From a Ducati press release:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 12 – ASSEN (NED)
7-9 September 2001

PREVIEW

One week after Oschersleben, World Superbike heads to the daunting, ultra-fast Van Drenthe TT Circuit at Assen in the Netherlands and Ducati Corse arrives at the penultimate round of the championship after clinching a record tenth Constructors’ title in Germany, its fourth on the run.

With 100 points still up for grabs, the situation is hotting up in the battle for the Riders’ crown, where Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) saw his 53-point lead over reigning champion Colin Edwards (Honda) reduced to 24 after he recorded his first DNF this year. “We had a clutch problem in Oschersleben but sometimes you’ve got to put these things behind you and continue”, declared Bayliss. “I enjoy riding around Assen, whether it’s dry or wet and I’m looking forward to this weekend. I’ve only been here once and I had good intentions last year but I probably tried too hard and got undone a couple of times, but this time round it’s going to be different. Every time I come away I try and win but when I can’t, I just take what I can get. The plan is to get good points and go to the last round with a better lead than what I’ve got now”.

Another talking-point in Germany was the emerging talent of ‘rookie’ team-mate Ruben Xaus (Ducati Infostrada), who made it onto the podium and then triumphed in the second race. The 23-year-old is the first Spanish rider to win a WSBK race and with interest in Spain at an all-time high, Xaus is aiming for another prestigious result at a circuit where he tasted victory in the Supersport race last year. “For sure, my races at Oschersleben were incredible, it’s nice and I want to repeat it as soon as possible. It’s good to have Troy, Colin or Ben next to me on the podium and I want to get more used to it”, commented Xaus. “I will just try and do the same here at Assen, concentrate, be relaxed and do what I can do – ride my bike as well as possible. I like all tracks, the weather will probably be not so good but I will try and improve on my eighth position in the championship this weekend”.

After five wins on the run, Ben Bostrom (Ducati L&M) scored a podium finish in race 1 at Oschersleben and he followed this up with fourth place in the second race. The 27-year-old from Redding, California is 43 points adrift of Bayliss at the top of the table, but just 19 behind Edwards and will be doing everything possible at Assen to help Ducati take a possible 1-2 finish in the Riders’ championship. “I rode well at Oschersleben, the bike set-up was really good but we were just missing one key ingredient and were not quite there”, said Bostrom. “Last year I was enjoying the tracks and learning, this year I’m serious and I want to go out there and win. If I can’t win here at Assen, I’ll try and finish on the podium. I haven’t done too well in the wet so far, but if it rains, I’ll push hard and try not to lose my grip on third place in the championship”.


FOGARTY AWARD

On Sunday, four-times World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty is to be presented with a special award by the Assen TT Circuit. The award will be made to the Ducati legend, who won 12 out of the 16 Assen races he took part in, and Carl will also make a lap of honour of the circuit on a Ducati Monster Fogarty street-bike.

THE ASSEN CIRCUIT

The TT circuit, 2 km south-west of Assen, has been the home of the Dutch Round of the World Superbike Championship since 1992. Two years ago, it undertook a full modernisation of its facilities and the second of its three scheduled phases is now completed. The circuit now includes a new Race Control tower, 34 pit-garages, a new Media Centre and TV commentary booths, as well as an impressive 6200-seat grandstand. Track safety has also been improved, with new run-off areas at five corners.

CIRCUIT RECORDS

Lap Record, 2:03.914 (175.740 km/h) Fogarty (Ducati) 1999

Superpole, 2:02.678 (177.509 km/h) Edwards (Honda) 2000

Qualifying, 2:02.936 (177.136 km/h) Chili (Suzuki) 2000

1. Valentino Rossi, Honda, 1:40.513
2. Loris Capirossi, Honda, 1:41.398
3. Norick Abe, Yamaha, 1:41.544
4. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 1:41.613
5. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, 1:41.656
6. Alex Criville, Honda, 1:41.761
7. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki, 1:41.805
8. Jurgen van den Goorbergh, Proton, 1:41.878
9. Alex Barros, Honda, 1:41.909
10. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha, 1:42.090
11. Jose Luis Cardoso, Yamaha, 1:42.100
12. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, 1:42.165
13. Garry McCoy, Yamaha, 1:42.189
14. Max Biaggi, Yamaha, 1:42.336
15. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki, 1:42.547

By David Swarts

Edge Motorsports’ Michael Fitzpatrick and Greg Leffler won the Engine Ice-sponsored Formula USA 200-Mile Team Challenge at Portland International Raceway Friday, on a Pirelli-slick-shod Suzuki GSX-R750. Edge was second at the start, passed early leaders Beaverton Honda Yamaha 35 minutes into the race, and went on to win by one lap.

