| Author | Message | ||
     Trojan |
Ducati is running the Panagale in Superstock, no? Yes with the Althea team and I think with another privateer Italian mob. There are two teams running Panigales in BSB this year, with some direct help from the factory I believe (Ducati Corse actually supplied one of the riders!). | ||
| Saxon59 |
About the Daytona 200 and WSBK riders,back in the late 1960's (I think) the FIM (or whom ever was in control then)decided they needed a D.200 type race so they came up with the Imola 200,the only ran it for a couple of years and there were some very big names running in it.I'd like to see that come back. | ||
| Trojan |
About the Daytona 200 and WSBK riders,back in the late 1960's (I think) the FIM (or whom ever was in control then)decided they needed a D.200 type race so they came up with the Imola 200,the only ran it for a couple of years and there were some very big names running in it.I'd like to see that come back. There were a number of big 200 style races in the 60's and 70's. The Ontario 200 (California not Canada) was almost as big as Daytona and had a bigger prize purse I believe. Imola was the bigest European race but there was also the Thruxton 500 mile race and a few other long distance events. + of course the IOM TT was a world championship event back then  | ||
| Trojan |
Looks like PJ Jacobsen has been lucky enough to be gifted a ride in WSS at Assen riding the PTR/Bogdanka CBR600 he was originally scheduled to ride earlier in the year before dropping out due to 'funding issues'. He will replace Pawel Szkopek in the team after the Pole unfortunately broke his leg at Imola. Don't know if he has to pay for the ride or if he has indeed been gifted it, but it is a good opportunity for him despite not knowing the Assen track. | ||
| Trojan |
PJ Jacobsen finished a creditible 20th in first qualifying for the WSS race at Assen this weekend. Not bad for his first time out on the biek at Assen and he should improve by race day on Sunday Sam Lowes and Broc Parkes are the class of the field though, and the only 2 to get under the 1:39 mark, which is faster than Biaggi (17th) went in first prcatice on the Aprilia Superbike!. Not bad for a 600 BMW seem to have got their act together in Superbike with Melandri leading after FP1, with the 3 other BMWs all in the top 7. | ||
| Jaimec |
I know there is a lot of affection for the "Pocket Rocket," but I really do believe Marco is BMW's best chance for a championship... | ||
| Trojan |
I know there is a lot of affection for the "Pocket Rocket," but I really do believe Marco is BMW's best chance for a championship... I don't think there is very much between them in terms of pace and experience. Haslam was faster pretty much all weekend at Assen but crashed in race one then chose a bad tyre in race two, being beaten by Melandri by 0.0002 seconds! Melandri looked really slow in race one but at least managed to keep the bike upright and score 9th place. Haslam took some criticism for his fast pace before falling in race one (3 seconds faster than everyone else!) but it is difficult to assess how he felt on the bike. If he was feeling comfortable at the pace he was running then slowing down could have been the worst thing to do. As it was, conditions changed lap by lap and corner by corner, and he was eventually caught out by a cold left side tyre by the look of it  It does look as though BMW have definitely made big improvements though, and should do well at the next round with any luck | ||
| Jaimec |
Depends on which part of Race1 you're talking about, Matt. Thanks to Speed's delayed NASCAR broadcast, their coverage of Round 1 was delayed significantly and the race was well on when it finally came on. When it did, Melandri was well ahead of the pack until he crashed out. Unfortunately, he didn't do nearly as well in the restart. Also, I'm thinking it's a "Ducati thing" to start a race with rain tires when the rest of the grid is on slicks. Didn't Nicky and Casey make that same stupid move in MotoGP a couple of years ago?? | ||
| Trojan |
When it did, Melandri was well ahead of the pack until he crashed out. Unfortunately, he didn't do nearly as well in the restart. It was n't Melandri that was leading the restart. In fact Marco was well down the order in around 15th place after the race restarted adn Haslam had a 10 second lead until he threw it up the road. I think you must have seen the very end of race one, 'part one'. Tom Sykes had lead easily until a water pipe came off his engine and blew what everyone else thought was oil onto the track (it was in fact only steam and he could have continued until the end). Sykes pulled off track and then Melandri took the lead until he and others started to crash, then they stopped the race. Tom Sykes seem splagued by bad luck so far this year in the races. I'm sure once gets win number one under his belt he will get the monkey off his back and start to win a few more this year. It certainly isn't for the lack of trying! I didn't manage to watch race 2, but Ducati certainly seem to make some very odd tyre choices when the chip are down. I heard that it was Checa that accidentally forced Brett McCormick off track while trying to get back through the field? McCormick has apprently suffered some pretty horrific facial and spinal injuries as a result, so I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery. | ||
| Simond |
They didn't dwell on that crash but it looked awful. Good to see Laverty looking a bit quicker on the RSV4. Chaz Davies looked more comfortable too....... for as long as he kept it upright! (Message edited by SimonD on April 23, 2012) | ||
