Ryuichi Kiyonari has the edge, just, in the chase for the Bennetts British Superbike crown, but both Leon Haslam and the defending champion Gregorio Lavilla are hot on the charge as they power into the tenth round at
Croft.
The leading trio in the country’s premier racing series are separated by just 14 points as they head for a winner takes all shoot out in the final third of a hectic campaign, with former champion Shane Byrne poised to make a late challenge.
Kiyonari, riding the HM Plant Honda, moved ahead, by five points, in the title stakes with a double victory last time out at Oulton Park where Lavilla’s recent run of ill-fortune continued with a machine problem forcing him out of the second race. That enabled his Airwaves Ducati team-mate Haslam, second and third at the Cheshire circuit, to move ahead of him in the title stakes.
Byrne meanwhile is building steadily, having settled to the rigors of his Rizla Suzuki, after spending the previous two years in
MotoGP. He is 86 points down on the leading trio but knows that given the double points finale at
Brands Hatch there are still 250 points up for grabs.
That leaves the way open for an upset, but Byrne knows that nothing short of victories will suffice if he is to have any real impact on the outcome of the championship – he bemoaned poor starts to the Oulton Park races as he missed out on podium finishes but is confident they can be resolved at the North Yorkshire circuit where he recently tested strongly.
In that test session, Haslam, who has still to win a race this season, shattered some three quarters of a session of the lap record as he dialed his Ducati into the challenges of this circuit with it fast, flowing straight and tight corners – he will need to maintain that if he is to head off the determined Kiyonari.
He is bidding to become the first Japanese rider to take the British crown, and in his third season here, is determined not to miss out again, as he did last year – the 23 year old took one of his dozen victories in the corresponding round, while Lavilla also won at the circuit. Both riders finished the other race in third place.
All eyes will be focused on them but there will be more riders adding to the intense competition out front – Jonathan Rea, riding the
Red Bull Honda, having taken second place at
Knockhill is eager to take the top step of the podium, and that is also the case for the former triple British Supersport Champion Karl Harris who ran his team-mate Kiyonari close at
Oulton Park.
Expect to see Michael Rutter challenging for podium finishes – the Leicestershire based rider as had a tough time so far aboard the Stobart Honda, taking only one third placing, something that he is keen to redress as duels in mid-field with his teamster Michael Laverty.
Tommy Hill, riding the Virgin Mobile Yamaha, is on the pace, while Scott Smart, the winner of the early season round at rain-soaked
Donington Park, needs a strong confidence boosting ride aboard the Vivaldi Suzuki, as do both Glen Richards, Hydrex Honda, and Craig Coxhell aboard the Hawk Kawasaki.
Yorkshireman Chris Martin expects to move closer to securing the British Superbike Cup aboard the PR Branson Honda but will be under pressure from Marty Nutt and Howie Mainwaring.
Adding to the action are rounds of the British Supersport Championship, British 125GP Championship, Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship and Cup and the Virgin Mobile Cup.
