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Suzuka Eight-Hours: Haslam becomes second-ever British winner

Leon Haslam, with a still-injured leg, has emulated his Pata Honda World Superbike team-mate Jonathan Rea and taken victory in the 2013 Suzuka Eight-Hours, finishing ahead of Josh Brookes' Yoshimura Suzuki team, who had a stop/go penalty for speeding in the pitlane. Team Kagayama, with 49-year-old Kevin Schwantz in the seat, took third.

Haslam is only the second British rider to win the prestigious event with Rea the first in 2012. Haslam's father, Ron, also finished second in 1979, so it continues a family tradition. His Mushashi Honda team decided not to pit when heavy rain appeared at the track with half an hour to go and battled on for the win.

It was also an historic win for Haslam's team-mate Michael Van Der Mark. He became the only Dutch rider to win the race and did so at his first attempt. His usual steed is a Pata Honda World Supersport CBR600. SERT were fourth with Yamaha France GMT94 fifth.

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Rea was forced to retire from the race at half-distance after team-mate and MCE British Superbike front-runner Ryuichi Kiyonari, himself a three-time winner of the event, crashed at Degner Two and the bike was too badly damaged to continue. He had also fallen in warm-up.

Honda TT Legends finished 22nd after an early pitstop to replace the clutch saw them lose a huge chunk of time.

Click the link below to download the results

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