Reverend
August 5th, 2007, 18:23 PM
Championship leader James Toseland hit top form at Brands Hatch to delight the home crowd and claim his first double win at a World Superbike meeting.
The Briton eased through race one from Yamaha Motor Italia's Troy Corser and Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi.
The Ten Kate Honda rider was pushed harder in race two, but still did enough to pip Noriyuki Haga and Corser.
"To get my first ever double at Brands Hatch is very emotional," he said. "It's just overwhelming, I'm ecstatic."
Toseland now leads the championship by 66 points from new second-placed man Haga of Yamaha Motor Italia with just six races remaining.
Biaggi, Toseland's nearest title challenger prior to this weekend, slipped from the pace after a ride-through penalty for a jump start in race two compromised his charge.
Toseland added: "I wanted it so much earlier than this. This is my seventh year of Superbike racing and I don't know what I've been playing at all these years!
"But I can't thank everybody enough, now. My family and close friends are my rock and I just want to dedicate this to them."
Toseland - who has announced he will switch to MotoGP from 2008 - had to overhaul Troy Bayliss from pole in race one.
After the manoeuvre, the Australian crashed out on lap four, losing control at Druids, and Toseland enjoyed a comfortable passage to victory thereafter.
The Englishman suffered a similarly sluggish start at the lights in race two, dropping to third before pulling a stunning move on Bayliss and then overhauling Haga in quick succession to hit the front early on.
He and Haga then enjoyed a ding-dong battle for the rest of the race, the pair swapping the lead three times, before Toseland edged home late on to seal a historic double and put himself well on course for the riders' title.
Race One:
1. James Toseland (GB) Honda
2. Troy Corser (Aus) Yamaha
3. Max Biaggi (Ita) Suzuki
4. Ruben Xaus (Spa) Ducati
5. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Honda
6. Roberto Rolfo (Ita) Honda
7. Noriyuki Haga (Jap) Yamaha
8. Regis Laconi (Fra) Kawasaki
Race Two:
1 James Toseland (GB) Honda
2 Noriyuki Haga (Jap) Yamaha
3 Troy Corser (Aus) Yamaha
4 Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Honda
5 Yukio Kagayama (Jap) Suzuki
6 Ruben Xaus (Spa) Ducati
7 Troy Bayliss (Aus) Ducati
8 Max Biaggi (Ita) Suzuki
Championship Standings:
1. James Toseland (GB) 355 pts
2. Noriyuki Haga (Jap) 289
3. Max Biaggi (Ita) 286
4. Troy Bayliss (Aus) 258
5. Troy Corser (Aus) 227
6. Ruben Xaus (Spa) 163
7. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ita) 161
8. Roberto Rolfo (Ita) 146
BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/6932373.stm)
The Briton eased through race one from Yamaha Motor Italia's Troy Corser and Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi.
The Ten Kate Honda rider was pushed harder in race two, but still did enough to pip Noriyuki Haga and Corser.
"To get my first ever double at Brands Hatch is very emotional," he said. "It's just overwhelming, I'm ecstatic."
Toseland now leads the championship by 66 points from new second-placed man Haga of Yamaha Motor Italia with just six races remaining.
Biaggi, Toseland's nearest title challenger prior to this weekend, slipped from the pace after a ride-through penalty for a jump start in race two compromised his charge.
Toseland added: "I wanted it so much earlier than this. This is my seventh year of Superbike racing and I don't know what I've been playing at all these years!
"But I can't thank everybody enough, now. My family and close friends are my rock and I just want to dedicate this to them."
Toseland - who has announced he will switch to MotoGP from 2008 - had to overhaul Troy Bayliss from pole in race one.
After the manoeuvre, the Australian crashed out on lap four, losing control at Druids, and Toseland enjoyed a comfortable passage to victory thereafter.
The Englishman suffered a similarly sluggish start at the lights in race two, dropping to third before pulling a stunning move on Bayliss and then overhauling Haga in quick succession to hit the front early on.
He and Haga then enjoyed a ding-dong battle for the rest of the race, the pair swapping the lead three times, before Toseland edged home late on to seal a historic double and put himself well on course for the riders' title.
Race One:
1. James Toseland (GB) Honda
2. Troy Corser (Aus) Yamaha
3. Max Biaggi (Ita) Suzuki
4. Ruben Xaus (Spa) Ducati
5. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Honda
6. Roberto Rolfo (Ita) Honda
7. Noriyuki Haga (Jap) Yamaha
8. Regis Laconi (Fra) Kawasaki
Race Two:
1 James Toseland (GB) Honda
2 Noriyuki Haga (Jap) Yamaha
3 Troy Corser (Aus) Yamaha
4 Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Honda
5 Yukio Kagayama (Jap) Suzuki
6 Ruben Xaus (Spa) Ducati
7 Troy Bayliss (Aus) Ducati
8 Max Biaggi (Ita) Suzuki
Championship Standings:
1. James Toseland (GB) 355 pts
2. Noriyuki Haga (Jap) 289
3. Max Biaggi (Ita) 286
4. Troy Bayliss (Aus) 258
5. Troy Corser (Aus) 227
6. Ruben Xaus (Spa) 163
7. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ita) 161
8. Roberto Rolfo (Ita) 146
BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/6932373.stm)