WORLDSBK.COM - bis 15.08.2010

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Infront Sports & Media has set a new rights agreement with China's biggest regional television station - Guangdong TV, to broadcast FIM Superbike World Championship delayed highlights coverage across the country. The agreement started with coverage from the Kyalami, South Africa round held on 16 May and will include all the remaining rounds of the 2010 season.

The agreement, brokered by Infront China, will further strengthen the championship's outreach in the world's fastest growing sports market and complements on the recent ESPN STAR agreement which provides both live and delayed SBK coverage across key markets in the Asian region. With Guangdong TV, Infront is reaching deep into the community at a local level - a two prong approach which further strengthens the overall impact for SBK sponsors.

Guangdong TV is one of the biggest regional television stations in China and the first station in the country to have a sports department. Guangdong Sports was established in 1993 and has become the biggest TV sports channel in South China with more than 20 years experience in program production. The channel reaches 9.3 million homes in the Guangdong province (South China) and 4.8 million homes in Chongqing (middle west of China). Guangdong Sports also holds the rights of top soccer and basketball games like Premier League, Serie A, Primera Liga, UEFA Champions League, China Super League, NBA and CBA. It broadcasts more than 1,000 matches every year.

 

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NOTES ON THE KYALAMI RACES

• Third pole for Cal Crutchlow, still waiting for his maiden win. In Superbike history only he and Steve Martin have scored three poles without winning a race. The pole in Kyalami is the 50th for a British rider;

• With third place in race 2 Max Biaggi reached 40 podium placements, equalling Doug Polen in the thirteenth all-time spot;

• For the first time in ten straight race weekends, Jonathan Rea didn't manage to start from the top 10;

• In the Supersport class, third straight win for Eugene Laverty, who is now only one win short of the all-time record sequence of four, set by Karl Muggeridge (2004), Sebastien Charpentier (2005) and Kenan Sofuoglu (2007).

MILLER PERSONAL SCOREBOARD

• Max Biaggi has finished in the points in all the races he has competed in at Miller, his best result is a fourth, obtained in race 2 in 2008 and 2009;

• Carlos Checa was the first winner in Miller, with a double in 2008. These were his first wins in the series, on the same race weekend he also obtained his maiden pole. Carlos climbed on the podium also in race 1 last year, second;

• One podium in four races for Troy Corser: a second place in race 1, 2008;

• Michel Fabrizio has stepped onto the podium in all four races in Miller: three times third in the first three races and a second in race 2 last year;

• Noriyuki Haga has never managed to step onto the podium; despite finishing in the points in the last three races here, he has endured some tough moments as in 2008 he broke a collarbone and last year he fell on Saturday, hurting his back;

• The best result for Jakub Smrz in Miller is a sixth place, obtained in the first and last races run here;

• Ruben Xaus finished in the points only in the first of the two races here in 2008, fourteenth, a retirement followed and last year he finished twice outside the points.

NOTES ON THE MILLER RACES

• Ducati have always been on the podium, but have never won in Miller and their best rider at the chequered flag has always been Michel Fabrizio;

• Honda have also always been on the podium, obtaining a double win with Checa in 2008;

• Suzuki have been on the podium only once, in the second 2008 race, with Max Neukirchner;

• Yamaha missed out on the podium only in the second 2008 race, when the best rider at the finish line was Haga in sixth. Last year Ben Spies dominated with pole, double win, double fastest lap and leading both races from lights to flag.

MILESTONES IN THE UNITED STATES (from 1989 to 1991 the race was held in Brainerd, from 1995 to 2004 in Laguna Seca)

1989 - first win for the future World Champion Raymond Roche;

1990 - first win for Doug Chandler, who in qualifying scored the first Kawasaki pole;

1999 - first win for Ben Bostrom;

2000 - first pole position for Troy Bayliss;

2001 - 150th race for Troy Corser;

2002 - 100th race for Noriyuki Haga;

2008 - First pole and win for Carlos Checa, 100th win for Honda;

2009 - Ben Spies breaks the record streak of pole positions, recording his seventh straight pole, the previous record was set by Doug Polen in 1991.

