Blackstock/Rosney take eighteen-point lead to Brands 22-24 July

Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney head for Kent with a sizeable series lead over Sam and Tom Christie after double victory in Scotland on the DHR/Express Tyres Services Yamaha. This is the first time they have found themselves in this position and will be very keen to preserve the margin against all odds.

It will not be an easy task, as FIM World Championship leaders Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement are fresh from Croatia and will be aiming to double their current tally of British points for the Santander Salt Yamaha team.

We have yet to see Ben and Tom Birchall in action this year, but they are entered at Brands Hatch hoping to open their score in style, along with Birchall Racing team-mates Craig Currie and Justin Sharpe. Both crews have had a slow start to the domestic scene having focussed on a successful Isle of Man TT.

Sam and Tom Christie (CES Yamaha) sit second in the title chase twenty-two points ahead of Ellis/Clement who claimed a maximum fifty points in the opening Oulton Park round. The Christie brothers from Beverley were also in World action recently in Croatia and are currently in top form, so they will expect to be in the big numbers.

George Holden and Oscar Lawrence are fourth in the table after two podiums in Knockhill and will be rueing their DNF in the opening race of the season at Oulton Park. But for that, they would almost certainly be ahead of Ellis coming here to Kent.

The full entry list is still taking shape as I write, and there might well be one or two surprises.

The Grand Prix circuit at Brands is very popular with the sidecar crews, and Pilgrims Drop is the fastest part of the lap. With one race on Saturday and another Sunday, there are fifty points up for grabs for the double win. Will there be any takers? One thing you can be sure of is there will be no shortage of teams trying their luck.

Eurosport are providing their usual live coverage, with our regular highlights package available later on www.britishsidecarchampionship.co.uk. Make sure you stay across all the action as it happens, or better still, find your way to Brands Hatch for a summer festival of racing.

Photo credits: Jenny “Triker” Wells