Checa Fast in Germany

Press Release | September 3, 2010

The following press release is from the World Superbike press office…Checa leads day one for Althea with new record lapPrivateer Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) slammed in a brilliant new track best lap of 1’55.232 during the opening qualifying session of race weekend to lead local favourite Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport). Checa was a podium finisher at NĂĽrburgring in 2009, and is looking forward to another chance to improve tomorrow, before facing Superpole on Saturday afternoon. On his German-built BMW machine, Corser headed a trio of Ducati riders; Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team, Shane Byrne (Althea Racing Ducati) and Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox Team).Championship leader Max Biaggi was sixth for Aprilia Alitalia Racing, keeping up the pressure on challenger Leon Haslam, who was only 11th for Suzuki Alstare. Double Silverstone race winner Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) was top Yamaha rider, Jonathan Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) the fastest Honda man in eighth place.Privateer Jakub Smrz (Team PATA B&G Racing) slipped into the top ten, as did Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) on the same weekend his team launched their new 2011 season challenger in the WSBK paddock. Local hero Max Neukirchner (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) posted a top 12 time, but it was an unhappy and painful session for Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing) who broke his right wrist in a heavy fall, and has been declared unfit to race on Sunday. He also hurt his knee, but without serious injury.Stand-in rider Ian Lowry (Kawasaki Racing Team) was 19th and by no means the last rider in the first day rankings.Times: 1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1’55.232; 2. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1’55.447; 3. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’55.753; 4. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1’55.998; 5. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1’56.024; 6. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’56.077; 7. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1’56.169; 8. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’56.253; 9. Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’56.340; 10. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1’56.436; 11. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’56.617; 12. Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1’56.617; 13. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’56.734; 14. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1’56.799; 15. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’56.819; 16. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’56.825; etc.

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