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LA Calendar Motorcycle Show producer Jim Gianatsis with FastDates.com Calendar Kittens Cora Skinner, Playboy Playmates Athena Lundberg and Tamara Witmer.
A Bigger Purse than an AMA National - $70,000 in Cash and Awards at the
The Biggest & Best Custom & High Performance Street & Sportbike Event
in America!
Performance
Machine presents the
15th Annual 2006 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show Weekend
America's Premier Custom & Performance Motorcycle Show
Again Blows the Lid Off Long Beach
The Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA July 15-16th, 2006 - The 15th annual Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show Weekend presented by Performance Machine and produced by Jim Gianatsis of Giantsis Design Associates held annually every 3rd weekend in July at the Queen Mary Event Park in Long Beach / Los Angeles continued to kick out all the stops again this year despite the long summer heat wave and the current attendance slump at most other motorcycle events to uphold the Calendar Shows' well earn reputation as the biggest and most exciting Custom and Performance Street Motorcycle Show in America. The expanded Queen Mary Event park venue which has spilled out from the beautiful grass park alongside the Pacific Ocean into the Queen Mary parking lot again was again sold out of exhibitor space and standing room only for spectators both days, hosting 180 major custom bike and product manufacturers, top name custom bike builders and selected venders from across America.
 Iron & Lace Calendar builders Russell Mitchell and Jesse Rooke trade barbs for the TV cameras during their Builders seminars both days.
Spectators had a chance to meet and attend free Iron & Lace Calendar Bike Builder Seminars with America's top celebrity TV builders featured on American Thunder, Biker Build Off, Build or Bust and V-twin TV (who were also filming there filming) including Russell Mitchell of Exile Cycles in a tag-team seminar with 3-time Show winner Jesse Rooke, putting on a back-and-forth comedy banter that had fans packed in and laughing the full hour. Plus other top Calendar Builders including Roland Sands of Performance Machine, Mike Stafford of MGS Customs, Joe Takai of Mercury Customs, and Mike Powers of Powers Custom Cycles.
 The Purrfect Angelz choose a few lucky spectators each day to join them on stage for a close-up view of their performances.
All weekend long entertainment included a 2-Day Musical Festival on the Main Stage in the Queen Mary Park showcasing top sexy rockin' girl bands and singers including the Lead Zeppelin tribute band Zeparella, beautiful blues rocker Jesse Payo, with beautiful pop music harpist and singer Marnie Boyd performing with a huge classical harp near the park entry. The exciting Purrfect Angelz brought the Show to a standstill when they performed their exciting dance and musical stage shows both days, including three different 1-hour Shows on Saturday featuring their USO performance for our troops in the Middle East, and their live performances with Trace Atkins on the CMT and CMA Country Music Awards.
Old sportbikes never die, they just fade away.... This classic Triumph 650 twin won the Iron Works magazine Bar Hopper class, beating out all the Harley V-twins.
Plus in the middle of the Show weekend on Saturday night on board the historical Queen Mary ocean liner in the art deco Observation Bar was the big Iron & Lace Calendar Builder's Party where you could hang with the builders, exhibitors, Show producer Jim Gianatsis and his staff, and dance with the Purrfect Angelz all night long to the cover tunes of beautiful Mary Fall and her band Reckless Driver. Bike Show spectator admission included complimentary admission to the historic Queen Mary ocean liner and the Saturday Night Calendar Bike Builder's Party.
 Calendar Motorcycle Show producer Jim Gianatsis with the FastDates.com Calendar Kittens (left) Cora Skinner, Playboy Playmates Athena Lundburg and Tamara Witmer, plus Calendar Girl Model Search winners (right) with Candice Curtis (center left) the winner both days.
The LA Calendar Motorcycle Show also marks the annual premier of the new 2007 FastDates.com Motorcycle Pinup Calendars and this year the beautiful 2007 Calendar Kittens were in attendance including Playboy Playmates Tamara Witmer and Athena Lundberg, and model Cora Skinner. There was the Calendar Girl Model Search Pageant both days with last year's winner Candice Curtis returning with her sexy on stage striptease to win $500 each day for first place award and a paid calendar shoot. Candice is already featured in the new 2007 Iron & Lace Calendar.
