Classic season for Superstock 600
Even from the first few races of a season that started in the Netherlands on April 16, it was obvious this was going to be close and combative all the way. After we had registered six different winners in the first six races of the year, it was clear that things would go all the way to the final round.
First off Michael van Der Mark (Ten Kate Junior Team Honda) stuck in a home win at Assen, then Romain Lanusse (Yamaha MRS Yamaha Racing France) took top honours at Monza, before wild card Giuliano Gregorini (RCGM Team Yamaha) upset the regulars at Misano.
After winning a race at Magny-Cours last season, Jed Metcher (MTM-RT Yamaha) recorded his only full-pointer of the 2011 season at the new circuit of Motorland Aragon. Dino Lombardi (Yamaha Martini Corse) was victorious at Brno but it was the ever-improving Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki) who would leave Silverstone as not only a race winner, but one of the riders who would challenge for the title all the way.
Van Der Mark was another, who despite two no-scores would work his way almost to the championship itself with three wins in the last four races (in Germany, France and at the season finale in Portugal).
The trio of potential champions, all on different machinery, was completed by Jed Metcher, but he had to wait until the very last lap, of the very last race, to take the championship, by 12 points from Day and 13 from van der Mark. Day had won again at round eight in Imola, but he had to give best to Metcher overall after the last race of the year.
Nine riders in total, from seven countries (Netherlands, USA, Australia, Italy, Belgium, France and Slovakia) appeared on the podium at some stage or other through what was a crowd-pleasing season.
Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda riders filled the top three places, and in terms of race wins, Yamaha scored four, van der Mark's one man Honda campaign also delivered four wins and Josh Day's similar solo Kawasaki effort recorded two victories.
Open racing, with a variety of competitive machines, and three stand out talents fighting over the title on the last day - it's been a great year for the smaller Superstock class.
