World Ducati Week 2022 Drew 80,000 Fans

David Swarts

-

July 25, 2022

The most beautiful World Ducati Week of all time comes to an end
80,000 attendees over the three days with participants from 84 countries and over 6 million impressions on social media for an event that involved fans from all over the world

The record-breaking parade of motorbikes coloured the Misano circuit and the entire Riviera Romagnola

Pecco Bagnaia triumphs in the Lenovo Race of Champions on the Panigale V4 S in special livery after having also set the fastest lap in 1m35.886s

Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO: “World Ducati Week celebrates the deepest soul of Ducati: we don’t sell motorcycles, but we design experiences and emotions for our fans”

Misano Adriatico/Borgo Panigale, Italy, 25 July 2022 – The eleventh edition of the World Ducati Week, which after a four-year absence returned to bring together Ducatisti and fans of the world of two wheels for three days of passion, fun and unforgettable experiences at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, has officially come to an end.

The passion for the brand and the desire to be present at the great Ducati gathering attracted many fans to Misano who, despite the difficulties in moving around and travelling that still characterize today’s scenario, as well as the pandemic and the extraordinarily hot temperatures of this period, crowded the paddock reaching 80,000 visitors over the three days.

The participants came from 84 countries, demonstrating the global dimension of Ducati and the appeal that the brand has on motorcyclists all over the world.

The main protagonists of the three days were the 235 Ducati Official Clubs present at the event, which animated the area of the International Village dedicated to them together with all the Ducati subsidiaries.

The success of World Ducati Week was also digital: in the three days of the event, over 6 million impressions were generated on Ducati’s social media channels.

“At World Ducati Week we can experience the celebration of Ducati’s deepest soul: we do not merely sell motorcycles but we design experiences and emotions with bikes at the centre for our fans – declared Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO – We all wanted to go back to being together with the Ducatisti and they arrived in massive numbers, as usual, from all over the world, even though we are still in the presence of travel restrictions and therefore we were not able to welcome anyone from China for example. Once again we were able to touch the great passion for Ducati and the desire to meet again, the happiness of the Ducatisti to be with us in Misano, the courtesy and kindness of everyone. The big parade on Friday, the crazy Lenovo Race of Champions, the Rustida on the pit straight, the greetings of the riders at the Misano stadium, the musical evenings, a fireworks show in time with the music that really impressed and excited me are just some of the moments that will remain in the memory of each person who came to this 2022 edition. I want to thank all the participants but also all the staff made up mainly of Ducati employees who, as usual, were present in great strength and worked hard to make this incredible experience possible. Thanks also to all of Ducati Corse and in particular to the riders, the heroes of the WDW, who, as usual, were available and close to all the fans, and who gave us a unique show in the world like the Lenovo Race of Champions.”

The most keenly awaited moment was certainly the Lenovo Race of Champions starring 21 Ducati riders competing in the MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport championships, who fought it out on standard Panigale V4 S and Panigale V2 bikes, equipped only with slick tyres and racing exhausts. A unique show that only Ducati can offer its fans, which saw Pecco Bagnaia triumph after also setting the fastest lap in 1m35.886s, only 2 and a half seconds more than the time from this year’s Superbike pole position at Misano. Federico Caricasulo instead took the victory in the Panigale V2 category.

Many fans followed the race from the Misano stands, giving rise to some extraordinary cheering. They were joined by tens of thousands of spectators who connected from home to the live streaming on the Ducati website. But not only that: as many as 9 international televisions and online streaming services broadcast the race live in their schedule, making the Lenovo Race of Champions a truly international event. In Italy, the race was broadcast on the Sky Sport MotoGP channel with the commentary of Guido Meda and Mauro Sanchini and the contribution of Sandro Donato Grosso from the starting grid.

The autographed motorcycles of the Lenovo Race of Champions, unique pieces in racing configuration, characterized by the riders’ liveries and the triple clamp bearing a lasered logo of the rider’s name, will be on sale online for a selection of Ducati’s best and most enthusiastic customers globally, who will be able to access a timed online sale, before the possibility of purchase is open to everyone. The e-commerce site dedicated to this special project was created in collaboration with Drop E-business & love, one of the leading operators in the supply of e-business services.

Enormous success also for FantaWDW, which allowed the fans to have fun creating their own team of riders on which to make a prediction of victory for the Lenovo Race of Champions. In all, there were more than 18,000 accesses to the web-app in the three days.

The parade of Ducatisti on Friday evening will remain as one of the most memorable moments of this eleventh edition of the WDW. The biggest parade ever saw a massive number of bikes that first filled the circuit and then paraded along the coast before arriving in Riccione, where the Scrambler Beach Party was held to the music of Benny Benassi. At the head of the ‘Big Red Snake’ was Claudio Domenicali with MotoGP and Superbike riders, the authorities and Ducati management.

On Saturday evening, however, the pit straight of the Misano circuit was transformed to welcome the Rustida typical BBQ, this year enriched by a special recipe created by Chef Riccardo Monco of the three-star Michelin restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri. Immediately after, on the large stage set up for the occasion in the Santamonica Municipal Stadium in Misano, all the riders who took part in the WDW greeted the fans, excitedly telling how they experienced the Lenovo Race of Champions and what it means for them to be true Ducatisti. The evening ended with a DJ set from Meduza and an incredible fireworks display to the sound of music that left everyone amazed.

Ducati is pleased to confirm that part of the contribution requested from participants for the use of the gear and helmet deposit inside the paddock will be donated to the Casa delle Donne of Bologna, a women’s association and an anti-violence centre committed to combating all forms of gender-based violence, promoting activities related to cultural change, awareness raising and prevention of the phenomenon of violence against women and children.

