Superbike: Everything is ready for the American round in Miller

The Superbike World Championship arrives for the fourth time on the Miller Motorsport Park circuit, meeting American enthusiasts who, together with the manufacturers, riders and racetracks overseas, have contributed to the birth and first success of the "series derivatives" category ”. It is, in fact, known that Superbike was born and developed in the United States (as in Australia), becoming a world-wide category in 1988. The United States has always hosted a round of the Superbike World Championship, first in Brainerd, then Laguna Seca and, since 2008, the Miller circuit, near Salt Lake City.

Here the Championship presents itself with Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) in the lead, 27 points ahead of Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) and 28 on Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team). For the 2010 World Champion, the American one will perhaps be one of the last opportunities to try to catch up on the Spaniard who seems to be in full form this year (as is his Ducati). A psychological problem for Checa will certainly be represented by the fear that the misfortune of 2010 will be repeated, when he was forced to retire twice while leading with an unbridgeable lead. The Spanish driver, however, relying on his experience and the new technical material he has at his disposal this year, will face the American race with the sole desire to regain the double that eluded him.

Speaking of missed victories, Marco Melandri will try to Miller to make up for what he failed to win in Monza, where he was beaten twice by teammate Eugene Laverty. And Yamaha, after Ben Spies' double victory in 2009, presents itself as one of the favorite bikes.

On the subject of doubles, one cannot fail to mention the one achieved in 2010 by Biaggi who, thanks also to Checa's retirement, climbed onto the podium twice and took the lead in the World Championship, which he then won.

Finally, not to be overlooked is Jonathan Rea's Honda which, after the tests carried out at the beginning of the week and the double achieved in 2008 (with Carlos Checa), has demonstrated that it is at ease on the Utah circuit.

Only Superbike will race in Miller, while to see Supersport, Superstock 1000 and Superstock 600 again we will have to wait until June 12th, in Misano.

As a side dish to the world race, there will be the third round - in reality the fifth and sixth round, given that each event includes two races - of AMA Championship which is divided into classes Superbike, SportBike and Supersport, with regulations slightly different from those of the world championship. Along with the Japanese bikes, the Ducatis are also protagonists - especially in the 848 EVO version - which won the Daytona 200 (Florida) for the first time. Currently leading the various classes, we find Josh Hayes (Yamaha R1) in Superbike, Jason Di Salvo (Ducati 848) in SportBike and Tomas Puerta (Yamaha R6) in Supersport.

Ranking (after 4 rounds of 13): 1. Checa 145; 2. Melandri 118; 3. Biaggi 117; 4. Rea 89; 5. Laverty 85; 6. Haslam 84; 7. Fabrizio 74; 8. Camier 58; 9. Smrz 55; 10. Haga 47; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 152; 2. Yamaha 147; 3. Aprilia 139; 4. BMW 101; 5. Honda 93; 6. Suzuki 74; 7. Kawasaki 53.

SBK Press Office