Bayliss Secures Win On Home Soil
Added on Monday, March 3rd, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
Bayliss Secures Win On Home Soil
Tony Bayliss pleased the home supporters as he secured a double-victory in the second round of the World Superbikes series at Phillip Island.
The Australia, who claimed victory in the first race at last weekend’s opener in Qatar, has opened up a commanding lead in the World Superbike series whilst his performances have also seen his Ducati team, which uses a twin-cylinder engine as opposed to the four-cylinder 1000cc units used by the Japanese marques, jump straight to the top of the manufacturers standings with 95 points.
Bayliss led from the start and managed to hold off the challenge from fellow countryman Troy Corser in the opening race of the day, winning by a commanding 4.221 seconds, with Ducati teammate Michel Fabrizio taking the third and final podium place.
The second race however, was a tighter affair, with Yamaha’s Corser leading from the green light although he was soon penalised with a ride-through penalty for a false start. Before the Australian could even make it back to the pits, he chased out on the fifth lap, surrendering his lead.
That left Bayliss as the front runner and despite pressure from the Spanish trio of Carlos Checa, Fonsi Nieto and Ruben Xaus, the 38-year-old held on to cross the finish line 1.127secs ahead of Honda Ten Kate rider Checa.
Max Biaggi, a man who many thought would be one of the main contenders for this season’s crown, currently held by British MotoGP rider James Toseland, crashed out in both races having only completed a combined 21 laps of the total 44.
