Carlos Checa wins the SBK double at Miller Motorsport Park 2011

Rider Carlos Checa has delighted us once again with another spectacular victory in the World Superbike Championship at the Miller Motorsport Park circuit. Without a doubt, the Catalan rider was the big winner of the Utah visit, being the fastest in almost every session and claiming a double in the American track.

The Ducati-Checa partnership is working wonderfully at the start of this SBK season. Let’s also remember that the Utah track owed the Catalan two victories, because last season, when he was on course to secure both wins, two mechanical problems knocked him out. So he deserves this double, and also the way he has achieved these victories.

Checa had a very good start on this occasion, unlike in race 1, but this time he held the first position and pulled away. He did not give up that place at any point from the start of the race, leading all 21 laps of the Miller Motorsport Park circuit.

The excitement of the battles shifted to the back of the field, with Camier, Laverty, Biaggi and Melandri, while Xaus went down again alongside Corser. Luckily neither of them suffered physical injuries, and even the rider Honda continued on track, finishing the event in 18th place.

Meanwhile, up front, Biaggi was recovering positions like a madman, and the Aprilia worked very well in this second race, getting close to the podium positions, with Laverty in his sights and, a little further back, his teammate Camier.

For his part, Checa kept leading and setting fastest lap after fastest lap, posting the best time of 1:48.827. On the other hand, with 16 laps to go, Biaggi passed Laverty and began attacking Camier, but the rider from 2nd on the grid was far away and struggled to ride, because apparently he had suffered some damage in the crash with Rea during race 1.

We then saw some great battles, such as Melandri and Fabrizio fighting for fifth place, or Rea and Smrz for eighth, and even a massive attack by three riders for eighth place in the final part of the race, with Badovini as the big winner of the group of Rea, Sykes and Badovini.

Up front, Checa kept flying. He was the only one riding consistently at 1:49, until the last lap when the Catalan finally dropped to 1:50 to take the final steps calmly, but he had shown an incomparable pace. On the podium he was joined by Camier in 2nd and Biaggi in 3rd.

Joan Lascorz also performed very well, starting with difficult moments, but gradually improved and finally reached 12th place, while Xaus finished 18th.

With his sixth victory of the season in SBK, Checa is now the leader with 195 points, 61 points ahead of Melandri and 62 points ahead of Biaggi in the overall championship standings.

The truth is that it has been a double worth taking your hat off to. Great Checa, very great! Now he will really enjoy the homage they are going to give him in his hometown, Sant Fruitós de Bagés, where he will arrive euphoric.

Now we must wait until the next event on June 12 at the Misano circuit.

Photo | WorldSBK