FastDates.com Pit Lane News - June 2004 page 4

FastDates.com June 2004
Page 1 • Superbike, MotoGP Racing & Calendar Girl News
Official Calendar of the SBK World Superbike Championship
Home of the official SBK Fast Dates & Team Ducati Corse Umbrella Girls

Page 4 - Visit Ducati Corse • Blind Date TV at LA Bike Show

• Ducati Corse Race Shop Exclusive FastDates.com Visit to Ducati HQ
• World Ducati Week 2004 May 17-24 The World's Best Sportbike Event!
• Oschersleben SBK Laconi and Toseland put Ducati Corse
• LeMans Moto GP Giberneau takes the points lead from Rossi & Biaggi
• Barber AMA Mladin and DuHamelshare the podium
• Poggipolini Millona World Premier of the Battle of the Twins winner
• FastDates.com Ducati 999S Project Superbike bargain 999R?
• Paddock Garage FastDates.com Aprilia Tuono R Project Bike
• Torque the Movie with FastDates.com Calendar girl Jamie Pressly
• New 2004 Honda, Yamaha Kawasaki 1000cc Superbike

Naked Desmosedici! FastDates.com takes an exclusive visit inside the
Ducati Corse MotoGP Race Shop!

Attend Party and Free Seminars with
America's Top Custom Bike Builders at the
LA Calendar Motorcycle Show Weekend July 17-18th
The Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show Weekend sponsored by Performance Machine held at the Queen Mary Event Park in Long Beach, CA, continues to grow every year as the most popular consumer street bike show in America catering to custom, cruiser, classic and sportbike enthusiasts. Always the 3rd weekend of July, the 13th Annual Show is scheduled for Saturday July 17th and Sunday July 18th, 2004.

The Show features a huge weekend of activities with over 160 major motorcycle and product manufacturers, exhibitors and venders, together with the leading custom bike from across America. There’s an incredible lineup of activities including the Jardine Performance West Coast Horsepower Dyno Shootout - now an exclusive permanent feature attraction at the Show, new bike demo rides from select motorcycle manufacturers, and free complimentary admission to the Queen Mary historic ocean liner. Plus a special appearane by the Las Vexas Extremes stunt sportbike riding team featuring beautiful 19-year old stunt girl JoJofarmer.

As always the LA Calendar Show offers the premier Custom, Sportbike and Classic Bike Contest on the West Coast featuring many of top bike Pro and Amateur builders in America vying for the prestigious Performance Machine Best of Show Trophy. Jesse Rooke will return to premier his latest cutting edge custom in a bid to secure Best of Show for the 3rd year in a row, but competition will again be intense from many other top builders including Paul Yaffe, Don Chica, Ron Simms, Mike Stafford, Cyril Huze, Roger Goldammer, Harold Pontarelli and many others. The Calendar Show, its bikes and builders, and exhibitors receive more national media coverage in major motorcycle magazines including Iron Works and in TV programs on Discovery, Spike, and with our Show's associate sponsor Speed TV’s American Thunder. Other major TV networks planning coverage of the Show for their motorcyle programs include the Discovery Channel and Spike TV.

A new attraction this year will be free Bike Builder's Seminars held both days at the Show, conducted by the leading custom bike builders in America as featured in the Iron & Lace calendar. And then on Saturday night aboard the Queen Mary in the historic Observation Room Bar will be the Iron & Lace Calendar Builders Night Party from 9pm on with all the top calendar bike buiders in attendance. For additional details go the Bike Show.

Ducat Performance Multistrada
June 1st -One of the big features of Word Ducati Week 2004 was the factory Ducati Performance Parts store inside the main Paddock Building at Misano where you could buy any of the parts in the current Ducati performance parts Catalogs, some of which are not available yet in America. Then you could go next door to a temporary DHL office and ship and parts you just bought, home.

One dispay in the Parts store were 3 current Ducati production bikes upgraded with an all new line of accessories which will be available in the new 2005 Ducati Performance Parts Catalogs which should first be published on the Ducati.com website in September 2004. being big Multistrada fans, the one bike that really caught our attention, was this display bike outfitted with full-on Ohlins superbike suspension, radial Brembo brakes, Marvic magnesium/carbon fiber wheels, Termignoni Race Exhaust System, and other assorted goodies like magnesium engine covers.

Clink on the picture to enlarge it. We will show you the new Ducati Performance Monster and Superbike models in the coming weeks.

Ian Lougher on the CBR1000RR Honda had to settle for a 5th in Production, and 4th in Formula Qone behind a slew of Yamaha R1s abd Suzuki GSXRs.

Endurance, The 2004 Isle of Man TT

McGuinness and Ansty dominate on
the twisty Isle of Mann roads at 125mph average!

Preview Isle of Man TT Festival
Isle of Mann, GB, June 5th - 8th: Adrian Archibald enjoyed the taste of the victor's champagne twice last year, taking the honours in both the TT Formula One and Senior events, and as he prepares for the upcoming Isle of Man TT Racing Festival the 34 year old Ulsterman is hungry for more. However, he faces a tough challenge to his supremacy in a hectic week of race action in which he finds himself pitting both speed and tactics with Ian Lougher, Honda, six times a winner over the 60.72Km Mountain Course which provides a unique challenge, likened by one former winner as the "Everest of Motorcycle racing."

The course provides a high speed dash around the picturesque Island, always on public roads, through towns and villages and over the heights of the Snaefel Mountain, with riders reaching around 305Km an hour on the long straights, with the outright lap record being at an amazing average speed of 204.85Km/ph.
Expectations are that this record could be bettered this year, such is the quality of the entry in terms of riders and machines, with much of the front-running action centring on Archibald and Lougher.

They would begin their head-to-head challenge in the opening race, the TT F1, on Saturday 5 June, an event which will be decided over four laps and not the six as in previous years, with the organisers considering aspects of rider fatigue and safety. Lougher enjoys the full backing of Honda, riding one of their CBR1000RR Fireblades as he takes on rider Archibald, Suzuki.

Lougher had to settle for second best in the corresponding race last year, and that is not something he is prepared to accept this time around, but, apart from the challenge of Archibald, who came within a couple of seconds of breaking the outright lap record of 204.85Km/ph, he faces a real threat from the two Yamaha riders John McGuinness and Jason Griffiths. Adding to the action will be the Kawasakis in the hands of Shaun Harris and Ryan Farquhar.

That race could set the standard for the week, with the Archibald Lougher private duel extending across each of the major races. They clash again in Monday's Production Formula One, run over three laps, with Honda, who have a long, pedigree of successes on the Island, stretching to over a century of victories in some 40 years of competition, having their efforts re-inforced by Shaun Harris, the winner of the race last year, riding a Fireblade.

Bruce Anstey, the winner of the Junior race, for 600 Supersport machines, aboard a Triumph Daytona is back for more, in Wednesday's race, but this time, the Kiwi is riding Suzuki, as team-mate to Archibald, and that could present additional problems for Lougher, who rides a Honda CBR600RR, in what usually is closely fought affair. McGuinness and Griffiths again will be in the equation, while Richard Britton, riding Honda, is more than capable of springing a surprise result.

