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Laverty makes title statement with Croft victory

September 13th, 2010 No comments
Relentless by TAS Suzuki rider Michael Laverty can now stake a claim as a genuine British Superbike Championship title contender after a pivotal weekend at Croft – not only for the Toomebridge rider, but also for his Northern Ireland-based British Superbike team.
Laverty took a near perfect 45 point hall from the North Yorkshire venue in the opening two races of the Title Fighters’ Shootout, with second place in race one and a memorable victory in race two. It was the 28-year-old’s second top step of the season and undoubtedly one of the most important in his career. He now occupies second place in the title race, just 16 points behind Tommy Hill with five races remaining.
In race one Laverty took the holeshot and fended off Hill for the first three laps and such was the pace, both Suzuki riders pulled away from the pursuing pack, putting 10 seconds into eventual third placed man Stuart Easton. Laverty hounded and harried Hill in the closing stages only losing out on the victory by 0.155s.
Laverty’s confident start in race two afforded him the chance to break away from his rivals in the opening laps, but in a mirror image of race one, both he and Hill came together to dispute the top step in a nail biting finale. Laverty’s superior set-up and race-craft shone through when it mattered, taking the lead on the penultimate lap before defending his lines to take a well-deserved victory on his GSX-R1000 Relentless by TAS Suzuki.
Team mate Alastair Seeley didn’t have quite the weekend he expected at Croft with a first race DNF after being collected by another rider at the hairpin. Then in race two the BSB rookie battled bravely for points, eventually finishing 15th. He remains in sixth place in the Title Fighters’ Shootout on 506 points.

Michael Laverty:
“It’s been an excellent weekend for us. We have been strong in every session and continually worked on our set-up. Race one wasn’t perfect as I struggled a little bit in the middle sector but I still brought the fight to Tommy at the end of the race. For race two we made a few small tweaks to the set up and it made all the difference. I took charge of the race and felt really comfortable out front. It was a good battle with Tommy over the last couple of laps, but I was determined to come out on top this time around. It’s now game-on for the Championship with two rounds remaining but I am well up for the fight. A big thanks has to go to the team this weekend; they worked hard in the garage to give me what I needed to win.”

Alastair Seeley:
“I had a good start in race one and was making progress until Gary Mason took me out at the Hairpin, and with a broken clutch lever I couldn’t re-start which I wasn’t too happy about. In race two I wasn’t feeling that comfortable with a number of small little problems hampering my progress, but that’s racing. Croft basically proved more difficult than I imagined but my head’s not down and I’m looking forward to Silverstone and Oulton.”

Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“There’s only one word to describe that performance from Michael: Awesome. We came into this season as underdogs and some people even wrote us off before the season got underway. We have a lot of experience in racing and combining that with a hard-working team and two equally-talented and hard-working riders, it is finally paying off.
“I’ve said all along that Michael Laverty has the potential to be the best rider in British Championship racing and today we got more than a glimpse of that. What is more pleasing was seeing him combine all his qualities today: speed, resilience, a professional attitude and a calm head when it mattered most.
“He got a lot of hard moves thrown at him by Tommy, but he fought back and proved that his Relentless by TAS Suzuki with the K-tech suspension was a better package today. It may seem strange but we are a little disappointed not to have won both races at Croft today.
“Michael has taken a bit of criticism for his reserved style at times this year, but as he said himself when interviewed – the time to bring the ‘A Game’ to the grid is in the final seven races and he’s silenced a few critics today.
“Alastair didn’t find his comfort zone at this circuit but I don’t want him dropping his head. His job this season, as a series rookie, was to make the top six and that box has been well and truly ticked already. He is capable of much more and we will move forward with optimism for our number 34.
“It’s an important time of the year for us as a team, so I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors and hope today’s results go a small way in repaying their faith in us. Thanks obviously to Suzuki, Relentless, Beacon and all our other loyal sponsors.”
BSB Race 1 Results:
1. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki)
2. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.155s
3. Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +10.177s
4. Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +13.512s
5. Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +14.742s
6. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +15.407s
7. Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +21.044s
8. John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +25.983s
9. Chris Walker (Sorrymate.com SMT Honda) +26.304s
10. Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +26.670s
BSB Race 2 Results:
1. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS)
2. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.202s
3. Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +8.534s
4. Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +9.590s
5. Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +9.833s
6. James Ellison (Swan Honda) +10.138s
7. Tommy Bridewell (Quay Garage Honda) +10.730s
8. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +11.619s
9. Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +12.412s
10. Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +16.489s
BSB Championship Standings:
1. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 570
2. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 554
3. Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 543
4. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) 542
5. Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) 521
6. Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 506

Categories: Race/Qualifying/Practice Results Tags: , , , , ,

MSS Colchester Kawasaki prove potential with season’s best result

September 13th, 2010 No comments
Plenty of positives turned into long-awaited race results for MSS Colchester Kawasaki at the breezy Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire, England this weekend. Another real team performance characterized the growing momentum in the British Superbike season’s final races and shows the promise they’ve been threatening all season.

