Yoshimura Suzuki continues to dominate the All Japan Superbike Championship following Atsushi Watanabe's third position at the weekend's second round at Suzuka in front of 30,000 fans. The GSX-R1000-mounted rider, who claimed overall victory at the opening race at Twinring-Motegi two weeks ago, was unlucky not to have finished higher after being hit by another rider in the final chicane on the final lap.
Watanabe, who qualified fourth fastest on Saturday, started the race well and held off Rizla Suzuki MotoGP rider Kousuke Akiyoshi (Wins Suzuki) and Honda riders Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Kazuki Tokudome and Takashi Yasuda for several laps before being reeled in a passed mid-race by slow-starter Chojun Kameya (Honda).
Kameya took the lead and held it to the end of the race as Nakasuga dropped out with machine problems. Then, just as Watanabe looked set for the second step of the podium, he was hit by another rider which allowed Yasuda through just before the finish line.
Said Watanabe: "I planned to follow Nakasuga in the first part of race and watch what his Dunlop tyres were doing then catch up to the leaders towards the end, but my GSX-R was feeling sensitive and I couldn't push too much. In the middle of the race I stayed with the second group of riders to save my tyre as I was planning to go faster towards the end of the race. I feel a bit disappointed not to take second position but to take a second consecutive podium is not so bad for me and the team as we are still leading the championship!"
All Japan Superbike Results:1: Chojun Kameya (Sakurai Honda CBR1000RR)
2: Takashi Yasuda (HarcPro Honda CBR1000RR)
3: Atsushi Watanabe (Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000)
4: Tatsuya Yamaguchi (Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR)
5: Kazuki Tokudome (Dream Honda CBR1000RR)
6: Shogo Moriwaki (Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR)
7: Kousuke Akiyoshi (Wins Suzuki GSX-R1000)
8: Norick Abe (Yamaha YZF-R1)
9: Nobuyuki Ohsaki (SpTadao Yamaha YZF-R1)
10: Yusuke Teshima (HRC Honda CBR1000RR)
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