There are still three events left in the 2011 World Superbike season but Carlos Checa could claim the crown this weekend. Checa enters the Imola event with a 74 point lead over Marco Melandri. If the Althea Ducati rider can extend his lead to 100, he will clinch the World Superbike championship.
And 26 points shouldn't be too difficult for the Ducati rider to find. Checa has taken 11 wins so far this season. He also took a double victory at Imola in 2010. Needless to say, Checa is confident about his chances.
Marco Melandri will be doing his best to make sure sure the title chase stays open. Melandri hasn't raced at Imola since 1999, when he won the 125cc GP race, but a little desperation and a lot of determination could push Melandri's Yamaha to the front.
Max Biaggi could also be a factor in this weekend's race, although, he could also be non-existent. Following Biaggi's incident at Nurburgring, it isn't clear if the Aprilia rider will suit up for the race at Imola. Biaggi's title hopes are pretty slim at the moment, but if he does race this weekend, he'll be gunning for a race win in front of the Italian crowd.
