A second podium placing in as many weekends puts Florian Marino (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) into a four point championship lead over Assen race winner Michael van der Mark, with three rounds gone. Marino was second in the race.
A strong tussle between Sofuoglu and Marino ended when early leader Kenan had to pull out on lap 13. Sofuoglu is now seventh in the championship after winning the previous round at Motorland Aragon, but no-scoring in the opening race in Australia.
Roberto Rolfo (Kawasaki Team Go Eleven) was sixth at the head of a chasing pack, with Roberto Tamburini (San Carlo Puccetti Racing) right behind him. Patrick Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) in ninth place was the last Kawasaki in the top ten at Assen, in an 18-lap race that went full distance.
Alessandro Nocco (San Carlo Puccetti Kawasaki) pushed his way to 18th and Tony Covena (Kawasaki Ponyexpres Intermoto) secured a finish in 21st place. Christian Gamarino (Kawasaki Team Go Eleven) retired from the race after crashing.
Florian Marino: “I took pole position yesterday and I tried my best to follow the race winner but it was just not possible. I am happy with the steps we have made compared to Aragon because we were faster than we have been recently. It is all moving on well so I am really happy and looking forward to a strong season.“
SBK Evo Kawasaki Riders
In a day of red flags and delays the top Kawasaki Evo SBK finisher each time was Luca Scassa (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) who was 11th in race one and 12th in the wet conditions of race two. Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) placed in the points with 15th in race one before no scoring in race two. Sheridan Morais (Iron Brain Kawasaki SBK Team) was 16th in the opener and 13th in race two, scoring points in that second outing.
Fabien Foret (Kawasaki Mahi Racing Team India) was unlucky to fall on the sighting lap of the first race and then no score after retiring in the pits in race two. Michel Fabrizio (Iron Brain Kawasaki SBK Team) held off David Salom for 14th in race two, after retiring in race one.
Alessandro Andreozzi (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) was first 17th in the first race and a faller in race two.
Superstock 1000 FIM Cup
Kevin Valk put in a crowd-pleasing winning display in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup at Assen, winning a wet race on his MTM Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. It was his first ever win in this championship. Matthieu Lussiana (Kawasaki Team Garnier by Aspi) was third or his first podium in this class. Lorenzo Savadori (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) placed fourth, with David McFadden (MRS Kawasaki) sixth and Romain Lanusse (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) seventh on a strong day for Kawasaki riders. Savadori is second in the championship after two rounds with Valk only one point behind in third.
Kevin Valk: “It was a really great race for us and I knew I could do well in a race at Assen in the rain. It was my first race in the rain on a Kawasaki and I won it!”