Coverage Continues HERE....
2006 SBK Corona Extra Superbike World Championship, Bruno, Round 8 of 13
Haga Grabs SBK Superpole at Bruno
Brno, CZ Saturday 22nd July 2006 - Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) swept to a magnificent Superpole win at the 5.403km Brno circuit, setting a new SBK fastest lap of 2.00.457 on qualifying tyres. It was only his third career Superpole win, and his first since Sugo, 2002. He was almost half a second faster than the next rider, James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda) who had to ride Superpole on his spare machine, after suffering a crash in the final regulation session. Behind the first two Japanese bikes, the factory Ducati Xerox pairing of Lorenzo Lanzi and Troy Bayliss went third and fourth respectively, completing the front row.
 .James Toseland would run away with the start of both races before being reeled in by eventual winner Yukio Kagayama.
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Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) made up for a disappointing pair of qualifying sessions to record the fifth fastest lap of Superpole, promoting himself from 12th fastest in regulation. Some lurid slides and near off-track excursions for his team-mate Yukio Kagayama - the fastest rider after regulation qualifying - saw him drawing smoke from his rear tyre, and subsequently dropping to sixth. Misano race winner Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) scored a seventh fastest lap in Superpole, gaining one row and three places after regulation qualifying, while Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) equalled his pre-Superpole eighth.
Regis Laconi and Fonsi Nieto (both PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) took ninth and tenth places on the final Superpole time sheets, with Laconi surprised to be down on row three, after setting a much faster lap than he had managed in the previous qualifying sessions. Nieto, third fastest before Superpole, felt that he needed to prepare himself better for Superpole when he qualifies as well as he did here, citing the long wait as a problem.
A strong ride from Fabien Foret (Alstare Engineering Corona Extra) gave him a third row start in 11th, with the top DFX Treme Honda rider proving to be Michel Fabrizio, 12th, with his team-mate Pierfrancesco Chili 16th and last in Superpole. |
Kawasaki Corse rider Chris Walker had several slides and one notable near fall in his Superpole lap, as he dropped from sixth fastest in pre Superpole qualifying to the fourth row. Steve Martin, ninth fastest in regulation on his Petronas FP-1, went only 14th quickest in Superpole, unable to exploit his qualifying tyres as much as many other riders on more powerful machines. Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda) blamed a fever and a relative lack of engine performance for his 15th place in Superpole, 16th in regulation.
Kagayaha Doubles Up in the Heat
Brno, Sunday 23 July 2006 - After a resurgent burst of form at the previous round in Misano, Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) scored two wins, in similar fashion, at the 5.403km Brno circuit, to take his first SBK double win. He got back to winning ways after running down long time leader James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda) in race one, then repeating it even more impressively in race two, when he hunted down Superpole winner Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) to score a second magnificent 20-lap victory.
Another candidate for rider of the day was Michel Fabrizio (DFX Treme Honda) who scored his first two podium finishes since his promotion from World Supersport. In a nightmare raceday for championship leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox), he tangled with Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) in race one, and fell from contention at the first corner. A strong start in the second leg gave him only an eighth place finish. He lost ground to both Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) and Toseland in the championship chase, and now has a total of 262 points, with Haga on 189 and Toseland on 188.
RACE ONE
An astounding contest for the final podium place, behind the clear eventual winner Kagayama and second place rider Toseland, was taken by SBK rookie rider, Michel Fabrizio, all despite a recently broken shoulder. Kagayama claimed his first win of the year after sitting behind long-time leader Toseland and then making a break with six laps to go. Fabrizio, only fifth on the penultimate lap, took both Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) and Haga on the final circuit, to score third, with Haga fourth and Corser fifth. Championship leader Bayliss retired after tangling with Laconi at turn one, after Laconi had been forced wide.
