Troy Corser on the BMW shows Jon Rea (Ten Kate Honda) and Jakob Smyrz (top Ducati privateer) that German bikes make more horsepower.

"It was great to see Race 2 from my position!" declared Carlos Checa, after finishing sixth in the second WSB race at Assen April 25. Checa, who had a good chance to win the contest from his viewing slot, had the best seat in the house for what was undoubtedly one of the best WSB races ever run.

In the end, Jonathan Rea took his Ten Kate Hannspree Honda to both wins, easing away slightly in the final few laps each time to deliver a massive boost to his championship hopes and also to his Dutch Ten Kate team, which is based near the Assen circuit.

If Rea was on top of the world after doubling his total WSB win record (not to mention taking pole and setting fastest lap for a perfect weekend), BMW's Troy Corser must have had a severe mixture of elation and depression. The veteran Australian got the holeshot in both races, led the most number of laps overall, but just missed out on the team's first podiums in the dogfight to the end of both races and had to be content with two fifths on the day.

The BMW still seems to eat rear tires as the race goes on. "In the first race the rear tire just did not last long enough. I changed the electronics a bit, but that was pretty much it," Corser said. "For the second race we decided to run the bike a little more controlled at the beginning to save the tires," he added. "It definitely seemed to work better, and my lap times were more consistent ... I am pretty happy [and] looking forward to Monza."

Haslam, Rae, Corser, Toseland, and Camier: one hell of a show in race 2.

Both podiums were all-U.K. affairs for the first time since 2003, with a resurgent James Toseland (two-time WSB champ) on the Sterilgarda Yamaha and Leon Camier on the Alitalia Aprilia following Rae in the first race, while championship leader Leon Haslam (Alstare Suzuki) and Toseland filled out the podium in the second.

Camier — who was ahead of his famous team-mate Max Biaggi all weekend — was gutted to crash out on the last lap of the second race while banging elbows with Toseland for third. He was lucky to walk away from a huge high-speed crash that destroyed the Aprilia.

Both he and Biaggi still seem to have trouble getting the Italian V-4 turned; several times this weekend Camier would make a pass, then run wide on the exit and get repassed — he ran wide off the track causing his crash.

Haslam's series lead was narrowed due to a leaky front tire that wrecked his first race, although he grimly hung on for 11^th to salvage some points before coming back strong in the second race.

Toseland, who had a rough ride the last two seasons in Moto GP and has had a rocky start to 2010, was clearly delighted to be back at the pointy end of the field, especially after having qualified only 10^th in Superpole. The piano-playing racer said, "To come from 10^th on the grid to take a second and a third was a great result for the team and myself. It has been coming slowly but it was nice to get two consistent podium results."

Spaniard Checa, who finished fourth in the first race on his Althea Ducati, is the top-placed Ducati rider in the championship, the factory riders of Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio once again having horrible weekends. Bad Superpole qualifying and crummy starts relegated them to 10^th and 13^th in the first race, while Haga retired with engine problems in the second and Fabrizio looked uncomfortable running to ninth. It may well be that losing long-time Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi to BMW has affected the team more than was first expected.

Kawasaki is still despairing at the bottom of the standings, although the grid was pleased to welcome Chris Vermeulen back from his knee injury at the first race. A 17^th and a 14^th for the talented Aussie indicate that the team still has a long way to go, particularly since Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Aprilia, Ducati, and now BMW are all scrapping for the win each weekend.

WSB Point Standings (after eight of 26 races): 1. Leon Haslam, U.K., Alstare Suzuki, 148 points; 2. Max Biaggi, Italy, Alitalia Aprilia, 128; 3. Jonathan Rea, Ireland, Ten Kate Hannspree Honda, 110; 4. Carlos Checa, Spain, Althea Ducati, 103; 5. James Toseland, U.K., Sterilgarda Yamaha, 86; 6. Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Xerox Ducati, 85; 7. Troy Corser, Australia, BMW Motorrad, 68; 8. Sylvain Guintoli, France, Alstare Suzuki, 55; 9. Michel Fabrizio, Italy, Xerox Ducati, 53; 10. Cal Crutchlow, U.K., Sterilgarda Yamaha, 49.

Next race: Monza, Italy, May 9.