World Superbike 2008 - Round Eight

World Superbike 2008 - Round Eight - Misano (Spain)

Superbike Race 1

Troy Corser started from pole position but countryman Troy Bayliss was the first in to turn one just ahead of Ruben Xaus. The Spaniard on fire at Misano. Half way through the opening lap Xaus made a beautiful pass on Bayliss who then had Max Biaggi on his case, the Italian making a great start from the third row.

Xaus was setting a cracking pace at the front while Bayliss was looking a little messy in his quest to stay on terms with the Sterilgarda man. Biaggi squeezed past Bayliss to put the Wold Champion back to third place just ahead of teammate Fabrizio and Yamaha man Corser. Then in the space of two corners Bayliss was relegated to fourth place by his teammate, Corser then pushed it underneath him at the next turn to push Bayliss back to fifth place.

Sterilgarda Ducati men 1-2 and Xerox Ducati man Fabrizio making it a Ducati 1-2-3. That order was shuffled on lap four however with Fabrizio splitting the Sterilgarda men, pushing his way through to second place. No joy for some of the Fireblade pilots though with both Kiyonari and Rolfo coming in to pit lane for ride through penalties.

The tussle for second place hotted up on lap five with Biaggi, Corser and Fabrizio all trading places. Biaggi the loser out of that little tirade and then came under immediate pressure from Bayliss who brought Max Neukirchner with him. Only a second covering the top six. Corser slotted past Fabrizio for second place on lap six and was hot on the heels of race leader Ruben Xaus in no time.

Lap eight saw Bayliss take Neukirchner, Fabrizio and Biaggi in one incredible move. Bayliss perhaps seeing Corser and Xaus starting to inch away and keen to keep on their tails.

Disaster struck on lap 11 when Fabrizio lost the front and his sliding Ducati took Biaggi out of the race which reduced the excitement up front markedly. Corser was still all over Xaus at the front while Neukirchner had eclipsed Bayliss for third place and was eager to chase down the leading duo.

Second placed man in the race for the title Carlos Checa was slowly working his way through the field and was in seventh place at the halfway mark of the 24 lap race. Championship leader Bayliss was in fourth place and in danger of being caught by Lanzi, Checa and Smrz.

Corser went through to the lead with ten laps to run. Two laps later Max Neukirchner relegated Xaus to third place, next target Corser...

Half a lap later Neukirchner put the Suzuki into the lead. Bayliss seemed to be getting his second wind and pulled away from Checa and started to close on Xaus a little with six laps to run but the Spaniards buffer looked to be too handy for the Xerox man to mount a challenge for the podium.

Corser was sticking right on the tail of Neukirchner as the laps counted down, nothing separating the pair with three laps to go. Bayliss was finishing strongly and squeezed past Xaus for third place after putting in his best lap of the race. With two laps to run Neukirchner started getting away from Corser but the Yamaha man could ill afford to settle for second place as catching him hand over fist was Bayliss, the Xerox Ducati man seemingly saving his best for last.

Neukirchner the winner, Corser second and Bayliss rounded out the podium ahead of Xaus and Checa.

Neukirchner’s win promoted him into second place in the series ahead of Checa. Bayliss still the clear series leader with a 43 point buffer in his corner.