DOHA: Popular Australian rider Alex Cudlin on Saturday night overcame a dodgy stomach to win the second race of the night in what was round two of the Qatar Superbike Championship (QSBK).
Winner of race one earlier in the evening, Cudlin produced a similar clever run in race two also as the Australian edged arch-rivals Mashel Al Naimi and Nasser Al Malki.
Cudlin finihsed the 15-lap race with a time of 30 minutes 47.808 to bag maximum of 50 points from two races.
Al Naimi, who was the fastest rider in qualifying on Friday, finished 2.259 seconds behind Cudlin.
Al Malki, who has ridden for Qatar Endurance Racing Team in the past, remained a constant threat for the two top riders before closing out 10.972 seconds behind Cudlin.
Qatar’s Saeed Al Sulaiti (17.356 seconds adrift of Cudlin) was fourth while Germany’s Nina Prinz completed the top-five for the night (17.528 seconds behind).
In the first two laps of the race, Al Malki took the lead but slipped to third on lap three as Al Naimi put pressure from second spot.
Moments later Cudlin regained control of the proceedings and finished the race in top spot.
“I am very happy to get this result,” Cudlin said.
“I am surprised because before the race I felt really sick, I don’t know why. It was my stomach,” Cudlin explained.
“I didn’t feel really good. I thought that maybe in the race I would take it easy and finish third or second,” the Australian revealed. “I had a good fight with Nasser and Mishal and then about lap six, I came into the lead and saw that nobody was behind me,” Cudlin said.
“Race two was not like the first race. I didn’t have my best lap time on my bike, so I just continued with my pace and in the last two laps I pushed maximum to create a gap so that I can boost my championship title hopes,” he added.
“I have a 20-point lead so hopefully next round, I can do another double,” Cudlin said.
In race two, Al Naimi faced problems with his Honda bike and ‘couldn’t push’ to catch up with Cudlin.
“I am happy to get this result but I hope to be 100 percent in the next round and get the victory,” the veteran Qatari rider said.
“I want to thank Ooredoo for their support and I look forward to the next round,” Al Naimi said about his sponsors.
In the veterans category, Ian Maud emerged first followed by Christopher Bell and Martin Bexon in second and third spots respectively. It was the same story in race one.
In race two of the Qatar Supersport Championship (QSS), Saudi star Abdulaziz Bin Ladin picked up his second win of the night ahead of Qatar’s Fahid Al Sowaidi.
The Saudi rider who started on pole, took the lead until the checkered flag and gave no chance to Al Sowaidi to overtake him.
Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed Al Muyini finished third as he did in race one.
“I am very happy with my two victories of the day. This is great for my championship title hopes,” Bin Ladin said.
American rider Shelina Moreda emerged first in the women’s her category in race two.
“This race was better than the previous one,” Moreda, who saw Victoria Kis take the honours in race one, said.
“It was so hot today but it is awesome to race here in Qatar. Thanks to QMMF, FIM Women in Motorsport and my mechanics that I had a great time today,” she added. The next round for Qatar Superbike (QSBK) and Qatar Supersport (QSS) will be held on November 6 and 7.
The Peninsula
