Checa wins race one in Utah

Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) won an eventful race one at Miller Motorsports Park, Utah. Leading an all-Ducati podium, Checa took first on the seventh lap and pulled away from the chasing pack, finishing the race with a 2.7s lead ahead of Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing team mates Jakub Smrz and Sylvain Guintoli, who finished in second and third place.

Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) took the holeshot to lead from the start, with Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) charging from ninth on the grid to take second, ahead of Checa. Within the first lap Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) fell foul of the damp conditions and crashed, taking Irishman Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) out of the race in the process.

Three laps in, Rubens Xaus (Castrol Honda) clipped an inside kerb, losing the front end of his Honda and subsequently crashing into Michel Fabrizio, ending race one for both riders.

Checa battled with Haga for second place, trading places several times before establishing a gap and passing Corser on the inside to take first place in lap seven. This move signalled the end of Corser’s podium chances as Haga, Guintoli and Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) followed Checa’s example, passing Corser. Guintoli then faced a battle with Laverty for second until Smrz upped the pace, passing Haga and then, in lap fourteen, Laverty. With three laps remaining, Smrz passed Guintoli taking second place and relegating Guintoli to third.

Aprilia Alitalia rider Leon Camier was able to pass Laverty to take fourth, whilst Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) managed to pass Haslam and Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) to finish in sixth place.

Having challenged for second, Noriyuki Haga ended the race in Utah in ninth, whilst Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team), who qualified third, took tenth place. Initial race leader Troy Corser finished the first race in thirteenth.

1. Checa C ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1’49.779
2. Smrz J CZE Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R +2.766    
3. Guintoli S FRA Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R +4.093    
4. Camier L GBRAprilia Alitalia Aprilia RSV4 Factory +8.885    
5. Laverty E IRL Yamaha World Superbike Team Yamaha YZF R1 +15.718    
6. Sykes T GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike Kawasaki ZX-10R +20.477    
7. Badovini A ITA BMW Motorrad Italia BMW S1000 RR +22.170    
8. Haslam L GBR BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR +22.267    
9. Haga N JPN PATA Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory +24.087    
10. Melandri M ITA Yamaha World Superbike Yamaha YZF R1  +27.150    
11. Berger M FRA Supersonic Racing Team Ducati 1098R +29.422    
12. Waters J AUS Suzuki GSX-R1000 +33.428    
13. Corser T AUS BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR +36.573    
14. Lascorz J ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R +1’05.369    
15. Toseland J GBR BMW Motorrad Italia BMW S1000 RR +1’14.382