Erion Racing Honda’s Crew Chief Rick Hobbs is offering a reward for the no-questions-asked return of his red Oakley backpack, which turned up missing from his team’s garage Sunday evening, July 24, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Hobbs said the backpack contained nothing of significant value, but he needs the PDA/palm pilot device and keys that were in the backpack. Anyone with information can contact Hobbs at [email protected] .
DUCATI MARLBORO MEN FIRED UP FOR GERMANY Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa are fired up for this weekend’s German Grand Prix, following their impressive rides in last Sunday’s rain-lashed British GP. Both men were amongst the fastest riders in the Donington race after a difficult two days of dry-weather practice. “We come to the Sachsenring in positive mood, after our good results at Donington,” says Ducati MotoGP manager Livio Suppo. “Maybe we were a little lucky with the weather, but in life you sometimes need a little luck! Bridgestone have proved they have fully competitive rain tyres that work wherever we go, like in China and in Britain. That’s a positive sign of the company’s capabilities, which is why we are confident we can obtain similarly consistent dry-weather performance. We are already strong in the dry at some tracks like Mugello, and Bridgestone will bring new spec tyres to the Sachsenring, which proves how hard they are working and makes us very confident for the future.” The Sachsenring is one of MotoGP’s tightest, slowest tracks, where easy handling counts for much more than sheer horsepower. “Straight-line speed isn’t that important at this track,” says Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “What matters is nimble handling and easy turning. Like all tracks, you need a compromise between manoeuvrability and stability, but for the Sachsenring you err on the side of manoeuvrability.” After a quick-fire trip to the USA and two back-to-back European GPs, the MotoGP circus takes a well-earned three-weekend break after Germany, reconvening in the Czech Republic at the end of August. CAPIROSSI: “IT’S LIKE A GO-KART TRACK’ Ducati Marlboro Team man Loris Capirossi was satisfied with his British GP ride but what the Italian really wants is to repeat his podium finish from June’s Mugello GP. “It’s a strange track, like a go-kart track,” he says. “For sure it’s very difficult on a MotoGP bike, anyway we go there with a strong feeling, determined to get a good result before the holidays, but we will see what new tyres Bridgestone bring. The first few corners are so, so slow, but after the horseshoe right-hander it becomes quite a nice track. There’s the fast run downhill and the very fast turn 12, a really exciting corner because you’re in fifth gear, maybe 220kmh, and it’s blind and also negative camber. After Germany I go home and I stay home, I’m going nowhere! I have a 45-foot motorboat, which we use most days. There are a lot of beautiful bays around Monaco, but the problem is there are also a lot of boats, so you have to go early, because it’s like supermarket parking!” CHECA: “SLOW DOESN’T MEAN EASY” Carlos Checa comes to Germany fresh from an impressive British GP, where he rode the third fastest lap on his way to finishing fifth, after running 17th at the end of the first lap. Checa was second at the Sachsenring in 2001. “It’s a special kind of track and I like it, apart from the first part, which is too slow,” says the Ducati Marlboro Team rider. “I always enjoy tracks that feature plenty of elevation changes and the Sachsenring is very up and down. It’s slow circuit but that doesn’t mean it’s easy because MotoGP bikes are big, very powerful and have wide tyres, so this place is a lot of work. It’s so tight that you hardly ever use full throttle, maybe only for seven per cent of the lap. Maximum horsepower means absolutely nothing, so you work in other areas of engine performance, like low- and mid-rpm. We don’t change the base set-up too much from track to track, we just hope that our Bridgestone tyres work well on this asphalt. My main aim during the break is to have some rest. I will spend some time at home in London, plus I’m going trekking and climbing in the Pyrenees for a few days. I’m really looking forward to that. It’s good that everyone in the team gets a break, we all need to recharge!” THE TRACK The Sachsenring first appeared on the World Championship calendar way back in 1961. The high-speed street circuit quickly became one of racing’s most popular venues, regularly attracting a quarter of a million sports-starved East German fans who flocked there to see Western teams take on the Eastern Bloc factories who were using groundbreaking two-stroke technology. The lethal street circuit hosted its last GP in 1972, an all-new short circuit returning the venue to the calendar in 1998. At that time the new circuit was the slowest in GP racing, with a lap speed of just 143kmh/89mph. Revisions for 2000 upped the pace to 150kmh/93mph and the addition of an extra loop in 2001 (which omitted the only remaining part of the old street circuit) increased lap speeds to the current 157kmh/97mph record. Initially deemed too slow, the Sachsenring is now a popular venue with most GP riders. Nevertheless the character of the anti-clockwise circuit is still tight and twisty, putting the emphasis on delicate mid-range engine performance rather than brute top-end horsepower. Lap record: Alex Barros (Honda), 1:24.056, 157.224kmh/97.694mph (2004) Pole position 2004: Max Biaggi (Honda), 1:22.756 DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 32 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) GP starts: 225 (55xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) Pole positions: 36 (3xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Sachsenring 2004 results: Grid: 10th. Race: DNF CARLOS CHECA Age: 32 (born October 15, 1972) Lives: London, England Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 2 (500) First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500) First GP: Europe, 1993 (125) GP starts: 177 (57xMotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125) Pole positions: 3 (2xMotoGP, 1×500) First pole: Spain, 1998 (500) Sachsenring 2004 results: Grid: 7th. Race: DNF
Shannonville Motorsport Park Shannonville, Ontario RACE Super Series Round 5 July 24, 2005 Another ‘Wet’ Weekend, but a pair of wins! The on again, off again precipitation that has traveled through Ontario this week continued to challenge the teams at the RACE Super Series regional event held on the Long Track configuration at Shannonville Motorsport Park. RACE has a double header set up, with one Superbike race held on Saturday, and the other on Sunday. The rain caused scheduling delays, and led to the rescheduling of Saturday’s final to be run on Sunday. In race 1, Jordan finally got his Honda CBR100RR Superbike of to a good launch, and ran away for a relatively easy win from the pole position he secured in the heat race earlier on Saturday. RACE do not use a timing system for qualifying, so grid positions are set up by a single heat race for both Saturday and Sunday. Race 2 was an intense lead swapping battle between Frank Trombino, with Jordan edging out Frank for his second win of the day to top off what is considered to be a ‘perfect’ weekend for a racer. This is the same track configuration that will be used in the final 2005 National Championship race to be held here on Labour Day weekend. The FAST Company team was using this regional race to set up and practice for the final National of the year. In the National Series, Jordan is in second place with 196 points, two behind Francis Martin with two races to go in his quest to win his third National Championship. Jordan’s next race is in Schubenacadie Nova Scotia at Atlantic Motorsport Park in two weeks, August 5-7.
More Than $40,000 Raised in Benefit For Injured AMA Rider Vincent Haskovec SONOMA, Calif. “” Injured AMA rider Vincent Haskovec may not have been at Saturday’s open motorcycle day at Infineon Raceway, but his spirit was everywhere. More than 100 riders attended a benefit motorcycle day on Saturday at Infineon Raceway, helping to raise $41,000 for Haskovec, who sustained injuries during the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown weekend at Infineon Raceway in May. He is currently being treated at Santa Clara Medical Center in the South Bay. His injuries include paralysis below the chest. The event attracted 115 riders, each paying a $300 entry fee, and an additional $6,500 was raised during a lunch-time raffle featuring donated gifts. Others who could not attend the event donated money. Moreover, most services provided for the day were donated, including a catered lunch and all corner workers. Riders spent the day traversing the road course, mingling and reminiscing about Haskovec (Team M4 EMGO Suzuki), one of the most-liked riders on the AMA circuit. The “3Js Motorcycle Day” was hosted by Jere Starks, vice president of facilities at Infineon Raceway, Jenah Smith and Jerry Wheeler (Infineon Raceway) and avid motorcyclists Jay Brosius and Jim Randolph. “The support demonstrated by the motorcycle community for Vincent was overwhelming,” Starks said. “I’m glad we were able to host this event and help Vincent in some small way.”
