2011 Hannspree World SuperBike Championship Round 6, Misano, San Marino, June 12th Race Report

    CHECA LEAVES MISANO AFTER DOUBLE WIN 

In front of nearly 90,000 racing fans, Carlos Checa dominated the proceedings at the sixth round of the World Superbike Championship at Misano in San Marino. The Althea Ducati rider took victory in both races ahead of local hero World Champion Max Biaggi. After taking his eighth win of the season, Checa now has a massive 71 points lead at the top of the leaderboard. Another local rider going well that day was Yamaha's Marco Melandri who took third in race one, but ultimately crashed out in the second race. PATA Aprilia's Noriyuki Haga took his first podium of the year in race two after fending off a late challenge from rising star BMW Italia's Ayrton Badovini. After round six of twelve, Carlos Checa has 245 points, Max Biaggi 173, Marco Melandri 150, Eugene Laverty 123 and Leon Haslam on 106.

Race One. Althea Ducati rider Carlos Checa posted another race win, his seventh of the year, as he dominated the second half of the race at Misaon, heading long time race leader Aprilia Alitalia's Max Biaggi by 0.9 of a second. Yamaha WSBK rider Marco Melandri overcame a slow start to take third, ahead of pole position starter Kawasaki Racing's Tom Sykes who took his best finish of the year in fourth after a race long battle with Melandri's team mate Eugene Laverty. After starting from fifteen on the grid Leon Camier fought his way through the field to take a solid sixth aboard his Aprilia ahead of Effenbert-Liberty Racing's Sylvain Guintoli and BMW Italia's Aryton Badovini. Kawasaki Racing's Joan Lascorz and Supersonic Ducati's Maxime Berger eventually crossed the line to round out the top ten.

Race Two. Carlos Checa took his second win of the day, and his eighth of the year, to extend his championship lead over second place finisher World Champion Max Biaggi. The first running of the race was nullified when Yamaha's Marco Melandri crashed out leaving his machine lying in a dangerous position on the track, leading to a 14-lap race, which determinded all the places and full points. Third place was fought over to the last possible moment, PATA Aprilia's Noriyuki Haga and BMW Italia's Ayrton Badovini third and fourth respectively. BMW Motorrad's Leon Haslam was rewarded fifth after fending off a late challenge from Alstare Suzuki's Michel Fabrizio, while Castrol Honda's Ruben Xaus had plenty to smile about in eighth. Joan Lascorz led the Kawasaki's home in ninth while Chris Vermeulen had plenty to celebrate after finishing his first full race in over a year due to injury scored tenth.

SUPERSPORTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Kawasaki motocard.com rider Broc Parkes took his first win of the year in fine style, taking the lead by overcoming Yamaha ParkinGO rider Chaz Davies who would eventually finish sixth. A spirited ride fron Hannspree Ten Kate Honda veteran Fabien Foret took second with reigning British Supersport champion Sam Lowes blasted his way in to third for the Parkalgar Honda team. In the championship Broc Parkes now leads with 85 points, Chaz Davies 80 with team-mate Luca Scassa in third on 70.