2009 Hannspree World SuperBike Championship Round 10, Brno, Czech Republic, July 26th Race Report
MAX BIAGGI AND BEN SPIES TAKE A WIN APIECE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Aprilia Racing's Max Biaggi and Sterilgarda Yamaha World Superbike's Ben Spies scored a win apiece in round ten of the Hannspree World Superbike Championship at Brno in the Czech Republic in front of a record 75,000 crowd. In race one Max Biaggi gave Aprilia their first win in it's return to WSB with the Hannspree Ten Kate duo of Carlos Checa anf Johnny Rea taking second and third. The second race saw Ben Spies take a well deserved victory after holding off Max Biaggi throughout the twenty lap race with Ducati Xerox's Michel Fabrizio in third, while points leader Nori Haga who is still not in the best physical condition, limited the damage of an eighth and sixth place finishes to hold onto his championship lead by seven points.
Race One. Aprilia Racing's Max Biaggi took his first win of the season and his first win since Vallelunga in 2007 at Brno in the Czech Republic ahead of the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's of Carlos Checa and Johnny Rea. It had been a lonely run to the chequred flag after the two favourites Ben Spies and Michel Fabrizio were eliminated from the race at the fast left hander due to the Italian's mistake.Britain's Shane Shakey Byrne looked certain for a podium in the early part of the race but due to a tyre issue the Sterilgarda Ducati rider had to settle for fourth. It was a great day for the other new manufacturer to the series, BMW, who had the satisfaction of seeing their rider Troy Corser lead for the opening two laps, where the Australian eventually finish in a season's best of fifth, but it was a different story for the other BMW rider Ruben Xaus who crashed heavily on the opening lap which resulted in the Spaniard breaking his leg. Local rider Guandalini Racing Ducati's Jakub went onto take sixth ahead of Stiggy Racing Honda's Leon Haslam and the Injured Ducati Xerox rider Nori Haga who rode a defensive race to gain as many points as possible took eighth. Ninth was Althea Honda's Mathieu Lagrive with the Factory Kawasaki of Makoto Tamada in tenth.
Race Two. Sterilgarda Yamaha World Superbike's Ben Spies powered his way to victory for the eleventh time this season, but the Texan did not have it all his own way as race one winner Aprilia's Max Biaggi pushed him all the way to the chequred flag with Ducati Xerox's Michel Fabrizio in a distant third. The battle for fourth saw Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's Johnny Rea get the better of his team mate this time out with another courageous performance from the injured Nori Haga who managed to keep the to British riders of Sterilgarda Yamaha World Superbike Tom Sykes and Sterilgarda Ducati's Shane Byrne at bay to take sixth. Guandalini Racing Ducati's Jakub Smrz could only managed ninth with the BMW of Troy Corser in tenth.
WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP
Britain's Cal crutchlow had to retire from the race while leading due to a mechanical error, which saw his team mate Fabien Foret take the win for the Yamaha World Supersport team where the Frenchman was wiping out all memories of a crash at Brno tweleve months ago. In a sprint finish to the chequred flag, the runner-up slot went to
Stiggy Racing Honda's Anthony West with Kawasaki of Spain's Joan Lascorz in third. The battle for the championship is far from over as Britain's Cal Crutchlow still leads with 185 points with his nearest rival Parkalgar Honda's Eugene Laverty closing in on him on 168 points and Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's Kenan Sofuoglu on 128 points.
