Teammates Wallrav and Pawelec Finish First And Second In Polish Superbike Season Opener

Teammates Wallrav and Pawelec Finish First And Second In Polish Superbike Season Opener

© 2006, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Polish Road Racing Motorcycle Championship Round One Final Report Poznan circuit Superbike and Superstock 1000 Total dominance! Team’s Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav Racing System riders finished one and two in Sunday’s Polish Superbike season opener in Poznan, 4083meter racetrack hosting round one of the eight race championship. Just as predicted, Saturday’s pole-setter 27-year-old Andrzej Pawelec was out of reach right from the word go, finishing the 16’lap race in 26 minutes, five seconds and 443 tents, almost 23 seconds ahead of the rest of 24 men field. Starting from the second place on the grid, Slawek Grausam took the lead coming in to the first corner but his superb launch off the line left the 29-year-old with a slipping clutch which made it impossible for the rider from Lodz to keep in touch with Pawelec after being passed already on turn two. In the end, Grausam crossed the finish line in second, 27 seconds ahead of Piotr Stachowiak who completed the all-Yamaha Superbike class podium. It was the first race held at the “Poznan” circuit after its recent repavement with Pawelec, a Nowy Tomysl resident, setting a new track record already on lap three with a fantastic 1:36.104. Unfortunately it wasn’t such a good day for the Wallrav boys in the Superstock 1000 category. Starting from the third place on the grid as the first Superstock 1000 rider in the combined race of the two 1000cc classes, last years vice champion Ireneusz Sikora lowsided his Yamaha YZF-R1 already on the second lap of the race after comfortably following the reigning champion, 23-year-old Bartek Wiczynski. The 35-year-old from Mikolow, who spend last season gaining experience in the MotoGP’s support class series – the BMW Power Cup, was left without any points but Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav’s RS second Superstock 1000 rider wasn’t even allowed on the grid after qualifying on 9’th place on Saturday. Jaroslaw Rejmann bravely battled with pain during the whole weekend after injuring his hand two weeks ago during testing and was unable to take part in the race after a post warm-up decision of the team. Fortunately the 38-year-old from Zielona Gora is likely to be fully fit before round two of the Polish Championship which takes place in Poznan between 10 and 11 of June. The Superstock 1000 race was won by Pawel Szkopek (Kawasaki), last year’s World Supersport permanent rider who finished nine seconds ahead of Wiczynski (Suzuki) and younger brother Marek Szkopek (Yamaha). Andrzej Pawelec, grid: 1, race: 1’st, 1’st overall “It was a good and a rather uneventful race for me after running away from the rest of the field and comfortably leading until the checkered flag. I would like to thank all the people involved in creating such a professional team for this season. Everbody in the Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS squad hope that we’ll be able to keep this pace going until the end of the season and take the Superbike championship that I could add to my four national Supersport crowns and one Superstock 1000 title.” Slawek Grausam, grid: 2, race: 2’nd, 2’nd overall “I’ve had a good start but Andrzej soon got by me and I simply couldn’t keep up with him after damaging my clutch on the grid. It was a shame but anyway he was very fast and I’m happy with my result. Lets wait for round two.” Ireneusz Sikora, grid 1’st (3’rd overall), race: DNF “After the start I took it easy and was following Bartek Wiczynski on the opening laps when all of a sudden I’ve ended up lowsiding in the gravel after absolutely no warning at all from the front of my Yamaha. It was very strange but I really want to put this disappointment behind me and concentrate on round two.” Jaroslaw Rejmann, grid: 9’th (13’th overall), race: DNS “Unfortunately I couldn’t start the race at all which is very disappointing but with my recent injury still being an issue it was not safe for me to go out on the track today. Hopefully I should be fully fit for the next race. I would like to thank all the fans who cheered our team during the whole weekend.” Superstock 600 Double podium for Kaczor Round one of the Superstock 600 Polish Road Racing Championship saw Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS team’s rider Piotr Kaczor qualifying on the front row and finishing both races of the double header in the second place. The 34-year-old from Poznan started both races