Gamarino leads first qualifying charge
Qualifying action at Jerez kick-started today with an entertaining first session for the Superstock 600 European Championship, that was headed by title contender Christian Gamarino, who clocked in 1'47.432 onboard his Team Go Eleven Kawasaki ZX-6R. The young Italian managed to snatch first place from Tony Covena (Nito Racing Kawasaki Racing Team), Alessandro Nocco (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki) and Kyle Smith (Agro-on Racedays Honda), with the chasing trio in 0.140s from the lead. Smith, despite being born in Huddersfield, England, is racing on what can be considered his home track, having lived in Valencia since he was 7 years old.
While Championship leader Nocco crashed unhurt at Turn 4 with less than three minutes to go, his team mate Franco Morbidelli was 5th ahead of German One-Event rider Jan Buhn (AGR Racing Yamaha) and Austrian Marco Nekvasil (LEXWARE-SKM by Knobi.at Yamaha). Dakota Mamola (Yakhnich Motorsport Team Yamaha) also fell off his YZF-R6 at the third corner of the track.
