CORSER AND BAYLISS BATTLE IT OUT After his number one rival Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) looked to have done enough to take Superpole, 2005 World Champion Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) showed his desire to start the two 18-lap Monza Superbike races on Sunday in number one spot, taking his second Superpole win of the year with a 1’46.058 lap. His time was the best of the weekend so far, the best in the history of Superbike qualifying at this circuit, and over half a second from his previous fastest in regulation qualifying earlier in the day. It was his 36th career Superpole triumph, extending his all-time record of Superpole wins. Bayliss set a personal best qualifying time of 1’46.360 in Superpole for second place on the grid.

BARROS AND LACONI COMPETE ROW ONE Four different manufacturers will be represented on the front of the grid, after Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda) promoted himself to third and Regis Laconi blasted his big Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse machine to scoop the fourth fastest time. It was Kawasaki’s best Superpole result of the year thus far.
Barros, who last raced at Monza in the mid eighties on an 80cc GP machine, was only deposed from the top of the time sheets by the incredible pace of the battling Aussie duo of Corser and Bayliss, and now starts his fourth SBK meeting from the front row, for the first time in his SBK career.


WALKER RUNNING WELL TO LEAD SECOND ROW Regis Laconi’s team-mate starts fifth on the grid for the PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse team, after a personal Monza best pushed him from 11th in regulation. It was Walker’s best Superpole qualifying run of the 2006 season. The top Yamaha rider on show proved to be Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) who scored sixth best time, for a second row start behind Walker. After a recent serious back injury Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) made an impressive comeback and scored seventh in Superpole, one place up on his team-mate James Toseland.

KAGAYAMA SURVIVES SCARE TO HEAD UP ROW THREE Corser’s ebullient team-mate Yukio Kagayama secured ninth best time, having survived a scare under braking into the first chicane on his Superpole lap. As he hit the brakes his machine’s rear end tipped up violently, and the rear end snapped round in dramatic fashion. Kagayama’s great escape was no consolation to a disappointed Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) who had an unexpectedly lowly tenth place in Superpole, after a top four ride in regulation qualifying. Having just squeezed into Superpole in 16th place, Roberto Rolfo (Ducati SC Caracchi) sprang forward to 11th, moving up a row and setting himself up as favourite for best Ducati privateer finisher in the races. The last place on the third row was earned by private Suzuki rider Fabien Foret (Alstare Engineering Suzuki), who also hopped up one row.

SUPERPOLE DRAMA PUTS XAUS LAST IN SUPERPOLE Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) headed up row four, with Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) and Michel Fabrizio (DFX Treme Honda) for immediate company. Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Berik Ducati) had his chances of a strong Superpole performance ruined when his bike encountered a technical problem under braking after the first split, and he had to retire, dropping to an automatic 16th out of 16.

FRANTIC COMPETITION SEES TOP RIDERS MISSING SUPERPOLE CUT
Riders of proven ability, like Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France Ipone) and Max Neukirchner (Pedercini Ducati) experienced problems that dropped them from the top 16 qualifiers for Superpole. Gianluca Nannelli (DFX Treme Honda) was a lowly 22nd, but a serious doubt for the race itself is Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France Ipone) who suffered a high-speed fall on Friday. Cleared by medical checks but still not feeling fit to ride, Abe missed out Saturday’s timed and untimed practice sessions, and will make a decision about racing on Sunday during morning warm-up. The Petronas triples of Steve Martin and Craig Jones were, as expected, simply outgunned down Monza’s straights, with Martin 23rd and Jones 30th fastest in qualifying.

WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) once more dismantled the previous track best in the Supersport class, setting a hugely impressive lap of 1’50.580, even faster than the 1’50.7 he believed was possible after his Friday provisional pole. It was Charpentier’s fourth straight pole of the year, as he goes for win number three. It now makes him equal best qualifier in Supersport history, having joined Karl Muggeridge on a total of 15. Second fastest rider at Monza was local hotshot Gianluca Vizziello (Yamaha Team Italia) even if he was over a second behind the lead.
Megabike Honda rider Katsuaki Fujiwara was third at his team’s home race, while Charpentier’s closest championship challenger, Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany), claimed the last place on the front row with his fourth best time.
Vizziello’s team-mate Massimo Roccoli scored a top five finish, ahead of Stiggy Motorsports rider Robbin Harms. The first rider to qualify thanks to his Friday best was Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston ten Kate Honda) in seventh. A massive 35 riders qualified for the WSS race at Monza.

SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP Alessandro Polita (Celani Suzuki) scored pole at his local circuit of Monza, with a best time off 1’51.454. PMS Corse Kawasaki rider Alex Martinez upheld Spanish honour in second position, with Luca Scassa (EVR Corse Ormeni MV Agusta) besting the other main MV threat of Ayrton Badovini (Biassono Unionbike MV Agusta).

EUROPEAN 600 SUPERSTOCK CHAMPIONSHIP Xavier Simeon (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) won the second race of the 600 Superstock season, taking his points total to 50 after his first round victory in Spain. A last lap battle with Simeon and Niccolo Canepa (Ducati Xerox Junior team) saw Canepa end up on the gravel, giving second place to the hard charging Davide Guigliano (Lightspeed Kawasaki) and third to Alessandro Colatosti (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse).