Gregorio Lavilla powers into the double race finale of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch on Sunday 9 October in a strong position to clinch the crown - the Spanish rider opened up a 13 points advantage over Ryuichi Kiyonari as he enjoyed the spoils of victory in the previous round.

The two riders now duel for supremacy over the two 20 lap races of the demanding Kent grand prix circuit with Lavilla knowing that he can afford to ride tactically to rack up sufficient points while Kiyonari can only go all out for a pair of victories and hope that his rival finishes outside the top two.

If Kiyonari can win both races and Lavilla finishes second each time then Lavilla will take the title, but any slip up and demotion outside of second place from the likes of the Superbike big-guns Rutter, Reynolds, Richards, Hill, Haydon and co. then the pendulum could easily sway back towards the Japanese. Should they tie on points, then Kiyonari would also take the crown based on the most number of race wins.

However, its currently advantage Lavilla, riding the Airwaves Ducati who struck a rich vein of form at the crucial time - the racer who began the season without a regular ride, deputising for the team's then injured rider James Haydon, made the spot his own with strong performances in the opening two rounds, and is now handsomely repaying the faith shown in him.

The decisive action came in the penultimate round. Having shattered the lap record to claim pole start, he had the speed and style to avenge a split second defeat by Kiyonari in the previous Oulton Park round by comfortably beating him twice at Donington Park. That overturned the 22 year old Japanese rider's slender lead in the title stakes in the process left him playing `catch-up.'

It was the first time that Lavilla had won both races in a day and it put him into a strong position. “For sure now, I will be trying really hard to ensure that I win the title,” smiled the man from Tarragona who can deliver the GSE Team a third title - they had previously powered Troy Bayliss and Neil Hodgson to the British crown in 1999 and 2000 respectively.

Lavilla knows that nothing can be taken for granted in this series, which was given top rating for entertainment in a recent Daily Telegraph report on top sporting events compared to the ailing Football Premiership, and he will be maintaining his hard working ethos as he goes into the final stages, with Kiyonari equally determined.

The HM Plant Honda rider has won a dozen times this season, but a couple of tumbles have proved costly to him, with the second and third placings last time out compounding his problems - the pressure is on him now. He has to go all out for victories, nothing less will suffice, but even then, he has to hope that Lavilla is beaten further back down the finishing list if he is overcome the 13 points deficit which he has on the leader.

There will be no help forthcoming from his Honda team-mate Michael Rutter, who is destined to finish third in the rankings for the second time in three years - he saw his hopes of taking the title for the first time slip out of his grasp with three tumbles in as many rounds which left him with painful arm and shoulder injuries.

Rutter is keen to sign off a disappointing campaign on a winning note, while in the Airwaves Ducati garage, Leon Haslam is also keen to end his season on a high.

Around them, there is certain to be determined challenges coming in as riders and teams begin to consider options for next season - John Reynolds, who hands over the `number one' plates at the meeting is determined to give Rizla Suzuki a victory, as is is Haydon, while in the Virgin Mobile Samsung Yamaha team Sean Emmett needs a strong finish, while Tommy Hill chases a second victory of the season. Scott Smart is keen to impress aboard the Vivaldi Kawasaki, while both Hawk Kawasaki riders Glen Richards and Dean Thomas are overdue success. Aiming to embarrass them all is British Superbike Cup winner James Buckingham who is hungry for more successes in his pursuit of a factory ride for next season.

Around the two Superbike races, there is all to play for in a busy support race programme. Leon Camier looks set to take the Metabo British Supersport crown, taking a 22 points lead over Craig Jones into the final action, while it could hardly be closer in the British 125cc Championship in which James Westmoreland, the winner of three of the last four races, leads the defending title holder Christian Elkin by a single point.

Lee Jackson defends a nine points lead over Adrian Coates in the Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship, with Paul Young also in contention, while Billy McConnell, already assured of the Virgin Mobile Cup, is looking for a winning end to his successful campaign.

ends