GERMAN GP PREVIEW THE SASCHSENRING, A SLOW AND INTRICATE TRACK The 10th round of the season will be held Sunday, 31 of July at Sachsenring, situated 100 km south of Dresda, in what was known as East Germany. The German GP will be the last appointment before the well deserved summer break. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GERMAN GP With the English GP behind him, the twice vice world champion of MotoGP looks forward to the German GP where he triumphed in 2003. “It is a difficult moment” comments Sete Gibernau from Donington Park, “but we will keep fighting to do our best in the races to come. There is no time to rest. From England we are going to Germany where next Sunday we will be racing. On the track of the Sachsenring I have raced one of the best races of my career.” SETE GIBERNAU AND THE TRACK OF THE SACHSENRING “The Sachsenring is a slow and difficult track for the MotoGP. It is the shortest and most tortuous of all the tracks of the championship and it is for this reason that the 250cc bikes times are similar to ours in MotoGP. Due to the weight of the bikes and the slowness of the track, this is a very physically demanding circuit. What are your memories of this track? I have very contrasting memories when I think of the Sachsenring. In 2003 I disputed one of my best ever races while I don’t have fond memories of the 2004 GP. What is the best part of the track? It is a difficult and tortuous track, I can’t really say I have a favourite part. Which is the best point to overtake? Definitely the last two corners (left-left), this is the best point to overtake. Which is the quickest part of the track? After the main straight, the descending part is for sure the most difficult and quickest of the entire track. The secret to a good lap? The bike setup has to be perfect. On this track it is important to control the throttle without being too aggressive. What is the atmosphere like? In Germany the atmosphere is really nice, there are always lots of fans, real afficionado’s. I am happy here as I have the support of one of my fan clubs which is based in Germany. From the track you can really here the roar of the fans, they can in fact sit really close to the track.” THE DESIRE TO PROVE HIMSELF “It is good that we are racing next week before the summer break” commented Marco Melandri from Donington Park right after the race. “I want to look ahead to the next race. In Germany I hope to find sun and a dry track.” Marco Melandri remained in England for two more day, in his home in Derby before going to the German track. For him two days of rest and exercise in the local gym which is not only well equipped with machines, but also with a great spa, is just enough to boost him with the energy needed to take on the next challenge. With the English GP out of the way, Marco Melandri looks with hope to the German GP, tenth race of the season. On this track Marco Melandri triumphed in the lower classes, winning in 1999 in 125 class and again in 2001 and 2002 in the 250 cc class. MARCO MELANDRI AND HIS COMMENTS OF THE SACHSENRING “The Sachsenring track is a tortuous one which does not well adapt to the characteristics of the MotoGP bike as it is also very slow. The first part of the track is very tight, slow and you can’t really open the throttle for more than 30% of the bikes potential. The track becomes a bit quicker during the second part, characterized by a series of left corners and descents. What is the best part of the track? The part I prefer is between the Audi Bruecke and the Sachsen. Which is the best point to overtake? On this track the MotoGP’s have a tough time expressing their real potential therefore overtaking is quite difficult. The best spot to overtake though is the braking at the end of the starting straight and at the Schsenkurve. The secret to a good lap? Here throttle control is fundamental because you need to spend a lot of time dosing your gas. What is the atmosphere like? At the Sachsenring the atmosphere is fantastic. There are a lot of spectators and the track is small so the public is all right there, near the track, and you can really feel their presence. What are your memories of this track? My best memory: On this track I achieved my first victory in the 250 class in 2001. My worst memory: Falling in MotoGP during the 2004 GP. A LAP OF THE SACHSENRING WITH MARCO MELANDRI “The straightaway is in ascent. The first braking is quite difficult because it is blind. When you start to brake you still can’t see the corner, you take on the first corner going from sixth gear to second. The COCA-COLA KURVE is slow, not too significant for your timed lap but difficult to take on as its surface is not level and changes several times. It is important to have a good ride while exiting the corner as you are not able to use all of your horsepower. After the first corner you have a descent this is a very tortuous part which must be taken on in second gear and, in MotoGP you cannot use a lot of throttle. It is a particular “S” : after the first right corner you take on a left corner to then take on a long right corner always in descent which half way through closes quite significantly to then start going uphill. It is a difficult part of the track, very tricky. It invites you to take it on quite quickly, when in reality it is important to be fluid. During the ascent you go into third gear to then start the boring part of the track. You next have a long left corner where you are leaning for a long time. The track continues to ascend while the rider is still leaning on the left using less than 20% of the throttle. Always leaning on the left the track starts its descent, the corner gets a bit quicker and always from leaning you need to go into fourth gear before taking on the last part of the corner which is taken on in fourth gear (AUDI-BRUECKE). You get to the lower part of the track with a small straight which you take on in fourth to then brake and begin a left hand corner, a fun and quick corner which is done in fourth gear. When exiting the corner you must open the gas quite slowly until you rip it open as the track goes uphill. It is a challenging part of the track as while in fourth gear you need to get into the correct line while still dosing the gas in order to take on another left corner ( SACHSEN KURVE). Just as you close the throttle, you need to go down one gear to then take on a third very difficult left corner. This is taken on very aggressively, half way through in fact it closes the radius of the corner. You need to start slowing down, and try to come out of the corner very tight and with a sustained speed to use the descent to the max. During the direction change you go into fourth gear to then start to open the throttle entirely, leaning to the right to the enter the last descent, steeper than the others, which brings you to the lowest part of the track. During this very short straight you can even go up to sixth gear, here you get to the max velocity as you do on the starting straight. A really nice braking follows, from sixth to second gear, you go into a 90º corner which is done in second gear, you exit strongly and you put in third gear to then enter the QUICKENBERG, the last corner in second gear. A very difficult corner as it is in ascent. Here it is fundamental to exit strongly to get in a good lap. The secret to a good lap is in the throttle control because you spend a lot of time dosing the gas just right.”