 

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Due to the rain that fell on Friday afternoon the programme for the presentation of the seventh round of the Superbike World Championship underwent a change and following the cancellation of the scheduled parade through the streets by bikes and riders, the pre-event press conference was instead held inside the spectacular setting of Salt Lake City's Utah State Capitol building.

In the presence of Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia), James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda), Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare), Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad), Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox), Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), Roger Lee Hayden (Kawasaki Pedercini) and Jason DiSalvo (Triumph ParkinGo) - who briefly commented on the upcoming race at Miller Motorsports Park - the microphone was handed over to Greg Miller, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, which owns and operates the circuit; the Governor of the State of Utah Gary R. Herbert, Paolo Flammini, CEO of Infront Motor Sports, Michael Waddoups, President of the Utah State Senate and General Jefferson Burton of the Utah National Guard.

All the speakers underlined the collaboration between the State of Utah and the Miller Motorsports Park circuit, considered by Paolo Flammini to be one of the best in the USA.

Multiple world champion Biaggi, in expressing immense pleasure at being able to race at Miller, also described the US circuit as one of the best in the Championship.

The riders then made their way down to the Gateway shopping centre, where they signed hundreds of autographs for the numerous fans who had turned out to see the protagonists of the 2010 Superbike World Championship event.

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1 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'49.756

2 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'49.886

3 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'50.307

4 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'50.440

5 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'50.464

6 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'50.494

7 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'50.544

8 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'50.551

9 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1'50.579

10 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'50.612

11 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'50.651

12 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'50.810

13 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'51.040

14 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'51.070

15 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'51.378

16 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'51.438

17 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'51.830

18 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'51.980

19 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'52.326

20 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'52.523

21 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'54.893

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1  26 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'53.215 

2  50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.399 

3  40 DiSalvo J. (USA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'53.507 

4  54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.738 

5  99 Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'53.744 

6  51 Pirro M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.797 

7  55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.370 

8   7 Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 1'54.487 

9  25 Salom D. (ESP) Triumph Daytona 675 1'54.520 

10  37 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'54.688 

11   4 Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.756 

12 127 Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.941 

13 117 Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.953 

14  46 Odom T. (USA) Honda CBR600RR 1'55.421 

15  14 Lagrive M. (FRA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'55.648 

16  86 Farrell J. (USA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'57.834 

17   5 Lundh A. (SWE) Honda CBR600RR 1'58.011 

18  13 Paris M. (USA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'58.865 

19   8 Chesaux B. (SUI) Honda CBR600RR 2'01.109

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Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 31 in 2010). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates US men and women who died while in the military service.

During the Lucas Oil Utah USA Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship presented by HANNspree, Miller Motorsports Park is expanding upon that theme to also honour all active-duty and veteran military personnel, as well as civilian-service personnel such as policemen, firemen, paramedics and teachers, who serve and protect American communities.

There will be a significant display of military exhibits and hardware, a Tribute Field of 2,010 American flags erected in the track's infield and military flyovers during opening ceremonies on both Sunday and Monday.

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1  96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'48.517 

2  84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'48.670 

3  35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'48.682 

4  91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'48.734 

5   7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'48.742 

6  67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'48.853 

7  52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'48.887 

8  99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'48.945 

9  11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'49.040 

10   3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'49.191 

11  65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'49.281 

12  41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'49.386 

13   2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'49.443 

14  66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'49.748 

15 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'49.961 

16  76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1'50.121 

17  50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'50.133 

18  95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'50.806 

19  23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'51.074 

20  77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'51.122 

21  15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'53.724

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Jakub ‘Kuba' Smrz (Pata B&G Ducati) boomed his big Ducati to provisional pole after the first qualifying session at Miller Motorsports Park in the USA, setting a 1'48.517 that was under the existing race lap record, if not quite beating the absolute track best.

Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) was a close second, and the Yamaha Sterilgarda four-cylinder machine of Cal Crutchlow third.

World Championship leader Leon Haslam was fourth on his Suzuki Alstare machine. Althea Ducati riders Carlos Checa and Shane Byrne mixed it up with the factory bikes once again, fifth and sixth respectively. The top 13 bikes were within the same second.

