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Wilairot delights home crowd with maiden WSS win

Sunday, 22 March 2015 08:10 GMT

    • Action packed WSS race has crowd on their feet until the end.

    Ratthapark Wilairot (CORE Motorsport Thailand) has won the second round of the World Supersport championship coming home ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpre) who were second and 3rd in a photo finish at the end of an enthralling 17 lap race that had the packed grandstands on their feet with each lap completed.

    From the start it was Kenan Sofuoglu that took the holeshot, the Turkish rider keen to make up for his mistake in the opening round of the series, but by lap 5 a group of five that included championship leader Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Kyle Smith (Pata Honda World Supersport Team), PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) and local hero Ratthapark Wilairot (CORE Motorsport Thailand) were locked together, much to the delight of the local fans.

    Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crashed out of the top 8 at turn 5 on the 8th lap, the Italian was unable to continue. Kyle Smith slid out of contention a lap later, the British rider who was on the podium in Australia clearly annoyed with himself.

    Jules Cluzel who had been leading for most of the race retired with 3 and a half laps to go leaving Wilairot to claim an emotional first race victory in his home country.

    American Jacobsen tried in vain to close down the slender lead of his Thai rival, having to make do with 3rd at the flag to secure his first podium of the year ahead after being passed on the final turn of the last lap by Sofuoglu who took 2nd..

    Frenchman Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) scored his first points of the season, finishing a lonely 4th ahead of a jubilant Ratthapong Wilairot (A.P Honda Racing Thailand) who like his elder brother, had the grandstands on their feet as he fought off a fierce attach from Italian Roberto Rolfo (Lorini Honda) who was 6th.

    Martin Cardenas (CIA Landlords Insurance) became the first Colombian in the history of the series to score points in the World Supersport championship ending the race in 8th

    Wilairot now heads to Europe with a 6 point lead over Sofuoglu in the overall standings.