CARL Fogarty looks the part going into round eight of the World Superbike Series - after new features on his Ducati put him back in the championship race.

The Blackburn bike ace used a host of power boosting new parts to bag a much needed 40 point haul with two second places in the last round at Kyalami, writes ANDY NEILD.

And with his three main title rivals Troy Corser, Aaron Slight and Colin Edwards all slipping up he is now just seven points adrift of new championship leader Slight.

Fogarty's Ducati factory team had not expected to get the go-ahead from WSB bosses to use the new revised bits - which include a tweaked frame and an air intake system - until this weekend's races at Laguna Seca.

But, when they arrived early in South Africa, the Italian team were given the nod in time to use them in round seven. It seemed to do the trick as Fogarty stormed into the lead in race one and led for 23 of the 25 laps before being over hauled by Pier-Francesco Chili when his rear tyre lost grip.

And in race two he had an epic scrap with Yamaha's Noriyuki Haga, eventually pipping him for second behind Chili. "That was a really good result," said Fogarty, now third in the championship on 203 points and who enjoyed two second placed finishes at Laguna last year.

"I can breathe a lot easier now.

"This could be the turning point in my season.

"The bike felt really quick and able to keep up the pace.

"These next two tracks (Laguna and Brands Hatch) are going to be crucial because they are very similar and rider demanding."

Meanwhile, Kawasaki's Neil Hodgson is confident he can bounce back from his South African nightmare with a podium finish - because Laguna is his favourite track in the world.

The Burnley ace's hopes were dashed by a freak double cam failure at Kyalami which prevented him from finishing either race.

He had been pushing hard for fourth place in race two, beating his best lap times in the process, before technical problems robbed him of glory. But he's hoping for better luck at the California circuit, the scene of his best ever World Superbike result when he finished third on a factory Ducati in 1996 - his only podium appearance so far.

"I look forward to America every year - it's the best meeting by far," said Hodgson. "I love the people and my chief mechanic is American so it will be a special event for our crew.

"My confidence is high at the moment after Kyalami. Although I was forced to retire from both races, my lap times were good and I was able to run with the leaders."

Hodgson's double retirement saw him slip out of the top 10 in the championship.

But despite his problems he is refusing to let any pressure get him down.

"I have had a challenging year to date, and to be honest, I am looking to improve my performances and get some results under my belt.

"But my preparations for this race have been good.

"I have been training well between events and I can guarantee that I will be trying hard to prove a point this weekend."

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