ASHMEAD APPROACHING SHAW’S DAYTONA MILEAGE RECORD In 2003, Rick Shaw broke Warren Sherwood’s long-standing Daytona 200 career mileage record. Shaw still held that record when he announced his retirement at the end of the 2006 season, but fellow Floridian John Ashmead, the 1989 Daytona 200 winner, is closing in with miles logged and could potentially surpass him as early as 2009. Don Emde, who won the Daytona 200 in 1972 and author of “The Daytona 200. The History of America’s Premier Motorcycle Race,” discovered the slim distance advantage that Shaw now holds over Ashmead while updating his exclusive Daytona 200 database in preparation of the publication of the 3rd edition of his book, due out in 2008. Shaw’s Daytona 200 career mileage record is safe for 2008, but following this year’s race, Ashmead is now only 284 miles behind, setting up the possibility of breaking the record in 2009. Ashmead has raced in 23 Daytona 200s, just one behind record holder Shaw, who raced in 24. If Ashmead continues to participate in the 200 for the next two years, he would become the first rider to compete in 25 Daytona 200s. Among other findings of changes to the top 25 with mileage leaders since the last publication of his book, Emde found that in 2007 Ricky Orlando became only the fourth rider to have completed more than 3,000 miles in Daytona 200 races. He moved from 7th to 4th overall and is just 23 miles behind 3rd place Sherwood. Five-time winner Miguel Duhamel jumped all the way from 23rd to 7th and is only 11 miles behind Dick Mann and could jump all the way to 5th with a complete finish in 2008; Larry Pegram moved from 22nd to 13th and could move into the top 10 in 2008. Lastly, Pascal Picotte moved into the top 25 for the first time. He is ranked now in 19th and is within 200 miles of the next six riders ahead of him, so a complete finish in 2008 would move him significantly up in the rankings. Following the 2007 Daytona 200, the top 10 in Daytona 200 career mileage were: 1. Rick Shaw 3,728 2. John Ashmead 3,444 3. Warren Sherwood 3,187 4. Ricky Orlando 3,146 5. Earl Widman 2,640 6. Dick Mann 2,457 7. Miguel Duhamel 2,446 8. Eric Moe 2,399 9. Roger Reiman 2,326 10. Kurt Liebmann 2,325 For more information about “The Daytona 200. The History of America’s Premier Motorcycle Race” go online to: www.partsmag.com or call 800-984-7691. For info about the Daytona 200, log onto: www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

GO BIG RACING’S MILLSON AND GLENN SECOND IN ST CLASS AT HOMESTEAD Homestead, Florida – The Canadian duo of Ross Millson and Paul Glenn pulled off an impressive second place finish at the SunTrust MOTO-ST, Homestead 500K, at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team used Friday’s practice session to familiarize themselves with the Homestead-Miami Speedway layout, make suspension adjustments and work on the handling of the bike. “Paul and I got up to speed quickly “¦the track was actually really fun to ride!” said Millson. “Early in the session I put in the fastest lap, but in the end the Pair-A-Nines bike went a little faster, “¦we were on old tires so we weren’t overly concerned” he added. Saturday morning’s practise went extremely well for the team, posting a 1:36.260 early in the session. At the halfway point, Millson, on the No. 79 Go Big Racing Suzuki SV650 was fastest in the ST class and 16th overall with a 1:36.242. The SunTrust MOTO-ST, Homestead 500K, began with Millson getting off to a great start and managed to lead the ST class for the first few laps. Pair-A-Nines rider, Jay Springsteen and Go Big Racing’s Ross Millson had some trouble working through the slower GST bikes. Springsteen eventually got past the No. 79 Suzuki SV650 on the inside, while Millson tried to go around the outside of some slower bikes and ultimately ran out of track. “It was just a small off – not a big deal. I didn’t want to risk a fall so I hit the grass.” said Millson. Although losing some valuable ground, Millson managed to keep the gap constant and finished the first stint with no further drama. “Ross ran really hard in the first stint and put us in a good spot.” acknowledged Glenn “Our first pit stop was flawless!” Glenn took to the track focused on trying to put in some consistent laps to make up some time and eventually was able to increase the gap back to third while hunting down the Pair-A-Nines Racing riders, Springsteen and Filice. Millson re-mounted and was able to close the gap pretty quickly, gaining up to two seconds per lap. The No. 9 Pair-A-Nines bike pitted, presenting an opportunity for the No. 79 Suzuki SV650 to get back on the same lap as Springsteen and Filice. With the heat and humidity starting to take its toll, Millson rode the final stint as hard as he could, but eventually ran out of time. At the three hour mark, the checkered flag dropped finding the Go Big Racing Suzuki SV650 crossing the finish line in second place in the ST class and 14th overall. Millson and Glenn would like to thank the crew for working extremely hard on strategy during the race and for successfully delivering two incredible pit stops. Background Information Go BIG Racing Go BIG Racing is an all-Canadian motorcycle road racing team comprised of Ross Millson from Hamilton, Ontario and Paul Glenn from Keene, Ontario. Millson and Glenn will enter the 2007 Parts Canada Superbike Championship as rookies. Millson, as a Pro on a Suzuki GSX-R600 in the Hindle Pro 600 Sport Bike class and GSX-1000 in the Superbike Pro class. Glenn will compete in the International Motorcycle Supershow sponsored Amateur 600 Sport Bike class aboard a Suzuki GSX-R600. In 2007, they will also be competing in the regional R.A.C.E. Super Series and the US-based Moto-St Endurance series. For additional information please visit: www.gobigracing.ca SunTrust MOTO-ST MOTO-ST is for production based four-stroke twin cylinder motorcycles, ridden by teams of rider’s in longer distance events. Rules enforcement will involve straight-forward parameters including machine weight and engine output, as monitored by the official series Dynojet Dynamometer. The series is organized and sanctioned by Professional Motorsports Productions (PMP) of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the Grand American Road Racing Association, based in Daytona Beach, Fla., provides the series with administrative and commercial support. The MOTO-ST advisory board features some of the most respected individuals in the world of motorsports, including Hall of Fame members, respected motorcycle racing journalists and renowned officials from various forms of road racing. Learn more about MOTO-ST at www.moto-st.com More, from a press release issued by Centurion Racing: Inspiring Weekend for Centurion British Supersport Thruxton Circuit www.centurionracing.net The Centurion Race Team continued their successful season in the British Supersport Championship this weekend at Thruxton Circuit. James ‘Westy’ Westmoreland took a stunning fourth place in the overall Championship and another victory, following on from the one he gained last weekend at Brands Hatch in the Supersport Cup race. His team mate Dan Cooper also took an incredibly strong result in eighth place in only his second race on the 600 Honda. The two racers had looked fierce throughout the weekend and despite it being their rookie year in the Supersport class after the move up from the 125 series. The two youngsters are settling in well to the rhythm of things and are already proving a powerful team to be reckoned with for the 2007 season. Westy qualified in a comfortable eighth place on the grid with Cooper in 16th place. The two converted these good qualifying positions into a set of fantastic results for the Centurion Team. Westy got off the line well and held his place in eighth after the first lap with Cooper moving through the field up to 13th. Young 18-year-old Westy was battling with extremely talented and well established riders such as TT Star Ian Hutchinson and ex Superbike rider Billy McConnell for sixth position. Meanwhile team-mate Cooper was battling with former Supersport Champion Stuart Easton for 12th. A delighted Westy said “I am really happy with the days performance and the weekend as a whole. The bike worked really well and I must thank the entire Centurion team for a fantastic job. It was a hard race but to come away with fourth, just off the podium at the second round is awesome. We are only going to get stronger, roll on Silverstone!” His 19-year-old team mate Cooper from Stroud commented “Thruxton is certainly not one of my favourite circuits despite it being my local track. I wasn’t happy after first practice when I was lying down in 26th place and I knew then that I had my work cut out. As the weekend progressed my times got better in each session until I finally qualified in 16th place, which I was reasonably happy with. I managed to get a great start in the race and just tried to work my way up the field, I was good to follow Easton for a few laps as I know how experienced he is on a 600. Once again I’d like to thank the whole Centurion Team for all their help and support over the weekend.” Gary Stubbington, Centurion Team Manager was over the moon with the performance of their two riders saying “To have got such positive results at only the second round of the Championship is a dream start for us and proves that hopefully as the riders develop they will have more to come. They have both done extremely well and Westy has already equalled our best result from 2006 and long may it continue. To have two top ten places is just a great achievement.” The next British Supersport race is at Silverstone Circuit on 27th 29th April. British Supersport Result M Laverty Suzuki J Robinson Honda B McConnell Yamaha J Westmoreland Centurion Honda S Easton Kawasaki I Hutchinson Honda M Jessopp Ducati D Cooper Centurion Honda J Kennedy Honda A Lowes Honda More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: STEVE PLATER SCORES MORE POINTS AT THRUXTON Lincolnshire Superbike star Steve Plater added to his points tally at Thruxton over the weekend when he rode the Team AIM Yamaha R1 to a brace of 13th places on Sunday. Qualifying was a testing time for the 34-year-old rider from Woodhall Spa as the R1 Yamaha is still being developed but none the less Steve managed to post a time quick enough to claim a sixth row start to the set of two races from 21st position. As race one got underway in the searing heat at Thruxton Steve made a fantastic start moving up from 21st to 14th within six laps. He continued to make progress eventually crossing the finish line in 13th position at the end of the 22-lap race. Race two went much the same way with Steve making another lightening start and picking up places to 14th in the space of four laps. Steve was reeling in the riders ahead and was looking good for a top ten finish but the pace car halted his progress when it was brought out onto the track for a crash further down the field. Steve was caught out at the re-start and was unable to maintain his earlier momentum. With few laps remaining there was little Steve could do to catch the riders ahead and he had to be content with a second finish of 13th to collect a further three championship points. “I got a mega start each time,” said Steve. “And made up loads of places in the first couple of laps but was struggling for grip in both races. I was doing ok in race two and made the most of the time when the pace car was on the track to make up the ground to the riders ahead. But what I didn’t realise is that they had changed the rules regarding the restart and even though I saw a board saying zero I didn’t realise that meant that the pace car was going in at the end of that lap so really I missed the restart and lost three or four seconds on the riders in front of me. “Although I made up the time by the end of the race I didn’t have the opportunity to pass anyone. But for that I would have been looking at a top ten finish; that’s how it goes sometimes. I have had a good weekend and the bike is getting better, although we still haven’t found