And, in Friday's three lap Production 600TT there is the promise of more of the same, prior to the rider's concentrating their efforts into the climax of the whole week, the 'blue-riband' Senior TT, over four demanding laps. Archibald wants an action replay of his victory. Lougher, third then, and Honda want to get ahead of him, while McGuinness and Grifftihs again pose real threats.

By then McGuinness is hoping to have repeated his success of last year in the Lightweight 400TT in which he is riding Honda. Chris Palmer, who has made the Island his adopted home, is keen to take the 125 Ultra-lightweight TT honours for a second successive year, again riding Honda RS125R.

And, Sidecar racing has played a key part in the history of the TT races, which stretches back to 1907. The 'chairs' have two races, on the opening Saturday and then on Wednesday with the local favourite, Honda powered, Dave Molyneux, passengered by Daniel Sayle, aiming to add to his eight race victories on the Island.
The timetable for the 2004 Isle of Man TT Racing Festival is:

Day One Isle of Man
Isle of Man TT Festival, Saturday 5 june, Isle of ManJohn McGuinness riding a Yamaha R1 achieved his ambition of winning a 'big-bike' race in the Isle of Man TT racing festival as he romped to victory in the opener to this year's event, the TT Formula One race, decided over four laps of the 37.73 mile Mountain Course.

The Lancastrian took the victory in style, putting together a hard-riding determined performance to dictate terms throughout as he comfortably headed off the challenge of last year's race winner Adrian Archibald.
McGuinness took his fourth victory on the Island in lap and race record speeds, in each bettering the performance of the late David Jefferies, who sustained fatal injuries in a crash during practice for last year's event. The Yorkshireman was also the previous Yamaha rider, back in 1999, to win the TT F1 ace and McGuinness reflected on that as he savoured his own triumph. "That result was for DJ"

The race was well on the way to being decided on the opening lap.McGuinness who had shattered the record in practice had even better as the race developed. He piled the pressure on his rivals with an astonishing burst of speed and power, charging around the Island's public roads and over Snaefell in a time of 17m 43.8s, an average speed of 127.68mph - faster than anyone else had achieved in the history of the event which stretches back to 1907.

"I decided to get out there and go as hard as I could, put in a really fast first lap and give them all something to think about, and that paid dividends." McGuinness was ten seconds clear of the rest, and he had doubled that advantage as he pitted at half distance for fuel. Archibald had moved into second place, at the expense of his TAS Suzuki team-mate Bruce Anstey.

McGuinness maintained the pace in the second half of the race, taking the victory by 18.6 seconds: "Marvellous, just fantastic - I've always wanted to win this event, now I have - I will be celebrating, but not too much as there is a lot more racing to come next week."

Archibald admitted he had settled for second best. "The gap was just too big, and I had some concerns that air might have got into my brakes because the master cylinder came loose on the third lap."
Anstey, third, a further 26 seconds down, reckoned "I didn't really get to grips with it."

Ian Lougher rode hard, with style and speed, to bring his Honda Fireblade home fourth, ahead of the Suzuki ridden by Richard Britton, with Mark Parrett, Yamaha, sixth.

Manxman David Molyneux, passengered by Daniel Sayle, took the victory in the three lap Sidecar race, his ninth success on the Island, having led throughout aboard his Honda powered outfit.
"I had to nurse it home, I didn't think I would make it," he smiled as he headed off the threat of Nick Crowe-Darran Hope, also Honda powered, with Steve Norbury and Scott Parnell third.

Formula 1 Results Saturday Race (232Laps)
PSN / NO-DRIVER / CC / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / / TIME / SPEED
1 / 3-JOHN McGUINNESS / 1000 / Yamaha R1 / MORECAMBE / 1 12 13.2125.38
2 / 1-ADRIAN ARCHIBALD / 1000 / TAS Suzuki GSXR / BALLYMONEY NI / 1 12 31.8 / 124.84
3 / 5-BRUCE ANSTEY / 1000 / TAS Suzuki GSXR K4 / NEW ZEALAND / 1 12 58.0 / 124.10
4 / 4J-ASON GRIFFITHS / 1000 / Yamaha R1 / RAMSEY IOM / 1 13 20.3 / 123.47
5 / 2-IAN LOUGHER / 998 / Honda CBR RR / DROMORA NI / 1 13 27.7 / 123.26
6 / 8-RICHARD BRITTON / 1000 / O'Kane SUZUKI / ENNISKILLEN NI / 1 13 53.1 / 122.55
7 / 10-MARK PARRETT / 1000 / Kingscourt Yamaha R1 / MIDHURST / 1 15 26.5 / 120.02
8 / 9-CHRIS HEATH / 1000 / HONDA / BALDRINE IOM / 1 15 37.0 / 119.75
9 / 20-IAN ARMSTRONG / 1000 / CABLE DIRECT YAMAHA / SOWERBY BRIDGE / 1 16 02.9 / 119.07
10 / 19-IAN HUTCHINSON / 1000 / Suzuki GSXR / BINGLEY / 1 16 14.8 / 118.76
11 / 14-GARY CARSWELL / 1000 / HM Suzuki GSXR / MAUGHOLD IOM / 1 16 17.1 / 118.70
12 / 24*-GUY MARTIN / 1000 / Suzuki GSXR / DERRY NI / 1 16 43.5 / 118.02
13 / 13-GORDON BLACKLEY / 1000 / Honda CBR RR / RAF BRIZE NORTO / 1 16 45.0 / 117.98
14 / 29-DAVID BELL / 1000 / Suzuki GSXR / CHESTER LE STRE / 1 16 45.5 / 117.97
15 / 17-NIGEL BEATTIE / 1000 / Rockett Yamaha / LAXEY IOM / 1 16 48.4 / 117.89
TOTAL LAP COUNT 232; TOTAL MILEAGE 8753.36; FASTEST LAP TIME 17 43.8;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 127.68; FASTEST RIDER : JOHN McGUINNESS; LAP NUMBER 1

