Makoto Tamada easily won the first World Superbike race of the day aboard his Cabin Honda after fighting off a brave challenge from
Troy Corser in the early going.
Japan's Makoto Tamada made up for a poor getaway by scything past Hitoyasu Izutsu, Ben Bostrom and Troy Corser inside the opening five laps of the first race of the day at the 2.231-mile Sugo circuit in Japan to score his first ever World Superbike victory as Japan's wildcard riders took three of the top five positions.
Tamada led home Corser's Aprilia by a comfortable four seconds while factory Kawasaki rider Izutsu completed the podium at the place where he won both races in 2000 as a wildcard rider himself.
Tamada's Cabin Honda team-mate Shinichi Ito just held off the Suzuki of Akira Ryo for fourth place after a race long battle while Gregorio Lavilla overhauled Neil Hodgson on the final lap to claim sixth and seventh places respectively, fractionally clear of Pierfrancesco Chili on the best of the Alstare Corona Suzuki's.
In a race where if you didn't have Dunlop tyres you shouldn't have bothered turning up, defending WSBK World Champion
Colin Edwards led home the Michelin runners in a miserable 12th place after being passed by
James Toseland in the closing laps while
Troy Bayliss could do no better than 13th from his fifth row starting position.
Full results and report to follow.
