Ukawa and Scalvini Shine in Spanish Grand Prix
125 & 250 Action
Sept. 19, 1999
 

250s: Tohru Ukawa put himself back in the 250 title hunt with a masterful wet-weather win at Valencia. The Shell Advance man - who led the series early on until Aprilia star Valentino Rossi overhauled him a few races ago - led from lap one to the flag, resisting several attacks from rivals.
On a drying track he crossed the line five seconds ahead of Franco Battaini (Aprilia) who closed to within two seconds, then settled for a safe runner-up finish over the last two laps.
"This is a very important win and goes some way to making up for my crash at Imola," said Ukawa, who closed a 43-point disadvantage to 36. "I know I'm still a long way down but I just have top keep putting pressure on Rossi."
Rossi was nowhere after getting rammed on the first lap by wayward Yamaha rider Olivier Jacque. Then the Italian made his own mistake and slipped to 18th. Despite hating the rain he fought back, moving up to eighth as several top men crashed ahead of him, finishing just ahead of Ukawa's rookie team-mate, Gold Coaster Anthony West.
Reigning world champ Loris Capirossi (Honda) took the last podium finish after a typically determined ride, overpowering rain master and pole sitter Shinya Nakano (Yamaha) in the closing stages.

125s: Gianluigi Scalvini survived a heart stopping final-turn moment in the soaking 125 GP to win his first world championship success. With just meters to the finish line a backmarker fell right in front of the Italian skinhead, forcing his Aprilia off the track onto the soaking grass. He hung on to beat world championship leader Emilio Alzamora (Honda) by seven seconds.
"I was so scared then, to be so close to my first win and then crash would have been a real nightmare," he said. In a crash-strewn race Scalvini inherited first place when luckless early season dominator Masao Azuma crashed out on unlucky lap 13, seriously
damaging his title hopes. The Japanese caught a Doohan-style case of white-line fever, his Honda flicking him over the highside as he touched the slippery track border, and seconds later second-placed team-mate Marco Melandri went out in copycat style.
The double tumble left Italian Scalvini just ahead of Alzamora (Honda), while the Spaniard's team boss Angel Nieto - 13-times tiddler champ and Spain's first biking superstar - did his best to slow Alzamora from the pit wall. His arm waving did the trick, Alzamora slowing in the closing stages for a safe finish.
"Emilio needs the points more than he needs a win here," said Nieto, whose protégé now heads Azuma by 23 points with four races to go.