This Month in the Fast Dates World Superbike Calendar ....
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Jessica Harbour |
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Fast Dates Calendar Kittens Jessica and Courtney
Featured at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
SBK World & MotoAmerica
National Superbike Race Weekend July 7-9th 2017
Feb 15th 2017 - FastDates.com Calendar publisher and photographer Jim Gianatsis is excited to announce that one of our favorite Calendar Kittens, spokes model and Rockstar Energy Drink girl Jessica Harbour from Huntington Beach, CA, has been selected to return with FastDates.com to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA,
for the 2017 SBK World & MotoAmerica National Superbike Race Weekend July 7-9th to shoot the next edition of the Fast Dates World Superbike Swimsuit Calendar and serving as an official SBK World Superbike Podium and Umbrella Girl. Jessica previously shot for Jim with all the top factory race bikes at the 2013 Laguna Seca WSBK round and served as an official SBK girl that weekend as well, with her pictures appearing in the 2015 Fast Dates Calendar. Jessica has continued to work at Laguna Seca WSBK the last years as well, both as an SBK and factory race team umbrella girl.
Joining Jessica
the July 7-9th Laguna Seca race weekend for both the Calendar Shoot and SBK Umbrella Girl duties will be a new FastDates.com Calendar Kitten rookie, fellow Rockstar Girl Courtney Riggs from Sacramento California. Both Courtney and Jessica are represented by the modeling agency Umbrella Girls USA, and work together as Rockstar Girls at the 2017 AMA Supercross Championship rounds across America.
The following weekend of July 15-17th in Los Angeles, Jessica and Courtney will again be working with FastDates.com at the annual LA Calendar Motorcycle Show, with these beautiful Calendar Kittens hosting the Calendar Show with Jim Gianatsis, and shooting with winning motorcycles for the next Iron & Lace Custom Motorcycle PinUp Calendar. For more of the beautiful FastDates.com Calendar Kittens, the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show and to order the Calendars go to - http://www.FastDates.com
The 2017 Los
Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show
& Calendar Bike Building Championship - Featuring 2 Events This Year!
March 1st, 2017 -The 2017 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show continues its now 27-year tradition as the premier outdoor streetbike event in America at two exciting dates and venues this year. Events will feature top Celebrity Custom Bikes & Builders, selected Vendors and Exhibitors, Live Music performances. And the world premier of next year's new 2018 FastDates.com Motorcycle PinUp Calendars featuring the world's top Sport and Custom Motorcycles with the beautiful Calendar Kittens in attendance at the Show. Select Builders and their Bikes will be invited to be photographed by producer Jim Gianatsis for the next
FastDates.com Calendars.
• Saturday July 15th 2017 Calendar Bike Builder's Party
features an optional morning ride to the legenday Rock Store on Mulholland Highway with photographer Jim Gianatsis, then join us at Jim's home / studio for a private Calendar Bike Shoot with Invited Calendar Bike Builders and Calendar Kittens, followed by a Dinner Party with Live Music. It at the at the FastDates.com Calendar Photo Studio in Woodland Hills, CA. Order Calendar Bike Builder Party Tickets Here
We are excited to announce some of the top custom bike builders and beautiful models joining us for the 2017 Calendar Bike Builder Party on Saturday July 2017. Top builders will include Russell Mitchell / Exile Cycles, Samuel Kao / JSK Design, Adam Bean / Custom Airbrushing, Ron Simms / Simms Customs, Tom Stevens - Exotic Sportbike Collector. Shooting with us will be top Elite supermodels Erin and Lily. And we will be announcing our live music entertaimny shortly. Tickets for this exclusive event are limited and can be purchased here - Order Calendar Bike Builder Party Tickets Here
Got an exciting Calendar Worthy Custom Bike?
Email Us a picture with details and you could earn a Complimentary Invitation to the Calendar Party.
• Sunday October 15th 2017 Rider Roundup at The Ranch in Agoura, CA.
Our Calendar Bike Building Championship joins Russell Mitchell / Exile Cycles at the Paramount Western Movie Ranch in Agoura, CA, down the road from the Rock Store, for an exciting day of Custom Motorcyles, Activities, Venders,
Manufacturers and Live Music. It's a benefit to fight Leukemia.
Walk-Up Spectator Event Admission is $10. Register Your Custom Bike for the Calendar Bile Building Championship Here.
Plus there's an optional Morning Bike Ride on Mulholland Highway
and an after the event Evening House Dinner Party with Russell Mitchell of Exile Cycles.
Look for more information and limited entry tickets on the ExileCycles.com website.
The start of Race One at Assen with Tom Sykes (65) out front of Chz Davies (7) and Jonthan Rea (1)
2017 SBK Motul World Superbike Championship, Assen, Dutch TTRound 4of 13
Rea Takes the Double Victory at Assen World Superbike Photos by Kel Edge
The Netherlands, April 28-30th 2017 - A 1-2 finish from KRT Riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes in the second Superbike World Championship race of the Assen weekend provided great drama in the final chicane, with Sykes closing in to within 0.025 seconds of victory but Rea holding on to secure another double Dutch success.
The classic TT Circuit at Assen provided an ideal backdrop for Rea to start the 200th WorldSBK race of his career and he duly took away his seventh race victory of 2017, his 11th at Assen since he started his WorldSBK career and his third double at this 4.542km circuit since he joined Kawasaki in 2015.
It was an important day of statistics for Rea, as he also secured his 45th career win in WorldSBK and his 30th individual race win for Kawasaki. Tom Sykes and his crew worked to improve his machine set-up overnight and he almost took his first race win of the year as a reward, only losing out on a last chicane attack on Rea by 0.025 seconds across the line after 21 intense laps.
