Prior to that point, Neukirchner had remained clear of the accidents and incidents behind him and looked set to take a perfect lights-to-flag debut victory.
The Alstare Suzuki rider converted his first pole position into an early race lead, ahead of Ducati riders
Troy Bayliss and Lanzi, as a series of separate falls soon eliminated potential rivals
Yukio Kagayama,
Noriyuki Haga,
Ruben Xaus and
Michel Fabrizio.
Second on the grid Kagayama, returning to action after breaking his collarbone at round one, fortunately walked away from his accident, while fellow Japanese Haga lost the front of his R1 into turn one just seconds after he had taken fourth position from Xaus. Xaus and Fabrizio also suffered front end falls.
That left Haga's team-mate
Troy Corser in fourth, but he was soon under attack from Checa - fastest in second qualifying, but only seventh in Superpole. Carlos overtook the double world champion on lap 10 of 23, then wasted no time in hunting down the two 1098s ahead of him - being cheered all the way by the vocal home crowd.
Bayliss had been unable to match Neukirchner and spent most of the race defending second against former team-mate Lanzi, but Checa blasted past them both within two laps to hold second place with nine to go.
Neukirchner held a decent four-second advantage by that point, but Checa kept his head down and - with Max perhaps a little cautious in the closing stages - was only one-second behind the German as the last lap began, and within striking distance just a few turns later.
Max kept his cool however and Checa's only chance was at the final turn, when the former
MotoGP star proved he had no intention of settling for second by launching his Fireblade up the inside for a 'do-or-die' into the tricky off-camber final turn.
Checa made what might have been his victory pass without making contact, and was slightly in front when he lost the front of his CBR1000RR - the rear wheel of which promptly swiped the front wheel of Neukirchner's GSX-R1000.
