FIM Superbike World Championship Miller Motorsports Park Tooele, Utah June 1, 2008 Race Two Results (3.048-mile Outer Course, all on Pirelli tires): 1. Carlos Checa (Hon CBR1000RR), 21 laps, 38:44.105 2. Max Neukirchner (Suz GSX-R1000), -3.547 seconds 3. Michael Fabrizio (Duc 1098 F08), -6.613 4. Max Biaggi (Duc 1098 RS08), -7.878 5. Yukio Kagayama (Suz GSX-R1000), -10.568 6. Noriyuki Haga (Yam YZF-R1), -11.539 7. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hon CBR1000RR), -18.381 8. Fonsi Nieto (Suz GSX-R1000), -20.646 9. Regis Laconi (Kaw ZX-10R), -21.264 10. Lorenzo Lanzi (Duc 1098 RS08), -24.863 11. Karl Muggeridge (Hon CBR1000RR), -25.672 12. Ayrton Badovini (Kaw ZX-10R), -31.711 13. Makoto Tamada (Kaw ZX-10R), -35.628 14. Kenan Sofuoglu (Hon CBR1000RR), -42.816 15. Gregorio Lavilla (Hon CBR1000RR), -45.034 16. Roberto Rolfo (Hon CBR1000RR), -50.220 17. Sebastien Gimbert (Yam YZF-R1), -50.653 18. Jason Pridmore (Hon CBR1000RR), -51.188 19. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Kaw ZX-10R), -64.533 20. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), -72.049 21. Loic Napoleone (Yam YZF-R1), -79.221 22. Troy Bayliss (Duc 1098 F08), -2 laps 23. Troy Corser (Yam YZF-R1), -5 laps, DNF, crash 24. Shuhei Aoyama (Hon CBR1000RR), -7 laps, DNF, mechanical 25. Shinichi Nakatomi (Yam YZF-R1), -8 laps, DNF 26. Ruben Xaus (Duc 1098 RS08), -16 laps, DNF 27. Russel Holland (Hon CBR1000RR), -20 laps, DNF 28. Jakub Smrz (Duc 1098 RS08), -17 laps, DQ * * Disqualified for exit when pit lane was already closed. FIM Superbike World Championship Point Standings (After 12 of 28 races): 1. Bayliss, 194 2. Carlos Checa, 166 3. Neukirchner, 144 4. Nieto, 126 5. Haga, 122 6. Corser, 121 7. Xaus, 92 8. Fabrizio, 87 9. Biaggi, 85 10. Kiyonari, 80 11. Kagayama, 73 12. Lavilla, 63 13. Lanzi, 60 14. Smrz, 51 15. Muggeridge, 49 16. Sofuoglu, 32 17. Tamada, 31 18. Laconi, 28 19. Rolfo, 20 20. Nakatomi, 16 From a press release issued by FG Sport Group: Statement from Mr. Paolo Flammini, FGSport CEO “On behalf of FGSport, I’d like to congratulate everyone from Miller Motorsports Park for the commitment and the professionalism shown during the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship, StriVectin-SD USA Round. “The efforts put into place by Mr. Larry Miller have produced a wonderful facility which has been highly appreciated by all the WSBK riders, teams and FIM offi cials. “Finally I’d like to sincerely thank the Governor of the State of Utah, Mr. Jon Huntsman Jr., for his invaluable support, as well as the title sponsor of the event, StriVectin-SD, for having trusted our organisation and having provided signifi cant resources for the return of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship to the United States of America.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner continued his good run of form with a hard-fought fourth place in race one at the Miller Motorsports Park today before following it up runner-up spot in race two. He was at the forefront in both races; had to give way to Carlos Checa (Honda) both times; but knows that his next victory is only a matter of time. Troy Corser (Yamaha) and Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) were second and third in race one and Fabrizio again took third spot in race two behind Checa and the Alstare Suzuki rider. Team Suzuki Alstare riders Fonsi Nieto and Yukio Kagayama finished fifth and eighth respectively in race one and then reversed the positions in race two. Series leader Troy Bayliss had a day to forget – he crashed out of race one and finished out of the points in race two after being forced to pit and have his gearlever repaired. Max Neukirchner – Race 1: 4th, Race 2: 2nd: “I’m very happy today, but I am destroyed! It’s been a hot, long, hard day and the races were very tough. Early in race one, Biaggi braked too late for the first turn and I had to change direction which cost me some time and places. I was also very close to Bayliss when he crashed and I think I’m lucky not to hit him or his bike. I soon settled into a rhythm and began to charge again, but in the latter part of the race I had some front tyre problems and I couldn’t attack the leaders as I wanted. We changed the bike a little for race two, because I had been having some problems entering the turns in the first race and the bike was better, but Checa got away again and was too far ahead to catch. Considering the problems we had at the start of the weekend, I am happy. I have the best team in the paddock: They worked so hard for me and I want to thank them for these good results” Fonsi Nieto- Race 1: 5th, Race 2: 8th: “Race one was not so bad and, to get fifth, considering that I had to start from the fourth row of the grid, was quite good. Also, when Haga crashed, I had to go off the track to avoid hitting him and because of that. I lost time and positions. After that, I really had to work hard to get back into the top six. I used the same bike