Here are the numbers of World Ducati Week 2022:

– 5,805 laps of the track covered in total by motorcycles and cars over the three days

– 51,000 photos taken by staff photographers and 60 hours of video footage

– 84 nations represented by the participants

– 235 Ducati Official Clubs present

– 30 the number of world titles of the past and current riders who took part in the WDW

– 15 Panigale V4 S and 6 Panigale V2 made in special livery

– 33 minutes the time it took the snake of Ducati motorcycles to exit the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” to form the motorcycle parade for Riccione

– 1,244 experiences lived by Ducatisti in three days on the track, off-road and on the road

– 600 simulator tests on the Panigale V4 R and Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary

– 4,320 leathers tested with virtual try-on

– 45 Ducati Talks spread out over 5 stages

– 102 “mechanics graduates” participants at Monta Smonta

– 1 wedding celebrated by Paolo Ciabatti and 1 wedding vows made at WDW2022

– 22 hours of music between DJ sets and live shows in the paddock and at evening events

– 548 Ducati workers actively participated in the event

– 9 international television and online streaming services broadcast the Lenovo Race of Champions live on their schedule

– 56 are the Ducati directors and managers from Borgo Panigale and Ducati subsidiaries around the world who served and cooked during the Rustida (typical BBQ)

The digital numbers of World Ducati Week 2022:

– 552,000 page views on the Ducati website page dedicated to WDW since the opening of ticket sales

– Over 6 million impressions on Ducati social media

– Over 18,000 accesses to the FantaWDW web-app in the three days of the event

– More than 150,000 viewers connected to the live-streaming of the Lenovo Race of Champions on Ducati’s YouTube channel and MotoGP Facebook page

WorldSBK: Hickman Subbing For BMW’s Van Der Mark At Autodrom Most

David Swarts

-

July 25, 2022

0

WorldSBK: Hickman Subbing For BMW’s Van Der Mark At Autodrom Most

Peter Hickman stands in for Michael van der Mark at Most WorldSBK event.

Isle of Man TT winner Peter Hickman starts for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team at Most.

Hickman’s second outing for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team after Donington Park in 2019.

Ilya Mikhalchik preparing for the FIM Endurance World Championship in Japan.

Munich. Multiple Isle of Man TT winner Peter Hickman (GBR) will stand in for the injured Michael van der Mark (NED) in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team at the coming race weekend in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), in the Czech city of Most (29th to 31st July). This will be Hickman’s second appearance for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, having previously raced at Donington Park (GBR) in 2019. However, it is a matter of days since his last outing in WorldSBK when Hickman appeared as a wildcard starter with the FHO Racing BMW Team at round five of the season, which took place at Donington Park last weekend. “Hicky” claimed a hat-trick of victories at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy with the team at the end of June, winning all three 1,000 cc races on the BMW M 1000 RR.

Hickman made his WorldSBK debut in 2012 as a reserve rider for Suzuki at Donington Park. He then stood in for Markus Reiterberger (GER), who was suffering with an illness at the time, in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team at the same venue in 2019. He also was racing with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in the Le Mans (FRA) and Estoril (POR) endurance races in 2020. On the road racing scene, Hickman has been one of the very top riders with BMW, with numerous victories to his name at the Isle of Man TT and other prestigious international road racing events. He is also ‘the world’s fastest road racer’ with a lap of 136.415 mph, which he set on the BMW S 1000 RR at the 2019 Ulster Grand Prix.

BMW Motorrad factory rider Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), who replaced van der Mark at the season-opener at Aragón (ESP) and the recent events at Misano (ITA) and Donington Park, is already preparing for the third race of this season’s FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) at Suzuka, Japan. This will take place just one week after the Czech WorldSBK round. Mikhalchik is a regular rider in the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, which claimed the first 24-hour victory for BMW Motorrad at the second race of the season, the 24 HEURES MOTOS Spa at Spa-Francorchamps (BEL).

Van der Mark is expected to return to action on the #60 BMW M 1000 RR after the summer break. Following the races at Most, the WorldSBK takes a break for several weeks before the season resumes from 9th to 11th September at Magny-Cours (FRA).

Canadian Superbike: Race Two Report From Atlantic Motorsport Park

David Swarts

-

July 24, 2022

0

Canadian Superbike: Race Two Report From Atlantic Motorsport Park

Young wins thrilling race two in changing conditions at AMP

Shubenacadie, NS – Ben Young moved one step closer to a second Canada Cup on Sunday, winning a dramatic race two in mixed weather conditions at the third round of the Canadian Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park, presented by Pro Cycle, Kawasaki, and Arai.

With temperatures soaring over 33 C (91 F) and feeling like a scorching 35 C (95 F) in parts of Nova Scotia, Young and Dumas renewed their championship battle after a wild race one that saw Dumas crashing out and blowing the title fight wide open.

Young initially grabbed the holeshot after a great launch from the front row, but that was quickly negated by a lap one red flag and subsequent restart. Dumas would get his redemption on that restart, storming off the line while Young instead got bottled up behind Trevor Daley.

The championship leader quickly moved past Daley but had work to do, with Dumas opening up a near two-second advantage early on. Young began to slowly chip away at the deficit just as the skies opened up, with light rain in only select parts of the track making for tricky conditions in the second half of the 22-lap feature.

Young was masterful in the treacherous conditions, cruising past Dumas and taking the lead. Then, it was Dumas’ turn to fight back, reclaiming the lead just moments later, with the two trading blows a couple of times in the late stages.

