2006 SBK Corona Extra World SuperBike Championship Round 11, Imola, Italy, 1st October Race Report

  TROY BAYLISS CROWNED CHAMPION AT IMOLA

Troy Bayliss finally wrapped up the championship which he had led for so long with a safe fifth place in race one, before underlining his abilites with a race win in race two in front of the 85,000 strong crowd at Imola. Alex Barros ( Klaffi Honda ) broke his personal SBK duck in the first race, setting a new lap record of 1'50. 226 as he powered through from eighth on lap one to victory. Britians James Toseland ( Winston Ten Kate Honda ) secured second in race one and Yamaha's Andrew Pitt was third, while in race two, Barros was second behind Bayliss, with Yukio Kagayama ( Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra ) third. Bayliss has now an impressive 393 points, with Toseland up to second overall on 295 points, and Nori Haga third on 293 points, Pitt fourth 239 points and Barros fifth on 231 points.

Race One. A brilliant race of strategy and sheer pace gave Alex Barros his first win ever in World Superbikes. He had been down the order early on in the race, but slowly worked his way foreward at a pace no one could match, and even scored a new lap record on lap five, as he caught up with the leading group. Toseland, in second, was on his own at the finish, with Pitt third and Haga fourth. Troy Bayliss made his championship secure with a safe finish in fifth, and changed his crash helmet for one with cycling colours on it during his slow down lap, to take the plaudits of a adoring Italian crowd.

Race Two. In race one Bayliss was uncaged from his championship concerns, and would not be denied a race win, even by race one winner Alex Barros. Suffering a terrible start, Alex Barros still managed to finish an amazing second making him the highest points scorer of the day. Yukio Kagayama rode an aggressive race to finish third and Yamaha's Andrew Pitt was a credable fourth ahead of Britains James Toseland who was riding his number two bike after his number one machine suffered electrical problems in race one. Alstare Suzuki rider Troy Corser had another bad weekend by pulling out of race one with electrical problems and could only manage ninth in race two due to tyre problems. This now leaves the luckless aussie down in sixth place in the championship with only one round to go at Magny - Cours in France next weekend.

WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP

Sebastien Charpentier ( Winston Ten Kate Honda ) and team mate Kenan Sofuoglu dominated the supersport race at Imola, and with championship leader Kevin Curtain ( Yamaha Motor Germany ) only third, the race for the championship title is not yet decided and now goes to Magny - Cours in France next weekend. The table now has Curtain on 187 points , Charpentier on 169 points, Sofuoglu on 137 points. Broc Parkes team mate to Kevin Curtain is still recovering from injury and finished an impressive sixth in the race is fourth in the championship with 129 points. The championship title will be decided next weekend in France.

THE FINAL ROUND OF THE 2006 SBK CORONA EXTRA WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP GOES TO MAGNY - COURS IN FRANCE NEXT WEEKEND.