By Glenn LeSanto

Ben Bostrom did the double again at Brands Hatch today, making it five wins in a row. The 27-year-old Californian is on a winning streak and even Neil Hodgson’s best efforts couldn’t deny him another double win. The pair, who had already fought a pitched battle in race one, found themselves locked in a race-long duel again in race two to the delight of the 122,000 spectators.
They were both riding on the absolute limit and had left the rest of the field more than 10 seconds behind. But the strain started to show on Hodgson’s machine and with 10 laps to go water spilled out of Hodgson’s breather pipe onto his visor as his engine started to boil. At first it didn’t effect the power of the engine on his GSE Ducati, but as the race distance wore on Hodgson was forced to ride harder–but at the same time try to spare his engine–in order to keep up with Bostrom. With only two laps to go Hodgson’s engine was running at 120 degrees Centigrade and the reigning British Superbike Champion was forced to admit defeat and settle for second.

“My plan for the race was to go as fast as I could for 25 laps,” joked Hodgson. “But with 10 laps to go my bike started to overheat. I tried to
keep the pressure on Ben but he just kept his head down and I was left staring at his backside yet again!”

Bostrom was typically modest after the race, saying “Neil Hodgson is the man to beat at the moment, we seem to be racing each other all the time lately. It’s a lot of fun. But he’s pushing me really hard and I was glad to have that small power advantage today.”

The last rider to win five World Superbike races in a row was Carl Fogarty.

Championship leader Troy Bayliss came in third, despite not feeling his best, possibly a result of the Californian style weather – blazing sunshine all day. Colin Edwards continued to see his Championship slip away from him, the five points he clawed back from Bayliss were lost again in the second race when he finished fifth behind Pier Francesco Chili. James Toseland had
his best result of the season, finishing sixth on his GSE Ducati.

Second race result:
1. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 36:28.522
2. Hodgson, GBR, Ducati, 36:31.103
3. Bayliss, AUS, Ducati, 36:39.429
4. Chili, ITA, Suzuki, 36:39.464
5. Edwards, USA, Honda, 36:40.007
6. James Toseland, GBR, Ducati, 36:45.756
7. John Reynolds, GBR, Ducati, 36:45.758
8. Yanagawa, JPN, Kawasaki, 36:52.442
9. Chambon, FRA, Suzuki, 36:52.691
10. Emmett, GBR, Ducati, 36:57.854

World Superbike Championship points after 10 of 13 rounds:
1. Bayliss 303
2. Edwards 250
3. Bostrom 247
4. Corser 226
5. Hodgson 217
6. Chili 179
7. Yanagawa 132
8. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain, 122
9. Tady Okada, Japan, 118
10. Xaus, 106.

Manufacturers’ Points:
1 Ducati 413
2. Honda 302
3. Aprilia 253
4. Kawasaki 230
5. Suzuki 195
6. Yamaha 25
7. Benelli 4.

Next round: Oschersleben, Germany – September 2