Double top for Checa
 It
was a day of celebration for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda
team as Carlos Checa scooped the double victory at the sixth
round of the HANNspree Superbike World Championship at Salt
Lake City, USA today. It has been four years since the Superbike
contingent has visited America.
Thirty-five-year-old Checa signalled his intent to score
a good result at the Utah circuit by setting a blistering
1’48.193 lap on Saturday to clinch his first pole position
ahead of Sunday’s 20 and 21-lap Superbike races.
After a poor start from the grid in race one, Checa was back
at the front of the pack by the fourth lap, and at half race
distance had pulled out an impressive 3.667-second advantage
on second placed Max Neukirchner. The experienced Spaniard
then maintained his consistent riding style for the remainder
of race distance to take his maiden World Superbike victory.
It was a similar story for Checa in the second race as another
poor start initially hindered his progress from the grid.
However, sheer determination enabled him to slot his HANNspree
Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade into fifth position by
the second lap and then lead the rest of the field by lap
eight. In a case of history repeating itself, Checa then maintained
his lead for the remainder of the 21-lap race to score his
second victory of the day.
Meanwhile it had been a day of improvements for Checa’s
HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari. The young
Japanese rider began the day’s races from the fifth
row of the grid, but managed to score tenth and seventh place
finishes in races one and two respectively.
The third HANNspree Ten Kate Honda rider Kenan Sofuoglu also
enjoyed a positive day at Salt Lake City with 12th and 14th
place finishes. HANNspree Honda Althea’s Roberto Rolfo
returned to racing at the American event after breaking his
collarbone and scored 20th and 16th place finishes this weekend.
It had been a disappointing day for current championship
leader Troy Bayliss. The Australian crashed out of the first
race on lap five and retired from the second leg with technical
problems so was unable to add to his overall points tally.
Second placed Checa is now just 28 points adrift of the top
spot.
Race one result
1 C. Checa
2 T. Corser +2.809
3 M. Fabrizio +6.646
4 M. Neukirchner +7.764
5 F. Nieto +16.475
6 J. Smrz +17.126
7 K. Muggeridge +17.294
8 Y. Kagayama +17.416
9 M. Biaggi +18.117
10 R. Kiyonari +20.467
12 K. Sofuoglu +27.633
20 R. Rolfo +54.195
Race two result
1 C. Checa
2 M. Neukirchner +3.547
3 M. Fabrizio +6.613
4 M. Biaggi +7.878
5 Y. Kagayama +10.568
6 N. Haga +11.539
7 R. Kiyonari +18.381
8 F. Nieto +20.646
9 R. Laconi +21.264
10 L. Lanzi +24.863
14 K. Sofuoglu +42.816
16 R. Rolfo +50.220
Standings after round six
1 T. Bayliss 194
2 C. Checa 166
3 M. Neukirchner 144
4 F. Nieto 126
5 N. Haga 122
6 T. Corser 121
7 R. Xaus 92
8 M. Fabrizio 87
9 M. Biaggi 85
10 R. Kiyonari 80
16 K. Sofuoglu 32
19 R. Rolfo 20
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