|
Above and below, Roland Sands radical 220hp MotoGP engined retro boardtracer with no front brakes!
FastDates.com Calendar Builders Take home the
Gold at AMD World Championship of Bike Building
Sturgis, SD, August 7th - Famed Iron & Lace Calendar custom bike builders Jesse Rooke (JesseRookeCustoms.com) and Roland Sands (RolandSandsDesign.com) premiered their latest sportbike derived custom creations at this past July's US MotoGP at Laguna Seca, CA, then trecked out to South Dacota for Sturgis Bike Week. They they entereed their hot new customs in the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building.
Roland Sands place 9th in the Pro Bulder category with his retro board track racer powered by a Kenny Roberts donated KR V-5 990cc MotGP engine that puts our around 220hp. And our own Jesse Rooke, 3-time winner at our LA Calednar motorcycle Show, took home 1st Place in the Metric Custom class with his cool boardtrack replic powered by a 950cc KTM V-Twin motor. Jesse was really inovative and how her routed the top of the frame around the engine's downdraft fuel injestion, and located the curved radiator in front of the real wheel. Needless to say, we've already photographed both bikes and you can expect to see them in our next, 2008 FastDates.com calendars. And right now with detailed pictorials in the Iron & Lace Garage.
Jesse Rooke lends a hand as we photograph his KTM V-twin powered boardtrack replica race with Playboy Playnmate and Calendar Kitten Tamara Witmer. Tamara is also feature now in the new 2007 Garage Girls Calendar.
Race Two at Lausitz saw Toseland take the top step on the podium over Haga and Bayliss.
SBK World Superbike Championship, Lausitz, Round 11 of 13
Mixed Fortunes for Points Leader Bayliss
Kagayama and Toseland Trade Exciting Lausitz Superbike Wins
Lausitz (Germany), Sunday 10th September - Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) had an up-and-down weekend in the tenth round of the World Superbike Championship at the Lausitzring. The championship leader, who could have clinched the title this weekend, crashed out on lap 5 of Race One while leading and then recovered from 23rd to finish seventh as Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) took the win from Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha).
"Like I said, you never know with racing!" declared Troy after the first race. "I got off to a good start and everything was going to plan. I built up a nice little lead and wanted to get it to 4/5 seconds. I just touched the ripple-strip and lost the front, it was just one of those little things that shouldn't happen but did".
Race Two saw a fascinating three-way battle between James Toseland (Honda), Haga and Bayliss, but the top 3 positions remained the same for the second half of the race and Bayliss had to settle for third. With 100 points up for the taking, Troy still has a comfortable 87-point margin over Haga and 93 over Toseland as the championship heads to Ducati's home race at Imola for the penultimate round.
Preview: Bayliss Moves Closer to His 2nd WSBK Title
Lausitz (Germany), Thursday 7th September - Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) took a major step forward towards winning a second World Superbike title just a few days ago at Assen, where the Dutch round of the championship was held. A win in the second race, with two DNFs for his closest rival Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha), took Troy's championship lead to 100 with three rounds and 150 points remaining.
"It has been pretty much on my mind this week" declared Troy about his chances this weekend. "I realise that if I have a good weekend here then I could wrap it up but maybe for the Ducati fans it would be better if I won the title at Imola! Seriously speaking, I am just thinking to get on my bike and plan to win like I always do! But now I'm here, we can start tomorrow like any normal weekend. This is my third time at the Eurospeedway, I haven't raced here for a few years, but we had a good test in the summer. I've had three wins and a second from four starts which is a good record and I enjoy riding here. Actually Lausitz is quite a hard track for us because it seems that the fours have more acceleration, but our bike works well over the full lap. It's not going to be easy this weekend, that's for sure".
After a difficult season that has netted him just two podiums, Lorenzo Lanzi hopes to recapture some of the form that took him to a sensational maiden World Superbike win just twelve months ago at the Eurospeedway.
"We come from the race at Assen, which could have gone better given the expectations we had during practice and qualifying" declared Lorenzo. "The Lausitzring race is a race that last year marked a major change in my career because it helped me to join the factory team. Luckily the weather looks good this weekend so we shouldn't have the same problems we had at Assen. Lausitz is not one of my favourite tracks and I won't have the ‘surprise' factor anymore but we went well in testing and I'm sure I can do a couple of good races".
The Eurospeedway Lausitz is now a permanent fixture on the World Superbike calendar. Built as a tri-oval for Indycars with a twisty infield section, the imposing structure hosts the German round of the championship for the fourth time. Troy Bayliss has already won three races at the German track, in 2001 and 2002, while the other Ducati win went to Lorenzo Lanzi last year. Honda are the only other manufacturer to triumph at the Lausitzring, with Colin Edwards taking the honours in 2001 and Chris Vermeulen in 2005.
THE CIRCUIT
Name: Eurospeedway Lausitz, Length: 4.265 km
Pole Position: right, Finish line length: 650 metres, Race distance: 2 x 24 laps/102.360 km
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 9 of 12 rounds): Riders - 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 332; 2. Toseland (Honda) 232; 3. Haga (Yamaha) 230; 4. Pitt (Yamaha) 197; 5. Corser (Suzuki) 193; 6. Barros (Honda) 175; 7. Kagayama (Suzuki) 139; 8. Walker (Kawasaki) 123; 9. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 115; etc. Manufacturers - 1. Ducati 351; 2. Yamaha 299; 3. Honda 292; 4. Suzuki 282; 5. Kawasaki 181; 6. Petronas 13.
STATISTICS: Best lap: Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 1m39.019s (2005). Lap record: Xaus (Ducati) 1m39.679s (2002). Superpole: Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 1m39.019s.
2005 RESULTS: Race 1 - 1. Vermeulen (Honda); 2. Haga (Yamaha); 3. Corser (Suzuki). Race 2 - 1. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox); 2. Vermeulen; 3. Haga.
