DUCATI rider Raniel Resuello turned back defending back-to-back Superbikes champion Dashi Watanabe of Kawasaki in the kickoff of the 2015 Pirelli Superbikes Championship Series at Batangas Racing Circuit recently.
The feat revved up Resuello’s drive to regain the title he lost to Watanabe two years ago.
The race was cut short after the promising TJ Alberto figured in an accident. At the resumption, Resuello and Watanabe dueled for the lead with Marvin Mangulabnan, Anthony Roman and Rizaldy Canare close behind.
The anticipated duel between the two title favorites didn’t end in a photo-finish, however, when Watanabe went high-side and overshot the first turn, prompting race officials to raise the red flag.
Clerk-of-course Elson Carpio later declared their positions when the red flag was raised as the official result.
Mangulabnan and Roman checked in second and third, respectively, with Canare fourth and Watanabe fifth.
Johnlery Enriquez clinched the Superbikes Novice title, Aguila ruled the Intermediate class and Raymond Robertson topped the Master division.