 

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1  50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 1'51.652 

2  26 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'52.211 

3  25 Salom D. (ESP) Triumph Daytona 675 1'52.310 

4  99 Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'52.328 

5 127 Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 1'52.509 

6  54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1'52.534 

7  40 DiSalvo J. (USA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'52.607 

8   7 Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 1'52.646 

9  51 Pirro M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'52.732 

10  37 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'53.015 

11  14 Lagrive M. (FRA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'53.329 

12   4 Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.425 

13  55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.647 

14 117 Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.313 

15   5 Lundh A. (SWE) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.467 

16  46 Odom T. (USA) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.637 

17   8 Chesaux B. (SUI) Honda CBR600RR 1'56.813 

18  86 Farrell J. (USA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'57.314 

19  13 Paris M. (USA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'58.826

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Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) once more made a good start to his race weekend, posting a 1'51.652 second lap to break the outright Supersport best lap at Miller.

He has a clear early advantage over Kawasaki Motocard.com rider Joan Lascorz, who set a 1'52.211. David Salom (ParkinGo BE-1 Triumph) ensured there was variety in the top slots by finishing third quickest, one place up on supported Kawasaki rider Fabien Foret (Lorenzini by Leoni).

Experienced privateer rider Robbin Harms (Harms Benjan Racing Honda) beat the official Honda of 2009 Miller race winner Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) for fifth place.

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A remarkable day of unpredictable final outcomes and drama on track finally delivered two 21-lap race victories to Max Biaggi and his Aprilia Alitalia team in front of 55,000 spectators, a record for Miller Motorsports Park. Max now has a 15 point lead over Leon Haslam (Alstare Suzuki) but he may not have won a single race today had Althea Ducati privateer Carlos Checa's machine not quit twice on him while leading. Checa had to content himself with two Pirelli awards for the fastest lap of each race and a new lap record of 1'48.045, set on lap four of race one. Biaggi made his third double win of the year, after similar feats at Portimao and Monza.

Race 1

A two-rider fight for supremacy in race 1 suddenly became a clear victory for Max Biaggi as long time race leader Checa was forced to stop with an electrical problem on lap 19 of the 21 laps. Almost five seconds behind Biaggi, championship leader Leon Haslam was second for Alstare Suzuki, and the final podium place was secured by the rejuvenated Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox). Leon Camier was in a podium position on his Aprilia Alitalia vee-four for most of the race, but could not keep Haslam and Haga behind on the final laps. Troy Corser was fifth for BMW Motorrad Motorsport, Shane Byrne a brilliant sixth on his Althea Ducati, having fought back from a very lowly position at the start. Luca Scassa, Sylvain Guintoli, James Toseland and Ruben Xaus rounded out the top ten finishers.

Max Biaggi: "Very lucky. I think Checa deserved that race because he rode very hard. Honestly speaking he deserved it but racing is racing and sometimes these things happen. This time it was our turn. We had a very good pace and I am happy for me, my team and Aprilia."

Leon Haslam: "I didn't get the best of starts I think I was about tenth away, and I got stuck behind Jakub Smrz when his engine blew and I was covered in quite a lot of oil, so I didn't want to follow too close. I got a gift of second with Carlos breaking down, but we will take it."

Noriyuki Haga: "I have not had a good result at this track in the two previous years so I am happy to take third place. From the first lap my tyre feeling was not so good and I adjusted my riding style and I was happy to be able to finish third."

Race 2

With his main championship rival Leon Haslam crashing out of race two, Max Biaggi's second win of the day for Aprilia put him 15 points in the lead. Carlos Checa once more stopped on the track while leading. Leon Camier had a career best of second on his Aprilia Alitalia machine and Cal Crutchlow took his Yamaha Sterilgarda bike to third place. This was the first time that two Aprilias have finished on the podium in a 1-2. In the championship Biaggi now has 257 points, Haslam 242 and Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) 151. Behind the podium battle Haga was fourth, Corser fifth and Guintoli sixth. Shane Byrne went seventh and Jonathan Rea eighth. Checa leaves America on an unchanged 141 points, in fourth place, with Haga now only six points behind him.

Max Biaggi: "We made a double win, and that was my dream. Before we came here, I was hoping and dreaming to make a double win. It is just what I need. I was also a little bit lucky because Checa had some trouble, but anyway this is 50 points, very helpful to me and my team. I'm happy for my team-mate too. This machine is only one and a half years old, and we developed the bike very, very strong. The engineers made a good job. I'm very happy for my Aprilia friends. The people understand this bike is a winning machine."

