DENNIS Hobbs is in a race against time to be fit for the forthcoming Bennetts British Superbike round at his home circuit Croft, writes MATT WESTCOTT.

The Guisborough rider is recovering from a broken wrist sustained after a highside at Mallory Park earlier this year but has his fingers crossed he will be passed fit for the event on June 4 and 5.

Hobbs, who joined professional outfit Team Nvidia at the start of this season after previously racing as a privateer, was at Croft yesterday for the official test day. However, his wrist still in a cast, he was forced to watch from the sidelines as his rivals put their machines through their paces.

"My chances are probably 50/50 at the moment," said the 22-year-old Yamaha rider. "I have got to go and see the circuit doctor on Monday and he is going to cut the cast off then scan and X-ray the wrist. If everything is OK I will be out at Croft which is what I am really hoping for."

The scaphoid bone is located on the thumb side of the wrist, close to the lower arm bones, and subsequently if it has still to heal sufficiently Hobbs' ability on the bike would be greatly impaired.

"Normally a scaphoid can take anything from six weeks to six months," said Hobbs. "It's just one of those injuries. I am hoping that because it was a clean fracture that it will be OK and I'll be out there."

Hobbs must feel a little jinxed when it comes to racing at Croft.

During practice for last year's first ever Superbike event at the circuit Hobbs slammed into a tyre wall at over 100mph after losing control of his machine, But, thinking he had suffered nothing more than some serious bruising, he remounted and went on to score two podium finishes in the British Superbike Cup.

Unbeknown to the rider at the time, scans later revealed he had dislocated his C7 and C8 vertebrae in his neck and had come close to being paralysed.

Hobbs spent a lengthy period in Leeds General Infirmary recovering but the cloud had a silver lining when his impressive outings on the bike secured him the deal with Nvidia.

He now believes it is imperative he makes the grid this time out to show local enthusiasts, his sponsors and potential suitors what he is about.

"I have been looking forward to Croft since last year because I want to get back and prove what I can do to all the local fans and sponsors," said Hobbs. "I have got to be out there on the circuit. I'm hoping it is going to be on because I need a good run at Croft and hopefully things will go well."

Hobbs is languishing near the bottom of the BSB standings at present with four points, but he doesn't believe the move from privateer to professional is the root cause.

"The transition has been alright," he said. "We have just been struggling with the grip from the tyres basically."

l A full supporting programme will feature next month and it will include local interest in most classes. Middlesbrough teenager Paul Veazey will carry local hopes in the National Supersport Cup race on his 1000cc Astro Kawasaki, while Knaresborough's Danny Linfoot is expected to be a frontrunner in the 125GP class.

Last year, the Croft BSB meeting was the best attended out of all 13 rounds of the series with just short of 30,000 fans making the trip.