Sidecar A Results Saturday Race (171Laps)
PSN / NO-DRIVER / / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED
1 / 1-DAVE MOLYNEUX / DANIEL SAYLE / 600 / DMR Honda / REGABY IOM / 1 01 00.0 / 111.33
2 / 3-NICK CROWE / DARRAN HOPE / 600 / DMR Honda / JURBY IOM / 1 01 59.0 / 109.56
3 / 5-STEVE NORBURY / SCOTT PARNELL / 600 / Shelbourne Yamaha / CASTLEFORD / 1 02 51.8 / 108.03
4 / 4-ROY HANKS / DAVE WELLS / 599 / DMR YAMAHA / ERDINGTON / 1 03 02.5 / 107.72
5 / 15-GREGORY LAMBERT / IVAN MURRAY / 600 / DMR GL HONDA / RICHMOND / 1 03 23.4 / 107.13
6 / 8-PHILIP DONGWORTH / STUART CASTLES / 600 / Ireson Kawasaki / WORCESTER / 1 03 44.8 / 106.53
7 / 7-BEN DIXON / MARK LAMBERT / 600 / Molyneux Honda / NORWICH / 1 04 06.3 / 105.94
8 / 6-GARY BRYAN / STEVEN HEDISON / 600 / BAKER YAMAHA / NORTH KELSEY / 1 04 11.4 / 105.80
9 / 18-KENNY HOWLES / DOUG JEWELL / 600 / A.R.C. Ireson Yamaha / KIDDERMINSTER / 1 05 03.8 / 104.38
10 / 20-BILL CURRIE / PHILIP BRIDGE / 600 / Windle Yamaha / GT SUTTON / 1 05 14.2 / 104.10
11 / 25-ROGER STOCKTON / PETER ALTON / 600 / Shelbourne YAMAHA / CREWE / 1 05 24.4 / 103.83
12 / 36-NEV JONES / JOE SHARDLOW / 600 / Shelbourne Kawasaki / GAINSBOROUGH / 1 05 58.8 / 102.93 13 / 23-ROD BELLAS / PHILIP ROBERTS / 600 / Windle Yamaha / YORK / 1 05 59.9 / 102.90 / BRONZE
14 / 16-NIGEL CONNOLE / DENNIS LOWTHER / 600 / SHELBOURNE HONDA / SCUNTHORPE / 1 06 03.9 / 102.79
15 / 19-TONY THIRKELL / ROY KING / 600 / DMR Honda / THIRSK / 1 06 08.2 / 102.68
TOTAL LAP COUNT 171; TOTAL MILEAGE 6451.83; FASTEST LAP TIME 20 06.1;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 112.61; FASTEST RIDER : DAVE MOLYNEUX/DANIEL SAYLE;
LAP NUMBER 2

Day Two Isle of Man
June 7th - John McGuinness and Chris Palmer were the winners for Honda on the second weather ravaged race day of this year's Isle of Man TT Racing Festival, and both could reflect on victories at record pace that puts them into the record books. They won the final races for 400cc and 125cc machines to be held in the event as the organisers have revamped the programme for future years with more emphasis being put onto production machines. McGuinness shrugged aside the frustrations of a two hour delay to racing as mist rolled across parts of the 37.73 mile Mountain Course to provide another hard-charging front running performance as he went all out from the start aboard his 400ccHonda to take an action replay of his victory in the corresponding race of last year.

He was always in charge, using the same tactics that sped him to victory, and a winner's cheque of £20,000, in the opening four lap F1 race. "I decided again to get my head down and go for it from the start - it worked on Saturday, and it did again in this race." By the end of the opening lap, he was 16 seconds up, and had doubled that advantage by the time he pitted at half-distance for fuel - it was then he had his only uncomfortable moment: "they didn't screw the cap down fully and some petrol splashed on me in a rather delicate area, but I sorted that out."

If he was inconvenienced, it hardly showed as he powered relentlessly on, and at three quarters distance was running some 44 second ahead of Yamaha rider Steve Linsdell, easing off on the final dash over the mountain to take the victory, his fifth on the Island, by 33 seconds. "That was fun - really enjoyable. That is a magic little bike," smiled McGuinness as he earned another £4000 in prize money. Mark Parrett, riding Honda, finished fourth just ahead of Roy Richardson, who at one point had been up in second place on his Honda.

Chris Palmer, the Cumbrian rider who has made the Island his home, delighted the locals as he completed his second successive victory in the 125cc Ultra-lightweight race. He was always in contention, running six seconds down on Ian Lougher, also riding Honda, as they pitted at half-distance.

The race swung on the pit-stop. Palmer was out quickly, running a second clear by Glen Helen and then gradually pulling away from Lougher who was denied second place by machine problems on the approach to Ramsey on the final lap.

Robert Dunlop, riding in his final TT, inherited second place, but the five times winner on the Island, finished some 58 seconds down. "I'm delighted with the race, I had a good bike, it was a good steady ride. My only disappointment is for Lougher, he was going well." Asked if he would be returning to the Island, the younger brother of late, legendary 26time record TT winner Joey smiled: "Perhaps as a spectator."

The 1000ccProduction race was red-flagged on the opening lap as the weather again intervened. McGuinness and Bruce Anstey were level pegging at Glen Helen when the red flags came out. Mist was rolling in, cutting visibility between the Black Dub and Kirk Michael, with organisers wisely deciding to stop the action and re-run the race on Tuesday, starting at noon.

Lightweight 400cc Results Monday Race (174Laps)
PSN / NO-DRIVER / / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED
1 / 41-JOHN McGUINNESS / 400 / RLR Honda / MORECAMBE / 1 22 06.4 / 110.28
2 / 47-STEVE LINSDELL / 400 / Flitwick Yamaha / FLITWICK / 1 22 39.6 / 109.54
3 / 49-MARK PARRETT / 400 / Honda CBR RR / MIDHURST / 1 22 42.4 / 109.48
4 / 67-ROY RICHARDSON / 399 / Honda RVF / BLACKPOOL / 1 23 02.0 / 109.05
5 / 45-JOHN BARTON / 400 / FZR Yamaha / CROSBY IOM / 1 23 44.8 / 108.12
6 / 48-DERRAN SLOUS / 400 / Yamaha FZR RRSP / RAMSEY IOM / 1 24 04.7 / 107.69
7 / 56-ALAN BENNIE / 400 / Yamaha FZR / STRATHMIGLO / 1 24 47.8 / 106.78
8 / 43-JIM HODSON / 400 / Yamaha FZR / WIGAN / 1 24 54.7 / 106.64
9 / 64-THOMAS MONTANO / 400 / Yamaha FZR / USA / 1 25 18.9 / 106.13
10 / 51-ROBERT J PRICE / 399 / Yamaha FZR400SP / GLOUCESTER / 1 25 24.8 / 106.01
11 / 55-MANFRED VOGL / 398 / Heim & Haus Kawasaki / GERMANY / 1 25 42.2 / 105.65
12 / 50-ALEX DONALDSON / 400 / Kawasaki ZXR / LIMAVADY NI / 1 26 44.5 / 104.39
13 / 61-PAUL DOBBS / 400 / Dobsy's KAWASAKI / NEW ZEALAND / 1 26 54.1 / 104.20
14 / 66-ROBERT A PRICE / 400 / Yamaha FZR / STROUD / 1 27 07.7 / 103.92
15 / 59-JULIAN BULL / 400 / Kawasaki ZXR / HOLYHEAD / 1 27 16.7 / 103.75
TOTAL LAP COUNT 174; TOTAL MILEAGE 6565.02; FASTEST LAP TIME 20 12.3;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 112.04; FASTEST RIDER : JOHN McGUINNESS; LAP NUMBER 2