a good base set-up, but we are getting there and we can continue the development work at Silverstone in two weeks time.” As soon as racing was over at Thruxton Steve headed off to catch the ferry to France where he will compete in the Le Mans 24-hour race next Saturday for Team Kawasaki France. His team mates are fellow Superbike rider Scott Smart and Frenchman Gwen Giabbani with the riders taking turns to ride for two hours continuing throughout the night to finish on Sunday afternoon. Testing is on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with the race set to commence at 3pm on Saturday ending 24 hours later on Sunday at 3pm. More, from a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki: Solid Finishes for Hawk Thruxton 13th 15th April The Hawk Racing Team had some solid finishes at the second round of the British Superbike Championships this weekend at Thruxton race circuit. In front of a huge 35’000 people in the baking sunshine the two Superbike riders Peter Hickman and Scott Smart gained two strong finishes in the two 22-lap races. The team were eager to gain two confident results at the ultra fast 2.4-mile circuit. Scott Smart, who was still feeling the effects of the 167 mph crash he had at Brands Hatch last weekend rode two comfortable races and secured a 14th and 11th placing respectively. Still battered and bruised the Maidstone ride, still adjusting to the Kawasaki ZX10 was pleased with two point scoring races saying “It’s been a pretty good weekend and we have definitely made some progress in the right direction. I am still learning the bike and working and building on some minor issues that we have found. I haven’t had much testing time on the Hawk bike and I know we can certainly make a lot of progress as the season progresses. I’m still pretty sore from Brands and so I’m pretty happy that I’ve managed to get some points in the bag.” His young team-mate Peter Hickman also scored two solid race results with two 12th places. The 20-year-old worked well throughout the weekend and after qualifying in 15th place he battled well in the two tough races. Locked in a tight battle with his older and more experience team-mate Smart in race two, Hicky fought hard to the end and finished only a second behind Smart and just in front of experienced rider Steve Plater. Speaking with Hicky he said “I’m happy with the results I got as it’s put me 12th in the Overall Championship. I, like everyone else struggled with grip in both the races. It seems everyone I have spoken to were struggling with tyres all weekend. Hopefully I can improve on these results at Silverstone and Oulton Park in a few weeks times. The Hawk Junior Team are making progress with their race season. Jak Wright qualified for his first race this season after just missing out at Brands Hatch, the youngster gained a sturdy 22nd position in the Supersport Race which placed him eighth in the Supersport Cup race. David Hallett qualified in 38th position in the Superstock Cup and finished in a strong 32nd place after being locked in a four-way scrap. The two young riders had never ridden at the scarily fast circuit before and spent a lot of time finding their way round this demanding track. Both are making huge progress and are looking forward to going to some of the circuits that they both know. More, from a press release issued by Tom Tunstall Racing: Tunstall Turns It Around The second round of the highly competitive 2007 British Superbike Championship took place at the bumpy & ultra fast Thruxton circuit over the weekend. And Huddersfield Superbike racer Tom Tunstall had his resolve tested to the full with torrid technical problems throughout practice and qualifying however the plucky Yorkshireman turned it around with two excellent races and finished the weekend leading the British Superbike Cup Championship! For Superbike rookie Tom Tunstall in only his second ever event on the 1000cc machine the first day of practice was spent acclimatising with the fastest circuit on the championship “It’s been another day of learning, this circuit is so fast and the superbike spins up so much around its incredible. We’ve had a few problems with the bike that hasn’t helped. But I need to modify my riding style to get the bike more upright so when it does spin it pushes the bike forwards rather than just stepping the rear out” However the second day of action saw a series of chronic technical problems hamper any chance of allowing Tunstall to continue his learning. After only three corners his machine spluttered to a halt. Tom immediately started running with his bike back to the pits. The intermittent problem resurfaced again after only a lap. With no problems found, Tunstall again took to the track. The bike lasted nine laps before any hopes of further track time went up in smoke when the engine terminally expired. Having only a couple of hours before the single qualifying session the whole team, with valuable support from the Hydrex Honda Team, worked relentlessly to prepare the Honda Fireblade. With minutes to spare the Hardinge Ice Valley backed machine was back on track. Unfortunately the bike still wasn’t running cleanly and frustration was obvious as having only one bike Tunstall was forced to sit out the session with no more than a handful of laps completed. “I don’t know what to say everyone has put in so much effort but it’s just been one of those days. With the little experience I have, I need as many laps as I can, but it just didn’t happen today. On the positive side I’m on the grid last, but at least we’re there. Believe me after the day we’ve had that is a positive!” Yet another engine change overnight meant the team’s committed worked continued, and proved successful as the bike didn’t miss a beat during the short Sunday morning warm-up. In race one Tunstall’s determination was evident as he launched his CBR1000RR off the line, and immediately started picking up places. Within three laps he had improved his best laptime of the weekend by nearly a second. It was with relief that Tunstall saw the chequered flag taking 3rd place in the Superbike Cup. “I was glad just to finish!! I’m really happy with my start and the tyre Dunlop provided was faultless throughout the race. I know I can run faster, I’m still learning how to get the best from the track” It was with revived confidence that the Hardinge – Ice Valley rider took to the grid for race two. Another cracking start saw Tom mixing it with riders starting two rows ahead, battling with former cup champions Chris Martin and James Buckingham. His pace again improved consistently, highlighting the ex-world supersport rider’s progress. Lap 12 saw the pace car brought out as Buckingham crashed out of the race. On the restart Tunstall lost time exiting the final chicane, but again grafted his way to close down a two second gap and onto the back wheel of Aaron Zanotti and Irishman Marty Nutt. Tom just ran out of laps missing out on his first Cup win by one second, crossing the line with an average race speed of 104.9mph. His hard work and excellent ride was rewarded as the 2nd place result saw Tunstall take the lead of the Cup championship by a single point. “Another lap and I’m convinced I’d have passed Marty as I was able to keep my pace higher thanks again to the tyres. The race was a lot fun and I was starting to get to grips with how much these bikes spin and slide. We’re making great progress and after all the problems we’ve had this weekend the champagne tasted that bit sweeter”. The next stop on the calendar is the Silverstone over the weekend of April 27th-29th. More, from a press release issued by Hydrex Honda: Points all round for Hydrex Honda at Thruxton. The Hydrex Honda team had a productive day on track at a scorching hot Thruxton in Hampshire, with all three team members scoring points. Karl Harris on the Hydrex Superbike pulled in two good top ten finishes, with a tenth in race one and a ninth in race two, despite a tough time in qualifying for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. “We had a bit of a nightmare in qualifying as the bike was cutting out on me. I ended up on the third row which wasn’t ideal,” he said. Once the race got under way Harris dug in, “I found the bike hard to get off the line but that was because of the high gearing you need to run at Thruxton. The pace out there was just stunning, it really has picked up since last year. The pace I was doing compared against last year’s times I would have won! We need a bit more power and some more work on the suspension but we are going the right way.” Harris’ road racing team-mate, Guy Martin also had a hard time in qualifying but like Harris he improved during the races, achieving an eighteenth in race one and a fifteenth in race two. “Qualifying didn’t go great for me, my Gran could have pushed me round faster than that!” he joked, “The racing went better than qualifying and I must admit I still have a lot to learn. The bike is great it’s just me getting up to speed with everything. I really am enjoying it though and the team are working great.” The youngest member of the team, Allan Jon Venter competiting in the Metzeler National Superstock class followed the same pattern of his Superbike team mates hard qualifying but a solid race result. He qualified in a lowly twenty ninth but he gave it his all in the race to finish fifteenth and score a point. “It didn’t go too bad considering where I qualified. I didn’t help myself either by getting a terrible start,” lamented the young South African, “I was second last into turn one! I finished fifteenth as I just worked my way through everyone. The bike was really good. I loved the track it is so fast it is awesome I loved every minute of it.” The team are now regrouping and getting ready for the third round of their respective Championships at Silverstone in two weeks time. “I’m now looking forward to Silverstone as it usually levels the playing field there. Should be a good one,” concluded Harris. The third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship and the Metzeler National Superstock Championship will take place on the 27th 29th April at Silverstone in Northants. British Superbike – Thruxton Race One Result 1 – Gregorio Lavilla – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 27.52.872 2 – Leon Camier – Honda – Honda – 27.56.398 3 – Ryuichi Kiyonari – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 27.59.705 4 – Shane Byrne – Honda – Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport – 28.00.008 5 – Tom Sykes – Honda – Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport – 28.05.671 6 – Leon Haslam – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 28.08.965 7 – Cal Crutchlow – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 28.11.436 8 – Tommy Hill – Yamaha – Virgin Media Optoma Loans – 28.12.431 9 – Chris Walker – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 28.14.315 10 – Karl Harris – Honda – Hydrex Honda – 28.19.636 11 – Michael Rutter – Kawasaki – Isilon MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 28.22.145 12 – Peter Hickman – Kawasaki – Hawk Kawasaki – 28.26.575 13 – Steve Plater – Yamaha – AIM Racing – 28.28.088 14 – Scott Smart – Kawasaki – Hawk Kawasaki – 28.31.752 15 – Tommy Bridewell – Suzuki – Team NB – 28.39.555 16 – Dean Thomas – Suzuki – Samsung Superbike Team – 28.39.730 17 – James Haydon – Yamaha – Virgin Media Optoma Loans – 28.40.095 18 – Guy Martin – Honda – Hydrex Honda – 28.42.908 British Superbike – Thruxton Race Two Result 1 – Gregorio Lavilla – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 29.01.593 2 – Ryuichi Kiyonari – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 29.01.706 3 – Shane Byrne – Honda – Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport – 29.01.842 4 – Jonathan Rea – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 29.02.085 5 – Leon Camier – Honda – Honda – 29.02.957 6 – Leon Haslam – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 29.10.413 7 – Tom Sykes – Honda – Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport – 29.11.960 8 – Michael Rutter – Kawasaki – Isilon MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 29.12.671 9 – Karl Harris – Honda – Hydrex Honda – 29.15.077 10 – Tommy Hill – Yamaha – Virgin Media Optoma Loans – 29.17.202 11 – Scott Smart – Kawasaki – Hawk Kawasaki – 29.17.224 12 – Peter Hickman – Kawasaki – Hawk Kawasaki – 29.18.382 13 – Steve Plater – Yamaha – AIM Racing – 29.18.490 14 – Cameron Donald Honda – Uel Duncan Racing – 29.25.789 15 – Guy Martin – Honda – Hydrex Honda – 29.26.040 More, from a press release issued by Buell Motorcycle Company: RICHIE MORRIS RACING BUELL THIRD AT MOTO-ST HOMESTEAD 500K Higbee and Bilansky Battle Back to Podium Finish from Three Laps Down HOMESTEAD, Fla. Richie Morris Racing/Daytona Harley-Davidson/Buell riders Shawn Higbee and Dan Bilansky raced a Buell XB12R Firebolt back from an early three-lap deficit to place third in the Grand Sport Touring (GST) class at the Homestead 500K, the second round of the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series. Six laps into the race, the Richie Morris Racing Buell was forced to make an early pit stop to bleed their brakes, putting the team three laps behind the GST class leaders. Hard riding by Bilansky and Higbee and smooth pit work allowed the team to climb back onto the podium. The Richie Morris Racing Buell team completed 108 laps and finished 16th overall. They continue to lead the GST point standings. The James Gang Racing/Hoban Brothers Buell XB12R sponsored by Hal’s Speed Shop and Buell of Appleton and ridden by Paul James and Jeff Johnson raced at the front of the GST class and battled for the lead until a warped rotor forced the team to make several unscheduled pit stops in the final 40 minutes of the event. This dropped the team back to fifth in GST and 21st overall with 105 laps completed. The GST class was won by the RPM Motorsports/Keesee Racing Ducati shared by the father-and-son team of Todd and Kyle Keesee, who completed 110 laps of the 2.21-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway road course to finish 12th overall. Second in GST and 15th overall went to the Touring Sport Ducati Racing team of Pete Friedland, Phillip Green and Frank Shockley, who completed 109 laps. The Roadracingworld.com Suzuki SV1000S shared by Chris Ulrich and Michael Barnes was the overall winner of the event and of the Buell Motorcycle Company Super Sport Twins (SST) class, completing 117 laps at an average speed of 89.563 mph. The Sport Twins (ST) class was won by the Pair-A-Nines Racing Kawasaki EX650 shared by Jimmy Felice and Jay Springsteen, who finished 13th overall. The next race on the 2007 SunTrust MOTO-ST schedule is the VIR 500K, April 27-29 at Virginia International Speedway, Alton, Va. Buell Motorcycle Company, a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, produces sport motorcycles, motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel. To learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into www.buell.com. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Yoshimura Suzuki continues to dominate the All Japan Superbike Championship following Atsushi Watanabe’s third position at the weekend’s second round at Suzuka in front of 30,000 fans. The GSX-R1000-mounted rider, who claimed overall victory at the opening race at Twinring-Motegi two weeks ago, was unlucky not to have finished higher after being hit by another rider in the final chicane on the final lap. Watanabe, who qualified fourth fastest on Saturday, started the race well and held off Rizla Suzuki MotoGP rider Kousuke Akiyoshi (Wins Suzuki) and Honda riders Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Kazuki Tokudome and Takashi Yasuda for several laps before being reeled in a passed mid-race by slow-starter Chojun Kameya (Honda). Kameya took the lead and held it to the end of the race as Nakasuga dropped out with machine problems. Then, just as Watanabe looked set for the second step of the podium, he was hit by another rider which allowed Yasuda through just before the finish line. Said Watanabe: “I planned to follow Nakasuga in the first part of race and watch what his Dunlop tyres were doing then catch up to the leaders towards the end, but my GSX-R was feeling sensitive and I couldn’t push too much. In the middle of the race I stayed with the second group of riders to save my tyre as I was planning to go faster towards the end of the race. I feel a bit disappointed not to take second position but to take a second consecutive podium is not so bad for me and the team as we are still leading the championship!” All Japan Superbike Results: 1: Chojun Kameya (Sakurai Honda CBR1000RR) 2: Takashi Yasuda (HarcPro Honda CBR1000RR) 3: Atsushi Watanabe (Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000) 4: Tatsuya Yamaguchi (Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR) 5: Kazuki Tokudome (Dream Honda CBR1000RR) 6: Shogo Moriwaki (Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR) 7: Kousuke Akiyoshi (Wins Suzuki GSX-R1000) 8: Norick Abe (Yamaha YZF-R1) 9: Nobuyuki Ohsaki (SpTadao Yamaha YZF-R1) 10: Yusuke Teshima (HRC Honda CBR1000RR) More, from a press release issued by Aim Yamaha: MORE POINTS IN THE BAG AT THRUXTON Team AIM Yamaha scored more points at Thruxton when Steve Plater rode the R1 to a brace of 13th place finishes in round two of the 2007 Bennetts British Superbike championship but Richard Cooper was unable to add to his points tally after being forced to retire on lap 11 of 20 in the Maxxis British Supersport round. Qualifying was a testing time for the 34-year-old rider from Woodhall Spa as the R1 Yamaha is still being developed but none the less Steve managed to post a time quick enough to claim a sixth row start to the set of two races from 21st position. As race one got underway in the searing heat at Thruxton Steve made a fantastic start moving up from 21st to 14th within six laps. He continued to make progress eventually crossing the finish line in 13th position at the end of the 22-lap race. Race two went much the same way with Steve making another lightening start and picking up places to 14th in the space of four laps. Steve was reeling in the riders ahead and was looking good for a top ten finish but the pace car halted his progress when it was brought out onto the track for a crash further down the field. Steve was caught out at the re-start and was unable to maintain his earlier momentum. With few laps remaining there was little Steve could do to catch the riders ahead and he had to be content with a second finish of 13th to collect a further three championship points. STEVE PLATER I got a mega start each time and made up loads of places in the first couple of laps but was struggling for grip in both races. I was doing ok in race two and made the most of the time when the pace car was on the track to make up the ground to the riders ahead. But what I didn’t realise is that they had changed the rules regarding the restart and even though I saw a board saying zero I didn’t realise that meant that the pace car was going in at the end of that lap so really I missed the restart and lost three or four seconds on the riders in front of me. Although I made up the time by the end of the race I didn’t have the opportunity to pass anyone. But for that I would have been looking at a top ten finish; that’s how it goes sometimes. I have had a good weekend and the bike is getting better, although we still haven’t found a good base set-up, but we are getting there and we can continue the development work at Silverstone in two weeks time.” Although Richard Cooper qualified in 17th place he, like many other riders at Thruxton, was struggling for grip and after 11 difficult laps returned to the garage to retire. Team AIM Yamaha move on to Silverstone in two week’s time when bike development will continue. Both Steve and Richard will be hoping for good results at the Northamptonshire circuit to add to their respective points tally.

Rizla Suzuki young-gun Cal Crutchlow showed his natural speed and ability to finish seventh in the opening race at the second round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Thruxton in Hampshire. Starting from ninth on the grid, he made a slow start, but as the race developed he got faster and faster, closing in on the riders in front. In the second race, in front of Rizla Suzuki’s home fans, he was battling for eighth place when he crashed unhurt at the final Club Chicane on the penultimate lap. Team mate Chris Walker took ninth place in the first race, struggling for rear end grip on his GSX-R1000. For the second race, his crew made changes to his set-up and he was battling within the top six when he was forced to retire on the fourth lap. In glorious sunshine and in front of a bumper crowd, Ducati’s Gregorio Lavilla won both races. Rizla Suzuki is next on track on Friday April 20th, testing at Oulton Park in Cheshire. It then returns to British Superbike race action at the third round of the series at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, on Sunday April 29th. Cal Crutchlow: “I felt as though I was able to compete in the first race, which was great. I had a good tyre, strong set-up and if I had been able to force my way past Tommy Hill earlier, I think I might have been able to challenge for the top six. “The plan was to get a better start for the second race and get up with the front runners. An average start didn’t help and I crashed out on the penultimate lap when my bike grounded out on the kerbing – but I’m ok. I’m getting to know my GSX-R1000 and team better with every outing and feel I am making quick progress: top six results will not be long coming.” Chris Walker: “Not my best day at the races but once again I gave it my all. In the opening race I was on my spare bike and it wasn’t handling exactly how I would have liked, so ninth was a fair result. For the second race my Rizla Suzuki was much better and I was in the top six before retiring with a technical issue. “My team and I are working our hearts out to get to the front of the pack and there is not a more determined crew in the Championship. We are testing before Silverstone and that will help us for those races – it’s also a track I know well from racing there in World Superbikes so I’m hoping for much improved results.” Simon Buckmaster – Team Manager: “It’s plain for everyone to see that Chris, Cal and the Rizla Suzuki team are trying hard and doing their best to race at the sharp end of the Championship. It didn’t go to plan for the team at Thruxton in two incredibly hard-fought, tough races, but we will have better days than this, that’s for sure. “Clearly the team has work to do to be competitive but I’m confident we have the right riders, race bikes, staff and determination to make the steps forward required. The positives from today are that Cal is starting to show his potential and Chris leaves here hungrier than ever to fight for the podium. It’s good news the team is testing before the next round; I’m sure we will be much more competitive at Silverstone.” Race One Results: 1: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 27:52.872, 2: Leon Camier (Honda) +3.526, 3: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +6.833, 4: Shane Byrne (Honda) +7.136, 5: Tom Sykes (Honda) +12.799, 6: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +16.093, 7: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) +18.564, 8: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +19.559, 9: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +21.443, 10: Karl Harris (Honda) +26.764. Race Two Results: 1: Lavilla 29:01.593, 2: Kiyonari +0.113, 3: Byrne +0.249, 4: Rea + 0.492, 5: Camier + 1.364, 6: Haslam +8.820, 7: Sykes +10.367, 8: Michael Rutter (Kawasaki) +11.078, 9: Harris +13.484, 10: Hill +15.609. DNF: Crutchlow and Walker. Championship Positions (after two of 13 rounds): 1: Lavilla 100, 2: Camier 67, 3: Rea 49, 4: Kiyonari 49, 5: Byrne 45, 6: Haslam 43, 7: Sykes 40, 8: Rutter 28, 9: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) 26, 10: Harris 25. 13: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) 12.

