As widely predicted Carlos Checa easily won Race 1 at Miller Motorsports Park.
Starting in pole position the Althea Ducati rider dropped to fifth on the opening lap, but the surgically picked off his opponents one at a time to then overtake front runner Troy Corser on the sixth lap and from that point on there was no longer any doubt in any one’s mind that the Spaniard would take his Ducati to the top spot of the podium.
Checa not only won in his impressive style he also lead a Ducati 1-2-3 podium, with Effenbert-Liberty’s Jakub Smrz and Sylvain Guintoli taking the final two spots on the podium confirming their fast pace shown during Sunday’s Superpole and that the twins were able to conserve much better their Pirelli tires than the rest of the field, especially in the latter stages of the race.
Leon Camier took the fourth spot after an error cost him at least a fight for the podium, while team mate and reigning World Champion Max Biaggi got mixed up with Jonathan Rea on lap two and both crashed out.
Biaggi would later blame Rea for the crash and Honda’s Carlo Fiorani speaking for his rider said it was Biaggi’s fault for cutting the Castrol Honda rider off.
Unfortunately the cameras only caught the two arguing off track covered in mud, with Rea much more upset than the Roman Emperor.
Eugene Laverty finished in fifth after his tires dropped off dramatically.
Tom Sykes found some decent speed in the final laps of the race to take the sixth spot for Kawasaki, after battling with Marco Melandri, and all three BMW riders.
Ayrton Badovini finished in seventh, ahead of Leon Haslam’s factory S1000RR.
Closing out the top ten were Noriyuki Haga who had to race with his spare bike and actually was contesting for the lead until his tires went off and Marco Melandri who never found the pace to run with the front runners.
Castrol Honda didn’t collect even one sincle point in race 1, because after the rumble between Rea and Biaggi, Ruben Xaus took out himself and an innocent Michel Fabrizio.
WSBK MMP Race 1 Results:01- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – 21 giri in 38’46.
91502- Jakub Smrz – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 2.
76603- Sylvain Guintoli – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 4.
09304- Leon Camier – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 8.
88505- Eugene Laverty – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 15.
71806- Tom Sykes – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 20.
47707- Ayrton Badovini – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 22.
17008- Leon Haslam – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 22.
26709- Noriyuki Haga – Pata Racing Team Aprilia – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 24.
08710- Marco Melandri – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 27.
15011- Maxime Berger – Supersonic Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 29.
42212- Josh Waters – Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 33.
42813- Troy Corser – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – Ducati 1198 – + 36.
57314- Joan Lascorz – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1’05.
36915- James Toseland – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 1’14.
38216- Mark Aitchison – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1’14.
73617- Roberto Rolfo – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – 2 laps
