Shane Byrne heads the Bennetts British Superbike Championship going into the sixth round at Mallory Park this weekend but the Airwaves Ducati rider is expecting his rivals to begin their fight-back in the title stakes at the short, but demanding Leicestershire circuit.

The Spanish based rider has won seven of the ten races held so far, opening up a commanding 83 points advantage ahead of his team-mate Leon Camier, and he goes into these races in confident mood, having won one of the two races in the corresponding round of last year.

Byrne then was riding for Honda, and the winner of the other race last term, Ryuichi Kiyonari, was also aboard a Fireblade and it is those two results that give the pursuing pack the belief that they can start claw back the points.

Cal Crutchlow, the local favourite, is just a point down on Camier, and the HM Plant Honda rider is keen to make up lost ground – he tested, alongside Leon Haslam at Cadwell Park, and believes the results of that session will boost his chances of heading off the Ducatis.

“I’m not happy about dropped to third place but we’ve still got a way to go and I’m now looking forward to Mallory,” said the Coventry based rider who is keen to add to his two victories so far this season.  Haslam meanwhile is bidding for a seasonal first success amid what has proved to be an inconsistent campaign so far.

That is something that the 25 year old Derbyshire rider is keen to rectify as he comes under pressure from the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider James Ellison who is racking the points up strongly to be fifth overall in the rankings.

The Cumbrian rider, back on the domestic scene, is using the experience gained in MotoGP and American Superbikes to be one of only four riders, alongside Byrne, Camier and Tristan Palmer, to have scored points in every race.

That record has put Ellison a point clear of Michael Rutter, the North West 200 Ducati rider, who is keen to re-kindle the early season form that earned him a brace of podium finishes at Thruxton.  

Snapping at their heels is Tom Sykes, the Huddersfield rider aboard the Rizla Suzuki, who is long overdue a taste of the victor’s champagne while Karl Harris, amid a season littered with ill-luck is hoping for an upturn in fortune aboard his Rob Mac Racing Yamaha.

James Haydon makes a racing return, taking the place of the injured Stuart Easton, with the MSS Discovery Kawasaki team, riding alongside their Aussie Billy McConnell while Scott Smart is aboard the locally prepared Hawk Kawasaki. 

Gary Mason, another rider who is based locally, will be bidding to maintain his strong run of form in the Daily Star Cup – a race within the main championship for independent teams and riders – having won three of the four races he has started, adding a second place in the other.

He has settled well on the Quay Garage Honda, since taking over from Privateers Cup winner James Buckingham after the Brands Hatch round, and with plenty of points still available is beginning to give John Laverty, the leader in the title stakes on the Buildbase NW200 Ducati, plenty to think about.  

Superbikes on Track

Friday 27 June

12.20-13.10 and 15.30-1610 (Free practice)

Saturday 28 June

10.10-11.00 (Free practice)

14.40-15.30 Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole grid deciding session

Sunday 29 June

09.50-10.05 (warm-up practice)

13.15    Race One – 30 laps

16.20 Race Two -  30 laps

Superbikes on Television

British Eurosport 2

Sunday 29 June       

1315-1715 LIVE raceday

2030-2200 Highlights

Monday 30 June       

1730-1900 Highlights

Tuesday 01 July       

2100-2200 Highlights

Thursday 03 July      

1900-2000 Bennetts British Superbikes Extra

Saturday 05 July       

1100-1230 Highlights

Monday 07 July

1900-2030 Highlights          

Friday 18 July

1900-2000 Highlights

Saturday 19 July       

1630-1800 Highlights

Channel 4

Wednesday 2 July

01.10-02.05 Highlights

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