Former MotoGP man and current World Superbike championship chaser Carlos Checa won the Suzuka Eight-Hours today with no front brake and a stop-go penalty in the seventh hour.
Checa said: "I had no front brake during my last stint. I only had engine braking and rear brake so I was really nervous. When it started to rain, the team showed me “Pit In” signal, but I decided not to come in.
"When Kagayama passed me, I thought “He is going too fast”. I decided to ride with my own rhythm. One of the reasons for our win was this and also Kiyo did a good job during his first stint. I am now thirty five years old so I don’t know whether I have another chance or not, but if I can race again next year, I want to win again.”
Team-mate Kiyo added: "I was really nervous during the last hour watching Carlos riding. Already front brake problem was there during my last stint. I was scared to watch sparks when Carlos braked. I am so happy that I won today."
Kiyo was the lead off rider and, as he promised, made a good start from third on the grid his CBR1000RR glued to the rear wheel of Kagayama on the #34 Yoshimura machine.
The two swapped place twice on the opening lap but Kiyo surged into the lead along the start finish straight at the end of the lap. Daisaku Sakai held third place aboard the #12 Yoshimura he was sharing with Atsushi Watanabe.
From that point on Kiyo raced to the first rider changeover unchallenged handing Checa a clear lead. The Spaniard kept the pressure on his rivals with a fast consistent pace leading by 30 seconds from the TSR FCC CBR1000RR #2 machine of pole sitters Ito and Tsujimura, at the second refueling stop.
The fourth hour provided real drama as a heavy rain shower soaked a part of the circuit making conditions very difficult to judge for 20 long
minutes.
Kagayama put in a big charge and caught and passed Checa but two laps later crashed the #34 at the first turn. He remounted still holding second place and completed his stint. The DREAM team pit crew signalled Checa into the pits for rain tyres but both riders stayed out on track as conditions improved.
While Kiyo and Checa steamed away at the front in the fifth hour Akiyoshi crashed the #34 trying to close the ever increasing gap to the race leaders.
The race ended for the #33 DREAM Honda when Johnny Rea crashed at the Spoon Curve demolishing the CBR1000RR. The accidents promoted the hard charging Harc Pro Honda pairing of Yoshiteru Konishi and Takumi Takahashi up to third place where they would remain until the finish.
Kiyonari and Checa continued to build on their one-lap lead as the raced to victory despite Checa being handed a stop and go penalty for speeding in the pit lane that cost them 30 seconds.
Results are here
