Xerox Ducati's Noriyuki Haga took the World Superbike double win today at Kyalami, finishing just ahead of team-mate Michel Fabrizio who attempted two last-ditch lunges on the final lap to get ahead of his team-mate.
Sensationally, Haga's title rival Ben Spies went out with a mechanical failure after only four laps and is now third in the title chase, some 88 points behind the Japanese rider who is now 85 ahead of Fabrizio.
Fabrizio was sitting behind Haga for most of the race, matching his lap times but on the final lap, the Italian tried once to get past Haga halfway through the lap and then again into the final corner but ran wide both times, allowing the championship leader back to the front.
Ten Kate Honda's Jonathan Rea went one better on his first-race performance and took the final podium step after fending off Leon Haslam for most of the outing. The Stiggy Honda man was out on his spare bike after smashing his number one bike up in race one.
Haga got away at the front and Spies snuck past Biaggi into turn one and Rea followed him. It took one lap for the American to get past Haga as Haslam was looking a way past Rea's team-mate Carlos Checa.
On lap four, Spies pulled out halfway round the lap, gifting the lead and eventual race win to Haga as the Japanese towed his team-mate away, leaving Rea, Haslam and Biaggi to scrap it out for the final podium spot.
Haslam keeps his fourth place in the title chase but is now just 10 points ahead of Rea. Spies' team-mate Tom Sykes was the next British rider along in ninth place while Tommy Hill finished just outside the points in 17th place. Shane Byrne retired.
