Corser Takes Monza Race One, Vermeulen Race Two

Corser Takes Monza Race One, Vermeulen Race Two

Two very different World Superbike races delivered two very different results at Monza, in front of a weekend crowd of 93,000. In race one World Championship leader Troy Corser (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) scored the win in his accustomed strong front-running form, but had to make do with third in race two, as his fellow Aussie countryman Chris Vermeulen (Winston Ten Kate Honda) took his first win of the year. It was also the first non-Suzuki success, and had Regis Laconi (Ducati Xerox) been able to hold onto his long-term race two lead, there may have been a hometown win for the Italian manufacturer.

RACE ONE: In a pressurised race in windy but otherwise perfect conditions the eventual winner Corser had a real fight after his early lead was eaten into by first Yukio Kagayama and then Regis Laconi. The following James Toseland, having a resurgent ride, made up a four-second deficit to overhaul first Laconi, then Kagayama, before dropping back to finish a close third, behind Kagayama’s flying GSX-R. Laconi was fourth, with Yamaha Motor Italia rider Andrew Pitt dropping back to finish a lonely fifth.

RACE TWO: With Corser unable to get a jump on the pack in his usual way, the 17-lap race (docked a lap because of a delayed start and a second sighting lap) grew from an eight rider battle for podium places to a pair of two-rider fights for the top honours. Race leader Laconi was hunted down by Vermeulen, who was to take the 25 points on the very last lap, with Laconi a safe second. Behind, it looked as if SBK class rookie Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) would score his first podium of the year, but Corser proved too strong in the final sector of the race.

Corser may have lost his near 100% record of wins in the last few races, but with his team-mate Kagayama running wide and then falling to retire in race two his championship lead remains, now 52 ahead. Third place is the property of Vermeulen, some 67 points behind Corser, but only 15 from Kagayama.

Karl Muggeridge scored a sixth and then fourth place today just missing the podiums but writing his name large in real race conditions, after some terrible luck in previous races. Both rides were personal highlights in his four round SBK career. For James Toseland, Monza was vindication of his true talents, and although finishing behind his team-mate in race two, he left Monza with points and pride from both his race performances.

Andrew Pitt won many plaudits for perseverance and hard riding on his Yamaha Motor Italia machine, running out fifth and sixth, just unable to stay with the leading groups in either race. His team-mate Noriyuki Haga had another tough weekend, 11th and 9th and not at all happy about his machine set up.

Pierfrancesco Chili (Klaffi Honda) had an eventful race two, when a fluid leak from his Honda on the startline began a series of events which would delay the start. He finished his Monza weekend without adding to his win total of four at the classic Italian circuit, but with two seventh place finishes. His team mate Max Neukirchner was ruled out of the weekend due to medical reasons, with Renegade Honda Koji rider Ben Bostrom finishing 18th on two occasions.

Chris Walker was once more the top Kawasaki rider, on the tail of the big starting group in race two. Two eighth places were his reward for another good display of the speed and prowess of the ZX-10. Just behind him in each race was the SC Caracchi Ducati 999 of stand-in rider Gianluca Nannelli, who was easily the top Ducati privateer on show with his ninth and tenth place finishes, despite race two’s start coming from pitlane.

Steve Martin and Garry McCoy had another tough day of racing, with Martin falling from race one and McCoy pulling in. In race two McCoy was lapped on his way to 21st place, while Martin retired.

The next rounds of the World Superbike and Supersport series take place at Silverstone, Great Britain, on May 27 – 29.

