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World Superb ike Championship Round 11: Oschersleben, Germany If!l@rrD@) &3C!!J[fJ@[J0[fJ@[J1Jg u!JD@ @[?D[fJ !Jfj@!JD(1@fii)@ Pier-Francesco Chili ran near the front In race one, taking fifth in that leg, and then a seventh In leg two. Polen's record of 21 podium finishes in a season). All the neutrals will be rooting for a grandstand finish come Imola, especially after the best racing of the year came there in 2001. But first, there's Edwards' 2001 Nemesis - Assen. eN who deserves some good fortune after his perseverance on the slow triple. Lucio Pedercini, Serafino Foti and Mark Heckles finished off the top 15 in the first race. The last five pointspaying places in race two were filled by Marco Borciani, Pedercini, Ivan Clementi, Mauro Sanchini and the luckless Walker, blaming a slipping clutch. With the Assen and Imola rounds remaining, Bayliss sits on a total of 481 points, Edwards on 452, Hodgson on 298, Bostrom 229, Haga 228, and Xaus 204. Bayliss will be hoping for a repeat of last year at next weekend's Assen round, but on Oschersleben's evidence, Edwards' new Honda, allied to his season-long grinding consistency, may take the championship to the last round at Imola on September 28. (As an aside, Edwards racked up Castrol Honda's 50th and 51st race wins at Oschers, and equaled Doug SBK Championship, &Bnnany Oschersleben, Gennany Results: SaptllmbBr I, 2002 QUALIFYING: 1. Nell Hodgson (1:26.502); 2. Colin Edwards (1 :26.595); 3. Ben Bostrom (1:27.166); 4. Ruben Xaus (1:27.391); 5. Noriyuki Haga (1 :27.645); 6. Troy Bayliss (1 :27.664); 7. Pier· Francesco Chili (1 :28.183); 8. James ToseJand (1:28.208); 9. Gregorio lovilia (1:28.382): 10. Chris Walker (1:28.640); 11. Steve Martin (1:28.977); 12. Brae Parkes (1:29.074); 13. Lucio Pedercini (1:29.122); 14. Marco Borciani (1:29.732); 15. Alessandro Antonello (1 :30.143); 16. Juan Borja (1:28.122); 17. Hitoyosu Izutsu (1:29.736); 18. Peter Goddard (1:29.947); 19. Mauro Sanchini (1:30.075); 20. Mark Heckles (1 :30.144); 21. Serafino Foti (1:30.199); 22. Ivan Clementi (1:30.233): 23. Vann Gyger (1:31.026); 24. Thierry Mulot (1:31.797). RACE ONE: I. Colin Edwards (Hon); 2. Troy Bayliss (Duc); 3. Neil Hodgson (Duc); 4. Ben Bostrom (Duc); 5. Pier·Frl!lncesco Chili (Duc); 6. Jemes Toseland (Duc); 7. Noriyuki Hegs (Apr); 8. Gregorio Lavilla (Suz); 9. Chris Walker (Kaw); 10.. Brae PlIrkes (Due); 11. HitaYllsu lzutsu (Kaw); 12. Peter Goddllrd (Ben); 13. Lucio Pedercini (Due); 14. Serafino Foti (Due); 15. Mlirk Heckles (Hon); 16. Mauro SZlnchini (Kaw); 17. Vann Gyger (Han); 18. Thierry Mulot (Duc). Time: 40 min., 55.744 sees. Distance: 63.53 miles Margin of victory: 1.741 secs. Fastest lap: 1:27.007, Colin Edwards, lap 5 for the neutrals, it couldn't have been scripted better. For the main championship protagonists, it could all have been much worse. For the watching masses, it was everything the World Superbike races faHed to be - a real spectacle, a close-fought, inCident-laden, firebreathing epic of a thing. The 28 iaps got off to a great start when nine riders broke away from the madding crowd. Madding is the right word to use, because before the first lap was out, four riders had crashed, Rico Penzkofer, Jorg Teuchert, Christophe Cogan and lain Macpherson. . Teuchert claimed that Macpherson was the reason for his off; Cogan appeared to crash all on his own and was fortunate to not take out the follOWing couple of riders. Macpherson went shortly after, and Rico Peozkofer had the honor of being first to falL A further seven riders were to bite the dust, none higher placed than new lap-record holder and potential winner Christian Kellner, who fell on lap 21 while lying in a podium position. German hearts sank with his hopes, and he injured the top of his little finger and received a solid smack on the hip in penance for his error. 