FIM Superbike World Championship Valencia, Spain April 15, 2007 Race Two Results: 1. James TOSELAND (Hon CBR1000RR), 23 laps, 37:02.596 2. Max BIAGGI (Suz GSX-R1000K7), -0.287 second 3. Noriyuki HAGA (Yam YZF-R1), -0.375 second 4. Ruben XAUS (Duc 999F06), -6.637 seconds 5. Lorenzo LANZI (Duc 999F07), -7.991 seconds 6. Troy BAYLISS (Duc 999F07), -10.210 seconds 7. Josh BROOKES (Hon CBR1000RR), -10.861 seconds 8. Regis LACONI (Kaw ZX-10R), -14.366 seconds 9. Troy CORSER (Yam YZF-R1), -15.511 seconds 10. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suz GSX-R1000K6), -19.716 seconds 11. Michel FABRIZIO (Hon CBR1000RR), -25.287 seconds 12. Roberto ROLFO (Hon CBR1000RR), -26.437 seconds 13. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suz GSX-R1000K7), -34.992 seconds 14. Carmelo MORALES (Yam YZF-R1), -39.987 seconds 15. Giovanni BUSSEI (Duc 999F06), -42.445 seconds 16. Shinichi NAKATOMI (Yam YZF-R1), -43.467 seconds 17. Jakub SMRZ (Duc 999F05), -68.350 seconds, crash 18. Luca MORELLI (Duc 999RS), -7 laps, DNF, mechanical 19. Fonsi NIETO (Kaw ZX-10R), -7 laps, DNF, mechanical 20. Steve MARTIN (Hon CBR1000RR), -10 laps, DNF, mechanical 21. Dean ELLISON (Duc 999RS), -11 laps, DNF, mechanical 22. Christian ZAISER (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), -16 laps, DNF, crash 23. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Hon CBR1000RR), -23 laps, DNF, crash FIM Superbike World Championship Point Standings (after 8 of 26 races): 1. Toseland, 151 points 2. Biaggi, 138 points 3. Haga, 124 points 4. Corser, 101 points 5. Bayliss, 90 points 6. Lanzi, 87 points 7. Xaus, 83 points 8. Neukirchner, 56 points 9. Rolfo, 46 points 10. Laconi, 37 points 11. TIE, Fabrizio/Brookes, 32 points 13. Nieto, 30 points 14. Kagayama, 27 points 15. Smrz, 25 points More, from a press release issued by Team YZF Yamaha: Difficult weekend With the weather changing very often, the conditions were difficult at Valencia for the riders and the teams. Shinichi Nakatomi came close to earn some points when he almost finished in the top 15, with a 16th position in race 2. The first race was not easy for the Japanese rider, as a wrong choice of tyre did not help him. After one lap, he was in 19th position, and then he climbed to the 16th place. Unfortunately, his tyre problem made him retire at lap 17. In race 2, he could finish in 16th position, which was not sufficient to earn World Championship points. Team-manager Martial Garcia: “We miss more practice time. We could find the right setting only late because of the rain during the practice. We still have to work to find better setting settings. Little by little, our rider has his sensations back. Generally speaking, we are not completely happy with this weekend.” Race 1: 1-Xaus (Ducati), 2-Haga (Yamaha), 3-Bayliss (Ducati), 4-Corser (Yamaha), 5-Toseland (Honda) Race 2: 1-Toseland (Honda), 2-Biaggi (Suzuki), 3-Haga (Yamaha), 4-Xaus (Ducati), 5-Lanzi (Ducati)…16-Nakatomi (Yamaha) World Championship standings: 1-Toseland (Honda) 151 points, 2-Biaggi (Suzuki) 138, 3-Haga (Yamaha) 124, 4-Corser (Yamaha) 101, 5-Bayliss (Ducati) 90…18- Nakatomi (Yamaha) 12 5th round of the Superbike World Championship: April 29th at Assen (Nederland) More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group: XAUS AND TOSELAND SHARE VALENCIA WINS SPANISH THRILLERS DELIVER POPULAR VICTORIES After two very different 23-lap races at Valencia local rider Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati) and championship leader James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) scored a win apiece, with Xaus running clear in race one but Toseland having to fight for every inch of track in race two. Both races were run in the dry, but the first race was a much trickier affair for all, as the many damp patches off line caught out a lot of riders. In the championship standings, Toseland now leads Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) by 13 points. RACE ONE Eventual winner Xaus was involved in a four-way fight for the win at one stage, but after he broke the challenge of Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) towards the end of a race held in drying conditions, he was a clear winner by almost two seconds. Behind Haga, Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) was an impressive third, with early leader Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) fourth, and championship leader Toseland fifth, fighting vibrations from a rear tyre which had spun on the rim. Xaus’s win was his tenth career SBK victory, and his first since Magny Cours race two, in the 2003 season. RACE TWO The leading group in a classic race two sometimes featured seven riders, but it finally settled down into a three way fight, with Toseland the victor from a slow stating Biaggi and frequent race leader Haga. A mere 0.375 seconds covered the top three in the second outing, with another race leader, Xaus, slotting in fourth, some six seconds behind. CORSER FOURTH IN CHAMPIONSHIP BEHIND HAGA Corser experienced machine difficulties in race two and was forced away from a potential podium to ninth, but he maintained some degree of pressure on the leading bunch all the same, as he sits fourth overall on 101 points, 23 behind Haga. Bayliss, who had won Superpole and looked good for at least one race win at one stage, made mistakes due to an imperfect race set-up, but he scored strongly in both races only two weeks after having his throttle hand little finger amputated. He is fifth in the championship chase, on 90 points. The man only three points behind him is his own team-mate, Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) with race one winner Xaus jumping up to seventh, on 83 points.. BROOKES STARS IN RACE TWO AS NEUKIRCHNER HOLDS STEADY Aussie rider Joshua Brookes (Alto Evolution Honda) rode strongly from his front row starts to secure two impressive finishes, ninth in race one and seventh in race two, after making adjustments between races. Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) was not on quite such sparkling form this weekend, but he is still eighth overall. Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) recovered from the disappointment of not making Superpole to record tenth and 12th place finishes respectively. Rolfo is ninth in the standings, on 46 points. KAWASAKI RIDERS NOT ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON RACEDAY Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) recorded 11th and 8th place finishes at Valencia, fighting hard and effectively in race two, and being part of the early leading group. Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) expected much from his home race but he struggled from first to last, scoring two DNFs after experiencing set-up and tyre choice issues. Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) struggled with his frequently injured body at Valencia, and recorded 15th and 13th place results. Michel Fabrizio (DFX Corse Honda) was an impressive seventh in race one and is 11th overall, one up on Brookes, despite their identical points scores. WORLD SUPERSPORT – SOFUOGLU WAY AHEAD Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) scored his third race win of the year after another crash-littered Supersport contest, taking a powerfully confident win from his own temporary team-mate, Andrew Pitt. In third place was the aggressive presence of slow starting Gianluca Nannelli (Caracchi Ducati) who rode most of the last lap with one boot hanging off. He hunted down Pitt in the later stages, but Pitt reasserted himself to keep his second place.. Fourth was a slow starting, but rapidly closing, Fabien Foret (Gil Kawasaki). Three riders with a podium chance crashed out in the same incident, as Pere Riba (Gil Kawasaki) and Kevin Curtain (Yamaha World SSP Team) collided and took out Katsuaki Fujiwara (Althea Honda). Curtain sustained a long cut on his left thigh, in the groin area, and had to be taken to hospital for stitches to be inserted. In the championship Sofuoglu is only five points from perfection with 95, while Foret’s fourth place puts him into overall second again, on 51. Fujiwara, who limped home 18t,h, is now third in the series, on an unchanged 41 points. SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP – AUSSIE WINS Aussie ‘new boy’ Mark Aitchison (Celani Suzuki) scored his first Superstock win in what proved to be a two-part race after a red flag stopped the first leg when a machine could not be retrieved from a dangerous position. In an aggregate competition, Aitchison won overall from long-time leg-one leader Michele Pirro Michele Pirro (Team Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha) and Donington race winner, Niccolo Canepa (Ducati Xerox 1098). In the championship, the leader is Canepa, on 41 points, with Aitchison on 38 and Pirro’s team-mate Claudio Corti third, on 25. NEXT STOP FOR SBK IS ASSEN IN TWO WEEKS On 29th April, Assen in the Netherlands hosts the next round of the main championship classes, with practice kicking off on Friday 27th. More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX) TAKES FIGHTING RACE 1 PODIUM AT VALENCIA Valencia (Spain), Sunday 15 April : Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) took a fighting third place podium finish in race 1 at Valencia and a sixth position in the second counter as Ruben Xaus (Ducati) and James Toseland (Honda) clinched the wins on the day. Despite clearly suffering from the aftermath of his Donington crash two weeks ago, Troy was quick to play down any idea that it had affected his performance at Valencia. “I’m a little bit disappointed actually because I’ve been feeling quite good all weekend” declared Troy in the Clinica Mobile where the medics were removing fifteen stitches from his right hand. “My injuries are not that big, they haven’t hurt me all weekend and they haven’t been a factor in me not doing so well. The first race was OK, but the second was a bit disappointing. We really struggled with the setting and it worked the tyres too much. I lost ten points on James but the whole plan was to make up points on him not to lose them. That’s the way it is sometimes. In turn 1 I got in a little bit deep and I’d been wasting my front tyre. As soon as you touch the filler you just have to try and stand it up otherwise it’s going to crash. Now I’m looking forward to going to Assen, it’s a great track and it should be fun”. Team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi showed some determination in the final laps of the first race to beat off the challenge of Max Biaggi (Suzuki) and then defended well for a good fifth place finish in race 2. “In race 1 I lost too much time in the early laps because I didn’t have enough confidence on the damp track” commented Lorenzo. “I didn’t take any risks and the others just went away from me. However in the last ten laps I was lapping at the same pace as them, but I could only finish sixth. In race 2 I pushed hard right from the start, taking Ruben, then he passed me again, then I had a fight with Troy and in the final few laps when Max passed me, the rear tyre performance just dropped away. Last year I was on the podium twice here and I was much happier but I wasn’t in as good a position as I am now in the championship”. RACE 1: 1. Xaus (Ducati); 2. Haga (Yamaha); 3. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox); 4. Corser (Yamaha); 5. Toseland (Honda); 6. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox); 7. Fabrizio (Honda); 8. Biaggi (Suzuki); etc. RACE 2: 1. Toseland; 2. Biaggi; 3. Haga; 4. Xaus; 5. Lanzi; 6. Bayliss; 7. Brookes (Honda); 8. Laconi (Kawasaki) etc. POINTS (after 4 of 13 rounds): Riders – 1. Toseland 151; 2. Biaggi 138; 3. Haga 124; 4. Corser 101; 5. Bayliss 90; 6. Lanzi 87; etc. Manufacturers – 1. Honda 160; 2. Suzuki 138; 3. Yamaha 134; 4. Ducati 132; 5. Kawasaki 53. More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Caracchi: Jakub Smrz in Superbike had a black and white day; during the warm up, finished with an excellent seventh fastest, he had some brake problem, that appear in an absolutely unpredictable way. After a bad start in race-1 “Kuba” recorded an excellent recover, while in race-2, after a good start, the brake troubles did steal the possibility to get a place in the points from him just at the last lap, thank a braking mistake at the end of finish line. “I’m quite satisfied for my performance, because I recorded good lap times when the tyres were leaving.” commented Jakub Smrz. “I can’t however have the same opinion for my results. In race-1 I miss the start and then I had some problem to pass Bussei, it was impossible for me to pass him, his ex-factory bike 2006 has the traction control and, outing the corners he was more steady. Anymore I finished in the points and so I’m satisfied. In race-2 I got a perfect start, but early the brake problems appears and I made a couple of mistakes and I lose positions. Then I got a good pace, with good lap times, so I earned several positions, but just at the last lap the brake didn’t work at the end of the finish lane and I rode out in the gravel, losing my position.