Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Ten Kate Dominates Front Row

By Glenn LeSanto

Four bikes on the provisional front row of the World Supersport race at Assen this weekend feature Ten Kate-tuned engines.

On the provisional pole is young Chris Vermeulen on the Van Zon Honda TKR CBR600FS, and his lap time of 2:06.077 raised a few eyebrows around the
Supersport paddock–it was almost two seconds quicker than Iain MacPherson’s fastest lap in free practice this morning.

“Chris Vermeulen’s lap times are incredible,” admitted Ten Kate rider and Championship points leader Fabien Foret on another Ten Kate Honda. “It’s almost as if he’s missing a corner out somewhere!”

“I feel very comfortable,” said Vermeulen, “It’s never easy to be on pole in a World Championship but I feel relaxed and I’m having fun out there so far!”

Vermeulen may face the uncomfortable prospect of having to back off to let Foret by on Sunday. Foret is leading the Championship by three points and Honda officials have asked other Honda-mounted riders to “support him” in the race.

Foret was almost eight-tenths of a second behind Vermeulen in second spot. With rain forecast for Saturday these Friday times may well turn out to be the final qualifying times. “If it rains on Saturday then we can use that to sort out a wet set up, then wet or dry on Sunday we’ll have a set up whatever the weather,” said Foret.

Third on the grid was MacPherson on the other Ten Kate Honda. “I feel I could have gone a bit faster,” said MacPherson. “But I got caught up in traffic.”

Although he’s riding with a broken thumb MacPherson doesn’t think it’s affecting his riding much, “It hurts most when I take my gloves on and off!” quipped the Scot.

Wild-card rider Jan Hanson took the fourth-fastest time on his Esha-Kobutex Honda ­ also with a Ten Kate engine fitted! Christian Cogan made fifth fastest to make it five CBR600f4i Honda’s in the top five! Stephane Chambon
came in sixth-fastest on the Alstare Suzuki.


Friday’s World Supersport qualifying times:
1. Chris Vermeulen, Honda CBR600, 2:06.077
2. Fabien Foret, Honda CBR600, 2:06.857
3. Iain MacPherson, Honda CBR600, 2:07.021
4. Jan Hanson, Honda CBR600, 2:07.668
5. Christophe Cogan, Honda CBR600, 2:07.858
6. Stéphane Chambon, Suzuki GSX-R600, 2:07.957
7. Jörg Teuchert, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:07.988
8. Karl Muggeridge, Honda CBR600, 2:08.004
9. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Suzuki GSX-R600, 2:08.030
10. Christian Kellner, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:08.113
11. Paolo Casoli, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:08.171
12. James Whitham, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:08.229
13. Sebastien Charpentier, Honda CBR600, 2:08.292
14. Alessio Corradi, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:08.304
15. Robert Ulm, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:08.401
16. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2:08.551
17. Werner Daemen, Honda CBR600, 2:08.565
18. Kevin Curtain, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:08.675
19. Barry Veneman, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:08.990
20. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Ducati 748R, 2:09.140
21. James Ellison, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2:09.288
22. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati 748R, 2:09.321
23. Gianluca Nannelli, Ducati 748R, 2:09.561
24. Antonio Carlacci, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:09.978
25. Christer Lindholm, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:10.389
26. John McGuinness, Honda CBR600, 2:10.575
27. Stefano Cruciani, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:10.685
28. Matthieu Lagrive, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:10.806
29. Robert Frost, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:10.847
30. Laurent Brian, Honda CBR600, 2:11.086
31. Harry Van Beek, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:11.305
32. Claudio Cipriani, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:11.420
33. Rico Penzkofer, Ducati 748R, 2:11.634
34. Giovanni Valtulini, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:16.884