currently has only a third of the 182 points scored so far by Lavilla.
It is a time for action by Rutter: "I’ve always gone well there and want the same again – a repeat of last year’s double would be really good. Hopefully we can turn things round. We’ve worked hard and made a lot of changes to the bike. I’m feeling good for these races.
"We are making progress and mean business here. Living so close to the circuit, I have to say it is my favourite, but having ridden the new layout, I would rather have the old Gerrards than the present one – the first part is a bit stop start but then it flows. That said, I am positive – the front row start for Mondello, if those races had happened, is a pointer to how we are going now."
His team-mate Michael Laverty is also keen to pack the points, as is Scott Smart, the Vivaldi Suzuki rider, the only other rider so far this season to take the top step of the podium, with that success coming in the rain at
Donington Park. Keep an eye on the local based Hawk Kawasaki team who again field three bikes for Dean Thomas, Craig Coxhell and Peter Hickman, while Tommy Hill is determined to give the Virgin Mobile Yamaha team rich pickings.
James Buckingham, riding the Quay Garage Honda, is keen for a daily double to maintain his supremacy in the British Superbike Cup, although he can expect a tough time from both Chris Martin and Marty Nutt.
Around the two Superbike races, there is action in the British Supersport Championship, a double header for the British 125GP Championship and the fifth round of the Virgin Mobile Cup along with a 'guest race' for Classic 250cc and 350cc Grand Prix bikes.