from the second position and finished them in the same fashion following Yamaha’s reigning champion Marcin Kaldowski to the flag (the Superstock 600 class was introduced this year replacing the Supersport category). Piotr Dobrowolski on a Kawasaki and Maciej Kubacki on a Triumph provided a breathtaking duels for the final spot on the podium in both races eventually sharing the two third place trophies. With Dobrowolski getting the upper hand on Saturday before Kubacki’s revenge the following day. Both are now 11 points behind Kaczor in the overall standings of the Superstock 600 class after two races. Piotr Kaczor, grid: 2’nd, race 1: 2’nd, race 2: 2’nd, 2’nd overall “My Yamaha YZF-R6 still isn’t fully prepared as it’s a new model on the market and not everything is ready for it but we plan to get the bike fully tuned and set-up before the second round of the season. I couldn’t keep up with Marcin this weekend but once we get the bike sorted I belive we’ll give a good show. Anyway this weekend I was in a comfortable second in both races and after almost outbraking myself a few times trying to chase Marcin down I’ve decided to take the bike home in once piece and earn some very important championship points. Good weekend overall.” Yamaha YZF-R1 Cup Mixed fortunes for Walilko Rafa Walilko, Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS sixth rider had mixed fortunes in two of this weekends “Yamaha YZF-R Cup” inaugural races, finishing fourth on Saturday and seventh on Sunday after a post jump start drive-thru penalty. Happy with his performance in the opening race, the 32-year-old from Zielona Gora, who qualified in third on the grid, was eager on get on the podium on Sunday but the jump start penalty made it impossible. Walilko now fourth in the general standings with 22 points, the Chairman of the team’s main sponsor Wallrav, a sole producer of motorcycle accessories including rear sets, crashpads, stands etc., anyway declared himself happy with the performance of the whole squad during the weekend. Both Yamaha YZF-R1 Cup races were won by Robert Kowalski, now a series leader, twice finishing 12 seconds ahead of Przemyslaw Janik with Michal Klejnot and Szymon Dziwer lining up the top three in the first and second race respectively. Rafal Walilko, grid: 3’rd, race 1: 4’th, race 2: 7’th, 4’th overall “Of course I’m not happy at all with the final result of the second race, especially after my Saturday’s top four finish but that’s racing. I’ve made a jump start and had to take penalty. Another rider who made the same mistake decided not to do a drive-thru and was disqualified after finishing in fourth and after having a good dice for the podium with him on Saturday I know I could have been right with him in the second race as well looking for a top three finishing. I’ve learned my lesson and looking forward to do so in the next round. As a chairman of Wallrav I’m really happy with our performance on the race track this past weekend. I really hope that our products will grow together with the Yamaha Pawelec team which will make both our fans and customers, satisfied.” Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav Racing Systems Team”¦ “¦is new to the Polish Motorcycle Championship but its line-up consists of the most talented and succesful names in the history of polish road racing. Andrzej Pawelec, being just 27-year-old has already five consecutive national titles to his credit with four Supersport and one Superstock 1000 crown to his name and World Superbike/IDM Superbike/World Endurance experience under his belt. The Yamaha rider for his whole career this year is also responsible for the highly entertaining “Yamaha YZF-R1 Cup” a Championship support class where another member of the team Rafal Walilko, races. Pawelec is also well known for posting the record pace laps on Poland’s sole circuit in Poznan riding a 600cc Yamaha R6 was faster than any of the Superbike rider and usually finishing the races with a 20 seconds+ advantage. Slawek Grausam has always been one of the most impressive Superbike rider in Poland, taking multiple top 3 finishes in the class final standings on an underpowered and privately run hand-me-down bikes. This year the 29-year-old races with a professional team on a full spec. Superbike Yamaha YZF-R1 machinery, on a Dunlop tyres, and is looking forward to pressure his team-mate in a battle for the Superbike national crown that’s almost certain to be won by one of the Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS Team’s riders. Ireneusz Sikora is another established rider in Poland with international World Endurance experience. Just as Grausam, Sikora, now 