Reverend
September 7th, 2009, 22:11 PM
The German Round of the Hannspree FIM Superbike World Championship offered a number of thrills and spills at the Nurburgring as Ben Spies moved into the lead of the championship for the first time this year.
In front of 42,000 spectators the Yamaha man took the race 1 win from Noriyuki Haga, and his second place in race 2, in addition to a turn 1 crash for Haga, allowed him to open up an 18-point gap at the top of the table.
Britain's Jonathan Rea took his second win of the season with a commanding performance in race 2.
Race 1
Spies notched up his 12th win of the season at the end of a nail-biting scrap with his championship rival Haga, reducing the gap at the top of the table to just two points.
The Japanese rider powered away to the best possible start, but Spies managed to recover by the mid-point, when he took over at the front. With a couple of laps to go before the chequered flag, Haga made a slight error and the Texan was able to cut loose to take the win. Third place went to Carlos Checa, who held off his team-mate Jonathan Rea for the final podium slot.
There was another terrific battle for fifth between Max Biaggi, Leon Haslam and Michel Fabrizio, who finished in that order. Troy Corser scored a positive eighth place for BMW, with the Australian running in fourth for much of the race before dropping away in the final stages. Stand-in rider Karl Muggeridge brought the first Suzuki Alstare BRUX machine home in 12th, but both Kawasaki riders were forced into retirement.
Makoto Tamada was involved in an incident shortly after the start together with John Hopkins, and they were both taken to Adenau hospital for checks for slight concussion.
Race 2
The Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team returned to the top of the podium in the second encounter, thanks to a superb race by Jonathan Rea, who scored his second season win after the one at Misano.
The British youngster finished just ahead of Spies, who thanks to Haga's turn 1 crash when he made contact with Rea, is now the points leader. 18 points lie between the two, with the title battle wide-open. Third place again went to Checa, ahead of Biaggi, who had another convincing run, this time to fourth, and Haslam in fifth. Corser was again one of the protagonists, with a sixth place finish for BMW.
It wasn't a particularly good day for Fabrizio, who added a ninth place in race 2 to his seventh earlier on, the Italian finishing behind Ryuichi Kiyonari and Tom Sykes. The final top-10 position went to Yukio Kagayama, while Kawasaki could only manage three points overall in the German race weekend, thanks to a thirteenth place in the second race by Broc Parkes.
Race One Result:
1. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha
2. Noriyuki Haga (Jpn) Ducati
3. Carlos Checa (Spa) Honda
4. Jonathan Rea (GB) Honda
5. Max Biaggi (Ita) Aprilia
6. Leon Haslam (GB) Honda
7. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Ducati
8. Troy Corser (Aus) BMW
Race Two Result:
1. Jonathan Rea (GB) Honda
2. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha
3. Carlos Checa (Spa) Honda
4. Max Biaggi (Ita) Aprilia
5. Leon Haslam (GB) Honda
6. Troy Corser (Aus) BMW
7. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Jpn) Honda
8. Tom Sykes (GB) Yamaha
Championship standings:
1. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha 364 pts
2. Noriyuki Haga (Jpn) Ducati 346
3. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Ducati 289
4. Jonathan Rea (GB) Honda 244
5. Max Biaggi (Ita) Aprilia 224
6. Leon Haslam (GB) Honda 201
7. Carlos Checa (Spa) Honda 177
8. Tom Sykes (GB) Yamaha
Eurosport (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/06092009/32/wsbk-spies-takes-championship-lead.html)
In front of 42,000 spectators the Yamaha man took the race 1 win from Noriyuki Haga, and his second place in race 2, in addition to a turn 1 crash for Haga, allowed him to open up an 18-point gap at the top of the table.
Britain's Jonathan Rea took his second win of the season with a commanding performance in race 2.
Race 1
Spies notched up his 12th win of the season at the end of a nail-biting scrap with his championship rival Haga, reducing the gap at the top of the table to just two points.
The Japanese rider powered away to the best possible start, but Spies managed to recover by the mid-point, when he took over at the front. With a couple of laps to go before the chequered flag, Haga made a slight error and the Texan was able to cut loose to take the win. Third place went to Carlos Checa, who held off his team-mate Jonathan Rea for the final podium slot.
There was another terrific battle for fifth between Max Biaggi, Leon Haslam and Michel Fabrizio, who finished in that order. Troy Corser scored a positive eighth place for BMW, with the Australian running in fourth for much of the race before dropping away in the final stages. Stand-in rider Karl Muggeridge brought the first Suzuki Alstare BRUX machine home in 12th, but both Kawasaki riders were forced into retirement.
Makoto Tamada was involved in an incident shortly after the start together with John Hopkins, and they were both taken to Adenau hospital for checks for slight concussion.
Race 2
The Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team returned to the top of the podium in the second encounter, thanks to a superb race by Jonathan Rea, who scored his second season win after the one at Misano.
The British youngster finished just ahead of Spies, who thanks to Haga's turn 1 crash when he made contact with Rea, is now the points leader. 18 points lie between the two, with the title battle wide-open. Third place again went to Checa, ahead of Biaggi, who had another convincing run, this time to fourth, and Haslam in fifth. Corser was again one of the protagonists, with a sixth place finish for BMW.
It wasn't a particularly good day for Fabrizio, who added a ninth place in race 2 to his seventh earlier on, the Italian finishing behind Ryuichi Kiyonari and Tom Sykes. The final top-10 position went to Yukio Kagayama, while Kawasaki could only manage three points overall in the German race weekend, thanks to a thirteenth place in the second race by Broc Parkes.
Race One Result:
1. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha
2. Noriyuki Haga (Jpn) Ducati
3. Carlos Checa (Spa) Honda
4. Jonathan Rea (GB) Honda
5. Max Biaggi (Ita) Aprilia
6. Leon Haslam (GB) Honda
7. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Ducati
8. Troy Corser (Aus) BMW
Race Two Result:
1. Jonathan Rea (GB) Honda
2. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha
3. Carlos Checa (Spa) Honda
4. Max Biaggi (Ita) Aprilia
5. Leon Haslam (GB) Honda
6. Troy Corser (Aus) BMW
7. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Jpn) Honda
8. Tom Sykes (GB) Yamaha
Championship standings:
1. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha 364 pts
2. Noriyuki Haga (Jpn) Ducati 346
3. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Ducati 289
4. Jonathan Rea (GB) Honda 244
5. Max Biaggi (Ita) Aprilia 224
6. Leon Haslam (GB) Honda 201
7. Carlos Checa (Spa) Honda 177
8. Tom Sykes (GB) Yamaha
Eurosport (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/06092009/32/wsbk-spies-takes-championship-lead.html)