Things were tossed up in the air in World Superbike action at Brno, as in the first race Ben Spies and his Yamaha were knocked out of the race when Xerox Ducati rider Michel Fabrizio crashed and took them both out, leaving Aprilia’s Max Biaggi a clear run to his first win of the season.
He led home the Hannspree Ten Kate team-mates of Carlos Checa and Jonathon Rea, with Shane Byrne on his satellite Sterilgarda Ducati the first Duck home and Troy Corser gathering fifth, by far BMW’s best result in their first season of WSB competition.
Series leader Noriyuki Haga, still not completely recovered from the broken arm he suffered four weeks ago, was eighth.
In the second race, Spies recovered and cleared off to a narrow victory over Biaggi, with Fabrizio breathing down his countryman’s neck. Rea and Checa were again in the action, taking fourth and fifth, while Haga improved to sixth and Corser managed an impressive 10th.
After 20 of 28 races (10 of 14 events), the series looks like this, with Haga’s early advantage over Spies whittled down to nearly nothing:
1. Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Xerox Ducati, 326 points; 2. Ben Spies, USA, Yamaha, 319; 3. Michel Fabrizio, Italy, Xerox Ducati, 273; 4. Jonathon Rea, U.K., Hannspree Ten Kate Honda, 206; 5. Max Biaggi, Italy, Aprilia, 200; 6. Ron Haslam, U.K. Stiggy Honda, 180; 7. Tom Sykes, U.K., Yamaha, 150; 8. Carlos Checa, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda, 145; 9. Shane Byrne, U.K., Sterilgarda Ducati, 134; 10. Jakub Smrz, Czech Republic, Guandalini Racing Ducati, 132.
The series’ next stop is August 3 at Brands Hatch in England.
