Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Edwards stretches out his lead to six points

By Glenn Le Santo

Colin Edwards took an important win in the first Superbike race of the day at Imola, Italy – leaving Troy Bayliss with an uphill task in race two.

The win puts Edwards on 527 points compared to Bayliss’ tally of 521. Now, in race two, Edwards simply has to follow Bayliss home to secure his second World Superbike title.

The race was red flagged due to an incident involving Peter Goddard and the Benelli Tornado. Goddard went down after oil escaped onto his back tire. Michele Malatesta was the next rider down, followed a lap later by Britain’s Neil Hodgson. The officials then decided it was time to halt the race.

In the restart Edwards started with a half second advantage putting the pressure onto Bayliss. The two fought it out lap-after-lap, swapping places several times before the checkered flag. After pulling off a brave overtaking move at the final chicane on the penultimate lap, Bayliss got his head down and pushed really hard to try to make up the deficit. But it was to no avail, Edwards was right on his exhaust pipes as they exited the final corner to cross the line for the checkered flag. Second on the road, Edwards was still a-half-second ahead on aggregate time to snatch that crucial five-point advantage and take him to a total of six points ahead of Bayliss.

Ruben Xaus was third ahead of Neil Hodgson in fourth. Nori Haga was fifth. Haga and Hodgson had been involved in a scary battle with Hodgson in the first leg of the race that almost ended in tears several times as the pair each refused to budge an inch.


1. Colin Edwards, USA (Honda) 38:17.324

2. Troy Bayliss, Australia (Ducati) 38:17.838

3. Ruben Xaus, Spain (Ducati) 38:25.975

4. Neil Hodgson, GB (Ducati) 38:37.719

5. Noriyuki Haga, Japan (Aprilia) 38:38.137

6. James Toseland, GB (Ducati) 38:54.814

7. Pier-Francesco Chili, Italy (Ducati) 38:58.724

8. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain (Suzuki) 39:00.125

9. Broc Parkes, Australia (Ducati) 39:00.320

10. Ben Bostrom, USA (Ducati) 39:06.705


More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda:

EDWARDS WINS THRILLING IMOLA OPENER

Castrol Honda’s Colin Edwards took victory in today’s dramatic opening race of the nerve-wracking final round of the World Superbike championship here at Imola in Italy.

Tension increased as light rain fell on the 3.04-mile circuit 10 minutes before the race. The rain soon cleared and one of the most dramatic races of the year developed.

Edwards had a lead of 0.7s over title rival Troy Bayliss when the race was stopped on lap 12 due to oil on the circuit. Edwards led most of the second part, 10-lap race but eventually followed Bayliss across the line to win on aggregate time by 0.5s.

“That was pretty close,” said Edwards. “It was difficult to know what to do at times. I knew I could let Troy through but then I couldn’t afford him pulling away more than 0.7s.

“In the first part of the race I was comfortable running the times and holding the lead but then I saw the oil flags and I was held up at the chicane by a lapped rider so Troy closed in again. It’s still all to do in the second race”