Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn LeSanto

Edwards prevails at last

Colin Edwards chose the WSB race meeting in his home country to finally break Troy Bayliss’ stranglehold on the series with a hard-fought win. The massive crowd of 98,000 was treated to perhaps the best WSB race of the season so far as Edwards, Bayliss and Neil Hodgson battled their way around the final laps in an epic struggle for victory.

In the end it came down to who could make the least mistakes in a wild war and that honor fell to Edwards who rode hard but kept his head for a great win. When Bayliss and Hodgson started to take bits out of each others’ fairings in the final two laps it gave Edwards the tiny bit of breathing space he needed and he made the most of it.

Early on it was another American who had the crowd standing up and whooping, Eric Bostrom did what no other rider has done for as long as anyone can remember, he put a four-cylinder bike in the lead of a World Superbike race. Eric Bostrom took the lead into the first corner and then shocked Edwards by making a break for it.

“I saw Eric getting away,” said Edwards, “and thought shit! This isn’t good!”

But Bostrom didn’t stay ahead for long, Edwards had promised before the race to do everything up to and including crashing in an attempt to win at Laguna Seca. He overhauled Eric Bostrom on lap four and then made his own breakaway. Bayliss quickly saw the danger and took off after Edwards, passing Bostrom on lap nine. Hodgson joined them and the three broke away from Bostrom late in the race to set the scene for the explosive finale. Eric Bostrom eventually finished fourth, one up on his brother Ben Bostrom.

In the end, with Edwards cashing in on the tremendous fight between Hodgson and Bayliss behind him it was a case of who made the fewest mistakes would get second. Both Hodgson and Bayliss made plenty ­ they slid both tires, touched curbs ­ and even ran over the dirt as they fought over the runner-up spot. Bayliss made the fewer mistakes and was rewarded with second.

“I made so many mistakes,” said Hodgson, “I was a little disappointed with my performance in the first race and was really determined to make amends in race two. I was a bit wild really, I was a little out of control and made a lot of mistakes ­ I’d pass someone then run wide and let them back through. I almost crashed a few times.”

Among those who did crash were Nicky Hayden and Nori Haga who tangled in turn 11 on lap 14. Hayden dived inside Haga to try to claim fifth but lost the front on the brakes. Haga had nowhere to go except up and over Hayden’s Honda and the pair took to the kitty litter together. Hayden remounted to finish 13th as Haga trudged back to the pits.

Ruben Xaus beat even his own worst record for crashing when his throttle jammed open at the Corkscrew on the warm-up lap. He crashed again before the end of the lap and started late ­ and a lap down – from the pit lane. He finished 19th.

While Edwards’ victory meant so much to him, it did little to dent Bayliss’ commanding lead. The Australian is now 53 points ahead of Edwards and looks assured of a second World Superbike championship with only four meetings left.

Next round: July 28 – Brands Hatch, GB

World Superbike Race Two Results:
1. Colin Edwards, Honda, 28 laps
2. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, -1.086 seconds
3. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, -1.672 seconds
4. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, -5.043 seconds
5. Ben Bostrom, Ducati, -11.843 seconds
6. James Toseland, Ducati, -25.747 seconds
7. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati, -26.572 seconds
8. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -30.234 seconds
9. Chris Walker, Kawasaki, -47.673 seconds
10. Doug Chandler, Ducati, -39.344 seconds
11. Steve Martin, Ducati, -55.463 seconds
12. Broc Parkes, Ducati, -59.065 seconds
13. Nicky Hayden, Honda, -66.996 seconds
14. Peter Goddard, Benelli, -74.841 seconds
15. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki, -79.063 seconds
16. Serafino Foti, Ducati, -83.356 seconds
17. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati, -82.867 seconds
18. Marco Borciani, Ducati, -84.380 seconds
19. Ruben Xaus, Ducati, -1 lap
20. Mark Heckles, Honda, -1 lap
21. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki, -1 lap
22. Mark Miller, Honda, -1 lap
23. Bertrand Stey, Honda, -1 lap
24. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, -14 laps, DNF, mechanical
25. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia, -15 laps, DNF, crash
26. Alessandro Antonello, Ducati, -25 laps, DNF, mechanical


World Superbike championship points after nine of 13 rounds:

1. Bayliss, 405
2. Edwards, 352
3. Hodgson, 221
4. Ben Bostrom, 184
5. Haga, 182
6. Xaus, 172
7. Toseland, 124
8. Walker, 108
9. Chili, 90
10. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki, 84.

Manufacturers points:

1. Ducati, 415
2. Honda, 357
3. Aprilia, 182
4. Kawasaki, 157
5. Suzuki, 101
6. Yamaha, 16
7. Benelli, 10