Endurance World round two Albacete summary

Nowland and Cudlin fifth in Spain

Australians Warwick Nowland and Damian Cudlin finished fifth in round two of the Endurance World Championship at Albacete (Spain) on May 21-22.

Despite suffering engine problems in the closing stages of the eight-hour event, the pair, aboard the Yamaha Phase One Endurance YZF-R1, still completed 288 laps of the Albacete circuit, 11 behind the winning Suzuki Castrol (Vincent Philippe and Keiichi Kitagawa, GSX-R1000) collaboration.

Prior to the mechanical tumult, Phase One, which started from grid position No. 3, appeared certain of finishing in fourth position, after spending a majority of the race -- held between the hours of 6.00pm and 2.00am -- in earnest battle against Kawasaki Bolliger (ZX-10R).

Bolliger, which was third in round one, eventually finished in fourth on 294 laps, with positions two and three filled by Yamaha Folch Endurance (YZF-R1, 296 laps) and Yamaha Austria 7 (YZF-R1, 296 laps).

Twenty teams completed the event, with just six failing to finish.

Meanwhile, Suzuki Castrol remains with a 100 per cent winning record in 2005 after its Albacete rout, which extended its world championship lead to 19pts (55 to 36) over Bolliger, with Yamaha Austria (30) now in third. Phase One, a three-time world endurance champion, is deadlocked in equal fourth against another British team, Diablo 666 Bolliger (ZX-10R), on 26pts.

Round three of the championship will be held at Suzuka in Japan on July 31, where the grid is traditionally swelled by an armada of Japanese factory entries.

<pre> ALBACETE RESULTS 1 Suzuki Castrol Team FRA Suzuki GSX-R1000 Philippe, Kitagawa 299 laps 2 Yamaha Folch Endurance SPA Yamaha YZF-R1 Ribalta, Noyes, Cabana 296 laps 3 Yamaha Austria 7 AUT Yamaha YZF-R1 Giabbani, Hinterreiter 294 laps 4 Kawasaki Bolliger Team SUI Kawasaki ZX10R Kellenberger, Morillon, Mizera 293 laps 5 Yamaha Phase One Endurance GBR Yamaha YZF-R1 Cudlin, Notman, Nowland 288 laps 6 Suzuki Sapeurs Pompiers FRA Suzuki GSX-R1000 Molinier, Pialoux, Grelaud 287 laps 7 Yamaha Shell Endurance Academy GBR Yamaha YZF-R1 Rohtlaan, Wylie, Hogan +0:03.2 8 Kawasaki Diablo 666 GBR Kawasaki ZX10R Mizera, Hutchins, Falcke + 1:01.6 9 No Limits & RT Motor Team ITA Suzuki GSX-R1000 Ruozi, De Matteis, Giachino 284 laps 10 Suzuki Fabi Corse ITA Suzuki GSX-R1000 Monot, Vieira, Lalavee 282 laps

Fastest Lap: Suzuki Castrol Vincent Philippe 1:33.660 136.028kmh

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