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: TOSELAND EXTENDS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD AFTER THRILLING RACE WIN James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) rode to his fourth win of the season after the disappointment of fifth in race one, and in doing so extended his championship lead over Max Biaggi to 13 points, 151 points to 138. In the first race, Toseland get away quickly but a tyre that had spun on the wheel rim was the reason why he had to drop from the leading group, running out a solitary fifth after 23 laps. The race was won by Ruben Xaus, with Noriyuki Haga second and Troy Bayliss third. In the second race Toseland was involved in the fight for the win from the very start, having qualified fifth in a wet Superpole. Race two was a classic, with three different riders exchanging the lead, and the final podium three being separated by only 0.375 seconds. Biaggi was second, Haga third. In the opening contest Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) started from 17th on the grid, having missed out on Superpole qualification, but his pugilistic attitude saw him tenth, just one place behind front row qualifier Joshua Brookes (Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR), who was only pushed from a fine sixth place to ninth in the last few laps. Brookes was an excellent season-best seventh in race two, with Rolfo 12th. Michel Fabrizio (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) beat Biaggi in race one to finish seventh, but an ill-advised set-up change put him 11th in race two. Raceday was unlucky for top ten Superpole rider Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR) who carded two crashes, the first after hitting one of the damp patches which persisted all day, and the second after losing adhesion on the first lap of the second leg. Steve Martin (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) had two technical issues mar his raceday, having made great progress in the early laps from his 21st place in qualifying. Toseland was understandably ecstatic about his second race win, especially as he was able to fight back when passed by Biaggi on the final lap. He has now won half of all the available races in 2007, more than he won in all of 2006. “The problems in the first race were due to the tyre moving in the wheel rim and that’s the end of my excuses for that,” said the blunt Yorkshire rider, now resident in the Isle of Man. “The second race was just awesome. We used Friday’s set-up on the number two bike so thanks to my team for getting it ready so quickly after the first race. I am just so happy to have got the win in Valencia. Last year I was 9th and 11th here, so I was determined to do better this time. It really was a great race and I had to give it everything to hang in there until the end, but I did it and I leave here the leader.” Rolfo was disappointed with his weekend’s work, and is now overall ninth on 46 points, but takes some positives away after race one. “The weekend has not been too great for me because starting in the fifth row it is hard to get to the front of the pack,” said Rolfo. “I pushed pretty hard and had a good fight with Biaggi in the first race, but the second it was not working for me. I have two weeks before Assen and I will work hard to come back fighting for the team’s home race.” Technical and organisational changes for the Alto Evolution team before and during the Valencia weekend allowed Brookes to deliver on the promise he has shown in the past. He is now 12th overall, on 32 points. “We only made small changes to the bike between race one and race two but we had a much better result,” said Brookes. “When you are in the right area then small changes can make a big difference. The first race I had a better start but made a worse finish, but in race two I got baulked a bit off the start and still made a better finish. I made a good fight back and passed people, and the team worked great this weekend.” Fabrizio had a good race one but a less successful race two, after qualifying ninth. “For race one the set-up was very good and I could race at a high pace,” said Fabrizio. “The race rhythm was OK and to fight with a champion like Max Biaggi has given me enormous satisfaction. In race two we made changes to try and make even more of an advantage but things went the other way and the rear was sliding a lot. It was not the tyre but the set-up. We have a test here tomorrow where I will use the Honda electronics for the first time, so I am excited about that.” Martin, who had to start from the back row of the grid after problems in the dry qualifying session, suffered bad luck twice in race situations. “Starting where I was made it hard work but in race one I started well and had a good set-up,” said Martin. “It was working well but the throttle came loose and I almost crashed; I was lucky to stay on. My foot started slipping from the footpeg and I couldn’t see what was causing it, so I had to stop. We’ve learned a few things this weekend and I want to try a few more things in testing tomorrow.” Martin is now 17th overall. Muggeridge knew he was unlucky in race one and is now 16th, on 14 points, the same total as Martin. “I just hit a damp patch of track in race one,” said Muggeridge. “I knew it was coming and I was ready for it, but I still fell. In race two, at turn two, the rear just came round and highsided me.” Round five of the WSS and SBK classes take place between 27 and 29 April, at Assen in the Netherlands. More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Toseland secures a Valencian victory HANNspree Ten Kate Honda’s James Toseland extended his lead in the 2007 World Superbike Championship by 13-point margin at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia today. The British rider suffered mixed fortunes in the two 23-lap races at the 4km track in one of the most thrilling rounds of the series so far. Team-mate Roberto Rolfo performed well to maintain his ninth place in the standings. Race one saw Toseland miss out on a place on the podium for only the second time this season. After starting from fifth on the grid, a severe problem with chatter in the rear wheel prevented the British rider from passing the leading pack. He held fast in fifth position for the entire race to pick up 11 points and maintain his lead in the standings. Spaniard Ruben Xaus took the victory, followed by Noriyuki Haga and Troy Bayliss in second and third places respectively. Race two was a different story for Toseland, who stormed to victory in a nail-biting race that kept the Valencia crowds on the edge of their seats. The thrilling contest was incredibly close-run, with the five front runners within less than a second of each other for almost the entire 23-laps. The HANNspree Ten Kate Honda rider fought his way up from fifth on the grid to take third place by lap three, second place by lap nine and first place by lap 16. From then on it was a three-way battle between Toseland, Max Biaggi and Noriyuki Haga. The three rivals were rarely more than a second away from each other as they fought for the top place on the podium, changing places frequently and with great skill. On the last lap Biaggi pushed hard to pass both Haga and Toseland, but the British rider fought back and secured the first place with a 0.287 seconds advantage. Two strong performances from team-mate Roberto Rolfo saw him move from 17th on the grid to a tenth place in the first race and twelfth in the second. In race one the 25-year-old was involved in a tussle with second place championship contender Max Biaggi for the majority of the contest. At the end of the day, Rolfo picked up ten valuable points to add to maintain ninth place in the championship standings. Ronald ten Kate: “After the problems we had in the first race when we didn’t get the result we were hoping for, we made some changes to James’ bike for the second race. It obviously worked so thanks to his crew for getting that done so quickly and big compliments to James for riding so well. This is a hard track to overtake on, especially when all the front runners are on the same pace. Roby also did well to climb up from 17th place on the grid. We came here as leaders in the championship and we have not only kept that, we have extended it in both classes so we are obviously very happy and looking forward to the home round in Assen.” James Toseland: “The problems in the first race were due to the tyre moving in the wheel rim and that’s the end of my excuses for that. The second race was just awesome! We used Friday’s set-up on the number two bike so thanks to my team for getting it ready so quickly after the first race. I am just so happy to have got the win here. Last year I was ninth and eleventh here, so I was determined to do better this year. It really was a great race and I had to give it everything to hang in there until the end, but I did it and I leave here as the leader.” Roberto Rolfo: “The weekend has not been too great for me because starting in the fifth row it is hard to get to the front of the pack. I pushed pretty hard and had a good fight with Biaggi in the first race, but the second it was not working for me. I have two weeks before Assen and I will work hard to come back fighting for the team’s home race” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Second and third for Haga, less luck for Corser Noriyuki Haga brought 36 more points and two podiums home for Yamaha in today’s World Superbike Championship round at Valencia. Having battled to find the right set-up all weekend, Haga went out today and claimed second in race one, with Corser in fourth. He then had an excellent second race, finishing in third after a race-long battle with James Toseland. In race one Corser made a good start and took the lead by the first turn until lap six when it became evident that he had a grip problem. He maintained as much pace as he could though, to stay in the four-way battle for top spot between Xaus, Haga, Bayliss and himself. Eventually Haga and Xaus dropped Bayliss and Corser and continued the battle, with Haga taking the fastest lap on lap eight before taking the race lead. Corser and Bayliss fought for third place until Bayliss broke free to re-join the top two runners. A close race with Xaus, Haga and Bayliss saw all three of them dice for position but Xaus managed to take the win, with Haga second and Bayliss third. Corser held on to fourth with a decent margin back to Toseland in fifth. In race two Nitro Nori, lived up to his name getting the hole-shot off the line to take the lead. Corser made a good start as well to follow up in second, with Xaus and Toseland again close behind. By the end of lap one Toseland and Xaus had both passed Corser and by the end of lap three Bayliss had managed the same move, pushing Troy back to fifth. Ruben Xaus made it past Haga on lap four and Toseland and Haga touched fairings as the Honda rider also squeezed through. For the next ten laps all three riders swapped places at almost every turn until Bayliss ran briefly into the gravel after hitting the white line and dropping down to sixth. Haga and Toseland continued to fight for the win, with Noriyuki leading again from lap 19 until a mistake let James through on the penultimate lap. Team Yamaha YZF rider, Shinichi Nakatomi, had a disappointing weekend after retiring in race one with tyre problems and finishing 16th in race two. The team has really felt the lack of winter testing this weekend, coupled with Nakatomi’s lack of confidence with wet weather riding. Noriyuki Haga (3rd – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “In race two I had a good start, getting the hole-shot from the start line into first place. During the race I was looking for a good pace – I was not concerned if someone came past me, I was watching them (Xaus and Toseland). But they weren’t carrying the same speed as me, and slowed down the pace. I was fighting side by side with Toseland but also looking to save my rear tyre to push in the last five laps. During the last two laps I had a good fight with Toseland for first place, and when I was planning to overtake James at the last corner I was not expecting Biaggi to be there, which prevented me from passing. For me, today was good but not perfect.” Troy Corser (9th – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “In race one I had a problem with our mapping choice, which is why I couldn’t keep the pace with the front runners. But in race two the problem was different. I had exactly the same tyre as I had in race one, but I had absolutely no grip. I don’t know why. I just can’t believe my result today.” Massimo Meregalli (Team Coordinator – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “Troy’s tyre problem aside, this was a positive weekend for me. We got some good points especially closing the gap to Biaggi and Suzuki in the Manufacturers’ standings. The progress we saw in Donington, we saw again here. Nori rode very well, he lead 14 of 23 laps in the second race, always very focused. Two podiums is an excellent step towards our goal – the Championship. Unfortunately Troy had tyre problems in race two. His rear tyre didn’t seem to work very well, giving him no grip at all. Otherwise, we are sure he would have been on the podium today. I am sure he will be up there in Assen. I’m looking forward to the next race, we are confident in good results there.” Shinichi Nakatomi (18th – Team Yamaha YZF) “Race one was bad for me, we needed more test time to find the right tyre but we did not have it so made a wrong choice. Race two was not a good result, but it was better than race one at least. At least I know where we need to make improvements now. This weekend has been tough, I hope Assen is better.” Martial Garcia (Team Coordinator – Team YZF Yamaha) “In race one, we made the wrong tyre choice, which was too soft and had finished after only five laps. The tyre we chose for race two was much better, but it is just unfortunate we couldn’t get into the points even with our improved lap times. We are paying for the lack of winter testing before this season. For Assen we hope for good weather and for Nakatomi to improve his confidence in riding in the wet.” More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra: SUPERMAX RUNNER UP IN RACE TWO! Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi charged his way from the third row of the grid to take a superb second place in race two at Valencia this afternoon. The Italian stormed through the field, lap by lap, to fight the leaders, James Toseland (Honda) and Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) in the closing stages. He dived past Haga on the very last lap and then attacked Toseland in the final few corners, but just couldn’t get past the Briton and so had to settle for second place. Max’s tremendous performance in the second race was the highlight of the day for the team, with Max taking a hard fought for eighth in race one and his team mate Yukio a low scorer in both 23-lappers due to his injuries and some tyre problems. Local hero Ruben Xaus (Ducati) won the first race after a terrific battle with first Troy Bayliss (Ducati) and then Haga after half distance. The Spaniard dominated proceedings after about twelve laps and took a comfortable win by nearly two seconds. Bayliss took third, with Troy Corser (Yamaha) fourth, Toseland fifth and Lanzi (Ducati) sixth. Race one winner Xaus was again in contention in the first half of race two, but then was passed by Toseland and Haga, before succumbing to pressure from Max on lap sixteen. Once Max got past the Spaniard, he set about reeling in Haga and Toseland and managed to sneak past Haga when the Japanese rider left a small gap three or four turns from the end. He closed in on leader Toseland, but the youngster held him off to take the chequered flag by just over two tenths of a second. Haga easily held on to third, with Xaus some way back in fourth. Fifth was Lanzi, with reigning champion Bayliss back in sixth. MAX – Race 1: 8th, Race 2: 2nd A mixed day, but it is good to finish on an up with a podium in the second race. Valencia is a very difficult track to race at unless it is perfectly dry. When there are damp patches around, it is very tricky and you have to concentrate 100% all the time. I didn’t have such a good feeling in the first race – some of the problems that we’ve had all weekend and also some problems with engine braking. On the brakes going into turns, I didn’t have a consistent feeling about what was going on, so it made me a bit cautious. We made some changes to the bike for the second race – clutch feeling, a few clicks on the suspension and a harder front tyre and certainly the tyres worked better, possibly also because the track was completely dry. Starting from the third row of the grid is always a challenge and I couldn’t attack the first corner because of all the cement dust there from a crash earlier. That had left a lot of oil on the track and it had to be cleaned and then cement dust put down. That meant there was only really one line through the turn, so I couldn’t use a different line and pass a few people striaghtaway. I got held up by traffic, but I was pushing hard right from the start for sure. I kept up a good fast pace and at the end, I felt I could get past Nori and that’s what I did. I tried to catch James, but just ran out of time and laps, but I am happy to get second today after starting from twelfth place. YUKIO – Race 1:15th, Race 2: 13th Not such a good day for me today, but I knew this was going to be very hard before the races began. I am not fit yet and the pain in my shoulders meant that getting the bike to change direction was very hard – and painful! And Valencia is quite a physically demanding track, so you don’t get any real chance to rest at all. Also, in the first race, we made the wrong rear tyre choice and after 15 laps it was destroyed and so I couldn’t keep up a fast pace. We used a similar tyre in the second race, but it performed better, but there were still a lot of slides in the last third of the race. In both races, I got some false neutrals and that made life interesting! After this weekend, I need some rest and then I will be in better condition for the next race in Assen. Unfortunately, it is in only two weeks time, so I will not have much chance to rest and then get fit, but I know that I’ll be in better shape then now. Results Race 1: 1 Xaus (E-Ducati), 2 Haga (J-Yamaha), 3 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 4 Corser (Aus-Yamaha), 5 Toseland (GB-Honda), 6 Lanzi (I-Ducati), 7 Fabrizio (I-Honda), 8 MAX BIAGGI (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 9 Brookes (Aus-Honda), 10 Rolfo (I-Honda), 15 YUKIO KAGAYAMA (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), Race 2: 1 Toseland, 2 MAX BIAGGI (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 3 Haga, 4 Xaus, 5 Lanzi, 6 Bayliss, 7 Brookes, 8 Laconi (F-Kawasaki), 9 Corser, 10 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki), 13 YUKIO KAGAYAMA (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), Points: 1 Toseland 151, 2 MAX BIAGGI (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 138, 3 Haga 124, 4 Corser 101, 5 Bayliss 90, 6 Lanzi 87, 14 YUKIO KAGAYAMA (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 27, More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: A DISAPPOINTING DAY FOR TROY. The Valencia race weekend ended on a bit of a sour note for Troy who struggled with mostly tyre problems at the 4.005 kilometre circuit. After posting a very respectable fourth in difficult, slightly damp conditions in the first race, Troy then had bigger problems in the dry second race and could only finish ninth. Local hero Ruben Xaus (Ducati) won the first race after a terrific battle with Troy Bayliss (Ducati) and Haga (Yamaha). The Spaniard dominated proceedings after about twelve laps and took a comfortable win by nearly two seconds. Bayliss took third, with Troy fourth, Toseland fifth and Lanzi (Ducati) sixth. Race one winner Xaus was again in contention in the first half of race two, but then was passed by Toseland and Haga, before giving way to Biaggi on lap sixteen. Once Biaggi got past Xaus, he set about reeling in Haga and Toseland and managed to sneak past Haga when the Japanese rider left a small gap three or four turns from the end. He closed in on leader Toseland, but the youngster held him off to take the chequered flag by just over two tenths of a second. Haga easily held on to third, with Xaus some way back in fourth. Fifth was Lanzi, with reigning champion Bayliss back in sixth. Tyre problems hampered Troy in the race and, in the end, he finished ninth. TROY I’m fed up and frustrated today. We had problems and I just couldn’t do anything about them. I started the first race well and led for the opening five laps and was pretty OK with how it was going. Ruben went past, but I wasn’t too fussed because I was happy enough with the pace. But then my foot began to slip off the footpegs. I looked down and there seemed to be some oil on the pegs and I felt that some of it was going onto the rear tyre and that made me take things a bit cautiously – as I didn’t want to crash. The bike was still working OK, but I knew I had to take care and make sure I brought it home OK. In race two, I began to have rear tyre problems after about only three laps and I was getting quite a few slides. It was so bad that it was hard to keep going, but I didn’t want to pull in. The tyre was the same type as in the first race, but it just didn’t perform in the same way, and I and the team don’t know why. The bike was the same, the set-up was the same and the tyre was the same, but for some reason or another it didn’t work in the same way. It’s very frustrating when you have an inconsistent problem, because you never know where you are. I feel I’m riding well at the moment, but either the tyres or some other small things are preventing me from getting better results. I hope the next race in Assen will see a change of luck, because I feel I need it! See ya. Troy

FIM Cup 1000cc Superstock Valencia, Spain April 15, 2007 Race Results (on aggregate time, first five laps wet): 1. Mark AITCHISON (Suz GSX-R1000K6), 10 laps, 18:04.561 2. Michele PIRRO (Yam YZF-R1), -0.566 second 3. Niccolo CANEPA (Duc 1098S), -8.556 seconds 4. Matteo BAIOCCO (Yam YZF-R1), -12.741 seconds 5. Ilario DIONISI (Suz GSX-R1000K6), -13.883 seconds 6. Xavier SIMEON (Suz GSX-R1000K6), -14.606 seconds 7. Rene MAHR (Yam YZF-R1), -15.604 seconds 8. Matej SMRZ (Hon CBR1000RR), -23.290 seconds 9. Cadric TANGRE (Yam YZF-R1), -25.733 seconds 10. Marko JERMAN (Yam YZF-R1), -26.178 seconds 28. Nicky MOORE (Duc 1098S), -82.739 seconds, black flag FIM European Championship 600cc Superstock Valencia, Spain April 15, 2007 Race Results (wet conditions): 1. Maxime BERGER (Yam YZF-R6), 11 laps, 20:28.806 2. Roy TEN NAPEL (Yam YZF-R6), -9.517 seconds 3. Gino REA (Suz GSX-R600), -10.893 seconds 4. Dennis SIGLOCH (Yam YZF-R6), -12.592 seconds 5. Domenico COLUCCI (Duc 749R), -12.889 seconds 6. Daniele BERETTA (Suz GSX-R600), -28.944 seconds 7. Michele MAGNONI (Yam YZF-R6), -30.303 seconds 8. Eddi LA MARRA (Hon CBR600RR), -31.130 seconds 9. Andrea ANTONELLI (Hon CBR600RR), -31.879 seconds 10. Josep PEDRO SUBIRATESSP (Yam YZF-R6), -38.671 seconds More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra: 2007 Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Round 2, Valencia, Spain Circuit: 4.005 kms. Crowd: 39,000 (3-day). Weather: Damp, overcast, 16 C. Sunday 15th April XAVI TAKES SIXTH IN A TWO-PARTER IN VALENCIA. Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Xavi Simeon crashed six laps into the scheduled 13-lap race at Valencia today, but was lucky because the race was red-flagged due to a fallen bike in the middle of the track. Xavi got back on board his bike and rode back to the pits and was able to start the second race. He then put in a fiery performance in the five-lap second part to end sixth overall. Aussie Mark Aitchison (Suzuki) took the victory, when the times of both races were aggregated. He had finished second in the first race and his performance in race two was enough to ensure the win, albeit by just over half a second. Second in the overall times was Michele Pirro (Yamaha), with Nicolo Canepa (Ducati) third. XAVI – 6th I guess I was a bit lucky today – when the race was stopped and that meant I had the chance to start again. I began the first part with tyres for rain, but the track started to dry up. Normally, it takes a long time for this track to become dry, so it was a bit of a surprise when it happened so soon. Two laps later, I had to go into the pits because it was becoming impossible to stay on those tyres. I came back out of the pits with a fresh tyre, more suited to dry conditions, and four or so corners later, I found a damp patch on the track and crashed! I got back on the bike and fortunately was able to take part in the restart. I wish the second part had been longer then just five laps, because I was catching the leaders up and I’m sure I could have finished higher up, maybe even on the podium! Results 1 Aitchison (Aus-Suzuki), 2 Pirro (I-Yamaha), 3 Canepa (I-Ducati), 4 Baiocco (I-Yamaha), 5 Dionisi (I-Suzuki), 6 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), Points: 1 Canepa 41, 2 Aitchison 38, 3 Corti 25, 4 Baiocco 24, 5 Dionisi 21, 6 Pirro 20, 7 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 19, More, from a press release issued by 2007 Suzuki GSX-R European Cup: Round 1, Valencia, Spain Circuit: 4.005 kms Crowd: 39,000 (3-day) Weather: Damop, overcast Sunday 15th April LAMMERT WINS THE OPENER German Dominic Lammert won the opening round of the Suzuki GSX-R European Cup at Valencia today. Conditions were tricky, to say the least, but Lammert kept a cool head and managed to take the chequered flag by over eight tenths ahead of his nearest rival Daniel Pinera. Third went to Patric Muff, with Kenny Noyes fourth, Gabor Rizmayer fifth and Ismail Ortega sixth. Dominic Lammert – 1st It was difficult out there today because of the conditions and the start was hard for me because I made a bad start and was only fifth! But lap by lap, I began to push hard and after four laps I was first. I felt comfortable in the lead and although I had some slides (quite normal I think in these damp conditions) everything worked out OK. I’m very happy to win the first race and I’m sorry that the race was red-flagged and stopped before the scheduled distance because I was enjoying myself a lot. I’m glad I didn’t have any problems with the oil spillage and happy to miss that and take the win.

