Rutter gunning for Byrne at Oulton

The fourth round of the British Superbike championship takes place at Oulton Park this weekend, and the tension is already heating up.

Monstermob Ducati rider Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne is looking to extend his lead even further at what is one of the most technically demanding circuits in the championship but admits that things are going to get more difficult.

Byrne said: ” I’ve got the strongest package in the paddock at present and I’m aiming to repeat what I did at Thruxton. I’m surprised that I’ve had it relatively easy so far. Hopefully we can continue our dominance but I know that it will get tougher as the season progresses. ”

Byrne’s former team-mate Michael Rutter said his Renegade Ducati is now ready to take on the fight.

“There’s no denying that Shakey’s had it all his own way so far,” Said Rutter. “He’s riding really well at the moment, but I do think that we’ve been guilty of making things a little too easy for him. We made a big breakthrough with the factory bikes at Thruxton and I’m confident that this will allow us to compete on a level playing field this weekend. It’s time Shakey learnt that this championship isn’t over yet. ”

The two former team-mates have got other things to look out for as well. Mark Heckles is looking to prove that Honda UK made the right choice in taking him on full time and Rizla Suzuki riders John Reynolds and Yukio Kagayama have had two weeks rest to recover from the injuries that dogged them in the first three rounds.

Reynolds said: “I’ll be back on the pace at Oulton Park this weekend and I’m looking forward to actually racing for the first time this season rather than just riding the bike with an injury. ”

Qualifying starts at 3:25pm on Sunday, with race one starting at 1:15pm on Monday followed by the second race at 3:45pm. motorcyclenews.com will be bringing you all the news from the Cheshire circuit over the weekend so check back regularly for the latest update.