In a repeat of 1996 Niall Mackenzie topped the standings again, backed up by his Yamaha teammate - this time Chris Walker. Both riders had the speed to win but, while Mackenzie was a consistent winner, Walker endured pain and hardship to prove himself a match for the reigning champion. A crash while leading at the second round cost him 25 points and broke both his ankles, but still didn't stop him winning just two weeks later at Snetterton. Walker even salvaged 11th place by remounting a wrecked bike after a final lap crash at Brands Hatch; his 2nd-place in the standings was hard-earned. Newly introduced for 1997, the Privateers Cup awarded additional points, prizes and press coverage to riders not fortunate enough to receive manufacturer support. Ray Stringer comfortably won this new class on an immaculately-prepared Kawasaki, and even scooped up Steve Hislop into his Sabre Airways team after Hislop's dismissal from Ducati.