Courtesy of KRT – Kawasaki Racing Team
Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) took his Ninja ZX-6R to his first podium finish of the season last time out in Thailand but the three-times World Champion is looking to emulate his 2014 Motorland Aragon performance by winning the next round of the 2015 WSS championship in Spain this coming weekend.
Sofuoglu is now second in the overall rankings, with 30 points, only six from the lead with two rounds of a 12-round season completed. Kenan is already the holder of the record number of career WSS race wins, 27, but his most recent victory came at this stage of the 2014 season at Motorland Aragon. The three-time World Champion is understandably eager to get back to winning ways as he looks forward to his 95th start in the WSS class. He has claimed no fewer than 61 podium places.
Recently a father for the first time, Sofuoglu has still been training hard in his native Turkey to be ready for not just Aragon but also the Assen race, which takes place only one weekend afterwards.
San Carlo Puccetti Racing Kawasaki rider Marco Faccani will run out of the same garage as Sofuoglu once again, in his first full WSS season, and he too knows the taste of victory at Aragon – winning the Superstock 600 European Cup race for Kawasaki last season. He took the title itself later in the year before signing up for WSS racing this season.
Faccani is one of three riders currently locked on 13 points, with results for each of them in the most recent round putting Marco behind the other two riders in 11th overall, despite their equal number of points.
American PJ Jacobsen and French rider Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpress) make up a formidable combination, with Jacobsen scoring a podium for third at the most recent round in Thailand, and going fourth in the points as a result. His team-mate, who no-scored in the first round, is now ninth, on the same 13 points as Faccani.
Kenan Sofuoglu: “Aragon is a good track for us and we had a positive test there. My feeling is that it is going to be a strong weekend because the electronics and other key aspects of our bike are working well, and my condition, motivation; preparation – everything – is at the top level. I am now just waiting for the race. I think the 2015 design of the final corner on the lap of Motorland is not really easy – a little bit more difficult than before – just because it is a very fast corner. In winter testing I liked it so for me it is not a problem. I think Motorland is going to be a good venue for us, very good.”
Marco Faccani: “So far I am happy and we had a good race in Thailand. I think we can improve in Aragon because I know the track and last year I won the Superstock 600 race there. I am happy to make a return to Europe because I know the tracks. I have not tested my WSS bike at Aragon but I like that track and I think is it good for my riding style. I like to brake hard and there are a lot of braking points.”
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