Race 2 at Imola was a heartbreak for Jonathan Rea as his Honda broke down while he was leading the race by over 2.
5s and with five laps to go and had to retire, which let title leader Carlos Checa ride to the win and seal his 13th race victory of the season.
However, it was Marco Melandri who after running off track while he was 5th and rejoin in 12th and his charge through the field to take sixth, after a last lap pass on both Joan Lascorz and Sylvain Guintoli, which left the championship still open – by just three points – making Checa and Althea Racing wait for the next week’s round at Magny Cours to try take the title.
The Northern Irishman had been controlling the race from the start, while behind him all hell broke loose with wild man Noryuki Haga and Leon Camier and Checa getting it on, but Camier ran off track to come back in a distant fourth letting Checa and Haga decide it between themselves.
Checa snatched the second place from Haga on lap 16, who was having a couple of moments with his rear tire, as Rea began slowing on lap 17 and from there it was easy for Checa to catch and pass the Castrol Honda rider and cruise to the win.
With Rea out of the game, Camier was gifted a third place podium.
Eugene Laverty took fourth just ahead of Leon Haslam in fifth.
Sylvain Guintoli was an excellent seventh, Joan Lascorz was eighth, while Pedercini Kawasaki’s Mark Aitchison took 9th and Ayrton Badovini who was suffering from an old shoulder problem completed the top ten.
Of 22 riders who started race 2 only 14 managed to finish between crashes and technical issues.
WSBK Imola Race 2 results:1.
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 38′04.
5382.
Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38′09.
1693.
Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38′19.
6974.
Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 38′21.
7335.
Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 38′21.
9266.
Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 38′23.
0717.
Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 38′24.
1538.
Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 38′24.
6019.
Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 38′28.
73210.
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 38′33.
02311.
Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 38′33.
13812.
Federico Sandi (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 38′46.
34013.
Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 38′59.
28814.
Javier Fores (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 39′16.
819RT.
Alessandro Polita (Barni Racing Team S.
N.
C.
) Ducati 1098R 34′46.
265RT.
Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 30′54.
319RT.
Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 18′19.
929RT.
Matteo Baiocco (Barni Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 16′36.
970RT.
Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 16′38.
950RT.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 13′01.
813RT.
Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 3′48.
126RT.
Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′56.
223