World Superbike Monza Race One

1 – Corser Troy – Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra – 32’40.906
2 – Kagayama Yukio – Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra – 32’41.891
3 – Toseland James – Ducati Xerox – 32’41.946
4 – Laconi Régis – Ducati Xerox – 32’42.663
5 – Pitt Andrew – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB – 32’49.515
6 – Muggeridge Karl – Winston Ten Kate Honda – 32’53.341
7 – Chili Pierfrancesco – Klaffi Honda – 32’53.534
8 – Walker Chris – PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse – 32’57.562
9 – Nannelli Gianluca – Ducati SC Caracchi – 33’01.387
10 – Abe Norick – Yamaha Motor France-Ipone – 33’02.025
11 – Haga Noriyuki – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB – 33’04.075
12 – Borciani Marco – DFXtreme Sterilgarda – 33’20.780
13 – Bussei Giovanni – Kawasaki Bertocchi – 33’20.986
14 – Sanchini Mauro – PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse – 33’22.390
15 – Clementi Ivan – Kawasaki Bertocchi – 33’22.861
16 – Nieto Fonsi – Ducati SC Caracchi – 33’25.850
17 – Gimbert Sebastien – Yamaha Motor France-Ipone – 33’25.969
18 – Bostrom Ben – Renegade Koji – 33’28.068
19 – Cardoso Josè Luis – D.F.X. Treme – 33’28.131
20 – Conforti Luca – Guandalini – 33’35.284
21 – Vizziello Gianluca – Italia Lorenzini by Leoni – 33’46.468
22 – Velini Alessio – Team Pedercini – 33’56.703
23 – Praia Miguel – DFXtreme Sterilgarda – 33’57.755
24 – Blora Paolo – Tienne – 34’01.149
25 – Nickmans Michel – Zone Rouge – 32’58.335
RT – McCoy Garry – Foggy Petronas Racing – 32’34.400
RT – Martin Steve – Foggy Petronas Racing – 26’02.034
RT – Mazzali Andrea – Mazzali Racing – 8’18.562
RT – Vermeulen Chris – Winston Ten Kate Honda – 1’50.995
RT – Alfonsi Lorenzo – D.F.X. Treme –
RT – Pedersoli Luca – Penta Race –

World Superbike Monza Race Two:

1 – Vermeulen Chris – Winston Ten Kate Honda – 30’49.758
2 – Laconi Régis – Ducati Xerox – 30’50.340
3 – Corser Troy – Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra – 30’52.216
4 – Muggeridge Karl – Winston Ten Kate Honda – 30’53.137
5 – Toseland James – Ducati Xerox – 30’59.659
6 – Pitt Andrew – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB – 30’59.834
7 – Chili Pierfrancesco – Klaffi Honda – 31’00.874
8 – Walker Chris – PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse – 31’01.345
9 – Haga Noriyuki – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB – 31’16.694
10 – Nannelli Gianluca – Ducati SC Caracchi – 31’23.217
11 – Bussei Giovanni – Kawasaki Bertocchi – 31’24.942
12 – Abe Norick – Yamaha Motor France-Ipone – 31’25.370
13 – Sanchini Mauro – PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse – 31’26.575
14 – Conforti Luca – Guandalini – 31’35.231
15 – Clementi Ivan – Kawasaki Bertocchi – 31’37.108
16 – Alfonsi Lorenzo – D.F.X. Treme – 31’37.443
17 – Velini Alessio – Team Pedercini – 32’02.002
18 – Bostrom Ben – Renegade Koji – 32’12.904
19 – Blora Paolo – Tienne – 32’18.190
20 – Mazzali Andrea – Mazzali Racing – 32’18.226
21 – McCoy Garry – Foggy Petronas Racing – 31’12.072
RT – Borciani Marco – DFXtreme Sterilgarda – 30’32.574
RT – Kagayama Yukio – Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra – 18’10.048
RT – Nickmans Michel – Zone Rouge – 17’37.575
RT – Gimbert Sebastien – Yamaha Motor France-Ipone – 11’24.851
RT – Martin Steve – Foggy Petronas Racing – 7’44.091
RT – Nieto Fonsi – Ducati SC Caracchi – 5’36.799
RT – Pedersoli Luca – Penta Race – 4’12.689
RT – Vizziello Gianluca – Italia Lorenzini by Leoni –
RT – Cardoso Josè Luis – D.F.X. Treme –
RT – Praia Miguel – DFXtreme Sterilgarda –

Championship Points After Race Two

1 – T. Corser – 182
2 – Y. Kagayama – 130
3 – C. Vermeulen – 115
4 – R. Laconi – 87
5 – A. Pitt – 60
6 – J. Toseland – 57
7 – C. Walker – 54
8 – N. Abe – 54
9 – N. Haga – 52
10 – P. Chili – 44
11 – M. Neukirchner – 41
12 – K. Muggeridge – 38
13 – G. Bussei – 31
14 – S. Gimbert – 26
15 – B. Bostrom – 19
16 – F. Nieto – 17
17 – M. Sanchini – 16
18 – G. Nannelli – 13
19 – D. Checa Carrera – 13
20 – I. Clementi – 13

Manufacturers Standing after Monza

1 – Suzuki – 191
2 – Honda – 128
3 – Ducati – 100
4 – Yamaha – 86
5 – Kawasaki – 66
6 – Petronas – 1

LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, Vodka in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, what a ride!