Sensing a slower pace than he liked, Young ultimately moved past Dumas for a final time on the penultimate lap, completing “the double” at AMP and extending a crucial 31-point advantage atop the standings entering the final round.

“Neither of us really had any idea what to do in the conditions, so I wanted to let Alex lead for a while because I knew I had a bit more to lose,” Young said. “I didn’t feel any pressure to push for the win, but the pace on this Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW was just so much better that I was able to pull away at the end.”

There will still be plenty of points on offer in the final tripleheader weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, but Young acknowledged the chance for a second CSBK crown is front of mind.

“We really want to put that #1 back on the bike, especially after we didn’t get to run it in 2020, so hopefully we can bring that home and showcase it here next year,” he said.

As for Dumas, it was a frustrating end to what was an already catastrophic trip out east, as he struggled with the mixed conditions aboard his Liqui Moly/Fast School Suzuki, especially in turns three and four entering “The Rollercoaster.”

“The rain messed me up, and I just didn’t want to push and make a mistake like yesterday,” Dumas said, despite his championship deficit. “The odds aren’t really there going to CTMP, but we’re going to see what we can do and try to win a second championship in a row.”

The two were joined on the podium by familiar foe Trevor Daley, who ran a stellar race in third and played a huge role in the process for the Suzuki tandem aboard his OneSpeed/Pro Cycle machine.

“We stuck to the plan here. If they diced it up at the end I thought we might be able to join the mix, but ultimately I just ran consistent times and brought home another podium and another good result for Suzuki in the Constructors Championship,” Daley said. “The championship might be a stretch at CTMP, but I’m looking for my first win and I hope I can get it there in three weeks.”

Daley’s result will help Suzuki erase any damage to BMW, who maintain a 27-point lead thanks to the efforts of Young and Sam Guerin in fifth.

Guerin was another rider who seemed to enjoy the mixed conditions, closing the gap considerably in the late stages to Sebastien Tremblay, though the EFC Group BMW rider ultimately ran out of time.

Tremblay’s finish will keep the Turcotte Performance Kawasaki rider fourth in the standings, while also helping Kawasaki cling to third in the Constructors.

Trevor Dion extended his lead in the Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike championship, dominating race two for the LDS Consultants Kawasaki team ahead of rival David MacKay.

The full rundown of the thrilling middleweight race can be found here:
https://www.csbk.ca/index.php/news/news/3564-dion-dominates-sport-bike-race-two-stretches-championship-lead-in-amp

Local star John Fraser extended his narrow lead atop the AIM Insurance Amateur Superbike class, winning race two to open up a 12-point advantage. The 16-year-old absolutely blitzed the field, leading by nearly three seconds after the opening lap and going on to win by 21 seconds total.

The damage was limited by championship rival Julien Lafortune, who bagged another second-place finish to keep hit title hopes alive entering the CTMP finale.

Fraser wasn’t done there, however, adding another win in the Amateur Sport Bike ranks as well for a clean sweep of the Amateur classes this weekend. The Yamaha rider had a much tougher time in this one though after a back-and-forth battle with Paul Etienne Courtois, who will escape with a seven-point lead over Fraser with two races left.

Avery Hart got some redemption in the Super Sonic Race School Lightweight class, winning race two after crashing out of the lead battle on Saturday. The local rider and former Lightweight star left nothing up to chance this time around with a 15-second victory, but the real winners of the day were the two podium finishers next to him.

Bryce DeBoer, the third-place finisher, will inherit a seven-point championship lead behind his fourth podium of the season, while runner-up Vincent Wilson moves to second overall and just a point clear of former title leader Evan Moriarity.

Jared Walker returned to his winning ways in the Lightweight Pro/Am, coming out on top of a wild three-way battle with local veterans Gary McKinnon and Richard Thompson.

The three Pro’s traded places numerous times and broke numerous lap records in the process, finishing top three on track as Walker extends his commanding 58-point lead in the Pro division.

Hart managed to get the better of DeBoer for a second time on the day in the Amateur ranks, finishing fourth on-track but securing a win in his category. DeBoer will extend his championship lead however, taking a nine-point advantage over third-place finisher Grant Nesbitt.

The wild 2022 Canadian Superbike Championship will now get a two-week breather before returning for its annual finale in CTMP, August 12-14, with three feature Pro Superbike races to decide the crown and a doubleheader for all other national classes.

The full results from AMP can be found on the series’ official website.

R.I.P. Legendary Club Racer Ed Key (Updated Again)

David Swarts

-

July 24, 2022

0

R.I.P. Legendary Club Racer Ed Key (Updated Again)

Updated: Ed Key was featured in the October 2010 Issue of Roadracing World. To read full article, click here: “Racer Profile: Ed Key”

To see racer Chris Onwiler’s tribute to Ed Key, scroll down.

Longtime racer Ed Key, of Marshall, Wisconsin, died due to “complications from gastrointestinal issues” Friday, July 22, at University of Wisconsin Hospital, in Madison, Wisconsin, according to his wife Barbara. He was 67.

Key may be best known for winning many, many Formula USA/ASRA and CCS races and Championships on his Suzuki SV650s, both a Superstock-legal bike and a Superbike-spec machine that weighed less than 300 pounds in race trim while making over 100 horsepower, while wearing his signature Kevlar riding suit. Key was most impressive in his role as a giant killer when he beat riders on bigger and more powerful motorcycles and doing so while approaching age 50.

Key was retired after a long career in the R&D Department at GE Healthcare.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years Barbara, son Kevin, mother Joyce, brother Conrad, and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life is being planned for September.

