Carlos Checa has taken only four races of his World Superbike career to secure a podium finish on his Ten Kate Honda, also confirming 2008-spec machine's first visit to the rostrum.
Despite suffering from a sore ankle, foot and leg after a first start collision with another rider, Checa mounted his spare bike and battled hard to secure a sixth place finish, before going on to take the best Honda finish of 2008 in the day's second outing.
"At one stage of race two, I thought I could win,” he revealed, “then I realised that Bayliss, as in race one, had a bit in reserve. My pace was enough to pull away from Xaus and Nieto, but there are still areas of the bike to improve.”
The
MotoGP veteran had received attention at the side of the track after being thrown from his Hannspree–backed machine, and admitted that his head still wasn't straight by the time the restart came around.
“I didn't have a lot of time to get back from the medical centre after the crash in race one,” the Spaniard added, “but we just made it for the restart. I didn't feel ready to race right then and, considering this, we did okay in sixth."
Reigning British Superbike champion
Ryuichi Kiyonari only qualified 19th, and out of Superpole, but recovered in race one to take ninth, then went on to charge through almost the entire 25-rider field to secure a career best sixth in race two.
"I am too slow at the start of the race,” admitted the Japanese rider, “but, every time I go out, our settings get better and I am more and more comfortable. I am happy with my result, but not happy with the beginning of the race.
“I will have to improve my qualifying in order to get a better position at the start, but I will continue to work hard,” he added. “The feeling with the bike is getting better, the machine feels good and the set up was fine, I just need to go faster."