Beaverton Honda Yamaha’s Todd Frey and Andrew Cox stretched one set of Dunlop slicks on a Yamaha YZF-R1 to place second at their home track. Any hopes Beaverton Honda Yamaha had of catching Edge Motorsports at the end were dashed when the team’s Yamaha got stuck in fifth gear due to a broken shift linkage. Beaverton Honda Yamaha still managed to lap fast enough–turning 1:12s–in the final 12 laps to maintain second place.

Loudoun Motorsports’ Greg Leffler and Bryan Bemisderfer hitched a ride for their Suzuki GSX-R750 from Virginia to Portland, worked without a pit crew, and made one set of Metzeler slicks last for 102 laps to take third overall.

The GTU class win and fifth overall went to Edge Junior Varsity’s Tony Tinsley, Paulo Maria and Anthony Cammack on a Suzuki GSX-R600. Edge Junior Varsity trailed GTU class points leader Brotz Motorsports early in the race until Brotz retired with a mechanical failure after 66 laps. Edge Junior Varsity cruised on to win the GTU division by 33 laps over Brotz. Annadale Racing finished third in GTU on a Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Engine Ice 200-Mile Team Challenge Final Overall Results:
1. Edge Motorsports, Suz GSX-R750, 104 laps
2. Beaverton Honda Yamaha, Yam YZF-R1, 103 laps
3. Loudoun Motorsports, Suz GSX-R750, 102 laps
4. Circuit One, Yam YZF-R1, 98 laps
5. Edge Junior Varsity, Suz GSX-R600, 97 laps
6. Powersports, Kaw ZX-9R, 90 laps
7. Brotz Motorsports, Yam YZF-R6, 66 laps
8. Annandale Racing, Kaw ZX-6R, 33 laps

The Roadracing World Air Fence Fund was recognized during the Motorcyclist Magazine Motorcycle Of The Year (MOTY)and Best of Motorcycling Awards Banquet, held in Tustin, California last night and hosted by Dave Despain.

The awards are also listed in the November print issue of Motorcyclist, and an early copy of the magazine distributed at the banquet described the award as follows:

BEST DEFENSE: THE AIR FENCE
Hats off to John Ulrich and the lads for levering the AMA off its ponderous ass and into deploying Air Fence in danger zones at this year’s AMA rounds. Motivated by his son Chris Ulrich’s participation in the AMA’s 750 Supersport class, the elder Ulrich felt it was his duty to make conditions as safe as possible, and he did. Ulrich started raising the money in an April editorial in Roadracing World, and had Air Fence up a few months later–following years of AMA dithering. There’s a message in there somewhere.

Valentino Rossi set a new pole record time in the first 500cc qualifying session at Estoril, Portugal. Times follow:
500cc
1. Valentino Rossi, Honda, 1:40.389
2. Norick Abe, Yamaha, 1:40.901
3. Max Biaggi, Yamaha, 1:40.902
4. Loris Capirossi, Honda, 1:40.946
5. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 1:41.041
6. Alex Barros, Honda, 1:41.083
7. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, 1:41.520
8. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki, 1:41.530
9. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki, 1:41.583
10. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha, 1:41.586
11. Jurgen van den Goorbergh, Proton, 1:41.753
12. Garry McCoy, Yamaha, 1:41.796
13. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, 1:41.832
14. Jose Luis Cardoso, Yamaha, 1:42.088
15. Alex Criville, Honda, 1:42.172

250cc
1. Tetsuya Harada, Aprilia, 1:42.656
2. Daijiro Katoh, Honda, 1:42.780
3. Marco Melandri, Aprilia, 1:42.797
4. Jeremy McWilliams, Aprilia, 1:42.863
5. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 1:43.352
6. David Checa, Honda, 1:43.584
7. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, 1:43.638
8. Roberto Rolfo, Aprilia, 1:43.664
9. Randy de Puniet, Aprilia, 1:43.792
10. Emilio Alzamora, Honda, 1:43.827
29. Katja Poensgen, Honda, 1:48.967

125cc
1. Yoichi Ui, Derbi, 1:46.196
2. Manuel Poggiali, Gilera, 1:47.049
3. Joan Olive, Honda, 1:47.467
4. Luicia Cechinello, Aprilia, 1:47.491
5. Toni Elias, Honda, 1:47.639
6. Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, 1:47.765
7. Angel Rodriguez, Aprilia, 1:47.920
8. Simone Sanna, Aprilia, 1:48.028
9. Jaroslav Hules, Honda, 1:48.070
10. Noboru Ueda, Honda, 1:48.195

A press release issued by Bert Silos September 6 announcing the retirement of the Synergy Racing Technologies team was incorrect, according to SRT team owner Mathew Spiwak.

