WorldSBK – Tom Sykes does the Donington double for third time in a row

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) made it two wins from two starts as he dominated WorldSBK race 2 at Donington Park to equal Carl Fogarty’s six race wins record in the series. The former champion, who has now won every race at the 2.5 mile circuit for the last three years, made it a clean sweep, adding the fastest lap in race 2 to the Tissot-Superpole that he secured yesterday, to win by over 9 seconds. Today’s double is the first for Sykes after almost eleven months, the last one dating back to Misano 2014.

Series leader Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) saved what could have been a huge crash as rounded Coppice Corner on lap 2, the championship leader lucky not to fall. He regrouped with some great overtaking moves to salvage second ahead of Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) who finished third for the second time today. This is the first race day of the year with Rea off the top-step of the rostrum in both encounters.

Davide Giugliano (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team) was fifth after being passed by Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) on the penultimate lap. The British rider overcame the pain and discomfort of cracked ribs to finish fourth. Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) claimed another strong sixth place finish after running third in the early stages.

The top ten riders were rounded out by Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who battled race long, as they had in the opening encounter. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) was in the top ten again in ninth with Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing Ducati) tenth.

Roman Ramos (Team GO Eleven Kawasaki), David Salom (Team Pedercini Kawasaki), Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati), Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and Santiago Barragan (Grillini SBK Team Kawasaki) were 11th to 15th respectively.

Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crashed out of sixth at the Esses on lap 4, while Nico Terol (Althea Racing) and Christophe Ponsson (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) were taken to the Medical Centre after falling off their respective machines halfway through the race. Reigning World Supersport Champion Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike) had to pull out of the encounter due to technical issues.

WorldSBK Donington Park – Race 2
1 – Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team
2 – Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Racing Team +9.772
3 – Chaz Davies Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team +12.304

Standings (6 of 13 rounds completed)
1 – Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Racing Team – 280
2 – Leon Haslam Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils – 179
3 – Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team – 178

Donington Park WSS win goes to Sofouglu

The sixth round of the 2015 World Supersport championship has been won after 20 hard fought laps by Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), as cooler temperatures descended at Donington Park.

Starting from Pole, the Turk was initially overhauled by rival Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) before regrouping and retaking the lead to win for the fourth time in 2015, extending his championship lead in the process to 45 points. Despite piling on the pressure Cluzel would eventually finish second, taking the lap record in his efforts to chase down the Kawasaki-mounted Sofuoglu.

17-year old British wildcard Kyle Ryde (Pacedayz European Trackdays) had the huge crowd on their feet with his aggressive riding, the youngster climbing onto the last step of the podium ahead of Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse). Ryde fought until the end with the hard charging Italian.

PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) finished a lonely fifth ahead of the Profile Racing Triumph duo Luke Stapleford and Sam Hornsey, both wildcard rides at their home track. Gino Rea (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda), Niki Tuuli (Kallio Racing) and Andy Reid (CORE Motorsport Thailand) completed the top ten.

Kyle Smith (Pata Honda World Supersport) and Marco Faccani (San Carlo Pucetti Racing Kawasaki) crashed out of contention, while Kevin Wahr (SMS Racing Honda) and Alex Baldolini (Race Dept. #ATK25) had to pull out of the race to technical problems.

WSS Donington Park – Race
1 – Kenan Sofuoglu Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
2 – Jules Cluzel MV Agusta Reparto Corse +0.891
3 – Kyle Ryde Pacedayz European TrackDays Yamaha +7.968

Standings (6 of 12 rounds completed)
1 – Kenan Sofuoglu Kawasaki Puccetti Racing – 130
2 – Jules Cluzel MV Agusta Reparto Corse – 85
3 – PJ Jacobsen Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres – 79