Toseland was lucky to make the start of the first race at all, after a collision with a backmarker in morning warm-up trashed his number one engine and chassis. The backmarker was cruising on the racing line, and Toseland's avoiding action, despite being committed to the corner, meant that they only hit a hard glancing blow, and not something even more serious. An oil leak and subsequent crash from a privateer's machine in the morning warm-up restart caused another halt to proceedings, postponing the start of the Superstock 1000 race to the last race of the day.
RACE 1: 1. Kagayama (Suzuki); 2. Toseland (Honda); 3. Fabrizio (Honda); 4. Haga (Yamaha); 5. Corser (Suzuki); 6. Nieto (Kawasaki); 7. Walker (Kawasaki); 8. Nakatomi (Yamaha); 9. Abe (Yamaha); 10. Chili (Honda).
RACE TWO
With Kagayama finally away and clear, Fabrizio completed the most dramatic last corner double pass imaginable, forcing past Corser and then holding Haga to the white line on the outside of the corner exit, to score his second career podium in SBK, just a few hours after his first. Only 0.173 seconds separated Fabrizio in second with Corser in fourth, in what was an all-time classic finish that brought Sunday's portion of the 41,000 weekend crowd on the edge of their seats. Toseland took fifth, having difficulty getting into and out of right hand corners.
Misano race winner Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) had to retire from the leading pack twice, with a recurring misfire on his raceday machine. Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) felt he had learned more in this SBK day than in any other, running with the leading riders almost throughout each race. Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) swapped a front tyre specification between races and went from 11th to seventh. Chris Walker (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) had two points scoring rides, in seventh and 10th.
For the first time in SBK history all three Yamaha Motor France Ipone riders finished each race in the points, with rookie rider Shinichi Nakatomi scoring the single best result, eighth in race one, ahead of his team-mate, Norick Abe, with Sebastien Gimbert 13th. In race two Abe went 12th, with Nakatomi 13th and Gimbert 15th.
Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) scored no points today, as he finished race two only 16th. Klaffi Honda rider Alex Barros suffered from a tucking front end and an overheated engine as he retired from race one, but he scored a few points for 11th place in race two.
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) followed up his Superpole triumph with his first race win of the season in Supersport. His main championship challenger, current leader Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda), lost ground with a lowly 11th place finish. Charpentier now leads Curtain by only ten points, with the Brands Hatch round coming in two weekends' time. Broc Parkes (Yamaha Motor Germany) was an assured second, and a resurgent Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda) third, but unable to take any points from Charpentier's main pursuers. Yoann Tiberio (Megabike Honda) was fourth, Gianluca Vizziello fifth on his Yamaha team Italia machine.
RACE 2: 1. Kagayama; 2. Fabrizio; 3. Haga; 4. Corser; 5. Toseland; 6. Nieto; 7. Muggeridge (Honda); 8. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox); 9. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox); 10. Walker.
POINTS: Riders - 1. Bayliss 262; 2. Haga 189; 3. Toseland 188; 4. Corser 173; 5. Barros 151; 6. Pitt 128; 7. Kagayama 106; 8. Lanzi 80. Manufacturers - 1. Ducati 272; 2. Suzuki 238; 3. Honda 236; 4. Yamaha 218; 5. Kawasaki 118; 6. Petronas 4.
New 2007 Ducati 999S “TEAM USA” Limited Edition Released
Ducati North America to offer 150 limited edition autographed Superbikes
based on Bostrom’s and Hodgson’s AMA Superbike machines
The 999s Team USA edition is closely designed and based on the race bikes used by both the Bostrom brothers and Neil Hodgeson during the 2005 and 2006 AMA Superbike seasons.
The 2007 Ducati 999s Team USA is powered by the 143 HP 999cc Testastretta engine that delivers a track-hungry 143 hp and a Corse-derived low sump crankcase for consistent oil feed even during full race conditions. The extra power is delivered in a smooth, linear fashion to boost performance whether you are riding around hairpin bends halfway up a mountain or powering around a race track.
