Ten Kate Honda Racing’s Gino Rea won the 2009 European Superstock 600 championship in dramatic and nail-biting style at Portimao on Sunday as he finished the final race of the season with 16 points in third place.
The result after 10 laps of the 4.59km Portuguese circuit was enough to give the 19-year-old victory over his two title rivals by a single point, despite Marco Bussolotti winning the race.
Indeed, it was the top three in the championship – Gino Rea, Bussolotti from Italy, and Belgium’s Vincent Lonbois – who traded places throughout the race, finished 13 seconds ahead of the fourth-placed rider and were separated afterwards by just three points at the top of the table.
Gino Rea Speaks… (European Superstock 600 champion)
"It’s just the greatest thing – ever! The last three weeks, I’ve just been so anxious to see what was going to happen during the race. And for us to come here and get it after the others all tested here is just… I’m lost for words. It’s what I’ve worked for, what I’ve been training so hard for and it’s finally paid off. It’s a great feeling – amazing!"
25th October, 2009
2009 European Superstock 600 championship, final round – Portimao, Portugal (4.59km – 10 laps)
1. M Bussolotti (ITA) Yamaha
2. V Lonbois (BEL) Yamaha
3. G Rea (GBR) Ten Kate Honda Racing
4. F Karlsen (DEN) Yamaha
5. D Petrucci (ITA) Yamaha
6. J Guarnoni (FRA) Yamaha
Final championship points: Rea 154, Bussolotti 153, Lonbois 151, Petrucci 146, E La Marra (ITA) Honda 104, Guarnoni 104.