Battling the high winds today like all his peers, Tom duly overcame his continuing physical issues to record two second places at Assen this weekend, making it six podiums from the eight races held so far this season.
In the championship Rea now leads by 64 points, from his team-mate Sykes, with Chaz Davies third on 111 points and second race faller Marco Melandri on 97.
The next races in the series will take place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th of May, at the Imola circuit in Italy.
Chaz Dazies and Jonthan Rea agree to disagree as Chaz complained that Jonthan blocked his Superpole run on Saturday morning. The race stewards agreed and bumped Jonthan from his winning Pole time to 4th on the grid for the start of Race One.
It hardly mattered to the 2-time Champ who would go on 2 win both days races from Rows 2 and 3 for this weekend.
Chaz's Ducati Stops on Last Lap Fighting Rea for the Win
Race One, Saturday May 29th -
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) took a clear victory in Race 1 at the Acerbis Dutch Round on Saturday, after a long battle with Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) ended in a frustrating DNF for the Welshman who pulled up at the end of the penultimate lap. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) crossed the line in second place, ahead of Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) who completed the rostrum places.
Rea had started in fourth place on the grid, having initially been on pole but being moved back three places to the head of row two due to a penalty, following a clash with Davies at the end of SP2. Davies then went on to lead for most of the race before Rea took over in the final stages and then the Ducati rider pulled off track due to a technical issue just before the start of the final lap.
Davies’ misfortune saw Sykes take a lonely second, the Yorkshireman crossing the finish line 4.5s behind Rea and 13 seconds in front of third placed Melandri. It was a good performance by Sykes considering his recent issues with a stomach illness.
Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) produced another solid result in fourth place on his Ducati Panigale R, his highest finish so far in 2017. An excellent ride by Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) to fifth on his return to action also gave him his best result of the season to date.
There were also season-best results for Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) and Roman Ramos (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) in sixth and seventh respectively. Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia), Leandro Mercado (IODARacing) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) completed the top ten.
There was frustration for Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) who ran long on the first corner and then crashed out of his home race at turn 5 early on. That was before his teammate Alex Lowes went down at turn 10 midrace to make it a difficult day for Yamaha. Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) and Riccardo Russo (Guandalini Racing) were both unable to finish due to technical problems.
1st - Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) - “I’m really happy, I’ve had so many questions over the weekend asking why I’ve won so many here and I don’t know why. It’s just a circuit I really like, it suits my riding style a bit and to make it happen here again is great."
2nd - Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team)- "I am happy with today considering where I was on Tuesday afternoon, to be second here to Jonathan is not too bad - OK I was gifted it but I had some limitations today. I think tomorrow we need to improve, overall we're collecting as many points as we can and were close to a good set-up."
3rd - Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati)- "For sure the podium here was impossible to get until this morning and my speed this morning was not good enough for top five, but then in Superpole and the feeling was back, and then in the beginning of the lap my pace was ok but not enough to stay with the front guys. Fourth for me was ok here in Assen."
Race One - Complete Results Here
1. Jonathan Rea Kawasaki
2. Tom Sykes Kawasaki +4.501
3. Marco Melandri Ducati +17.673
Assen Race Two - Rea takes victory in gripping 200th WorldSBK race
RACE TWO, Sunday May 30th -In pleasant sunny conditions at the TT Assen Circuit on Sunday Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) gave a superb demonstration of his talent with a tight victory over second placed teammate Tom Sykes, as Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) completed the podium in third.
In his 200th WorldSBK race Rea held his nerve to cross the line 0.025s ahead of Sykes as the Yorkshireman applied the pressure in the final stages. It was Rea’s second win of the weekend, his seventh victory from eight races so far in 2017 and his 11th career win at Assen – with maximum points from Round 4 in the Netherlands putting the KRT man 64 points clear at the head of the standings.
It was a valiant effort for Sykes after his recent health issues and he will aim for his first win of 2017 next time out, in two weeks time at Imola.
After his cruel luck on Saturday, which saw Davies pull up with a technical problem with a lap to go when fighting for victory in Race 1, the Welshman bounced back with a fifth podium result of 2017 so far, in third place.
A good ride by Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) at his home round saw the Dutchman recover from a crash on Saturday to register a solid fourth place finish from 11th on the grid. It might have been even better for Van der Mark but for a big wobble for the Yamaha rider at turn 12 midrace -when he was chasing Davies for third.
Van der Mark’s Yamaha colleague Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) also made up for his Race 1 disappointment to finish in the top five again, after crashing out on Saturday.
Another Englishman Leon Camier ( #2 MV Agusta Reparto Corse) rode well for sixth, finishing just over a second ahead of Spaniard Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team).
The top ten was completed by Eugene Laverty ( #50 Milwaukee Aprilia), Nicky Hayden (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) and Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team).
There were crashes for Italian trio Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia), Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Riccardo Russo (Guandalini Racing) meaning no points for any of them. They will each have a chance to make amends at their home round in Italy at Imola in two weeks’ time.
1st - Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team)- "It has been an incredible weekend of racing, of course the race wins were really nice to take away. Today was a race of two halves, in the first half I raced hard until I got a warning so in the second half I just managed things to try and be safe and bring her home."
2nd - Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) - "It was a very close finish and I have to say thanks to my publish, my fans and all the team for being very understanding about my physical condition. Today I felt we had a package capable of winning. I always kept trying and I am obviously disappointed not to take the win."
3rd - Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati)
"It was tough, I enjoyed the racing, thay was good but in terms of how my race went I can't say I'm happy with it, I didn't get the bike that I wanted so prrhaps we went the wrong way with the set-up and we struggled to get the feeling with the bike that I like. We move onto Imola, Ducati's backyard where hopefully we can be faster."
Sunday Race 2 - Complete Results Here
1. Jonathan Rea Kawasaki
2. Tom Sykes Kawasaki +0.025
3. Chaz Davies Ducati +5.077
John Surtees was World GP Champion for MV Agusta in 1956 and '58-60, the Formula One World Champion in 1964.
Remembering John Surtees
the only World Champion on 2 and 4 Wheels
Reprinted in part from Petrolicious.com
It can be hard to give what feels like adequate respect to someone you’ve never known personally, and especially so when that person is as towering and well-known a figure as John Surtees. Last week the world of motorsport and the world at large lost a special person. Surtees was 83 years old when he died in hospital on March 10th 2017, and leaves behind a legacy during those years that’s full of impressive feats of motorsport as a rider, driver, and manager.
Surtees, the only person to have become a world champion on two and four wheels, began an illustrious career of racing on a motorcycle, winning his first 500cc World Championship riding an MV Agusta in 1956. A short time later, he would go on to win back-to-back-to-back championships from ’58-’60, kicking off a string of unbroken wins for the Italian motorcycle manufacturer that would stretch for 17 seasons of dominance. To add to his impressive list of moto accomplishments, Surtees also made an indelible mark on the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy as the first person to win the Senior TT (not referring in any way to age, think of this as the bikes in this category being the big brothers of the slower TTs) 3 times in a row.
In 1960, at the age of 26, Surtees switched from motorcycles to cars full-time, making his Formula 1 debut racing in the 1960 BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone for Team Lotus. He made an immediate impact with a second-place finish in only his second Formula One World Championship race, at the 1960 British Grand Prix, and a pole position at his third, the 1960 Portuguese Grand Prix. After spending the 1961 season with the Yeoman Credit Racing Team driving a Cooper T53 "Lowline" managed by Reg Parnell and the 1962 season with the Bowmaker Racing Team, still managed by Reg Parnell but now in the V8 Lola Mk4, he moved to Scuderia Ferrari in 1963 and won the World Championship for the Italian team in 1964
On 25 September 1965, Surtees had a life-threatening accident at the Mosport Circuit (Ontario, Canada) while practising in a Lola T70 sports racing car.[2] A front upright casting had broken. A.J. Baime in his book Go Like Hell says Surtees came out of the crash with one side of his body four inches shorter than the other.[11] Doctors set most of the breaks nonsurgically, in part by physically stretching his shattered body until the right-left discrepancy was under an inch – and there it stayed.
The 1966 season saw the introduction of new, larger 3-litre engines to Formula One.[12] Surtees's debut with Ferrari's new F1 car was at the 1966 BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone, where he qualified and finished a close second behind Jack Brabham's 3-litre Brabham BT19. A few weeks later, Surtees led the Monaco Grand Prix, pulling away from Jackie Stewart's 2-litre BRM on the straights, before the engine failed. A fortnight later Surtees survived the first lap rainstorm which eliminated half the field and won the Belgian Grand Prix.
John Surtees had that rare quality that allowed him to speak his mind candidly while still managing to remain endearing, and the even rarer one that saw his actions follow in accordance with his words. So, following disagreements with Ferrari surrounding the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, Surtees left the team, and, of course, went on to handily win the Can-Am season in its first year of running, 1966. Clearly his prowess behind the wheel was undeterred by a change in scenery.
Following a career dotted with championships, Surtees left the driver’s seat and underwent the arduous tribulations of team ownership with the creation and management of his Surtees Racing Organization. Leading efforts in Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 5000, Surtees was dedicated to, and remained heavily involved in competitive international racing. After the last of his teams closed up in 1978, Surtees still did not abandon the racing world, as he continued in vintage motorcycle and car racing events for much of his life.
John Surtees at the new Silverstone a few years ago with fellow World Champion Valentino Rossi.
Valention takes a Race Podium Selfie with Pedrosa and Marquez.
2017 MotoGP World Championship, Red Bull Grand prix of The Americas, Round 3 of 16
Grand Prix of The Americas -
Five USGPs in a Row for Marquez, Rossi Takes Points Lead
Circuit of The Americsa, Austin, Texas, Sunday April 23rd 2017 - Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) initially fought it out with teammate Dani Pedrosa for victory in the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, before being able to break clear in the latter laps of the race to take his stunning fifth win in a row in Austin – his 11th straight win on US soil in an incredible statistic. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) then put on a late charge to take second, with Pedrosa completing the podium – and former Championship leader Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) crashing out early on.
Elbows touching Marquez was masterful.
Off the line it was an absolutely stunning swoop around the outside for Pedrosa from the second row to lead – old habits die hard - as the Spaniard overtook teammate and polesitter Marquez to lead through Turn 1, with Rossi tucked in behind the two Repsol Honda machines.
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) got a great launch from P6 to overtake Maverick Viñales, and the two men dueled it out until Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) got into the action and followed Viñales past the Mallorcan – before the drama struck.
After two wins from two in the first races of the season, Viñales then suddenly slid out of contention – lowsiding safely, but out of the fight for victory and taking home a 0 for the first time since Argentina 2016.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) had moved up from his P9 on the grid to take the factory Ducati duo for fifth behind rookie sensation Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), with Andrea Dovizioso getting the best of Lorenzo to move into sixth.