MSS Colchester's Simon Andrews

It was a strong start to the Croft weekend for the Kawasaki team with Simon Andrews once again putting his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R machine up at the sharp-end of practice and qualifying sessions. The exciting Swan Combi Roll For Pole saw Simon bang in fast laps to confidently get through to the all-important Q3 and end up with a rewarding sixth place for Sunday.

Race one saw contrasting first laps for the Kawasaki duo as Andrews dropped a couple of places to eighth, while Mason muscled his way up to 10th from 14thon the grid. After an early safety car incident, the riders settled into those positions until mid-race distance when the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R package began to come into its own as the tires deteriorated. With two of the top six dropping out, the team was at last able to bite off lady luck’s hand for once. Andrews continued to reel in the front runners, passing Dan Linfoot with four laps to go to clinch his and the team’s season best of fourth, with Mason clocking up a fine 10th place.
Race two saw Andrews and Mason closely paired from the first corner with Mason again getting a great start from his improved grid position up into 10th, pipping Andrews into 11th on the first lap. Andrews pushed back ahead as the pair stuck together in the early laps and, battled hard in a dramatic ten rider lead pack. Andrews banged in the fourth fastest lap time of the race as he and Mason swapped places with the factory Honda duo of Kiyonari and Brookes before eventually ending up in 9th and 10th places.

Simon Andrews was pleased with his weekend; “You could look at the second race result and think it wasn’t so good but there are plenty of positives to look at from this weekend. Good data meant strong qualifying again right from the off and we were in there with a shout all weekend. Fourth in race one was the best result of the year and then setting the fourth fastest lap of race two showed what we can do. It builds from Cadwell really where we showed the potential and carried it over. Silverstone could be harder because we have no data for the superbike so it makes life harder to start the weekend but it will be the same for many teams.”

Gary Mason said after the races, “It was a bit of a frustrating weekend for us really. We struggled all through practice and qualifying to get the dry set-up and an issue with the brakes held us back in qualifying. But with things sorted in morning warm-up and some chassis changes the bike was brilliant and we showed how strong we really are. So in race one it was hard to battle through and then in race two we made some more improvements but then the pace was hotter because everyone else had done the same. I’m looking forward to Silverstone as it looks like a great new track but we definitely need a fast engine there!”

Howie Mainwaring set himself up for a difficult Superstock 1000 race again with tough qualifying session, hampered by weather conditions affecting his dry set-up time. A great start and a bit of muscle saw Howie up into 7th by turn three and a great race was unfolding as he toughed it out with is championship rivals. But with 6thplace under his belt and the lead riders in his sights Howie lost the front on the bumpy Croft surface, bringing an early disappointing end to his weekend.
“Front-end problems held us back a bit over the weekend and it was still a bit unstable in the race and I just lost the front on the bumps. It’s as simple as that. It’s frustrating because we were in a good position and I felt like I had the legs of those in front of me. Time on the bike is the problem because we know the Kawasaki is good but we just need to get the set-up. All we can do is look forward now. We’ve been to Silverstone already this year so that will help and I got on the podium there so I’m looking forward to doing the same again and nailing third in the championship.”

