Courtesy of KRT – Kawasaki Racing Team
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Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was on course for a front row start in Superpole qualifying at the tenth round of the WorldSSP championship at Magny-Cours today but injuries from a heavy highside crash mean he will miss the race on Sunday.
Sofuoglu, who currently leads the championship after taking five race wins from the past six WorldSSP starts, was looking to ensure a front row starting as he fell between turns eight and nine at the 4.411km circuit in France.
Kenan was taken for medical checks at the circuit and was declared unfit. Later checks in hospital confirmed that he has three fractures to his hip. He is now flying home to Turkey to undergo surgery.
Sofuoglu’s Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team-mate, Kyle Ryde, placed 29th in qualifying. The highest ranked Kawasaki qualifier behind the luckless Sofuoglu was Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) in a fine fifth position.
Kyle Ryde, stated: “I struggled a lot with the conditions on track in SP1 and I came in with a few minutes to go to fit a full dry tyre. Unfortunately the wrong tyre was ready in the pit garage and by the time we had put another tyre on the bike there was no time left to go for a faster lap. I am second-to-last but I should have been close to SP2, so will I have to go through the pack quickly tomorrow.”
With his team-mate Gino Rea fifth, Kazuki Watanabe (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) qualified sixth, for a second row start. Michael Canducci (3570 Puccetti Racing FMI Kawasaki) was 11th after SP2.
ESS rider Rob Hartog (Team Hartog Jenik Against Cancer Kawasaki), starts Sunday’s race from 14th place, one position ahead of another improving rider, Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing Kawasaki).
Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was 19th today and Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) 27th.
ENDS
ASC - Action Sports Connection 