Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Edwards masters the wet at Monza

By Glenn LeSanto

Colin Edwards on the Castrol Honda VTR looked smooth and in control in wet conditions at Monza for the final Superbike qualifying.

With the track wet from an earlier rain shower and light drizzle continuing to fall during the session, no riders could better Neil Hodgson’s pole time set on Friday in the dry.

Troy Bayliss was second fastest in the wet on his Infostrada Ducati, with Chili a surprise third, despite still nursing his shoulder injury from Kyalami. Chris Walker took fourth fastest in front of his former British Superbike rival Hodgson.

Benefiting from the wet conditions was Peter Goddard on the Benelli Tornado who finished the wet session in eighth, behind Haga, sixth and
Xaus, seventh.

The weather is forecast to be changeable for the rest of the weekend, if Superpole is wet, the riders have 50 minutes to complete a maximum of
twelve laps with the fastest deciding their grid position. Because Xaus was unable to improve on his time from Friday, he didn’t make Superpole.

World Superbike
Monza
Second qualifying session

1. C.Edwards, USA, Honda, 1:56.394
2. T.Bayliss, AUS, Ducati, 1:56.426
3. P.Chili, ITA, Ducati, 1:56.696
4. C.Walker, GBR, Kawasaki, 1:56.717
5. N.Hodgson, GBR, Ducati, 1:57.401
6. N.Haga, JPN, Aprilia, 1:58.533
7. R.Xaus, ESP, Ducati, 1’59.135
8. P.Goddard, AUS, Benelli, 2:00.055
9. J.Toseland, GBR, Ducati, 2:00.561
10. B.Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 2:00.981

Superpole entry list (Friday’s qualifying times)
1. N.Hodgson, GBR, Ducati, 1:48.282
2. C.Edwards, USA, Honda, 1:48.612
3. T.Bayliss, AUS, Ducati, 1:49.036
4. B.Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 1:49.052
5. P.Chili, ITA, Ducati, 1:49.082
6. J.Toseland, GBR, 1:49.335
7. C.Walker, GBR, Kawasaki, 1:49.671
8. G.Lavilla, ESP, Suzuki, 1:49.923
9. M.Borciani, ITA, Ducati, 1:50.127
10. E.Bostrom, USA, Kawasaki, 1:50.175
11. N.Haga, JPN, Aprilia, 1:50.271
12. J.Borja, ESP, Ducati, 1:50.279
13. S.Martin, AUS, Ducati, 1:50.434
14. L.Pedercini, ITA, Ducati, 1:50.459
15. A.Antonello, ITA, Ducati, 1:50.737
16. B.Parkes, AUS, Ducati, 1:50.737