Ducati's considerable experience on circuits around the world can also be seen in the suspension: the front end features a TiN-treated 43 mm upside-down Ohlins fork with Teflon guides and top-out spring. The fork uses special bottoms for the radial-mounted, 4-pad front brake calipers, ensuring maximum braking performance.
At the rear end the Ohlins shock absorber, together with the box-sectioned rear swingarm, maximizes grip and the control system with one-way valve acts on the rebound damping, allowing complete separation between compression and rebound functions.
The triple-bridge front brake calipers are radial-mounted with four pistons and four pads, and are used in combination with 4.5 mm thick discs that are wide-mounted in order to ensure adequate cooling. The radial mount makes the caliper-fork mount assembly more rigid, thus improving braking system efficiency. The box-sectioned aluminum alloy rear swingarm (the same as the one on the 999R Factory race bike) gives the bike a more marked racing look and increases on-road grip thanks to its excellent rigidity/weight ratio.
The 5-position adjustable foot rests are fitted as standard, to further adapt the bike to rider preferences, as well as the adjustable Ohlins steering damper with special cam, which enables easier repositioning upon altering the headstock rake angle (from 23.5° to 24.5°).
All Team USA edition 999s are built exclusively for the North American market as a limited production run. Only 150 units will be made and each motorcycle will be signed by Neil Hodgson and Ben Bostrom on the tail section. The motorcycle will be produced only as a single seat version and will be available at Ducati Dealers throughout North America beginning in August, 2006 with a 2007 MSRP $19,995 USD.
This price is a relative bargain for a Ducati Superbike since the previous 999S model, with its Ohlins suspension and uprated engine, when it was first introduced back in 2003 was priced at $23,000. Now that it is a little long in the tooth, a new generation Superbike is 12 months away from being introduced, and other limited edtion superbikes like the Ohlins suspended Yamaha R1 Limited priced at $17,995, Ducati USA is forced to be more competitive on the price. Now for just $1,000 more than the Yamaha LE you get Ducati USA's race team graphics and the autographs of the two Ducati USA team riders. We do however, suggest budgeting an additional $3,600 for the Ducati Performance full race Termognini Race Exhaust System with calibrated ECU module which will slim this baby down another 20 pounds and give it 999R performance. For additional tuning and swetup details check out our FastDates.com Ducati 999S project bike in The Paddock Garage
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Sete Giberneau Undergoes Further Collarbone Operation
Thursday Jul 27 2006 - On his return from the races at Sachsenring and Laguna Seca, the Spanish rider discovered a problem with the titanium plate inserted in his left collarbone. Gibernau's participation in the next MotoGP race at Brno is probable but not certain.
The first corner crash at the Circuit of Catalunya on June 18th was the start of a difficult period for the Catalan rider, who is encountering further obstacles on his return to full fitness.
Sete broke his left collarbone in the crash, which occurred in the first of 5 races to be held over a period of 6 weeks. He underwent an operation at Barcelona's Dexeus Hospital where surgeons Xavier Mir and Ignacio Ginebreda removed the plate that had remained from a previous incident and replaced it with a larger titanium one.
After going through the necessary period of convalescence and receiving the OK from doctors to race again, Gibernau returned to the track on his Desmosedici GP6 to take part in the German and US GPs.
On both occasions Sete realised that his left shoulder was weak, but as he didn't feel any pain he continued to stoically ride through practice, qualifying and race on both weekends.
As soon as he returned from the USA, Sete went to Barcelona for a check-up and an X-ray scan revealed complications, caused by a weakening of the plate itself.
To avoid any further problems, Mir and Ginebreda decided to strengthen the main plate bolt and boost the bone healing process with injections of ‘growth factors' extracted from the rider's own blood.
Yesterday (Wednesday 26th July) Gibernau again underwent an operation on his collarbone and was able to return home today.
Gibernau's convalescence should be quicker than the one following the first operation and Dr. Mir maintains that Sete will be able to take part in the next race but only a medical check scheduled for Wednesday 2nd August will establish whether or not the Ducati Marlboro Team rider can race in the next round of the MotoGP World Championship at Brno, Czech Republic on August 20th.
Disapointing Day for Ducati Xerox and Championship Points Leader Troy Bayliss at Bruno
Brno (Czech Republic), Sunday 23 July: Ducati Xerox Team riders Troy Bayliss and Lorenzo Lanzi had two below-par races in the seventh round of the World Superbike Championship at Brno today. Bayliss was eliminated by Régis Laconi in a first-corner first-lap incident in the opening counter, while Lanzi struggled with lack of grip in his front tyre and had to come into the pits for a change. Both riders then suffered with severe lack of grip in the second race and could only manage eighth and ninth. Troy Bayliss's lead in the championship with five rounds remaining is now 73 points.
"The whole day had been going to plan up until the first corner and I guess you could say it was one of those racing incidents" explained Troy. "Pitty got in a little hot and bumped into me which pushed me wide. Régis had already gone wide and then ran into me as well, down I went and that was my morning over. Like I said before you never know with racing what's around the corner. In the second race I had to work harder than to have a win but I only lost four points and I have to take it on the chin and move on. Lorenzo gave me a place at the end and you never know a point could be important at the end of the year. I put a softer tyre on for race 2 but after two laps my grip was going down and I had to ride it home, but even that was a struggle."
"We had been protagonists all weekend and had set quickest time in the morning warm-up. There was just time for a bit of relaxation and ....then two races to forget" declared Lorenzo. "For the second race I had managed to sort out the front but then I had problems with the rear. Me and my team are a bit disappointed to say the least. We worked hard as always, we were looking good on the front row and ready for two good races. The conditions were the same as yesterday, the same as in the tests, I don't know what else I can say. Now let's move onto the next round and hopefully things will be better at Brands Hatch."
Join Rizla Suzuki for an exclusive track day at Mallory Park September 12th
RIZLA SUZUKI invites you to attend an exclusive track day at Mallory Park on Tuesday, September 12th, limited to 80 riders assigned to five groups led by Shane 'Shakey' Byrne, James Haydon, Niall Mackenzie, John Reynolds and Trevor Nation.
This is your chance to take to the circuit with some of the best riders in the world who between them have MotoGP experience, World Superbike wins, seven British Superbike titles and numerous race victories as well as TT success.
There will be just 16-riders per group and approximately 80-minutes of track time each. Groups will be allocated on riding ability and each group leader will be available for one-on-one observation of your riding technique. After every session the group leader and group will return to a de-brief room for a chat, including Q&A and refreshment.
A Rizla Suzuki technician will be on hand throughout the day to advise on bike set-up and anything to do with motorcycle maintenance. There will also be the opportunity for a pillion ride with your group leader (subject to time availability).
There will be full hospitality facilities available (exactly the same as the corporate guest experience at a British Superbike race weekend) as well as a buffet lunch and all-day Barista service. All guests will receive a free water bottle and a selection of posters, postcards and stickers to take away as gifts. On-track photography will be supplied complimentary by the team.
Mallory Park in Leicestershire is established on the BSB calendar and is1.41-miles long with everything from hair pin turns to fast straights and hard braking areas. Based around a lake it is one of the most picturesque circuits and offers something for riders of all levels.
Each place on this most exclusive of track days costs £250. Rizla Suzuki Fan Club + members will receive a 10% discount if they apply on-line. All tickets are sold on a first come first served basis so please book early to avoid disappointment. To apply for tickets, please click here...
***Please note no motorcycles or riding gear will be provided by Crescent or Rizla Suzuki for your use. This track day is only for riders with their own bikes which must be road worthy and undergo scrutineering before being permitted on track. Riders must supply their own safety equipment (one or two piece zip together leathers, helmet, boots and gloves which must be in good condition). All participants must show their driving license and sign an indemnity form at registration or they will not be allowed on track.
