Race action burst into life at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California, as the Tissot Superpole Race got underway under blissful blue skies. In a dramatic opening lap which saw Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) taken out by Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) at Turn 2, a red flag soon came out for a big accident at the top of the Corkscrew, when Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team) hit J.D. Beach (Attack Performance Estenson Yamaha). Both riders were relatively OK, although their machines were not so.

As the race restarted after the Quick Restart Procedure, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) made a better start and held his advantage over Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati). Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was up into third off the line, whilst Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu completed the top five. Alvaro Bautista did not take the start of the race, as he was being checked-up at the medical centre.

As the race played out, the big battle on the circuit was over fourth, as Haslam defended resiliently ahead of Razgatlioglu, whilst Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was closing the Kawasaki duo down. With Haslam bunching the two riders behind up, the top three had all broken clear. But then, a spectacular move from Razgatlioglu around the outside of Haslam at the Corkscrew cleared the Turk to go in pursuit of Tom Sykes in third.

However, there was no stopping Rea, who took the win and maintained his pole position grid slot, with Chaz Davies in second and Tom Sykes third. Heading up row two, Toprak Razgatlioglu is a big beneficiary in fourth, ahead of Leon Haslam in fifth and Alex Lowes in sixth. Behind them and leading the charge from the third row, Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha) was seventh and ahead of Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) and Argentina’s Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura). Should he be declared fit, Alvaro Bautista will start tenth at the front of row four.

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Top six after the Tissot Superpole Race, full results here!

1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
3. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
4. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing)
5. Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
6. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team)