Resuello claims S’bikes 4th leg title despite row

DUCATI franchise rider Raniel Resuello won a disputed abbreviated race to keep his grip on the overall lead four legs through the 2015 Pirelli Superbikes Championship Series at Clark International Speedway recently.

Resuello won by a mere 0.112 seconds over defending champion Dashi Watanabe after race stewards halted the race in the fifth lap due to an oil spill on the track.

Resuello, who was in the lead at that time, was declared winner, raising a howl from Watanabe’s team.

Resuello had called the attention of clerk-of-course Elson Carpio by stopping and raising a clenched fist, indicating an oil spill. Resuello had detected the oil after passing Marvin Mangulabnan of BMW Racing Team who figured in an accident in the fourth lap.

The Filipino-Japanese was seeking a third straight leg victory that would have given him the overall lead.

Watanabe showed the way for first-leg winner Resuello in the early going until the latter produced a brilliant passing maneuver in the third lap.

Because the race was stopped before the halfway mark, the podium finishers gained only 50 percent of the points they were supposed to win.

Anthony Roman of KTM Philippines Team bagged third place followed by Raymond Robertson and Toti Alberto of Team Ducati.

Robertson also copped the Superbikes Masters crown over Toti Alberto and Joey “Storm” Rivero.