Join Rizla SuzukiBSB for an exclusive track day at Mallory Sept 12th
RIZLA SUZUKI invites fans to attend an exclusive track day at Mallory Park on Tuesday, September 12th, limited to 80 riders assigned to five groups led by Shane 'Shakey' Byrne, James Haydon, Niall Mackenzie, John Reynolds and Trevor Nation
This is your chance to take to the circuit with some of the best riders in the world who between them have MotoGP experience, World Superbike wins, seven British Superbike titles and numerous race victories as well as TT success.
There will be just 16-riders per group and approximately 80-minutes of track time each. Groups will be allocated on riding ability and each group leader will be available for one-on-one observation of your riding technique. After every session the group leader and group will return to a de-brief room for a chat, including Q&A and refreshment.
A Rizla Suzuki technician will be on hand throughout the day to advise on bike set-up and anything to do with motorcycle maintenance. There will also be the opportunity for a pillion ride with your group leader (subject to time availability).
There will be full hospitality facilities available (exactly the same as the corporate guest experience at a British Superbike race weekend) as well as a buffet lunch and all-day Barista service. All guests will receive a free water bottle and a selection of posters, postcards and stickers to take away as gifts. On-track photography will be supplied complimentary by the team.
Mallory Park in Leicestershire is established on the BSB calendar and is1.41-miles long with everything from hair pin turns to fast straights and hard braking areas. Based around a lake it is one of the most picturesque circuits and offers something for riders of all levels.
Each place on this most exclusive of track days costs £250. Rizla Suzuki Fan Club + members will receive a 10% discount if they apply on-line. All tickets are sold on a first come first served basis so please book early to avoid disappointment. To apply for tickets, please click here...
www.rizla-suzuki.co.uk
***Please note no motorcycles or riding gear will be provided by Crescent or Rizla Suzuki for your use. This track day is only for riders with their own bikes which must be road worthy and undergo scrutineering before being permitted on track. Riders must supply their own safety equipment (one or two piece zip together leathers, helmet, boots and gloves which must be in good condition). All participants must show their driving license and sign an indemnity form at registration or they will not be allowed on track.
Preview Suzuka 8 Hours
Honda teams aiming for 10th consecutive Suzuka 8 Hours victory
Team HRC go into the 2006 edition of the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours chasing a record breaking 10th consecutive victory. HRC will enter two Seven Star liveried CBR1000RRW machines in the gruelling high speed-event at the 5.824km circuit. For the race this year the Japanese factories have agreed to race under Japanese Superbike (JSB) regulations rather than World Superbike regulations that allow for more machine modifications than the Japanese series.
Spearheading the Honda Seven Star assault will be 23-year-old Japanese star Ryuichi Kiyonari. ‘Kiyo’ aims to repeat his winning ride in the race last year, when paired with the vastly experienced five-time race winner Tohru Ukawa. This time round ‘Kiyo’ will be teamed aboard the fabled number 7 machine by MotoGP rider Makoto Tamada..
Kiyonari, who plies his trade in the ultra-competitive British Superbike Championship, is happy to return to Suzuka hoping to repeat the success of his last visit, in June, when he won the Suzuka 300 Kilometre’s the warm up event for the 8 hours race. That day ‘Kiyo’ was partnered by Yuki Takahashi but Takahashi crashed and broke his arm while testing theCBR100RRW and will not race this weekend.
“This year’s machine is JSB specification and is completely different from what I ride for the British Superbike Championship. Engine character is very much different and I feel the difference at the west part of the track, the second half.” Said Kiyonari
“However, it is easy to ride this machine as it is well-balanced in every area so the lap time will not be so much different from last year. The biggest problem will be backmarkers. Last year it was easy to pass them at straights but this year, it is harder as top speed is slower now. I won the Suzuka 300km race with Yuki Takahashi in June so I feel sorry for him to miss the 8 hours race but Tamada san is my senior at Team Kotake and I respect him very much so I am happy to be his partner. However, he is very strict in every area so I must try my best to keep up with him. Last year I won the race with Ukawa san and I want to win again this year with Tamada san and make it two in row and contribute to Honda’s tenth consecutive win.”
