28 June 2007
Round 3 – Suzuka 8 hrs Japan
With Diablo 666 having scored their first points of the year at Albacete, the Team headed to Japan for round 3 of the WEC. Expectations were high within the Team as last year the Team had had an excellent result finishing 6th in Class.

This is the one race that all of the Japanese factories want to win. The race is held at a track owned by Honda so of course all the Japanese factories want to win here. The vast majority of the field are mega quick Japanese superbikes but this year 18 of the permanent teams of the WEC made the long trip.

After a typical Suzuka qualifying the Team would be starting the race in 60th position. This may sound very low down but just to qualify for the race in Suzuka is a major achievement, especially with 82 bikes trying to just qualify for a slot on the grid.

The two works Hondas had qualified 1st and 2nd with such riders as Kiyonari and Toseland, Checa and Okada on board and these were followed by the Yoshimura Suzuki with former BSB hero Yukio Kagayama riding.

Fastest of the WEC bikes was the SERT Suzuki down in 15th position. This is the only race where the best team in Endurance racing does not start on what would be the front row of the grid such is the pace of the Japanese entrants.

Once again this year, former BSB regular, Gary Mason would be riding for the Team in Japan.

The Team had a relatively trouble free race and eventually crossed the line in 21st position but much more importantly, 6th in Class scoring 12 world Champion ship points, moving the Team up to 16th in the Championship standings from a lowly 26th.

Diablo 666 Team Principle, Miles Hutchins was ecstatic, “The whole Team were magnificent and once again we have shown we can run with the very best in the World”.

Diablo’s sister team, Bolliger put to rest last years disaster when they blew their race engine on only the second lap, ending the race just in 18th position, just two laps ahead.

The race was won by the Yoshimura Suzuki ridden by Kagayama, the first time in 10 years that Honda had not one this race.

The next round of the WEC will be held at another of Diablo 666’s favourite tracks at Oschersleben, Germany on August 11th / 12th in just two weeks time.

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