Brands Hatch. Haslam versus Sykes

First there was Oulton Park, and then came Silverstone. The racing in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship has never been such a contact sport on track and with just the Brands Hatch season finale (10/11/12 October) still to go it is difficult to predict who will take the final advantage.

Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes may be friends off track, but when the visors are down and the revs are up the pair become the greatest of rivals. At Oulton Park earlier in the season Haslam was determined to take his first win of the season, but an attempted pass at Hizzys put Sykes out of the race and Haslam was disqualified.

At Silverstone the roles were reversed; Sykes was desperate for another win and a move at Woodcote saw the pair collide and tumble into the gravel. Both riders rejoined with Haslam able to score five points in a damage limitation act but Sykes was later disqualified.

Now there are just two race wins up for the taking. Haslam has been almost unstoppable at recent rounds, winning five of the last seven races for HM Plant Honda, but Sykes has scored three race wins for Rizla Suzuki and with two more still there for the taking at Brands Hatch he could still equal the score.

Sykes has already been confirmed in the Yamaha Motor Italia World Superbike Championship team for next season whilst Haslam is also rumoured to be joining him in the WSB paddock. However there is still the opportunity to reign supreme in the final fight, can Haslam or Sykes take the final wins of the season and score the last blow in the fight for supremacy?

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