1n fact, none of the expected winners made it stick at Oschersleben, and thus Yamaha Belgarda's Paolo Casoli took something of a surprise win after completing 28 laps of the twisty German circuit. Starting from 12th place, Casoli was on the very back of the leading bunch of nine riders after one lap, but rose through the ranks to hold off the close attentions of Alstare Suzuki's Stephane Chambon by only .085 of a second at the flag. A masterful performance, from one of Supersport racing's many flawed geniuses. Alstare Suzuki's Katsuaki FUjiwara earned the final podium place In third, suffering from a wom and overheating rear-suspension unit. World Champion Andrew Pitt, who looked to have been relegated well outside the top five at one stage, rode to a solid fourth on his ZX-6R, ahead of his fellow countryman Kevin Curtain. Pitt w.as seriously upset about his lack of power and top end, but leaves the Oschersleben race with a chance of overall success still alive - mostly thanks to those who fell off in front of him. Championship leader Fabien Foret was fortunate to get back on the Ten Kate Honda after his fall at Hasserder Hairpin, and finished sixth. Having regained his longtime lead, after taking his initial blast into dean air on lap six, Foret was as uncontrollablY controlled as ever, until he bit off more than his Pirelli could chew and sUd into the graveL Casali, as was expected, was ecstatic. He hates flat, modern, constantly tight circuits like Oschersleben, and lives for the curves of Brands and the like. Just another reason why Supersport is so unpredictable. In the overall championship, the ups and downs of Foret mean that he still leads, but by the reduced margin of only three points, 148-145, over FUjiwara. Chambon has 135 points, with Andrew Pitt on 126, and Casoll on 112. Casali may be In with a mathematical chance of the title, but the fight is still between the top four. With 22 points between them, there is much work to do for Pitt especially, but after last year's bizarre championship denouement in Imola, anything can happen like it did at Oschersleben. -There were no tactics for me this race. 0 ... the first lap, I was ninth, but after two or three laps, the feeling I had with the bike was good," Casoli said. "On Friday and Saturday, the setup of the bike was not so good but we made some changes in this moming's warm-up and it was much better. At half-distance I think that it was maybe possible to Win, but I tried step-by-step to avoid making any mistakes. At this circuit, it is very difficult to pass, but for me today it has been perfect. The championship is out of my reach so I want to win each race from now on.» Hodgson took his third Superpole of the year, just ahead of Edwards and Bostrom. Paolo Casoli (2) got his first win of the year In front of points leader Fabien Foret (99) and Stephane Chambon (12)_ RACE TWO: 1. Colin Edwards (Han); 2. Troy Bayliss (Due); 3. Neil Hodgson (Due); 4, Nariyuki Haga (Apr); 5. Ruben Xaus (Due); 6. Ben Bostrom (Due); 7. Pier·Franeeseo Chili (Due); 8. James Toseland (Due); 9. Gregorio Ulvilla (Suz); 10: Brae Plirkes (Due); 11. Marco Borclan! (Due); 12. Lucio Pedercini (Due); 13. Ivan Clementi (Kaw); 14. Mauro Sanehini (Kaw): 15. Chris Walker (Kaw); 16. Mark Heckles (Hon); 17. Thierry Mulot (Due): Time: 40 min., 55.724 sees. Distance: 63.53 miles Margin of victory: 3.861 sees. Fastest lap: 1:26.549. Colin Edwards, lap 5 WORLD C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 11 of 12 SEPTEMBER 11, 2002' cue I .. n .. _ s 13 rounds): 1. Troy Bayliss (481/14 wins); 2. Colin Edwards (452/7 wins); 3. Neil Hodgson (289); 4. Ben Bostrom (229); 5. Noriuyki Haga (228): 6. Ruben Xaus (204); 7. James Toseland (149); B. Chris, Walker (134); 9. Pier·Franeeseo Chili (127); 10. Gregorio Lavilla (104); 11. Juan Boria (63); 12. Lucio Pedercini (60); 13. Hitoyasu Izutsu (55); 14. Eric Bostrom (49); 15. Broc Parkes (47). Upcoming rounds: Round 12: Assen, Holland Round 13: Imola, Italy