2006 SBK Corona Extra World Superbike Championship Round 12, Magny - Cours, France, 8th October Race Report
JAMES TOSELAND CLAIMS SECOND PLACE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Two incredible 23-lap races at Magny - Cours delivered a suitable finale to an oustanding season of racing in world superbikes, and it was in some way fitting that the riders who took the race wins were the smae riders who finished the season first and second overall; race two winner and champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) and James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda). In beating Nori Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) in each french race, Toseland finished his year ten points clear ahead of the talented japanese star Nori Haga, in second position. A resurgent Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) battled to third and second today, and thus edged out Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) in the overall championship 254 points to 250, with Corser fourth.
Race One. A spectactular first race of the day had four riders fighting for the lead, and after a delayed start (due to a crash and oil spill from Ivan Goi's machine) a 23 - lap slug - out went the way of Toseland, from Haga and Corser, with Bayliss just behind. Toseland's determination to score one more win shone through but Haga was the one with the most work to do , ashe was only 14th off the startline, setting a new lap record in his progression through the field. One of the best races of this, or any other SBK season.
Race two. The second race was hardly less dramatic or thrilling than the first, as Bayliss pushed through late in the race, and the warring Corser scooped second, as Toseland finally eased off from the brink to take safe points and secure overall second in the cahmpionship. Haga could not stay on terms with the leading group in race two, and finished some 8 seconds down on Bayliss, despite showing strongly in the early laps. It was Bayliss's 12th race win of 2006.Bayliss also scored the lap record in race two, the new best in race conditions, 1'40.370.
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
An unscriptable drama decided the final shape of the world championship table in france, as Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) won the race and the championship, after the pre - Magny - Cours points leader Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) fell from his machine and scored no points. With Charpentier only needing to finish second or better to take the championship win, he rode to a solid sixth win of 2006 season, and scored his successive championship - a unique experiance in WSS history. Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda) was second in the race from Broc Parkes (Yamaha Motor Germany) and fourth place rider was Gianluca Nannelli (SC Carrachi Ducati). in the championship, the final points read Charpentier 194, Curtain 187, Sofuoglu 157 and Parkes 145.