| Jaimec |
That's exactly what I said, Matt. I know you speak English, but you have to work on your "American."  | ||
| Trojan |
That's exactly what I said, Matt. I know you speak English, but you have to work on your "American." Your right, I failed my Americanese lessons miserably at school Must incentivize myself | ||
| Crusty |
It looks like BMW have finally got their Superbikes sorted out. First, second, third and fifth in the first qualifying session. | ||
| Blake |
Wet? | ||
| Crusty |
The WSB site doesn't show track conditions, but the Photo of Fabrizio is of a dry, sunny track. I think if it was wet, they would mention it. | ||
| Blake |
Monza. Friday's trap speed for 1st (BMW) was 208 mph! The beemers and prillas are fast bikes. Wet final qualifying today though. | ||
| Jaimec |
This was a WEIRD day in Italy, for sure. Cancel the first race, and stop the second one short?? Is this motorcycle racing, or NASCAR?? | ||
| Sycho |
I thought that it was weird too. Haven't they raced in the rain before? And don't these bikes have traction control? | ||
| Simond |
The wet tyres were delaminating after only three or four laps. They had decided at the beginning of the day that if it was too wet for slicks they wouldn't be racing. Something to do with the sustained and high top speeds. Sykes was clocked at 211mph! He's got to be pretty gutted to come away from the weekend with only 12.5 points. | ||
| Trojan |
The full wet tyres were delaminating around the centre strip because of the sustained high speeds at Monza. Even in fully wet conditions they were lasting only 3 laps maximum, so the first race was stopped. Sykes seems have all the bad luck so far this season, despit 3 pole positions and a win he absolutely dominated race 2 and really deserved full points for his riding. I think he will be in for a shout for the title this year though The Supersport race was pretty spectacular too! Sam Lowes ran off track and was a long way back from Jules Cluzel, yet managed to claw it all back for a kamikaze pass at the last corner of the race. Cluzel is nothing if not experienced though, and took the better line to nudge ahead at the line by 0.3 seconds. Good race | ||
| Jaimec |
Pirelli is NOT looking good lately. Besides not being able to make a decent rain tire for WSBK, in the US Yamaha just lost their biggest superstar in Supercross because he couldn't stand the way his Yamaha felt with Pirelli tires, and switched to Suzuki (with Dunlops). | ||
| Trojan |
Pirelli have had some criticism in F1 too this year, although I for one think they have improved the racing tremendously since they replaced Bridgestone. When we raced the Buell in 06 we used Pirlli slicks and wets, and they were great for what we wanted I'd like to see the same Pirelli tyres they use in WSB used in MotoGP That would make things more exciting (obviously not the wet weather ones that don't work at all though!) | ||
| Jaimec |
Cheng Shin tires for MotoGP! | ||
| Xb1125r |
i use pirellis on street and track. never let me down. i have tried michelins and dunlop, not the same feeling, but after seeing how good they are in AMA, i might give dunlop a try again | ||
| Davegess |
Part of the issue was the track. Monza is the most dangerous track WSBK races on so the riders are always nervous in the wet. Add in the tire issues and the fact that the ran was sudden and violent and i think they made the right choice. Can you imagine a group of bikes hitting one of those downpours at 200 mph? I would not want to see that. | ||
| Simond |
I think the main problem was running a wet tyre on a long dry straight at over 200mph. On another note I was delighted to see Chris Walker win his first BSB race in 12 years by preserving his wets on a drying track better than anyone else. Strange really because you could never accuse him of being a smooth rider but some of his best results have come in tricky conditions (Assen 2006). | ||
| Gaesati |
Hopkins to miss Donington? I hope he is ok for the US round. Any firther news about Lascorz? | ||
| Trojan |
Any firther news about Lascorz? Last I heard he had been transferred from ITU to a specialist spinal unit in Spain, but still no word on permanent damage. Hopkins has been trying to over ride the Suzuki and suffering for it unfortunately. He needs to calm down and wait for the team to develop the bike rather than trying to force it to do things it just won't do yet. Leon Camier is a world class rider struggling in midfield with the same bike, so we know it needs a lot of work. I don't know if his injuries will see him return by mid season or not, they seem to be quite vague on exactly what the problems are with his leg/foot. I half expect to see Yukio Kagayama on the Suzuki before long to replace Hopkins. | ||
| Jaimec |
I love the guy but... maybe somebody is trying to tell Hopper something? You know... like... find another line of work?? Something that generally doesn't involve breaking every bone in your body repeatedly?? I hear surf-casting can be pretty relaxing (though with his record he'll jam himself in the shoulder with the tackle). (Message edited by jaimec on May 12, 2012) | ||
| Jaimec |
Tom Sykes on the pole again. Can he win a full DRY race? He's been on the pole for all but one race so far and has only won once (the rain-abbreviated race last week). Even better (from my point of view) is that the Factory BMWs of Haslam and Melandri are right next to him, with old man Biaggi filling out the front row. Tomorrow should be a GOOD race. |