Danny Buchan once again looked a class act through qualifying, particularly during a wet session on Saturday morning at Croft but after grabbing second position on the grid, a relatively innocuous tumble during the dry afternoon session saw the Team Green rider severely damage knee ligaments on his right leg and had to sit out Sunday’s race. “I was more worried about my grid position at the time and it wasn’t a particularly fast lap or anything I just lost the front and the bike took my knee with it and turned it around. It’s a bit early to say exactly what the damage is, we’ll have to have a proper scan during the week but Simon (Andrews) has given me the number of the specialist in the Isle of Man with the hyperbaric chamber which he used, and I think James Ellison went to with his broken leg earlier this season. With Josh crashing out of the race (Josh Day, Danny’s main championship rival) we didn’t miss out too much and I hope we’ll be fit enough to be back on the bike at Silverstone.”
Team boss Nick Morgan was proud of the team performance, “Following on from the last meeting where we looked like we’d had a bad weekend but came away feeling really positive, we’ve definitely proved ourselves here and realized some of that potential. The team has really worked hard and you can feel the buzz about the place has carried over into results.
Fourth in race one, fourth fastest lap in race two for Simon shows we have the pace. He had an issue with the shock half way through the race, which meant his grip levels went right off but up to that point he was as strong as anyone.
Gary did a good job this weekend and battled through a tough qualifying to sort his step-up out on race day and show he’s getting his confidence back and can bang-out the times. Alright, you can look at the second race result for both riders and think it wasn’t what we wanted but some races just don’t work out for you, even if the lap times are there.
The same goes for the two Superstock boys and although they both had a tip-off there are plenty of positives. Howie had a bad qualifying but was working hard and making great progress through the field when he just pushed a little too hard and lost the front. It’s tough for Danny and I’m sorry he couldn’t put the pressure on Josh Day this weekend but we’re hopeful it won’t be as bad as it first seemed and he’ll be back for Silverstone. I’m really pleased with how the team has worked this weekend, it shows what we’re capable of and we’re bouncing and ready for Silverstone.”

Categories: Race/Qualifying/Practice Results Tags: , , , , ,

Maxwell gets the edge at Phillip Island

September 12th, 2010 No comments
Demolition Plus GAS Honda rider Wayne Maxwell emerged the victor of an enthralling, race-long battle with Jamie Stauffer in today’s second and final race at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, host of round six of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship. Coupled with second place yesterday, today’s result also secures round victory for Maxwell, who won the opener at the same track in February.
The 10-lap race looked certain to end in redemption for Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer, who recovered quickly after a slow start from pole position. The two-time Australian Superbike Champion passed Maxwell for the lead on lap four, and the lead changed twice more across the course of the same 4.45km lap. The see-sawing battle continued for much of the race, and Maxwell took full advantage of a small mistake from Stauffer on the final lap, diving into the lead and greeting the checkered flag in first. Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing rider Bryan Staring slipped past Stauffer for second in what has been another solid showing. Maxwell ended Staring’s win streak and is still well in contention for the championship with a round remaining.
“The lead changed every lap and I was just hanging it out there, taking anything that came to me,” said Maxwell. In the last few laps we were probably all lacking the grip to pull away. Jamie made a small error and I was able to get by him. It’s been a better weekend for us, and to take the round win is a good result considering the last few have been shockers.”
Staring congratulated his fellow competitors on a closely-fought race.
“I had a good view of Wayne and Jamie and knew I’d need to stay with them should any opportunity come up,” said Staring. The bike was working well and I put myself in a position to make a move on Jamie when he slowed and ran wide. It was a great battle and hopefully got the attention of a few four-wheel fans both at the track and on TV. We finished equal on points with Wayne which is good in terms of the championship. The team worked hard to get a front row start and despite the tyre wear the bike was one of the best out there.”
Staring and Maxwell collected 45 points each, with Valvoline Superbike Team rider Glenn Allerton coming home in third on the back of two consistent race finishes. Stauffer scored his fourth race podium of the season despite luck deserting him this weekend.
“It’s disappointing to not come away with a win today when we clearly had the pace to do so,” said Stauffer. The bike was fantastic this weekend, it just seems like the only thing we’re missing is luck. I’m really hoping we can come out of the blocks fast and take two wins at the final round as a reward for the team’s efforts this year.”
Racer’s Edge Suzuki’s Scott Charlton was one of the big movers today, leading the race early on before settling in to finish fourth for the race and the weekend. The result sees him leapfrog Team Suzuki rider Shawn Giles, albeit by half a point, and close the gap to Allerton to just 6 points.
Multiclad GAS Honda rider Kris McLaren’s return to the track went awry today as he collided with a competitor on the opening lap. McLaren and his bike were sent tumbling across the grass at turn 6, ending his race.
The second of the weekend’s Insure My Ride Australian Supersport races was just as entertaining. It was a race of three as Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss, Sunstate Racing’s Brodie Waters and Triumph’s Christian Casella swapped places lap after lap. The entry to turn one was the site of numerous overtaking moves, with each of the riders leading the race on multiple occasions. The eventual result could not have been scripted. Casella led Herfoss out of the final turn but appeared to lose his advantage as the championship leader pulled out of the draught at the finish line. 0.003 of a second was all that separated the pair as the race came to a close, with Casella securing his first win of the year. The round podium result mirrored the current points placings – Herfoss first, Casella second and Waters third.
With the penultimate round wrapped up, riders and teams will turn their attention to the final event on the 2010 calendar, Symmon’s Plains. Three class champions will be crowned at the November 12-14 event – Superbike, Supersport and Superstock 1000 A&B. The favorites were on form this weekend but there are still plenty of points up for grabs in Tasmania where the ASBK will once again feature in conjunction with the V8 Supercars.
Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship, Phillip Island Round 6 Results
1. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW), 45
2. Bryan STARING (QLD), 45
3. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW), 34
4. Scott CHARLTON (VIC), 33
5. Shawn GILES (VIC), 31
6. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 29
7. Shannon JOHNSON (VIC), 29
8. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 28
9. Craig McMARTIN (NSW), 25
10. Cru HALLIDAY (NSW)22
Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship Standings
1. Bryan STARING (QLD), 211
2. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW), 192.5
3. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW), 149
4. Scott CHARLTON (VIC), 143
5. Shawn GILES (VIC), 142.5
6. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 127
7. Shannon JOHNSON (VIC), 119
8. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 115
9. Joshua WATERS (VIC), 105.5
10. John ALLEN (QLD), 77.5
Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship, Phillip Island Round 6 Results
1. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 46
2. Christan CASELLA (VIC), 43
3. Brodie WATERS (VIC), 38
4. Ben BURKE (NSW), 32
5. Aaron GOBERT (NSW), 31
6. Michael JONES (QLD), 31
7. Dylan MAVIN (QLD), 30
8. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 24
9. Blake LEIGH-SMITH (QLD), 22
10. Des DARBY (QLD), 22
Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship Standings
1. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 224
2. Christan CASELLA (VIC), 193
3. Brodie WATERS (VIC), 179
4. Aaron GOBERT (NSW), 129
5. Chris QUINN (NSW), 128
6. Ben BURKE (NSW), 119
7. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 104
8. Blake LEIGH-SMITH (QLD), 85
9. Des DARBY (QLD), 85
10. Sam HEATH (QLD), 80