Lightweight 125cc Results Monday Race (174Laps)
PSN / NO-DRIVER / / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED
1ST / 1CHRIS PALMER / 125 / Nick Woodman Honda RS / CASTLETOWN IOM / 1 23 07.6 / 108.93
2ND / 4ROBERT DUNLOP / 125 / Crossan Honda RS / BALLYMONEY NI / 1 24 05.5 / 107.68
3RD / 7NIGEL BEATTIE / 125 / Mannin Honda / LAXEY IOM / 1 25 56.4 / 105.36
4TH / 6GARRY BENNETT / 125 / Honda RS R / PRESTON / 1 26 05.1 / 105.18
5TH / 16MATT JACKSON / 125 / Barnes Honda RS / BLACKPOOL / 1 26 20.6 / 104.87
6TH / 10MARK TYRRELL / 125 / CT Honda RS / EVESHAM / 1 26 47.2 / 104.33
7TH / 11JON VINCENT / 125 / JVR Honda RS / BICKERSTAFFE / 1 28 21.2 / 102.48
8TH / 14TED ROEBUCK / 125 / Honda RS / EVESHAM / 1 28 40.6 / 102.11
9TH / 17TREVOR RITCHIE / 123 / Honda RS / DUNGANNON NI / 1 29 22.1 / 101.32
10TH / 15CHRIS McGAHAN / 125 / Honda / WALTON-ON-THAME / 1 30 47.8 / 99.73
11TH / 19PETER WAKEFIELD / 125 / Honda RS / SANDBACH / 1 31 45.9 / 98.67
12TH / 20MICK CHATTERTON / 125 / Honda RS / BROMBOROUGH / 1 33 09.2 / 97.20
13TH / 22JIMMY ROGERS / 125 / Honda RS / KILLINCHY NI / 1 36 18.0 / 94.03
14TH / 23REG LENNON / 125 / Honda RS / ELLESMERE PORT / 1 37 22.9 / 92.98
TOTAL LAP COUNT 65; TOTAL MILEAGE 2452.45; FASTEST LAP TIME 20 28.9
FASTEST LAP SPEED 110.52; FASTEST RIDER CHRIS PALMER; LAP NUMBER 4

Day Three Isle of Man Kiwi Bruce Anstey victorious in 1000cc Production TT
Bruce Anstey broke lap and race records as he convincingly won the delayed 1000cc Production race as the Isle of Man TT racing festival continues – the Kiwi headed off a determined challenge from John McGuinness who was bidding to take a third consecutive victory during the week. The Lancastrian signalled his intentions with a very fast opening lap – a characteristic feature of his racing on the Island and which have paid him rich winning dividends already in the F1 and 400cc races - and this was no exception.

McGuinness (Yamaha) was hot on the charge, taking an amazing six seconds off the record, as, from a standing start, he recorded a lap time of 18m 06.3s around the 37.73 mile Mountain Course, running at an average speed of 125.03mph. But even so he was unable to break the challenge of Anstey (Suzuki) who was running little more than a second down. Ian Lougher, riding a CBR1000RR Honda, and Jason Griffiths (Yamaha), were closely behind, with all four inside the two year old record.

Anstey was on the ascendancy as they powered into the second lap, and by the time they reached Glen Helen he was running a second clear of McGuinness and beginning to pull away. Little wonder, as the Suzuki rider was bettering the record, with a time of 18m 05.7s, an average speed of 125.10mph, which put him five seconds ahead of McGuinness who was running low on fuel on the final mile of that lap.

"The bike was spluttering along at Signpost and it cut going into Governor's, I punched the electric starter to keep it going and then kept shaking the bike to ease it into the pits," McGuinness explained. Anstey had none of those problems, and, as he left from his fuel halt, his lead had stretched to 14 seconds.

He maintained the pace, taking his third success on the Island by some 18 seconds: "it was really enjoyable. I was a bit nervous till I got out there, but then the bike was so nice to ride, and it was problem free.
McGuinness admitted: "Bruce was the best man on the day - I knew I was facing a losing battle at 14 seconds down, but I kept going as hard as I could, pressing on." Third place went to his Yamaha team-mate Jason Griffiths, with Ian Lougher, bringing the Honda home in fourth.

Lougher was also concerned about running low on fuel, he said: "Perhaps I eased off a bit too much coming down the mountain, and that was after I had been caught up in a fair bit off traffic at various points on the second lap."

Adrian Archibald took fifth place ahead of fellow Suzuki rider Richard Britton.
Maria Costello, though failing to finish because of a machine problem on her second lap, achieved her ambition of becoming the fastest lady rider in the history of the event - her first lap, on a 750 Suzuki, came in a time of 19m 43.8s, an average speed of 114.73mph and some six seconds inside the previous best set seven years ago by Sandra Barnett.

Production 1000cc Results Tuesday Race (208Laps)
1 / 5-BRUCE ANSTEY / 1000 / Suzuki GSXR K4 / NEW ZEALAND / 54 53.5 / 123.72
2 / 3-JOHN McGUINNESS / 1000 / Yamaha R1 / MORECAMBE / 55 11.5 / 123.05
3 / 4-JASON GRIFFITHS / 1000 / Yamaha R1 / RAMSEY IOM / 55 17.3 / 122.83
4 / 2-IAN LOUGHER / 998 / Black Horse Honda CBR / DROMORA NI / 55 22.7 / 122.63
5 / 1-ADRIAN ARCHIBALD / 1000 / Suzuki GSXR / BALLYMONEY NI / 55 49.5 / 121.65
6 / 8-RICHARD BRITTON / 1000 / O Kane Suzuki / ENNISKILLEN NI / 56 24.5 / 120.39
7 / 10-MARK PARRETT / 1000 / Kingscourt Yamaha R1 / MIDHURST / 56 32.8 / 120.10
8 / 14-GARY CARSWELL / 1000 / YAMAHA / MAUGHOLD IOM / 56 57.8 / 119.22
9 / 20-IAN ARMSTRONG / 1000 / CABLE DIRECT YAMAHA / SOWERBY BRIDGE / 57 22.2 / 118.37
10 / 11-NIGEL DAVIES / 1000 / Suzuki GSXR / LLANELLI / 57 46.9 / 117.53
11 / 15-PAUL HUNT / 750 / Cringle Suzuki / BRADDAN IOM / 57 47.5 / 117.51
12 / 19-IAN HUTCHINSON / 1000 / Suzuki GSXR / BINGLEY / 57 47.9 / 117.50
13 / 9-CHRIS HEATH / 1000 / HONDA / BALDRINE IOM / 57 50.7 / 117.40
14 / 26-ROY RICHARDSON / 749 / Suzuki GSXR / BLACKPOOL / 57 57.7 / 117.17
15 / 17-GORDON BLACKLEY / 1000 / Honda CBR RR / RAF BRIZE NORTO / 58 11.2 / 116.71
TOTAL LAP COUNT 208; TOTAL MILEAGE 7847.84; FASTEST LAP TIME 18 05.7;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 125.10; FASTEST RIDER : BRUCE ANSTEY; LAP NUMBER 2

Day Four Isle of Man
McGuinness wins Junior TT - Molyneux and Sayle take Sidecar TT honours
John McGuinness took his third victory from four starts as the Isle of Man TT Festival continued with the 600cc Junior race, decided over four laps of the 37.73 mile Mountain Course in lap and race record breaking speeds. The Lancastrian employing again his strategy of setting a relentless, hard-charging first lap to good effect, as he shattered a full second off the year old record with a determined ride aboard his Yamaha which gave him a time of 18m 29.6s, an average speed of 122.41mph. But, he had better to come, trimming four seconds off that time, and increasing his average speed to 122.87mph.

"I had decided to get out there and go as hard as I could. Ride like a startled hare and try to get the job done in the first two laps," McGuinness explained, though he admitted he had been shaken by an incident on the first lap. He was charging into Union Mills just seconds after Honda's Ian Lougher had crashed.
"I saw the aftermath of what must have been a fairly big crash, on a fast part of the course, and that really shook me up, it was scary and frightening, but then I saw Ian getting up onto his feet to walk away, so I got my head down and concentrated."

Leading on the road, McGuinness pitted for fuel with a lead of 21 seconds over Bruce Anstey (Suzuki), and the only rider to beat him so far this week, and as he charged away and into the third lap, McGuinness' advantage had swelled to 34 seconds over Jason Griffiths, as Anstey had a lengthy, and arguably costly, in the final analysis, pit-stop,

Anstey rode brilliantly to cut the deficit, but he had too much to do, with McGuinness romping clear, and having the luxury on the final descent of the mountain to be able to ease off when his petrol warning light flashed on. "We had filled the tank to the brim, but it was worrying and it seemed to be glowing like a 3000 watt bulb every time I looked at it, but the bike did not miss a beat."

John McGuinness powers through Union Mills on his way to his third victory of the week in Wednesday's Junior TT

He took the victory in the race, which had been delayed by 90 minutes while Emergency crews dealt with a Road Traffic Accident at Handleys, was at record pace pace of 120.57mph, and saw him finish 17 seconds ahead of Anstey, with Griffiths (Yamaha), third and a further 22 seconds back.

Richard Britton took fourth place for Honda - it had seemed that the Ulsterman was set for better things, as he ran second to McGuinness well into the second lap, but then was hampered by a downshift problem, which cost him vital time. Fifth place went to Mark Parrett (Yamaha), ahead of Martin Finnegan (Yamaha), with serving RAF technician Gordon Blackley taking seventh on his Honda. "It was a good race - the bike was problem free, faultless and was really enjoyable," smiled Blackley.

Manxman Dave Molyneux, passengered by Daniel Sayle, shattered his own Sidecar TT lap record as he romped to a winning double in this year's event, to equal the ten race victories record of Rob Fisher.
Molyneux, with his Honda powered outfit took charge from the off, putting in a first lap at 111.78mph and then increasing the pace on the second to reduce the record time to 20m 00.2s, an average speed of 113.17mph. That put him some 55 seconds clear of the rest, led by another Honda powered crew, Nick Crowe-Darran Hope, but, with some concerns about his rear tyre, Molyneux eased off on the final lap, to take the victory over them by a little over 37 seconds.

"It was a good run, enjoyable, but I was losing grip on some corners, and the outfit as sliding in places - we had cooked the tyre, so I took it a bit easy on the last lap," said Molyneux.

Junior TT Results Wednesday Race (257Laps)
PSN / NO-DRIVER / CC / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED
1 / 3-JOHN McGUINNESS / 600 / Yamaha R6 / MORECAMBE / 1 15 06.01 / 20.57
2 / 5-BRUCE ANSTEY / 600 / TAS Suzuki GSXR K4 / NEW ZEALAND / 1 15 23.01 / 20.12
3 / 4-JASON GRIFFITHS / 600 / Yamaha R6 / RAMSEY IOM / 1 15 45.61 / 19.52
4 / 8-RICHARD BRITTON / 600 / DMR RACING HONDA CBR / ENNISKILLEN NI / 1 16 10.81 / 18.86
5 / 10-MARK PARRETT / 600 / VIXEN YAMAHA R6 / MIDHURST / 1 16 27.31 / 18.43
6 / 12-MARTIN FINNEGAN / 600 / ROUNDTOWER YAMAHA R6 / LUSK EIRE / 1 16 53.91 / 17.75
7 / 16-GORDON BLACKLEY / 600 / Honda CBR RR / RAF BRIZE NORTO / 1 16 58.11 / 17.64
8 / 30-RAYMOND PORTER / 600 / SUZUKI / LIFFORD EIRE / 1 17 02.01 / 17.54
9 / 15-PAUL HUNT / 600 / CRINGLE Suzuki / BRADDAN IOM / 1 17 08.91 / 17.37
10 / 9-CHRIS HEATH / 600 / MANN RACING YAMAHA R6 / BALDRINE IOM / 1 17 24.21 / 16.98
11 / 17-NIGEL BEATTIE / 600 / ROAD & TRACK YAMAHA / LAXEY IOM / 1 17 58.11 / 16.13
12 / 19-IAN HUTCHINSON / 600 / Suzuki GSXR / BINGLEY / 1 17 59.11 / 16.11
13 / 13-PHILIP STEWART / 600 / HONDA / ROTHIENORMAN / 1 18 04.31 / 15.98
14 / 29-DAVID BELL / 600 / M&S HONDA CBR / CHESTER LE ST / 1 18 41.61 / 15.06
15 / 14-GARY CARSWELL / 600 / HM Suzuki GSXR / MAUGHOLD IOM / 1 19 09.01 / 14.40
TOTAL LAP COUNT 257; TOTAL MILEAGE 9696.61; FASTEST LAP TIME 18 25.4;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 122.87; FASTEST RIDER JOHN McGUINNESS; LAP NUMBER 2

Sidecar B Results Wednesday Race (
PSN / NO-DRIVER / SIDECAR / CC / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED
1 / 1-DAVE MOLYNEUX / DANIEL SAYLE / 600 / DMR Honda / REGABY IOM / 1 01 04.2 / 111.20
2 / 3-NICK CROWE / DARRAN HOPE / 600 / DMR Honda / JURBY IOM / 1 01 41.6 / 110.08
3 / 5-STEVE NORBURY / SCOTT PARNELL / 600 / Shelbourne Yamaha / CASTLEFORD / 1 02 22.3 / 108.88
4 / 4-ROY HANKS / DAVE WELLS / 599 / DMR YAMAHA / ERDINGTON / 1 02 32.7 / 108.58
5 / 6-GARY BRYAN / STEVEN HEDISON / 600 / BAKER YAMAHA / NORTH KELSEY / 1 03 04.9 / 107.66
6 / 15-GREGORY LAMBERT / IVAN MURRAY / 600 / DMR GL HONDA / RICHMOND / 1 03 11.0 / 107.48
7 / 14-JOHN HOLDEN / JAMIE WINN / 600 / Fanuc Honda / CLITHEROE / 1 03 59.4 / 106.13
8 / 7-BEN DIXON / MARK LAMBERT / 600 / Molyneux Honda / NORWICH / 1 04 11.8 / 105.79
9 / 11-ALLAN SCHOFIELD / MARK COX / 600 / M.R.Equipe / BROMBOROUGH / 1 04 16.0 / 105.67
10 / 20-BILL CURRIE / PHILIP BRIDGE / 600 / Windle Yamaha / GT SUTTON / 1 04 41.3 / 104.98
11 / 16-NIGEL CONNOLE / DENNIS LOWTHER / 600 / SHELBOURNE HONDA / SCUNTHORPE / 1 05 13.9 / 104.11
12 / 25-ROGER STOCKTON / PETER ALTON / 600 / Shelbourne YAMAHA / CREWE / 1 05 25.6 / 103.80
13 / 18-KENNY HOWLES / DOUG JEWELL / 600 / A.R.C. Ireson Yamaha / KIDDERMINSTER / 1 05 38.5 / 103.46
14 / 22-SIMON NEARY / KEVIN MORGAN / 600 / Windle Yamaha / LEEDS / 1 05 54.2 / 103.05
15 / 28-DAVID WALLIS / SALLY WILSON / 600 / SHELBOURNE HONDA / LONG EATON / 1 06 11.2 / 102.60
TOTAL LAP COUNT 169; TOTAL MILEAGE 6376.37; FASTEST LAP TIME 20 00.2;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 113.17; FASTEST RIDER DAVE MOLYNEUX/DANIEL SAYLE; LAP NUMBER 2

Isle of Man Day 5 Archibald takes Senior TT – Farquhar takes Production 600 TT
The luck of the Irish changed for the better on the final day of the Isle of Man TT Racing Festival as first Ryan Farquhar and then Adrian Archibald took the victories on a day of despair for John McGuinness (Yamaha) who had started out with high hopes of becoming the first rider in the history of the event to win five races in a week.

But, in first the 600cc Production race, and then Senior, McGuinnes the Yamaha rider was sidelined by mechanical problems after setting the early pace.

Shrugging aside his earlier frustrations, McGuinness had set a furious pace on the opening lap of the Senior race, grabbing an 11 seconds advantage with an opening lap of 127.19mph and then doubling that as he headed for the half distance pit-stops for both fuel and tyres. Archibald (Suzuki) was hanging in, having taken second place, just from the determined Honda rider Ian Lougher, but by Glen Helen on the third lap, it was all change. McGuinness was touring, and he pulled off at Kirk Michael with clutch problems. Archibald, last year's winner was ahead on the TAS Suzuki and battling to end a lean week on high note.

Ian Lougher was strong in second place, but, as he took Ramsey Hairpin for the third time, the Honda rider stopped, with electrical problems. That moved Kiwi Bruce Anstey (Suzuki) into second place with local fireman Paul Hunt third, though shortly afterwards he stopped with clutch problems.

"That was a good end to what has been a tricky week for me," smiled Archibald, who also earned a bonus of £10,000 and the Joey Dunlop Trophy as the best placed rider over the TTF1 and Senior races. He finished half a second clear of Anstey, and enjoyed his ride: "The bike never missed a beat - it was good, enjoyable, though it was unfortunate for John, but that is the sort of thing that happens here.

Anstey was second, Gary Carswell (Suzuki) took third with Mark Parrett (Yamaha), Martin Finnegan (Yamaha) heading off sixth placed Honda rider Chris Heath. Guy Martin (Suzuki) held off Gordon Blackley (Honda) with David Bell (Suzuki) ninth from Ian Armstrong (Yamaha).

Earlier, Farquhar (Kawasaki) had enjoyed his maiden triumph on the Island to end a problematic week of machine and fuel problems on the Island, but the young Ulsterman had to work frantically throughout to taste the winner's champagne in the three lap 600cc Production race. McGuinness had set the early pace, nosing his Yamaha into a slender one second lead as they reached Ramsey on the first lap, but, Farquhar had overhauled that to grab the lead on the descent of the mountain. The Kawasaki rider, who had one or two scary moments on the opening lap, run on a course left treacherous in places with damp patches after morning rain, took charge of the action with a second lap at 118.94mph, which, as he pitted for fuel gave him the advantage by five seconds.

However, his hard charging riding was not matched by the pit-stop, and as he re-joined, McGuinness, having a slick service halt was back in front, but four second. Farquhar was having none of it, and as they reached Glen Helen for the final time, he was on level terms, and then pulling away. McGuinness was experiencing problems, riding with a broken steering damper, and hanging on as best he could, but having to concede second place to Anstey, who put in fast charge over the mountain to close in, finishing just two seconds down on Farquhar.

"Perfect," smiled Farquhar. "It takes a bit of sinking in that I've won – I had a few slides on the opening lap, then lost time in the pits, but after running out of fuel in the Junior race it was case of better safe that sorry. After the disasters of the three races, this is superb."

Anstey, second, admitted: "it was tight, I couldn't do anything about it -it was a hard race, while McGuinness, disappointed with third commented: "after the problem with the damper I just wanted to bring the bike home in one piece."

Jason Griffiths,(Yamaha) took fourth ahead of Honda's Ian Lougher. Raymond Porter (Suzuki) took sixth from Chris Heath (Yamaha) with Gordon Blackley taking eight for Honda. Adrian Archibald (Suzuki) and Mark Parrett (Honda) completed the top ten finishers.

