The Lucas Oil Utah USA Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship presented by HANNspree

The 2010 Superbike World Championship has been a wide open closely fought battle as the season reaches its halfway mark. The two races at Miller were the first that allowed twin cylinder machines to compete with reduced weight. The Althea Ducati squad, led by Carlos Checa, used the new rule to claim pole.

The factory Ducati team seems to miss the leadership that Davide Tardozzi brought to the squad, before this year’s defection to BMW Motorrad. Troy Corser in particular, is coming forward on the BMW S 1000 RR. For outright speed the Aprillia RSV4 and Max Biaggi has been the class of the field; already scoring double wins in Italy and Portugal.

Checa set fastest lap in each race and a new race lap record of 1'48.045, set in Race 1 and the overall lap record of 1’47.081 set during Superpole. Unfortunately for Checa, each of the day’s races ended in disappointment with DNFs while leading both races. The mechanical failures were to the benefit of Biaggi who scored double wins for the third time this year.

With former points leader Leon Haslam crashing out of Race 2, Max now leads the Championship by 15 points over Haslam heading into the Sam Marino round at Misano. Xerox Ducati rider Noriyuki Haga finished stronger than any of his previous results at Miller, in part due to Checa’s two retirements, which boosted Nori onto the podium in Race 1 and a fourth place in Race 2.

The Lucas Oil Utah USA Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship presented by HANNspree Results

Race 1 Biaggi, Haslam, Haga

Race 2 Biaggi, Camier, Crutchlow

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