Categories: Race/Qualifying/Practice Results Tags: , , , , , , ,

Motourage Video of the Day: Xerox Ducati Ad

September 10th, 2010 No comments

Today’s Motourage video comes from our favorite combination of Ducati and Xerox. However, the timing of this ad’s launch is rather strange considering Ducati recently announced it will pull its factory support from the World Superbike Championship, thus eliminating Xerox’s sponsorship obligations.

Categories: Videos & Photos Tags: , , , ,

AMA Pro Racing and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Announce 2011 Event Date

September 10th, 2010 No comments


AMA Pro Racing and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca are pleased to announce that AMA Pro Road Racing will return with MotoGP to the historic 2.258-mile circuit on California’s Monterey peninsula as part of the 2011 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix.  The seventh running of the event will tentatively be held on July 22 – 24, 2011, with final confirmation coming with the release of the official FIM calendar later this month.
“We’re all excited about returning to the world stage and to one of our favorite venues,” said AMA Pro Chief Operating Officer and Managing Member, David Atlas. “Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a favorite amongst our riders and we know that they will put on a tremendous show for the fans.”
In 2010, the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike race was won by a rider who loves everything about Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and he has the record here to prove it. Ben Bostrom culminated a very special weekend by winning from the pole position. He also won at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Daytona SportBike in 2009 and in a World Superbike race in 1999. Fellow Yamaha rider Josh Hayes is leading the National Guard SuperBike championship with one race left in the season.
“The best riders in the world and the U.S. will once again be together to treat our fans to incredible on-track action,” said Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
The 2011 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix will host three classes of AMA Pro Road Racing: AMA Pro SuperSport, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL and AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike in addition to the MotoGP World Championship. The date for the event is tentative, subject to the release of the full FIM calendar in September.
All general admission tickets, paddock passes, grandstand seats, parking and general camping for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix will go sale November 2, 2010 by phone at (800) 327-7322 or on-line at www.mazdaraceway.com.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was established in 1957. The world-renowned raceway has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a not-for-profit 501C(4) corporation. Each race season, SCRAMP donates its net proceeds to the volunteer groups that help put on the races.
Further information on the 2011 AMA Pro Road Racing schedule will be announced as it is finalized.   Please visit www.amaproracing.com for series information.
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

