SUPERMAN BAYLISS AND SUPERB HAGA SHARE BRANDS HATCH WINS Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox), attired in 'Superman Returns' leathers and artwork, scored the race one win at Brands Hatch, where 115,000 spectators enjoyed the race action over the entire weekend. In the second 25-lap outing Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) prevented Bayliss from doing the double in thrilling fashion, beating the championship leader by only 0.184 seconds. The local crowd got a treat, when James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda) scored a podium finish of second in race one. In the championship battle, Bayliss now leads Haga by 77 points, 307 to 230, with Toseland overall third, on 219.
RACE ONE In the first 25-lap contest Bayliss had a fight on his hands with Haga until the Japanese rider was forced back by Bayliss' pace, while Toseland improved from fifth on lap one to score second, some 1.6 seconds behind Bayliss. Less than a second ahead of Haga. The leading group was a spread down to fourth, with Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) taking the first off podium position.
RACE TWO In the second race, a searing contest between Haga and Bayliss was fought out right to the last corner, with Haga taking his first win of the season. A glory day for his team was completed by Andrew Pitt, who went third, ahead of the superb charge from PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse rider, Regis Laconi.
VARIETY IS THE SPICE AFTER TWO BRANDS RACES Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) scored fifth place in the first race, and took seventh in race two. His team-mate Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) could not get into permanent podium contention, scoring a sixth place in each race, dropping him further from the championship fight, to fourth, on 193 points. Chris Walker (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) showed well early in each race, but could not get into the top five positions on race set-up. He scored a seventh and an eighth. Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda) had to fight back from lowly first lap positions, after qualifying only 18th, to score one eighth place and one ninth, suffering from problems with his quick-shifter in race two. Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) looked to be capable of two top five finishes in each race, but fell in peculiarly similar circumstances, when his machine clipped the trackside kerbing in each race.
MIDFIELD BATTLEFIELD FEATURES TRUE TALENT Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Berik Ducati) completed the first race top ten, as he did in race two, with Laconi ninth in the opener.
Wildcard rider Tommy Hill (Virgin Mobile Yamaha) scored an impressive top 11 finish, after a battle with five other riders in race one. He was forced out in race two, when his machine lost forward drive. Behind Hill in the opener came such SBK regular luminaries as Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox), Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France Ipone), Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) and final point scorer, Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France Ipone). In the second race, the last points were taken by Lanzi (in 11th), first race crasher Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda), Abe, Gimbert and Suzuki privateer, Vittorio Iannuzzo (Celani Suzuki). Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Honda) failed to score finishes in either race, but made a final lap to wave goodbye to his British fans, in what will be his last SBK race at this venue. Steve Martin missed out on a single point for the Foggy Petronas team, by finishing 16th in race two.
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP A Yamaha 1-2 at Brands leaves the World Supersport Championship in a state of complete parity between the main warring factions for the title itself. Broc Parkes' first win of the year, from his team-mate Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) and Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda) pushes him to within 12 points of the championship lead, which is now shared on 131 points by Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) and Curtain. Charpentier was sixth in the race itself, still recovering from his pelvic and collarbone injuries, behind fourth placed Robbin Harms (Stiggy Motorsports) and top wildcard man, Cal Crutchlow (Northpoint Ekerold Honda). Stephane Chambon (Gil Motorsports Kawasaki) had a happy outing at Brands, taking seventh place.
SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP
Luca Scassa (EVR Corse Ormeni Racing) pounced on a mistake from last lap leader Ayrton Badovini (Biassono Unionbike MV Agusta) to secure his first and MV Agusta's second win in the Superstock category. Alessandro Polita (Celani Suzuki Italia) looked a likely winner for some time, and finally looked like having to settle for third until the final corners, when he capitalised on Badovini's misfortune to score second, and extend his championship lead. Polita now sits on 115, with Badovini on 109, and Scassa on 96.
SUPERSTOCK 600 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP Xavier Simeon (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) scored the 600 Superstock class win from Niccolo Canepa (Ducati Xerox) after a 12-lap fight around Brands at the end of raceday itself. His win extended Simeon's lead over Canepa to 39 points, 140 to 101.
NEW STYLE ASSEN AWAITS SBK IN SEPTEMBER The ninth round of 12 SBK weekends will take place at the newly remodelled Circuit van Drenthe in Assen, between 1 and 3 September.