Racer Chris Onwiler’s personal tribute to Ed Key, as originally posted on Facebook and added here with his permission:

I’ve added my comments to many Ed Key tribute threads over the past few days. Truth is I owe the man more than enough to write one of my own.

I remember Ed seeking me out. He said, “Chris, you seem to crash way too often and always on the brakes.” I said, “These guys I race with can’t out-ride me but they always pass me on the brakes. Then they slow me down. I’m just a pussy. But when I try to get brave, I crash!”

Ed replied, “We all have the same 120 section front tire. You weigh twice what your competitors do. You HAVE to brake first. It’s simple physics.” I was crushed. I asked, “Should I quit?” He said, “No. I’ve followed you. Your corner speed is excellent. Find ways to use that to decrease or negate their braking advantage.” Notice, as others have also said, that Ed didn’t tell me HOW to do that. He merely pointed to the door and let me figure out how to unlock it. I had yet to win a race when Ed sought me out that day, but before that summer was out I had learned how to straight up frustrate my competition and the wins started to come.

I remember once during practice at Gateway, Ed passed me down the front straight. Well dang! Our entry speed was more or less identical and he was riding MY LINE! Well hell, why can’t I be as fast as Ed on the identical line? I let him tow me right to the apex. Suddenly, my bike was still turning but my bars went dead. That’s the moment I discovered that an SV is narrower than an FZR. I was on my back tire and my engine!

I showed up to an Autobahn one blazing hot CCS weekend. I had no bike to race but I brought my toolbox. Ed wrecked his (SV650) Superbike and destroyed his subframe, which was made from carbon fiber drinking straws. I labored all day to fix it. The answer was sawing apart screwdrivers, inserting them into the brittle broken tubes with JB weld as a bonding agent and hose clamping the hack together. Ed didn’t even check my work. He won the race…. And gave ME the trophy. He told me that he trusted pretty much no one ever to work on his bike but had seen what I could do with nothing, had noticed that I simply NEVER had a mechanical DNF, and so he trusted me. He also told me that he only ever gave away one other trophy in his career.

That’s the kind of relationship Ed and I had. He shared bits and pieces but always made me work for the knowledge. The guy always had time for me. Let’s face it, I’ve never been a top racer, but Ed never acted as if my goals, my budget, my physical size, or my God-given share of talent was insufficient. He respected me just as he would any other racer who brought my level of passion and my work ethic. Those were the things that mattered to Ed. He was a mentor and a friend to me. Me. The fat guy with the junkyard racebikes and the hot dogs in his cooler, coming in 10th of 20 in Amateur. That’s the kind of racer he was.

I’ve got a bit of sweat in my eyes right now. I’ve tried to treat every rider I’ve crossed paths with the way Ed treated me. I’ve coached thousands. They don’t know it, but each of them was a ripple in the pond that started with Ed mentoring me. Even Ed didn’t get it. He never really accepted that he’d been so important to so many other racers.

There will never be another Ed Key.

British Superbike: Race Three Results From Brands Hatch (Updated)

David Swarts

-

July 24, 2022

0

British Superbike: Race Three Results From Brands Hatch (Updated)

Editorial Note: Americans Julian Correa and Eli Banish finished 10th and 18th in British Talent Cup Race Two at Brands Hatch.

BSB R3
BSB Points after R3

More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:

The King is back: Defending champion Mackenzie doubles up after Brands Hatch dogfight

Tarran Mackenzie (1) leads a British Superbike race at Brands Hatch. Photo courtesy MSVR.

Reigning Bennetts British Superbike Champion Tarran Mackenzie got his title defence firmly back on track at Brands Hatch, celebrating his first win of 2022 before defeating his McAMS Yamaha teammate Jason O’Halloran in a last lap battle in race three to be crowned the Monster Energy King of Brands.

In the second race of the weekend, Mackenzie became the sixth different race winner of the season, as the champion gained momentum after yesterday’s podium as he returned to full fitness following his pre-season injuries.

Mackenzie led from the start but soon came under pressure from local contender Bradley Ray, but after trading blows, the McAMS Yamaha rider emerged ahead and pulled the pin to break the pack by 1.163s at the chequered flag.

O’Halloran fought his way into second place and was able to hold the position to the finish, fending off the challenges from Tommy Bridewell who returned to the podium for Oxford Products Racing Ducati.

Ray had to settle for fourth place, which meant he relinquished the lead in the standings to O’Halloran with Leon Haslam completing the top five for the VisionTrack Kawasaki.

The fight for the Monster Energy King of Brands title went down to the wire in race three as the McAMS Yamaha pairing went head-to-head all the way to the chequered flag to claim the most points of the weekend.

Mackenzie got off to a flying start but ultimately it would come down to the final corner of the flying lap that would decide the winner, with just 0.037s separating the defending champion Jason O’Halloran after a final dogfight to the finish.

It was another incredible race-long battle between the McAMS Yamaha teammates, but at the start, the rider carrying the number one plate had Ray and Glenn Irwin in close contention.

Glenn Irwin was on a charge and the Honda Racing UK rider dived into the lead with a brave move at Paddock Hill Bend as Mackenzie and Ray fought for the advantage.

Ray had moved into second by lap five, but as he went for the lead at Paddock Hill Bend two laps later he ran in hot. He was forced to take a wider line and that handed the position back to Irwin and gave O’Halloran the opportunity to move ahead as Mackenzie was shuffled back into fourth.

