After mechanical problems led to a double DNF for Carlos Checa at Miller Motorsports Park last year, the Althea Ducati rider came back with a vengeance on Monday to take both Miller Superbike races in dominant fashion. Checa also won the superpole for the fourth time this season and set the fastest lap in each race.
Race one saw a podium sweep by Ducati with Effenbert Libery Ducati team-mates Jakub Smrz and Sylvain Guintoli joining Checa on the rostrum. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) and Eugene Laverty (Yamaha) rounded out the top five, while Laverty’s team-mate Marco Melandri could only manage tenth. Defending champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) ended up in the mud and on the DNF sheet after tangling with Jonathan Rae (Castrol Honda) on the opening lap.
Checa’s race two victory was even more convincing, as the Spaniard led from start to finish and reached the checkered flag over seven seconds ahead of Aprilia rider Camier. Biaggi was able to shake off his race one mishap to take the final podium spot just behind his team-mate. Laverty was fourth this time and Suzuki rider Michel Fabrizio took fifth.
With his double World Superbike win at Miller, Checa now has six race wins in five rounds, putting him 61 points ahead of Yamaha’s Marco Melandri with eight rounds (16 races) remaining.
The next round of the 2011 World Superbike Championship takes place June 12 at Misano in San Marino.
2011 Miller Motorsports Park Race 1 Results
1. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R
2. Jakub Smrz CZE Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +2.766s
3. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +4.093s
4. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +8.885s
5. Eugene Laverty IRL Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +15.718s
6. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki RTS ZX-10R +20.477s
7. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR +22.170s
8. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +22.267s
9. Noriyuki Haga JPN PATA Aprilia RSV-4 +24.087s
10. Marco Melandri ITA Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +27.150s
11. Maxime Berger FRA Supersonic Ducati 1098R +29.422s
12. Josh Waters AUS Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 +33.428s
13. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +36.573s
14. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +1min 05.369s
15. James Toseland GBR BMW Italia S1000RR +1min 14.382s
16. Mark Aitchison AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1min 14.736s
17. Roberto Rolfo ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +2 laps
DNF
18. Michel Fabrizio ITA Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 3 laps completed
19. Ruben Xaus ESP Castrol Honda CBR1000RR 3 laps completed
20. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 0 laps completed
21. Jonathan Rea GBR Castrol Honda CBR1000RR 0 laps completed
2011 Miller Motorsports Park Race 2 Results
1. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R
2. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +7.194s
3. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +8.734s
4. Eugene Laverty IRL Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +14.214s
5. Michel Fabrizio ITA Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 +14.750s
6. Marco Melandri ITA Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +21.634s
7. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +24.079s
8. Jakub Smrz CZE Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +25.688s
9. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR +29.621s
10. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki RTS ZX-10R +30.681s
11. Jonathan Rea GBR Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +31.033s
12. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +37.063s
13. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +37.455s
14. Maxime Berger FRA Supersonic Ducati 1098R +40.509s
15. Josh Waters AUS Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 +40.894s
16. Roberto Rolfo ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +48.989s
17. Mark Aitchison AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +52.388s
18. Ruben Xaus ESP Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +1min 18.485s
DNF
19. Noriyuki Haga JPN PATA Aprilia RSV-4 2 laps completed
20. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR 2 laps completed
DNS James Toseland GBR BMW Italia S1000RR
2011 World Superbike Championship Standings
1. Carlos Checa Althea Ducati 195 points
2. Marco Melandri Yamaha SBK134
3. Max Biaggi Aprilia Alitalia133
4. Eugene Laverty Yamaha SBK109
5. Leon Haslam BMW Motorrad 95
6. Jonathan Rea Castrol Honda 94
7. Leon Camier Aprilia Alitalia 91
8. Michel Fabrizio Suzuki Alstare 85
9. Jakub Smrz Effenbert-Liberty Ducati 83
10. Sylvain Guintoli Effenbert-Liberty Ducati 54
11. Noriyuki Haga PATA Aprilia 54
12. Ayrton Badovini BMW Italia 51
13. Tom Sykes Kawasaki RTS 50
14. Troy Corser BMW Motorrad 49
15. Joan Lascorz Kawasaki Racing 39
16. Ruben Xaus Castrol Honda 31
17. Roberto Rolfo Pedercini Kawasaki 15
18. Maxime Berger Supersonic Ducati 12
19. Mark Aitchison Pedercini Kawasaki 9
20. Josh Waters Yoshimura Suzuki 8
21. Barry Veneman BMW Italia 3
22. James Toseland BMW Italia 3
23. Bryan Staring Pedercini Kawasaki 1
24. Fabrizio Lai Echo CRS Honda 1
