Kawasaki’s Sykes on Pole for 2013 Aragon World Superbike

Kawasaki Racing's Tom Sykes

2013 Motorland Aragon World Superbike Superpole Results

In the 2012 World Superbike Championship, Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tom Sykes was simply unstoppable in Superpole aboard his ZX-10R Ninja.

The Brit took a record nine poles, and finished the season only a half a point behind Aprilia Racing Team’s Max Biaggi, who has since retired from motorcycle racing.

And on Saturday during the second of 15 rounds in the 2013 World SBK Championship at Motorland Aragon in Spain, Sykes returned to his superpole-winning ways. Sykes took the  pole  with a blistering quick lap of 1:56.339 around the 3.32-mile circuit containing 17 corners. The lap also became a new fastest lap at Aragon.

To post such a quick time, Sykes, who led the second qualifying practice, saved both of his qualifying tires for the third and final Superpole session, and the strategy paid off. Joining Sykes on the front row for Sunday’s double header will be BMW Motorrad Gold Bet’s Chaz Davies and the current championship leader who finished 2-1 at the opening round at Phillip Island, Aprilia Racing’s Eugene Laverty; the Brit also led qualifying 1, free practice 2 and the first superpose session.

As for Sykes, who finished 5-5 at Phillip Island, the Aragon superpole win was his 12th since joining World Superbike in 2009 (Yamaha that year, and Kawasaki from 2010 on).

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-10R Ninja Superbike) says: “It has been a long break since the first race a few weeks ago but Kawasaki has worked so hard since then and made improvements to the bike, and that brought something extra. It has been nice to ride without any injuries this weekend as well after my fall in testing at Phillip Island.

“The most important thing to get today was a start on the front row and not worry too much about pole position but it was good to get my first Superpole win of the year for my Spanish-based team. There will be two long and hard races tomorrow so it is important to keep up a high level of consistency. I have a lot of supporters here because the team is based here and my old team-mate Joan Lascorz is also doing commentary on Spanish TV so hopefully I can give him something to talk about in the races. I want to leave here with a lot of points and move forward consistently.”

Heading up the second row will by Laverty’s teammate, Sylvain Guintoli. The Frenchman will be joined by FIX Crescent Suzuki’s Jules Cluzel and his fellow country man Loris baz. As for Cluzel’s teammate, Leon Camier was ruled out following a hectic crash during the first qualifying practice on Friday.

The third row will consist of Althea Racing Aprilia’s Davide Giugliano, BMW Motorrad’s Marco Melandri, who won at Aragon last season, and Pata Honda World Superbike’s Jonathan Rea. As for home favorite Carlos Checa, the Alstare Ducati 1199 Panigale R rider qualified in 10th.

2013 Motorland Aragon World Superbike Superpole Results:
1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’56.339
2. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’56.638
3. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1’56.845
4. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’57.486
5. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’57.540
6. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’57.869
7. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’57.975
8. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1’58.268
9. Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 2’01.613
10. Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1’58.326
11. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 1’58.329
12. Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1’59.993
13. Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1’59.475
14. Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’59.478
15. Alexander Lundh (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2’01.029
16. Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’59.379
17. Federico Sandi (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2’00.979
18. Ivan Clementi (HTM Racing) BMW S1000 RR 2’02.140
19. Mark Aitchison (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 2’02.554
20. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 2’03.201

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