“Before (the Formula USA race at) Pocono, he (Bert Silos) and I had it out, and I said, ‘Look, you are no longer with the company,'” Spiwak said Friday, September 7 at Portland International Raceway. “He has some stuff of mine, I have some stuff of his, and we’re trying to separate as far as you get back your stuff and I get back mine. But he is really holding onto a lot of animosity and trying to reap the benefits of what Synergy has because he is starting up a new company. So he is gonna try and draw whatever we had here over to his side.

“Synergy Racing Technologies is a dba. I am the sole proprietor. He was just an employee. His press release was more than inappropriate. He’s known around the pits as the painter or a guy involved with Synergy, but that’s the end of it. For him to put a statement of co-founder, co-this, co-that just turns my stomach. It really upsets me.

“I was talking to a lawyer. He’s gonna draw up a letter. In the letter, it’s going to state no more press releases from here on out, and if you do it will result in a lawsuit. Bert doesn’t have any money. I don’t want money. It’s not an issue of money. It’s an issue of vindictiveness and sending out more statements.

“Synergy Racing Technologies isn’t going anywhere. There won’t even be a color change. There’s no changes. We are Synergy Racing Technologies until we decide to stop racing or manufacturing parts or whatever. We’ve built a reputation, and we plan to continue our race effort through 2002, 2003, and however long we can take it.

“I want to apologize to our sponsors for the misinformation.”

Synergy Racing Technologies is at Portland to compete in the Formula USA round with rider Marc Palazzo on a Honda CBR600F4, in Pro Sportbike, and a CBR929RR, in Unlimited Superbike.

By Glenn Le Santo

The weather at Assen looks set to play its traditional part in the outcome of the racing here this weekend. The first timed qualifying session in the World Supesport series was plagued by changeable weather. At the start of the session the track was mainly damp, but there were dry patches and even some areas that were completely wet. It was a nightmare for tire selection, and it was made even more difficult because as soon as the riders took to the track a light rain began to fall.

With teams unsure if it was getting wetter or still drying out a variety of tire configurations was seen out on the track in the first minutes of the session. Then, around halfway through qualifying the track started to develop a full dry line. Some riders seized the opportunity and got out on qualifiers to put in some fast laps in case it rained again. Pere Riba on the Ten Kate Honda and Katsuaki Fujiwara on the Alstare Corona Suzuki got going in a cat-and-mouse chase for provisional pole. One moment Riba had it bagged and then the next it was Fujiwara at the top again. The pair became the only men into 2:08 territory as they battled for pole.

With the clock ticking away the final seconds Fujiwara grabbed provisional pole again with a lap at 2:08.497, this time there wasn’t enough time left for Riba to respond. Championship leader Paulo Casoli was third-fastest in the session, but he remained outside the 2:08 territory with a best time of 2:09.015. Winner of the last race in Oschersleben, Fabien Foret was struggling with his set-up, he only managed to lap at 2:10.325, a lowly 18th-fastest on his Ten Kate Honda.

1. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Japan, Suzuki, 2:08.497
2. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda, 2:08.553
3. Paolo Casoli, Italy, Yamaha, 2:09.015
4. V. Ianuzzo, Italy, Suzuki, 2:09.123
5. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki, 2:09.149
6. C. Cogan, France, Yamaha, 2:09.211
7. Kevin Curtain, Australia, Honda, 2:09.276
8. I. MacPherson, Great Britain, Kawasaki, 2:09.317
9. P. Bontempi, Italy, Yamaha, 2:09.737
10. J. Hanson, Sweden, Yamaha, 2:09.800

By Glenn Le Santo

Ruben Xaus carried on where he left off last Sunday, after winning in Oschersleben, by going to the top of the World Superbike timesheet again, this time in first qualifying session here in Assen, Holland. The new star of World Superbikes diced with Troy Corser to take the fastest time of 2:02.409. Corser took turns with Xaus to lead the timesheet. The Australian, who reverted to some older suspension settings at Oschersleben to cure the vibration problem that has plagued him at recent races, ended up second-fastest with a best lap of 2:03.409.

Qualifying was run in the dry although rain threatened for most of the hour-long session–as soon as qualifying finished the heavens opened to give the track a thorough soaking. If forecasts for Saturday are true, and it rains most of the day, then these times may well end up deciding the Superpole order. Troy Bayliss was third fastest, with Akira Yanagawa the first rider on a four-cylinder bike home in fifth. Britain’s James Toseland had his bike going well straight of the crate, running fourth fastest.

Colin Edwards, one of the first to go fast early in the session, was pushed down to ninth as the speeds crept up. Troy Bayliss was the hardest working rider, he completed 22 laps, two more than anyone else.

The Aprilias look fast again here in Assen, Corser topped out at 282 kph (175.23 mph) in the session, with Regis Laconi at 280.5 kph (174 mph). The Aprilia pairing were the only riders to exceed 280 kph barrier. Edwards was closest on top speed; his VTR/RC51 was timed at 278.4 kph (172.997 mph). Surprisingly, the next fastest bike is Akira Yanagawa’s Kawasaki at 275.5 kph (171.196 mph).