TV COVERAGE: Eurosport (Pan European): Sunday 10 September - 1200 SBK race 1 (live), 1800 race 2 (delayed); British Eurosport (UK): Saturday 9 September - 1630 Superpole (delayed), Sunday 10 September - 1045 SBK race 1 (live), 1900 race 2 (delayed). Eurosport 2 (Pan-European): Sunday 10 September - 1530 SBK race 2 (live). La7 (Italy): Sunday 10 September - 1600 SBK race 1(delayed), 1700 SBK race 2 (delayed).
 Race Two at Lausitz saw Toseland (52) holding the lead from lap One over Haga(41) and Bayliss.
Troy Crashes While Leading Race One, Takes a Safe 3rd in Race Two
Wins by Kagayama and Toseland Takes Title Championship to Last Rounds
EuroSpeedway Lausitz, Sunday 10th September 2006 - After setting pole position and running into an early lead in race one at EuroSpeedway Lausitz, Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) looked like he was well on the way to scoring the championship win itself with two entire rounds of the series to go. But after he fell from Race One, restarting to finish seventh, the chase was on again. After the second dramatic Sunday afternoon of SBK racing in succession, this time in glorious sunshine in Eastern Germany, Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) and James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda) secured the race wins. The upshot is that Bayliss will now have to wait at least until round 1 at Imola, on October 1, to wrap up his second world title. He sits on 357 points, with double second place finisher Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) on 270 and Toseland on 264.
Race One: Bayliss Runaway ends in Disaster,
Kagayama fights off Toslenad and Corser for the Win
A brilliant three way fight for the race win in the latter stages saw Kagayama take a win by 1.2 seconds from Haga, and Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra). Bayliss had led the 24-lap race before falling out of contention, remounting, and then running off track once more, finally finishing seventh.
Kagayama paced his attack perfectly, making clear track on the final lap as soon as he saw the opportunity to get clear. Haga's 20 points brought him closer to Bayliss, with James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda) a disappointed ninth, after he too ran off track and lost places, having chosen the wrong rear tyre.
Race one saw a three rider Honda battle in the early stages, with Toseland, Muggeridge and Barros ranged from fifth to seventh. Toseland was to run off track after Barros had passed both he and Muggeridge, with Barros finishing fifth and top Honda rider. Muggeridge went 6th and Toseland ninth. Both Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Treme Honda CBR1000RR) and his team-mate Michel Fabrizio (DFX Treme Honda CBR1000RR) retired from the race.
"I was very, very happy after my win in race one," said Kagayama, "because it was such a hard race. My bike worked very well, except for a little braking problem. For the first fifteen laps or so, Nori made very good lap times and I was at my maximum just staying in third place! It was hard to overtake. In the last five laps of the race, his lap times started to come down and I saw that I had a chance. I went past my team mate Troy and Nori and was able to finish first. It was very enjoyable having a big battle like that."
Race Two: Toseland holds back Kagayama and Bayliss for the Win
In race two holeshot man Haga was reeled in by Toseland who's wrong tyre choice in race one was soon forgotten with an impressive race win, leading every one of the 24 laps, with Haga his perpetual shadow. Bayliss had a push to try and win but had to drop pace at the end of the contest, finishing three seconds back on an overjoyed Toseland, who took his second win of the season. The championship points are now Bayliss 357, Haga 270 and Toseland 264.
“I was frustrated after race one because I chose a particular tyre because of the temperature difference from Friday and Saturday and it was not the way to go,” said a regretful Toseland. “So we went back to what we knew - and I knew right away I would be in with a shout in the second. We have two rounds and four races to go and I’m third now, just in behind Nori. It’s been a great season racing with Nori all year and it’s about time I was up here on the top step after winning the first race of the year in Qatar, so I owe a big thank you to the team. I’m just happy to be back up here.”
The tire choice that proved an advantage for Kagayama in Race One, didn't work as well in the Two, "We used the same tyre for the second race, but it did not behave the same way and that is a bit strange. For the first few laps, the front had very little grip and my lap times were not so good and I lost touch with the leaders. Then, later on, the front tyre felt better and I began to catch up the leaders, but it was too late. The bike and the setting was the same for both races, so I don’t know why tyre behaved differently."
PITT UP AND DOWN AS CORSER GOES FOURTH Lausitz could not be described as one of Corser's best afternoons in World Superbike but it was enough to put him back into fourth place in the championship fight, as Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) went from fourth in race one to a faller in race two. Only one point separates this all-Aussie battle, with Corser some 53 points behind Toseland. Corser was penalised with a ride through for a jump start in race two, but still worked his way up to 14th, scoring two points.
Troy Corser was penalized with a Pit Stop for jumping the start in Race Two. "It’d been a good weekend until the problem at the start of race two and the problem with my tyre, and it ended on a frustrating note and I am not at all happy. The bike worked pretty well in the first race and the tyre was all right as well. It was good to get back on the podium again, because it felt like it had been a long time. I really needed that result and I believed that another podium in race two would be possible.
I’m not sure what happened at the start, because I felt that we were held for much longer then normal. I moved, but so did lots of riders, but I didn’t jump the start. Having the ride-though penalty ruined things for me, but I would’ve struggled in the race anyway because I had been having tyre problems before that. The rear tyre lost grip after one lap and I nearly highsided one lap later coming on to the start straight! The bike was virtually identical to race one and the tyre was the same, so I’m not sure what happened. Very disappointing. Very frustrated and very unhappy."
Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda) was very close to a fourth place finish in race one, but fell from a top five in race two, being left behind somewhat by the Corser/Pitt duel in the championship table.
MUGGERIDGE SCORES BEST SEASON FINISHES Karl Muggeridge (Winston ten Kate Honda) overcame the disappointment of a relatively poor Superpole to post a fine sixth and season-best fifth at Lausitz, making the German weekend his most successful to date. Muggeridge was happy with his weekend’s work, but is shooting for more at the next round. “This was my best race weekend of the year and my highest single finish so I have to be happy with that,” said Muggeridge. “In race one I wasn’t too satisfied with the set-up but I could ride consistently today. I’m now looking to the final two races of the year to score a podium finish and move up the table.”
