Laverty wins dramatic Supersport scrap

By Burning Rubber on Apr 26, 09 01:09 PM

assen champagneblog.jpg EUGENE Laverty won a fraught and frantic three-man dice for the chequered flag in today's World Supersport race at Assen.

The Durham-based Irishman crossed the line just inches ahead of Brit Cal Crutchlow, after the pair inched out Spaniard Joan Lascorz in the final corner.

Laverty's win came after a dramatic closing lap, which was impossible to call as the leading trio entered the latter half.

Having led the race twice during the 22-lap race, Laverty's Parkalgar Honda had fallen to second after a pass by Lascorz on the penultimate lap.

Meanwhile a charged Crutchlow - having recovered from a bad start and then a run-in with team-mate Fabien Foret which sent him wide and caused him to run over the arm of Andrew Pitt who went down somewhere among the scrum - was in a perilous third place and closing in. eugene leads assenblog.jpg

As the final lap got underway it was Lascorz's Kawasaki Motocard which was in the lead, and as they reached the final few turns, Crutchlow's Yamaha Racing machine made the first move, diving up the inside of Laverty for second.

But Laverty was quick to nab back the place as they headed towards the final turn, and then made his own charge up the inside of Lascorz as they reached chicane,

Holding onto the inside he kept it a nose ahead to cross the line first, while Crutchlow seized the opportunity to dive past, pushing Lascorz down to third.

"That was fantastic," said a happy but clearly tired Laverty. "I didn't expect to win today, after qualifying I honestly thought the race was going to be Cal's, but I believe he had a run in with Foret.

assen podiumblog.jpg "He pushed me all the way there, so it was fantastic to get the win on the final corner. That's what wins championships, and I'm now lying second in the points so we'll see what happens at the flyaways. By the time we get back we'll have a better idea who is in the running."

Cal meanwhile struggled to contain his annoyance at team-mate, but attributed his struggle to his slow getaway. "I had a bad start, I don't know what happened but I just had to work really hard to get back through.

"Unfortunately Fabien did his best job to run me off the track, but the team have done a good job with this bike so we were able to fight back. I'm still leading the championship so I'm happy with that."

WSS Assen results:

1 50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 35'45.160 (160,528 kph)
2 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 0.107
3 26 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 0.178
4 99 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1.777
5 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1.901
6 8 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 5.492
7 13 West A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 12.551
8 77 Veneman B. (NED) Suzuki GSX-R600 12.841
9 127 Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 13.567
10 51 Pirro M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 19.657
11 7 Vostárek P. (CZE) Honda CBR600RR 24.316
12 69 Nannelli G. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 25.803
13 55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 26.255
14 21 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 26.439
15 24 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 44.902
16 28 Vos A. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 52.814
17 83 Holland R. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 52.959
18 9 Dell'Omo D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 58.793
19 57 Bos K. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 1'04.653
20 94 Van Nieuwenhuizen M. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 1'08.049
21 32 Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'08.111
22 88 Guerra Y. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R6 1'08.389
23 27 Van Poppel T. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 1'25.061
RET 53 Polita A. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R600
RET 117 Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR
RET 1 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR
RET 105 Vizziello G. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR
RET 30 Günther J. (GER) Honda CBR600RR
RET 14 Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR
RET 5 Pradita T. (INA) Yamaha YZF R6
RET 96 Smrz M. (CZE) Triumph Daytona 675