TRACK FACTS – SACHSENRING One of the great centres of grand prix motorcycle racing that moved with the times to construct a short purpose built circuit that ensured the future of the German Grand Prix. The whole area around the Sachsenring is steeped in grand prix tradition with the famous 8.731km road circuit staging the East German Grand Prix in front of massive crowds between 1961 and 1972. Like many before, the road circuit was deemed too dangerous to stage grand prix racing depriving the community of a rare glimpse of western culture but when Germany became a united nation, plans to build a short circuit to stage the German Grand Prix were put in place. The first grand prix on the new circuit was in 1998 and won by World Champion Mick Doohan riding the Honda. The track was lengthened to its present day 3.671km configuration in 2003. It is the shortest track in the 17 round MotoGP calendar but only the third slowest and usually provides very close racing. Last year Max Biaggi won the race which he started from pole position, riding the Camel Honda with Makoto Tamada in sixth place. Alex Barros won the 500cc race in 2000 riding for Honda Pons and finished second behind Biaggi last year. His team-mate Troy Bayliss made a spectacular debut at the circuit in 2003 when he finished third behind Sete Gibernau and Valentino Rossi, riding the Ducati FROM THE SADDLE Alex Barros: “I’m happy to be heading to Sachsenring, where we are all hoping for a nice sunny day for the race! It is an unusual track; tight and twisty, but I like it because I’ve had some good results there both on the 500cc bikes and on the MotoGP bike. Last year I battled for victory with Max and I think I did one of the best races of the year, so I’m quite confident for Sunday. The podium in Donington was really satisfying beause the conditions were truly awful, but in Sachsenring I want to do even better before returning to Brazil for the summer break.” Troy Bayliss: “I was really annoyed at Donington, even though there’s nobody to blame for what happened considering the rotten conditions in the race. I returned home to Monaco, and took out my anger with a good bike ride and now I’m ready to race again. I love Sachsenring, I can’t wait to race there next Sunday. I feel so much more comfortable with the bike, we’ve made some steps forward with the settings and if we continue in this fashion, I will have my say on Sunday.” CIRCUIT – GERMAN GRAND PRIX – 31/07/05 SACHSENRING Track data: Length: 3.671 km Pole Position: Left Width: 10m Right corners: Four Left corners: Ten Longest straight: 780m Constructed: March 1996 Modified: 2003 Lap record: Alex Barros (Honda) 1:24.056 – 157.224 mph Pole record: Max Biaggi(Camel Honda) 1:22.756 – 155.694 mph Race winner 2004: Max Biaggi (Camel Honda) 42:23.287 – 155.888 km/h Alex Barros/Troy Bayliss 2004 Alex Barros: second Troy Bayliss: DNF TECHNICAL INSIGHT – GERMAN GRAND PRIX – 31/07/05 SACHSENRING The Sachsenring circuit is tight and twisty. It is, at 3671 metres, the shortest in the World Championship. However, surprisingly perhaps, the race distance is also the shortest of the season at 110.13 kms in MotoGP compared to the average which is around 120 kms. The explanation of the short distance is that the average lap speed is the third slowest of the championship at 157.828 Km/h, behind Cheste and Estoril, and therefore the number of laps to be completed is reduced. With only 110 km to cover, the race is run over 30 laps which makes the race seem never-ending to the riders and teams who are in the lead! Another characteristic of this circuit is its peculiar layout: the first section is tight and twisty and it is here where the bike must be very nimble in the changes of direction. In this section, which includes the first two intermediate time checks up to the exit of the Karthallen Corner, the average speed is less than 134 km/h. However, in the next section of the track leading up to the start/finish line, the average speed is over 177 Km/h and it is here where the bike speed through the corners is crucial in setting a good lap time. This is also the section of the circuit where we find pronounced undulations. With gradients of up to 13% on the down slopes and 10 % on the inclines, the Sachsenring Circuit, although short and twisty, is nevertheless a track where the power delivery of the engine is crucial in getting a good result. Another peculiarity about this track is the large difference between the number of left and right handed corners. Sachsenring, together with Phillip Island and Cheste, are the only three circuits in the World Championship where left handed corners outweigh right-handers. There are ten left handed corners and only four right handers. This factor has a significant influence on the compound of the tyres since they must be harder on the left side to withstand the accelerations in the Karthallen and Audi-Brucken corners, and relatively soft on the right side because there are relatively few right hand corners. Also the corner just before the downhill section leading into the Sachsenkurve is preceded by a series of seven continuous left hand corners which means that the right side of the tyre will be colder than normal and will lack grip, a situation which can cause a rider to crash out. Every year this corner is often the scene of frequent crashes where riders suffer physical injury because it’s taken at speeds of more than 200 Km/h. In the gear change set up, at a circuit where speeds are so slow and where first gear is not used, the gear change ratios must be set exactly, especially in second and fourth since these gears are used the most. It is a typical circuit where much discussion takes place about whether to use a five or six speed gear box. Normally the gears from second to sixth are used and first is only used at the start. This situation is repeated at other circuits, but at the Sachsenring second gear is very short and this makes first gear even shorter than would be normal for the race starts. Although on paper it seems that a shorter gear would permit a better start, in reality it is the other way around since the delivery of power is too sudden and causes wheelies and skidding as the bike leaves the starting grid. Sachsenring has a top speed of 270 Km/h which means the jumps between the gears are very short. This factor, together with the undulations, means that one of the main problems facing riders is trying to avoid wheelies in the main straight and in the first twisty section. This is a typical circuit where the control of power, whether it be by the rider or through electronics, is crucial in getting the maximum performance out of the bike.
Sidecar Road Racing World Championship Round in Russia cancelled The round of the Sidecar Road Racing World Championship scheduled in St Petersburg, Russia, on September 11, is cancelled. In case this round is not replaced, the Championship will thus count 7 rounds, of which three to be run, as follows: Dates, Country, Circuit May 8, Brands Hatch, Great Britain* May 29, Hungaroring, Hungary* June 19, Nurburgring, Germany* July 10, Schleiz, Germany* August 7, Salzburgring, Austria August 21, Grobnik, Croatia September 4, Assen, Netherlands * : already run
Rossi takes giant lead to Germany for Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland The MotoGP World Championship winds up for a month-long summer break this weekend as the Sachsenring circuit in Germany prepares to host the tenth round of the season, the Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Traditionally one of the highest attended events of the MotoGP season, a crowd of over 100,000 people is expected for this Sunday’s Grand Prix, where Valentino Rossi will defend a mammoth lead of 104 points in the championship. Rossi’s seventh win from nine races just two days ago at Donington Park was also the 75th of his Grand Prix career in all classes and a repeat performance at the Sachsenring would see him go level third in the all-time winners’ charts alongside the legendary Mike Hailwood. However, the Italian struggled to find a set-up for his Yamaha M1 machine at the tight and twisty German track one year ago and could only manage fourth place one of only three occasions he actually finished a race without making the podium last season. The only rider ever to win at the Sachsenring on a Yamaha is Max Biaggi, who also took victory there last season riding the Honda. It was Biaggi’s only success of 2004 and the Italian has not won since a seventeen-race dry spell that matches his longest ever run without a victory since he made his Grand Prix debut back in 1992. Biaggi’s crash in the wet race at Donington Park last Sunday also saw him lose third in the championship to Colin Edwards, who now lies just one point behind Melandri in the chase for second place. Melandri will also be looking for a change of fortune in Germany after only completing one full lap out of the last two races, with successive crashes at Laguna Seca and Donington Park bringing his early-season form to an abrupt halt. Whilst Rossi is now seemingly out of reach at the top of the standings, Melandri will be keen to hang on to second place before the season takes a four-week summer break. The Italian youngster has won at the Sachsenring three times in the 125cc and 250cc classes, including his maiden quarter-litre success in 2001, but has crashed out of the MotoGP race there for the past two seasons. Kenny Roberts and Alex Barros arrive at the tenth round of the championship on top confidence after their morale-boosting podium finishes behind Rossi at Donington. Both riders have previously won the premier-class race at the Sachsenring and will be looking to turn their impressive wet performances into a dry result this weekend. Sete Gibernau won the MotoGP race there two years ago but crashed out last season and has now failed to finish in three rounds of the current campaign after sliding out of the lead in Great Britain. One more previous Sachsenring winner will be added to the mix this weekend, with former 250cc World Champion Olivier Jacque returning to the MotoGP field as a wildcard entry for Kawasaki. Jacque scored a memorable podium finish for the factory in China earlier this season and has a strong record at the German circuit, with his only premier-class pole here on a Yamaha in 2002 adding to his 250cc victory in 2000. Current 250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa saw his championship lead reduced by Casey Stoner last Sunday but the Spaniard is still 34 points clear of the Australian and will be boosted by the confidence of his best ever wet result after taking fourth place at Donington Park. Pedrosa secured his first Sachsenring win last year and he will be looking for a repeat success with a number of his rivals coming into form. Third place for Stoner last Sunday was his fourth podium of the season whilst Randy De Puniet was back to his best with a victory that could prove to be the turning point to the Frenchman’s season. Sebastián Porto has started from pole for the last two years in Germany and finished on the podium both last year and in 2002, whilst Pedrosa will also be keeping an eye on Anthony West after a stunning debut by the KTM machine at Donington Park that saw the Australian finish second. The 125cc World Championship could not be closer with just eight points separating the first four riders. Joint series leaders Mattia Pasini and Gabor Talmacsi both left Donington Park empty-handed after the Italian crashed on the warm-up lap for the second race and the Hungarian slid out twice once the red lights were out. Thomas Lüthi now lies just one point behind the pair with Mika Kallio a further seven points back. Meanwhile Julián Simón, the only rider in the 125cc class to have scored points at each of the first eight races of the year, now lies eighth in the championship after becoming the sixth different winner of a 125cc race this season with his maiden success at Donington.