Leon Camier: "The start of the weekend didn't go according to plan, really. I had a couple of crashes, and I sort of managed to turn it around for the second one. The first race we had a bit of a bad front tyre choice and maybe a bit of a setting thing. Yeah, the second one's gone awesome, so massive thank you to Aprilia. They've done an awesome job as you can see. I think it's Aprilia's first 1-2 in Superbike. Max just had a bit more pace than me."

Cal Crutchlow: "I think we deserved that. In the first race we were unfortunate. We got caught up in somebody else's crash and just ran off the track. I think we came back strongly the second race, and all credit to Max and Leon, they rode a superb race. I think we've turned it around. Yamaha has done a good job this weekend. It was a very similar race to what Ben ran here last year, and he won by nine seconds - so it shows how fast these guys are going."

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Suzuki Alstare's Leon Haslam suffered the ups and downs of racing in the seventh round of this year's Superbike World Championship at the Miller Motorsports Park. He took a hard-fought runner-up spot in the first race and then battled up to sixth place in race two after a poor start, but was high-sided from his GSX-R1000 and crashed out of the race. He got a lift back to the pits and then went to the Clinica Mobile where he had seventeen stitches put into his left arm just above his elbow. Fortunately he suffered no other injuries and will be fit for the next round in Misano towards the end of June.

"Obviously I am very disappointed how the day ended. Crashing out is bad enough, but losing the championship lead is another," he said. "I always knew that today was going to be very hard and the races proved that. I was fortunate to get second place in race one and unfortunate to crash in race two. Carlos (Checa) should've won both races and I feel a bit sorry for him. He had led both, but then had to pull out. As a result, Max got lucky, but racing is like that sometimes.

"I didn't make particularly good starts today and maybe that caused some of the problems. In race one, I was right behind Jakub (Smrz) when his Ducati blew up. I and the front of my Suzuki got covered in oil and I tried to use a different line to him so that I wouldn't crash on his oil. I think I was stuck behind him for over a lap, but luckily he pulled off the track and I was able to get my head down and chase after the leaders. I moved through the field and got into third and happy with that until Carlos stopped and I was gifted second. I was tenth at the end of the first lap in race two and once again I had a lot of work to do to catch the leaders. I managed to get up to sixth after seven laps, but then the bike suddenly let go at one of the hairpins and I was highsided. I had a load of stitches put into my left arm, just above the elbow, but I will be OK for Misano."

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The Althea Racing Team left with mixed emotions at the end of the Miller race weekend. On the one hand satisfaction with the team having demonstrated a pace equal to (or beyond...) that of the others, but on the other hand great disappointment, with Carlos Checa forced to retire from both races.

In Race 1, Carlos Checa was impeccable, making a great start that allowed him to quickly pass Biaggi and take the lead. Having held this lead for seventeen laps, in which he built a 1.6 second advantage over Max, the Spanish rider's bike unexpectedly stopped due to an electronic problem, depriving Carlos of almost certain victory.

Race 2 sadly came to the same bitter end, when Carlos was leading with a two second advantage, again over Biaggi. During the eighth lap Checa retired from the race, with Ducati citing a mechanical problem.

"Everything went well: the work, the preparation, the performance, the passion, the race, the team", said Carlos. "Yet unfortunately the results did not come. It's never happened before! We were strong and I will leave here with my head held high. I will immediately turn the page and concentrate on the upcoming tests in Misano and the next race, where I know we can do well. That's racing..."

Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager of Althea Racing declared, "After the results seen in the sessions and, above all, the laps in which we led the races, we are of course disappointed with Carlos' results. However, as he himself said, we need to turn the page and once we understand the reasons for today's events we will concentrate on preparing for Misano, where we can do well. Our morale has taken a blow but Carlos' laps as race leader have given us confidence. There are going to be days like these in racing but we'll be back and fighting at Misano."

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Noriyuki Haga returned to the podium on Monday with a third place finish in Race 1 at the Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City, a significant result as it is the first time that he has finished in the top three on this particular track. In the early morning warm-up session, Noriyuki demonstrated a consistently fast pace and registered the overall fastest time.