A moment between Zarco and Rossi then saw the ‘Doctor’ taking to the run off as the rookie attempted a move, rejoining a little further ahead and subsequently receiving a 0.3 second penalty for time gained, to be applied at the end of the race. It was then the Repsol Hondas’ time to duel, as Marquez and Pedrosa diced for the lead and the number 93 was able to begin pulling away with 13 laps to go.
In ths closing laps of the race, Marquez pulled away from team mate Pedrosa (26) and Rossi passed him for 2nd place.
As the last laps approached, Crutchlow dueled Zarco to take fourth as Top Independent team rider fourth and Rossi struck against Pedrosa to take third, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also making it past Lorenzo in some late battles as the Italian crossed the line for his first points haul of the season in P7.
Lorenzo had his best finish of the season on the Ducati in 7th, finally beating the other Ducati riders.
Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) also made it past a Lorenzo struggling with grip to take eighth, with the five-time World Champion crossing the line in P9. Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller just beat rookie Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha tech 3) to complete the top ten, as the Aussie fulfilled his goal for 2017 once again in the third race of the season.
Second Octo Pramac Racing rider Scott Redding came home in P12, with Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) scoring points once again ahead of Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) and Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team).
Bautista had crashed at around half distance but rejoined to score the point, with teammate Karel Abraham leaving Texas with a DNF alongside Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro, who suffered a mechanical problem. Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Sam Lowes and Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) also crashed out, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) pulling into the pits before rejoining to get more track time – crossing the line in P17 behind Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
Next stop: Jerez. Last year, Valentino Rossi took a scorching win on ‘enemy’ soil in Spain, and the paddock now makes the journey to the classic venue as we return to Europe. And who leads the Championship? The ‘Doctor’, six points clear and back on familiar, successful hunting ground...
MotoGP Race Results - Complete Results Here
1 - Marc Márquez (SPA - Honda) 43'58.770
2 - Valentino Rossi (ITA - Yamaha) +3.069
3 - Dani Pedrosa (SPA - Honda) +5.112
4 - Cal Crutchlow (GBR - Honda) +7.638
Chaz Davies (7) and Jonthan Re (1) battled for the win in bith races at Aragon.
2017 SBK Motul World Superbike Championship, Aragon, Motorland Round 3 of 13
Rea and Davies Battle for Supremacy at Motorland
Aragon, Motorland, April 1st-2nd 2017 -Ducati team took its first win of the season in Race 2 of the 2017 WorldSBK Championship at Aragon (Spain) thanks to a brilliant performance by Chaz Davies. The Welshman bounced back from a crash while leading Saturday's Race One over Kawasaki's Jonthan Rea, with Davies winning Race Two on Sunday and claiming his sixth victory at the Spanish track and 21st of his career. After finishing second yesterday, Marco Melandri took third place at the end of particularly close race, in which he fought for the win until a couple of laps to go.
Starting in tenth and eighth position respectively, Davies and Melandri quickly stormed back through the field, already joining the leading group on lap 3. The two teammates then closely followed Rea until lap 12, when Davies took the lead. The final laps resulted in a spectacular series of passes. Melandri climbed to second position but eventually had to drop his pace to avoid taking too many risks. Davies on the other hand crossed lines with Rea several times, only to make the decisive move at the last chicane.
After three rounds, Davies (95 points) and Melandri (81 points) are respectively second and fourth in the championship. The Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team will resume action tomorrow for a one-day, official test ahead of the fourth round of the season, scheduled for April 28-30 in Assen (Holland).
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #7) – 1st “The whole weekend has been difficult, from start to finish, so it was really important to cap it with a win, especially after yesterday’s disappointment. We were confident our bike would be fast at Aragon, but it wasn’t easy at all out there today and our main rivals seem relatively comfortable so we know there’s still work to do in many areas. Today we suffered a bit with grip early on. Also, the wind was really strong. It kept pushing me away from corners and in the last lap I got caught by a gust going into turn 5 and I missed a backshift, going a bit wide, but we still managed to finish in front. We’re competitive but it’s still not enough, so we need to keep working to improve. Tomorrow’s test will be very important for us but, for now, we’re going to enjoy this victory.”
Jonthan Rea leads(1) the Ducatis of Melandri and Davies and the Yamahas of Lowes and Van Dermark
Five from five for brilliant Rea at Aragon
Rea wins Saturday race after duel with Davies who crashed out late,
as Melandri and Sykes complete the podium
RACE ONE Saturday, April 1st 2017 - Following a brilliant 18 lap contest at the Pirelli Aragón Round Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) maintained his 100% record so far in 2017, taking full advantage of a late crash for Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), whilst Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) completed the podium.
Rea made it five wins from five this year after putting pressure on provisional race leader Davies for most of the race, with Ducati’s Welsh rider crashing out at the penultimate turn of the penultimate lap. The victory puts Rea 47 points clear of Sykes at the head of the championship.
Melandri was another beneficiary of Davies’ unfortunate crash as he crossed the line in second, the Italian outpacing Sykes as the pair battled for prominence. Sykes’ third place in the race moves him up to second in the general standings.
Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) secured an excellent fourth place finish, ahead of Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) who completed the top five.
Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) was the best Spanish finisher in sixth, with Leandro Mercado (IODARacing), Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia), Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) and Nicky Hayden (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) all in the top ten. Bradl did well for ninth after technical problems earlier in Tissot Superpole 2.
Ayrton Badovini (Grillini Racing Team) retired early in the race due to a technical problem with his Kawasaki ZX-10R.
Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) was forced to stop in the final stages due to a technical problem which caused his Ducati Panigale R to catch fire. It was an disappointing end to Fores’ race after he had remounted and battled on having crashed early on when fighting for fourth with Sykes at turn 1.
Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was 11th and Markus Reiterberger (Althea BMW Racing Team) did well for 12th after starting from pit lane due to an issue before the race.
1st - Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) “I rode the strongest race I could; Chaz was strong in areas where I was not, and I was strong in areas where he was not, so it was a case of me learning a lot in the race. The only thing I could do in that race was ride shotgun and put as much pressure on as I could and wait for a mistake. The door opened up a few times because Chaz missed a few apexes but finally he went down in the penultimate lap. I hope Chaz is OK but for me it was a perfect opportunity to win another race”
2nd - Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) "I was a very tough race because everyone expected to have warmer temperatures to use the softer rear tyre but this was impossible, everyone's bike were completely different to the practice and for me it was not easy. I couldn't have the speed that I would like to have and to be second is a big result for me."
3rd - Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) “Sometimes you get gifted things in racing but we were working hard. The start of my day was very bad because I woke up about 04.00 this morning with some kind of sickness and suffered in the race. In the wind I just suffered a little bit with the turning of the bike, so the rear traction was critical. Because the bike would not turn I was over-stressing the rear tyre. From that point of view, tomorrow we will have another go.”
MotorLand Aragon: Saturday Race 1- Complete Results
1. Jonathan Rea Kawasaki
2. Marco Melandri Ducati +4.058
3. Tom Sykes Kawasaki +7.512
Davies wins superb lap battle over Rea
Fantastic ride by Davies from tenth on the grid
sees Welshman overcome Rea in Race 2 at Aragon, with Melandri third
RACE TWO Sunday, April 1st 2017- A highly determined ride from Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) at the Pirelli Aragón Round on Sunday saw the Welshman get his first win of 2017, with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) also on the podium. Alex Lowes had started Race 2 at the front of the grid and he had held the lead for several laps. The Englishman eventually finished 13th.
In sunny but windy conditions at MotorLand Aragon - went down to the last lap, with Davies making amends for his Race 1 crash as he got the better of World Champion Rea over the last two corners. The pair dueled for the lead in the final stages, with Davies ultimately crossing the line half a second ahead of Rea, to end the Northern Irishman’s five race winning streak. Melandri continued his solid comeback season in third place, around 2.5s back on his victorious teammate.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) finished in fourth place, the former World Champion suffering from sickness this weekend in Spain. Sykes finished eight down on the podium positions but got the better of Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) on the final lap.
Dutchman Van der Mark equaled his best result of the season so far in fifth. There was frustration for his Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team colleague Alex Lowes on lap 11, as a mistake saw him run off track and drop out of podium contention as he resumed way down the field, having been in fourth before his off-track excursion.
Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) recovered from the drama of his Saturday DNF, which saw his race end with his Ducati in flames, finishing Sunday’s contest as the top Spanish rider in sixth – just under two seconds ahead of compatriot Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team). Leandro Mercado (IODARacing), Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) completed the top ten. Nicky Hayden (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) suffered a DNF due to a technical problem, whilst Alex De Angelis (Pedercini Racing SC-Project) crashed out at the end of lap 15.
The WorldSBK grid will be back in action at the Acerbis Dutch Round over the28th-30th April weekend.
Chaz Davies was the first new face atop the podium this season in Aragon, bringing a hault to Jonthan Rea's 5-race winning streak, with Ducati team mate Marco Melandi in third.
1st: Chaz Davies - Aruba.it Racing - Ducati "Yesterday was a disaster, the whole weekend was a disaster until the last lap of the second race. The only moment of joy is bringing home the win, and it's good to bring it home like that. We know the bike is good here, although we still need to work in a lot of different areas, but for now we are really going to enjoy this and it was a great battle."
2nd: Jonathan Rea - Kawasaki Racing Team "I'm really pleased and its been a really good weekend for us. We have come to a track that's not strong for me on the bike, we put a good Friday in and felt confident. To put in a 18 full laps with Chaz yesterday, bar to bar in both races at one of his strongest tracks was no mean feat. And today we had a good battle, so are really happy to get a podium."
3rd: Marco Melandri - Aruba.it Racing - Ducati "It was a great race, but very tough because of the windy conditions but my bike was working pretty good. It was not that easy to come back from the third row. I struggled with the front again and when Chaz arrived it was difficult. He is always difficult to try and force more in the breaks. I was able to get closer to the front guys but I am missing something.
MotorLand Aragon: Race 2 - Complete Results
1. Chaz Davies Ducati
2. Jonathan Rea Kawasaki +0.483
3. Marco Melandri Ducati +2.479
Honda CB1100TR Concept Bike which premiered at EICMA tis past winter.
Revealed! The 2017 Ducati 215hp / 368 lb 1299cc Superleggera
Bologna Italy November 5th 2017 - Ducati has revealed a new limited edition lightweight version of their latest big bore 1299cc V-Twin Superbike, the 1299 Superlegera. The previous2014 year limited edition 11999 Superlegera retailed for USD $68,000, so expected this new model to be priced even higher with the addition of its Carbon Fiber Airbox Subframe to attach the front forks, and new lightweight carbon fiber wheels. This is a pure Collector's bike as the larger 1299cc engine dispersant and carbon fibre wheels make it ineligible for FIM / AMA racing. It should also be noted the Superquadro engine performance upgrades which premiered in the 2014 model year 1199cc Superleggera became available the following year in the 2015 homologation 1199R Superbike for $33,000.
