WSBK: Something to Prove in Race 2 at Brno

Continuing on our Eastern European tour, Race 2 had a number of riders with something to prove on two wheels. With teams on a more level playing field after the recent test at the Brno venue, Race 2 proved to be an opportunity for the diamonds in the rough to shine, and for old rivals to get some payback.

With no one trying to crash into him, Ben Spies made up some of the ground he lost on Haga in Race 1, during Race 2. The victory didn’t come easy though. Max Biaggi clearly had things the way he wanted on his RSV4, and proceeded to give the young American a hot pursuit through-out the race. Confident and consitent on the bike, Max reminded us of the old GP days, when he wasn’t worried about being in the shadow of Valentino Rossi.

Biaggi would finish under half a second behind Spies at the finish line, with Michel Fabrizio giving chase just a few tenths of a second off Biaggi’s time. The Spies/Biaggi/Fabrizio trio broke away from the pack, with Johnny Rea and Carlos Checa trailing 8 seconds back, with the rest of the field nearly 13 seconds behind them at the finish.

Leading that third wave was Noriyuki Haga lapping in the 6th position. Haga’s finish allows him to stay ahead of Spies in the Championship standings, but only by a 7 point margin. Any points are good points for the Japanese rider, as any mortal man would have likely given up motorcycle racing after nearly breaking their back.

Haga has two weeks to rest and heal up as WSBK heads to Germany and the Nurburgring on the second weekend of August.

Results from Race 2 of World Superbike at Brno, Czech Republic: