Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

18 SEN11JL, INDONESIA, JAN. 29·31 astrol Honda's John Kocinski fired the first shot in the battle for 1997 World Superbike Championship bragging rights, setting the fastest time of the first winter test session at the 2.46-miIe Sentul circuit. After a season of difficulty with the Ducati squad in 1996 that culminated in a still-respectable third in the championship, Kocinski seemed eager to prove he can succeed with his new RC45 and Castrol Honda team. The Little Rock, Arkansas, native posted the best time of the test, a 1:28.529, on the second day of testing, in addition to being the fastest rider on each of the three days. Kocinski's 1:28.453 personal best at the track was set at the August round last season under similar weather conditions as this test, while the track record is held by Carl Fogarty with a time of 1:28.064, set in 1994. The former 250cc World Champion was all business, having little interest in fielding questions about his new ride. "You need to ask my chief engineer, Mr. Kagami," was Kocinski's response to inquirieS by the international press. Both Kocinski and his teammate Aaron Slight rode princi pally unchanged 1996 RC45s and the team concentrated primarily on suspension settings for the Showa components in an effort to improve handling, still Slight's principal complaint about the machine. The '97 machines will undergo their first tests during a closed-door session at Phillip Island in early March. "We're trying to improve how the suspension works," said Slight, who was second fastest with a 1:28.601. "Sentul is an easy, flat track and we haven't had problems here in the last three years. l'm waiting specifically for the test at Phillip Island because at that track - fast and a lot of elevation changes - we need better handling, especially at the &ont end." As to his relationship with his new teammate, Slight said: "At this moment everything's okay. I can go to lunch with him, but when the championship begins, things will be different. I don't want to be the 'good guy' anymore." Leading the Yamaha factory effort was Texan Colin Edwards II, who set his best time of 1:29.345 on the final day of testing before the day was cut short due to rain. Edwards' effort was good enough to give him the third-best time in &ont of his new teammate Scott Russell, who turned in a 1:29.614 on day two of testing. The test was particularly important for Russell, who hadn't raced a superbike since the Daytona 200 last year and is still coming to terms with the YZF750. "Considering the fact I'm not in very good shape right now I think my times are good," Russell said. "The bike is good and works great. I'm very confident about my '97 season - I didn't come back to World Superbike to finish second." After a season of positive development in 1996, Edwards too was optimistic. "At the end of last season our bike was (Right) New Yamaha teammates Colin Edwards II (45) and Scott Russell (22) turned In respectable lap times, despite using what were mostly last year's YZFs. (Lell) Simon Crafar had his first outing for new team owner Harald Eckl and the Gennan Kawasaki team. He was Joined by Aklra Yanagawa on the ZXRs. very close to the Honda and Ducati and our work at these winter tests will be to find the little we need to win," he said. "We'.re going the right way." Part of the Yamaha program at Sentul was to test new Brernbo brakes in place of fhe usual Nissin setup . a process which was undertaken by test rider oriyuki Haga, who used both Edwards' and Russell's spare machines. The team also expects to test a new swingarm at Phillip Island. After suffering a crash in the chicane on the first day, Haga set a 1:29.911 - fourth fastest on the final day of testing. The official Kawasaki effort arrived with new team manager Harald Eckl at the helm and the team posted the slowest times at the test, with both returning rider Simon Crafar and Akira Yanagawa failing to break into the 1:29s. "The engine is the same as last year and I need more power to challenge the Honda, Ducati and Yamaha," Crafar said. '1 hope to have one this season." EckJ's experience is in the two-strokedominated Grand Prix world and in an effort to retain some continuity and experience &om the Muzzy era, he has hired two mechanics &om the previous season. "This world of four-strokes in new to me and my mechanics," EckJ said. "Because of this I have requested to have two mechanics that worked with the Muzzy team last year - they know both the bikes (Above) Aaron Slight was second quickest, just behind his new teammate Kocinski. (Lell) Russell and his new ride. "I'm very surprised by Yanagawa," Ecki continued. "This guy is very fast and and Crafar very well. For this test we have two '% ZX7RRs with spare engines. The new bike will arrive in March and we will have two days at Eastern Creek before the Australian (round) to prepare our bikes. Right now we only have a new swingarm and new exhaust system. very intelligent. He could be a very pleasant surprise in the '97 season." Notably absent from the Sentul test was Fogarty and the factory Ducati team run by Virginio Ferrari. "We. prefer not to test at Sentul because the track is very easy (on the machine) and we don't get very good data to improve our setup:' Ferrari said. "The '97 engine has been tested with very good results in December by (PierFrancesco) Chill and Fogarty at Vallelunga and Misano. By excluding SentuJ, we had more time to prepare our bikes to be ready for testing at Phillip Island." (N The times .....................................................................!.~ \. John Kocinski, Honda 2. Aaron Slight, Honda 3. Colin Edwards 11, Yamaha ~? 1:29.635 1:30.007 1:30.157 4. Scott Russell, Yamaha 1:30.778 5. Noriyuki Haga. Yamaha 1:32.235 6. Simon Crafar, Kawasaki 1:32.012 7. Akira Yanagaw... Kaw-.ki 1:31.426 AU official times supplied by SBK Intemational Ltd. }~~:.~ .!.~.'::.~~ !.'?~~.!~~ 1:28.529 1:28.601 1:29.529 1:29.614 1:30.180 77 74 88 8] 60 1:30.159 1:28.708 1:28.972 1:29.345 1:29.681 1:29.911 1:30.308 90 1:30.785 1:30.696 79 ..

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