A lot of hard work from Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) gave him an eighth and a sixth, a far cry from his 2005 race win at Lausitz, but earning useful points for his championship placings. Kagayama's brilliance in race one translated to fourth in the second running, as his forward motion in the early part of the race were curtailed by slides and lack of push later on. He remains seventh overall, some 43 points ahead of Assen race winner Chris Walker (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse). The English rider was 11th in race one and, despite a rear tyre that spun on the rim in race two, he finished tenth.
NIETO TOP KAWASAKI FINISHER AT TOUGH TRACK FOR ZX-10R All three top Kawasaki runners found Lausitz a less than hospitable circuit for their motorcycles, but Fonsi Nieto's tenth and seventh place finishes were strong enough to keep him in the top ten overall. Regis Laconi, like Corser, jump-started race two and finished 19th, after a first race 12th.
PETRONAS IN THE POINTS AGAIN Steve Martin and Craig Jones each scored points in race two (for 12th and 13th respectively) adding to Martin's 14th in the opener. It was Jones' first point's scoring weekend in SBK racing. Max Neukirchner (Alstare Engineering Suzuki) went 13th in race one but was forced to retire from race two on his home circuit. Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Berik Ducati) scored the last point in race one, but was much more competitive in ninth in race two, one place behind the incredible surge through the pack of Assen podium finisher, Michel Fabrizio (DFX Treme Honda). Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Treme Honda) started the races, but failed to finish either, having suffered a painful crash in qualifying. Kurtis Roberts was 19th in race one, a non-finisher in race two after changing the gearing between races. Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France Ipone) went 11th in race two.
Superbike Race 1: (Laps 24 = 102,360 Km)
Pos /Rider /Nat. /Team / Time /Gap
1 / Y. KAGAYAMA / JPN / Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra / 39'57.421 /
2 / N.HAGA / JPN / Yamaha Motor Italia WSB / 39'58.660 / 1.239
3 / T. CORSER / AUS / Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra / 39'58.857 / 1.436
4 / A. PITT / AUS / Yamaha Motor Italia WSB / 40'06.146 / 8.725
5 / A. BARROS / BRA / Klaffi Honda / 40'06.396 / 8.975
6 / K. MUGGERIDGE / AUS / Winston Ten Kate Honda / 40'11.225 / 13.804
7 / T. BAYLISS / AUS / Ducati Xerox / 40'20.990 / 23.569
8 / L. LANZI / ITA / Ducati Xerox / 40'21.267 / 23.846
9 / J. TOSELAND / GBR / Winston Ten Kate Honda / 40'24.638 / 27.217
10 / F. NIETO / ESP / PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse 2 / 40'26.133 / 28.712
11 / C.WALKER / GBR / PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse / 40'26.964 / 29.543
12 / R. LACONI / FRA / PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse / 40'27.290 / 29.869
13 / M.NEUKIRCHNER / GER / Alstare Eng. Corona Extra / 40'28.696 / 31.275
14 / S. MARTIN / AUS / Foggy Petronas Racing / 40'32.204 / 34.783
15 / R. XAUS / ESP / Sterilgarda - Berik / 40'34.431 / 37.01
Fastest Lap 4° Troy Bayliss 1'38.635 155,665 Km/h
Superbike Race 2: (Laps 24 = 102,360 Km)
1 / J. TOSELAND / GBR / Winston Ten Kate Honda / 39'58.796 /
2 / N.HAGA / JPN / Yamaha Motor Italia WSB / 39'59.006 / 0.21
3 / T. BAYLISS / AUS / Ducati Xerox / 40'01.852 / 3.056
4 / Y. KAGAYAMA / JPN / Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra / 40'06.192 / 7.396
5 / K. MUGGERIDGE / AUS / Winston Ten Kate Honda / 40'10.449 / 11.653
6 / L. LANZI / ITA / Ducati Xerox / 40'20.182 / 21.386
7 / F. NIETO / ESP / PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse 2 / 40'25.416 / 26.62
8 / M.FABRIZIO / ITA / D.F.X. Treme / 40'25.532 / 26.736
9 / R. XAUS / ESP / Sterilgarda - Berik / 40'28.224 / 29.428
10 / C.WALKER / GBR / PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse / 40'28.340 / 29.544
11 / N. ABE / JPN / Yamaha Motor France-Ipone / 40'28.575 / 29.779
12 / S. MARTIN / AUS / Foggy Petronas Racing / 40'37.259 / 38.463
13 / C. JONES / GBR / Foggy Petronas Racing / 40'44.055 / 45.259
14 / T. CORSER / AUS / Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra / 40'44.718 / 45.922
15 / S. NAKATOMI / JPN / Yamaha Motor France-Ipone / 40'57.189 / 58.393
Fastest Lap 8° Yukio Kagayama 1'39.155 154,848 Km/h
Record Lap: 2006 T.Bayliss 1'38.635 155,660 Km/h
Riders Championship Standings:
1 BAYLISS 341, 2 HAGA 250, 3 TOSELAND 239, 4 PITT 210, 5 CORSER 209, 6 BARROS 186,
7 KAGAYAMA 164, 8 WALKER 128, 9 LANZI 123, 10 NIETO 118, 11 FABRIZIO 109,
12 XAUS 96, 13 ABE 88, 14 MUGGERIDGE 86, 15 LACONI 84.
600cc Supersport to Ten Kate's Sufuoglu
Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda) played a waiting game with long time race leader Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) to take the win at Lausitzring, after another disastrous day for his team-mate Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda). 2005 champion Charpentier looked to have trouble in braking and ran on early in the race, misjudging the width of an escape lane tyre barrier, and breaking a bone in his left hand after his machine hit it abruptly. He is hoping to be fit for Imola, but his biggest championship rival, Kevin Curtain, is now 27 points ahead, with only 50 up for grabs. Third in the Lausitz race was stand-in rider for the Yamaha Motor Germany squad, Fabien Foret, who replaced injured pilot Broc Parkes. Sofuoglu is now only two points from Parkes, still third despite missing the race.
