TITLE FIGHT HITS BOILING POINT AS BRITISH SUPERBIKES REACH OULTON PARK
05 September 2005 - MotorSport Vision

All to play for as just nine points separate top three in championship

The British Superbike Championship blasts into Oulton Park on September 10/11 for its second visit of the year to the picturesque Cheshire circuit – and the meeting promises to be a thriller as the top three in the championship go head-to-head for the title.

With a field of 35 British Superbikes, each boasting some 200bhp and a top speed of around 140mph around Oulton Park, ready to do battle plus a packed programme of top-flight national motorbike racing, this meeting is sure to be a spectacular show of bravery, speed and action.

After the last round at Cadwell Park on August Bank Holiday weekend, Spanish Airwaves Ducati ace Gregorio Lavilla has snatched the lead of the championship from Briton and perennial BSB runner-up Michael Rutter and his HM Plant Honda. Rutter’s team-mate. Japanese Ryuichi Kiyonari, is third after a stellar start to the 2005 season, and all three are covered by just nine points at the top of the table.

That makes Oulton Park’s pair of races on Sunday, Sept 11, crucial in the race to the championship. A good weekend for one or more of the top three could allow them to open up a lead in the points and get within sight of the ultimate goal, while a single mistake could dash their hopes of sealing the biggest title in UK bike racing.

Rutter was gutted to lose the lead with a poor weekend at Cadwell, having built up a points lead beforehand. He has now vowed to go all out for race wins in the remaining rounds in a desperate attempt to avoid being the BSB bridesmaid for the fifth time. Meanwhile, Lavilla has been awesome all year and said he was ‘surprised’ to be leading after Cadwell – it will certainly take a mammoth effort from someone to stop him capitalising on that lead.

That person might just be Kiyo, though – the Japanese was blisteringly quick at the start of the year and looked like he might romp away with the crown until fall at Mallory put him out of action for one round.

The on-track action kicks off at 8.35am on Saturday (Sept 10), while Sunday (Sept 11) gets underway with the open pit walkabout at 10am, when visitors can get up close and personal with their BSB heroes for free. BSB warm-up is at 12.05pm, with the first BSB race of the day at 1.25pm.

Tickets for the event cost £8 per adult for practice day (Friday, Sept 9), £10 per adult for qualifying day (Saturday) and £25 per adult for race day (Sunday). Children aged 12 and under go free on all days. Parking and paddock access is also free.

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