From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

SUZUKI WINS S.A. SUPERBIKE TITLE

Hudson Kennaugh has clinched the South African Superbike championship with six races still to run.

Kennaugh, who will represent his country at the GSX-R World Cup in America on October 17th, lifted the title at the East London round at the weekend and with three events and six races remaining, is unbeatable. He leads by 121 points with 120 still available after having won 13 of this year’s races on his GSX-R1000 and finishing second in one.

Cell C Suzuki racer Kennaugh also set the quickest two-wheeler lap time in the history of the East London circuit. He gave notice of his winning intentions during Saturday morning’s Official Qualifying session when he planted the GSX-R1000 solidly on pole position. Joining him on the front row of the starting grid were his Cell C Suzuki team mate Trevor Crookes, Stewart MacLeod (Arlen Ness Kawasaki) and outgoing South African Superbike Champion Russell Wood on his Autopage Cellular Yamaha.

As has become his trademark this season, Kennaugh won the day’s opening race with authority leading from flag to flag. Crookes had a terrible start and dropped to the back of the field leaving MacLeod and Wood to contest the second place. Wood’s challenge ended when he high-sided his machine in the pit corner on lap four, while MacLeod’s Kawasaki was slowed by tyre vibration from the fifth tour.

Knowing that he could clinch this year’s title in the second race, Kennaugh wasted no time in taking the lead at the start. This time he did not just disappear into the distance though – a determined Sheridan Morias rode his Honda out of its skin to harass Kennaugh all the way, but in the end the Honda’s tyres started to lose grip and Morias settled for second place ahead of his First Technology Honda team mates Shaun Whyte and Arushen Moodley.

The next round of the 2004 Radiator SA Superbike Championship will be held at the Free State Phakisa Raceway on Saturday, September 18.