First timed qualifying session
Assen, Friday, September 7

1. Ruben Xaus, Ducati 996, 2:02.409
2. Troy Corser, Aprilia RSV1000, 2:03.216
3. Troy Bayliss, Ducati 996, 2:03.329
4. James Toseland, Ducati 996, 2:04.035
5. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 2:04.124
6. Gregorio Lavilla, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 2:04.375
7. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 996, 2:04.407
8. Stephane Chambon, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:04.431
9. Colin Edwards, Honda RC51, 2:04.447
10. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RSV1000, 2:04.593
11. Ben Bostrom, Ducati 996, 2:04.633
12. Pierfrancesco Chili, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:04.652
13. Juan Borja, Yamaha YZF-R7, 2:05.522
14. Tadayuki Okada, Hon RC51, 2:05.547
15. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati 996, 2:05.605

Arclight Suzuki’s Brian Parriott was fastest in two Unlimited Superbike practice sessions on Friday, turning a best lap at 1:07.717 in the morning session. Tray Batey, who was fastest in the afternoon session, encountered mechanical problems with coolant leaking into a combustion chamber on his Aprilia RSV Mille R; teammate Mike Himmelsbach was forced to ride a spare bike when his fastest machine encountered engine problems. Times follow:

Rider/Bike, Morning Best Time, Afternoon Best Time
1. Brian Parriott/Suzuki, 1:07.717, 1:08.323
2. Tray Batey/Aprilia, 1:07.994, 1:08.081
3. Lee Acree/Suzuki, 1:08.059, 1:08.083
4. Mike Ciccotto/Suzuki, 1:08.081/1:08.644
5. Michael Barnes/Suzuki, 1:08.186, 1:08.487
6. Shawn Higbee/Suzuki, 1:09.636, 1:08.311
7. Grant Lopez/Suzuki, 1:09.128, 1:08.741
8. Craig Connell/Ducati, 1:09.217, 1:08.896
9. Ty Howard/Kawasaki, 1:09.777, 1:09.194
10. Eric Wood/Suzuki, 1:09762, 1:09.306


Unlimited Superbike, Afternoon Times
1. Batey, 1:07.994
2. Acree, 1:08.083
3. Barnes, 1:08.186
4. Higbee, 1:08.311
5. Parriott, 1:08.323
6. Ciccotto, 1:08.644
7. Lopez, 1:08.741
8. Connell, 1:08.896
9. Howard, 1:09.194
10. Wood, 1:09.306
11. Ken Chase, Suzuki, 1:09.369
12. Mike Himmelsbach, Aprilia, 1:09.506
13. Mike Sullivan, 1:09.808
14. John Haner, Kawasaki, 1:10.046
15. Joshua Bryan, 1:10.422
16. Jake Holden, 1:10.628
17. Marc Palazzo, Honda, 1:10.838
18. Stoney Landers, Suzuki, 1:10.945
19. Mark Ledesma, Aprilia, 1:11.064
20. Aaron Clark, Aprilia, 1:11.181


Sportbike, Afternoon Times
1. Barnes, Suzuki, 1:09.140
2. Acree, Suzuki, 1:09.409
3. Paul Harrell, Yamaha, 1:09.580
4. Howard, Yamaha, 1:09.581
5. Parriott, Suzuki, 1:09.759
6. Ciccotto, Suzuki, 1:09.814
7. Shawn Conrad, Suzuki, 1:10.729
8. Clint McBain, 1:10.926
9. Wood, 1:10.937
10. Mike Sullivan, 1:11.164
11. Shannon Ball, Suzuki, 1:11.321
12. Stoney Landers, Suzuki, 1:11.418
13. Matt Zurbuchen, 1:12.001
14. Palazzo, Honda, 1:12.103
15. Tom Wertman, 1:12.496


Buell Lightning, Afternoon Times
1. Barnes, 1:13.063
2. Richie Morris, 1:15.023
3. Jeff Vermeulen, 1:15.339
4. Tripp Nobles, 1:16.047
5. Daniel Bilansky, 1:16.532
6. Bryan Bemisderfer, 1:16.908
7. Brian Bodine, 1:17.333
8. Steve Luxem, 1:17.564
9. Darren James, 1:17.631
10. Jason Smith, 1:17.713
11. Brian Frank, 1:17.997
12. Jeff Johnson, 1:18.278
13. John Snell, 1:18.912
14. Greg Avello, 1:20.005
15. William Laupp, 1:31.585


Aprilia Cup Challenge, Afternoon Times
1. Jeff Wood, 1:16.083
2. Shannon Silva, 1:16.814
3. Joshua Sortor, 1:17.837
4. Dan Fischer, 1:18.215
5. John Lemak, 1:19.229
6. Brent Prindle, 1:25.471