Corser the best in a barren day for Aussies

Team Australia’s 11-race winning streak in the 2006 World Superbike title is over, with a masterful Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki GSX-R1000) dominating round seven at Brno in the Czech Republic.

The Japanese rider showed new-found maturity in claiming maximum points, while world champion Troy Corser (GSX-R1000) was the most productive Australian in an otherwise barren day for the six-man antipodean connection.

In searing heat, Corser was fifth and fourth in the two 20-lappers, while title leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati 999F06) was taken out by Frenchman Regis Laconi (Kawasaki ZX-10R) in race one, and finished a lowly eighth in the second instalment. However, he still maintains a commanding 73pt (262 to 189) over Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha YZF-R1) with five rounds remaining.

Meanwhile, Yamaha’s Andrew Pitt (YZF-R1), who won his maiden World Superbike race at Misano last month, failed to finish either race with a persistent engine misfire.

The end result was that Brno was the first time since the 2004 finale than an Australian hadn’t featured on at least one of the race day podiums.

A determined Corser got close though, and held down second position in race two until a belligerent Michel Fabrizio (Honda CBR1000RR) passed him – and Haga - on a desperate final lap.

After suffering grip problems in the opener, Corser then changed his machine set-up for race two to mirror that of teammate Kagayama, although it took him a little while to feel comfortable in his new surroundings.

“Because it was more or less Yukio’s set-up, it took me a while to get used to it - and by that time the leaders were gone,” said Corser. “I managed to reel them back in and I thought that I’d get at least a third or maybe a second. I got past Haga and into second, but then Fabrizio came along with a couple of desperate moves.

“Honestly, if I hadn’t picked up my bike when he tried to make his move, I would’ve hit him and we’d both gone down, taking Nori with us as he was so close at the time. There’s racing and there’s desperation. He’s a young kid, but it could’ve ended very badly. After I had crossed the line in race two, I was so frustrated that I was sick - but luckily I opened my helmet first!”

Meanwhile, Kagayama recovered from eighth position early on to move into the lead on lap 18, displacing Haga - who had led from the outset.

Kagayama then cleared away in the last few laps to defeat Fabrizio by 2.431sec, with Haga in third from Corser and James Toseland (CBR1000RR).

“I am so happy today and I want to thank my team for all the great work they have done,” said Kagayama. In both races, I had to use patience - and this is not my normal style - but it was worth it. Maybe this will be my new style for the rest of the season!”

In a Bayliss-less race one, Kagayama stalked Toseland for 14 laps before making his move, while Fabrizio, who broke his collarbone while deputising for another rider at the Donington MotoGP round, was third from polesitter Haga and Corser.

Meanwhile, 37-year-old Bayliss was left to lament just how quickly things can turn sour in motorcycle racing.

"The whole day had been going to plan up until the first corner and I guess you could say it was one of those racing incidents," explained Bayliss. "Pitty [Andrew Pitt] got in a little hot and bumped into me which pushed me wide. Régis (Laconi) had already gone wide and then ran into me as well, down I went and that was my morning over. Like I said before you never know with racing what's around the corner.

“In the second race I had to work harder than to have a win but I only lost four points and I have to take it on the chin and move on. (Teammate) Lorenzo (Lanzi) gave me a place at the end and you never know a point could be important at the end of the year. I put a softer tyre on for race two but after two laps my grip was going down and I had to ride it home, but even that was a struggle."

Of the other Australians at Brno, Karl Muggeridge was 11th and seventh, while Josh Brookes (Kawasaki ZX-10R) was 18th in race one before a DNF.

Meantime, Steve Martin’s spare Foggy Petronas FP1 seized in race one – after his No. 1 machine caught fire on the grid! He was 19th in race two.

In the standings, Toseland (188) continues to hold down third behind Bayliss (262) and Haga (189). Corser (173) and Alex Barros (CBR1000RR, 151) are next, followed by Pitt (128) and the resurgent Kagayama (106).

In World Supersport, it was a superb Aussie one-two, with 40-year-old Kevin Curtain (YZF-R6) edging out Yamaha teammate Broc Parkes (YZF-R6) by 1.535sec after a race-long tussle. Honda’s Kenan Sofuoglu (CBR600RR) was third.

The victory, Curtain’s fourth in World Supersport following his first-ever pole position, has now hauled him to within 10pts (121 to 111) of Frenchman Sebastien Charpentier (CBR600RR), who limped to 11th place in his comeback ride from a broken collarbone.

Five rounds still remain, with Curtain looking to become the fourth Australian to win the World Supersport title behind Andrew Pitt (2001), Chris Vermeulen (2003) and Karl Muggeridge (2004).

Meanwhile, Parkes, 24, is now in third position on 94pts, ahead of Robbin Harms (CBR600RR, 74).

There have been 12 Aussie quinellas in World Supersport history, with Parkes the one who predominantly gets his wings clipped in the antipodean tussles: he’s finished second in 50 per cent of them.