Spies Takes Race One in Qatar

Cycle News Staff | March 14, 2009

Yamaha’s Ben Spies won his second race in a row with a victory in the first of two races at the Losail Circuit in Doha, Qatar, site of the second round of the World Superbike Championship.Starting from his second consecutive pole position, the Texan battled with Ducati Xerox’s Nori Haga and Aprilia’s Max Biaggi for the first two-thirds of the race before making his move on lap 13.Spies, waiting his time, shot into the lead after slipstreaming both Haga and Biaggi on lap 13, but Biaggi went past again soon after, only to almost lose the rear and drop back. Spies used this and his pace and push to make a gap with Haga and Biaggi fighting for the right to follow in the slipstream.Spies made half a second on lap 13 of 18; with Biaggi and Haga licked together is a close contest, each wanting to lead the chase.Spies stuck in a 1:59.6 on lap 14 to make his lead one second, as Biaggi and Haga battled it out for second.

The gap continued to grow, with Spies winning by 1.893 secs.Biaggi and Haga battled to the end, with Biaggi re-passing Haga on power down the front straight, but running wide on turn one, allowing the Japanese back to second.Aprilia’s Shinya Nakano was a distant fourth, but at the front of a tight knit quartet. Just behind were Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Checa, Shakey Byrne (Duc), and Yamaha’s Tom Sykes.Then came another group led by Ten Kate Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari over BMW’s Troy Corser and Ducati-mounted Regis Laconi.

Race One:

1. Ben Spies (Yamaha)

2. Nori Haga ( Ducati)

3. Max Biaggi (Aprilia)

4. Shinya Nakano (Aprilia)

5. Carlos Checa (Honda)

6. Shane Byrne (Ducati)

7. Tom Sykes (Yamaha)

8. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda)

9. Troy Corser (BMW)

10.Regis Laconi (Ducati)