To the Japanese Big Four, it’s the single most important roadrace of the year. Win the Suzuka 8-Hours and the warm glow of victory lasts until next year’s running. Lately it’s been a Suzuki-Honda slugfest, with the GSX-R boys getting the win last year, embarrassing for Big Red as it happens to own the Suzuka circuit.
This year, though, with the new CBR1000RR serving as the basis for an all-out factory Superbike with lights, and a resurgent Carlos Checa (Honda’s #1 in World Supers) teamed with Ryuichi Kiyonari (2006-07 British Superbike champ), Honda got its revenge.
The official press release made Honda’s joy (relief?) clear: “The race win restored damaged pride following defeat at the hands of the Yoshimura #34 in the race last year that ended Honda’s 10-year winning streak…The victory was sweet revenge for both Checa and Kiyonari as both men had previously suffered the pain of defeat in the grueling race…
“Checa and “Kiyo” won by 1 minute, 20 seconds over the second-place #12 Yoshimura Suzuki of Daisaku Sakai and Atsushi Watanabe, but there was some drama to overcome. Checa had to serve a stop-and-go penalty for speeding on pit lane. Rain in the fourth hour allowed the #34 GSX-R to pass, but Yukio Kagayama made a rare mistake and low-sided in the wet on slicks, giving Honda back the lead. Then a front-brake problem almost scuttled the effort!
“Usually, when you have a big margin like today, you can relax. But I had no front brake during my last stint,” Checa said. “I only had engine braking and the rear brake so I was really nervous. When it started to rain, the team showed me the ‘Pit In’ signal but I decided not to come in. When Kagayama passed me, I thought, ‘He is going too fast.’ I decided to ride with my own rhythm. This was one of the reasons for our win, and also Kiyo did a good job during his first stint. I am now 35 years old so I don’t know whether I have another chance here or not, but if I can race again next year, I want to win again.”
As does Honda…and Suzuki.
