CIA Insurance Honda’s Jack Kennedy fought off the challenge from Mahi Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu to take his first World Supersport podium at Portimao – after snatching second in a red-flagged race.
The race was eventually won by Pata Honda’s Michael Van Der Mark – who extends his lead in the overall standings by 53 points and looks a sure bet to take the title. The race was stopped with four laps to go as rain started to fall out on the circuit – while the Dutchman was leading, followed by Kennedy and Sofuoglu.
At the beginning of the race it was Sofuoglu who had the best start, and led from Jules Cluzel, Van Der Mark and Kennedy on the opening lap. The Dubliner was not giving up and managed to get in the slip-stream of the Dutch and French riders to make a move going into the first turn to bag second on lap two.
DMC Panavto-Yamaha’s Kev Coghlan had a bad start and was soon sucked back to tenth, leaving the Scot with the unenviable task of battling through the rest of the pack to get into the top five.
Elsewhere on lap five Kennedy successfully made a move on Sofuoglu on the straight – taking advantage of the slip stream and went into the lead for the first time in this class. The Turkish rider was about to make a move on Kennedy on turn one on the sixth rotation, but went wide allowing Van Der Mark to go into second.
The championship leader was not holding back and his lap times kept tumbling and on lap seven overtook Kennedy coming out of the straight to go into the front, pushing the former British Supersport racer back down to second. Reparto Corse’s Jules Cluzel was in fourth but went wide on lap nine, and fell down to 18th and later retired to the pits - allowing the battling front trio to power on further up the field.
Meanwhile Coghlan was taking advantage from the mistake made by Cluzel and soon found himself in seventh on lap 12, just behind Pata Honda’s Lorenzo Zanetti and former MCE British Superbike rider PJ Jacobsen. The American appeared confident out on the track and with five laps remaining overtook De Rosa to go into fourth.
In a repeat of the first World Superbike race the white flags were waved furiously on the side of the track and soon the red flags were out with four laps left as the weather got increasingly worse, which meant Kennedy was able to get his first podium in the class.
When the race was stopped De Rosa got ahead of Jacobsen, with the New Yorker bagging a top five finish, followed by Zanetti and Coghlan, with the Perthshire rider ending the day in seventh. Rolfo and Roccoli completed the top ten.