In Race 1 Noriyuki failed to make a great start and after the first lap he was lying in sixth position but pushed on to arrive in fifth position, just behind Leon Camier and Leon Haslam; he remained there until the eighteenth lap when he was finally able to pass Camier. During the same lap race leader Checa's bike came to a stop, so Noriyuki moved up to third and held this position to the line. The podium finish is significant for Haga as in the last two years he had never managed to close in the top three on this particular track.

In race 2 Xaus touched Noriyuki's bike right off the line which caused him to lose positions and precious time, then during lap six Haga got past Rea and, following the retirement of both Checa and Haslam from the race, he moved up to fifth. Haga pushed hard, catching and passing Corser on the BMW in the closing stages. Even though his pace was still strong, time did not allow the Japanese rider to catch Crutchlow, meaning he had to settle for a final fourth position.

"I'm really happy to be back on the podium today, but it wasn't easy!" declared Haga. "At the start of Race 1 I was having trouble pushing but after a few laps the tyres picked up a bit and I was finally able to get past Camier in the final stages. It's a great result and the first time I've been on the Miller podium. In Race 2 I had a similar feeling with my bike but the race was more difficult. I started badly and had to push so hard to make up the lost ground. In the last two years my weekends at Miller have been conditioned by crashes but this year I had a good feeling right from the first exit I made on Friday and this gave me confidence that a podium was possible. I'm satisfied and now we move on to Misano, a circuit where there is no long straight and where the Ducati could be very fast."

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It was a day to forget for team PATA B&G Racing as Jakub Smrz was not able to gather any points in the US Round at Miller. After taking provisional pole on Friday and qualifying fourth on the grid on Saturday, the Czech Republic rider started race 1 with the right determination, but after less than one lap, he was forced to retire due to a broken engine.

‘Kuba' started race 2 eager to do well but did not make a good start, losing several positions. The front runners were building a consistent gap , while the group in contention for sixth to twelfth places stayed compact. The Czech was once again unable to finish the race due a technical problem, three laps before the chequered flag.

"We didn't get any luck," said Smrz. "I thought I could do well, everything was going my way until race 1, but once again we couldn't achieve our goal . Next up is Misano which is another track I feel comfortable at, I hope to redeem myself in front of the Italian crowd".

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Following Monday's fantastic results for the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team at Miller Motorsports Park, where Max Biaggi scored his third double win of the year and Leon Camier helped to bring the Italian manufacturer its first ever World Superbike 1-2 in the second race, technical and sporting director Gigi Dall'Igna has been quick to praise the efforts of everyone involved in the all-Italian project.

The Noale-based manufacturer returned to World Superbike at the start of 2009 with the brand-new RSV4 machine, and an early learning year was crowned with one win for Biaggi at Brno, numerous podiums in the second half of the year and an overall fourth place for the Italian in the championship.

In 2010 Biaggi scored a double triumph at Portimao, and then followed this up with another special day at Monza in front of a partisan crowd and is now the new leader in the World Superbike rankings with 257 points following the Miller round. He took the lead with his win in a race 2 (doubling the success of race 1) which was conducted to perfection and which, for the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team was triumphant thanks to Leon Camier's second place and the top spot in manufacturer standings, 263 points against 252 for Suzuki.

"The first double victory in the new Aprilia SBK adventure takes on even more significance because it comes just a year and a half after the début of our RSV4," declared Dall'Igna. "I cannot help but thank all of the people involved in this project. Taking two bikes ahead of everybody, ahead of very strong adversaries and manufacturers with so much experience in this championship makes us very hopeful for the rest of the season even though the World championship is still long and difficult".

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Roger Lee Hayden, the sole US representative in this year's Superbike World Championship, had probably thought his return home would turn out differently as he was aiming to score a couple of good results in front of his family, friends and fans. Instead the Pedercini Kawasaki man unfortunately never even managed to reach his minimum aim of scoring points at Miller Motorsports Park.

In race 1 the brother of Nicky started from the fifth row and finished sixteenth overall, just one place away from the points-scoring positions, while in the afternoon encounter he crashed out while battling with the two factory Kawasakis of Sykes and Vermeulen.

"I am really disappointed with today's results," declared Roger Lee Hayden. "Starting from the last rows always makes life difficult, but in the second race, after the first few opening laps, the bike felt great and I was able to make some fast laps. During the middle of the race I had a bit of a battle with Vermeulen and Sykes and I tried to overtake them but I crashed and I was not able to restart. I'm sorry for the team and I want to thank them for setting things up so well on the machine. We still have some set up problems but overall I'm sure that during the next weeks my team will continue to work on the bike's setting in order to be ready for the next Misano races".

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At the end of a busy and dramatic day of racing at Miller Motorsports Park the top three Superbike riders gave thanks to the record crowd for their support before, during and after the races.

Cal Crutchlow, third in race two, said in front of the cheering ranks of fans at the press conference, "Thank you very much for all your support; it's been good. Riding down pitlane and having people clap us on the way in and the way out. It's much appreciated."

Second place rider Leon Camier carried on the thanks to the locals, "I would like to thank all the fans as well, you guys have been awesome and as Cal said everyone clapping and waving - you don't always get that too often, so a massive thank you to everyone."

Max Biaggi added his gratitude to the vocal crowd after giving his effusive thanks to his team and Aprilia, saying to his American fans "Thanks guys for your support! You are very great to me and I would like to come back here and race again!"

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Michel Fabrizio was looking forward to the Miller Motorsports Park race last weekend after a great 2009 experience in America, when he was on the podium in each race. With one 2010 season win under his belt already at the previous Kyalami round the Ducati Xerox man's confidence was understandably high, but his luck proved to be missing when he needed it in America this time around. He fell in race one and then got tangled with another rider in race two, losing early places which translated to a ninth place finish.

"It's a pity what happened to me in race one," said Michel. "It was totally unexpected, my bike was sliding around at the rear and then, from one moment to the next, I found myself on the ground. In race two I made a bad start, losing several positions and finding myself in the last group. I made up ground through the race but I wasn't able to catch Rea and Byrne ahead of me and finished ninth. I hoped to do a lot better here in America but now we must turn our attention to the next round in Misano."

Fabrizio was a double podium finisher at Misano in 2009.

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Jonathan Rea from the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team should have been satisfied at leaving the Miller round of the Superbike World Championship in a clear third place, but his feelings immediately after the races - which he finished in 14th place after crashing and re-mounting, and then eighth in race two - were more based on what he saw as a lost opportunity.

Rea had to race with the discomfort of fresh tyre burns on his neck and chest, from a horrid-looking fall in Superpole 3 when his own machine ran him over, but he downplayed the effects on his during the races at Miller.

"Riding the bike was fine because it was all masked up, but now I have taken the bandages off and the air is getting at it," said Rea, in obvious discomfort, a couple of hours after the end of the second race.

Rea will have a chance to work with his team to get back to the kind of set-up that allowed him a double win at Assen, but his next test has been cut to one day due to being a rider much in demand by Honda.

"I only get one day of testing at Assen because I am flying back from Japan and the Suzuka 300km race. So there will be plenty of work to keep Max my team-mate going for the first day at least!"

Rea is looking to the next round at Misano, the site of his first career WSBK race win in June last year, as the perfect place to get into contention again.

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His first full WSBK season has been a bizarre one so far for Yamaha Sterilgarda rider Cal Crutchlow, with three poles and three podium finishes to his credit, yet he is only just inside the top ten. Things come in threes for Cal, as he has had three no-scores as well, including the cruel luck of a stone puncturing his cooling system when he was on an almost guaranteed second place, if not a win, as he diced with Max Biaggi at Monza.

Even at Miller the bad luck just keep coming in race one, before he took his latest podium finish in race two. "I think the first race should have been the same as the second one, unfortunately I got caught up in Johnny's crash and lost some valuable places," said Cal.

Crutchlow gave praise to his team for all their hard work before and during the American weekend, but he felt he was simply outgunned in the USA. "We've not had the pace of Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi this weekend, they did a fantastic job. I tried my hardest and I think we've done the best job we can. All credit to the Yamaha guys we've worked really hard for this result."

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ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Racing and rider Jason DiSalvo have mutually agreed to part company following a series of disappointing results in the first half of the Supersport World Championship, which sees the American lying 15th in the points standings entering the second half of the season.

DiSalvo joined the squad at the start of the season following a successful career in the American championships but did not fulfil his potential in the world series, scoring a best of eighth place on his debut in Australia. Following his 11th placed finish at the recent American round, DiSalvo has agreed with the team not to return to Europe to complete the season.