Ray moved back into second, but O’Halloran fought back as the pair traded blows for the position. However, Mackenzie was waiting in the wings and he soon eased Ray back into fourth. The McAMS Yamaha teammates then began their battle for second place as Irwin held the lead.

O’Halloran was holding off his teammate when he made a move on Irwin; firing ahead at on lap 13, but soon Mackenzie had also forced the Honda Racing UK rider back a place into third.

By lap 15, Mackenzie hit the front of the field, launching ahead and then he had to withstand the pressure from his teammate over the final four laps.

It inevitably came down to a last lap shootout between the pair and O’Halloran tried to make a pass into Clearways for the final time and edged ahead briefly. The extra speed put him slightly wide and then it was a drag to the finish with Mackenzie just having the edge at the flag from O’Halloran.

Irwin meanwhile recovered to third after a difficult start to the weekend to add to his podium tally, ahead of Ray and Bridewell who battled for fourth place over the closing stages of the race.

Mackenzie’s performance now means he moves into the all-important top eight in the standings, whilst O’Halloran has a ten-point advantage over Bradley Ray in the leading position.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 2 result:

Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha)
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +1.163s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.076s
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +5.490s
Leon Haslam (VisionTrack Kawasaki) +7.315s
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +7.321s
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +12.468s
Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +20.060s
Danny Kent (Buildbase Suzuki) +20.420s
Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +22.265s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 3 result:

Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha)
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.037s
Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +3.543s
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +3.818s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +5.009s
Leon Haslam (VisionTrack Kawasaki) +5.139s
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +7.531s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +11.754s
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +16.043s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +16.350s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 265
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 255
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 187
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 174
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 170
Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 156
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 137
Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 105

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Tarran Mackenzie

McAMS Yamaha

“The goal this weekend was to try and finish on the podium and be back running up front. We started Friday strong and it’s just had a bit of a snowball effect over the weekend – it’s just been getting better and better and better!

“That final race was just hectic, it felt like we were never going to get past Glenn! I knew it just took one person to pass him and then we could maybe all go, but we were all fighting to get behind him.

“When Jason passed him, so did I and at that point I think I didn’t even watch my pitboard I just focused on Jason. I got into the lead and wanted to make sure I was in front.

“On the last lap I did my best in sector one so he didn’t come by. I know he’s strong into Stirling’s so I went defensive and I braked so deep into the last corner! The forks went metal to metal like bounced back and poked me in the eyes and then he came flying by. I thought ‘there’s no way he’s stopping that’ and to be fair to him, if I hadn’t have just driven underneath him I think he probably would’ve got it.

“I was completely sideways, the limiter lights were on, I was shifting and then because the start finish straight is banked, if you’re at the top you can get a run down. I could feel him coming towards me and I could see a wheel.

“It was just a hectic, stressful last 10 laps with me and him. It was probably some of best, most clean racing I think out of all of us.

“It’s just a great feeling for everyone and to be Monster King of Brands as well two years running is really nice and I’m going home happy.”

British Superbike: Race Two Results From Brands Hatch

David Swarts

-

July 24, 2022

0

British Superbike: Race Two Results From Brands Hatch

BSB R2

Canadian Superbike: Race One Report From Atlantic Motorsport Park

David Swarts

-

July 23, 2022

0

Canadian Superbike: Race One Report From Atlantic Motorsport Park

Young takes race one victory and huge points haul as Dumas crashes out in AMP

Shubenacadie, NS – The Canadian Superbike Championship feature class was blown wide open on Saturday, as Ben Young scored his third victory of the season after rival Alex Dumas crashed out of the lead in round three action at Atlantic Motorsport Park, presented by Pro Cycle, Kawasaki, and Arai.

Young entered the day with a one-point championship lead over Dumas, but that advantage was put in jeopardy early on as Dumas grabbed the holeshot from the right side of the front row.

The two nearly collided in turn two, but it was the reigning champion who maintained his lead, with Young chasing him almost nose-to-tail for the next 10 laps in the 22-lap feature. The two then came together again in the exact same spot on lap eleven, with Dumas escaping unscathed and still out front – albeit not for long.

With all sorts of pressure from Young, the Liqui Moly/Fast School Suzuki rider got out of shape entering “The Rollercoaster” at turn five, crashing out of the lead and handing the top spot back to his championship rival. Dumas would try to get the bike running again, but it was not meant to be as he saw his title deficit balloon to 26 points.

As for Young, the Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW rider effectively cruised the rest of the way, going on to secure his eighth career national Superbike victory and take a commanding grasp of the championship as his main rival crashed out – an eerily similar result to his race one win at AMP in 2019 that helped him capture that year’s title.

“We each had our strong points on the track, and ironically for Alex one of his spots was turn five, but he got hard on the gas and went down,” Young said. “First of all I’m glad he’s okay, but this same thing could happen to us too, so you need to capatalize when you get an opportunity like this.”

Alex Dumas crashed out of the lead at the top of AMP's famed Rollercoaster leading onto the back stretch. Ben Young (86) squeezed by to take the lead and the win. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK/PMP. — Alex Dumas (1) crashed out of the lead at the top of AMP’s famed Rollercoaster leading onto the back stretch. Ben Young (86) squeezed by to take the lead and the win. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK/PMP.

The win also becomes crucial for BMW in the Constructors Championship, as the win – coupled with a third-place finish from Michael Leon – will see their title lead grow to 27 points, though Trevor Daley helped limit the damage for Suzuki in second.

The OneSpeed/Pro Cycle rider crashed in the morning practice session but made a brilliant recovery when the lights went out in race one, holding off sustained pressure from Leon before eventually settling into a comfortable run in third – which later became second when his Suzuki counterpart hit the asphalt.

