Checa storms to pole in USA

Added on Sunday, May 29th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

Carlos Checa mastered wet conditions at the Miller Motorsports Park to take another pole position today.

After a downpour hampered proceedings earlier in the weekend, the Superpole session got underway with a wet track beneath the riders. Checa featured towards the top in each of the three sessions, finishing in top spot when it really mattered.

After leading the second session for much of the duration Jakub Smrz finally settled in second place for the first of tomorrow’s race, whilst Marco Melandri will start third. As the session progressed the track soon began to dry out, with a dry line eventually making an appearance to lead Checa to another pole position.

Eugene Laverty will hold the fourth slot on the grid ahead of tomorrow’s opener, with Sylvain Guintoli fifth and Troy Corser sixth, after setting the pace earlier on in the Superpole outing. Reigning World Superbike Champion Max Biaggi is set to line-up in seventh place, with Ayrton Badovini eighth and Noriyuki Haga ninth. Brit Tom Sykes will complete the top ten and also a line of four consecutive British riders. Leon Camier just missed out on the top ten, after controlling the pace in the early qualifying practice sessions on a wet track.

Qualifying Positions, WSB, Miller Motorsport Park, USA:

Pos.	Rider	Nat.	Team	Time
1	Carlos Checa	SPA	Althea Racing	1’58.315
2	Jakub Smrz	CZE	Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing	1’58.390
3	Marco Melandri	ITA	Yamaha World Superbike Team	1’58.609
4	Eugene Laverty	IRL	Yamaha World Superbike Team	1’58.860
5	Sylvain Guintoli	FRA	Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing	1’59.069
6	Troy Corser	AUS	BMW Motorrad Motorsport	1’59.262
7	Max Biaggi	ITA	Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team	1’59.736
8	Ayrton Badovini	ITA	BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team	1’59.827
9	Noriyuki Haga	JPN	PATA Racing Team Aprilia	2’00.303
10	Tom Sykes	GBR	Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike	2’00.477
11	Leon Camier	GBR	BMW Motorrad Motorsport	2’01.127
12	Leon Haslam	GBR	BMW Motorrad Motorsport	2’01.127
13	Jonathan Rea	GBR	Castrol Honda	2’03.232
14	Ruben Xaus	SPA	Castrol Honda	2’03.382
15	Michel Fabrizio	ITA	Team Suzuki Alstare	2’03.397
16	Joshua Waters		Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team	2’04.156
17	Joan Lascorz	SPA	Kawasaki Racing Team	1’50.195
18	James Toseland	GBR	BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team	1’50.306
19	Mark Aitchison	AUS	Team Pedercini	1’50.646
20	Maxime Berger	FRA	Supersonic Racing Team	1’50.717
21	Roberto Rolfo	ITA	Team Pedercini	1’51.586