September 17, 2007
Lausitz, GER - Newly crowned 2007 World SuperSport Champion Kenan Sofuoglu took second place in Germany over the weekend, after a race-long duel with eventual winner Broc Parkes. Sofuoglu provided great entertainment for the German crowd on a day that dawned blissfully dry, after a wet Saturday qualifying session.
Piloting his CBR600RR to a new lap record in the race, Sofuoglu took 20 points for his finish at Lausitz, giving Honda the Manufacturers’ Championship in addition to the World Championship, all with two races still to run.
The Young Turk now leads the riders’ championship he has already won by a margin of 100 points. Sofuoglu’s teammate, Sebastien Charpentier (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR), looked set for a podium, but reduced rear-tire traction in the closing stages of the race dropped him from the lead at one stage to an eventual ninth. He was particularly disappointed, as he had qualified on pole for the second successive meeting.
Katsuaki Fujiwara (Althea Honda Team CBR600RR) retired from the race on lap ten, and his teammate Lorenzo Alfonsi (Althea Honda Team CBR600RR) fell on lap 20.
Winning at Lausitz was high on Sofuoglu’s list of priorities, despite his recent championship success.
“For me it was really important to win this race because I won here last year and also, because I am the champion now, I feel that I should prove myself by winning,” said Kenan. “Broc Parkes was really strong today and I know that his bike is good around here. I fought with him for the entire 23 laps and it was not easy, but there is only so much you can do without losing the grip in the rear and in the front. He managed to get past me, and by the final lap I knew there was nothing more I could do to catch him. Anyway, I put in 100% here so I know that at Velleuga and Magny-Cours I will put in 130%—because I really want to win those races!”
Race Results, 2007 World SuperSport
Race One Results:
1. Broc Parkes (Yam)
2. Kenan Sofuoglu (Honda)
3. Matthieu Lagrive (Honda)
4. Craig Jones (Honda)
5. Tommy Hill (Yam)
6. David Checa (Yam)
7. Massimo Roccoli (Yam)
8. Joan Lascorz (Honda)
9. Sebastien Charpentier (Honda)
10.Barry Veneman (Suz)
Series Points After 13 of 15 Rounds:
1. Kenan Sofuoglu (Honda) 226
2. Fabien Foret (Kaw) 126
3.Broc Parkes (Yam) 100
4. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Honda) 87
5. Massimo Roccoli (Yam) 84
6. Robbin Harms (Honda) 83
7. Barry Veneman (Suz) 70
8. Anthony West (Yam) 66
9. Craig Jones (Honda) 58
10.Gianluca Nannelli (Duc) 49
