The final round before the showdown for the British Superbike series will occur this weekend at Cadwell Park. The Cadwell Park event will be a three race weekend, so there are plenty of points still up for grabs before the final showdown.
Shane Byrne, John Hopkins, and Tommy Hill have all secured their spots in the top 6, but the final three title fighters will be decided this weekend. Michael Laverty can mathematically miss his spot in the top 6, but the Swan Yamaha rider is feeling pretty good about his chances. Laverty currently sits in fourth place with 163 points.
"I see my place as quite safe really barring any major disasters in the three races next weekend," Laverty said. "I need to be in the Showdown and I think we can have a strong round at Cadwell Park and hopefully we can claw back some of those podium credits we have missed out on at the last few rounds.
"We need to approach the weekend as one big test ahead of the Showdown and finding that minuscule one or two percent gap to the front three that we were missing at Brands Hatch.
"It isn't a lot but it will make all the difference in being able to challenge them for the victories. We are in with a shot of the race wins and I want to get the Swan Yamaha back on the podium before the Showdown as those extra credits could prove vital at the end of the season."
Behind Laverty, Josh Brookes and Ruichi Kiyonari will have to fend of Michael Rutter for the final two spots in the showdown.
Brookes sits in fifth place with 146 points, 11 more than Kiyonari. Both riders will have to watch out for Rutter, who is just 5 points out of the top 6.
"This is of course going to be an important weekend for me and the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati team, but we are not putting ourselves under any pressure as we will be doing everything we can as usual to get results," Rutter said. "We are only five points adrift of Kiyonari in sixth and 16 off Brookes so we are still in with a shot that's for sure. I can only go out and do my best and if they struggle then we can take the advantage as anything can still happen. The position is there for me to take so all we can do is go out at Cadwell Park and give it everything at the Rapid Solicitors' home round."
After the Cadwell Park round, the British Superbike series will have three events left to determine the 2011 BSB Champion.
