CARL Fogarty's bid for a third world title hit boiling point last Sunday as he won the first race and then crashed out of the second at Austria's A1-Ring.

The slip handed arch rival John Kocinski a six-point championship lead and set the scene for the biggest showdown the series has ever seen.

Both men now head for Holland a week on Sunday facing the race of their lives around the twisting Assen track.

More than 40,000 British fans are expected to make the crossing to see Foggy in action at the circuit he has made his own for the past four years. But he will face a huge challenge from American Kocinski on board the Honda Carl rode to victory there twice last season.

Kocinski is desperate to win to prove to Honda bosses that he's worthy of a place in their 500cc Grand Prix squad next year, and his RC45 is the perfect bike for the Dutch circuit.

Fogarty's Burnley team-mate, Neil Hodgson, has fallen out with his Ducati bosses. The youngster complained of a lack of support from the team after slumping to eighth in race one and crashing out of race two at the Ring. He told the Citizen: "I'm looking for a new ride next year - whether that's in WSB or Grand Prix. I can win races but I'm just too big for the Ducati. "I'd love to take over Kocinski's bike."

Darwen's Darren Barton came home in the points when he made his Grand Prix return at Donington Park. The 22-year-old stunned the paddock by bringing his private RCD Motorsport Honda home in 14th place - just one place behind the 13th spot he took on a full factory Aprilia last year. Barton defends his British championship lead at Cadwell Park on Monday.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.