ENGINE Superquadro: L-twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid cooled
DISPLACEMENT 1,285 cc
BORE X STROKE 116 x 60.8 mm
COMPRESSION RATIO 13.0:1
POWER 158.1 kW (215 hp) @ 11,000 rpm
The power values indicated above are measured using a chassis dynamometer. Homologated power data, as quoted in the Bike Registration Document, are measured using an engine dynamometer according to the homologation regulation. The two power values may differ because of the different measurement equipments.
TORQUE 146.5 Nm (108,0 lb-ft) @ 9,000 rpm
FUEL INJECTION Mitsubishi electronic fuel injection system. Twin injectors per cylinder. Full Ride-by-Wire elliptical throttle bodies with aerodynamic valve and optimized trumpets
EXHAUST 2-1-2 system, primary tubes in titanium. Twin titanium mufflers. 2 lambda probes and 2 catalytic converters
GEARBOX
6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/downPRIMARY DRIVE
Straight cut gears; Ratio 1.77:1
RATIO 1=37/15 2=30/16 3=27/18 4=25/20 5=24/22 6=23/24
FINAL DRIVE Chain; Front sprocket 15; Rear sprocket 39
CLUTCH Hydraulically controlled slipper/self-servo wet multiplate clutch
FRAME Monocoque in carbon fiber
FRONT SUSPENSION Fully adjustable 43mm USD Öhlins FL 936 fork with TiN treatment, billet fork bottoms and lightweight stress-optimized outer tubes, lightweight springs
FRONT WHEEL 10-spoke carbon fiber 3.50" x 17"
FRONT TYRE
Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 120/70 ZR17
REAR SUSPENSION
Fully adjustable single Öhlins TTX36 shock with titanium spring, adjustable linkage between progressive/flat. Carbon fiber single-sided swingarm
REAR WHEEL
10 spokes carbon fiber 6.00” x 17”
REAR TYRE
Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 200/55 ZR17
WHEEL TRAVEL (FRONT/REAR)
120 mm (4.7 in) - 130 mm (5.1 in)
FRONT BRAKE 2 x 330 mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Monobloc Evo M50 4-piston callipers with Cornering ABS, Brembo MCS 19-21 adjustable-ratio front brake master cylinder, remote lever adjuster
REAR BRAKE 245 mm disc, 2-piston calliper with Cornering ABS
INSTRUMENTATION Colour TFT display
DRY WEIGHT 156 kg (343.9 lb)
KERB WEIGHT 167 kg (368.2 lb)
SEAT HEIGHT 830 mm (32.48 in)
WHEELBASE 1.456 mm (57.32 in)
RAKE 24°
FRONT WHEEL TRAIL 98 mm (3.86 in)
FUEL TANK CAPACITY 17 l - 4.5 gallon (US)
NUMBER OF SEATS Single seat
STANDARD EQUIPMENT Riding Modes, Power Modes, ABS cornering, DTC, DWC, DSC, DPL, DQS u/d, EBC, DDA+ w/GPS module, Fully RbW. Rapid setting DTC, DWC, DSC, EBC
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT Track Kit: Titanium racing exhaust, racing windshield, machined mirror block-off plates, license plate mount removal plug, side-stand removal kit, front and rear paddock stands, paddock bike cover
WARRANTY (MONTHS) 24 months unlimited mileage
MAINTENANCE (KM/MONTHS) 12,000 km (7,500 mi) / 12 months
VALVE CLEARANCE ADJUSTMENT (KM) 24,000 km (15,000 mi) - street use
Now in the Calendar Bike Garage!
Winston Yeh's exciting new MV Agusta "Ballastic" Custom with Calendar Kitten Jillian Janson with complete Build Details and a Large Screen Size Photo Gallery. - http://www.FastDates.com/IronLaceGarage.HTM
We're Back! Riding Edelweiss Motorcycle Tour - From Paris to Omaha, France
Versailles, France, August 2016 - How we spent our summer vacation! On the exciting Edelweiss Bike Travel 2016 Paris to Omaha Beach 10-day motorcycle tour across western France visiting the histroric battle sites of World War II where editor Jim Ginatsis father, B26 bomber pilot Capt. James Gianatsi played a pivital role in te D-say invasion and liberating France. We rode 2-up two-up with awesome FastDates.com SBK World Superbike Calendar Kitten Kaustin "Kaussie" Rose in a story for the FastDates.com Website. Our bike of choice would be the newly introduced BMW R 1000 XR Sport Tourer, based on the potent BMW R 1000 RR Superbike. For the Complete Story Click on the Photos or Check Out the Complete Story Here
For complete Pricing, Bikes, and Booking Information visit the Edelweiss Website Here
Now in the Calendar Bike Garage... The World's Coolest Naked Ducati!
Beauitful FastDates.com Calendar Kitten Sara takes us for a ride on the world's most exotic and expensive Ducati streetbike
ever - a $110,000 Vyrus NCR 983 Superleggera in the Calendar Bike Garage and in Members Corner.
Now in the FastDates.com Calendar Bike Garage!
David Beckham's Amazon Triumph Scrambler build by legenday Calendar Bike Builder Rickard Pollock / Mule Motorcycles, photographed with Calendar Kitten and Penthouse Pet Aleska in BIG full screen saver size photos.
Now in the Calendar Bike Garage...
