Moving on up

10:22am Thursday 8th May 2008

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KINGSWINFORD'S Michael Rutter moved to within two points of second place in the British Superbikes Championship after another encouraging display at Oulton Park.

Rutter enjoyed fourth and seventh place finishes in the two races.

But his position in the second race could be improved by a spot if Leon Haslam loses a further appeal against his exclusion.

Rutter just missed out on qualifying on the front row when a late burst by Haslam in the final minute of the session pushed him back to fifth on the grid.

He improved on that by a spot in race one to come in 40 seconds behind the winner Shane Byrne.

In race two, Rutter was running in seventh, a lap down, when a four bike crash led to it being halted four laps before its scheduled finish.

Rutter, who had gone into the Oulton Park round of the Championship in third place, has slipped a spot to fourth.

But he is now just two points away from second placed Leon Camier although the gap between himself and leader Shayne Byrne has been extended to 40 points after he won both races at Oulton Park.

Rutter will return to action in round three at Brands Hatch on Sunday.