IN
THE
WIND
P42
SOFUOGLU OUT ON HIS OWN
I
f Chaz Davies dominated the
WorldSBK races at Imola, then
Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puc-
cetti Racing) simply owned Imola
for the third time in four years.
For the second time in two
races we had a truncated WSS
contest. Planned for 17 laps the
race ended up being an 11-lap
full point restart, after a double
whammy.
First of all former champion-
ship leader Randy Krumme-
nacher's Puccetti Kawasaki
started leaking what looked
like oil but was claimed later
to be water. He did not see
the problem, smelled nothing,
and with his bike working well
enough to be third he carried
on at full pace. When the black
and orange disk flag came out
he did not see any number next
to it and carried on. When he
realized it was for him he looked
down did not see a problem and
kept going.
He was not allowed to make
the restart, which happened
after concerns about the track
conditions were nailed down
when Italian privateer Michael
Canducci crashed and his bike
lay in a dangerous position on
the racing line.
Sofuoglu went on to take and
his 34th career win. He started
well from the front row, and led
across the stripe every time.
"We did a good job today at
the home race for the team in
Italy," the Turk said. "I love Imola
and I cannot say more because
I am leading the championship
again. We lost 25 points in Aus-
tralia with bad luck but this can
happen in racing."
Joining Sofuoglu on the po-
dium were MV Agusta Reparto
Corse rider Jules Cluzel and
redemptive Honda World Super-
sport pilot, PJ Jacobsen. Both
coming back from no scores in
Assen, they clawed back some
good points for second and
third.
"I like that on a day like today
when I am not fast I can get a
podium and that is really good,"
said American rider Jacobsen. "I
am happy for my team and my-
self to put it on the podium and
start from here. It has been a
really hard start to the year. We
have the speed but the results
have not been there to back up
the speed. It is good to start
from this platform."
In the points Sofuoglu has 86,
Krummenacher 71 and Cluzel
58.
Gordon Ritchie
Sofuoglu (1) begins his disappearing
act. Krummenacher (21) lost further
ground in the championship.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