Supersport Race: (Laps 23 = 98,095 Km)
Pos /Rider /Nat. /Team / Time /Gap
1 / K. SOFUOGLU / TUR / Winston Ten Kate Honda / 39'29.099 /
2 / K. CURTAIN / AUS / Yamaha Motor Germany / 39'29.229 / 0.13
3 / F. FORET / FRA / Yamaha Motor Germany / 39'38.753 / 9.654
4 / R.HARMS / DEN / Stiggy Motorsports / 39'39.663 / 10.564
5 / G.NANNELLI / ITA / Team Manila Grace SC / 39'49.024 / 19.925
6 / G.VIZZIELLO / ITA / Yamaha Team Italia / 39'53.387 / 24.288
7 / C. ZAISER / AUT / LBR Ducati Racing / 39'54.079 / 24.98
8 / K. ANDERSEN / NOR / Hoegee Suzuki / 39'54.157 / 25.058
9 / M.LAGRIVE / FRA / Intermoto Czech Klaffi / 39'59.388 / 30.289
10 / S. CHAMBON / FRA / Gil Motor Sport / 40'03.953 / 34.854
11 / S. EASTON / GBR / Team Manila Grace SC / 40'04.910 / 35.811
12 / M.ROCCOLI / ITA / Yamaha Team Italia / 40'05.191 / 36.092
13 / M.SANCHINI / ITA / Bikersdays Yamaha Moto / 40'05.529 / 36.43
14 / C. PERIS / CAN / Bikersdays Yamaha Moto / 40'05.944 / 36.845
15 / T. LAUSLEHTO / FIN / Dark Dog Stiggy Motorsports / 40'29.945 / 1'00.846
Fastest Lap 4° Kenan Sofuoglu 1'42.090 150,397 Km/h
Lap Record: 2005 K.Curtain 1'42.438 149,890 Km/h
Riders Championship Standings:
1 CURTAIN 171, 2 CHARPENTIER 144, 3 PARKES 119, 4 SOFUOGLU 117, 5 HARMS 107,
6 ROCCOLI 90, 7 TIBERIO 67, 8 STIGEFELT 57, 9 VIZZIELLO 56, 10 FORES 49,
11 ZAISER 30, 12 ANDERSEN 29, 13 CHECA 29, 14 SANNA 27, 15 CHAMBON 24.
Superstock 1000 FIM Cup
Claudio Corti (Yamaha Team Italia) scored his second win in succession after the Superstock 1000 race was rescheduled, due to a huge crash in the early laps of the original contest. A shortened 9-lap race saw Corti hold off Aussie Brendan Roberts (HP Racing) once more second, and now sixth overall. Loic Napoleone (Celani Suzuki) was third, his best race finish, with Alessandro Polita (Celani team Suzuki) miraculously largely uninjured after the massive morning crash, ninth, and still 19 points ahead of Luca Scassa (EVR Corse Ormeni Racing), who was fifth in Germany.
IMOLA NEXT STOP Imola hosts the 11th round of the Superbike and Supersport classes, on October 1
Loris Capirossi leads Rossi and Dani Pedrosa in a heat race long battle for the lead at Sepang.
2006 MotoGP World Championship, Malaysia Round 13 of 17
Rossi Continues MotoGP Comeback in
Epic Duel with Capirossi in Malaysia
Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, Sunday September 10, 2006 - Camel Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi moved another step closer to the summit of the MotoGP World Championship today thanks to a breathtaking victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix. After starting from pole position the Italian was part of an entertaining battle for positions over the first half of the race alongside compatriot Loris Capirossi (Ducati). Just as they have done on so many occasions in the past, the pair became embroiled in a cat and mouse chase that had the 43,182 spectators on their feet until the very last lap.
With half a lap of the Sepang circuit remaining Rossi dived past Capirossi for the final time, opening out a crucial advantage within the next two corners and denying his rival the opportunity to make a last-gasp pass in the final hairpin. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) clinched the final podium position in third place despite riding with an injured knee. Rossi's victory moves him up to third in the championship, four points behind the Spaniard and 26 adrift of series leader Nicky Hayden (Honda), who finished fourth.
Valentino Rossi (1st; 43'07.829) "That was another legendary battle between myself and Loris - very hard but also very fair. At Brno he escaped but today I was able to hang on to him. When both our bikes are working well it is always spectacular because his performs better in some sections and mine in others so it makes for a beautiful fight. I enjoy racing with him so much because there is a lot of respect between us and a great trust - he is probably the hardest rival I have ever had but also one of my best friends in the paddock. At one point I thought I'd got away but then he appeared again and I knew it was going to be a battle to the end. He tried to break free but I stayed with him and I think we passed each other about ten times in the last few laps, it was amazing. I want to say a huge 'thank you' to everybody at Yamaha because they virtually cancelled their summer holidays to get this bike working at the maximum again and I was able to push at 100% today. I also need to say another big 'thank you' to Michelin, who have worked really hard to help us to get back to this level of competitiveness. For the two Honda riders to finish third and fourth is not ideal but all I can do is keep winning races so that is what I will try to do."
Loris Capirossi (Ducati) fights Rossi (Yamaha) to the Checkered
In another enthralling encounter as a vintage World Championship season reaches boiling point, the Malaysian Grand Prix, played out in front of 43,000 hardcore fans, provided yet another high octane duel won by Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) from the reliably combative Loris Capirossi (Ducati), with red-hot rookie Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC211V) third.
After the monsoon-aborted qualifying session, this 21-lap dice got underway in a 33-degree heat haze with the track at a steamy 49-degrees. With just four rounds to go after this critical encounter, the stakes were high, and it was inevitable that the lap record set by Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) last year would tumble. The American’s 2m 02.993s time was bested by Capirossi as early as the fourth lap, the Italian setting a 2.02.376s time as Rossi, overhauled the holeshotter Pedrosa on lap one to make the early running from the Spaniard with Capirossi third, Hayden fourth and Casey Stoner (LCR Honda RC211V) in fifth.
Toni Elias (Fortuna Honda RC211V) made a lightning start from 14th on the grid to hold seventh place on the opening lap. And on the next tour of this demanding 5.548km track, the genial Spaniard was up to fifth. Capirossi meanwhile was working on Rossi, and by lap three he stole underneath him at the final turn to lead. The Italian made some headway until his compatriot Rossi retook the lead and the Ducati man was then passed by the injured Pedrosa for second. Dani was carrying a broken toe and a badly cut right knee, but these injuries did nothing to dampen his desire, although they may have sapped his stamina.
By mid-race distance Rossi held a 0.755 second advantage over Capirossi who had by then relegated Dani to third. The mercurial Elias had slipped to ninth before falling and ending his race, while Hayden was holding fourth place ahead of Gibernau. Rossi and Capirossi would then steal away from their pursuers to dispute the victory among themselves.
By lap 16 the leading duo had pulled out nearly two seconds on Dani who held a 1.4 second advantage over his team-mate Hayden. In the closing laps the dice for the lead was as furious as anything seen on the sweeping curves of Sepang. On the penultimate lap Capirossi grabbed the lead into turn one until Rossi snatched it back moments later to set up a gripping finale. Capirossi engaged in the final lap with a 0.6 second lead over Rossi. The pair almost clashing fairings on the high-speed back section as Rossi seized the lead again.
At the final turn on the final lap on the back chute Rossi ran wide offering Capirossi a chance to pounce, but the hard-charger also ran wide allowing the Yamaha man to clinch the win and revitalise his World Championship aspirations. Dani completed the podium postions with Hayden just behind in fourth place.
As the points tally now stands Hayden still tops the table with 214 points to Dani’s 192, with Rossi on 188, Capirossi on 171 and Melandri with 168. Honda heads the Constructors’ Championship with 276 to Yamaha’s 226 with Ducati lying third on 180 points.
Dani said, “In the end I got the result – that’s the important thing. Also I was lucky that the qualifying practice was cancelled – to start from fifth on the grid was really, really important for me today. I have to say thank you to all the guys in the Clinica Mobile because they worked very hard for me and made me believe I could race. They took so much care of me – it was a very special job. Thank you to everybody and I will not forget this day.”
His team-mate Nicky said, “I felt like I rode my hardest and for that I’m proud, but at this level sometimes that isn’t good enough. I’ve got no excuses – the bike, the set-up and the tyres were pretty good, yet we couldn’t quite go at their speed. It didn’t feel great just being off the back that little bit. We’ll keep fighting though – there are four races to go and some tracks I really like coming up. We’re still in it, and we’ll keep working hard.”
Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR211V), who finished seventh, said, “I got a bad start – just didn’t get off the line well, and that put me in a bad place for the entire race. I was overshooting a lot of these slow corners trying to be aggressive. It took me a while to smooth out and by the time I did, I was where I was at.”
Stoner, eighth at the flag, said, “I think I had a chance at the podium, especially when I was right on Hayden’s butt early in the race. Then Nicky braked early into the final corner and I nearly hit him, he pulled a gap, and five laps later I was worn out. I was really struggling into the corners under braking, I had to use my upper body too much. The problem started when I jinked my back as the bike wobbled under the brakes, up until then I was gaining on the guys in front.”
Results MotoGP 990cc
Race Classification MotoGP : (21 laps = 116.508 km)
Pos/ Rider / Nat / Team / Motorcycle / Time/ KM/H / Gap
1 / Valentino ROSSI / ITA / Camel Yamaha Team / YAMAHA / 43'07.829 / 162.077 /
2 / Loris CAPIROSSI / ITA / Ducati Marlboro Team / DUCATI / 43'08.678 / 162.024 / 0.849
3 / Dani PEDROSA / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA / 43'11.692 / 161.835 / 3.863
4 / Nicky HAYDEN / USA / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA / 43'13.609 / 161.716 / 5.78
5 / Sete GIBERNAU / SPA / Ducati Marlboro Team / DUCATI / 43'17.130 / 161.497 / 9.301
6 / John HOPKINS / USA / Rizla Suzuki MotoGP / SUZUKI / 43'18.910 / 161.386 / 11.081
7 / Kenny ROBERTS JR / USA / Team Roberts / KR211V / 43'19.667 / 161.339 / 11.838
8 / Casey STONER / AUS / Honda LCR / HONDA / 43'20.096 / 161.312 / 12.267
9 / Marco MELANDRI / ITA / Fortuna Honda / HONDA / 43'22.848 / 161.142 / 15.019
10 / Colin EDWARDS / USA / Camel Yamaha Team / YAMAHA / 43'27.738 / 160.84 / 19.909
11 / Chris VERMEULEN / AUS / Rizla Suzuki MotoGP / SUZUKI / 43'32.200 / 160.565 / 24.371
12 / Carlos CHECA / SPA / Tech 3 Yamaha / YAMAHA / 43'38.713 / 160.166 / 30.884
13 / Randy DE PUNIET / FRA / Kawasaki Racing Team / KAWASAKI / 43'44.164 / 159.833 / 36.335
14 / Makoto TAMADA / JPN / Konica Minolta Honda / HONDA / 43'56.606 / 159.079 / 48.777
15 / Alex HOFMANN / GER / Pramac d'Antín MotoGP / DUCATI / 44'06.910 / 158.459 / 59.081
Pole Position: Valentino ROSSI 2'00.605 -.001 Km/h
Fastest Lap(New record): Loris CAPIROSSI 2'02.127 163.541 Km/h Lap 10
Circuit Record Lap: 2005 - Nicky HAYDEN 2'02.993 162.389 Km/h
Circuit Best Lap: 2006 - Valentino ROSSI 2'00.605 165.605 Km/h
World Championship Positions:
1 HAYDEN 214, 2 PEDROSA 192, 3 ROSSI 188, 4 CAPIROSSI 171, 5 MELANDRI 168,
6 STONER 109, 7 ROBERTS 101, 8 EDWARDS 96, 9 HOPKINS 93, 10 NAKANO 75,
11 GIBERNAU 69, 12 TAMADA 69, 13 VERMEULEN 66, 14 ELIAS 64, 15 CHECA 58.
Resuts GP 250cc
Race Classification 250cc: (20 laps = 110.96 km)
Pos / Rider / Nat / Team / Motorcycle / Time / KM/H / Gap
1 / Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Fortuna Aprilia / APRILIA / 43'15.499 / 153.903 /
2 / Andrea DOVIZIOSO / ITA / Humangest Racing Team / HONDA / 43'20.927 / 153.582 / 5.428
3 / Alex DE ANGELIS / RSM / Master - MVA Aspar Team / APRILIA / 43'25.724 / 153.299 / 10.225
4 / Yuki TAKAHASHI / JPN / Humangest Racing Team / HONDA / 43'41.168 / 152.396 / 25.669
5 / Roberto LOCATELLI / ITA / Team Toth / APRILIA / 43'46.651 / 152.078 / 31.152
6 / Shuhei AOYAMA / JPN / Repsol Honda / HONDA / 43'55.435 / 151.571 / 39.936
7 / Sylvain GUINTOLI / FRA / Equipe GP De France - Scrab / APRILIA / 44'06.171 / 150.956 / 50.672
8 / Marco SIMONCELLI / ITA / Squadra Corse Metis Gilera / GILERA / 44'21.606 / 150.08 / 1'06.107
9 / Aleix ESPARGARO / SPA / Wurth Honda BQR / HONDA / 44'22.055 / 150.055 / 1'06.556
10 / Jules CLUZEL / FRA / Equipe GP De France - Scrab / APRILIA / 44'33.367 / 149.42 / 1'17.868
11 / Arnaud VINCENT / FRA / Arie Molenaar Racing / HONDA / 44'43.260 / 148.869 / 1'27.761
12 / Jordi CARCHANO / SPA / WTR Blauer USA / APRILIA / 45'10.412 / 147.378 / 1'54.913
13 / Taro SEKIGUCHI / JPN / Campetella Racing / APRILIA / 45'15.596 / 147.096 / 2'00.097
14 / Luca MORELLI / ITA / Nocable Angaia Racing / APRILIA / 45'40.122 / 145.78 / 2'24.623
15 / Anthony WEST / AUS / Kiefer - Bos - Racing / APRILIA / 43'22.279 / 145.827 / 1 lap
Pole Position: Hector BARBERA 2'08.266 155.713 Km/h
Fastest Lap: Hiroshi AOYAMA 2'08.761 155.115 Km/h Lap 3
Circuit Record Lap: 2004 - Dani PEDROSA 2'08.015 156.019 Km/h
Circuit Best Lap: 2004 - Sebastian PORTO 2'06.940 157.340 Km/h
World Championship Positions:
1 LORENZO 224, 2 DOVIZIOSO 212, 3 DE ANGELIS 147, 4 TAKAHASHI 146,
5 LOCATELLI 138, 6 AOYAMA 132, 7 BARBERA 111, 8 GUINTOLI 82, 9 SIMONCELLI 70,
10 AOYAMA 68, 11 WEST 59, 12 SMRZ 40, 13 DEBON 39, 14 CARDENAS 37,
15 POGGIALI 31.
Official SBK World Superbike Fast Dates Screensavers
Sexy Irish Supermodel and SBK Fast Dates Calendar Kitten Gemma Gleeson gets up close and personal with the DFX Team Sterilgarda Yamaha R1. You can get up close and personal with them both by joining our Monthly Screen Savers & Members Corner
|
New 2007
Fast Dates Racebike,
Iron & Lace Custom
& Garage Girls Calendars
Click to Order Now!
 2007
SI Swimsuit 15-inch Wall Calendar w/poster
All New Ducati 1098cc Superbike Available
Spring 2007
Our spies
in Bologna have revealed the all new, next generation Ducati Superbike will be unvieled at the Intermot International Motorcycle Show in Europe next month and will appear in dealerships as soon as March 2007.
The new base model Ducati Superbike will have its Testastretta engine displacement increased to 1098cc and will be upped in horsepower from the current 999's base 124hp up to 140hp.
Additionally, the new bike will get a major 42 lb.reduction in overall weight to put it on an equal power to weight performance rating with its current Japanese inline four competition.
Significant design changes on the all new Ducati Superbike will include a much more stylish MotoGP Desmosedici RR style body work with Yamaha R1 like twin headlights positioned each side of a large single front air scoop. The chassis will also return to the traditional Ducati 916-998 single sided swingarm which was much loved by Ducatisti both for its looks, exclusitivity and ease of rear wheel removeable and chain adjustment.
One styling change we don't like on the new generation bike is the change back to the use of two round under the tail mufflers like on the previous generation 916-998 models. We like the single flat silencer of the current 999 Superbike as it is unique and different from all the other other superbikes on the market.
But the good news doesn't stop there, the base model's suggested retail price will fall a significant $3,000 from the current 999 base model's $17,995 to a much more affordable $$14,995. Ducati is looking at competiting directly with the Japanese for a much big share of the world's sportbike market.
There's no word yet on the up rated new Ducati Superbike S and R models which could take another 6-12 months to appear as is customary with Ducati. The delay may also be necessary in case the FIM does increase the engine displacment in World Superbike to 1200cc for V-twins beginning in 2008, in which case the R-model could go into production later in 2007 with a race homologated larger 1198cc engine.
Motorcyclist magazine will be the first US based print streetbike magazine to feature the new Ducati 1098cc Superbike in a cover feature for their December 2006 issue. And of course you'll see it first on the web at Ducati.com and here at FastDates.com.