Categories: Schedule Tags: , ,

Motourage Video of the Day: The Newlywed Game with Jordan & Amy Szoke

September 8th, 2010 2 comments
Jordan Szoke, the reigning seven-time Parts Canada Superbike champion and five-time Pro Sportbike Champion, visits The Auto 123 Show with his wife, Amy Szoke, Canadian AM Sportbike racer.
Jordan and Amy may be best known for their work on the track, but in this feature of the show they appear in the feature “The Newlywed Game” with Donna Mei-Ling Park.

Categories: Videos & Photos Tags: , , , ,

Wet weather warriors set to reign at Phillip Island

September 8th, 2010 No comments

Wild weather conditions could play a significant part in deciding the podium for this weekend’s sixth round of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship at Phillip Island, running alongside the 500km V8 Supercar endurance race.

Predicted barreling winds and steady showers throughout the course of practice, qualifying and the two 10-lap races will keep riders and teams on their toes, with setup likely to vary by the session.

Time will tell if the storming run of Superbike points leader Bryan Staring can be stopped; the Gold Coast-based Cougar Bourbon Honda rider has won four consecutive races and enjoys a handy advantage at the top of the table. The closest challenger, fellow Honda rider Wayne Maxwell, said a number of factors would come into play this weekend.

Wayne Maxwell:
“The races are shorter, for a start, which changes strategy. There’s certainly no chance of tires overheating, but whether or not there is an advantage in sprinting an entire race or holding back until the last few laps remains to be seen.
The conditions are something we all have to manage. We are expecting it to be pretty wet and windy for most of the weekend, so hopefully the setup won’t vary too much. I definitely need to win this weekend; there is no two ways about it. The buffer Bryan (Staring) has is enough for him to be comfortable, so I need to push my hardest.
Queensland didn’t go as well as it should have and I’ve made the job harder for myself, but Phillip Island is a track I do well at and I’ve already got a couple of wins in the bag from earlier in the year.”

Staring, who is closing in on a maiden Superbike title, said he was aiming to maintain the gap over Maxwell and a fast-finishing Glenn Allerton.

Bryan Staring:
“I’ve had a few weeks to train at home and we completed a good test at Phillip Island just over a week ago, all signs were positive and the new bike is feeling very strong. We’re well prepared so there’s no reason why we can’t come away from this weekend with another good haul of points.
Wind and a wet track certainly make things difficult but these are conditions we all have to deal with. A mistake-free run will be vital, there’s only 10 laps in each race so a good start will be important as will consistent, quick laps right to the checkered flag.”

2009 champion, Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters, is on the mend following his crash at US circuit Willow Springs but will not contest this weekend’s round. Instead, he will be concentrating on a return at Symmon’s Plains for the final round rather than risking another rider’s or his own safety. Waters predicted the final two rounds, including this weekend’s Phillip Island showdown, would be a battle between Staring and Maxwell.

Josh Waters:
“I feel like I am ready to race and would love to be on track this weekend but I’m following medical advice and will not rush my return, I don’t want to put anyone at risk out there. The championship is now out of reach, but I am really focused on getting back on track for the final round at Symmon’s Plains to round out the year on a high.
I don’t like to be a spectator but the battle between Wayne and Bryan is going to be intense and great to watch,” he continued. “Wayne is unbelievable at Phillip Island and, going on history, I think he will have the edge.
Symmon’s Plains is another track he is very good at. On the other hand it has been Bryan all the way since the middle of the year, if he continues to ride the way he has then I can’t see anyone being able to get the points on him over the last 4 races.”

Following an impressive second-place finish for the round at Queensland Raceway, Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer is another rider who will be in contention for a podium placing. Stauffer and Team Manager Paul Free have come to grips with the steep development curve of the Ducati 1198R which will come into its element on the sweeping Phillip Island circuit. He will be the lone Ducati pilot this weekend with teammate Jordy Burgess still sidelined after a qualifying crash last round.

