South Africa’s most spectacular circuit racing show will return to AA Kyalami next Saturday (May 1), adding much lustre to the day’s Vodacom Power Tour events. Rounds five and six of the 2004 LeopardRock.com SA Superbike Championship should feature more than 25 competitors on the line – with the discipline’s current status quo – and lap record – very much under threat. –
– Following victories at the previous two meetings of the year, Cell C Suzuki rider Hudson Kennaugh should start as the man to beat, backed by his teammate Trevor Crookes on an identical Cell C Suzuki GSX1000R. The two works Suzuki pilots started the year with an advantage, when the SA Superbike formula switched from the use of highly modified 600c machines to that of near-standard 1000cc motorcycles. Running Suzuki’s racing-sorted 2003 GSX1000R models, Kennaugh and Crookes dominated at AA Kyalami in February this year, with Kennaugh also winning both races at Killarney last month. –
– That is a state of affairs that various other riders will wish to change at Kyalami on May 1, led by the Autopage Cellular Yamaha equipe’s Greg Dreyer and Russell Wood. Running 2004 Yamaha R1 models, the team have reportedly dealt with a rash of overheating problems, and both riders expect to challenge for race wins. So will the First Technology Honda team’s Shaun Whyte, Sheridan Morias and Arushen Moodley, armed with new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade machines. The racing Hondas have proven extremely fast in straights thus far – which advantage could serve the team extremely well at Kyalami. –
– Other riders still benefiting from Suzuki’s early dominance will be talented privateers Robert Cragg (South Suzuki GSX1000R) and Noel Haarhoff, racing a similar machine under the KCR banner. –
– Meanwhile, the Kreepy Krauly BioGuard team’s veterans Gavin Ramsay and Greame van Breda could go podium hunting on their new Yamaha R1 examples. –
– Adding much spice to the recipe should be the arrival of a 2004 Kawasaki ZX10R, to be raced by former Mecer Ducati rider Stewart MacLeod. MacLeod will debut the mean green machine without the benefit of any development work, while riding with a broken left hand – the legacy of a crash at Killarney last month. Thus, the former SA Superbike Champion does not expect to challenge at the front end of the field from the word go. However, the Kawasaki’s race pace will certainly be watched with huge interest, as the machine is rated among the world’s very fastest road going Superbikes. With MacLeod on board, it should certainly win races this season. –
– Leading the Mecer Ducati team will be former World Superbike contestant Lance Isaacs, joined on a similar Ducati 999S by talented youngster Robert Portman. With their progress thus far inhibited by a lack of straightline performance, the team will be hoping to challenge for top six places this time around. So will works Arlen Ness Aprilia Mille riders Garth Norris and Clynton Pienaar, plus privateers Alex Lenearts (Big Boy Scooters Yamaha R1) and Donovan Fourie (Bike SA USN Honda). –
– Topping the 600cc category should be people like Dino de Wet (Autopage Cellular Yamaha) and Tertius de Lange (Kreepy Krauly Yamaha) Darryl Upton (Yamaah) James Moodie (Kawasaki). –
– The LeopardRock.com Superbikes will compete in one eight-lap race, and one ten-lap race at Kyalami on Saturday. As always, riders will have to complete both the races, plus the morning’s Official Qualifying session, on the same set of tyres.