35-years-old, was usually a top rider in his class the Superstock 1000, riding an underpowered bikes. This year, after taking second place in the title hunt last year, he looks forward to secure the national title and helping his teammate Jaroslaw Rejmann in his rookie season the Superstock 1000 category. Piotr Kaczor being 34-years-old has already ten years of national racing experience, most with Yamaha and multiple victories in the 600cc classes to his credit. The rider from Poznan is looking forward to winning even more of them in his bid to take the Superstock 600 title away from last year’s champion Marcin Kaldowski. Team’s main sponsor, Wallrav is a sole polish company that produces motorcycle racing and road accessories including rear sets, crashpads, bike stands etc. For more informations check out the company’s website at www.wallrav.com. Yamaha Pawelec other sponsors include: PPG, Dunlop, AC-Schnitzer, Castrol, Dabex and Intermotors. 2006 Calendar National level of racing in Poland consists of six round, eight race championship for each of the three classes taking place across three race tracks. Amongst those circuit there’s only one situated inside Poland, this being the “Poznan circuit”. The home of fours rounds is situated just outside Poznan, one of Poland’s most picture-square cities, just a couple of hours away from Berlin. 4083’meter long circuit consists of seven right and five left hand corners with no elevation changes but all sort of corner types from the ultrafast right-hander at the end of the start/finish straight to the superbly tight and slow turn two one of the best passing place on the track. With the recent repavement of the track, the Poznan circuit looks set to become the most favorite destination of the racers from the middle Europe. Two remaining rounds take place in the Czech Republic on a world class, MotoGP standard race track in Brno and Most. Round 1 13-14.05 Poznan Round 2 10-11.06 Poznan Round 3 15-16.07 Brno (Czech Republic) Round 4 29-30.07 Most (Czech Republic) Round 5 5-6.08 Poznan Round 6 2-3.09 Poznan Polish Motorcycle Road Racing Championship – Round One Races Results: Superbike 1. Andrzej Pawelec Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS, Yamaha YZF-R1 26:05.433 2. Slawek Grausam Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS, Yamaha YZF-R +22.658 3. Piotr Stachowiak, Yamaha +49.541 4. Piotr Kaminski, Suzuki +1:18.845 5. Adam Kropiwnicki, Suzuki +1.21.238 6. Mariusz Grandys, Suzuki +1:38.157 7. Igor Nowacki, Yamaha +1 lap 8. Uve Kantimm, Suzuki +1 lap 9. Hubert Tomaszewski, Suzuki +1 lap 10. Marek Szwarc, Kawasaki +1 lap 11. Maciej Serafin, Yamaha + lap Superstock 1000 1. Pawel Szkopek, Kawasaki 26:27.061 2. Bartek Wiczynski, Suzuki +9.097 3. Marek Szkopek, Yamaha +9.186 4. Janusz Oskaldowicz, Yamaha +23.206 5. Alek Dubelski, Kawasaki +27.556 6. Adam Badziak, Suzuki +47.723 7. Filip Andrzejewski, Yamaha +57.240 Superstock 600 Race one (Saturday) 1. Marcin Kaldowski, Yamaha, 25.21.024 2. Piotr Kaczor, Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS, Yamaha YZF-R6, +10.513 3. Piotr Dobrowolski, Kawasaki +19.483 4. Maciej Kubacki, Triumph +19.615 5. Monika Jaworska, Suzuki +56.940 6. Jakub Glaser (Cz), Yamaha +1:00.000 7. Dariusz Malkiewicz, Yamaha +1:09.747 8. Krzysztof Troszczy ski, Yamaha +1 lap 9. Wojciech Swierczynski, Yamaha +1 lap 10. Tomasz Pukmiel, Kawasaki +1 lap 11. Krzysztof Howil, Honda +1 lap 12. Miroslaw Beznoska (Cz), Suzuki +1 lap Race 2 (Sunday) 1. Marcin Kaldowski, Yamaha 25:15.984 2. Piotr Kaczor, Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS, Yamaha YZF-R6 3. Maciej Kubacki, Triumph +13.858 4. Piotr Dobrowolski, Kawasaki +14.175 5. Monika Jaworska, Suzuki +49.601 6. Jakub Glaser (Cz), Yamaha +50.550 7. Michal Pernach, Suzuki +51.782 8. Dariusz Malkiewicz, Yamaha +1:25.977 9. Tomasz Pukmiel, Kawasaki +1 lap 10. Krzysztof Howil, Honda +1 lap 11. Miroslaw Beznoska (Cz), Suzuki +1 lap Yamaha YZF-R1 Cup Race 1 (Saturday) 1. Robert Kowalski 8:51.640 2. Przemyslaw Janik +12.332 3. Michal Klejnot +18.465 4. Rafa Walilko, Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS +21.302 5. Szymon Dziawer +21.325 6. Pawel Stachurski +31.275 7. Pawel Kusyk +33.003 8. Henryk Kwasniewski +44.293 9. Marek Drgas +1 lap 10. Michal Piatek, +1 lap 10. Artur Ptaszkiewicz +1 lap Race 2 (Sunday) 1. Robert Kowalski 12:22.156 2. Przemyslaw Janik +12.804 3. Szymon Dziawer +14.146 4. Pawel Kusyk +18.774 5. Pawel Stachurski +21.707 6. Henryk Kwasniewski +25.929 7. Rafa Walilko, Yamaha Pawelec Wallrav RS +33.031 8. Marek Drgas +1:28.164 9. Artur Ptaszkiewicz +1 lap 10. Micha Piatek +1 lap

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