World Superbikes: Jonathan Rea equals Carl Fogarty's win record at Imola

Jonathan Rea has equalled Carl Fogarty's record of 59 World Superbike victories

Jonathan Rea equalled Carl Fogarty's record for victories in World Superbikes by winning race two at Imola.

The Kawasaki rider, who also won Saturday's race one, secured his 59th success in the series after a thrilling duel with Welshman Chaz Davies.

Northern Irishman Rea, 31, starting from ninth, moved past long-time leader Davies with seven laps to go.

Rea claimed the record for most double victories in a race weekend with 17.

Triple champion Rea claimed three places on the first lap, including a double pass on team-mate Tom Sykes and Lorenzo Salvadori into the Variante Alta chicane, passing Marco Melandri at the same spot the following lap.

After picking off Michael van der Mark at the Tosa hairpin to move into fourth, he swept around the outside of Xavi Forres into Tamburello.

Mirroring Davies for the following laps, the pair touched at Tosa with eight laps to go before Rea finally made a move stick on the Ducati rider at Variante Alta, streaking clear to win by 4.019 seconds.

Davies had to settle for second place, with Sykes third in the second Kawasaki.

"This weekend has been really good," said Rea.

"It's incredible to equal Carl's tally. If you told me this when I was 10 years old, I would never have believed you."

Davies now trails Rea by 47 points in the standings, with Sykes in third, 72 points adrift.

Rea can move past Fogarty's 19-year record at the next event, his home round at Donington Park.

Northern Ireland's Eugene Laverty, returning after injuries sustained in Thailand in March, finished ninth in race two after taking 12th in race one.