Ducati Ups Displacement and Power of the 2007 Multistrada
The new 2007 Ducati Multistrada 1100 receives a boost in cylinder size thanks to an evolution of the renowned Desmodue air-cooled twin-cylinder engine. For this model the Ducati 1100 Dual Spark now has a displacement of 1078 cc, which offers more torque and extraordinary reliability.
The current model Multistrada 1000S DS was awarded FastDates.com's prestegious 2005 Bike of the Year accolade, so this displacement increase should make a great bike even better.
The new engine benefits from a bore increase of 4 mm to 98 mm, vs. the 1000 Dual Spark’s 94 mm. As a result the cylinder displacement is 1078 cc, a considerable increase on the 992 cc of the previous version.
This new engine now offers a power output of 95 HP at 7750 rpm and 10,5 Kgm of torque at 4750 rpm - up from 92hp and 9.2Kgm of the current 992cc 1000DS engine. These increased values contribute to the bike’s rideability and the powerful mid-range delivery of this modern air-cooled engine highlights the sporting character of the new Multistrada 1100.
The engine has been designed to comply with the Euro 3 norms while, at the same time, boosting performance. Other than this engine displacment increase the Multistrada motorcycle remains unchanged going into 2007. Expect the new 1100 model to be in Ducati dealers shortly.
Lausitz SBK Superbike Rider Quotes
Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) "I am happy with the result because yesterday I hurt my wrist and was in a lot of pain. The doctors gave me some painkillers and I actually enjoyed both races, because there were some good fights. In the first race I was able to lead but in the last five laps my front tyre was gone and I could not do anything when Yuki passed me. We made some changes for the second and I was able to fight with James, although he rode very well and I could not pass him. Still, I am satisfied and I would like to thank all the medical staff who helped me get such good results today."
Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) "For the first race we chose a different rear tyre to most of the other guys and after ten laps it was gone and I had to settle for fourth. It had been a bit of a gamble, but the temperatures were higher than yesterday and we felt it might give us an advantage. We made a few changes for the second race and used the same tyres as the other guys. I felt really strong and was able to pass Kagayama and catch up to the leaders when I just touched the kerb with my footrest. That caused the weight to come off the back and I just slid off. I tried to get going again but the handlebar was broken off. I'm disappointed but the fact that Barros and Corser didn't score many points has limited the damage and I know that we will bounce straight back in Imola."
Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France) "We had a lot of small problems in race one so it was hard to ride and I couldn't even get a point. Between the races we changed the bike balance by raising the rear and it was much better than race one. My lap times were much better and I kept them better all the way to the end, so I am quite happy."
NIETO TWICE IN TOP TEN FOR PSG-1 KAWASAKI
PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse team rider Fonsi Nieto scored two top ten places at a circuit both he and his teams knew would not be a straightforward challenge for the Ninja ZX-10R to handle. His tenth and seventh place finishes came after tough battles, but each PSG-1 rider played a part on the day, despite some further unforeseen issues.
Brittish rider Chris Walker, winner of race 1 in Assen, was right behind Nieto in race one, and tenth in race two, despite his rear tyre spinning on the rim, unbalancing his machine.
Frenchman Regis Laconi was 12th in race one, but in race two he had a ride-through penalty for jump starting, and finished just 19th.
FONSI NIETO: 10th & 7th - 127 Points, 10th Overall: “We know this track, we knew it would be very difficult in these conditions. I thought even before we came here that it would be the most difficult track for us all year. I thought that two finishes in the top ten would have been OK and that is what we got, with a seventh in race two. We had problems in race one with brakes and the tyre spun on the rim, and then the balance went out, lots of chatter. I tried to push at the beginning of race two, with a soft tyre in front, but my start was not so good. I had to push hard at the end but the tyre was finished.”
CHRIS WALKER: 11th & 10th - 134 Points, 8th Overall: “Race two should have been better but the rear tyre spun on the rim. The set up definitely felt better until that point but not much we could do about the tyre movement.”
REGIS LACONI: 12th & 19th - 84 Points, 15th Overall: “My jump start was not deliberate just I made a mistake and actually lost my start completely. The problem was not the jump-start but having such a bad start. But that's the way it was. I'm not very happy about race one, after I made a mistake under braking when I was trying to push hard. I was a little bit too excited. I thought the bike would be better in race two but I could not use it because of the jump-start penalty. A very hard track for the bike but it is getting better.”
Craig Jones scored his first Superbike World Championship points as Foggy PETRONAS Racing continued their late season progress with team-mate Steve Martin securing points in both races at EuroSpeedway Lausitz in Germany.
The young British rider held off a late charge by Troy Corser, who was given a ride through penalty for a jump start, to finish the second race in 13th place and secure three points.
Steve maintained an impressive recent string of results with 12th in race two, following his 14th place on the PETRONAS FP1 in the opening race of the day.
Photo Highlights from
Brands Hatch 2006
staring the Fast Dates Calendar Kittens
The Complete Story Here
So cute and oh so deadly, the Calendar Kittens on Friday afternoon before or annual Fast Dates calendar shoot.
Read the complete story HERE
Camilla and Katie in their Team Ducati uniforms on Sunday in from of the Pit Garage.
Paolo Ciabatti adjusts Katie's Supergirl cape as they head out to the starting grid for the Superbike race.
Katie on the starting grid with Troy Bayliss and his wife Kim, Paolo.
The very popular andlegendary 43-year young Franki Chili waves "good bye" to the fans during a parade lap to honor his final race at Brands Hatch.
Camilla helps keep Lorenzo Lanzi cool in the shade just before the start of Race One.
