Eugene Laverty Puts Pressure Back On For Title For Parkalgar Honda World Supersport Team
28/09/2009 13:58:40

PARKALGAR HONDA’S Eugene Laverty is only two points behind the World Supersport Championship lead after finishing a brilliant second in today’s 12th round of the World Championship at Imola in Italy; while Parkalgar Honda racer Miguel Praia finished a career best ninth.

Oil on the track forced a two-part aggregate race and then with just three laps to go Championship leader Cal Crutchlow crashed out of the race, leaving Honda’s Kenan Sofuoglu to win. There are only 50-points and two races left in the Championship, meaning Laverty is assured of second place in the title race or better. The penultimate round of the series is at Magny Cours in France next Sunday, October 4th.

Eugene: “I wasn’t able to show the Parkalgar Honda or my own true potential this weekend because of arm and leg pains that stemmed back to Friday’s delayed timings. I have an old injury in my left arm and a problem with my leg that means I have to stretch a lot on Thursday and Friday but this weekend the sessions on Friday were so interrupted I didn’t get a chance. The result was a lot of pain and this morning I had 10-injections in my arm and leg each – I was worried about even finishing the race so to get second when I could have been much stronger is excellent. I can’t believe I am back in the fight for the title, this is the closest I’ve been all year and I’ll be going to Magny Cours and then Portimao doing my best to win the World Championship at our home track.”

Miguel: “I am happy, ninth is my best ever result and the racing is getting closer to Portimao which is just as we planned. I actually crashed on the oil on the circuit when the first part of the race was red-flagged but got back on and to the garage. The second part of the race was good and my lap times were only a little bit behind the leaders. I was lapping faster than the group in front and if I had made a better start who knows what could have happened. My bike is good and the Parkalgar Honda team has done a great job.”

Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “Eugene was so much better in the race than practice and qualifying, his head was in the right place and he got the reward – he cannot be beaten for second in the Championship and has a real chance at winning it. There are only two rounds left with two points in it; that just goes to show the pressure of fighting for a World Championship, today it was Crutchlow that made an unforced error and scored no points. It’s now a two round Championship and the final round is at our circuit in Portugal which gives us a lot of encouragement. It was a good job by Miguel to finish in ninth. Honestly, I have never seen him ride better than he is right now; he’s stepped up a level. Well done to the whole team, it’s been a fantastic effort from absolutely everyone.”

Race Result

1 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 35'51.342 (156,936 kph)

2 50 Laverty E. (IRL) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 5.372

3 99 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 6.450

4 23 Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 15.847

5 24 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 15.944

6 1 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 16.001

7 21 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 27.097

8 13 West A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 27.835

9 117 Praia M. (POR) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 32.846

10 9 Dell'Omo D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 33.315

Championship Positions (after 12 of 14 rounds)

1: Crutchlow 210

2: Laverty (PARKALGAR HONDA) 208

3: Sofuoglu 153

4: Lascorz 138

5: Foret 115

6: West 104

7: Pitt 104

8: McCoy 82

9: Aitchison 71

10: Roccoli 62

17: Praia (PARKALGAR HONDA) 30.