Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Chris Vermeulen, Honda, 28 laps
2. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati, -4.127 seconds
3. Steve Martin, Ducati, -5.707
4. James Toseland, Ducati -8.347
5. Regis Laconi, Ducati, -8.390
6. Noriyuki Haga, Ducati, -18.560
7. Garry McCoy, Ducati, -21.290
8. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki, -31.795
9. Leon Haslam, Ducati, -34.166
10. Troy Corser, Foggy Petronas, -38.175
11. Marco Borciani, Ducati, -43.554
12. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati, -57.948
13. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Suzuki, -78.242
14. Horst Saiger, Yamaha, -82.532
15. Chris Walker, Foggy Petronas, -2 laps, DNF
16. Warwick Nowland, Suzuki, -2 laps, DNF
17. Gianluca Nannelli, Ducati, -11 laps, DNF
18. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki, -13 laps, DNF
19. Alessio Velini, Yamaha, -19 laps, DNF
20. Jiri Mrkyvka, Ducati, -21 laps, DNF
21. Miguel Praia, Ducati, DNS

Note: Haga started last, from pit lane, after stalling his Renegade Ducati on the grid before the warm-up lap.


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Disappointing opener for FPR at Laguna

Foggy PETRONAS Racing riders Troy Corser and Chris Walker endured a disappointing first race of the seventh round of the Superbike World Championship at Laguna Seca today.

The omens were ominous when Chris’s first bike suffered an engine problem on his formation lap and the spare bike had to be wheeled onto the grid. He was running in 12th spot when, with two laps remaining, he was lucky to avoid a crash on the fast downhill section of the Californian circuit when further engine problems forced him to retire.

Troy Corser, starting from fifth on the grid, finished in 10th. He said: “I was losing too much acceleration on Sanchini and Haslam in front of me, who were pulling away out of the corners. I used the harder tyre compound but will consider trying a softer compound for the second race, although the difference in lap times between me and the riders in front remained pretty constant.”

Chris said: “I don’t deserve the luck I am having at the moment. I think the only reason I didn’t crash was because there was so much oil that the bike didn’t grip and I was able to use the camber to stay on. I was stuck behind Borciani for the whole race.”

Race one results, Superbike World Championship, round 7, Laguna Seca, USA: 1 Vermeulen; 2 Chili +4.127; 3 Martin +5.707; 4 Toselnd +8.347; 5 Laconi +8.390; 6 Haga +18.560; 7 McCoy +21.290; 8 Sanchini +31.795; 9 Haslam +34.166; 10 Corser (Foggy PETRONAS Racing) +38.175; 11 Borciani +43.554; 12 Pedercini +57.948; 13 Bontempi +1.18.252; 14 Saiger +1:22.532