NEWLY-CROWNED World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea continued his utter domination of the season with a second victory of the weekend in Jerez.
The Northern Irishman, who wrapped up his third successive world championship at Magny-Cours last time out, claimed his 14th win of 2017 and 52nd of his career.
That takes him level with three-time world champion Troy Bayliss and just seven behind Carl Fogarty’s record of 59, while the win also sealed the manufacturers’ championship for Kawasaki.
Yesterday’s race was red-flagged after a crash involving Chaz Davies and Eugene Laverty at turn two on the opening lap, but both men were able to get back to the pits and contest the restart.
Rea began ninth on the grid but immediately surged through the field and led by a fraction of a second as he and Michael van der Mark crossed the line side by side.
Van der Mark had the inside line into turn one and briefly regained the lead, but Rea was back in front seconds later and quickly eased away for a commanding win, to follow Saturday’s hard-fought success at the same Spanish circuit.
“To win dominantly in Jerez after yesterday was really nice because we changed the bike a lot,” Rea said.
“It’s been a perfect season – I’ve no words.
“Next year’s going to be a really tough challenge for us so I wanted to make it count today.”
Italy’s Marco Melandri (Ducati) took second place ahead of Davies, who moved level on points with Tom Sykes in the championship standings, albeit 143 points behind Rea.
Alex Lowes (Yamaha), who had started the race from pole position, finished fourth ahead of Sykes.
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