BMW’s Craig Coxhell will be looking for another rocket start to Saturday and Sunday’s 10-lap races after an impressive performance at Ipswich. His CJC Racing S100R shot from the second row of the grid to lead the field into turn one in the second race of the day. Two maximum points hauls saw Coxhell close the gap even further in the Superstock 1000 A&B points race, and like the Ducati, the BMW should come into its own this weekend.

The Supersport field, bolstered by entries from the Superstock 600 class, will also contest two 10-lap races across the course of the event. Supersport action will resume with Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss leading the charge. Herfoss’ winning run was ended at Queensland Raceway when Yamaha’s Kevin Curtain slipped through and stole a pair of race wins. A solid effort by Triumph rider Christian Casella saw him step up as Herfoss’ closest opposition following a lackluster round for Brodie Waters.

Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship Points
1. Bryan STARING (QLD), 166 Points
2. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW), 147.5
3. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW), 115
4. Shawn GILES (VIC), 111.5
5. Scott CHARLTON (VIC), 110
6. Joshua WATERS (VIC), 105.5
7. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 98
8. Shannon JOHNSON (VIC), 90
9. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 87
10. John ALLEN (QLD), 68.5

Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship Points
1. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 178
2. Christan CASELLA (VIC), 150
3. Brodie WATERS (VIC), 141
4. Chris QUINN (NSW), 107
5. Aaron GOBERT (NSW), 98
6. Ben BURKE (NSW), 87
7. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 80
8. Kevin CURTAIN (VIC), 70
9. Mitchell CARR (NSW), 68
10. Blake LEIGH-SMITH (QLD), 63

Categories: Notes Tags: , , , ,

FTR Moto targets Misano success

September 2nd, 2010 No comments

FTR Moto is looking to add to its tally of podium finishes this year in this weekend’s 11th round of the Moto2 World Championship at the Misano circuit near Rimini on Italy’s Adriatic coast.

FTR is also hoping to add to the two race victories with its M210 and also to complement the 13 top six finishes so far in 2010 as a reduced line-up of three M210 riders embark on the San Marino round at Misano.

The Fimmco Speed Up Team’s Andrea Iannone and Gabor Talmacsi are joined by Cardion AB Motoracing Team M210 rider Karel Abraham but Spaniard Alex Debon, of the Aeroport de Castello-Ajo Team, will be missing after further injuring the shoulder he broke at Assen two months ago when Ukrainian Vladimir Ivanov took him out of last Sunday’s Indianapolis round.

Gabor Talmacsi

Talmacsi’s consistent point-scoring is matched only by series leader Toni Elias with Hungarian Talmacsi finishing in the top 10 in seven of the 10 races so far and having just one non finish, at Silverstone.

His team-mate Iannone – with six Grand Prix wins to his name – arrives from Indianapolis in confident mood after setting the fastest time in last Sunday’s American race, finishing fourth and knowing that only a qualifying crash robbed him of a potential third win of the year on the Fimmco Speed Up M210.

The concussion suffered in a crash at his home Czech Republic Grand Prix last month was sufficient to rule Karel Abraham out of the Indianapolis race last Sunday but the Cardion AB Motoracing Team rider is expected to return to action at Misano.

FTR’s Steve Bones continued: “I’m disappointed for Alex Debon as the crash last week and the one in Assen were not his fault. Hopefully he will be fit for the Aragon round in Spain in two weeks. The Speed Up guys have done a good job this year and last weekend put in a really impressive display.

“Andrea Iannone qualified on the front row for the 125cc race at Misano last year so we’d expect him to be on the pace and Gabor Talmacsi’s efforts so far this year deserve a podium finish which he will surely get very soon. We’re pleased Karel Abraham is feeling a lot better and hopefully able to go into Friday’s free practice at Misano in the kind of mood that brought him fourth place at Catalunya.”

Categories: Notes Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike New Jersey Motorsports Park Preview

September 2nd, 2010 No comments

Eleven Points Between Hayes and Hayden

After 15 rounds of racing, from Daytona Beach to the last race in Virginia, only 11 points separate AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike points leader Josh Hayes and his Team Graves Yamaha team from his challenger Tommy Hayden aboard his Rockstar Makita Suzuki.  At every turn, when one of these world class riders would look to have the upper hand, the other would just as quickly strike back and even things out.  That was the case at the most recent race in Virginia when in race one of the traditional doubleheader weekend, Tommy Hayden took a well judged victory.  But, the very next day Josh Hayes reasserted himself with a dominant win of his own to counter Hayden once again.  Heading into this weekend’s AMA Pro Racing SuperBike Weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park it will be must-see racing as these two continue the fight for the overall AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike title.

