Kawasaki WSBK / WSS - Valencia

[MadKaw]

Sykes Scores As Andrews Escapes
WSBK, Valence, Spain, 11 April 2010
Tom Sykes scored 11th and 15th place finishes at Valencia to go 16th in the championship table, after a sometimes dramatic day of action during round three of the championship. In the first 23-lap race Tom worked his way to 11th place, finishing just over two seconds ahead of Ruben Xaus, having started from 18th place on the grid.

Race two was a two-part affair, after stand-in Kawasaki Racing Team rider Simon Andrews (18th in race one) was involved in a horrific looking crash on the main straight, which saw him roll down the grass underneath pit wall. Simon was eventually diagnosed with a broken heel and a fractured metatarsus bone in his left foot, plus heavy bruising.

The race was stopped as Andrews and Vittorio Iannuzzo were attended to trackside, and the race eventually became an aggregate affair, based on times set in the first three-lap heat and a 20 lap restart.

Tom was caught out by a small problem in the first part and that meant he started 21st from 22 riders, and made up places as best he could to end up 15th and score a point.

Tom Sykes: “A few people dropped out of race one and I was not willing to make too many mistakes to make sure I kept some good points on the board. In race two we had a bit of a problem early on. We had a good launch and a good start but then there was a small issue with the electronics and that put me on the back of the grid for the restart. I got some cement dust in my eyes in the second leg of the second race and that was burning me all race. Race two was promising anyway but I got involved with people who were slower in some sectors and I could not run as fast as I wanted to. I overstretched the tyre trying to get past some of them but we scored points in each race and gathered more useful data for the team.”

Simon Andrews: “I think I must have landed on my feet or something and that is how I got hurt. I don’t remember a lot of what happened in the crash, but I remember getting a good start. Just as I was getting ready to get up to the guys in front the crash happened. I'd like to thank the team for the opportunity to ride and say how disappointed I am in having to end the weekend this way.”

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Lascorz Leads The World After Impressive Home Win
WSS, Valence, Spain, 11 April 2010
Kawasaki Motocard.com rider Joan Lascorz took his first win of the year today at Valencia, and in doing so he leads the championship after three rounds. Joan has posted 2010 season results of second, second and now a win, taking him only ten points from perfection as he leads the championship by four points from today’s second placed rider, Kenan Sofuoglu.

Lascorz grabbed the lead on lap six, and held it to the end, easing into to a comfortable lead by half race distance and finishing 3.193 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.

team regular Katsuaki Fujiwara had qualified on the front row but while sitting in a comfortable fifth place he fell suddenly on lap three, losing the front as he entered a fast right hand corner. His bike was too badly damaged in the fall to continue and he had to retire.

Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki rider Fabien Foret also fell, but he was able to remount and finish tenth. He is now sixth overall.

Joan Lascorz: “I am so happy to win in Spain and take the lead in the championship. It was a hard race and when I got into the lead I just had to open the gas and make a gap on the rest of the riders little-by-little. It was enough to take the victory, our first of the year. It will be a long championship and I will try not to make any mistakes so I can keep the lead in the championship now.”

Katsuaki Fujiwara: “I am not sure what happened but I lost the front in one turn. I had no warning and I did not feel I was pushing hard at all. I am sorry for the crash because we were in position for a good result, but we have many more chances this season.”