Chris Walker returns to race Oulton Park for the first time in seven years and the Rizla Suzuki rider is intent on carrying on where he left off and that could spell problems for the leading duo, Gregorio Lavilla and Ryuichi Kiyonari, in the fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.  

The Spanish rider, with a string of four victories aboard his Airwaves Ducati, has built up a 32 points advantage over the reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari, the double race winner of last Sunday at Silverstone.

However Walker showed in those races that he is back on the pace, and the hard working test session he had last month at the Cheshire circuit which hosts the Holiday Monday action was paying dividends. Third and fourth placings have boosted his confidence ahead of the races at a circuit where he signed off with a winning ride back in the 2000 season.

The Newark based rider has been at the centre of some of the most talked about incidents and races in the domestic series held at Oulton Park, a circuit that he clearly enjoys riding, and that suggests that he could be the man to head off the International challenge and move towards bringing the title back to Britain.

Lavilla, the champion of two years ago, however has a strong pedigree at the picturesque parkland circuit, having taken a winning double in the corresponding round of last term, while Kiyonari put his title bid firmly on track in the second visit of the series later on last season as he powered his HM Plant Honda to double glory.

They expect to dictate terms again, but the home challenge is gathering pace and apart from the rejuventated Walker, the young hot-shots Jonathan Rea, Leon Camier, Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes are making their presence felt by packing the placings. For each of them, a taste of the winner's champagne is already long overdue in this highly competitive start to the campaign.

Rea, the 20 year old Ballyclare rider, has settled well to riding the factory Honda and has twice finished second - he has high ambitions and to fuel them further he needs wins, and that is also the case with Haslam, the runner-up of last year and a rider who demonstrated his fighting spirit last time out when he scored strong points despite riding through the agony of a thigh injured the previous day in a 175mph crash.

Camier, who like Sykes and Cal Crutchlow, has graduated from the British Supersport Championship, is another highly talented 20 year old, and he too has taken a pair of second placings aboard his Bike Animal Honda and will be keen to make up for his Silverstone race two tumble.

The youthful challenge will again be to the fore, although riders of the calibre of former champion Shane Byrne will be keen to put them in their place. He had a miserable last round, tipping off twice, and now he is intent on setting the record straight aboard the Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda.  Keep an eye out also for Michael Rutter as he races and develops the Isilon MSS Discovery Kawasaki, with Tommy Hill on the Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha also due a strong result.   

Adding to the Holiday Monday action is a full supporting race programme featuring the fourth rounds of the Maxxis British Supersport Championship; the British 125GP Championship; the Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship and Cup and the Virgin Media Cup.