Vermeulen and Brookes lead Aussie 8-hour charge The world’s biggest motorcycle race, the Suzuka 8 Hour, will be held in Japan this Sunday, with dynamic duo Chris Vermeulen and Josh Brookes leading the Aussie offensive. Vermeulen, who is currently running second in the Superbike World Championship behind compatriot Troy Corser, will be making his first appearance in the iconic 27-year-old event, as will the Australian-based Brookes, who is desperate to put on a good show in front of the Japanese factory bosses not to mention the 150,000-plus spectators! With conditions again expected to be extremely humid, Vermeulen will ride one of only two factory Honda CBR1000RRs in the race, alongside Japanese world Supersport campaigner, Katsuaki Fujiwara. The duo will compete under the Seven Stars Honda 11 umbrella, with Vermeulen a strong chance to become the seventh Australian winner of the 8-hour, and the first since Wayne Gardner and Daryl Beattie prevailed in 1992. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Brookes, who first hit the big time with a spectacular victory in the 2004 world Supersport round at Phillip Island, will also be CBR1000RR mounted for the wait for it – Team Yoshiharu & Idemitsu Maido Plus collaboration. That’s a mouthful, but with some recent testing at Suzuka behind him and a capable teammate (Yoshiyuki Sugai) on board, Brookes will be in a position to showcase his full repertoire. Sugai finished sixth in 2004, in association with another Australian Robert Bugden. Eighty teams are entered this weekend, with the race also doubling as round three of the 2005 Endurance World Championship. The British-based Phase One Endurance (YZF-R1) competes full-time in the endurance title, and its Suzuka roster will be filled by three Australians Warwick Nowland, Damian Cudlin and Paul Young. Nowland, a two-time world endurance champion, and 22-year-old Cudlin are the regular incumbents at Phase One, while Young is in career-best form with his current leadership of the 2005 British Supersport title. “Suzuka is without doubt a very strange and difficult race,” said Nowland. “The humidity is tough, the temperature is high and the local riders are under pressure from the factories and/or themselves. Chris Vermeulen told me when he first met with the Honda bosses, they explained HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) will have bikes number seven and number 11 and they will finish first and second in the Suzuka 8 Hour. No pressure! “Damian and I are now getting synchronised with bike set-up, which has been a bonus. And Paul has a lot of experience, so I’m looking forward to us all working together. I think we are a strong team.” Phase One is currently equal fourth in the endurance standings on 26pts, 29 in arrears of runaway leader, Castrol Suzuki (Keiichi Kitagawa, Vincent Philippe, Matthieu Lagrive, GSX-R1000). There are three rounds remaining, with events at Oschersleben (Germany) and Vallelunga (Italy) after Suzuka. Last year’s Suzuka 8 Hour was won by the Seven Stars Honda 7 entry, with former 500cc rider Tohru Ukawa and Hitoyasu Izutsu in the saddle. Ukawa has been retained in the same outfit for 2005, while Izutsu has been replaced by Ryuichi Kiyonari. Meanwhile, last year’s second and third placegetters will also return for more Yoshimura Suzuki (Atsushi Watanabe, Yukio Kagayama, GSX-R1000) and Weider Honda Academy Boys (Toshiyuki Hamaguchi, Shogo Moriwaki, CBR1000RR). The Suzuka 8 Hour was first held in 1978, and became a part of the fledgling Endurance World Championship in 1980. A year before that, Honda-backed Australian pairing, Mick Cole and Tony Hatton, claimed the honours. It was then a six-year wait before an Australian rider again emerged with the spoils – Wayne Gardner in 1985 on Honda’s then all-conquering RVF750 Formula One machine. Gardner then defended his title the next year, before another imperious two-year stretch in 1991-92. In an era where Australia’s 500cc GP riders regularly took time out from their busy schedules to race in the 8 Hour, Kevin Magee (1987-88), Mick Doohan (1991) and Daryl Beattie (1992) also won the event. Moreover, former New Zealand great Graeme Crosby dominated the 1980 event on a Suzuki. Honda hasn’t been defeated in the 8 Hour since 1996, when Colin Edwards and Noriyuki Haga won on a Yamaha. In all, Honda has 20 wins, ahead of Yamaha (four), Suzuki (two) and Kawasaki (one).
Attention, Fans: Here’s Your Chance to ‘Race the Racers’ at VIR! Alton, Va. (July 26) Think you’ve got what it takes to go wheel-to-wheel with the big guys? Think you’re fast enough to take on the superstars of Superbike? Here’s your chance to find out: As part of the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIRginia International Raceway featuring the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, scheduled for the weekend of August 26-28, race promoters Race Promotion Management (RPM) are announcing a Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge for Thursday, August 25. Here’s the concept: There will be 10 single-engine, 200cc Zip karts ready to race at VIR’s Plantation Valley Kart Track on Thursday, August 25, at 5:00 pm. Each kart will have four drivers: one Superbike racer, one media celebrity, one staff member from either AMA, VIR, RPM or event sponsor Suzuki and one fan. Each driver will get 10 laps of the 5/8-mile, 24-foot-wide road racing kart circuit, and then pit for a driver change to one of their teammates. At the end of 40 laps, the kart with the fastest cumulative time is declared the winner. Following the race there will be a reception for all the participants, where trophies will be presented and fan participants will receive a CD of photographs taken during the race. Here’s the deal for fans: All fans who purchase an advance ticket to the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals by the end of the day on August 12, 2005, will have their name entered in the eligibility drawing. Nine names will be drawn, and those picked will be invited to compete in the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge. In the event that any of those picked will not be able to attend on August 25 (which is a private test day for the teams, with the general public not allowed), we will continue to pick names until we have one fan driver for each of the nine teams. Racers who will be participating in the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro include the following superstars of the sport: Eric Bostrom, Roger Lee Hayden, Aaron Yates, Neil Hodgson, Ben Spies, Jamie Hacking, Aaron Gobert, Kevin Schwantz and a rider to be named later. An additional, 10th team will be fielded by Triangle Cycles of Danville, with pro racer Larry Pegram anchoring the driver line-up. “VIR is a unique, multi-faceted facility,” said RPM vice-president Cameron Gray, “and we wanted to do something special for the fans that would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and also showcase what a great place VIR is. We are determined to make the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals ‘the race of the year’ for fans, and the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro is just another of the ways in which we going to do that. VIR’s Plantation Valley Kart Track is a fantastic and challenging karting circuit, and we’re going to have a lot of fun with this event. The bragging rights alone are going to be priceless! We’re really looking forward to it.” There are a number of advance ticket packages available for the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIR. Advance packages include the Flag Room (three-day admission, paddock access, car parking pass, official event program and hospitality on Saturday and Sunday), for $140; Youth Flag Room (5-12 years of age) for $50; the Big Kahuna Super Ticket (three-day admission, paddock and pit walk pass, lap of track, car parking pass and official 2005 Big Kahuna t-shirt) for $99; three-day general admission with paddock access for $55; and pit walk passes (limited availability, good for all practice and qualifying sessions, requires closed-toe shoes) for $30. At the gate, ticket availability will be limited to three-day passes for $60, single-day tickets (Friday only) for $10 and pit walk passes for $40. To purchase advance tickets, visit www.virclub.com or www.rpmcolorado.com. The event schedule for the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals will include three days of racing action, including two feature races for the headlining AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited as well as feature races for the supporting classes including the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei, AMA Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series and Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series. VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Va., and just north of historic Milton, N.C. In addition to its 3.27-mile natural-terrain road racing circuit (designed to be operated as two autonomous, full-service courses), VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America’s first motorsports country club; the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park; the VIR Gallery, which is a sales showroom for high-end collector and racing cars; the VIR Safety and Security Institute, which provides specialized training for U.S. Government and military groups; The Lodge at VIR, a 27-room hotel overlooking the track; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse. VIR made history from 1957 to 1974 and is doing so again. The 2.25-mile VIR North Course circuit on which the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals will take place has 17 challenging turns and 130 feet of elevation change. In addition to spectator events, the track is also available to rent for testing, driving schools and club days. For more information on VIRginia International Raceway, visit the track’s website at www.virclub.com or contact VIR at 434-822-7700. For more information on Race Promotion Management, visit their website at www.rpmcolorado.com or contact them via telephone at 303-377-3278. For more information on the AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited, visit their website at www.amasuperbike.com.
Erion Racing Honda’s Crew Chief Rick Hobbs is offering a reward for the no-questions-asked return of his red Oakley backpack, which turned up missing from his team’s garage Sunday evening, July 24, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Hobbs said the backpack contained nothing of significant value, but he needs the PDA/palm pilot device and keys that were in the backpack. Anyone with information can contact Hobbs at [email protected] .
DUCATI MARLBORO MEN FIRED UP FOR GERMANY Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa are fired up for this weekend’s German Grand Prix, following their impressive rides in last Sunday’s rain-lashed British GP. Both men were amongst the fastest riders in the Donington race after a difficult two days of dry-weather practice. “We come to the Sachsenring in positive mood, after our good results at Donington,” says Ducati MotoGP manager Livio Suppo. “Maybe we were a little lucky with the weather, but in life you sometimes need a little luck! Bridgestone have proved they have fully competitive rain tyres that work wherever we go, like in China and in Britain. That’s a positive sign of the company’s capabilities, which is why we are confident we can obtain similarly consistent dry-weather performance. We are already strong in the dry at some tracks like Mugello, and Bridgestone will bring new spec tyres to the Sachsenring, which proves how hard they are working and makes us very confident for the future.” The Sachsenring is one of MotoGP’s tightest, slowest tracks, where easy handling counts for much more than sheer horsepower. “Straight-line speed isn’t that important at this track,” says Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “What matters is nimble handling and easy turning. Like all tracks, you need a compromise between manoeuvrability and stability, but for the Sachsenring you err on the side of manoeuvrability.” After a quick-fire trip to the USA and two back-to-back European GPs, the MotoGP circus takes a well-earned three-weekend break after Germany, reconvening in the Czech Republic at the end of August. CAPIROSSI: “IT’S LIKE A GO-KART TRACK’ Ducati Marlboro Team man Loris Capirossi was satisfied with his British GP ride but what the Italian really wants is to repeat his podium finish from June’s Mugello GP. “It’s a strange track, like a go-kart track,” he says. “For sure it’s very difficult on a MotoGP bike, anyway we go there with a strong feeling, determined to get a good result before the holidays, but we will see what new tyres Bridgestone bring. The first few corners are so, so slow, but after the horseshoe right-hander it becomes quite a nice track. There’s the fast run downhill and the very fast turn 12, a really exciting corner because you’re in fifth gear, maybe 220kmh, and it’s blind and also negative camber. After Germany I go home and I stay home, I’m going nowhere! I have a 45-foot motorboat, which we use most days. There are a lot of beautiful bays around Monaco, but the problem is there are also a lot of boats, so you have to go early, because it’s like supermarket parking!” CHECA: “SLOW DOESN’T MEAN EASY” Carlos Checa comes to Germany fresh from an impressive British GP, where he rode the third fastest lap on his way to finishing fifth, after running 17th at the end of the first lap. Checa was second at the Sachsenring in 2001. “It’s a special kind of track and I like it, apart from the first part, which is too slow,” says the Ducati Marlboro Team rider. “I always enjoy tracks that feature plenty of elevation changes and the Sachsenring is very up and down. It’s slow circuit but that doesn’t mean it’s easy because MotoGP bikes are big, very powerful and have wide tyres, so this place is a lot of work. It’s so tight that you hardly ever use full throttle, maybe only for seven per cent of the lap. Maximum horsepower means absolutely nothing, so you work in other areas of engine performance, like low- and mid-rpm. We don’t change the base set-up too much from track to track, we just hope that our Bridgestone tyres work well on this asphalt. My main aim during the break is to have some rest. I will spend some time at home in London, plus I’m going trekking and climbing in the Pyrenees for a few days. I’m really looking forward to that. It’s good that everyone in the team gets a break, we all need to recharge!” THE TRACK The Sachsenring first appeared on the World Championship calendar way back in 1961. The high-speed street circuit quickly became one of racing’s most popular venues, regularly attracting a quarter of a million sports-starved East German fans who flocked there to see Western teams take on the Eastern Bloc factories who were using groundbreaking two-stroke technology. The lethal street circuit hosted its last GP in 1972, an all-new short circuit returning the venue to the calendar in 1998. At that time the new circuit was the slowest in GP racing, with a lap speed of just 143kmh/89mph. Revisions for 2000 upped the pace to 150kmh/93mph and the addition of an extra loop in 2001 (which omitted the only remaining part of the old street circuit) increased lap speeds to the current 157kmh/97mph record. Initially deemed too slow, the Sachsenring is now a popular venue with most GP riders. Nevertheless the character of the anti-clockwise circuit is still tight and twisty, putting the emphasis on delicate mid-range engine performance rather than brute top-end horsepower. Lap record: Alex Barros (Honda), 1:24.056, 157.224kmh/97.694mph (2004) Pole position 2004: Max Biaggi (Honda), 1:22.756 DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 32 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) GP starts: 225 (55xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) Pole positions: 36 (3xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Sachsenring 2004 results: Grid: 10th. Race: DNF CARLOS CHECA Age: 32 (born October 15, 1972) Lives: London, England Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 2 (500) First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500) First GP: Europe, 1993 (125) GP starts: 177 (57xMotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125) Pole positions: 3 (2xMotoGP, 1×500) First pole: Spain, 1998 (500) Sachsenring 2004 results: Grid: 7th. Race: DNF
Shannonville Motorsport Park Shannonville, Ontario RACE Super Series Round 5 July 24, 2005 Another ‘Wet’ Weekend, but a pair of wins! The on again, off again precipitation that has traveled through Ontario this week continued to challenge the teams at the RACE Super Series regional event held on the Long Track configuration at Shannonville Motorsport Park. RACE has a double header set up, with one Superbike race held on Saturday, and the other on Sunday. The rain caused scheduling delays, and led to the rescheduling of Saturday’s final to be run on Sunday. In race 1, Jordan finally got his Honda CBR100RR Superbike of to a good launch, and ran away for a relatively easy win from the pole position he secured in the heat race earlier on Saturday. RACE do not use a timing system for qualifying, so grid positions are set up by a single heat race for both Saturday and Sunday. Race 2 was an intense lead swapping battle between Frank Trombino, with Jordan edging out Frank for his second win of the day to top off what is considered to be a ‘perfect’ weekend for a racer. This is the same track configuration that will be used in the final 2005 National Championship race to be held here on Labour Day weekend. The FAST Company team was using this regional race to set up and practice for the final National of the year. In the National Series, Jordan is in second place with 196 points, two behind Francis Martin with two races to go in his quest to win his third National Championship. Jordan’s next race is in Schubenacadie Nova Scotia at Atlantic Motorsport Park in two weeks, August 5-7.
More Than $40,000 Raised in Benefit For Injured AMA Rider Vincent Haskovec SONOMA, Calif. “” Injured AMA rider Vincent Haskovec may not have been at Saturday’s open motorcycle day at Infineon Raceway, but his spirit was everywhere. More than 100 riders attended a benefit motorcycle day on Saturday at Infineon Raceway, helping to raise $41,000 for Haskovec, who sustained injuries during the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown weekend at Infineon Raceway in May. He is currently being treated at Santa Clara Medical Center in the South Bay. His injuries include paralysis below the chest. The event attracted 115 riders, each paying a $300 entry fee, and an additional $6,500 was raised during a lunch-time raffle featuring donated gifts. Others who could not attend the event donated money. Moreover, most services provided for the day were donated, including a catered lunch and all corner workers. Riders spent the day traversing the road course, mingling and reminiscing about Haskovec (Team M4 EMGO Suzuki), one of the most-liked riders on the AMA circuit. The “3Js Motorcycle Day” was hosted by Jere Starks, vice president of facilities at Infineon Raceway, Jenah Smith and Jerry Wheeler (Infineon Raceway) and avid motorcyclists Jay Brosius and Jim Randolph. “The support demonstrated by the motorcycle community for Vincent was overwhelming,” Starks said. “I’m glad we were able to host this event and help Vincent in some small way.”