The 2.5 mile, 14 turn Thunderbolt course will be the scene for the continuing battle between these two racers and their very capable teams.  After Tommy Hayden took his career first AMA Pro SuperBike win at Auto Club Speedway back in March, he has added three more wins to his total.  And once Josh Hayes started putting wins up on the board, he and Tommy have virtually traded victories, keeping the other in check as they both compiled valuable points towards the championship. It began at Road America when Hayes won on Saturday and Hayden won on Sunday.  The pattern repeated itself again at the next race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and again at the latest race at VIR with Hayden winning first and then Hayes fighting back on Sunday.

Last year at NJMP, Josh Hayes took both race wins but in race one, it was Tommy Hayden who finished second so we can certainly expect these two to be right at the front  this coming weekend.  One factor that may come into play this year is a couple of other riders that have wins this year and may influence the outcome of the championship. Ben Bostrom won recently at Laguna Seca and featured prominently during the VIR races.  His Pat Clark Motorsports team with valuable support from Palms Casino and the Las Vegas Motor Speedway have continued to develop their Yamaha motorcycles into regular front runners, joining Hayes’ Yamaha in setting the pace. Hayden might have his Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate, Blake Young back to support his efforts this coming weekend. Blake has been sidelined since a testing accident back in June.  The plan is for Blake to test at NJMP and if he is declared fit enough to compete, he will rejoin the team and add one more element to the championship battle. Blake won his career first AMA SuperBike races earlier this year.

Jake Zemke and his National Guard Jordan Suzuki can also impact the proceedings at NJMP.  Jake won the opening races of the season and remains in third place overall in the points.  He will have to raise his game if he wants to stay in third with Ben Bostrom coming on so strongly.  Another rider who posted a win this year is the popular Larry Pegram and his Foremost Insurance Ducati.  Larry won at Auto Club Speedway and has posted four second place finishes as well.

But the real action will be at the front.  Years ago, Josh Hayes and Tommy Hayden battled for the AMA Pro SuperStock championship and history is repeating itself once again as these two champions go head to head for the AMA Pro SuperBike title.  The quality of the competition has never been better and the character and respect between the key participants is also outstanding which will most certainly provide some of the best racing seen in many a year in AMA Pro Road Racing.

The action starts on Friday, September 3rd with practice and first round qualifying. Saturday, September 4th will have final qualifying in SuperBike and then race one of two of the AMA Pro Racing SuperBike Championship Weekend doubleheader weekend.  Race two will be on Sunday, September 5th. Don’t miss the Pit Lane Fan Walk and Autograph session on both Saturday and Sunday, featuring all riders and teams. SPEED TV will be broadcasting the SuperBike race one on Saturday night, September 4th at 11:00 PM EDT and the second AMA Pro SuperBike race on Sunday, September 5th at 10:00 PM EDT.  Please visit www.njmp.com for further information.

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Canadian champ Szoke withdraws from AMA Superbike round 9

September 2nd, 2010 No comments

Photo courtesy of Brian J Nelson

Jordan Szoke, reigning and seven-time Parts Canadia Superbike champion and reigning and five-time Sportbike Champion, has been forced to withdraw from Round 9 of the AMA American Superbike Championship held this weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park.  Unsuccessful negations for extra sponsorship money have forced the Canadian Champion to cancel his trip to New Jersey Motorsports Park located near Millville, NJ.

“I am tremendously disappointed we aren’t going to be there,” says Szoke “We were so close to getting things right while we were in Mid Ohio and Virginia it’s a, shame we aren’t competing, although we really need some continued support financially to make that happen.  It was a choice of fixing my leaking roof or go to New Jersey Unfortunately, winters are long here in Canada, and the house took priority this time.”

Szoke has competed in the US Series at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course and Virginia International Raceway where he remained in the top 10 consistently.  “I still want to compete in the AMA series,” says Szoke “That is where my focus for my career always has, and always will be.  We will continue to remain focused to make that happen this season and in the following seasons to come.”

Jordan Szoke and his Waznie Racing Ciclo Werks BMC Honda Team is regrouping to compete in the last and final round of the AMA American Superbike Championship held at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham AL Sept 24-26.

Sponsorship support for this event contact waznie@rogers.com.

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