Ben Spies (Yamaha) is now just 14 points behind World Superbike Championship leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), after the American rookie took his ninth and tenth victories of his rookie season, at Donington Park in the British Midlands.
In the first race, Ben Spies, starting from pole, had to battle it out for most of the race with Max Biaggi (Aprilia), with both riders held their starting positions into turn one at the start of the race while Noriyuki Haga went from sixth to third off the line. The Ducati star stuck with Spies and Biaggi over the opening laps, but then began to fade steadily backwards, sitting 2.5 sec adrift by the halfway stage of the 23 lap race, then over ten seconds behind at the finish.
Spies officially won by 7.1 sec, when Biaggi ran out of fuel on the last lap and coasted in for a well deserved third place.
In the second race, Spies won again, with Max Biaggi falling from the runner-up spot on lap four when he clashed with Alessandro Polita and eventually finished last. Haga was thus promoted to second, but then crashed and hurt his back, putting his appearance at the next round in doubt. The Japanese star walked slowly away, with the support of marshals, but his title lead over Spies was taking an even bigger battering.
Behind Spies, a three-way fight for second between Michel Fabrizio (Ducati), Leon Haslam (Honda) and Shane Byrne (Ducati) raged right to the flag, with the American star crossing the finish line 6.6 sec ahead of second-place man Haslam.
With Haga hurt with five rounds (Ten races) left in the season, and 250 points still on the table, the championship is now wide open, with the next round scheduled for Brno after a four week summer break..
WSBK Donington Park Race 1 – Results
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Gap
1. Ben Spies Yamaha Winner
2. Max Biaggi Aprilia +7.156s
3. Noriyuki Haga Ducati +10.968s
4. Leon Haslam Honda +18.843s
5. Shane Byrne Ducati +19.125s
6. Shinya Nakano Aprilia +21.286s
7. Etc………
WSBK Donington Park Race 2 – Results
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Gap
1. Ben Spies Yamaha YZF R1
2. Leon Haslam Honda +6.622s
3. Michel Fabrizio Ducati +6.816s
4. Shane Byrne Ducati +7.349s
5. Tom Sykes Yamaha YZF R1 +8.145s
6. Leon Camier Yamaha R1 +13.463s
7. Etc…….
WSBK Standings – After Donington Park
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Points
1. Noriyuki Haga Ducati 308
2. Ben Spies Yamaha 294
3. Michel Fabrizio Ducati 257
4. Jonathan Rea Honda 177
5. Leon Haslam Honda 167
photo:WSBK
In the first race, Ben Spies, starting from pole, had to battle it out for most of the race with Max Biaggi (Aprilia), with both riders held their starting positions into turn one at the start of the race while Noriyuki Haga went from sixth to third off the line. The Ducati star stuck with Spies and Biaggi over the opening laps, but then began to fade steadily backwards, sitting 2.5 sec adrift by the halfway stage of the 23 lap race, then over ten seconds behind at the finish.
Spies officially won by 7.1 sec, when Biaggi ran out of fuel on the last lap and coasted in for a well deserved third place.
In the second race, Spies won again, with Max Biaggi falling from the runner-up spot on lap four when he clashed with Alessandro Polita and eventually finished last. Haga was thus promoted to second, but then crashed and hurt his back, putting his appearance at the next round in doubt. The Japanese star walked slowly away, with the support of marshals, but his title lead over Spies was taking an even bigger battering.
Behind Spies, a three-way fight for second between Michel Fabrizio (Ducati), Leon Haslam (Honda) and Shane Byrne (Ducati) raged right to the flag, with the American star crossing the finish line 6.6 sec ahead of second-place man Haslam.
With Haga hurt with five rounds (Ten races) left in the season, and 250 points still on the table, the championship is now wide open, with the next round scheduled for Brno after a four week summer break..
WSBK Donington Park Race 1 – Results
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Gap
1. Ben Spies Yamaha Winner
2. Max Biaggi Aprilia +7.156s
3. Noriyuki Haga Ducati +10.968s
4. Leon Haslam Honda +18.843s
5. Shane Byrne Ducati +19.125s
6. Shinya Nakano Aprilia +21.286s
7. Etc………
WSBK Donington Park Race 2 – Results
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Gap
1. Ben Spies Yamaha YZF R1
2. Leon Haslam Honda +6.622s
3. Michel Fabrizio Ducati +6.816s
4. Shane Byrne Ducati +7.349s
5. Tom Sykes Yamaha YZF R1 +8.145s
6. Leon Camier Yamaha R1 +13.463s
7. Etc…….
WSBK Standings – After Donington Park
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Points
1. Noriyuki Haga Ducati 308
2. Ben Spies Yamaha 294
3. Michel Fabrizio Ducati 257
4. Jonathan Rea Honda 177
5. Leon Haslam Honda 167
photo:WSBK