Preview - Mondello Park.

Jonathan Rea enjoyed his first ever pole start in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Mondello Park two years ago and the HM Plant Honda rider returns this weekend focused on a maiden race victory at the County Kildare circuit.

The 20-year-old from Ballyclare has settled well into the factory-backed team, coming close to victory on several occasions and in the previous races at Snetterton he was only a split second down on team-mate, the reigning champion, Ryuichi Kiyonari.

Tom Sykes (GBR), Stobart Motorsport, Vent Axia, Honda, CBR1000RR, 66, Superbike Race 2 Start
Tom Sykes (GBR), Stobart Motorsport, Vent Axia, Honda, CBR1000RR, 66,…
© Graeme Brown

Jonathan Rea enjoyed his first ever pole start in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Mondello Park two years ago and the HM Plant Honda rider returns this weekend focused on a maiden race victory at the County Kildare circuit.

The 20-year-old from Ballyclare has settled well into the factory-backed team, coming close to victory on several occasions and in the previous races at Snetterton he was only a split second down on team-mate, the reigning champion, Ryuichi Kiyonari.

"He just had the drive on me there," reflected Rea, who in his third season of Superbikes is lying third in the rankings. "It's good to be racing at Mondello because there are so many of my family and friends around and people refer to this as my home round although my family home is nearer to Knockhill!"

Rea has recently been named as riding a Team Roberts MotoGP machine at the British Grand Prix and has been testing in Japan ahead of the Suzuka Eight Hours but faces stiff opposition Kiyonari and Gregorio Lavilla, both of whom have won five of the ten races so far.

Kiyonari heads the rankings following his pair of double wins last month, and is looking forward to riding on a circuit where his 2006 campaign was turned around, even though there were no races because of the torrential rains. The exciting Japanese rider found a new confidence in his re-modelled tyres, setting pole position, and from that moment on did not look back as he put his title winning charge together.

20065 champion Lavilla began a period of mid-term blues at the same time, and the stylish Spaniard is hoping that is not the case again, after his problematic Snetterton round which cost him the lead in the points. The Airwaves Ducati rider needs to hit back strongly here, and like Kiyonari took a victory and a third place in the 2005 round.

Rea is determined to break their current monopoly, and that is also the goal of Leon Haslam, runner-up in the title chase last year and who has been riding consistently aboard the second Airwaves bike. He is desperate to take the top step of the podium to kick-start his title bid.

Former champion Shane Byrne is well on the pace aboard the Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda, as is his young team-mate Tom Sykes, as the home challenge grows against the International domination. Chris Walker, four times the runner-up in the series, needs a strong result aboard the Rizla Suzuki, and to help his preparations, he has taken part in a trackday at the circuit on which he has not raced before. His teamster, reigning Supersport champion Cal Crutchlow has, and that could point the way to a first podium finish since his graduation into the top flight.

Michael Rutter is due a good result aboard the developing Isilon MSS Discovery Kawasaki, as is Tommy Hill riding the Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha. Karl Harris usually goes well here, and is worth watching on the Hydrex Honda, while Scott Smart would enjoy a repeat of his victory - his first in the series - of three years ago as he rides the Hawk Kawasaki.

In the British Superbike Cup, Marty Nutt, the Coleraine rider, will be looking for another daily double in his efforts to secure the trophy, under intense pressure from James Buckingham, but on what really is his local circuit, keep an eye on Paul Barron.

"I learned my trade here, had my first real races here, and have enjoyed winning rides here both at club level and in Irish Superbikes. It is a technical circuit to ride, and I might just have a bit of a head start on some of the other riders because I know it so well," reflected the 25 year-old Dubliner. "That would be good, as they all have more experience than I do of riding the mainland circuits, but overall I feel that I am going well in what was always going to be a learning time. I'm getting there."

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