This year's season-opening Interfile South African Motorcycle championship races at Kyalami produced sterling performances from both old and new heroes last Saturday (February 20). In the process, two new participating manufacturers also showed that they will be a force to be reckoned with.

The opening Superbike heat saw Lance Isaacs (Bikefin Honda Fireblade) on pole position, sharing the front row of the grid with Greg Gildenhuys (Honda SA Fireblade), Chris Leeson (Bikefin Honda Fireblade) and Sheridan Morais (Emtek Aprilia).

Isaacs blasted into the lead at the start of the race and hung on to win, after beating off a persistent challenge from reigning champion Morais on the all-new Aprilia. After Leeson's Honda slowed with handling maladies, Gildenhuys rode to a consistent third place.

Julian Odendaal (MS Aircon Suzuki), Nicholas Grobler (Jonway Honda) and Heinrich Rheeder (PTA North Yamaha) filled out the top six places. The second time around, Morais muscled his way to the front on the third lap and he stayed there to give Aprilia its first South African Superbike race victory.

Second, after chasing hard for the entire ten laps, was Isaacs, with Gildenhuys again taking the final podium place. Chris Leeson finished fourth, leading home Julian Odendaal and Dane Hellyer (Bikefin Honda Fireblade).

Sheridan Morais set the quickest lap times in both races. Meanwhile, youngster Charles Waterman took Honda's stock standard Development Fireblade to remarkable seventh and ninth places in the two races, respectively.

* Ronan Quarmby (Interfile Gallardo Yamaha) won both of the day's Interfile 600 Supersport races, but only after beating off various serious challenges. In the first race, he was harassed throughout by youngster Dean Vos (VTR Metals Kawasaki), who finished second and set the quickest lap time. Meanwhile Robert Portman took his new Emtek Triumph to the final podium place, first time out.

Steven Odendaal (MS Aircon Suzuki) took an impressive fourth place after scything through the field from the 18th starting position. He was followed over the finish line by Clinton Alberts (Kyalami Honda) and Brent Harran, on his Bikefin Honda. Portman initially led race two on the Triumph, but came together with Clinton Alberts' Honda in Clubhouse corner and both riders crashed out.

That left Ronan Quarmby to win from Dean Vos again, this time with Quarmby scoring the quickest lap. Bjorn Estment (NFB Financial Yamaha) finished third, ahead of Bikefin Honda's Brent Harran and Jacques Peskens, plus Dylan White (JW White Aluminium Yamaha).

The next round of the 2010 Interfile SA Motorcycle Championship will take place at the Western Cape Killarney circuit on Saturday, March 13.