Josh Brookes enjoyed a maiden BSB race victory last time out and now is eager for more as he powers into the Bank Holiday Monday third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park.

The Aussie took that important first win at Thruxton aboard the HM Plant Honda and now he is ready to take the title fight to the early season leader, Tommy Hill, who has won two of the four races so far for the Worx Crescent Suzuki team, underlining his consistent form by finishing a close second in each of the other two.

“The races will be hard battles, but I relish that challenge,” said Brookes who is eager to peg back the 34 points deficit he has on Hill. “Thruxton was very good for me, a second and then the race win that I had waited so long for.

“We are strong and moving in the right direction and that has given me good confidence for these races – we are more prepared and I am looking forward to them, but they will be difficult as Tommy is very fast and Stuart Easton will have his fitness back up.

“All I can promise is that I will get out there, get the best out of the bike and myself and hope that is good enough to win the races,” added Brookes.

Hill is ready for the expected fierce exchanges: “There will definitely be some paint-swapping going on because everyone is so close in terms of lap times and every rider out there is really pushing hard to get the best results possible.

“I reckon it’s going to be a cracker! My confidence is building all the time but I know that I can’t get complacent as anything can happen on what is an awesome circuit to ride with some many places where you overtake,” added Hill.

Both of the leading duo in the title stakes have strong team-mates who themselves will be scrapping all of the way for victories. Ryuichi Kiyonari on the second HM Plant bike is a six times race winner and lap record holder at the circuit and goes into this round on the back of a fouth place at Thruxton where Yukio Kagayama took a podium finish for the Worx team.

Adding to that confrontation is the fully fit Stuart Easton, running third in the title stakes on the Swan Honda having racked up good points despite riding through the discomfort of a leg injury sustained in pre-season testing.

“I’m pretty much back to fitness now, and ready for these races,” said Easton. “For the last month, I’ve only been able to race and not much else, but now I am back in training, my leg healed and it feels fine.

“I’m on the up now and ready for Oulton, a circuit that I enjoy as it is a bit ‘old school’ as it is up hill and down dale. I had a good time there in the last round of last year, taking a win and a second place and my target is to better that,” added Easton.

Ian Lowry takes over from Neil Hodgson in the Motorpoint Yamaha team and is keen to make an instant impact on the scene as he lines up alongside Dan Linfoot while the RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati duo of Michael Rutter and Martin Jessopp are keen to continue their second round front-running form.

The Laverty brothers, Michael riding for Relentless Suzuki and John lining up for Buildbase Kawasaki, should be strong while Gary Mason, riding MSS Colchester Kawasaki alongside the fans favourite Chris Walker, always goes well at the Cheshire circuit.

Aussie David Anthony completed a winning Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class double last time out for the MIST Suzuki team to head the title chase in that category but he faces strong challenges from South African Hudson Kennaugh riding the MAR Kawasaki and Splitlath Aprilia rider Chris Burns.

For the record

Superbikes on track
Saturday 1 May
10.15 – 10.55 and 14.30 – 15.15 Free practice
Sunday 2 May
12.00 – 12.50 Free practice
15.20 – 16.16 Swan Combi Roll for Pole
Monday 3 May
09.20 – 09.35 Warm-up practice
13.00 Race One – 18 laps
16.40 Race Two - 18 laps

Superbikes on television
British Eurosport 2
12.30 – 18.00 Live raceday coverage
20.15 – 21.45 Highlights
(full listings www.britishsuperbike.com)

Superbike lap record
Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda, 1m 35.436s, 101.54mph (23 July 2006)

Flashback – Round 2, 4 May 2009
Race One
1 Leon Camier, Yamaha
2 Karl Harris, Honda
3 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki
Race Two
1 Leon Camier, Yamaha
2 Karl Harris, Honda
3 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki