Max Biaggi moved into first place in the 2010 World Superbike Championship standings after winning both races at Miller Motorsports today in Utah, his third double win of the year, after similar feats at Portimao and Monza.
Luck was on the Aprilia Alitalia rider’s side today though, or more precisely not on polesitter Carlos Checa’s. The Spaniard’s Althea Ducati machine quit on him while leading in both races, allowing Biaggi, running in second, to claim victory. Checa was forced to stop with an electrical problem on lap 19 of the 21 in the first contest and then again after only 7 laps in the second. His only consolation: two Pirelli awards for the fastest lap of each race and a new lap record of 1’48.045
“I think Checa deserved that race because he rode very hard,”said Biaggi of the first go-round. “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.”
Joining Biaggi on the podium in race one were Leon Haslam in second for Alstare Suzuki, and the rejuvenated Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) in third.
But Haslam, Biaggi’s main championship rival, crashed out of race two, putting the Italian veteran 15 points in the lead after his win. Biaggi’s teammate Leon Camier had a career best second place finish on his Aprilia Alitalia machine, the first time that Aprilias have finished 1-2 in World Superbike. Cal Crutchlow took his Yamaha Sterilgarda bike to third place.
Results: Miller Superbike – Race 1
1 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38’20.442 (161,26 kph)
2 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 4.931
3 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 6.432
4 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 8.576
5 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 11.150
6 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 11.243
7 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 12.432
8 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 15.145
9 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 16.091
10 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 16.502
11 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 18.719
12 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 24.285
13 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 36.479
14 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 39.700
15 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 41.253
16 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 41.661
17 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1’00.427
18 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R
RET 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R
RET 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R
Results: Miller Superbike – Race 2
1 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38’17.842 (161,442 kph)
2 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 5.899
3 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 7.363
4 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 8.842
5 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 9.473
6 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 12.293
7 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 12.483
8 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 15.959
9 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 18.897
10 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 20.372
11 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 26.823
12 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 30.344
13 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 33.337
14 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 38.772
15 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 44.994
RET 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R
RET 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1
RET 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R
RET 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000
2010 WSBK Championship Standings
1 Max BIAGGI ITA 257
2 Leon HASLAM GBR 242 -15
3 Jonathan REA GBR 151 -106
4 Carlos CHECA ESP 141 -116
5 Noriyuki HAGA JPN 135 -122
6 James TOSELAND GBR 132 -125
7 Troy CORSER AUS 127 -130
8 Leon CAMIER GBR 115 -142
9 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR 107 -150
10 Michel FABRIZIO ITA 102 -155
11 Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA 95 -162
12 Shane BYRNE GBR 81 -176
13 Jakub SMRZ CZE 61 -196
14 Ruben XAUS ESP 53 -204
15 Tom SYKES GBR 42 -215
16 Luca SCASSA ITA 40 -217
17 Max NEUKIRCHNERGER 31 -226
18 Lorenzo LANZI ITA 26 -231
19 Chris VERMEULEN AUS 9 -248
20 Sheridan MORAIS RSA 3 -254
21 Andrew PITT AUS 3 -254
22 Roger Lee HAYDENUSA 2 -255
23 Joshua BROOKES AUS 2 -255
24 Broc PARKES AUS 2 -255
25 Matteo BAIOCCO ITA 1 -256