BRITAIN'S premier motorsport series makes an historic first ever visit to the race-starved North East when the round ten of the THINK! British Superbike Championship rolls into Croft Circuit this weekend.

Never before has the region hosted a round of the series and with the 2004 title chase hotting up, the action is sure to be fast and furious as a host of world class riders on the very latest factory machinery battle it out over two races around the 2.1 mile former wartime airfield.

Leading the series by a comfortable 73 points is Nottingham veteran John Reynolds on his Rizla Suzuki but the double champion knows that HM Plant Honda Racing rider Michael Rutter (Leicester) will be planning on cutting the gap after six races without a rostrum.

Maidstone born but now living in York, Scott Smart will be hoping for further success on his Hawk Kawasaki, while crowd favourite Yukio Kagayama from Japan (Rizla Suzuki) and MonsterMob Ducati rider Sean Emmett (London) proved they will be the men to beat following last week's official test at the circuit where they were the two fastest riders.

Virgin Mobile Samsung Yamaha field four riders with James Haydon (Amersham) and London teenager Tommy Hill expected to go well on the R1's along with Lichfield's Gary Mason and Lincolnshire ace Steve Plater. Aussie Dean Thomas is riding for the Leeds-based Sendo Dienza Ducati team and also hoping for success, while Paul 'Marra' Brown makes a comeback after two years riding for the Scottish ETI Ducati team.

Local interest centres around the two leading riders in the supporting Superbike Cup for non-supported riders with Kendal's James Ellison (Yamaha) leading the championship ahead of Croft specialist Dennis Hobbs (Suzuki) from nearby Guisborough.

However, Hobbs is fighting to be fit for his local meeting having been injured in testing last week and will face a race against time if he's to make the grid.

One to watch out for on the local front will be Middlesbrough's Paul Veazey on his JR Motosport Yamaha in the Supersport race.

Admission costs £12 per adult on Saturday and £25 on Sunday which includes access to the paddock. For more information call Croft Circuit on (01325) 721815.

* The winner of the weekend Superbike pass and fuel in our Charter Fuel competition was Brenda Bayles of Wycliffe, Barnard Castle.

Published: 10/08/2004