in race two, but we made some small adjustments to the front forks and the feeling was better, especially on the brakes and into the turns. However, it came with a little loss of traction. I didn’t get a good start and later I had trouble with Laconi, who made me go wide a few times. Funnily enough, my last lap in the race was the fastest! Today, I gained a place in the championship, but I know we can do a lot better.” Yukio Kagayama – Race 1: 8th, Race 2: 5th: “My start in the first race was not so good and I couldn’t slipstream anybody going into the first turn because there was not enough space to do it. I was 15th at the end of lap one and had to do a lot of work on the brakes to catch the leaders again. It was not so good towards the end because the tyres were worn out, but I tried my best. I wasn’t happy with eighth position and knew it should be better. “In race two I changed to a softer front tyre and the feeling was improved and I was able to use the brakes better. It took me a little while to understand how my bike was performing and after 10 laps I had a good rhythm and was running consistent times. At Miller, it seems that the grip level doesn’t change with temperature variations and the grip at the end was good enough for me to set my fastest lap on the last lap! One lap before the end, I overtook Nori. I knew he was riding with a broken collarbone, and was probably in pain, but I also knew I had to pass him. As I went past, I said ‘Sorry, Nori.’ I felt bad, but I know, that if the circumstances were reversed, he would’ve done the same!” More, from a press release issued by Honda: CHECA TAKES HIS FIRST AND HONDA’S 100TH WSB RACE WINS Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) scored his first ever World Superbike Championship race win at the all-new WSB venue of Miller Motorsports Park in America, and then followed it up with an even more impressive second victory in race two, taking Honda to 100 wins in this category of racing. Checa had won his first career Superpole on Saturday, with a new track best of 1’48.193, but after an indifferent start to the first race he took the lead on lap four and was never headed from then on. The supposed 21-lap race actually ran to 20 laps, after the start was delayed for a few minutes, but Checa kept his nerve after two of his main rivals, Troy Bayliss and Noriyuki Haga, crashed out of contention in separate incidents. Checa himself had crashed in qualifying, but overcame his bumps and bruises to reassert his championship threat once more. In the second race Checa hit the front on lap nine, and eased away to record a margin of victory of 3.5 seconds, easing up at the finish to take a maximum 50 points for his day’s work. Checa is now the clear challenger to long time leader Bayliss, who scored no points today, after one crash and one technical retirement. Bayliss has an unchanged 194 points to Checa’s 166, a difference of 28 points, with more than half a season left to run. Checa’s race one success was Honda’s first race win with the 2008 model CBR1000RR Fireblade, and both Karl Muggeridge (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) in seventh and Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) in tenth joined Checa in the upper regions of the results pages in the opener. In race two Kiyonari was seventh, and he now sits tenth in the championship, on 80 points. Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Jnr CBR1000RR) qualified a disappointed 25th in his comeback ride, but went 12th in race one, 14th in race two. Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Althea Honda CBR1000RR) rode injured at Miller, and finished race one 20th, race two 16th and remains on 20 points. He thought he would be more than fit to ride before practice, but he qualified only 28th overall after suffering great pain from his injured shoulder and arm. Gregorio Lavilla (Vent Axia VK Honda CBR1000RR) recovered from a tough qualifying weekend, in which he was only 23rd, to record 13th in race one and then score another point for 15th in race two. He is now 12th, on 63 points. Russell Holland (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) scored a point in race one after just missing out on Superpole by only one place. In race two he was forced to retire in the pits. Muggeridge went 11th in race two and is now 15th overall. Luca Morelli was released from his contract with the Alto Evolution Honda team shortly before the start of the WSB race weekend in America and experienced American rider Jason Pridmore is his replacement. Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR rider Shuhei Aoyama was as high as tenth in race one, but retired on lap 15, and was also forced out of race two. Pridmore had two eventful races, in 21st and 18th places at the end. Checa said: “It’s been fantastic to take a double win here in the USA. Just at the start of the first race I had some problems with my number one bike and had to use the second one. I felt I had a good start, but then saw the other riders in front of me I knew I had to work hard. When I saw Neukirchner in front I knew I could overtake him and take the lead. In the beginning it was difficult to make a gap, but then I made enough ground. It then was more difficult to control my mind than control the tyre. At the end of the race Corser was catching up and I had to concentrate and improve my pace. The last time I won a race was ten years ago and these are my first wins outside Spain. I would like to dedicate them to my friend Wayne Rainey.” Kiyonari said: “I had a good start in race one, but my first laps were too slow and I dropped back in the field. I did chase the front-runners and managed to gain some ground but it wasn’t enough for a good result. For the second race we changed the front tyre and we tried a different setting. Again I had a good start and I worked hard to make my way forward, but in the last laps I lost the grip from my front tyre and I couldn’t push any further.” Sofuoglu said: “It has been a hard weekend for me. I made a good start in race one, and made a big step forward from my 25th position on the grid to 9th spot in less than six laps. But then I lost my strength and concentration and I dropped back. I gained few points in the two races today but have learned a lot. I hope things will work better in the next race.” Rolfo said: “Race two was really better than the first one. I want to thank the Clinica Mobile doctors because I had a very effective treatment from them and I felt less pain. I did not start as well as in race one, but I found a good rhythm also because I rode the bike using my legs more than my arms. My Honda was really fast today and the team has worked extremely hard. I’d like to thank them for their help this weekend.” Aoyama said: “We are happier now with everything. This weekend we got a lot of improvements in the machine and we got a good amount of track time. We were in Superpole and did OK before the race. Today we had some problems with the technical package but this is racing. We have made big steps.” Pridmore said: “I got run off by another rider on turn one, then I ran of at turn five and that put me back more in race one. It was a big effort to catch back up. We only finished six seconds from 15th and that wasn’t bad considering I was off the track twice.” The next race, at which the World Supersport Championship returns to the SBK calendar, is at the Nürburgring, Germany, on Sunday June 15. More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: FABRIZIO STEPS UP TO THE PODIUM IN BOTH OF TODAY’S SUPERBIKE RACES AT MILLER MOTORSPORTS PARK Miller – Salt Lake City (USA) Sunday 1st June: Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) proves that he has taken a liking to America and the Miller Motorsports Park circuit, scoring two third place finishes here today in impressive style on board his Ducati 1098 F08 machine. A less than perfect start in both of this afternoon’s races failed to deter the young Italian rider and he powered his way through the field in Race 1 and again in Race 2 to eventually earn third place finishes in both. Unfortunately the day was not so lucky for fellow Ducati Xerox rider Troy Bayliss who failed to finish Race 1 and completed Race 2 in 22nd position after a technical problem. Troy Bayliss still leads the championship with 194 points while Michel Fabrizio gains 32 points at Miller today, moving him up to eighth place in the riders classification with 87 points. Troy Bayliss (Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – 22nd) Having made a blistering start to both Race 1 and Race 2, Bayliss unfortunately came off during lap four of the first race and then suffered a technical problem with his 1098 F08’s gear lever during the second. “I am really disappointed with today’s results of course. In race 1 I crashed in a similar way to how I went down yesterday, which was a bit strange. Having said that, my weekend had been going ok until Race 1 and I was feeling pretty positive ahead of Race 2. Although I got a good start, after a few laps something came loose with the gear shifter so I had to come in. We sorted it quickly enough that I thought I might as well go out and ride, even if it was impossible to get points. I was going well out there but I was too far behind to make up any places. It goes without saying that after all our hard work this weekend I’m really disappointed that we’ve given away 50 championship points in one weekend.” Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 – 3rd, Race 2 – 3rd) In Race 1 Michel found himself going from fourth place on the grid down to fourteenth place before making an exceptional comeback to finish the race on the podium, in third place. Race 2 was almost an exact replica, as Michel once again dropped back to twelfth position before battling back to take an impressive third place on the podium for the second time today. “Obviously I am extremely happy with today’s results. In Race 1 I had a gear problem on the start-line which caused a race restart but thanks to the great work of my team I was able to start (the restarted Race 1) without incident. On the first lap I went right down to fourteenth position but worked my way up the field, stayed calm and was very satisfied to take third. In Race 2 I again had to make up a lot of positions and although I’m happy with third, I was hoping to be able to give Carlos more of a run for his money. It was hard work today, the heat and altitude here makes it a really physical challenge, and the last laps of both races were a struggle.” More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Checa rockets to double win at Miller Motorsports Park HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Carlos Checa posted a superb performance today in the first Superbike race at the Miller circuit, where he claimed his first ever World Superbike win. After a pole position start, Checa came through turn one in fifth spot but quickly gained ground and took the lead over the line on lap 4. He managed to breakaway from his followers and claimed his first ever SBK victory 2.8 seconds ahead of number two, Troy Corser. With his victory Checa secured the 99th win in the Superbike World Championship for manufacturer Honda. In the second race, Checa managed to repeat his earlier performance in another blistering race. After coming through turn one in 8th place he tenaciously chased the field forward and took second after some close action racing with Bayliss, before taking the lead from Neukirchner. With the double win in his best race weekend so far, Checa also secured Honda’s 100th World Superbike win. Checa remains second in the Championship standings and has narrowed the gap with series leader Bayliss. Teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari claimed a 10th spot in race 1, while Kenan Sofuoglu followed suit and took 12th. Kiyonari improved his results in the second race and took 7th with Sofuoglu taking 14th. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager; “While traveling to America we were reminiscing about the last time we raced here in Laguna Seca and took the double with Chris Vermeulen. We jokingly said no one has beaten us on American soil yet and today that joke proved real.” “Carlos was out of the box quickly the whole weekend. The CBR1000RR Fireblade was working well on this new track and the track data supplied by Honda America certainly gave us an advantage in making the right choice in tires.” “We changed the bike for the second race which enabled Carlos to record ’49’s and control the best part of the race. The mechanics have worked hard over the last months to make this happen, but its good to be up there winning again.” Carlos Checa, Race 1 1st, Race 2 1st; “What a fantastic moment, first the Superpole win and now this race. Just at the start of the race I had some problems with my number one bike and had to the other one. I think I had a good start, but then saw the other riders in front of me I knew I had to work hard.” “When I saw Neukirchner in front I knew I could overtake him and take the lead. In the beginning it was difficult to make a gap, but I managed to make enough ground. It then was more difficult to control my mind then control the tire. At the end of the race Corser was catching up on me and I had to stay focused and improve my pace.” “It’s been a fantastic moment to take a double win here in the USA. The last time I won a race was ten years ago these are my first wins outside my homeland Spain and I would like to dedicate them to my friend Wayne Rainey. I want to thank the team and the sponsors for the opportunity they gave me to prove my talent and determination. I now have the taste for victory. I hope we can continue working the way we did today.” Ryuichi Kiyonari, Race 1 10th, Race 2 7th; “I had a good start in race 1, but my first laps were too slow and I dropped back in the field. I did chase the front runners and managed to gain some ground but is wasn’t enough for a good result.” “For the second race we changed the front tire and we tried e different setting. Again I had a good start and I worked hard to make my way forward, but the last laps I lost the grip in my front tire and I couldn’t push any further.” “I have been disappointed with my results this weekend after my last race in Monza. I’ve made some mistakes and am eager to improve my results in the next round.” Kenan Sofuoglu, Race 1 12th, Race 2 14th; “It has been a hard weekend for me. I made a good start in race one, and made a big step forward from my 25th position on the grid to 9th spot in less then 6 laps. But then I lost my strength and concentration and dropped back.” “I gained little points in the two race today but have learned a lot. I hope things will work better in the next race.” More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Racing: 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.