DiSalvo's departure comes despite the ParkinGO Triumph BE1 squad enjoying its best season, with the team's other three riders each showing the potential of the Daytona 675 with top five finishes, with Chaz Davies and David Salom currently sitting in fourth and fifth place respectively in the overall championship standings.

Team manager Giuliano Rovelli commented: "I am sad that Jason decided to leave the team and am sure he would have eventually done just as well as his teammates, if he had a little bit more faith. We've done everything in order for him to perform at his best, as we've done with Matthieu Lagrive who took fifth place at Assen and finished twice sixth, at Monza and Kyalami. We are the team representing Triumph in the world championship and we've always treated our riders well. Maybe Jason couldn't find the right feeling with the bike or perhaps couldn't quite adapt to the competition. However, I wish him to sign with a team that fits him best"

DiSalvo said, "The guys on the ParkinGO team really gave me an education about racing at this level, and I thank them for all they've done. Being the only team with double the number of riders has made it difficult for each of us to perform at our best. I hope that with one less rider these guys can do better and that I can find a team who's ready to benefit from my riding. Again, I thank the team for trying as hard as they could with what they have to work with."

The squad will now consider a replacement rider for the six remaining races of the 2010 season

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Last weekend, Andrea Antonelli won the opening round of the Pirelli Trophy at Misano, as part of the Coppa Italia series. The race was a training session for the young Italian in view of the next round of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, which will be held at the same circuit on June 27.

For Antonelli the race itself wasn't an easy affair, seeing as the Lorini Honda man had to get the better of one of the stars of the CIV domestic and European championship series (Riccardo Della Ceca) and in particular Eddi La Marra, his team-mate in the FIM Cup.

"Eddi and Riccardo were riding really well and I had to remain focussed right down to the chequered flag," said the Italian, who currently lies seventh overall in the Cup. "I'm really satisfied with my form because I managed to lap at a constantly quick pace, so that's a real boost for the championship race. The Pirelli Trophy is a good formula because it has the same rules as the FIM Cup and this allows you to use the same tyres, so it's good training for international races. For me, it was a good opportunity and I'll try and put it to good use on the weekend of the 27th and get my first podium of the year."

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Double World Superbike champion James Toseland has enjoyed some high points in his return to top level Superbike competition in 2010, but still that first prodigal win eludes him.

Four podiums have contributed to his place inside the top five before the Miller round, but a very hard weekend in the USA saw him score only one finish of ninth, and subsequently lose his overall top five placing to his old rival Noriyuki Haga.

"A frustrating weekend for me," said James ruefully. "We started really well here and I got down to some pretty decent times relatively quickly in the first practices so was feeling confident for the races. Superpole didn't go quite as planned so I had a less than perfect grid start position. I managed a good start in the first race and was making up places but unfortunately I ran out of grip several laps from the end, which slowed me down. It took me a while to get into a good pace in race two, but as I was picking up I came out of one corner too fast and so was too hot into the next, resulting in losing the front end. The team have worked really hard all weekend and I'm sorry I couldn't deliver them a better result today."

The championship fight, from Haga on 135 points to his team-mate Michel Fabrizio in tenth on 102 points, is incredibly close after 14 races. Toseland's next outing with his peers will be at Misano, on June 27th.

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The 2010 season began well enough for French former champion Fabien Foret, with two top five finishes at Phillip Island and Portimao. 

From the Spanish Round onwards at Valencia however things have been a bit more of an uphill struggle. After a tenth place at the Ricardo Tormo track, Foret then had three zeros on his slate before scoring another tenth place at Miller.

 

"We had a few problems with chattering at Miller that conditioned the entire weekend," explained Foret, "and to try and solve the problem for the race we opted to use a softer tyre, with the aim of having as much grip as possible at least in the early stages. It proved to be the right choice but as the laps went by I was unable to stay on the same pace as the leaders".

 

The 36 year-old from Angouleme concentrated on getting his Kawasaki to the flag without taking any extra risks, just so he could score a few points and focus with confidence on the next round.

 

"It was important to score some points after the last three races which we didn't finish, just to stay in touch in the championship. Now it's time to look ahead to Misano, where I hope to do much better."

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