USA World Superbikes: Carlos Checa wins again in race two

Carlos Checa has taken his second World Superbike victory and his second of the day at the Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City. 

The Spaniard, who started the race from pole position, did not have it all his own way from the beginning, but with further problems for Troy Bayliss and Troy Corser exiting from the running he took the win 3.547secs ahead of Alstare Suzuki’s Max Neukirchner.

Michel Fabrizio outshone Xerox Ducati team-mate again by taking the third place, as Troy Bayliss will be wanting to forget his last visit to America with the World Superbike paddock fairly rapidly.

Jakub Smrz had to start the race from the pit lane after he struggled to get his Ducati 1098 fired up for the green flag lap but there were no problems for the rest of the field as Troy Bayliss repeated his race one start to fly into the lead.

Behind Bayliss’ Xerox Ducati was his fellow countryman Troy Corser, and with only a few corners of the race complete Corser was past and into the lead.

Bayliss was once again to lose a place as the new kid on the block, Max Neukirchner, took his second place from him going into the last few corners of the opening lap.

On lap four Bayliss was ready to fight back and reclaimed second place as Jakub Smrz’s race was over as the black flag was held out for him to come into the pits and retired form the race.

Race one winner Carlos Checa was also on a charge to take fourth place and then sets himself up for a battle with the Troys. By lap six he was now through to second.

A sore looking Ruben Xaus came off his Ducati on lap seven and was forced to crawl slowly off the track as the drama continued and Xerox Ducati’s Bayliss then seemed to suffer a mechanical problem as he slowed right down and cruised back to the pits.

Bayliss’ problems were Max Biaggi’s fortune as he moved into the final podium spot.

At the beginning of lap nine race one winner Carlos Checa passed Max Neukirchner to take the lead but Alstare Suzuki’s Neukirchner was ready for a battle with the Spaniard as they tussled for the lead, while Troy Bayliss managed to rejoin the race two laps behind the leaders. Nearing the end of lap 10 and it looked like Hanspree Ten Kate Honda’s Checa was secure in the lead.

On lap 12 Noriyuki Haga, struggling with a broken collarbone, was gaining ground on third placed Biaggi and his Yamaha team-mate Corser.

On lap 15, with Checa now 2.762secs ahead of Neukirchner up the front, Corser was back up in a podium spot as he passed Biaggi on the Sterilgarda Ducati.

On lap 16 Biaggi made a mistake and ran wide which let Michel Fabrizio through to take his fourth place while Troy Corser lost the front of his Yamaha R1 to crash out. He tried to get the motorcycle restarted but couldn’t and so had to surrender his third place to Fabrizio, who was chasing his second podium of the day.

Checa was now 4.545secs ahead up the front with four laps left of the second race at the Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City. Fabrizio was though closing in on Neukirchner and had got the four second gap down to within three seconds.

But making his weekend perfect was Carlos Checa out front on the Hannspreee Ten Kate Honda to take his second win in the WSB championship and his second win of the day. And just as pleased with his performance was second placed Max Neukirchner with the leading pair now closing in on leader Troy Bayliss in the championship.

Salt Lake City World Superbikes race two results:

1 Carlos CHECA ESP Hannspree Ten Kate HondaHonda CBR1000RR
2 Max NEUKIRCHNER GER Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
3 Michel FABRIZIO ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08
4 Max BIAGGI ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08
5 Yukio KAGAYAMA JPN Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000
6 NoriyukiHAGA JPN Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha YZF-R1
7 Ryuichi KIYONARI JPN Hannspree Ten Kate HondaHonda CBR1000RR
8 Fonsi NIETO ESP Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000
9 R.egis LACONI FRA Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R
10 Lorenzo LANZI ITA R.G. Team Ducati 1098 RS 08
11 Karl MUGGERIDGE AUS D.F. Racing Honda CBR1000RR
12 A.ytrton BADOVINI ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R
13 Makoto TAMADA JPN Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R
14 Kenan SOFUOGLU TUR Hannspree Ten Kate HondaH Jor.nda CBR1000RR
15 Gregorio LAVILLA ESP Ventaxia VK Honda Honda CBR1000RR
16 Roberto ROLFO ITA Hannspree Honda Althea Honda CBR1000RR
17 Sebastien GIMBERT FRA Yamaha France Ipone GMTY 9a4maha YZF-R1
18 Justin PRIDMORE USA Alto Evolution Honda SuperbHiokenda CBR1000RR
19 Vittorio IANNUZZO ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R
20 Steve JENSEN USA On The Throttle.TV Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8
21 Loic NAPOLEONE FRA Grillini PBR Team Yamaha YZF-R1
22 Troy BAYLISS AUS Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08