Superbikes USA 2012: Carlos Checa continues his love affair with Miller Motorsports Park and wins the first race

It could not be otherwise nor could it start better for us this wonderful racing Monday, with the sixth round of the World Superbikes in the circuit Miller Motorsports Park from Salt Lake City. And is that if there is a perfect circuit for Carlos Checa This is it, and that is how it became clear in the first race of the day. Victory for Carlos, who thus adds the fourth of this season and the fifth in this magical circuit for him. But things have not been easy at all, do not believe, that the friend Marco Melandri He has cuddled a lot, albeit from a distance. Finally, for Marco the second step of the podium and the third for Max Biaggi.

It must be said that the race has been exciting, but of course, after how high the bar was with the second race of Donington, anything we were going to know little by little. The traffic light went out and it came out in a dazzling way Tom Sykes, who was placed first although this time the joy lasted less than usual. He was followed at that time by Checa, Melandri, Jonathan Rea, the poleman Jakub Smrz and a surprising Chaz Davies. But it would not take long for each to take their most logical positions. Thus, Melandri removed the stickers from the Ducati Carlos on the finish straight to place second behind Sykes, while the two boys Aprilia they approached and got into the leading group.

And they only took a couple of laps when we saw one of the best fights of the race, that of Carlos and Rea, who at that time were fighting for third place. Jonathan overtook our bull on the finish line, but it didn't take long for him to return it to him, and so on for a few laps. For his part, with only five laps contested, the good old Tom deflates in an incredible way, and passes in the same lap from being first to fifth. The positions were consolidated with Melandri leading, followed by Checa, Rea and Max Biaggi, who was already fighting for positions of honor.

Things were getting more than interesting, and although there was a lot of race left, we were already expecting great emotions. But we must not forget that we are on the favorite circuit of our number seven, and he has shown it with fourteen laps to go, hitting Marco with a big ax and setting a strong rhythm to try to leave. With this pull, Carlos has managed to leave Rea and Max behind, but Melandri has been a tough nut to crack. It is true that the first position has not been exaggeratedly endangered, but what Checa took out in the cornering zone, Marco cut it out on the straight with the power of his BMW. Finally, and although the Italian has given everything in the last laps, it has not been enough to dethrone the king of Miller who has taken the victory, thus relegating Melandri to a magnificent (on the other hand) result.

For the third step, there has been a closer fight between Jonathan and Max, although with only one overtaking, the one that Biaggi made against Rea with six laps to go. Then the British tried, but could not beat the indomitable Italian. So Biaggi third and Rea fourth. Behind, there has also been an interesting fight between Eugene laverty and Jakub Smrz, who finished with Laverty fifth and Smrz sixth, while seventh entered Chaz Davies, matching the excellent position he achieved in Donington's second race. Eighth has finally been Sykes, while Michel Fabrizio has been ninth and Leon haslam only tenth. In the section of withdrawals and falls we find David Salom, John Hopkins, Niccolo Canepa, Lorenzo Zanetti and Leandro Mercado.

As for the general classification, I don't think I need to tell you that these twenty-five points are great for Carlos. At the moment Max Biaggi continues to lead with 144, 5 points, followed by Sykes with 131, 5 and by Checa who stands with 130, 5 to fourteen of the Italian.

This is all that this first race held at Miller Motorsports Park has given of itself. But remember that there is still the second, and although we are all clear who is the favorite to win it, we are not going to say it so as not to put jinx. For now, Carlos Checa continues to reign in those parts, and we, so happy. We'll be back in a bit …

Classification first race Superbikes USA * 1. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 38'21.283 * 2. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 38'23.596 * 3. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38'26.621 * 4. Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) Honda CBR1000RR 38'26.800 * 5. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38'33.484 * 6. Jakub Smrz (Liberty Racing Team Effenbert) Ducati 1098R 38'34.545 * 7. Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38'40.945 * 8. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 38'42.575 * 9. Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) BMW S1000 RR 38'42.733 * 10. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 38'44.716 * 11. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 38'44.979 * 12. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 38'46.035 * 13. Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 38 '50.683 * 14. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) BMW S1000 RR 38'52.505 * 15. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 38'54.249 * 16. Maxime Berger (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 38'56.692 * 17. Hiroshi Aoyama (Honda World Superbike Team) Honda CBR1000RR 39'13.436 * 18. Shane Turpin (Boulder Motor Sports) Ducati 1098R 38'49.456 * 19. Jake Holden (Grillini Progea Superbike Team) BMW S1000 RR 39'00.843 * RT. Leandro Mercado (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 24'24.308 * RT. Lorenzo Zanetti (PATA Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 20'25.943 * RT. John Hopkins (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 13'04.252 * RT. David salom (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 13'54.828 * RT. Niccolò Canepa (Red Devils Roma) Ducati 1098R 11'16.614

Provisional general classification * 1. Max Biaggi: 144, 5 points * 2. Tom Sykes: 131, 5 points * 3. Carlos Checa: 130, 5 points * 4. Jonathan Rea: 121 points * 5. Marco Melandri: 117, 5 points