Crutchlow captures Valencia pole
Added on Saturday, April 10th, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments
Crutchlow captures Valencia pole
Britain’s Cal Crutchlow claimed another Superpole win at Valencia this afternoon, ahead of tomorrow’s double header on the Spanish circuit.
A trio of thrilling Superpole sessions saw the 25 riders battle it out head to head, to see who would come out on top. During the first session, Jonathan Rea made an impression on the track, pushing his Honda hard to make sure he set an early qualifier time. By doing so he was able to reserve his place in Superpole two.
Further ahead, Carlos Checa was looking strong early on in the hour, setting the fastest time just nine and a half minutes into the session. However, this was short lived, as Leon Haslam swept in to steal the quickest time just seconds after Checa made his mark.
The drama in Superpole two came towards the end of the session, when a timing error caused confusion up and down the pit-lane. After storming through the first two Superpole outings, James Toseland was right on target for getting through to Superpole three. Lying seventh as the chequered flag signalled the end of the session, Toseland looked to have secured a place in the final Superpole outing of the day, however, a delayed problem with the timing meant other riders’ times didn’t show up until afterwards. Two flying laps right at the end from WSB veteran Troy Corser and Toseland’s Yamaha teammate Crutchlow, meant the former WSb Champion lost out by just 0.001 seconds, leaving him ninth for tomorrow’s first race.
Despite initial uncertainty as to who was through to Superpole three and who wasn’t, the confusion was soon cleared up and the final session began.
The third outing was a fairly tame affair, with the front end being dominated by the usual suspects. Cructchlow took the important spot when it mattered, just ahead of a very pesistent Carlos Checa, closely followed by the third quickest man, Max Biaggi.
Haslam and Corser secured fourth and fifth, while another usual front-runner, Michel Fabrizio only managed tenth quickest. Fabrizio’s Ducati Xerox teammate, Noriyuki Haga qualified eleventh, with two strong British riders, Shane Byrne and Leon Camier in twelfth and thirteenth, respectively. A blow up on the pit-straight during the second session caused Max Neukirchner to retire from the session, leaving him sixteenth on the grid for tomorrow’s opener.
WSB Qualifying Positions – Valencia:
Pos Rider Nat Team Time
1 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha Sterilgarda Team 1’33.615
2 Checa C. (ESP) Althea Racing 1’33.840
3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia Alitalia Racing 1’33.860
4 Haslam L. (GBR) Team Suzuki Alstare 1’33.961
5 Corser T. (AUS) BMW Motorrad Motorsport 1’34.059
6 Guintoli S. (FRA) Team Suzuki Alstare 1’34.073
7 Rea J. (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1’34.235
8 Lanzi L. (ITA) DFX Corse 1’34.261
9 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha Sterilgarda Team 1’33.988
10 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati Xerox Team 1’34.021
11 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati Xerox Team 1’34.100
12 Byrne S. (GBR) Althea Racing 1’34.246
13 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia Alitalia Racing 1’34.273
14 Smrz J. (CZE) Team Pata B&G Racin 1’34.280
15 Scassa L. (ITA) Supersonic Racing Team 1’34.730
16 Neukirchner M. (GER) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1’34.934
17 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW Motorrad Motorspo 1’34.756
18 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki Racing Team 1’34.894
19 Pitt A. (AUS) Team Reitwagen BMW 1’36.088
20 Morais S. (RSA) Echo CRS Honda 1’36.072
21 Baiocco M. (ITA) Team Pedercini 1’36.104
22 Hayden R. (USA) Team Pedercini 1’36.117
23 Andrews S. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1’36.329
24 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) S.C.I. Honda Garvie Image 1’36.524
25 Resch R. (AUT) Team Reitwagen BMW 1’36.639
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