Checa Leads After 1st Qualifying at MMP

Carlos Checa was dominant during the first qualifying session at Miller Motorsports Park for the World Superbike series. Checa was the only rider to drop below the 1’49 barrier, setting a blistering 1’48.260 lap time around the Utah track.

Checa did the double in 2008 and nearly did the same in 2010, but a series of mechanical errors kept Checa from the podium last year. The Ducati rider is showing the pace, however, to reclaim victory at Miller Motorsports Park.

Checa finished ahead of Leon Camier and Max Biaggi to claim the provisional pole position. Biaggi, the 2010 Champion and double victor at MMP in 2010, finished more than a second off of Checa’s pace.

Tomy Sykes took his BMW to fourth place ahead of Troy Corser and Jonathan Rea. Jakub Smrz and Eugene Laverty crossed the line in 7th and 8th, while Michel Fabrizio and Ayrton Badovini rounded out the top 10.

The World Superbike series will have the second qualifying session tomorrow morning, before they line up for the Superpole event. Both World Superbike races will be on Monday.

World Superbike Results - 1st Qualifying - Miller Motorsports Park

1. Checa - 1’48.260
2. Camier - 1’49.055
3. Biaggi - 1’49.306
4. Sykes - 1’49.432
5. Corser - 1’49.552
6. Rea 1’49.621
7. Smrz - 1’49.683
8. Laverty - 1’49.708
9. Fabrizio - 1’49.855
10. Badovini - 1’49..881

Here's a look at the World Superbike Qualifying action.