Vermeulen's WSB double

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Fireblade rider Chris Vermeulen landed a WSB double at Laguna Seca on Sunday night, winning race one from Frankie Chili by 4.1 seconds but finishing less than half a second ahead of James Toseland in race two.

Toseland now leads the championship by just three points from Ducati team-mate Regis Laconi.

Steve Martin completed the podium in race one while Laconi was third in the second WSB race.

Extraordinarily, with Aussies Vermeulen and Martin on the podium in race one, race organisers played Waltzing Matilda. The Australian national anthem is, of course Advance Australia Fair.

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Australian Vermeulen had a poor start in race one and had to fight back from eighth place. The frantic final laps saw Toseland and team-mate Laconi clashing fairings.

Race one saw Noriyuki Haga stall on the grid yet charge hard throughout the race to finish up with a creditable sixth. He was fourth in race two.

Leon Haslam was ninth in race one, but crashed out in race two, fracturing his wrist. He is now doubtful for WSB at Brands Hatch on August 1.

Chris Walker retired from both races. He suffered two engine blow-ups in his new FP1 engine.

Championship standings: Toseland (201), Laconi (198), Vermeulen (187), Haga (162), Chili (160), McCoy (146) Haslam (120), Martin (119), Corser (101), Borciani (94) Walker (82)…

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