USA World Superbikes: Carlos Checa takes maiden victory in opening race

Carlos Checa has continued his near perfect weekend by winning his first World Superbike race at the age of 35 at the Miller Motorsports Park in America.

The Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider, who broke the tack lap record and then secured his first pole position, took the victory in the opening race by 2.809secs from veteran Troy Corser.

Michel Fabrizio took the final podium spot with the Italian the only Xerox Ducati rider to finish the race after Troy Bayliss crashed out.

Bayliss got a storming start to take the lead heading for the first corner while pole man Carlos Checa was fourth.

Also getting good starts were Max Neukirchner on the Alstare Suzuki and veteran Max Biaggi on the Sterilgarda Ducati, but on lap two Neukirchner was already challenging championship leader Troy Bayliss for the lead and made his move stick.

At the end of lap two Checa was next to make a move on Bayliss as he slid through to take second place.

Neukirchner was first to set a fastest lap on the second circuit of the Miller Motorsports Park with a 1:58.255 and was 0.423secs ahead of Checa, but the Spaniard was battling hard to go for the lead on the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda.

And by lap three Checa was in the lead as Bayliss also regained a place to move up to second on the Xerox Ducati ahead of Neukirchner.

Kawasaki’s Regis Laconi crashed out of the race from seventh place but then both Bayliss and Haga, who was already riding with a broken collarbone, were also casualties on lap four as they both lost the front of their motorcycles.

This left Checa with a bit of a gap out front ahead of Neukirchner while Troy Corser now found himself within a shout of a podium place.

By the end of lap nine Checa was leading Neukirchner by 3.283secs. By lap 11 fourth placed Jakub Smrz realised he’d got the only Xerox Ducati left on the track in the shape of Michel Fabrizio behind him and closing in fast and on the following lap the Italian had passed the Guandalini Ducati rider.

On lap 14 Shuhei Ayama retired from the race from a good points scoring position, but the Alto Evolutioon Honda had experienced a mechanical problem.

With five laps left Troy Corser decided he’d had enough of following Max Neukirchner and shot past the German as he went slightly wide to take second place. And with Fabrizio still on the charge, Neukirchner was also at risk of losing his third place. And with just three laps left Fabrizio was determined to get a Xerox Ducati on the podium following Troy Bayliss’ earlier high-speed exit out of the race.

With just over a lap left Checa was 3.4secs ahead on the Honda CBR1000RR at the front ahead of Yamaha’s Troy Corser and this was enough to secure their places at the end of the 20 laps while Michel Fabrizio celebrated his first visit to America with a third.

After the race Carlos Checa said: It’s a fantastic moment, I’ve been looking for this moment for so long.

“Yesterday I had a problem with the first bike, but this was working well.

“I felt very comfortable at this track, maybe because it’s the first time everybody comes here so we’ve all started from the same base.”

Troy Bayliss still leads the championship on 194 points with Carlos Checa now on 141 whilst Troy Corser is third with 124 points.

Salt Lake City World Superbike race one results:

1 Carlos CHECA ESP Hannspree Ten Kate HondaHonda CBR1000RR
2 Troy CORSER AUS Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha YZF-R1
3 Michel FABRIZIO ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08
4 Max NEUKIRCHNER GER Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
5 Fonsi NIETO ESP Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000
6 Jakub SMRZ CZE Guandalini Racing by Grifo’sDucati 1098 RS 08
7 Karl MUGGERIDGE AUS D.F. Racing Honda CBR1000RR
8 Yukio KAGAYAMA JPN Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000
9 Max BIAGGI ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08
10 Ryuichi KIYONARI JPN Hannspree Ten Kate HondaHonda CBR1000RR
11 Lorenzo LANZI ITA R.G. Team Ducati 1098 RS 08
12 Kenan SOFUOGLU TUR Hannspree Ten Kate HondaH Jor.nda CBR1000RR
13 GregorioLAVILLA ESP Ventaxia VK Honda Honda CBR1000RR
14 Ruben XAUS ESP Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08
15 Russel HOLLAND AUS D.F. Racing – Bertocchi Honda CBR1000RR
16 Shinichi NAKATOMI JPN YZF Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1
17 Ayrton BADOVINI ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R
18 Sebastien GIMBERT FRA Yamaha France Ipone GMTY 9a4maha YZF-R1
19 Makoto TAMADA JPN Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R
20 Roberto ROLFO ITA Hannspree Honda Althea Honda CBR1000RR
21 Jason PRIDMORE USA Alto Evolution Honda SuperbHiokenda CBR1000RR
22 Vittorio IANNUZZO ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R
23 Scott JENSEN USA On The Throttle.TV Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8
24 Loic NAPOLEONE FRA Grillini PBR Team Yamaha YZF-R1 20