In a banzai last turn pass at the hallowed 3.6-mile, 10-turn Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit in Italy, Yamaha Motor Italia rider Noriyuki Haga won the second leg of the Italian World Superbike round at the famed facility. In what can best be described as a dazzling, breathtaking race, Haga’s move allowed him to get the better of opening race winner Max Neukirchner and Ryuichi Kiyonari to flash beneath the finish line with a margin of a mere .051 of a second separating the three riders. Haga and Neukirchner had fought hammer and tongue for victory in the opnenig leg in Italy with Neukirchner getting the better of the match up, but in race two, the flamboyant Haga came up roses. Fourth place in the second leg ended up falling to Alstare Suzuki's Fonsi Nieto, while Michael Fabrizio and his Ducati Xerox raced to fifth. With is striking victory in the Monza wrap-up race, Haga jumped to third in the 2008 World Superbike Series standings, now within striking distance of series leader Troy Bayliss and Carlos Checa.