Racing: Martin chasing world title at Bol'dor
On the cusp of endurance gloryAustralia could have its 14th road racing world champion by this Sunday - Steve Martin.
Alongside fellow Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) regulars Igor Jerman and Gwen Giabbani, the former South Australian has dominated this year's world endurance title, blitzing the opening three rounds before an excellent fourth place in the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hour in Japan.
However, the three teams which finished on the podium at Suzuka were not world endurance regulars, so the delightfully named YART equip heads into this weekend's penultimate round, the Bol'dor 24-hour at Magny-Cours in France, with a massive 64pt lead over the RT Suzuki team, with Amadeus (Yamaha) in third.
To that end, a solid result in France will see Martin, who also moonlights as a world superbike commentator these days, become Australia's third world endurance champion, following in the footsteps of Peter Goddard (1997) and Warwick Nowland (2000/2002). He'll also be Australia's 14th world champion across all road racing classes.
Fifty-three teams will compete at Magny-Cours, including the previously all-conquering Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT), whose absence in 2009 has allowed YART to take on the front-running role.
Vincent Philippe, world supersport rider Barry Veneman and Olivier Four will ride for SERT, with Aussie siblings, Alex and the upwardly mobile Damian (he competed in last weekend's final AMA round) again riding for Phase One Yamaha.
The two SERT teams finished 1-2 in the 2008 Bol'dor, with YART in third.
The final round of the championship will be held in Qatar on November 14.
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