GERMAN GP PREVIEW THE SASCHSENRING, A SLOW AND INTRICATE TRACK The 10th round of the season will be held Sunday, 31 of July at Sachsenring, situated 100 km south of Dresda, in what was known as East Germany. The German GP will be the last appointment before the well deserved summer break. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GERMAN GP With the English GP behind him, the twice vice world champion of MotoGP looks forward to the German GP where he triumphed in 2003. “It is a difficult moment” comments Sete Gibernau from Donington Park, “but we will keep fighting to do our best in the races to come. There is no time to rest. From England we are going to Germany where next Sunday we will be racing. On the track of the Sachsenring I have raced one of the best races of my career.” SETE GIBERNAU AND THE TRACK OF THE SACHSENRING “The Sachsenring is a slow and difficult track for the MotoGP. It is the shortest and most tortuous of all the tracks of the championship and it is for this reason that the 250cc bikes times are similar to ours in MotoGP. Due to the weight of the bikes and the slowness of the track, this is a very physically demanding circuit. What are your memories of this track? I have very contrasting memories when I think of the Sachsenring. In 2003 I disputed one of my best ever races while I don’t have fond memories of the 2004 GP. What is the best part of the track? It is a difficult and tortuous track, I can’t really say I have a favourite part. Which is the best point to overtake? Definitely the last two corners (left-left), this is the best point to overtake. Which is the quickest part of the track? After the main straight, the descending part is for sure the most difficult and quickest of the entire track. The secret to a good lap? The bike setup has to be perfect. On this track it is important to control the throttle without being too aggressive. What is the atmosphere like? In Germany the atmosphere is really nice, there are always lots of fans, real afficionado’s. I am happy here as I have the support of one of my fan clubs which is based in Germany. From the track you can really here the roar of the fans, they can in fact sit really close to the track.” THE DESIRE TO PROVE HIMSELF “It is good that we are racing next week before the summer break” commented Marco Melandri from Donington Park right after the race. “I want to look ahead to the next race. In Germany I hope to find sun and a dry track.” Marco Melandri remained in England for two more day, in his home in Derby before going to the German track. For him two days of rest and exercise in the local gym which is not only well equipped with machines, but also with a great spa, is just enough to boost him with the energy needed to take on the next challenge. With the English GP out of the way, Marco Melandri looks with hope to the German GP, tenth race of the season. On this track Marco Melandri triumphed in the lower classes, winning in 1999 in 125 class and again in 2001 and 2002 in the 250 cc class. MARCO MELANDRI AND HIS COMMENTS OF THE SACHSENRING “The Sachsenring track is a tortuous one which does not well adapt to the characteristics of the MotoGP bike as it is also very slow. The first part of the track is very tight, slow and you can’t really open the throttle for more than 30% of the bikes potential. The track becomes a bit quicker during the second part, characterized by a series of left corners and descents. What is the best part of the track? The part I prefer is between the Audi Bruecke and the Sachsen. Which is the best point to overtake? On this track the MotoGP’s have a tough time expressing their real potential therefore overtaking is quite difficult. The best spot to overtake though is the braking at the end of the starting straight and at the Schsenkurve. The secret to a good lap? Here throttle control is fundamental because you need to spend a lot of time dosing your gas. What is the atmosphere like? At the Sachsenring the atmosphere is fantastic. There are a lot of spectators and the track is small so the public is all right there, near the track, and you can really feel their presence. What are your memories of this track? My best memory: On this track I achieved my first victory in the 250 class in 2001. My worst memory: Falling in MotoGP during the 2004 GP. A LAP OF THE SACHSENRING WITH MARCO MELANDRI “The straightaway is in ascent. The first braking is quite difficult because it is blind. When you start to brake you still can’t see the corner, you take on the first corner going from sixth gear to second. The COCA-COLA KURVE is slow, not too significant for your timed lap but difficult to take on as its surface is not level and changes several times. It is important to have a good ride while exiting the corner as you are not able to use all of your horsepower. After the first corner you have a descent this is a very tortuous part which must be taken on in second gear and, in MotoGP you cannot use a lot of throttle. It is a particular “S” : after the first right corner you take on a left corner to then take on a long right corner always in descent which half way through closes quite significantly to then start going uphill. It is a difficult part of the track, very tricky. It invites you to take it on quite quickly, when in reality it is important to be fluid. During the ascent you go into third gear to then start the boring part of the track. You next have a long left corner where you are leaning for a long time. The track continues to ascend while the rider is still leaning on the left using less than 20% of the throttle. Always leaning on the left the track starts its descent, the corner gets a bit quicker and always from leaning you need to go into fourth gear before taking on the last part of the corner which is taken on in fourth gear (AUDI-BRUECKE). You get to the lower part of the track with a small straight which you take on in fourth to then brake and begin a left hand corner, a fun and quick corner which is done in fourth gear. When exiting the corner you must open the gas quite slowly until you rip it open as the track goes uphill. It is a challenging part of the track as while in fourth gear you need to get into the correct line while still dosing the gas in order to take on another left corner ( SACHSEN KURVE). Just as you close the throttle, you need to go down one gear to then take on a third very difficult left corner. This is taken on very aggressively, half way through in fact it closes the radius of the corner. You need to start slowing down, and try to come out of the corner very tight and with a sustained speed to use the descent to the max. During the direction change you go into fourth gear to then start to open the throttle entirely, leaning to the right to the enter the last descent, steeper than the others, which brings you to the lowest part of the track. During this very short straight you can even go up to sixth gear, here you get to the max velocity as you do on the starting straight. A really nice braking follows, from sixth to second gear, you go into a 90º corner which is done in second gear, you exit strongly and you put in third gear to then enter the QUICKENBERG, the last corner in second gear. A very difficult corner as it is in ascent. Here it is fundamental to exit strongly to get in a good lap. The secret to a good lap is in the throttle control because you spend a lot of time dosing the gas just right.”
