NEWS

BSB BOSSES UNVEIL NEW "SHOWDOWN" SCORING FOR 2010

03/02/2010

The new system is designed to stop the likes of Camier clearing off into the middle distance

By David Miller
Image by Paul Sturman

Bosses at British Superbike owners Motorsport Vision have unveiled a new points system which will ensure the 2010 BSN Championship should go down to the wire in 2010.

The championship will be divided into two parts with the main season operating as usual up until the final three rounds when the top six will become "title fighters" and drop their two worst scores for races for which they have qualified and enter "the showdown".

Each title fighter will start the showdown with 500 points, plus additional points for each podium position they have obtained in the Main Season: 3 for a win, 2 for a second, and 1 for a third. These are termed Podium Credits. For example, a rider placed in the top six of the standings at the end of the main season who scored three wins, two seconds and a third would start the showdown phase with 514 points.

"The central concept of the new rule is that there should be a crescendo of competition towards the end of the championship to minimise the chances of anyone securing the title before the final event of the year," said Series Director Stuart Higgs.

"It was also critical that the method of achieving this should be absolutely fair to all competitors and simple to understand. A new format and points scoring system will virtually guarantee that the title will go down to the wire and create a new, thrilling spectacle for television and trackside audiences."

The standard points scoring format from the main season then continues for the showdown, with all points scores from the final seven races counting. All riders outside of the title fighters continue to race for the BSB Riders’ Cup, continuing to add to their points total from the end of the Main Season. This also applies to the new BSB EVO class.

Qualifying has also been tinkered with. The usual knockout system is still in place but the grid for race two will be made from laptimes after race one and similarly from race two to three at the triple headers.

"The new qualifying regulations are sensitive to riders who unfortunately suffer a crash or mechanical failure before the end of the first lap in race one," continued Higgs.

"Their bad fortune is not compounded further as the rider can line up for race two in their race one starting grid position plus eight penalty places, emphasising the necessity for a good initial qualifying position.

"As an example if the rider in pole position for race one crashed on the first lap and was unable to continue, he would start race two from position nine on the third row of the grid."