2007 FIM Supersport World Championship Valencia, Spain April 15, 2007 Race Results: 1. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR600RR), 23 laps, 38:08.523 2. Andrew PITT (Hon CBR600RR), -4.911 seconds 3. Gianluca NANNELLI (Duc 749R), -5.200 seconds 4. Fabien FORET (Kaw ZX-6R), -5.619 seconds 5. Broc PARKES (Yam YZF-R6), -12.776 seconds 6. David SALOM (Yam YZF-R6), -14.913 seconds 7. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yam YZF-R6), -15.178 seconds 8. Joan LASCORZ (Hon CBR600RR), -25.356 seconds 9. Vesa KALLIO (Suz GSX-R600), -28.454 seconds 10. Craig JONES (Hon CBR600RR), -29.885 seconds 11. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Yam YZF-R6), -30.422 seconds 12. Davide GIUGLIANO (Kaw ZX-6R), -30.810 seconds 13. Lorenzo ALFONSI (Hon CBR600RR), -31.204 seconds 14. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R6), -35.273 seconds 15. Sebastien GIMBERT (Yam YZF-R6), -37.610 seconds 16. Giles BOCCOLINI (Kaw ZX-6R), -41.628 seconds 17. Javier FORES (Hon CBR600RR), -41.727 seconds 18. Katsuaki FUJIWARA (Hon CBR600RR), -52.600 seconds, crash 19. Vladimir IVANOV (Yam YZF-R6), -59.942 seconds 20. Chris PERIS (Yam YZF-R6), -60.009 seconds 27. Barry VENEMAN (Suz GSX-R600), -1 lap, DNF 29. Simone SANNA (Hon CBR600RR), -11 laps, DNF, mechanical 30. Kevon CURTAIN (Yam YZF-R6), -15 laps, DNF, crash 31. Pere RIBA (Kaw ZX-6R), -15 laps, DNF, crash 33. Tatu LAUSLEHTO (Hon CBR600RR), -21 laps, DNF, mechanical 34. Yoann TIBERIO (Hon CBR600RR), -21 laps, DNF, mechanical Supersport World Championship Point Standings (after 4 of 13 races): 1. Sofuoglu, 95 points 2. Foret, 51 points 3. Fujiwara, 43 points 4. Robbin Harms, 39 points 5. Nannelli, 30 points 6. Parkes, 27 points 7. Roccolo, 26 points 8. TIE, Curtain/Jones, 25 points 10. Riba, 22 points More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: HANNspree Ten Kate Honda dominates Supersport podium HANNspree Ten Kate dominated today’s World Supersport race in Valencia in a thrilling one-two podium finish. Kenan Sofuoglu took the race victory while temporary team-mate Andrew Pitt passed the chequered flag in second place. The stunning success leaves Sofuoglu with a 95-point lead in the standings – a huge 44 points ahead of nearest rival Fabien Foret. The first nine laps of the eventful fourth-round race saw a four-way battle for the top positions between Sofuoglu, Pitt, Kevin Curtain and Pere Riba. Sofuoglu led from the off, closely followed by Pitt. However, Curtain and Riba soon caught up as the four swapped places numerous times in a thrilling display of inch-perfect riding. On lap nine, misfortune struck for three of the front runners as Riba crashed out taking Curtain and Katsuaki Fujiwara with him. This left the way open for the two HANNspree Ten Kate Honda riders to slip into the first and second positions. The pair maintained station for the next 13 laps with Sofuoglu holding an impressive lead of over 3 seconds. Only on the final lap did third place rider Gianluca Nannelli make a convincing attack on Pitt. The Spanish rider passed the Australian for a nail-biting few seconds before Pitt snatched it back and crossed the finish 4.911 seconds after first place Sofuoglu. The Turkish rider’s third race win of the year means that HANNspree Ten Kate Honda maintains it series lead going into the team’s home race in Assen in two weeks time. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager: “This was a very hectic and eventful race for the Supersport guys today. We were lucky that Kenan took an early lead and broke away from the battling group behind. Andrew was in the group battling for second and he was hanging in really well. When the three riders went down we were in a perfect position for first and second, which the riders delivered to us. I have to give big compliments again to Kenan who rode yet another mature race by keeping his head and not getting stressed. Andrew has given us the perfect gift to reward the team for the ride – he has just shown his capabilities as a rider. The result is just perfect, I couldn’t have asked for more.” Kenan Sofuoglu: “I’m really happy. The dry conditions definitely helped me to get to the podium. For me it is important to stay in a good position for the whole race. When the three riders went down, I knew that I had at least a three second lead didn’t have to push to hard. I tried to maintain the same gap without going too fast as when there is no-one to threaten you there is no need. I could see on my board that the gap was staying the same so I knew there was no-one closing in to make me push harder. Anyway, I am really happy about the win. I want to thank my team for working so hard. They always give me the best and I like to give my best back.” Andrew Pitt: “I’m really happy that I have been able to do the job for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team and help them out when they needed it. It was a bit of a lottery going into the race in the dry when we had done so many laps in the wet. We used a softer front tyre, which gave me a couple of problems towards the end but I tried hard to bring it home and get on the podium. I want to thank Ronald and Gerrit for giving me the opportunity. The guys have been great all weekend and coming into a team that has won the World Supersport Championship for the last five years makes my job a lot easier. It’s just amazing, they are so easy to work with. I’m happy – very happy!” More, from a press release issued by Honda: SOFUOGLU WINS AND POWERS AHEAD ON POINTS Another almost faultless display of front running delivered Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) his third race win of the year, pushing him into a substantial 44-point lead in the championship after only four of 13 rounds. His excellent performance on raceday was underpinned by an impressive pole win on Saturday, the first of his WSS career, thanks to a time set in the first dry qualifying session. In second place after 23-laps of often incident-packed action, Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) had a dream re-introduction to World Supersport racing, having been drafted in at short notice to replace the recently injured and still unfit Sebastien Charpentier (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR). He qualified fifth. Poor weather issues which had plagued Valencia for most of the weekend did not quite spoil the racing on Sunday, with a drying track allowing Katsuaki Fujiwara (Althea Honda Team CBR600RR) to take a new lap record on lap six, with a 1’37.570. The Japanese rider had qualified in an impressive second place, but got swamped off the line and was eventually knocked off his machine on lap nine when lying fifth. Pere Riba and Kevin Curtain collided in front of him leaving the unlucky Fuji with no escape route. He restarted and finished in 18th place and out of the points. He is nonetheless third in the championship, on an unchanged total of 43 points. Lorenzo Alfonsi (Althea Honda Team CBR600RR) finished his day of work at Valencia 13th, in the same position he qualified. He got boxed in off the start and had to battle with slower riders to get his three points. He is now 18th overall, with 13 points. Sofuoglu led for 20 of the 23 laps and was the most composed rider when it counted, but was modest in his post-race comments. “The dry conditions definitely helped me to get to the podium,” he stated. “For me it is important to stay in a good position for the whole race. When the three riders went down, I knew that I had at least a three second lead didn’t have to push to hard. I tried to maintain the same gap without going too fast, as when there is no one to threaten you there is no need. I could see on my board that the gap was staying the same so I knew there was no-one closing in to make me push harder. I want to thank my team for working so hard. They always give me the best and I like to give my best back.” Pitt was delighted to have stayed clear of the trouble on lap nine and had to fight hard to re-pass Gianluca Nannelli’s Ducati to secure second on the last lap. “I’m really happy that I have been able to do the job for the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team and help them out when they needed it,” said Pitt. “It was a bit of a lottery going into the race in the dry when we had done so many laps in the wet. We used a softer front tyre, which gave me a couple of problems towards the end but I tried hard to bring it home and get on the podium. The guys have been great all weekend and coming into a team that has won the World Supersport Championship for the last five years makes my job a lot easier.” Fujiwara was disappointed at his misfortune, especially as he had potentially race winning pace, despite a slow start and being ninth on lap one. “The bike today was really good and the work of the team was perfect,” stated Fujiwara. ” I knew I had a bike to win but the crash stopped me from having the chance. I have to start better in the future than I did today. I think I was tenth in the first corner. With a good start we can be right up there as our race pace is really good.” A wheelie off the line dropped Alfonsi to 17th on lap one and from then on his race was a struggle to get clear. “I had a not so good start as the front of the bike came up and I ended up losing some places,” said Alfonsi. “I was stuck in a slow group and at this circuit it is particularly hard to pass. I wanted to get away with the group in front but it was not possible. I took a lot of risks to pass people and at least I got two more points than I did at Donington.