MICHAEL RUTTER did the double at Croft yesterday to close the gap at the top of the British Superbike standings.

The HM Plant Honda Racing rider was 73 points behind championship leader John Reynolds in second place, but his victories in the North-East moved him to within 50 points of the Rizla Suzuki man.

Rutter stole victory in the first race from Reynolds' team-mate and pole-sitter Yukio Kagayama.

Going into the last lap the Japanese rider looked set to take the chequered flag, however, a missed gear opened the door for Rutter who took the gift with open arms.

Kagayama had raced off into the distance after the start but by the tenth lap Scott Smart (Hawk Kawasaki) was challenging.

An error by Smart enabled Kagayama to open a gap and the race appeared to be his.

But Rutter, who had started badly and at one point was sixth, began to rein in his rival and by the 16th lap he had passed Smart for second.

Putting the pressure on Kagayama he remained on the Japanese rider's wheel before forcing him into the crucial mistake that allowed him to take first and the win.

Smart came in third, with Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Honda) fourth and Reynolds somewhat off the pace in fifth.

''I made the worst start possible - I missed the lights and everyone else around me had gone,'' Rutter explained.

"I couldn't believe it when he (Kagayama) made an error, but I'll take it.

"Everything worked out there and it call came right in the end.''

Race two wasn't quite as nailbiting with Rutter securing the lead with four laps remaining.

Rutter, Smart and Reynolds broke away from the rest of the field, with Smart just ahead for the majority of the race. However, he could not keep Rutter behind him and was forced to settle for second.

Reynolds finished third, with Kyonari fourth and Gary Mason (Virgin Yamaha) fifth.

''Scott made me work hard. I was faster than him in some places, he beat me in others.

"It was a case of nailing him at the right time, getting ahead and then making it stick,'' said Rutter who refused to talk about his championship chances despite yesterday's success.

''My focus is winning races, not worrying about that,'' he said.

In the Superbike Cup, Guisborough's Dennis Hobbs, racing on his home circuit, was unable to make inroads into championship leader James Ellison's tally.

The Suzuki rider, who was racing less than 100 per cent fit after a 140mph accident in testing, finished 14th in the first of the afternoon's races, with Ellison (Yamaha) 11th.

In the second, he came 14th, while Ellison improved to ninth.

Published: 16/08/2004