World Superbike 2008 - Round Eight

World Superbike 2008 - Round Eight - Misano (Spain)

In the scorching heat of Misano, Germany’s Max Neukirchner and Spain’s Ruben Xaus have shared wins in round eight of the world Superbike title, while Australian Troy Bayliss again extended his championship lead in what he described as one of the toughest days of his career.

Bayliss (Ducati) and compatriot Troy Corser(Yamaha) were to the fore in both 24-lap races at Misano, but just couldn’t maintain enough pressure in the closing stages as Neukirchner (Suzuki) and the privateer Ducati of Xaus both made their presence felt.

“I can say that the day has been one of the hardest of my career, but in the end we've gained more points,” said Bayliss.

“I had been feeling good all weekend and was feeling confident before race one. We had chosen a hard tyre which we thought would be good, but then I struggled throughout the race.

“We changed the tyre for the second race and that was as a bit better, but it was still difficult and towards the end I was losing grip with the rear. Again I take my hat off to the guys ahead of me, Ruben and Max (Biaggi), who did a fantastic job.”

Bayliss is now on 259pts with six rounds remaining, while Neukirchner (210pts) pushed Carlos Checa (Honda, 207pts) aside to move into second place.

Checa ran into a brick wall with set-up at Misano, and then let himself down with poor stars. The Spaniard never dropped his head though as he finished with 5-8 finishes - his cause also helped by the high level of attrition.

With a track temperature of 52 degrees, race one saw Xaus bolt from the blocks, with Biaggi, Michel Fabrizio (Ducati), Bayliss and Corser all swapping positions close behind.

Corser, who had started from pole position for the 42nd time in his career, then picked his way forward to second place, jut a few laps before Fabrizio and Biaggi collided, taking them both out of the running.

Corser’s constant pressure eventually saw him wear down Xaus, but by that time Neukirchner had made his way forward and was the new leader with five laps to run.

Although Corser tried valiantly to stay with Neukirchner, self-preservation eventually won over as he settled for second place.

“I was comfortable and I really thought this would be my day and I would win,” said Corser.

“The tyres kept fairly consistent throughout the race and I felt I was riding well. Max came past and although I tried to keep up with him, it just wasn’t possible. If I had tried any harder, I would’ve crashed for sure.

“I’m really happy with the way I’m riding at the moment and I’m giving everything I’ve got, but somehow a win eludes me. What do I have to do to win?”

Neukirchner’s second win of the year was just a reward for patience after he had to fight his way through from the third row of the grid.

Bayliss made it two Aussies on the podium in race one, just ahead of Xaus. Checa also had to push hard to beat Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) over the line in the battle for fifth.

Race was two red-flagged on lap two after Karl Muggeridge’s sick Honda left oil on the circuit. In the re-start, Corser and Bayliss were at it from the get-go and an Aussie quinella was a genuine possibility before teammates Biaggi and Xaus came on strong in the final stages.

Xaus hit the front on lap 20, and then Biaggi moved into second place just a lap later.

Xaus, who’s heading to BMW next year to head up its fledgling world Superbike campaign, then kept the shutters up until the end, and concluded proceedings with his third win at Misano and 11th overall in world Superbike.

Bayliss was third again, from a fast-finishing Haga and Corser. Inexplicably, Neukirchner struggled in race two with exactly the same set-up, and he was seventh, two seconds behind Lanzi.

In world Supersport, Australian Andrew Pitt completed a ridiculously easy 5.347sec victory over Craig Jones, with Jonathan Rea completing the Honda trifecta in third.

Pitt had it all his own way after compatriot and polesitter, Broc Parkes (Yamaha), crashed out of the race on lap seven.

Parkes remounted and eventually scrambled his way back to 10th, the third Aussie home after Pitt and sixth-placed Mark Aitchison (Triumph). Honda’s Robbin Harms was fourth, ahead of the slow-starting Fabien Foret (Yamaha).

“It has just been one of those days where everything worked well, and it wasn’t as hard work as I thought it would be,” said Pitt.
“When Broc made a mistake and crashed out I kept it comfortable till the end of the race and took the win.”
Josh Brookes (Honda) was another to fall and continue on, and he finished 14th, while Russell Holland (Honda) came adrift on lap two and couldn’t continue. Garry McCoy (Triumph) retired after 10 laps in what was a fairly miserable day for the Aussie connection - Pitt and Aitchison aside.

Pitt now has four wins in 2008 and is a 16pt (113 to 97) leader over Foret, followed by Parkes (87pts), Brookes (85pts) and Joan Lascorz (Honda, 81pts).

World Superbike 2008 - Round Eight - Misano (Spain)
Summary - Race Reports - SBK Race 1 - SS Race - SBK Race 2 - Ducati - HRC - Kawasaki - KTM - Suzuki - Yamaha - Pirelli
Qualifying - Aussies on pole at Misano - Reports - Ducati - HRC - Suzuki - Triumph
Previews - Preview - Team Previews - HRC - Suzuki - Yamaha

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