Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes led the field early but Eugene Laverty ended a thrilling second WSBK in front.

Eugene Laverty bided his time behind World Superbike title rival Tom Sykes before launching a successful challenge for the lead of the second race at Laguna Seca on the penultimate lap to confirm an important win.

Sykes, winner of Saturday’s race, ran second behind Laverty in the first series of corners before taking control at the front.

Althea Racing Aprilia’s Davide Giugliano put in his strongest performance of the season to run second for much of the race, with Laverty holding down third and BMW Motorrad GoldBet’s Marco Melandri also in close company.

As the race wore on the pace of the leading Kawasaki began to stabilise, allowing his pursuers to dramatically close the gap.

Giugliano looked like Sykes’ main threat but it was Laverty who sensed urgency to move by into second, quickly locking onto the rear of his title rival and then displacing him for the lead in the same way he did Giuguliano.

The move appeared to rustle Sykes, who was then passed for second, and, eventually third, with Giugliano and Melandri claiming minor podium placings.

The win is Laverty’s seventh of the season and importantly moves him to second in the title chase, 23 points shy of Sykes. Sylvain Guintoli finished fifth in today’s race, dropping to third outright.

Outside the top five, Fixi Crescent Suzuki’s Jules Cluzel ran a distant sixth ahead of the Red Devils Aprilia of Toni Elias.

Michael Jordan Motorsports’ Roger Hayden recovered from an epic crash in yesterday’s race to card an impressive eighth, with Kawasaki replacement David Salom finishing ninth and Pata Honda’s Michel Fabrizio tenth.

Aussie Mark Aitchison factored in the points in 13th, while Glenn Allerton confirmed a second race finish for the weekend in 16th for Next Gen Motorsports.

The championship continues on consecutive weekends, with French circuit Magny-Cours set to host the penultimate round from Friday.

2013 World Superbike Championship
Round 12 – Laguna Seca, United States

Superbike race one:
1. Tom Sykes
2. Chaz Davies
3. Eugene Laverty
4. Marco Melandri
5. Sylvain Guintoli
6. Davide Giugliano
7. Jules Cluzel
8. Toni Elias
9. Ayrton Badovini
10. Mark Aitchison
11. David Salom
12. Blake Young
13. Michel Fabrizio
14. Federico Sandi
15. Vittorio Iannuzzo
16. Glenn Allerton

Superbike race two:
1. Eugene Laverty
2. Davide Giugliano
3. Marco Melandri
4. Tom Sykes
5. Sylvain Guintoli
6. Jules Cluzel
7. Toni Elias
8. Roger Lee Hayden
9. David Salom
10. Michel Fabrizio
11. Leon Haslam
12. Blake Young
13. Mark Aitchison
14. Danny Eslick
15. Niccolò Canepa
16. Vittorio Iannuzzo
17. Glenn Allerton

Championship standings (after round 12 of 14):
1. Tom Sykes 361
2. Eugene Laverty 338
3. Sylvain Guintoli 337
4. Marco Melandri 319
5. Chaz Davies 259
6. Loris Baz 180
7. Michel Fabrizio 177
8. Jonathan Rea 176
9. Davide Giugliano 169
10. Jules Cluzel 160
11. Leon Camier 114
12. Ayrton Badovini 114
13. Max Neukirchner 84
14. Leon Haslam 83
15. Carlos Checa  80
16. Federico Sandi 47
17. Toni Elias 38
18. Mark Aitchison 29
19. Vittorio Iannuzzo 26
20. Ivan Clementi 18
28. Glenn Allerton 6

Click here for detailed results