Following Saturday’s (November 2) Rounds 19 and 20 of this year’s title chase, Vodacom Nashua Yamaha team leader Russell Wood has one hand on the 2002 South African Superbike Championship. –
– Wood took his Yamaha to both of Saturday’s race victories, followed in the opening event by his closest title challengers Trevor Crookes (UUNET Ducati) and Stewart MacLeod (Cell C Suzuki). –
– In the second race, Crookes’ Ducati retired with mechanical maladies, leaving Wood and MacLeod to take the leading two positions. –
– Wood now only needs a further five points – or one eleventh place – from the year’s final two races at AA Kyalami on November 23 to become this year’s Champion. –
– His Kyalami efforts also made him the first rider in local motorcycle racing history to score 13 victories in a single season. –
– “It is extremely encouraging, yet scary, to be so near, and yet so far from the title,” said Wood on Saturday. –
– “I know, better than most, just how easy it is to lose everything in a matter of seconds – in this game, it is never over until it is over,” he added.-
– On March 16 this year, Wood was lucky to escape alive after a massive 250 km/h crash at the Western Cape Killarney circuit.-
– He returned to compete at the East London circuit a month later, to win the first race and crash out of the second.-
– Since then, Wood has scored 11 victories and three second places from 14 starts.-
– If he takes this year’s title, it will be his 13th South African Championship – another al-time local record.-
– Wood’s Vodacom Nashua Yamaha team mate Brad Anassis battled with handling problems on Saturday, having to be content with a seventh and eighth place on the day.
