MOTORCYCLING; Fogarty a record attraction

THE SUPERBIKE world champion, Carl Fogarty, will draw British bikers to Brands Hatch in unprecedented numbers for the championship's ninth European round on Sunday.

The turn-out last year was 82,000 - believed to be the biggest attendance at a motorcycle race on mainland Britain - but Nicola Foulston, the chief executive of Brands Hatch Leisure, said 1999 would beat that. "We are expecting in excess of 100,000 people," Foulston said yesterday. "Advance booking has already outstripped our actual attendance for last year."

Fogarty, the most successful racer in 11 years of the Superbike championship with three world titles and 56 race wins, is the centre of attention again with a 49-point lead over his Australian team-mate, Troy Corser.

The pressure is not getting to Fogarty, however, who is showing his customary coolness. "When you're leading with the points I have, you think `don't push too hard, don't do anything too stupid'. Given the option I want to be in front," he said.