“It was a bit of a salvage job for us after I gave the team a bit of extra work this morning, but the OneSpeed/Pro Cycle Suzuki worked great today,” Daley said. “It’s not an ideal way to finish second, but this is a result I wanted and I’m really happy with it.”

While Daley did his best for the reigning Constructors champions at Suzuki, the double-podium result will be a huge coup for both BMW and veteran Michael Leon himself, who earned his second career podium aboard his Royal Distributing machine – but his first in front of a crowd.

“It feels really good to be standing here, because my last podium was in 2020 when there was no fans and no celebration,” Leon said. “When I saw Alex go down, I just tried to cruise home and not make any mistakes, but those were the longest ten laps of my life.”

The rostrum will move Leon up to sixth in the championship order, though he will still have some work to do to close up to Sebastien Tremblay in fourth and Samuel Guerin in fifth, who enjoyed a thrilling battle themselves for fourth in the race.

Guerin wound up the beneficiary of that battle, putting a late pass on Tremblay aboard his EFC Group BMW to make three M1000RR’s in the top four, while the latter settled for fifth aboard his Turcotte Performance Kawasaki, leaving him with a four-point gap to Guerin in the championship heading into race two on Sunday.

Jake LeClair took a debut victory in the Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike Class race, winning after another mistake from a race leader as Trevor Dion crashed in turn two despite a comfortable advantage.

Dion looked poised to extend his championship lead, but instead could only recover to third as LeClair cruised the rest of the way to a maiden win, while David MacKay settled for second and slightly trimmed his championship deficit in the process.

The full Sport Bike recap can be found here:
https://www.csbk.ca/index.php/news/news/3556-leclair-takes-first-pro-national-victory-in-wild-sport-bike-race-one-at-amp

Local phenom John Fraser bolstered his AIM Insurance Amateur Superbike title bid in a big way on Saturday, scoring his first career national victory and taking over the championship lead in the process.

Fraser didn’t manage the best start aboard his Yamaha machine, but quickly made up for it as he wrestled the lead away by lap three, going unchallenged the rest of the contest to move himself clear of rival Julien Lafortune.

That was helped in large part by a crash from Lafortune, which will see a full 27-point swing in Fraser’s favour, while fellow local rider Tim Storer did him some favours by charging to a strong second place ahead of Mavrick Cyr, with the teenager scoring his first Amateur national podium.

Fraser added another victory on home soil in the Amateur Sport Bike class, overcoming a brief challenge from Alexandre Michel before cruising to a dominant win by nearly 20 seconds.

The rising star cuts his championship deficit to just 12 points in the process despite the best efforts of championship leader Paul Etienne Courtois to limit the damage in second, with Michel eventually fading back to third and the final podium spot.

Another local name found the top step of the podium in the Super Sonic Race School Lightweight class, as Vincent Wilson took his first career national victory to move to third in the championship battle.

Wilson won a dramatic contest after a thrilling battle with fellow local star Avery Hart, a duel that came to an unfortunate conclusion as Hart crashed out on the final lap. That in turn promoted Bryce DeBoer to second, who was the biggest winner of the day as he closes to within just eight points of championship leader Evan Moriarity.

East coast racing legend Gary McKinnon scored his first victory in the Lightweight Pro/Am, conquering the Pro division and the overall grid ahead of a thrilling battle for second behind him.

That battle was won by championship leader Jared Walker, but by just inches after a late charge from local expert Richard Thompson, who made a great recovery from pit lane after missing the start.

Hart salvaged his day with a win in the Amateur division of the Pro/Am, beating DeBoer and Grant Nesbitt in their split class results, as DeBoer now opens up a five-point advantage in those ranks.

The full results from Saturday’s action can be found on the series’ official website.

American Toth P2 In ESBK Stock600 Race At MotorLand Aragon

David Swarts

-

July 23, 2022

0

American Toth P2 In ESBK Stock600 Race At MotorLand Aragon

ESBK MOTORLAND: THE ROOKIE, BORJA GÓMEZ, ADDS HIS THIRD CONSECUTIVE VICTORY

Spanish Superbike Championship, 5th Round

JULY 23, 2022

The fifth round of the Spanish Superbike Championship is being held this weekend at the MotorLand Aragón Circuit . Due to the heat wave that has been plaguing the country for a full week now, high temperatures have been the protagonists since Thursday when the drivers took to the track for free practice.

This Saturday, as usual, the times have been played to determine the starting order of the races that have been held from 1:05 p.m. Around 170 riders are in Alcañiz for this event, which today has already been spectacular.

Borja Gómez wins again in Superbike

Ilya Mikhalchyk, Tito Rabat and Borja Gómez have been in charge of fighting for pole in the top category but, finally, the Murcian from Cardoso Racing has achieved The Fastest Rider Fulbat Plate leaving the BMW Easy Race and Team Honda Laglisse behind.

In the race, Tito led the first lap but Ilya overtook him to take the lead. Neither of them had the man on pole, Borja Gómez, who has passed them and has distanced himself from all of them to add his third consecutive victory. For now, a perfect weekend for Cardoso Racing at MotorLand.

Coming from behind after a time trial in which he was sixth, Óscar Gutiérrez got into third even though Mikhalchyk was right behind him. Things have not changed and Borja has won with authority, Tito has been second and Óscar third.

In Stock1000 Dani Sáez, Eduardo Montero and Ville Valtonen have been the protagonists.

