Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Superbike World Championship points leader Colin Edwards will test his Castrol Honda RC51 at the Imola circuit, the site of the final World Superbike round, on Monday, September 16. None of Edwards’ competitors will be allowed to test at the 3.0-mile Italian track.

Because Imola is one of Castrol Honda’s two designated test tracks (the other is Misano), Edwards will be allowed to test at the facility no later than one week prior to the beginning of the World Superbike race weekend September 27, as provided by World Superbike rules.

Theoretically, the test should give Edwards an advantage over his Championship competition, Infostrada Ducati’s Troy Bayliss. Edwards leads Bayliss by a single Championship point, 502 to 501 points.

Ironically, the Imola circuit is less than 30 miles from Bologna, home of Ducati.

Last year at Imola, Superpole winner Ruben Xaus won race one over Troy Corser and Edwards. Bayliss crashed late in the race, breaking his right collarbone. In race two, Regis Laconi took the victory over Xaus and Tadayuki Okada. Edwards crashed out of race two.

In other testing news, the official World Superbike winter test will be held February 21-23, 2003 at Valencia in Spain. Another official test is being considered for the Sepang circuit in Malaysia in late January.



More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda:

EDWARDS BEGINS LAST ROUND BUILD UP WITH IMOLA TEST

Castrol Honda’s World Superbike championship leader Colin Edwards gets his final-round preparations under way with a test on Monday at the Imola circuit in Italy ­ venue for the final round.

Edwards will test the revamped SP-1 (RC51) machine at the 3.04-mile circuit on Monday September 16 in an effort to be fully prepared for the championship showdown.

“It’s great that we can get the test time at Imola, since we raced there last year there’s a lot changed on the machine ­ the chassis, motor, the oil, Michelin tyres and Showa suspension,” explains Edwards.

“In fact, it’s a completely different machine to what we raced at Imola 12 months ago,” he continues.

Championship rules allow teams to select two circuits from the championship calendar, the Castrol Honda team chose Misano and Imola.

Team manager Neil Tuxworth commented: “Misano is a good, demanding test track for us and we went for Imola just in case the championship was tight going into the final round.”

Edwards leads the championship by a single point from Troy Bayliss following a dramatic penultimate round at Assen in Holland last Sunday.

“I don’t think anyone can believe what’s happened in this year’s championship,” says Edwards. “I suppose it was looking like Troy would walk the championship after he won six in a row at the start of the season.

“It was never easy for me and the team in some of those early races. I’d get a lead in a race and just wait for Troy to come by, then have no reply. But since the second race at Laguna Seca in July we’ve moved up a gear and now we’re in a position I think we deserve.”

In climbing to the top of the table Edwards has embarked on a record-breaking run of seven successive wins, his achievements include:

* A record 23 successive podium finishes ­ the previous record of 12 was set by Carl Fogarty in 1995 and 1999. Edwards’ only non-podium finish of the year was a fourth place in the very first race of the year at Valencia, Spain.

* Moving into a clear second place in the all-time World Superbike wins list with a current tally of 29 victories.

* Equalling John Kocinski’s 1997 record of nine wins in a season for the Castrol Honda team.

* Giving Castrol Honda its 50th World Superbike race win with his first race victory at Oschersleben, Germany in round 11.

* Beating the previous record of 21 podium finishes in a year ­ set by Doug Polen in 1991.


Edwards added: “The statistics confirm how determined we’ve been this year to cling onto hopes of winning the title. I now want to keep the momentum going with two wins at Imola.”

The final round takes place at Imola on September 29, the second World Superbike championship round to be staged at the historic venue.