Checa Extends Superbike Lead with Miller Double
Carlos Checa and the Althea Racing team scored a perfect double win as well as two fastest laps at the Miller Motorsports Park yesterday, taking home a “full house” of 50 points which added to Checa’s tally giving him a 61 point advantage over Marco Melandri in the general standings.
In Race 1, starting from pole position for the fourth time this season, Carlos Checa lost a couple of positions through the first corners, finding himself in fourth at the end of the first lap. Beginning to build up a good rhythm, the Spanish rider was able to pass first Guintoli and then Haga and Corser, to take the lead on the fifth lap. Pushing hard so as to build on his advantage, lap seven brought him his fastest lap time of the race. Carlos continued to work to manage what remained of the race, passing the chequered flag in first place with a 2.766 second advantage ahead of Smrz and Guintoli, also on board Ducati 1198 machines. Checa received the Pirelli best lap award for his lap 7 performance.
In the second race of the day, Althea flagbearer Checa got away like a rocket, with a one second advantage over the rest of the field after just one lap! In the first stages he continued to improve on his times as each lap passed, recording the fastest lap of the race on lap 4 (and thus taking his second Pirelli best lap award of the day). None of his rivals could touch him today and he continued to build on his lead until the very end, crossing the line with an impressive 7.1 second advantage over Camier who closed second. A perfect weekend for Checa and the Althea Racing team, having secured pole, two fast laps and two race wins.
At the end of the fifth round of the World Superbike championship Carlos has reinforced his position at the top of the leaderboard, holding 195 points to the 134 points of Melandri in second position. Ducati continues to lead the manufacturer’s championship with 202 points.
Carlos Checa:- “Two amazing wins today, especially after what happened to us here last year. In Race 1 I rode cautiously during the first laps as the conditions were a little mixed but after a while I found good feeling with my bike and was really able to push. The bike really behaved well despite the slightly strange conditions. I was able to pass those ahead of me, though it wasn’t easy, and then I tried hard to build an advantage. In the final stages I stayed calm, controlled the margin and I did it! It was really funny because as I was returning to parc ferme’, I saw some fans who wanted to give me a flag so I went “offroad” to get it only to find thick mud which caused me to crash – the happiest crash of my life I would say! The feeling that I had with the bike improved for race 2 and I could really enjoy the race. A wonderful day, especially for my team and for Ducati. I want to thank everybody, my team, Ducati and the sponsors. This was not only a double victory but a moral victory.”
Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager di Althea Racing: “I can finally admit to being satisfied. This event in America seemed prohibitive to us after last year’s troubles and also bearing in mind the issues that occurred during Saturday and Sunday and again in this morning’s warm-up. Anyway, we have made up for those things in every way this afternoon. Two perfect races that demonstrated both my team’s strength and Carlos’ maturity. We return home happy and with an important lead over our rivals, but we will continue to work in the knowledge that we need to take one race at a time. I dedicate these wins to our sponsors and particularly UNIBAT that has continued to believe in our project. Thanks too to Ducati for the great material provided and I hope that this can encourage them to continue to believe in this team and its wonderful components.”
RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Checa (Ducati); 2. Smrz (Ducati); 3. Guintoli (Ducati). Race 2 – Checa (Ducati); 2. Camier (Aprilia); 3. Biaggi (Aprilia)
CLASSIFICATION: Riders – 1. Checa (Ducati) 195; 2. Melandri (Yamaha) 134; Biaggi (Aprilia) 133; 4. Laverty (Yamaha) 109; 5. Haslam (BMW) 96; 6. Rea (Honda) 94; 7. Camier (Aprilia) 91; 8. Fabrizio (Suzuki) 85…… Manufacturers – Ducati 202; Aprilia 172; Yamaha 171; BMW 117; Honda 98; Suzuki 89; Kawasaki 69
Source:- Althea Racing
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I was there for the second race. It wasn’t even close! After the second or third lap Checa was ahead so far that you knew he would win.
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