The three-round showdown that will decide who will be this year’s British Superbike champion kicked off in style at Croft yesterday (September 12, 2010).
Of the six racers who are in contention to lift the ultimate prize in British circuit racing, three are using the new Shoei X-Spirit 2 to great effect.
Worx Suzuki’s Tommy Hill kicked off this most important part of the season in fine style with a win and a 2nd place, and leads the championship by 16 points over Relentless Suzuki’s Michael Laverty.
Tommy Hill: “I’m really happy with the first race, for once it was a race that went to plan. I was able to push on and feel comfortable. I was very comfortable in the second race, too. I was able to pull Michael (Laverty) in quite comfortably and I sat behind him for a few laps to see his strengths. Then I passed him as planned – only when I wound the wick up he went with me! It was a good race and in the end he was able to do what i had done in the first race, to get in front and to protect his line.
“So I can’t be 100% happy, but I’m in the best position of anybody in the championship so I’m not complaining. Michael was great today and he’s shown this is no three-horse race as it’s been called, all the guys in the top-six are there for a reason. Bring on Silverstone!”
Croft wasn’t so fortunate to Michael Rutter on the Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati and two-time former BSB champion, Ryuichi Kiyonari on the HM Plant Honda. They struggled with various issues but scored strongly in the second of the day’s races.
The championship continues at Silverstone on September 26.
MCE Insurance 2010 British Superbike Championship standings after Croft:
1. Tommy Hill (Shoei) 570
2. Michael Laverty 554
3. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Shoei) 543
4. Josh Brookes 542
5. Michael Rutter (Shoei) 521
6. Alastair Seeley 506
