Valencia World Superbikes: Carlos Checa takes top spot in second qualifying

Carlos Checa dislodged the dominant Suzuki pairing of Max Neukirchner and Yukio Kagayama to take provisional pole position in another fiercely contested qualifying session at Valencia this morning.

The Spanish Ten Kate Honda rider has been on the pace from the opening session setting consistently fast laps, but managed to show his outright speed in the final minutes to go fastest.

Neukirchner continued his impressive form, setting the pace early on and like Carlos Checa looks a real contender for tomorrows two races given his speed on race rubber.

Lorenzo Lanzi has always been fast at Valencia and today was no exception with the RG Ducati rider setting the third fastest time. It could have been even better with the Italian on target to go pole before crashing out unhurt in the final split.

Track specialist Troy Corser has been getting faster in every session and now looks capable of mounting a serious challenge onboard his Yamaha Italia R1 with the fourth quickest lap.

Alstare Suzuki men Yukio Kagayama and Fonsi Nieto secured fifth and sixth spot with Troy Bayliss half a second off the pace down in seventh.

Injured Max Biaggi managed to get into the top 16 and earn his place in this afternoons Superpole session with his best time coming on his penultimate lap.

The one hour long session was one of the closest in World Superbike history with the top 17 riders lapping within one second of provisional pole, meaning that although Gregorio Lavilla lapped just 0.963 seconds behind Checa he ended up 17th and didn’t even make it into Superpole.

 

Valencia World Superbikes second qualifying:

1 Carlos CHECA ESP Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR S1 1’35.042 S2 1’34.418
2 Max NEUKIRCHNER GER Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 S1 1’34.806 S2 1’34.546
3 Lorenzo LANZI ITA R.G. Team Ducati 1098 RS 08 S1 1’35.085 S2 1’34.587
4 Troy CORSER AUS Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha YZF-R1 S1 1’35.424 S2 1’34.607
5 Yukio KAGAYAMA JPN Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 S1 1’34.932 S2 1’34.762
6 Fonsi NIETO ESP Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 S1 1’35.766 S2 1’34.922
7 Troy BAYLISS AUS Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08 S1 1’35.060 S2 1’34.936
8 Michel FABRIZIO ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08 S1 1’35.080 S2 1’35.004
9 Ruben XAUS ESP Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08 S1 1’35.892 S2 1’35.008
10 Ryuichi KIYONARI JPN Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR S1 1’35.550 S2 1’35.148
11 Jakub SMRZ CZE Guandalini Racing by Grifo’s Ducati 1098 RS 08 S1 1’35.262 S2 1’35.193
12 Makoto TAMADA JPN Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R S1 1’35.598 S2 1’35.209
13 Regis LACONI FRA Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R S1 1’35.278 S2 1’35.874
14 Max BIAGGI ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08 S1 1’36.305 S2 1’35.304
15 Noriyuki HAGA JPN Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha YZF-R1 S1 1’35.548 S2 1’35.331
16 David CHECA ESP Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 Yamaha YZF-R1 S1 1’36.066 S2 1’35.380
17 Gregorio LAVILLA ESP Ventaxia VK Honda Honda CBR1000RR S1 1’35.939 S2 1’35.381
18 Roberto ROLFO ITA Hannspree Honda Althea Honda CBR1000RR S1 1’35.756 S2 1’35.521
19 Karl MUGGERIDGE AUS D.F. Racing Honda CBR1000RR S1 1’35.634 S2 1’35.597
20 Russel HOLLAND AUS D.F. Racing – Bertocchi Honda CBR1000RR S1 1’36.150 S2 1’35.692
21 Shinichi NAKATOMI JPN YZF Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 S1 1’36.088 S2 1’35.703
22 Sebastien GIMBERT FRA Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 Yamaha YZF-R1 S1 1’35.766
23 S. FUERTES ESP Team Suzuki Motorrad Suzuki GSX-R1000 S1 1’36.711 S2 1’35.862
24 Kenan SOFUOGLU TUR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Jr.Honda CBR1000RR S1 1’36.268 S2 1’35.911
25 C. MORALES ESP L’Oreal Men Expert Laglisse Yamaha YZF-R1 S1 1’36.070 S2 1’36.128
26 D. LOZANO ORTIZ ESP Honda Joe Darcey Honda CBR1000RR S1 1’37.381 S2 1’36.453
27 Ayrton BADOVINI ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R S1 1’36.749 S2 1’36.596
28 Shuhei AOYAMA JPN Alto Evolution Honda SuperbikeHonda CBR1000RR S1 1’37.958 S2 1’36.618
29 Luca MORELLI ITA Alto Evolution Honda SuperbikeHonda CBR1000RR S1 1’37.660 S2 1’37.283
30 Loic NAPOLEONE FRA Grillini PBR Team Yamaha YZF-R1 S1 1’37.288 S2 1’37.343