British Supermoto Croft preview

Croft Circuit near Darlington hosts the penultimate round of the Maxxis British Winter Supermoto Championship this Saturday and with all classes still evenly poised, there is bound to be no love lost between all the leading competitors come St Valentine's Day.

Organised by the British Motorcycle Racing Club, the fastest growing motorsport in the UK will see a host of top names descend on the North Yorkshire track for the sixth round of the prestigious series which is backed by Fuchs Silkolene and Yamaha UK also.

Favourite for victory in the 650 and Open classes will be series leader Christian Iddon aboard his factory specification Team Zupin HM Husqvarna but the Derbyshire teenager will be under pressure from the likes of defending winter champion from Chester Warren Steele (570 Husqvarna) -- still suffering the legacy of a broken leg last season -- and KTM's Ady Smith.

Last time out at Brands Hatch, it was former Swiss Motocross veteran Danni Muller (WIRE Yamaha) who stole the honours, after Iddon hit problems with a puncture, to close the gap in the Open series to just eleven points so a decent result at Croft is vital for all the riders going into the final double points round at Lydden at the end of the month.

Both Iddon and Muller have won a pair of Superfinals each with the other victory going the way of Smith in the opening round at Cadwell back in November so all is to play for around the super fast sweeps of the multi-surface Croft rallycross circuit

Muller leads the 450 class, just six points ahead of the works Honda of Humbersider Leighton Haigh and they can expect a challenge from riders of the calibre of Rob McNealy (Honda) and Irish champion Davy McKee (Yamaha).

Despite the road racing season being imminent and many top name riders who have contested the series to date sitting this one out, a number of stars of that particular discipline will still be in action including local Superbike hero Dennis Hobbs from Guisborough aboard his 450cc Honda.

The former Laird of Croft will be up against triple TT winner from Morecambe John McGuinness (650 Husaberg), ex Endurance world champion Terry Rymer (560 KTM) from London and regular British Superbike stars Dean Ellison from Kendal, former champion Dave Heal (Hailsham) and Lincoln's Lee Jackson.

With around 18 races on the packed programme as well as the Silkolene Superpole, which sees the top two riders from both 450 and 650 finals square off against the clock to set the grid for the Superfinal, the action in sure to be intense and gates open at 9am with practice from 9.30am.

Admission is just £5.00 per adult with accompanied children under 15 free with more information available on line at www.goldspeed.org or from Claire Jones at Croft Circuit on 01325 721815.

Championship Positions (after round 5 at Brands Hatch on 1st February) <pre> SM450 SM650 BWC 1 Danni Muller (Yamaha) 91 1 Christian Iddon (Husqvarna) 107 1 Iddon 102 2 Leighton Haigh (Honda) 85 2 Ady Smith (KTM) 73 2 Muller 91 3 David McKee (Yamaha) 58 3 John Hilton (Honda) 45 3 Haigh 60 4 Nigel Scott (Honda) 4 Warren Steele (Husqvarna) 44 4 Scott 56 5 Rob McNealy (Honda) 5 Jay Smith (Husqvarna) 43 5 A Smith 44 6 Jonathan White (Honda) 6 Rob Cross (Husaberg) 6 D. Fry 31

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