Ryuichi Kiyonari reckons that the rewards for a hard day of testing his HM Plant Honda at the Cadwell Park circuit that hosts the August Bank Holiday Monday eleventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship could give him the decisive edge in the intensive three way scrap for the crown.
The Japanese rider heads the points table, but, he is just three ahead of Leon Haslam, the Airwaves Ducati rider who enjoyed his first victory of the season in the previous round at
Croft. And, the reigning champion, Gregorio Lavilla, is only a further 15 points further back.
There is all to play for in what is fast developing into a ‘winner takes all’ scenario, especially as the final round at
Brands Hatch in October is a double pointer.
Kiyonari, who came close to taking the title last year, winning a dozen races to finish as runner-up, is back to that speed and style, winning seven of the last ten races to ease clear at the front of the pack.
Adding to that, on his Louth based team’s local circuit, he is aiming for positive results, and after testing his bike in the official sessions, running just outside the lap record pace, he is confident that he has his bike set-up and ready to go. And, he will be looking for strong performances from both his team-mate Karl Harris, who topped the testing leader board, and Jonathan Rea, riding the
Red Bull Honda, to pack the placings between him and his two rivals.
Neither Haslam nor Lavilla tested at the Lincolnshire circuit, with the official sessions giving those riders present the chance to ride in dry and damp conditions, but the Airwaves team are always well up to speed and highly professional as they plot their tactics to head off the Honda challenge.
There are no team orders, with both of their riders gunning for the crown in their own right, with Haslam, on recent form the stronger of the two, although the signs are that Lavilla is re-grouping after a lean spell in which he finished only three of six races, but that is behind him after the Croft round where he took two third place finishes.
The big three, however, will not be having things all of their own way. Harris is still smarting from his last gasp defeat, by a split second, by Haslam, and is keen to taste the winner’s champagne in the top flight for the first time, and that is also the case for the impressive Ulster teenager Rea.
Tommy Hill enjoyed maiden glory at the circuit in the corresponding round last year, and the Virgin Mobile Yamaha rider was again on the pace during testing, though his recent form has not been as hot and he needs a positive result as charges into the final stages of the campaign. That will not be easy, with former champion Shane Byrne looking good aboard the Rizla Suzuki, and eager to repeat his successes of his title winning year at the circuit.
Others to keep an eye on include Michael Rutter; the Stobart Motorsport Honda rider was sixth in his two most recent races, and is looking to take a podium finish for the first time since the opening round back in March. Dean Thomas and Craig Coxhell will be riding hard for Hawk Kawasaki, while fellow Aussie Glen Richards heads up the Hydrex Honda challenge.
Ben Wilson is hoping for a little local cheer as he heads up the Vivaldi Suzuki challenge, alongside Ollie Bridewell, while in the British Superbike Cup, a series within the main championship for Independent riders and teams, Chris Martin, riding the PR Branson Honda, is aiming to his double top to edge closer to the silverware.
