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10 things you need to know ahead of Race Two at Laguna

Saturday, 23 June 2018 23:40 GMT

    • Facts to keep you on the edge of your seat before race two

     

    1. With his third win here, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) joined the list of the most successful riders in Laguna Seca on Saturday. There are no less than seven riders: John Kocinski, Anthony Gobert, Troy Corser, Ben Bostrom, Tom Sykes, Chaz Davies and Rea himself.
    2. Ducati became the first manufacturer with at least 10 pole positions at Laguna Seca. There was an amazing feat, considering that their best competitor is Kawasaki at three. This is the seventh track with at least 10 pole positions for Ducati after Donington (15), Brands Hatch (13), Assen (12), Misano (11), Phillip Island (11) and Sugo (10).
    3. Tom Sykes’ (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) seventh in Race 1 put an end of an amazing streak of eight consecutive podiums at Laguna Seca which started in 2014, Race 1.
    4. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) secured his 10th career podium in Race 1. These were obtained at no less than eight different tracks: after his win in Race 2 in Brno, this was the first time in his career with back-to-back podiums.
    5. Irishman Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) will be the eighth different Race 2 poleman out of eight race weekends this year after; Fores, Camier, Melandri, Sykes, Davies, Lowes and Van der Mark.
    6. Making his debut around Laguna Seca this weekend, Karel Hanika is the sixth Czech rider with at least a points finish in history after Jakub Smrz (684,5 points scored), Karel Abraham (33), Ondrej Jezek (25), Jiri Mrkyvka (23) and Matej Smrz (4).
    7. Race one at the GEICO US Round saw the 47th podium lockout for Great Britain in WorldSBK history.
    8. Tom Sykes is set for his 250th start in Race 2, his 220th for Kawasaki.
    9. Lowes’ Saturday achievement is even more remarkable as he put a Yamaha back on the podium in Laguna Seca after a wait of 18 years. The last Yamaha rider on the podium here was Noriyuki Haga in 2000, Race 2.
    10. On Saturday Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) continued his consistent run of good results at Laguna Seca with a sixth at the flag: in all his five races here he has always finished between fourth and seventh.

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