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WSS, Misano, SAN MARINO, 19 Juni 2016

Sofuoglu Extends Championship Lead With Misano Race Win

The fourth race win of the year for Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) came after a long waiting game for the most successful racer in WorldSSP history. He took the lead with two laps to go and was never headed afterwards. Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders still sit 1-2 in the FIM Supersport World Championship as Randy Krummenacher finished fifth in the race, scoring valuable points.

Having fitted a hard option tyre just before the 19-lap race started at Misano, to suit the cooler conditions, Sofuoglu had to push hard for most of the race and hope that the race pace would come to him. His efforts were repaid with his 36th WorldSSP race win, part of a record total of 75 podium places for the Turkish star.
 
Behind the podium fight Krummenacher had a tough and combative 19-laps, having been hit by another rider early in the race and then finding he did not have the physical power, due to a pre-existing shoulder injury, to stay in podium contention.
 
After his latest race win Sofuoglu has the championship lead and 146 points in all, 40 more than the second placed rider Krummenacher. PJ Jacobsen is third on 92 points, 14 behind Randy with the long summer break coming up before the next round at Lausitzring in Germany on September 18th.
 
Kenan Sofuoglu, stated: “The warm-up session was very cold under the clouds and we decided at the last second to use a hard tyre. When we did this I was hoping everyone else would too. But Jacobsen and Caricasulo chose the SC0. At the beginning of the race they just went away because that is almost a qualification tyre and capable of a much better lap time. I was surprised that all race long they were really constant. I just did not give up and I was sliding a lot. There was one moment where I thought, ‘What do I have to do? Do I accept third or not?’ Then I said to myself ‘no, no, no, keep pushing to the end.’ In the last two laps I saw the chance, I passed them both and we won the race. It was a very important win and I am very happy for the result. I have to say a big thanks to Kawasaki, Puccetti Racing and WP suspension. The worst track for me this year was going to be Misano, because we had a lot of chatter problems on this track before, but the new suspension definitely helped me to have no problem. The championship is not over yet and still I will go for wins. I need a couple of wins and then I can say it is OK - but not yet. There is still time to take wins and not just relax for the championship.”
 
Randy Krummenacher, stated: “This was my toughest race this season, for sure. Many things came together and it was really hard for me so at the end fifth was the maximum we could do. I wanted to go for the win but it was just not possible today. For sure the first lap did not help, when I got hit by Gamarino and lost easily one second. Then I was on the limit myself. I am looking forward to having surgery on Tuesday on my shoulder. It just does not work anymore like I want it to. My mind says yes but my shoulder does not have the power anymore and I made a few mistakes because of this. This surgery has to be done now but I am looking forward already because I will prepare myself in the summer break very well and go on full attack for the last four races.”