Rider Quotes from Malaysia MotoGP
LORIS CAPIROSSI, finished 2nd, 4th overall (171 points)
"The whole weekend has been great for us. At the start I overtook a few guys, took the lead and tried to go away but realised I couldn't. When Valentino overtook me the first time, then Dani, it was because I'd opened the gas too early and lost some grip. But I wasn't worried because I knew my rhythm was good. The battle with Valentino was great, we overtook each other many times but always in a correct manner. It was easy to win or lose this race, no one could say who was going to win before the last corner, but I think a battle like this is so good for the sport. My problem wasn't the last corner, it was the one before where I had a bit too much spin on the exit. Now I am ready for the last four races, I know the bike and tyres are good and I know I am strong enough to fight with Valentino. But I'm not thinking about the championship, I will just do my best and then we will count the points. I am really looking forward to Phillip Island, though yesterday it was only eight degrees there..."
SETE GIBERNAU, finished 5th, 11th overall (69 points)
"That was a perfect return. Once again I'd like to thank everyone for an outstanding job, without them I could never have done what I did today. The team, the guys back home and Bridgestone gave me a great bike and great support, making my life as easy as it could be coming back from an injury. I wasn't as aggressive as I should've been during the first laps, just because I've been back home for two months, but I think we needed to do a race like this to come back. I'm very pleased because I regained a good feeling with the bike and I was up there with the guys who are fighting for the championship, that's what we needed. I was a bit worried about the injury, I was thinking ‘oh man, what's going to happen?' but it reacted well. I think the bone is pretty good shape, so all credit to my physical trainer Dani Sune and to the doctors back home. The only thing I don't have right now is full strength. Now I'm looking forward to Phillip Island."
COLIN EDWARDS (10th; +19.909)
“We’ve had the same problems since Mugello – I don’t have enough rear grip and I can’t push the bike as hard as I need to. This weekend we turned it upside down but still couldn’t find that little bit of grip we need. We’ve been following Valentino a little with the setting and today I had virtually the same as him. I don’t know how he does it, but somehow he does and today I couldn’t. It’s always tough starting from so far down the grid and I tried to make up the ground but from mid-race I was basically riding on my own, trying to cut down the gap to Melandri but without much success. Luckily we have another race in seven days at a place I love so hopefully we can move onwards and upwards in Australia.”
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 3rd. “The result is very good. The big decision today was whether or not I would race, and until the last moment I was still in doubt about it. We chose to race and they gave me one injection to take away the pain. Although I felt the stitches pressing under my leathers, the pain on my knee was gone. In the race my left foot hurt, and so did my left knee but in the right knee I felt no pain. I got a good start but I was expecting the leaders to pull away and I also expecting the lap times to be a little faster than they were. At the end I was very tired – my bike had just the basic set-up because I lost time in practice so I was riding on the limit in the race. In the end I got the result – that’s the important thing. Also I was lucky that the qualifying practice was cancelled – to start from fifth on the grid was really, really important for me today. I have to say thank you to all the guys in the Clinica Mobile because they worked very hard for me and made me believe I could race. They took so much care of me – it was a very special job. Also to my team because they helped me to race. Thank you to everybody and I will not forget this day.”
Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda: 4th. “It was quite a frustrating day because we didn’t have enough speed today. We got a little bit behind on Friday and yesterday’s qualifying session was washed out which didn’t help, but the bottom line is the guys in front of me were faster today. I felt like I rode my hardest and for that I’m proud, but at this level sometimes that isn’t good enough. I’ve got no excuses – the bike, the set-up and the tyres were pretty good, yet we couldn’t quite go at their speed. It didn’t feel great just being off the back that little bit. We’ll keep fighting though – there’s four races to go and some tracks I really like coming up. We’re still in it, and we’ll keep working hard.”
Kenny Roberts Jnr, KR Honda: 7th. “I got a bad start – just didn’t get off the line well, and that put me in a bad place for the entire race. I was overshooting a lot of these slow corners trying to be aggressive. It took me a while to smooth out and by the time I did, I was where I was at.
I just tried to stay smooth. When John (Hopkins) got past and went after Casey (Stoner), I was able to catch Casey too. I passed him, and I wanted to make a run at John, but I needed another couple of laps.
Kenny Roberts Senior – team owner. “I wasn’t really confident going into it, so I think that was probably the best we could have hoped for. In practice, again we are doing the one or two laps that put us up there, but I think he is disguising at that point some of the weaknesses we’ve got. He was having trouble all weekend getting off the slower corners without spinning, and it just magnifies it in the race, especially after a bad start. When he gets ahead, he’s okay because it slows them down on the corner exit too. We really didn’t have enough time with the new chassis to work that out.”
Casey Stoner, LCR Honda: 8th. “I’m not feeling the best, I had a lot of pain in my back from halfway through the race. I couldn’t move my bum across the seat to change direction -- the team did their job today, I could not have asked for more, and I just did not deliver on my side. I think I had a chance at the podium, especially when I was right on Hayden’s butt early in the race. Then Nicky braked early into the final corner and I nearly hit him, he pulled a gap, and five laps later I was worn out.
I was really struggling into the corners under brakes, I had to use my upper body too much. The problem started when I jinked my back as the bike wobbled under brakes, up until then I was gaining on the guys in front.”
Marco Melandri, Fortuna Honda: 9th.“It was a very difficult weekend – we didn’t manage to solve the problems with the front end at all. I tried to give my best in the race, but I did not feel comfortable on the bike and so I did not risk too much and decided to just claim some points that could prove important in the championship. I am disappointed as I don’t like battling for ninth place, but I hope I will be able to do better in Australia.”
Carlos Checa (12th Fastest lap 2'03.466) I'm quite satisfied with the job I did today. I feel that we raced on the limit of what we have as the bike seemed a little down on power today but the tyre performance was quite constant so considering this I feel I did my best. We made no mistakes and we found some more good information for Dunlop to work with so working like this we have found something better for the remaining races
James Ellison (16th Fastest lap 2'04.692) I'm very disappointed to be honest. We've been working really hard all weekend to cure this handling problem as no matter what we do we cant get enough weight on the rear of the bike to make it steer into the corner but that has been going on all year. The frustrating thing is that no matter what we try with the setup we can't get the bike to handle properly. I have to thank my team because they have been working very hard all year attempting to get the most out of the bike.
|
|
