eni FIM Superbike World Championship
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, California, USA
July 19, 2015
Race One Results (all on Pirelli tires):
1. Chaz DAVIES, UK (Ducati Panigale R), 25 laps, 35:15.693
2. Tom SYKES, UK (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -1.798 seconds
3. Jonathan REA, UK (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -2.107
4. Davide GIUGLIANO, Italy (Ducati Panigale R), -15.954
5. Jordi TORRES, Spain (Aprilia RSV4 RF), -19.661
6. Alex LOWES, UK (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -24.431
7. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (Honda CBR1000RR SP), -26.971
8. Michael VD MARK, Netherlands (Honda CBR1000RR SP), -35.428
9. Leandro MERCADO, Argentina (Ducati Panigale R), -41.261
10. Leon CAMIER, UK (MV Agusta F4 RR), -44.383
11. Randy DE PUNIET, France (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -52.748
12. Roman RAMOS, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -54.906
13. Leon HASLAM, UK (Aprilia RSV4 RF), -78.150
14. Christian PONSSON, France (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -80.220
15. Gianluca VIZZIELLO, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -1 lap
16. Imre TOTH, Hungary (BMW S1000RR), -1 lap
17. David SALOM, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -1 lap, DNF, mechanical
18. Santiago BARRAGÁN, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -6 laps, DNF, mechanical
19. Gabor RIZMAYER, Hungary (BMW S1000RR), -11 laps, DNF, crash
20. Ayrton BADOVINI, Italy (BMW S1000RR), -22 laps, DNF, retired
21. Matteo BAIOCCO, Italy (Ducati Panigale R), -25 laps, DNF, crashed twice
22. Niccolo CANEPA, Italy (Ducati Panigale R), -25 laps, DNF, mechanical
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WSBK Press Office:
Chaz Davies leaves nothing to chance and wins Race 1 at Laguna
Sykes edges out Rea for second place as Giugliano and Torres complete top 5.
Chaz Davies has won the opening race of the day at Laguna Seca after a lights-to-flag display that saw the British rider take the win by 1.798secs at the line.
After several days of sunshine on the Central Coast of California, raceday at Laguna Seca for the GEICO Motorcycle US Round, the ninth of the 2015 eni FIM Superbike World Championship season dawned with thunder and rain greeting the WorldSBK riders.
A wet warm-up saw the riders take to the track for the first time with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) fastest in the tricky conditions but thankfully by the time race 1 was scheduled to start the sun was shining again and the track had started to dry.
Davies made the perfect start, taking the hole shot before opening up a 1.6secs lead at the end of lap 5. Despite the Kawasaki pairing of Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea giving chase they were unable to reel in the Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider who romped to the victory, his sixth career-win and the second-ever for the Panigale R machine.
At the flag and after a tense, race-long duel second and third went to Sykes and Rea, respectively, the pair pushing each other to limit throughout the whole encounter. Rea’s third place is ironically his ‘worst’ result of the season.
Davide Giugiano (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) finished a lonely fourth after regrouping from a poor start, the Italian who started on the front row eventually getting the better of Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) after spending a significant amount of laps trying to pass the Spaniard.
Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) inherited sixth after Leon Haslam fell off his Aprilia on lap 21, while reigning Champion Sylvain Guintoli powered the Pata Honda to seventh ahead of his team mate and reigning World Supersport champion Michael van der Mark.
Leandro Mercado impressed in ninth aboard the Barni Racing Ducati, the Argentine rider recovering from a huge crash earlier in the weekend.
Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) rode to a solid tenth place finish, with Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven) completing the top 12.
Leon Haslam scored three points after nursing the Aprilia to the finish ahead of youngest rider in the field Christophe Ponsson (Team Pedercini). Gianluca Vizziello (Grillini Racing) scored his first WorldSBK point with 15th.
Althea Racing had a difficult race with both Niccolò Canepa and Matteo Baiocco suffering technical problems at the start.