Production 600 Results Friday Race
PSN / NO-DRIVER / CC / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED
1 /6-RYAN FARQUHAR /600 /MCADOO Kawasaki ZX6 /DUNGANNON NI /57 46.6 /117.54
2 /5-BRUCE ANSTEY /600 /TAS Suzuki GSXR K4 /NEW ZEALAND /57 48.9 /117.46
3 /3-JOHN McGUINNESS /600 /Yamaha R6 /MORECAMBE /57 57.9 /117.16
4 /4-JASON GRIFFITHS /600 /Yamaha R6 /RAMSEY IOM /58 07.9 /116.82
5 /2-IAN LOUGHER /600 /Honda CBR RR /DROMORA NI /58 21.1 /116.38
6 /7-RAYMOND PORTER /600 /SUZUKI /LIFFORD EIRE /58 44.0 /115.63
7 /9-CHRIS HEATH /600 /PRO CET YAMAHA /BALDRINE IOM /58 45.8 /115.57
8 /16-GORDON BLACKLEY /600 /BRANSON HONDA /RAF BRIZE NORTO /58 48.0 /115.50
9 /1-ADRIAN ARCHIBALD /600 /TAS Suzuki GSXR /BALLYMONEY NI /58 51.7 /115.37
10 /10-MARK PARRETT /600 /Honda CBR RR /MIDHURST /58 55.3 /115.26
11 /41-TOMMY CLUCAS /600 /BULLOCK HONDA /PEEL IOM /58 59.1 /115.13
12 /13-SHAUN HARRIS /600 /BALCKS BIKE SHOP HONDA /NEW ZEALAND /59 01.8 /115.05
13 /8-RICHARD BRITTON /600 /DPH Racing Honda CBR /ENNISKILLEN NI /59 08.7 /114.82
14 /12-MARTIN FINNEGAN /600 /ROUNDTOWER YAMAHA /LUSK EIRE /59 11.3 /114.74
15 /38-DAVY MORGAN /600 /John Bell Yamaha R6 /SAINTFIELD NI /59 33.1 /114.04
TOTAL LAP COUNT 217; TOTAL MILEAGE 8187.41; FASTEST LAP TIME 19 01.9;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 118.94; FASTEST RIDER RYAN FARQUHAR; LAP NUMBER 2Senior TT Results Friday Race
PSN / NO-DRIVER / CC / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED
1 /1-ADRIAN ARCHIBALD /1000 /TAS Suzuki GSXR/BALLYMONEY NI /113 08.1 /123.81
2 /5-BRUCE ANSTEY /1000 /TAS Suzuki GSXR K4 /NEW ZEALAND /1 13 38.3 /122.96
3 /14-GARY CARSWELL /1000 /HM Suzuki GSXR /MAUGHOLD IOM /1 15 03.3 /120.64
4 /10-MARK PARRETT /1000 /Kingscourt Yamaha R1 /MIDHURST /1 15 09.9 /120.47
5 /12-MARTIN FINNEGAN /1000 /ROUNDTOWER YAMAHA /LUSK EIRE /1 15 10.7 /120.44
6 /9-CHRIS HEATH /1000 /HONDA /BALDRINE IOM /1 15 22.1 /120.14
7 /29-GUY MARTIN /1000 /Suzuki GSXR /DERRY NI /1 15 24.9 /120.07
8 /17-GORDON BLACKLEY /1000 /Honda CBR RR /RAF BRIZE NORTO /1 16 00.0 /119.14
9 /44-DAVID BELL /1000 /Suzuki GSXR /CHESTER LE STRE /1 16 20.4 /118.61
10 /24-IAN ARMSTRONG /1000 /CABLE DIRECT YAMAHA /SOWERBY BRIDGE /1 16 32.3 /118.30
11 /41-JUN MAEDA /998 /Honda CBR RR /JAPAN /1 16 36.1 /118.21
12 /27-CHRIS PALMER /1000 /SUZUKI /CASTLETOWN IOM /1 16 37.8 /118.16
13 /20-NIGEL BEATTIE /1000 /Rockett Yamaha /LAXEY IOM /1 16 49.8 /117.86
14 /36-ANDY WALLACE /750 /SUZUKI /CULLODEN /1 17 01.4 /117.56
15 /30-ALEX DONALDSON /1000 /Suzuki GSXR /LIMAVADY NI /1 17 05.7 /117.45
TOTAL LAP COUNT 287; TOTAL MILEAGE 10828.51; FASTEST LAP TIME 17 47.9;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 127.19; FASTEST RIDER JOHN McGUINNESS; LAP NUMBER 1

Isle of Man Travel Pictures HERE

There's more! Go to Pit Lane News Next Page

Hot Calendar Girl and Bike News! Go to: Fast Dates • Berm Busters • Iron & Lace

click to see much more ...

Blind Date TV
at LA Calendar Bike Show
July 17-18th!

Go on a Date with a Calendar Angel?
The notorious syndicated live reality show Blind Date - where 2 individuals are put together to go on a blind date in front of TV cameras for a national TV audience - will be in attendance at our Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show to sign up participants for future date segments. Just stop on by the Blind Date TV booth at the Show to be interviewd and photographed for possible selection by the program's producers.

But the fantasy doesn't stop there! We are in negitiations with the program producers to have our own beautiful FastDates.com Calendar Angels as participants on the TV dates, possibly even as twosomes or threesomes with some lucky guy. Talk about a dream date and going to heaven!

How ould you like to snuggle up to our 2004 Miss SBK World Superbike / Ducati Corse / Fast dates calendar Angels Nicky, Andra and Robin!
This could be your once in a lifetime opportunity if you attended this year's LA Calendar Motorcycle Show and sign up as a future participant on Blind Date.

Nicki Lane

Andra Cobb

Robin Cunningham

We are extreamely excited to have Nicky Lane take a break from her current world travel tour and promotional duties as the reigning Miss Great Britain to join us again this year at Laguna Seca World Superbike July 8-11th, and at our big Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show in Long Beach July 17-18th. Two other sensational models will also be attending World Superbike with us. One is beautiful Los Angeles based model Andra Cobb who is featured in the current Mikuni "Explicit Performance" advertising campaign running in the the V-Twin magazines, and actress Robin Cunningham who is a former Miss Texas, Miss Hawaiian Tropic and Miss Harley-Davidson.

The following weekend July 17-18th all 3 girls will be also appearing at The Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show in Long Beach at the Queen Mary Event Park. Sponsored by Performance Machine, Jardine Performance and FastDates.com, thisis the biggest custom and Performance Streetbike show in America. Both Nicki and Andra will be able to meet with fans there and sutograph their pictures in the new 2005 FastDates.com calendars. Andra will also be giving away her special "Explicit performance" poster in the Mikuni booth throughout the weekend

For sportbike fans the Show features among many other activities the Jardine West Coast Horsepower Dyno Shootout, The Performance Machine Bike Contest, and the first SoCal appearance by the Las Vegas Extremes sportbike stunt riders with beautiful 19 year old stunt girls JoJo Farmer.

Visit the Isle of Man in Pictures HERE

Silverstone History
June 11/12/13 2004HISTORIC 400th RACE AT SILVERSTONE WORLD SUPERBIKE ROUND
The round of the Superbike World Championship at Silverstone this week is on
track to be an historic event. Race 2 on Sunday 13th June will be the 400th World Superbike race to be held since the Championship started in 1988 and ironically the very first round took place in the UK too.
The first World Superbike event took place at Donington Park in April 1988 and the first race there was won by Italian rider Davide Tadozzi, who is today manager of the Ducati Fila World Superbike Championship-leading team, but then riding a Bimota. Honda rider Fred Merkel from the USA was to be
the first Champion that year. Donington continued to be a venue for the British round, being joined by Brands Hatch in 1993, until 2001 when it was
replaced by Silverstone as the preferred venue in 2002.

Although the 400th
race will take place at Silverstone, this will not be the 200th round as at two rounds, Le Mans 1988 and Philip Island 2001, only one race was held at
each. Thus Oschersleben last month had the honour of hosting the 200th
round.

Over the 17 years of the world championship, rounds of SBK have been held at 39 different circuits in 20 countries. Of those circuits Sugo, Japan has
held most races with a total of 16, second place goes to Donington, UK with 15, third place, with a total of 14, is a tie between Phillip Island in
Australia and Misano, San Marino. Monza comes fifth with 13 and Hockenheim sixth with 12 races run there.

”The Superbike World Championship has always run on the most prestigious
circuits. Furthermore, we have developed very worthwhile long-term relationships with many top circuits around the world and this has contributed to the overall success of the Championship since its inception,” said FGSPORT CEO, Paolo Flammini

SBK World Superbike
Update and Preview
SBK PACK HEADS FOR SILVERSTONE
Super Silverstone: Having been used for motor racing of all forms since the end of World War Two Silverstone plays host to the World Superbike Championship for the third time this weekend. One of the best-attended and
most eagerly anticipated events of the year, Silverstone is the first of two British rounds on the 2004 calendar.

