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"Did you know?" - Laguna Seca in Numbers

Thursday, 7 July 2016 07:57 GMT

A few stats and facts about #USWorldSBK ahead of the GEICO US Round

17 – A European rider won here for the first time after 16 races: it was Frankie Chili, in the first 2003 Race. Since then, the winds have changed and the only non-European rider who has won in Laguna Seca is Australian Chris Vermeulen, with a double in 2004.

12 – Ducati have won here 12 times: all its rivals combined 14. Honda represents the best of the rest with 5.

11 – Laguna Seca has had 11 different polesitters in 13 race weekends: only Troy Corser recorded more than one pole here (3: 1995, 1998, 1999).

11 – Troy Corser is the rider with most podiums at this track, 11, followed by Ben Bostrom and Neil Hodgson at 6. Tom Sykes is just behind at 5.

9 – Australian riders are the most successful at this track with 9 wins, followed by the local riders at 7. Great Britain is on the rise as they have won the last three races here: the only string of three wins by only one country at this track. Last year Great Britain also locked out the podium in both races with Davies/Sykes/Rea.

9 – Only Ducati have recorded more than one pole at Laguna Seca. Their pole position tally is 9: Honda (2002), Suzuki (2003), Aprilia (2013) and Kawasaki (2014) are the other polesitters here.

7 – Ducati were the sole polesitters here in the first seven race weekends held at Laguna Seca (1995-2001). Colin Edwards broke the string in 2002, recording pole for Honda.

4 – Four riders share the honour of the highest number of wins at Laguna Seca: John Kocinski, Anthony Gobert, Troy Corser and Ben Bostrom, who won three races each here. Tom Sykes and Chaz Davies have a chance to reach them as they have both won twice.

3 – The subsequent World Champion has won here three times: John Kocinski in 1997 (double); Colin Edwards in 2002 (Race 2) and Tom Sykes in 2013 (Race 1).

2 – There are two previous Laguna Seca winners in the current field: Tom Sykes (2013 Race 1, 2014 Race 2) and Chaz Davies (a double last year).

1 – Only one rider has been able to record a pole time below the 1minute and 22 second marker here: that was Tom Sykes, in 2014. His lap time was 1’21.811. That was one of the most dominant poles in the history of the track, as the second on the grid, Sylvain Guintoli, was 0.528 seconds behind. Only John Kocinski had a greater margin, back in 1996 (0.569 seconds over Troy Corser).

- Record sequence of races at the top of the Championship -

Jonathan Rea is recording the longest streak of races at the top of the Championship standings. He had a joint lead 42 races ago with Leon Haslam, and became the undisputed leader at Buriram last year. Since then, he has been the sole leader for 40 races – one behind Troy Bayliss as sole leader in 2001-2002, and 8 above Carl Fogarty (1994-1995).