Tamada is eager to get to Suzuka hoping to score his first win in the Japanese classic. “I have a little concern about my condition but every day it's a little better and I must try to keep improving. My physiotherapist is coming to Suzuka with me and he will help me with my knee problem during then weekend.” Explained Tamada, who sustained leg injuries at the German GP on July 16.
“I tested the machine at Suzuka and it is very easy to ride after a MotoGP bike. The handling is very good and I will not have to use too much of my strength to move the bike around. It's a good bike but difficult to compare with other Superbikes because I did not race in Superbike since Sugo in 2002.The layout of the track has changed a little since I last raced at Suzuka and it seemed it was now a tight track but maybe that comes from my MotoGP experience. The surface is very good, also in the rain the rainy season is just ending and the weather forecast for the weekend seems to be OK. The Suzuka 8 Hours is very important for Japanese riders, it is a great honour to win the race. This year factory teams are entering the JSB machines and this means that a lot of private teams have a good chance to win the race. Kiyo san is a very fast rider and at the Suzuka 300km race he was extremely fast. I have never raced as his partner but as he is also from Team Kotake in Kyushu like me, I am really looking forward to the race.” Concluded Tamada.
The Honda Seven Star 7 team will be under the stewardship of 2005 winning team manager Katsunori Suzuki, the vastly experienced HRC staff engineer.
Tadayuki Okada and Osamu Deguchi will race the second Seven Star liveried Honda and both have excellent Suzuka track credentials. Okada is a veteran racer who has won races at every level having tasted victory in 250cc and 500cc grands prix as well as the Japanese championship and the Suzuka 8 Hours. Deguchi, now a near veteran at 32-years-old has often featured prominently in the eight-hour sprint on his seven appearances. He finished fourth in the race last year aboard the F.C.C TSR Honda CBR1000RR.
Okada, himself an experienced team manager will work under Seven Star 11 team manager Kazuhiko Yamano who led the number 11 squad to second place in the 2005 race with riders Katsuaki Fujiwara and Chris Vermeulen.
Tady Okada is well placed to discuss the merits of the Seven Star Honda CBR1000RR in JSB specification as he is currently engaged by HRC as a test rider. Tady said of the machine. “This year we are riding a JSB machine and to win the race with a JSB machine is another challenge for Honda. The JSB spec CBR1000RRW is a fun to ride and is very well-balanced.r.”
Deguchi is delighted to have the opportunity to race a truly competitive machine at Suzuka. “This is my seventh 8 hours race. Being a member of the Honda Factory team is a great honour for me and I know I must go for a win.” Said Deguchi. “I know Suzuka very well and I think I can perform better as an endurance rider than a sprint rider. The most important thing for the 8 hours race is to keep your concentration for long time and also to keep consistent lap times.”
Tsutomu Ishii, General Manager HRC, will have overall responsibility for the Seven Star Honda teams and will settle for nothing less than a repeat performance of last year’s success. Ishii led the team to victory that day but with the teams running under World Superbike rules.
The Honda teams face stiff opposition from several quarters, chief among the strong Yamaha teams, the ever-fast Yoshimura Suzuki and Kawasaki.
Yamaha have entered Nori Haga and Colin Edwards on the Yamaha. Blue machine. The two men were the youngest ever pairing to win the prestigious race with victory in 1996. Since then Honda have dominated the race but the Japanese – American partnership has the talent and determination to beat anybody on their day.
The other fast Yamaha pairings is the race will be Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Shinichi Nakatomi, and the very experienced Norihiko Fujiwara teamed with Masayuki Osaki.
Yoshimura Suzuki will field the fast pairing of Atsushi Watanabe and Nobuatsu Aoki. The Yoshimura squad gave Honda a difficult time at the Suzuka 300km race and will be a serious threat to the fortunes of HRC on Sunday.
Kawasaki have placed their hopes in the hands of Ryuji Tsuruta, a former Japanese Champion and the equally fast Naoki Matsudo.
The race promises to be one of the most competitive Suzuka 8 Hours contest of recent years with little chance of delivering a run-away victor.
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