TRACK FACTS – SACHSENRING One of the great centres of grand prix motorcycle racing that moved with the times to construct a short purpose built circuit that ensured the future of the German Grand Prix. The whole area around the Sachsenring is steeped in grand prix tradition with the famous 8.731km road circuit staging the East German Grand Prix in front of massive crowds between 1961 and 1972. Like many before, the road circuit was deemed too dangerous to stage grand prix racing depriving the community of a rare glimpse of western culture but when Germany became a united nation, plans to build a short circuit to stage the German Grand Prix were put in place. The first grand prix on the new circuit was in 1998 and won by World Champion Mick Doohan riding the Honda. The track was lengthened to its present day 3.671km configuration in 2003. It is the shortest track in the 17 round MotoGP calendar but only the third slowest and usually provides very close racing. Last year Max Biaggi won the race which he started from pole position, riding the Camel Honda with Makoto Tamada in sixth place. Alex Barros won the 500cc race in 2000 riding for Honda Pons and finished second behind Biaggi last year. His team-mate Troy Bayliss made a spectacular debut at the circuit in 2003 when he finished third behind Sete Gibernau and Valentino Rossi, riding the Ducati FROM THE SADDLE Alex Barros: “I’m happy to be heading to Sachsenring, where we are all hoping for a nice sunny day for the race! It is an unusual track; tight and twisty, but I like it because I’ve had some good results there both on the 500cc bikes and on the MotoGP bike. Last year I battled for victory with Max and I think I did one of the best races of the year, so I’m quite confident for Sunday. The podium in Donington was really satisfying beause the conditions were truly awful, but in Sachsenring I want to do even better before returning to Brazil for the summer break.” Troy Bayliss: “I was really annoyed at Donington, even though there’s nobody to blame for what happened considering the rotten conditions in the race. I returned home to Monaco, and took out my anger with a good bike ride and now I’m ready to race again. I love Sachsenring, I can’t wait to race there next Sunday. I feel so much more comfortable with the bike, we’ve made some steps forward with the settings and if we continue in this fashion, I will have my say on Sunday.” CIRCUIT – GERMAN GRAND PRIX – 31/07/05 SACHSENRING Track data: Length: 3.671 km Pole Position: Left Width: 10m Right corners: Four Left corners: Ten Longest straight: 780m Constructed: March 1996 Modified: 2003 Lap record: Alex Barros (Honda) 1:24.056 – 157.224 mph Pole record: Max Biaggi(Camel Honda) 1:22.756 – 155.694 mph Race winner 2004: Max Biaggi (Camel Honda) 42:23.287 – 155.888 km/h Alex Barros/Troy Bayliss 2004 Alex Barros: second Troy Bayliss: DNF TECHNICAL INSIGHT – GERMAN GRAND PRIX – 31/07/05 SACHSENRING The Sachsenring circuit is tight and twisty. It is, at 3671 metres, the shortest in the World Championship. However, surprisingly perhaps, the race distance is also the shortest of the season at 110.13 kms in MotoGP compared to the average which is around 120 kms. The explanation of the short distance is that the average lap speed is the third slowest of the championship at 157.828 Km/h, behind Cheste and Estoril, and therefore the number of laps to be completed is reduced. With only 110 km to cover, the race is run over 30 laps which makes the race seem never-ending to the riders and teams who are in the lead! Another characteristic of this circuit is its peculiar layout: the first section is tight and twisty and it is here where the bike must be very nimble in the changes of direction. In this section, which includes the first two intermediate time checks up to the exit of the Karthallen Corner, the average speed is less than 134 km/h. However, in the next section of the track leading up to the start/finish line, the average speed is over 177 Km/h and it is here where the bike speed through the corners is crucial in setting a good lap time. This is also the section of the circuit where we find pronounced undulations. With gradients of up to 13% on the down slopes and 10 % on the inclines, the Sachsenring Circuit, although short and twisty, is nevertheless a track where the power delivery of the engine is crucial in getting a good result. Another peculiarity about this track is the large difference between the number of left and right handed corners. Sachsenring, together with Phillip Island and Cheste, are the only three circuits in the World Championship where left handed corners outweigh right-handers. There are ten left handed corners and only four right handers. This factor has a significant influence on the compound of the tyres since they must be harder on the left side to withstand the accelerations in the Karthallen and Audi-Brucken corners, and relatively soft on the right side because there are relatively few right hand corners. Also the corner just before the downhill section leading into the Sachsenkurve is preceded by a series of seven continuous left hand corners which means that the right side of the tyre will be colder than normal and will lack grip, a situation which can cause a rider to crash out. Every year this corner is often the scene of frequent crashes where riders suffer physical injury because it’s taken at speeds of more than 200 Km/h. In the gear change set up, at a circuit where speeds are so slow and where first gear is not used, the gear change ratios must be set exactly, especially in second and fourth since these gears are used the most. It is a typical circuit where much discussion takes place about whether to use a five or six speed gear box. Normally the gears from second to sixth are used and first is only used at the start. This situation is repeated at other circuits, but at the Sachsenring second gear is very short and this makes first gear even shorter than would be normal for the race starts. Although on paper it seems that a shorter gear would permit a better start, in reality it is the other way around since the delivery of power is too sudden and causes wheelies and skidding as the bike leaves the starting grid. Sachsenring has a top speed of 270 Km/h which means the jumps between the gears are very short. This factor, together with the undulations, means that one of the main problems facing riders is trying to avoid wheelies in the main straight and in the first twisty section. This is a typical circuit where the control of power, whether it be by the rider or through electronics, is crucial in getting the maximum performance out of the bike.
Sidecar Road Racing World Championship Round in Russia cancelled The round of the Sidecar Road Racing World Championship scheduled in St Petersburg, Russia, on September 11, is cancelled. In case this round is not replaced, the Championship will thus count 7 rounds, of which three to be run, as follows: Dates, Country, Circuit May 8, Brands Hatch, Great Britain* May 29, Hungaroring, Hungary* June 19, Nurburgring, Germany* July 10, Schleiz, Germany* August 7, Salzburgring, Austria August 21, Grobnik, Croatia September 4, Assen, Netherlands * : already run
Rossi takes giant lead to Germany for Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland The MotoGP World Championship winds up for a month-long summer break this weekend as the Sachsenring circuit in Germany prepares to host the tenth round of the season, the Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Traditionally one of the highest attended events of the MotoGP season, a crowd of over 100,000 people is expected for this Sunday’s Grand Prix, where Valentino Rossi will defend a mammoth lead of 104 points in the championship. Rossi’s seventh win from nine races just two days ago at Donington Park was also the 75th of his Grand Prix career in all classes and a repeat performance at the Sachsenring would see him go level third in the all-time winners’ charts alongside the legendary Mike Hailwood. However, the Italian struggled to find a set-up for his Yamaha M1 machine at the tight and twisty German track one year ago and could only manage fourth place one of only three occasions he actually finished a race without making the podium last season. The only rider ever to win at the Sachsenring on a Yamaha is Max Biaggi, who also took victory there last season riding the Honda. It was Biaggi’s only success of 2004 and the Italian has not won since a seventeen-race dry spell that matches his longest ever run without a victory since he made his Grand Prix debut back in 1992. Biaggi’s crash in the wet race at Donington Park last Sunday also saw him lose third in the championship to Colin Edwards, who now lies just one point behind Melandri in the chase for second place. Melandri will also be looking for a change of fortune in Germany after only completing one full lap out of the last two races, with successive crashes at Laguna Seca and Donington Park bringing his early-season form to an abrupt halt. Whilst Rossi is now seemingly out of reach at the top of the standings, Melandri will be keen to hang on to second place before the season takes a four-week summer break. The Italian youngster has won at the Sachsenring three times in the 125cc and 250cc classes, including his maiden quarter-litre success in 2001, but has crashed out of the MotoGP race there for the past two seasons. Kenny Roberts and Alex Barros arrive at the tenth round of the championship on top confidence after their morale-boosting podium finishes behind Rossi at Donington. Both riders have previously won the premier-class race at the Sachsenring and will be looking to turn their impressive wet performances into a dry result this weekend. Sete Gibernau won the MotoGP race there two years ago but crashed out last season and has now failed to finish in three rounds of the current campaign after sliding out of the lead in Great Britain. One more previous Sachsenring winner will be added to the mix this weekend, with former 250cc World Champion Olivier Jacque returning to the MotoGP field as a wildcard entry for Kawasaki. Jacque scored a memorable podium finish for the factory in China earlier this season and has a strong record at the German circuit, with his only premier-class pole here on a Yamaha in 2002 adding to his 250cc victory in 2000. Current 250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa saw his championship lead reduced by Casey Stoner last Sunday but the Spaniard is still 34 points clear of the Australian and will be boosted by the confidence of his best ever wet result after taking fourth place at Donington Park. Pedrosa secured his first Sachsenring win last year and he will be looking for a repeat success with a number of his rivals coming into form. Third place for Stoner last Sunday was his fourth podium of the season whilst Randy De Puniet was back to his best with a victory that could prove to be the turning point to the Frenchman’s season. Sebastián Porto has started from pole for the last two years in Germany and finished on the podium both last year and in 2002, whilst Pedrosa will also be keeping an eye on Anthony West after a stunning debut by the KTM machine at Donington Park that saw the Australian finish second. The 125cc World Championship could not be closer with just eight points separating the first four riders. Joint series leaders Mattia Pasini and Gabor Talmacsi both left Donington Park empty-handed after the Italian crashed on the warm-up lap for the second race and the Hungarian slid out twice once the red lights were out. Thomas Lüthi now lies just one point behind the pair with Mika Kallio a further seven points back. Meanwhile Julián Simón, the only rider in the 125cc class to have scored points at each of the first eight races of the year, now lies eighth in the championship after becoming the sixth different winner of a 125cc race this season with his maiden success at Donington.
