Huge two-wheeler spectacle

With just four races left to run this year Clint Seller (PS Czank Kawasaki) enjoys a fairly comfortable lead in the Superbike championship, with his closest title challengers Nicolas Grobler (Pta North Toyota Kawasaki) and Chris Leeson (Motorrad BMW). Seller will hope to clinch the title by winning both but that could be a tall order.

Both Grobler and Leeson should match him for pacewhile other riders could also interfere. Among them will be Ryan Ottens (Motorrad BMW), Dylan White (Brother Yamaha), Ryan van Aswegen (GEM Auto Kawasaki), Etienne Nelson (Bavarian BMW), Clinton Pienaar (BMW) and Robert Portman (Brother Yamaha).

Local riders who could shine at their home circuit should include Trevor Westman (BMW), Aran van Niekerk (Kawasaki) and Ronald Slamet (Kawasaki). Local knowledge is valuable at Killarney where the combination of a long back straight and a tight, tricky infield makes chassis setup a difficult business.

Unlimited Superbikes top 280 km/h down the circuit’s back straight and 240 km/h past the pits while battling to find traction in the circuit’s tight corners.

Cam Petersen (Liqui Moly MV Agusta) leads the 600 Supersport points ladder from Lance Isaacs (Pta North Toyota Kawasaki). Local hero Isaacs will be the Cape crowd’s favourite on a circuit that he probably knows better than any other motorcyclist in the country.

Also able to fight for victories will be Dean Vos (Brother Yamaha), Brent Harran (Liqui Moly MV Agusta), Nicholas Kerswaw (Racebike Rentals Kawasaki), Gareth Davidson (TK Imports Kawasaki) and Rhyno Stander (Adrenaline Powersport Kawasaki). Another rider whose efforts will be watched with huge interest is youngster Anthony Shelly on the Full Throttle Kawasaki.

Graduating from club racing at Zwartkops last month, Shelly beat Isaacs in a straight fight to take his first national championship victory, and will be hoping for more of the same.

The Supersport riders will have to tackle Saturday’s official qualifying session, plus both races, on the same set of control Pirelli tyres.

“Once you have your chassis setup correct Killarney generally does not pose tyre problems,” said Pirelli’s racing expert Wayne Doran. “We expect the top riders to get their ducks in a row by Friday afternoon with very little to change on Saturday morning.”