Julián Giral gives Ducati the first victory in Supersport NG

Aleix Viu, showing off his fantastic form, has taken pole position in Supersport. Julián Giral and Juan Rodríguez started with him on the front row of the grid in today’s race. Viu and Giral have put on a magnificent show during the first few laps , riding very close together and overtaking on more than one occasion. In third and fourth position were Rodríguez and Yeray Ruiz who had started sixth.

With five laps to go, the rider from the Andotrans Team Torrentó had problems with his bike and had to retire, leaving Julián as the leader and taking his first victory of the season as the only rider to compete with Ducati in the category. Juan crossed the finish line second and Joan Díaz third after overtaking Ruiz.

In Stock600 they have formed the photography of winners Eric Fernández , Maxwell Toth and Jared Schuktz.

American Max Toth on the podium at MotorLand Aragon. Photo courtesy Bert Toth.

Juanan Conesa wins with authority in Junior SBK

The best in the SBK Júnior training session turned out to be Juan Antonio Conesa who, by just over half a second, beat Julio García. Antonio Torres has closed the top three. In the race Conesa has also shown himself to be the fastest and most regular rider and as the laps have passed, he has distanced himself from the rest. Pepe Osuna, Borja Jiménez, Unai Calatayud and Antonio Torres have been in charge of fighting for the rest of the positions of honor, going very close and offering a nice duel.

With Juanan riding alone and with the victory under his arm , Unai Calatayud finished second and Pepe Osuna third.

Unai Calatayud, Dairon Morillas and Facundo Mora have been on the podium on the Yamaha R3 and Juan Antonio Conesa, Pepe Osuna and Borja Jiménez have been on the Kawasaki Ninja Spirit Trophy .

Izan Rodríguez and Jesús Ríos win the exciting Moto4 and PreMoto3 battles

David González has been the absolute dominator of the PreMoto3 time after being the fastest and being in front throughout the session. Jesús Ríos and Eitan Gran accompanied him on the front row of the grid in this afternoon’s race. Nice battle between González and Ríos who rode very close together fighting for the victory during all the laps . In the seventh, the one from Cuna de Campeones has put land in the middle and has distanced himself from the one from MRT Talent but Ríos has hunted him down again to try to win. Behind, a group of five riders offered endless overtaking to accompany David and Jesús in the honor rolls. After many nerves and tension, in the last meters, Ríos has overcomeGonzález and he has been the best. David finished second and Gras third.

In Promo3 , Miguel Bernal, Jesús Torres and Alejandra Fernández have been on the podium and in Cuna de Campeones Torres, Fernández and Valentín Perrone.

Andrés García, with a difference of one second, was the best in the Moto4 time trial. Álvaro Lucas had to settle for being second and Izan Rodríguez third. In less than half a second there have been six drivers during the first laps of the race exchanging positions almost in each curve . There have been different leaders in almost all the passes through the finish line demonstrating that equality and competitiveness was 100% . The one who was first in a lap, the next was fourth. With the checkered flag waving and with the four in front rolling in parallel, Izan Rodríguez won , Iaroslav Karpushin was second and Álvaro Lucas third.

Eric Molina, the best of the Yamaha R7 after an epic fight

Óscar San Emeterio, Matías Pérez and Eric Molina have taken the top positions in the classification of the Yamaha R7 Cup in qualifying. In the race , Eric managed to go ahead during the first stages of it, but San Emeterio overtook him with the aim of winning. He did not make it as Matías and Eric overtook him with four laps to go . The three have offered a great fight but it has been Eric who has shown himself to be the strongest . He has seen the checkered flag before anyone else followed by Matías and Óscar.

Tomorrow, at 11:00 a.m., the races will start again at MotorLand Aragón, which can be followed live by streaming on the RFME YouTube channel .

British Superbike: Race One Results From Brands Hatch

David Swarts

-

July 23, 2022

0

British Superbike: Race One Results From Brands Hatch

Editorial Note: Americans Julian Correa and Eli Banish finished 11th and 16th, respectively, in British Talent Cup Race One Saturday at Brands Hatch.

BSB R1

More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:

O’Halloran strikes first with Mackenzie and Bridewell back on the podium

Jason O'Halloran (22) leading British Superbike Race One Saturday at Brands Hatch. Photo courtesy MSVR. — Jason O’Halloran (22) leading British Superbike Race One Saturday at Brands Hatch. Photo courtesy MSVR.

Jason O’Halloran claimed his fifth win of the 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season for the McAMS Yamaha team at Brands Hatch, emerging victorious ahead of an incredible three-way dogfight for the final two podium positions.

On the opening lap, O’Halloran led the pack from Tarran Mackenzie with Bradley Ray in third and the leading trio would ultimately battle for the podium positions, however Tommy Bridewell quickly carved through the pack and soon was dicing with the Yamahas.

At the front, O’Halloran held the edge ahead of Ray and Mackenzie, but on the seventh lap, the defending champion moved into second to pile the pressure on his McAMS Yamaha teammate.

Bridewell moved from seventh during the opening laps through into fourth and had closed down the leading Yamaha riders with the top four duelling for the opening victory of the weekend on the Grand Prix circuit.

On the ninth lap as the pack exited Surtees, O’Halloran had a moment, which left the chasing pack scattering and Mackenzie lost momentum as a consequence. Ray grasped the opportunity to take the lead, but O’Halloran soon regained his speed and was back at the front of the pack by the end of the lap.

O’Halloran then led Ray, Bridewell and Mackenzie, but Bridewell fought his way into second on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati with a determined move on the championship leader ahead of him into Paddock Hill Bend on lap 12.