Samuel Kao's Calendar Bike Show class winning BMW R 90T Bar Hopper with beauitful FastDates.com SBK World Superbike Calendar Kitten Sara featured in the Calendar Bike Garage / Members Corner and in the new 2016 Iron & Lace Calendar
Fast Dates Calendar Celebrates 22 years of SBK World Superbike in America
California, USA, July 17-20th 2016 - For the 22nd year since SBK World Superbike first came to America at Laguna Seca Raceway in 1995, the FastDates.com Calendars and myself, producer / photographer Jim Gianatsis were excited to continue
our ongoing association with SBK World Superbike and the UmbrellaGirlsUSA.com to bring 2 more beautiful FastDates.com Calendar Kittens; Kaustin Lanae and Alissa Bourne to shoot with me at the 2016 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca United States SBK World Superbike and AMA National race weekend July 8-10th. There they served as the official SBK Podium Girls and helped me shoot the next Fast Dates World & AMA Superbike Calendar. Then, two weekends later they both would work the
26th annual LA Calendar Motorcycle Show and Calendar shoot in Los Angeles on July 23-24th. Continued Here
From the left: Builder Hirokai Takai, Calendar Show producer Jim Gianatsis, Calendar Kitten Kaustin Rose, Best of Show winner Yuichiti Yoshizkwa, Kittens Alissa Bourne and Daria Dali.
We Have a Winner!
Yuichiti Yoshizkwa takes 2016 LA Calendar Motorcycle Best of Show
Calabasas, CA, July 23rd, 2016 - Yuichiti Yoshizkwa / Custom Works Zou, flew his bike in from Japan to take Best of Show at the 2016 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show. This was the 5th year in a row that Asian Builders had claimed the top spot at America's premier custom motorcyce show with their unique had craft builds. Yuichiti's Cafe Racer themed bike features a front swingarm suspension with its Amrican V-Twin replica Shovel Head fed by a exhaust driver turbocharger!
Complete coverage if this year's 2016 LA Calendar Motocycle Show HERE
Calendar Bike Show Winner
Now in the FastDates.com Calendar Bike Garage!
Mike LaFountain's 2016 LA Calendar Bike Show class winning 1967 Kawasaki W1 Cafe Racer with SBK Fast Dates World Superbike Calendar Kitten Jessica Harbour in Big Screen Saver Size Pictures and bike details - http://www.FastDates.com/IronLaceGarage.HTM
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The Chaz Davies/ Jonthan Rea Superpole Blocking Controversy at Assen Firstly, I hold my hands up and apologise for my choice of language. I’m sorry it came across on live TV and to whoever it may have offended. In the heat of the moment I went #nofilter. I realise us guys are role models for young kids and that was no example to follow. Whilst I’m sorry for my choice of language, I’m not sorry for addressing the issue in the way I did. I don’t need to detail that this sport is dangerous and there isn’t much more dangerous than a rider touring on the racing line. Add a touring rider into the path of other riders during the last lap of Superpole and it’s another level of #Sh*ts AboutToGetReal. Sorry, there I go again with the potty mouth 😏. I’ve added some context for you below, so the facts are there for all to see. Towards the end of Superpole 2, rider #65 set an incredible marker with his first lap on the new Pirelli qualifying tyres. These tyres aren’t exactly qualifying tyres, they’re called a pre-qualifying tyre and according to Pirelli should be “good for around 3 fast laps” rather than the typical 1 lap you’d usually see from a true qualifier. #65 rolled off the gas immediately after his first flying lap. That’s pretty normal when you know you’ve got everything out of your package, which, judging by his lap time, he seemingly did. I completed my first flying lap. The lap went OK, but I didn’t feel like I perfected it and I assumed it was probably not good enough for the front row of the grid. So I pushed on for another bite at the cherry with a second lap. I crossed the line at the end of my first flying lap, 19 seconds after #65 completed his lap. 19 seconds is quite a large gap. For example, a full lap of cruising is, on average, about 15 seconds slower than an on-pace lap. So for me to catch up the full 19 seconds in less than half a lap, is quite exceptional. Add to that the fact that #65’s slowest ‘pit in’ lap of the entire weekend was 18 seconds slower than a full on-pace lap (1'54 vs 1'36). Yet at the end of Superpole 2 somehow he managed to lose 19 seconds in the opening 40 seconds of a full 96 second lap. In Moto3, the percentage determined to be “cruising” is 10%. Applying Moto3 rules, losing just 4 seconds would have been enough for #65 to incur a grid penalty. I wonder what penalty would have been handed down for 19 seconds? My second lap was underway and at the second intermediate split I was 0.051 (51 thousandths of a second) outside of my previous lap, a gap that I would definitely call 'in touch’ to improve my own lap time. I saw #65 as I exited turn 5 onto the back straight, he took a long look over his shoulder through turn 6 and with that I expected him to move well aside on what is a seriously fast part of the circuit. As I threw my bike into into turn 7, #65 was mid corner, just wide of the ideal racing line. I’m talking a bikes width but no more, definitely far from off line. In that situation you don’t know what the rider ahead is thinking or which way he’s going as he hasn’t clearly shown which part of the track he’s heading for. He stayed on that line which then on corner exit turns into what is exactly the ideal line, where the natural line is to drift out to 3/4 track width before bringing it back to setup the entry for turn 8. I had already backed out of committing to turn 7 at the very last split second on corner entry as I could see what was about to unfold. That foresight and slight lack of commitment at the speed I was carrying gave me the time I needed to be able to pick the bike up on the early part of corner exit and give enough room to avoid what could have been a massive accident. #65 again looked behind, the opposite side to where I was and I felt the need to wake him up to the severity of what just happened. I hit him on the arm as I passed and hurtled some gestures his way. Fast forward a couple of minutes into parc ferme and once I saw #65 I made the Italian gesture of a pinched together thumb and fingers, translate - “what the hell were you thinking?”