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Parkes brings it home in sixth, Curtain crashes out Broc Parkes rode through the pain barrier today at Valencia to bring his R6 home in fifth place despite his recent collar bone injury. His team mate, Kevin Curtain, was not so fortunate, crashing out of the race on lap nine whilst battling for first place. The wet conditions that had plagued much of the weekend’s track sessions had cleared going into the Supersport race. With this in mind, both riders were confident of a good ride in the fourth round of the World Supersport Championship today but in the end they were to have quite different results. Kevin got off a good start and maintained his third place, moving quickly up to second on lap two. Feeling comfortable with the bike and track conditions, he was able to put in a determined ride and was in a four-way battle for first place with Sofuoglu (Honda), Pitt (Honda) and Riba (Kawasaki). On lap five Kevin, showing no sign of discomfort from his broken collar bone, took the lead and temporarily set a new lap record. The battle continued until, on lap nine, Curtain and Riba collided catching Riba’s brake lever and taking both riders out as well as Fujiwara Parkes’ race also got off to a good start with him climbing up to eighth place from his start position of 11th. His injuries though, pampered him throughout the race, with him straining to change direction in the twisty middle section of the circuit. He moved up to fourth position as a result of Curtain and Riba’s accident and then found himself embroiled in the middle pack of riders for the remainder of the race. He fought on and finished the race in a very credible fifth position, considering the short recovery period he has had since Donington. Massimo Roccoli, riding in the Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni squad, found himself alongside Parkes for much of the race, with the two riders swapping positions throughout. The dry conditions suited Roccoli’s style more than the rain and he was able to much improve his start 16th start position to eventually finish in a solid seventh slot. Following his crash Curtain was taken to hospital where it was confirmed that his collar bone injury has not been made worse. A long 20cm cut deep into his thigh, caused by his foot peg, has had to be stitched – it was close to an artery but missed it. Following Curtain and Riba’s collision the remaining to riders went on with Sofuoglu finishing in the top spot and ex-Yamaha WSB rider Pitt putting a good performance for second. Rounding up the podium positions was Nannelli (Ducati) who had a good fight with Pitt for second place and narrowly missed out. Broc Parkes (5th – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “I was sore for sure during that race and when the pace picked up I had trouble keeping up because I couldn’t change direction so easily due to my shoulder. I had a pack of riders around me for much of the race, which I didn’t like as it would have been so easy to collide with one of them, like Kevin did. I’d rather have been in front of them, but I couldn’t get past. At least I got some points, which I am happy about and kept it upright this weekend.” Massimo Roccoli (7th – Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) “I had a good start and jumped to sixth position. I was riding with the leading group and after a very difficult practice, I am pleased with my final result. I took some points and have saved the weekend.” More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Caracchi: The Saturday’s rain let the field to a cloud, but dry, day and the today’s races in Valencia have been held in regular conditions. In Supersport Gianluca Nannelli finally grabbed once more a podium place, from whom he miss since Imola 2005. After a wrong start “Nanna” started a fantastic recover that put him in 3rd position during the 9th lap, but the the Florentine rider did persist in his action till catching and passing Pitt for the second place, the a couple of bad skidding did suggest him to hold the 3rd place. More, Gianluca finished the the race with the right boot ripped after a contact with a doubled, and so also the position on the footrest wasn’t perfect. “What exciting race!” said at the end Gianluca Nannelli, with a 32 teeth smile. “Finally on the rostrum, it’s the first time for an Italian rider this season! It’s a pity for the bad start, after a lot of start test during the practice, all positive, at the start of the race I remained prisoner inside the first corner, while the fastest were running away; at the first split I was 11th with a three seconds gap. I started early earning positions, 9th at the second lap, 8th at third and 6th at fourth. Then at 9th lap I found myself in third position and I could see Pitt not far from me, so I tried to catch him. I selected rather soft tyres after the warm up, they did guarantee us a good grip as well a sufficient safety, but during the recover I stressed them a little bit and when I grabbed Pitt and overtook him the bike was difficult to control. I made a riding mistake and he passed me once more, that I had a bad skid and I preferred to hold the third place. The team merits absolutely this podium for his great work. Of course I must say that I’ve been lucky for the crash in front of me, but with a good start I’m sure that I stay in the same group and, looking at the end, I close easily my gap with Pitt. In this season we have done a great work and because of several stupid case we didn’t collect how we merit; I hope that, starting from Valencia, the things will start to follow the right direction.”

2007 FIM Superbike World Championship Valencia, Spain April 15, 2007 Race One Results: 1. Ruben XAUS (Duc 999F06), 23 laps, 37:14.606 2. Noriyuki HAGA (Yam YZF-R1), -1.997 seconds 3. Troy BAYLISS (Duc 999F07), -6.330 seconds 4. Troy CORSER (Yam YZF-R1), -8.780 seconds 5. James TOSELAND (Hon CBR1000RR), -17.040 seconds 6. Lorenzo LANZI (Duc 999F07), -24.272 seconds 7. Michel FABRIZIO (Hon CBR1000RR), -25.822 seconds 8. Max BIAGGI (Suz GSX-R1000K7), -26.087 seconds 9. Josh BROOKES (Hon CBR1000RR), -28.778 seconds 10. Roberto ROLFO (Hon CBR1000RR), -32.754 seconds 11. Regis LACONI (Kaw ZX-10R), -37.084 seconds 12. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suz GSX-R1000K6), -37.141 seconds 13. Giovanni BUSSEI (Duc 999F06), -37.563 seconds 14. Jakub SMRZ (Duc 999F05), -38.544 seconds 15. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suz GSX-R1000K7), -53.049 seconds 16. Shinchi NAKATOMI (Yam YZF-R1), -6 laps, DNF, mechanical 17. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Hon CBR1000RR), -11 laps, DNF, crash 18. Carmelo MORALES (Yam YZF-R1), -11 laps, DNF, crash 19. Luca MORELLI (Duc 999RS), -12 laps, DNF, mechanical 20. Fonsi NIETO (Kaw ZX-10R), -13 laps, DNF, crash 21. Steve MARTIN (Hon CBR1000RR), -15 laps, DNF, mechanical 22. Christian ZAISER (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), -20 laps, DNF, crash 23. Dean ELLISON (Duc 999RS), -20 laps, DNF, mechanical

Front Row Start for Byrne 2007 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Rounds 3 & 4 Thruxton, Hampshire Sunday 15th April 2007 Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport rider Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne put in a tremendous lap of 1m14.644s at a hot and sunny Thruxton today and as a result will start tomorrow’s two rounds of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship from the front row of the grid. The 30 year old Londoner posted third fastest time on the VK backed Honda Fireblade 1000cc having held pole position for much of the fifty minute session at the Hampshire circuit. Team mate Tom Sykes also produced a great performance to post a lap of 1m14.796s meaning he will start tomorrow’s two 22-lappers from fifth position on the grid as he goes in search of more points also. Shane Byrne: “Since Friday morning the team has worked really hard and we’ve just got better and better. There was a lot of work to do and the boys have come up trumps and we’re now in good shape for the races. It was disappointing to drop off pole but last week we were seventh and now we’re third, so I’m well happy.” Tom Sykes: “I’m reasonably happy but on the qualifying lap I made a mistake and that definitely cost me a front row start but its just one of those things. We’ve got a good race set up and a second row start which is good enough to win the race, so I’m hoping for a good start and some good consistent results tomorrow. “ Paul Bird: “Great qualifying from both riders, especially Tom as it’s only his second meeting on the bike and his second meeting on Dunlop tyres so it’s a good start to the weekend, and Shakey was fantastic also. They’ve both got a good race set up and hopefully they can carry the momentum forward to tomorrow and be challenging for rostrums and possible race wins.” The first 22-lap race gets underway at 13.00 followed by the second one at 15.30 which is live on ITV1. Qualifying: 1, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 1m14.433s, 2, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 1m14.488s, 3, Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 1m14.644s, 4, Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1m14.762s, 5, Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 1m14.796s, 6, Leon Camier (Honda) 1m14.938s, 7, Chris Walker (Suzuki) 1m14.972s, 8, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 1m15.097s, 9, Cal Crutchlow (Suzuki) 1m15.164s, 10, Leon Haslam (Ducati) 1m15.236s. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Rizla Suzuki racer Chris Walker will start from seventh on the second row and his team mate Cal Crutchlow from ninth on the third row in tomorrow’s second round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Thruxton in Hampshire. In a super-close qualifying session where the top 12 riders finished within a second of each other, ‘Stalker’ was just over half a second away from Yamaha’s Tommy Hill who took pole position. Crutchlow will head up the third row and is in an optimistic mood as he thinks there is lot more to come when the race starts and he can follow the riders in front. He is particularly pleased with the performance of his Rizla Suzuki after his on-board telemetry recorded 201mph on the straight. Superbike racing starts at 1300 on Sunday at Rizla Suzuki’s home 2.35-mile long Thruxton circuit in Hampshire. Chris Walker: “I am happy with our progress over the course of the weekend. Each session we have taken around four-tenths-of-a-second off our lap times and if I can achieve that tomorrow morning in warm-up then I’ll be pretty close in the races. “We’ve done a good job in qualification and traditionally I have never practiced or qualified well here. For the races I’ll be looking to get with the guys in front and see what I can achieve. With the fantastic warm sunny weather we should be in for a bumper crowd tomorrow and I’ll be counting on the support of the fans.” Cal Crutchlow: “My Rizla Suzuki is working ok this weekend. The only area we are working on is stability over the high-speed bumps, but that is an issue that all bikes have around here. I just hope the weather is a little cooler tomorrow as it will make race tyre selection easier. “Every lap I completed was on my own and I didn’t get a chance to follow any of the other riders. Following fast riders and sitting in the slipstream will settle my bike down and help reduce my lap times. It’s also encouraging that I have a bike that can top 200mph and is one of the fastest at the circuit – that’ll help me to overtake tomorrow.” Simon Buckmaster – Team Manager: “At the moment both Chris and Cal are half a second off the front runners but neither of them has followed any other riders and that is when the lap times tumble at Thruxton. In the races tomorrow they will both be stronger and have very fast GSX-R1000s to help them fight their way forward. “The weather is absolutely glorious and I think it will encourage a record crowd. For Rizla Suzuki, high track temperatures mean more difficult tyre choices, but we have been working closely with Dunlop this weekend and have plenty of options, so we are confident we can put on a strong performance in the races.” Qualifying Times: 1: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 1:14.433 2: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +0.055 3: Shane Byrne (Honda) +0.211 4: Jonathan Rea (Honda) +0.329 5: Tom Sykes (Honda) +0.363 6: Leon Camier (Honda) +0.505 7: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +0.539 8: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +0.664 9: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) +0.731 10: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +0.803