WSBK : Tom Sykes does the double at Donington

from Twowheelsblog 

Just like in race 1 at Donington Park, Tom Sykes set an untouchable rhythm for the rest of the field as he raced to another lights-to-flag victory and moved to a second place in the standings just four points behind standings leader Sylvain Guintoli.

The Kawasaki rider got the hole shot and with the higher track temperatures as he lowered the race lap record that Jonathan Rea had set in race 1 and won with more than an 8 second margin - he had a 3 second lead after five laps -on Sylvain Guintoli who raced to a lonely second place after getting rid of team mate Eugene Laverty on lap 5.

Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty completed the podium after he passed a struggling Marco Melandri at the end of the penultimate lap. Melandri struggled throughout the race having trouble stopping his BMW with his front tire giving him problems and while trying to return the attack on Laverty on the final lap ran wide at the Fogarty Esses, letting Davide Giugliano who had been hotly trailing the two riders, easily conquer the fourth position.

Melandri ended up in a disappointing fifth and ‘his season that starts now’ will have to be postponed for the next race at Portimao. Taking 6th was team mate Chaz Davies, who had a rather anonymous race after losing contact with Giugliano and Melandri.

Loris Baz rode to a lonely 7th and more than 11 seconds separated him from Davies and more than 27 seconds from his winning team mate. Wildcard Niccolò Canepa was the only Ducati Alstare rider who finished the race, after Checa’s pullout and Ayrton Badovini crashed out at turn 2 during the 18th lap. The Superstock rider brought home the Panigale in 8th ahead of Jules Cluzel, while Suzuki team mate Leon Camier crashed out at turn 12 and rejoined to finish in 13th.

Michel Fabrizio closed out the top ten, while Jonathan Rea battled with arm pump issues and running off track at the Esses trying to battle with Canepa and Cluzel didn’t help as the Pata Honda rider continued to fade and finish in a disappointing 11th place.

2013 WSBK Donington Race 2 Results:

1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34′06.921
2. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34′14.956
3. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34′17.659
4. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34′19.178
5. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 34′22.897
6. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 34′23.396
7. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34′34.445
8. Niccolò Canepa (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 34′37.107
9. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 34′37.422
10. Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34′37.806