. I expected a different reaction to what came. #65 went straight on the defensive saying he hadn’t seen me, claiming he was off line anyway, why was I on the outside of him, I shouldn’t have been anywhere near him. It was a good attempt at turning the situation around to put the blame on me. There was everything but a simple apology, which, had it of arrived straight away, would had instantly diffused the situation. At that point I tried to put across the severity of the situation, but his arrogance was off the scale. I threw the regrettable profanities at him and finally, after heated exchanges, he begrudgingly offered his hand as an apology. As far as I was concerned it was too late and I didn’t feel like it was genuine so I declined. He was happy to tell the media that is was good to see me frustrated. If you get your kicks from putting other riders' lives in danger, good for you. My reaction was genuinely not informed by any kind of frustration other than at what I perceived as dirty riding. Race Direction took the matter into the own hands (without any intervention from me or my team) and decided that a 3 place grid penalty was sufficient. Quite honestly, I’d have preferred to see an immediate admission of fault over the penalty that was handed down. After the incident, another rider who was on his 'in lap’ and saw everything unfold confirmed exactly my thoughts that #65 was looking over his shoulder with intent from early in his in lap. At turn 5 it’s very easy to glance across the circuit to all the way through turns 2, 3 and 4 to see which riders are coming. #65 stayed well off the gas, taking another look over his shoulder during turn 6 (seconds before the incident) which unfortunately wasn’t broadcast on the replay, but it is shown on the full Superpole 2 session video on the WorldSBK website (20min 52secs into the full Superpole 2 session video). I saw this look behind on track and then again on the full video clip when I was called to Race Direction - it was clear for all of us to see. #65 knew I was coming and endangered both of us with his underhand games. Of course he will deny this, but the facts, video and Race Direction penalty prove otherwise. #65 knew I would abort my lap, but, if I had have committed to turn 7, there’s a strong chance neither of us would have made the grid. I’d expect fairer play from a novice, let alone a double World Champion. Mistakes happen, I’ve unintentionally held up others before and have always held my hands up to those kind of mistakes. However, with the facts that were in front of me, I’m absolutely certain there were no coincidences on this occasion. On track it's usually clear what is or isn't intentional, I had the same situation last year with my team mate Davide Giugliano in Thailand, but I recognised it as an honest mistake and he was quick to admit fault. A number of riders messaged me on Saturday to say they have, at various points in the past, had the same issues - if #65 sees you as a threat he's willing to play those cards. So, to #65 - you're a good enough rider without these games so cut the crap and lets continue to put on the show that is entertaining fans of Superbike, mano a mano. I enjoy the battles, the intense rivalry and hugely respect your ability/achievements, but I strongly believe on this occasion you just took it way too far. Let’s get back to old fashioned hard & fair racing at Imola. Those are the facts, thanks for reading" - Chaz Davies on Facebook Jonathan Rea's Assen Reply in his column in MCN The weekend got off to a good start and I had a pretty smooth Friday, setting the pace in the sessions and marking our intentions for the weekend. I rolled out of my second lap and was checking around for traffic when at turn seven I got in the way of Chaz completely unintentionally. What happened next was ridiculous. After being punched on the track, I got back to parc ferme, left things a little and offered some words to Chaz. He went off on one, swearing and all sorts as I tried to remain calm. All I wanted to do was smooth things as he is a guy that I respect but even after his little dummy spat, I offered him an apology and my hand which he rejected. After, I got asked to go to race direction and checked all the footage with them and agreed that I got in his way. It was clear to see that I was a long way off my line but he uses a pretty wide line in that corner. I got a three position grid penalty which meant I started fourth. What upset me most over the whole thing was Chaz tried to make me out to be a bad sport like I’d done it on purpose! I could go on and on about it, but I prefer to keep my opinions about Chaz to myself and hold my head high. Let’s move on. That set things up nicely for a showdown in the race and it worked out great. Both Chaz and Tom found some pace so it was a close battle but I rode shot gun for pretty much the whole race working out where I could pass. I made my moves with five to go but he made block passes straightaway. I bided my time. I could see he was so wide in turn three a few times, so I rode right inside him and took the lead and put my head down. Unfortunately for him his bike stopped entering the last lap but I am confident that we would have taken the win regardless. Race 2 was a completely different story. The temperature increased enough to use the soft rear tyre but the wind also increased a lot making riding the bike very difficult. Starting from ninth, I made a good start and got to the front pretty quickly and put my head down. I had almost a two second gap when I had a huge moment in turn 11 when a gust of wind caught me and I almost went down. After that I rolled the gas a bit and rode to my pit board to see it was only Tom behind, and that my rhythm was taking us away from Chaz. With two laps to go I stepped it up a bit for the win. I wasn't sure if he was right on my rear in the last sector but I covered the inside in the final chicane anyway. It completely messed up my drive and gave Tom a slingshot, it was still not enough though and we won again to take another 25 points. Looking back, it was a great weekend for Kawasaki. 1-2 in both races for KRT and Kenan and Toprak won in the Supersport and Superstock classes, so it’s fair to say Kawasaki bossed the Netherlands. And also for me, I’ve always away with a lap record two race wins and increased our championship lead. My best lap from Superpole officially stands too, so Tom, if you’re reading this, you can deliver me the Tissot watch in Imola? Apparently the circuit attendance was well up on last year which was easy to see. I always enjoy taking in the atmosphere there, especially around the Gert Timmer chicane area." MV AGUSTA CONSOLIDATES ITS INDUSTRIAL PLAN MotoAmerica Announces Double Header race Weekends in 2017, Expanded 10 Round Schedule
High Speed - the Movie
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