O’Halloran had the advantage with a consistent run of fast laps, but behind the scrap for the final two podium places continued. On the penultimate lap, Bridewell was second ahead of Mackenzie and Ray.

Mackenzie ran wide onto the kerb on the exit of Graham Hill Bend and that unsettled the McAMS Yamaha, giving Ray the opportunity to get ahead. The Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider ran wide at Surtees though and that dropped him into fourth place.

On the final lap, Mackenzie moved into second with a move on Bridewell at Druids and he held off the counter attack to become the tenth different podium finisher of the season, claiming his first rostrum of 2022 in second place. Bridewell took his second top three finish of the year in third place.

Kyle Ryde was fifth on the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha with Josh Brookes taking sixth to move into the top eight in the standings for the MCE Ducati team. Rory Skinner, Leon Haslam, Lee Jackson and Christian Iddon completed the top ten.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, eBay Sprint Race result:

1. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha)

2. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.665s

3. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +1.056s

4. Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +1.353s

5. Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +4.411s

6. Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +5.502s

7. Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +6.140s

8. Leon Haslam (VisionTrack Kawasaki) +6.761s

9. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +6.969s

10. Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki) +10.355s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

1. Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 229

2. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 225

3. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 181

4. Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) 157

5. Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 152

6. Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 134

7. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 110

8. Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) 87

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Jason O’Halloran

McAMS Yamaha

eBay Sprint Race winner

“It was a good race! I got a really good start, got to the front and I just wanted to settle in and see what the lap time was like. I saw low 25s and no-one was showing me a wheel, so I didn’t push on beyond that point and risk a crash or ruin the tyre.

“We probably could’ve gone a bit faster than that, but the only wheel I got shown was when I made a mistake and nearly went down.

“We probably can make a few improvements for tomorrow, but I am really happy to get my third race win in a row on my 200th start and 20th win so nice little number there. I am really looking forward to the longer races tomorrow.

“There’s a long way to go in the championship and I’m just enjoying myself and I just want to win as many races as I can and have as much fun as I can. A massive thanks to everyone at McAMS Yamaha as they’ve given me a fantastic bike again.”

World Ducati Week: Bagnaia Wins Race Of Champions At Misano

David Swarts

-

July 23, 2022

0

World Ducati Week: Bagnaia Wins Race Of Champions At Misano

World Ducati Week: Bagnaia triumphs in the Lenovo Race of Champions ahead of Marini and Bezzecchi

Ducati riders competing in the MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport Championships put on a show this afternoon in the Lenovo Race of Champions, in front of the large crowd of Ducatisti present on the second day of WDW2022

Federico Caricasulo wins in the V2 category ahead of Nicholas Spinelli and Maximilian Kofler

Misano Adriatico, 23 July 2022 – Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was the absolute dominator of the Lenovo Race of Champions, the highly anticipated appointment of the World Ducati Week, which saw Ducati riders competing in the MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport Championships this afternoon go up against each other in a one-off extraordinary race at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”.

First already at the end of the free practice session, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Michele Pirro (Ducati Lenovo Team), Bagnaia then continued his domination in the only official timed session, taking pole position in 1:36.086 and again ahead of Bezzecchi, second only at 77 thousandths, closely followed by Pirro in third at 465 thousandths.

The Ducati Lenovo Team rider was also the undisputed star of the race. Taking the lead immediately at the start, Pecco remained in the lead throughout all the scheduled 8 laps, also setting the fastest lap in 1:35.886. The Mooney VR46 Racing Team riders Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi completed an all-MotoGP podium, finishing the race in second and third place respectively.

In addition to the 15 riders on Ducati Panigale V4 S, the Lenovo Race of Champions race also saw 5 Panigale V2 take part in the competition. The winner of the V2 category was the Italian rider Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing), ahead of Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team) who finished second, and of the Austrian rider Maximilian Kofler (CM Racing), third.

Claudio Domenicali (CEO of Ducati Motor Holding): “It was really exciting to see all the Ducati riders compete against each other in the Lenovo Race of Champions. It is a unique race of its kind, a dream that becomes a reality for me, as I believe for all the Ducatisti present today at Misano or who followed us live from home. Today almost all the riders use the Panigale V4 as a training bike and therefore have a good feeling with it and they help us with their indications to always improve it. Seeing Pecco Bagnaia lap Misano on the Panigale V4 S in 1:35.8s, just 2 and a half seconds more than the time from this year’s Superbike pole position at Misano, with totally standard bikes apart from slick tires and racing exhaust, is the best demonstration of the continuous evolution work done on this bike, and an even more exceptional result considering the extreme temperatures in which the race took place. Congratulations to Pecco, but also to Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi who finished the race on the podium, and then to all the others who pushed hard, doing a great race and giving us a lot of fun. Congratulations also to Federico Caricasulo who won the Panigale V2 category”.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) – 1st (V4 Category): “I really had a lot of fun this afternoon. Having been able to compete in front of all the crowd of Ducatisti was exciting and motivated me to push hard to be able to offer them a unique show. Of course, winning always gives you a lot of pleasure! It was great and I thank all the fans for their warmth and the passion they transmit to us!”

Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing #64) – 1st (V2 Category): “It was a really nice and fun race. Spinelli and I overtook each other many times, but in the end I managed to get the better of him in the sprint to the finish line. We lapped really fast, just over a second from the pace of a world championship race. These are really incredible lap times when we think that we competed with a production bike! Thanks to all the Ducatisti for coming to cheer us on today! “.

World Ducati Week 2022 Drew 80,000 Fans

July 25, 2022

A shot of the paddock at Misano during World Ducati Week 2022. Photo courtesy Ducati.