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European Superstock : Gritty Sofuoglu makes stunning comeback
Round: 5 - Czech Republic
Circuit: Brno
Date: 17 July 2005
Crowd: 31000
Temp: 31ºC
Weather: Sunny
Yamaha Motor Germany rider Kenan Sofuoglu made a heroic return from injury to finish second and keep his hopes of lifting the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup alive at Brno.
Still suffering the effects of the broken left hand he sustained a month ago, the 21-year-old Turk was not confident he could complete race distance, let alone finish on the podium.
Typically, the young superstock riders put on a great show for the Czech fans with Sofuoglu and fellow Yamaha riders Massimo Roccoli (Team Lorenzini by Leoni) and Belgian rider Didier van Keymeulen (Yamaha Motor Germany) pulling away from the pack at over a second a lap, leaving only Australian Craig Coxhell (Suzuki) able to maintain the pace of the R1s.
Pole sitter Van Keymeulen led for most of the race but the result was decided by a frantic last two laps what saw Coxhell intelligently pick his way through to take the win, with the unfortunate Belgian shuffled back to fourth.
With half of the ten rounds completed Roccoli leads the series with 90 points, ahead of Sofuoglu on 86 and Coxhell a further four behind in third. Van Keymeulen remains in contention for the title with 77 points.
Kenan Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motor Germany) "Those last three laps were very hard work. I've not been able to train since my injury and it was not just my hand that hurt, my whole body was aching at the end. I did feel that I could pass Coxhell on the last lap, but I got involved in a fight with Roccoli and Didier which made the gap too big. But I am very happy to finish on the podium because I was not sure I could last the race distance. Now I am just four points behind Roccoli and I know that if I win the next race then I will move back into the championship lead."
Massimo Roccoli (Team Lorenzini by Leoni) "I knew that here would be difficult as Brno is a local race for Yamaha Germany. Again I slid around a lot under acceleration; this is the usual problem as I am too light for the power of the R1! I gave it my best and I wanted to win, or at least be in front of the other Yamahas, but I cannot complain because I am still leading the championship and will be ready to attack in Brands Hatch!"
Didier van Keymeulen (Yamaha Motor Germany) "Having been fastest all weekend I'm disappointed to finish fourth. The other guys seemed happy to follow me for most of the race and then make their move on the last lap. In the end I got tripped up by Kenan and Roccoli and that gave Coxhell some space. But I'm not disappointed like I was in Silverstone. There I had a gap between me and the leaders but here I have proved to myself I have the speed. I won't be changing my style or my tactics because I know that if I keep riding like this I can win races."
Race classification FIM Superstock 1000 Cup
Round: 5 - Czech Republic
Circuit: Brno
Circuit Length: 5403
Lap Record: 2' 6.980 (Didier Van Keymeulen, 2005)
Fastest Lap Ever: 2' 6.461 (Didier Van Keymeulen, 2005)
