THE RACE IS ON
Wow, just wow. BSB never fails to disappoint, does it? I mean, the championship is about as predictable as the weather at Knockhill in mid-summer. And you know what? It’s only going to get hotter.
So what am I on about exactly? Well, I’m talking about the race to the Showdown, of course. We’re now into the nitty gritty midpoint of the year, where talks of rides in 2020 start to flourish and bikes, riders and teams are fully up to speed – with the exception of BMW, who are still on the hunt for some upgrades. Mind you, sitting 7th and 8th at the time of writing of this, both Iddon and Hicky are still doing a grand old job on stock engines.
Oh, and while we’re on the subject of impressive performances, we couldn’t go to print this month without giving a special mention to a certain Danny Buchan, who picked up his very first BSB win, on the eve of his first Suzuka eight-hour ride. This could be exactly what the number #83 needs to boost his confidence and take him that step up into the showdown, and considering he’s the only Kawasaki up the sharp
end, it’s all the more impressive. It’s just a real shame, and quite disappointing, that Glenn Irwin and Ben Currie haven’t been able to make it work for them. There’s still time for some good results, but it’s fair to say that the Showdown is now out of their hands, which isn’t good for the title-winning squad.
On the contrary, it’s got to be worth noting how well the other Irwin has been getting on and, in fact, the Honda squad as a whole. Andrew has been consistently out-riding his vastly more experienced brother, and he finds himself in the top ten – and not far from the very last position in the showdown which is currently being held by his teammate, Xavi Forés, who’s had a corker of a year so far. They’ve both taken the ‘Blade in a very different direction to where it was, and it’s proving to work – a win isn’t very far away for them and it’s exactly what Honda need after some incredibly difficult and relatively dire years in BSB.
But in reality, can anyone stop Scott Redding? His results at Oulton and Knockhill have shown that he’s absolutely no mug at adapting to two of the most strenuous circuits that the UK has to offer. So, with the likes of Assen, Donington Park GP and then a return visit to Brands in October to finish the year off, will anyone be able to take the fight to him? I think so, but just. Brookes, Bridewell and Taz Mac are all in the running so far, but it really is anyone’s game at this stage.