The Northamptonshire circuit offers a unique blend of fast and slow corners, but a high average speed shows that pace and power are two key features required for any aspirant race winner.

Mix and Match: After the continual twists and turns of the previous Oschersleben SBK race, which delivered wins to Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati) and Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila) the Silverstone event is one where slipstreaming and the prospect of multi-rider battles for the lead are a more than reasonable expectation. Last year up to ten riders, both regulars and local wild cards, were involved in the fight for the race lead at Silverstone, and with an evening-out of the competition this season, thanks
to the adoption of new technical rules and a single make Pirelli control tyre choice, similar scope exists for handlebar-to-handlebar combat in the 2004 races.

First Timers: With none of the current SBK competitors having tasted victory champagne at the Northamptonshire venue in SBK before the motivation to win
is even stronger than usual. If the most recent trends come to the fore once again then the rider with the most wins this season, Laconi, will be in with
the best chance of victory. His team-mate in the Ducati Fila line up, James Toseland, nonetheless leads the world championship fight, by only a couple of points from Laconi. Toseland is the best chance of success for the local
British crowd, and as such will be cheered all the way by his compatriots.

Chili Charge Continues: The PSG-1 998RS of Pierfrancesco Chili, fitted with a 999-spec engine, has been a regular sight in the upper reaches of the grid
and points table this season. Despite some notable DNFs, including one at Oschersleben, the 39-year-old Chili is still in a firm third in the overall standings, and is expected to bring his usual mix of fan-support and fierce speed to the fray. Not bad for a man who will turn 40-later this month.

Renegade Return: After success in the British Championships stimulated the global ambitions of the Renegade Ducati Team, they now return to their point
of origin with one local and one overseas rider in their line-up, riding Ducati 999RS twins. British fans will need no re-introduction to Noriyuki Haga, as the Japanese rider has been a frequent visitor to their shores in
SBK guise, and has won two races this season so far. His team-mate is no less well known, Leon Haslam not just being a fierce and rapidly developing
Superbike talent in his own right but the son of local hero RonHaslam.

Dutch Sunshine: The new technical rules have levelled the playing field of SBK racing this season, and with a new generation of SBK-eligible
four-cylinder 1000cc machines emanating from Japan the most successful so far has entered combat with Chris Vermeulen in the saddle. His mount, the
mighty Honda CBR1000RR, has already secured podium finishes for Vermeulen and at a horsepower circuit like Silverstone, he will also be in good shape for a good weekend in front of his adopted British crowd. The ever-more competitive Bertocchi Kawasaki team, plus the challenges of the MIR Suzuki and UnionBike Yamaha teams provide more flavour for the SBK mix, with the
high-speed nature of Silverstone a benefit to all riders of multi-cylinder machines.

Home Again: SBK stars don’t come much bigger than those in the Malaysian backed, British based, Foggy Petronas Team, with factory pilots Troy Corser
and Chris Walker each expected to receive significant support from the British Legions on raceday. Corser, the 1996 World Champion, has taken a
second place race finish this year; four-time British Championship runner-up
Walker has also scored a podium finish of third at Valencia. Walker, arguably the most popular British Superbike rider to enter SBK since team
owner Carl Fogarty hung up his leathers in 2000, may not be able to count on any horsepower advantage over his opposition, but with the crowd behind him he will carry an extra impetus of a different kind.

Copy That: Garry McCoy (Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks 999RS) is another privately entered rider to have scored a win this season, joining Laconi, Toseland, Haga and Chili in that plateau of success. Having a rollercoaster
year so far McCoy will be looking for some consistently fast laps to improve his championship position into the top three.

Special DFX: The DFX Ducati Sterilgarda machine of Steve Martin has allowed the Aussie privateer to show his real prowess this year. Teamed up with Marco Borciani, Martin has endured some misfortune in race situations thus far, despite enjoying some podium success.

Supersport: After much discussion and consultation of the rules and regulations the World Supersport competitors will all be hoping for a less dramatic conclusion to the end of raceday at Silverstone. Long time
championship leader Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha Italia) leads the title charge but an entire phalanx of fast riders are capable of winning races. Karl Muggeridge (Ten Kate Honda) is one of the those riders hoping to be reinstated to the Oschersleben results after an exclusion, as is his team-mate Broc Parkes and Klaffi Honda rider Sebastien Charpentier. For
Suzuki, the impressive Alstare Suzuki team includes the 1999 World Champion Stephane Chambon, plus Japanese ace Katsuaki Fujiwara. Ducati’s official team is represented by Lorenzo Lanzi, on the Breil 749R.

PREVIEW
Catalan Grand Prix, Barcelona
June 11/12/13 2004
GIBERNAU ON SPANISH SOIL WITH SLIM TITLE ADVANTAGE
Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) races at Montmelo near Barcelona where his 'home' crowd will be willing him to victory in what is shaping up to be a momentous season. The Spaniard leads the World Championship points standings with Valentino Rossi lying second and Max Biaggi (Camel Honda RC211V) third.
With the 16-race season now a quarter of the way through with four races run, Gibernau has posted two wins and Rossi has matched him with two victories. The Catalan race now becomes pivotal as both men seek to gain an advantage both in terms of points and perhaps almost as important at this stage - psychologically.

Rossi won here in 2001 and 2002, while Gibernau has yet to record a victory here, but history will count for little as both riders seek to gain the upper hand in what is turning out to be a compelling fight for World Championship honours. Gibernau has 86 points to Rossi's 76, while Biaggi is still right in the reckoning with 72.
The Montmelo track lies 20km north of Barcelona and has two significant straights where the 990cc MotoGP bikes will attain speeds well in excess of 325km/h (200mph). But there is more to the demanding 4.727km track than mere top speed.
Two of the 13 turns have negative camber which means the track drops away towards the outside of the corner making lean angle increase for a decrease in grip. The rest of the corners are largely constant radius turns where the tyres are worked hard, especially on the right hand side.

Machine set-up calls for a well-balanced chassis, steady on the brakes going into the turns, neutral when leant hard over and then able to translate horsepower into traction when the riders twist hard on the throttle on the exits. A relaxed, flowing style is required to link the turns seamlessly into a fast lap. And with lap records tumbling again this year, Rossi's fastest race lap of 1m 45.472s is unlikely to last the weekend. Nor is his pole time of 1m 43.927s likely to survive.

Gibernau is ready for action. "It feels like home here," he said. "And I really want to give the fans something to cheer about, their support always gives me a huge boost. There's a long way to go in the title race still, but this is a key stage of the season and I'm ready to give it my best shot."

Biaggi said, "Barcelona is the home track of our team and for certain they'll be wanting to do well and will do everything they can to get a good result. I also can't wait for next Friday to come because the third place in Mugello, which was a good result after the weekend we had had, didn't satisfy me at all. I want to win, and I hope that this Catalunya circuit will be the one for me. During the March tests we had some difficulties, but since then with the team and with Honda's support we have worked a lot, and Mugello apart, the bike has always worked well. In Italy the bike was so quick down the straight and this will be useful for us on a fast circuit like Barcelona. We just have to find the right track to get the set-up on Friday."