Vermeulen and Brookes lead Aussie 8-hour charge The world’s biggest motorcycle race, the Suzuka 8 Hour, will be held in Japan this Sunday, with dynamic duo Chris Vermeulen and Josh Brookes leading the Aussie offensive. Vermeulen, who is currently running second in the Superbike World Championship behind compatriot Troy Corser, will be making his first appearance in the iconic 27-year-old event, as will the Australian-based Brookes, who is desperate to put on a good show in front of the Japanese factory bosses not to mention the 150,000-plus spectators! With conditions again expected to be extremely humid, Vermeulen will ride one of only two factory Honda CBR1000RRs in the race, alongside Japanese world Supersport campaigner, Katsuaki Fujiwara. The duo will compete under the Seven Stars Honda 11 umbrella, with Vermeulen a strong chance to become the seventh Australian winner of the 8-hour, and the first since Wayne Gardner and Daryl Beattie prevailed in 1992. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Brookes, who first hit the big time with a spectacular victory in the 2004 world Supersport round at Phillip Island, will also be CBR1000RR mounted for the wait for it – Team Yoshiharu & Idemitsu Maido Plus collaboration. That’s a mouthful, but with some recent testing at Suzuka behind him and a capable teammate (Yoshiyuki Sugai) on board, Brookes will be in a position to showcase his full repertoire. Sugai finished sixth in 2004, in association with another Australian Robert Bugden. Eighty teams are entered this weekend, with the race also doubling as round three of the 2005 Endurance World Championship. The British-based Phase One Endurance (YZF-R1) competes full-time in the endurance title, and its Suzuka roster will be filled by three Australians Warwick Nowland, Damian Cudlin and Paul Young. Nowland, a two-time world endurance champion, and 22-year-old Cudlin are the regular incumbents at Phase One, while Young is in career-best form with his current leadership of the 2005 British Supersport title. “Suzuka is without doubt a very strange and difficult race,” said Nowland. “The humidity is tough, the temperature is high and the local riders are under pressure from the factories and/or themselves. Chris Vermeulen told me when he first met with the Honda bosses, they explained HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) will have bikes number seven and number 11 and they will finish first and second in the Suzuka 8 Hour. No pressure! “Damian and I are now getting synchronised with bike set-up, which has been a bonus. And Paul has a lot of experience, so I’m looking forward to us all working together. I think we are a strong team.” Phase One is currently equal fourth in the endurance standings on 26pts, 29 in arrears of runaway leader, Castrol Suzuki (Keiichi Kitagawa, Vincent Philippe, Matthieu Lagrive, GSX-R1000). There are three rounds remaining, with events at Oschersleben (Germany) and Vallelunga (Italy) after Suzuka. Last year’s Suzuka 8 Hour was won by the Seven Stars Honda 7 entry, with former 500cc rider Tohru Ukawa and Hitoyasu Izutsu in the saddle. Ukawa has been retained in the same outfit for 2005, while Izutsu has been replaced by Ryuichi Kiyonari. Meanwhile, last year’s second and third placegetters will also return for more Yoshimura Suzuki (Atsushi Watanabe, Yukio Kagayama, GSX-R1000) and Weider Honda Academy Boys (Toshiyuki Hamaguchi, Shogo Moriwaki, CBR1000RR). The Suzuka 8 Hour was first held in 1978, and became a part of the fledgling Endurance World Championship in 1980. A year before that, Honda-backed Australian pairing, Mick Cole and Tony Hatton, claimed the honours. It was then a six-year wait before an Australian rider again emerged with the spoils – Wayne Gardner in 1985 on Honda’s then all-conquering RVF750 Formula One machine. Gardner then defended his title the next year, before another imperious two-year stretch in 1991-92. In an era where Australia’s 500cc GP riders regularly took time out from their busy schedules to race in the 8 Hour, Kevin Magee (1987-88), Mick Doohan (1991) and Daryl Beattie (1992) also won the event. Moreover, former New Zealand great Graeme Crosby dominated the 1980 event on a Suzuki. Honda hasn’t been defeated in the 8 Hour since 1996, when Colin Edwards and Noriyuki Haga won on a Yamaha. In all, Honda has 20 wins, ahead of Yamaha (four), Suzuki (two) and Kawasaki (one).
Attention, Fans: Here’s Your Chance to ‘Race the Racers’ at VIR! Alton, Va. (July 26) Think you’ve got what it takes to go wheel-to-wheel with the big guys? Think you’re fast enough to take on the superstars of Superbike? Here’s your chance to find out: As part of the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIRginia International Raceway featuring the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, scheduled for the weekend of August 26-28, race promoters Race Promotion Management (RPM) are announcing a Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge for Thursday, August 25. Here’s the concept: There will be 10 single-engine, 200cc Zip karts ready to race at VIR’s Plantation Valley Kart Track on Thursday, August 25, at 5:00 pm. Each kart will have four drivers: one Superbike racer, one media celebrity, one staff member from either AMA, VIR, RPM or event sponsor Suzuki and one fan. Each driver will get 10 laps of the 5/8-mile, 24-foot-wide road racing kart circuit, and then pit for a driver change to one of their teammates. At the end of 40 laps, the kart with the fastest cumulative time is declared the winner. Following the race there will be a reception for all the participants, where trophies will be presented and fan participants will receive a CD of photographs taken during the race. Here’s the deal for fans: All fans who purchase an advance ticket to the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals by the end of the day on August 12, 2005, will have their name entered in the eligibility drawing. Nine names will be drawn, and those picked will be invited to compete in the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge. In the event that any of those picked will not be able to attend on August 25 (which is a private test day for the teams, with the general public not allowed), we will continue to pick names until we have one fan driver for each of the nine teams. Racers who will be participating in the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro include the following superstars of the sport: Eric Bostrom, Roger Lee Hayden, Aaron Yates, Neil Hodgson, Ben Spies, Jamie Hacking, Aaron Gobert, Kevin Schwantz and a rider to be named later. An additional, 10th team will be fielded by Triangle Cycles of Danville, with pro racer Larry Pegram anchoring the driver line-up. “VIR is a unique, multi-faceted facility,” said RPM vice-president Cameron Gray, “and we wanted to do something special for the fans that would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and also showcase what a great place VIR is. We are determined to make the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals ‘the race of the year’ for fans, and the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro is just another of the ways in which we going to do that. VIR’s Plantation Valley Kart Track is a fantastic and challenging karting circuit, and we’re going to have a lot of fun with this event. The bragging rights alone are going to be priceless! We’re really looking forward to it.” There are a number of advance ticket packages available for the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIR. Advance packages include the Flag Room (three-day admission, paddock access, car parking pass, official event program and hospitality on Saturday and Sunday), for $140; Youth Flag Room (5-12 years of age) for $50; the Big Kahuna Super Ticket (three-day admission, paddock and pit walk pass, lap of track, car parking pass and official 2005 Big Kahuna t-shirt) for $99; three-day general admission with paddock access for $55; and pit walk passes (limited availability, good for all practice and qualifying sessions, requires closed-toe shoes) for $30. At the gate, ticket availability will be limited to three-day passes for $60, single-day tickets (Friday only) for $10 and pit walk passes for $40. To purchase advance tickets, visit www.virclub.com or www.rpmcolorado.com. The event schedule for the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals will include three days of racing action, including two feature races for the headlining AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited as well as feature races for the supporting classes including the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei, AMA Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series and Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series. VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Va., and just north of historic Milton, N.C. In addition to its 3.27-mile natural-terrain road racing circuit (designed to be operated as two autonomous, full-service courses), VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America’s first motorsports country club; the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park; the VIR Gallery, which is a sales showroom for high-end collector and racing cars; the VIR Safety and Security Institute, which provides specialized training for U.S. Government and military groups; The Lodge at VIR, a 27-room hotel overlooking the track; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse. VIR made history from 1957 to 1974 and is doing so again. The 2.25-mile VIR North Course circuit on which the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals will take place has 17 challenging turns and 130 feet of elevation change. In addition to spectator events, the track is also available to rent for testing, driving schools and club days. For more information on VIRginia International Raceway, visit the track’s website at www.virclub.com or contact VIR at 434-822-7700. For more information on Race Promotion Management, visit their website at www.rpmcolorado.com or contact them via telephone at 303-377-3278. For more information on the AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited, visit their website at www.amasuperbike.com.
