Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128180
World Championship Road Race Series Final Round: Valencia Grand Prix ©DD@@{)JD@ 9~ B};{@@DD@[JiJ71 5J@\!l@[JiJ71@[?@ (Above) Roberts (10) and Jacque (19) battled early before Roberts retired with six laps remaining due to an engine failure. (Below) Daniel Pedrosa (26) won his third race of the year, while Arnaud Vincent (21) secured the 125cc World Championship. (Hen); 15. Hector Faubel (Apr); 16. Jefoslev Hules (Yam); 17. Leon Haslam (Hon); 18. Angel Rodriguez (Apr); 19. Dirk Heidolf (Apr); 20. EnNan Ni90n (Apr): 21. Chris Sorensen (Apr). Time: 43 min., 57.812 sec. Distlllnce: 27 laps, 67.2 miles. Average speed: 91.71 mph. Margin of victory: 4.318 sec. 250cc WORLD C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 16 of 16 rounds): 1. Mllirco Mellllndri (298/9 wins); 2. Fonsi Nieto (241/3); 3. Roberto Rolfo (219); 4. Toni Elias (178); 5. Sebastian Porto (172/1); 6. Frlllnco 8attaini (142); 7. Emilio Alzamora (120); 8. (TIE) Roberto Locatelli/Randy de Punlet (119); 10. Naokl Matsudo (92); 11. Alex Debon (72); 12. Casey Stoner (68); 13. David Checa (60); 14. (TIE) Haruchike Aoki/Shehrol Yuzy (58); 16. Daiseku Sakai (29); 17. Osamu Miyazaki (25/1); 18. Leon Haslam (1g); 19. (TIE) Dirk Heldoll/Ralf Waldmann (17). MotoGP QUALIFYING: I. Max Blaggl (1:33.211); 2. Alex Barros (1:33.584); 3. Daijiro Kato (1:33.641); 4. Garry McCoy (1:33.794); 5. Carlos Checlll (1:33.815); 6. Valentino Rossi (1:33.855); 7. Tohru Ukewe (1 :34.053); 8. Jeremy McWilliems (1:34.139); 9. Shlnya Nakano (1:34.177): 10. Sete Glbemau (1:34.242); 11. Olivier Jacque (1:34.276); 12. Loris Ceplrossi (1:34.280); 13. Regis Laconl (1:34.480); 14. Kenny Roberts (1:34.525): 15. Stoner (1:36.971): II. David Checa (1:37.097): 12. Roberto Locetelli (1:37.099); 13. Shehrol Yuzy (1:37.355); 14. Naokl Matsudo (1:37.425); 15. Heeter Feubel (1 :37.656); 16. Heruchika Aoki (1:37.783); 17. Hugo Marchand (1:38.351): 18. Jason Vincent (1:38.395); 19. Jaroslev Hules (1:38.644); 20. Jacob Smrz (1:38.691); 21. Leon Haslam (1:38.741); 22. Dirk Heldolf (1:38.787); 23. Erwan Nigon (1:38.839); 24. Eric Betllille (1:39.460); 25. Raul Jara (1:39.649); 26. Angel Rodriguez (1:39.91]); 27. Chuck Sorensen (1:41.533). 2.50cc GP: 1. Marco Melandri (Apr); 2. Roberto Rolfo (Hen); 3. Emilio Alzamorll (Hen); 4. Randy de Punlet (Apr); 5. Roberto Locatelli (Apr); 6. David Checa (Apr); 7. Franco Battalni (Apr); 8. Neokl Matsuda (Yam); 9. Alex Deboo (Apr); 10. Toni Elias (Apr); 11. Shahrol Yuzy (Yam); 12. Haruchlka Aokl (Hen); 13. Casey Stoner (Apr); 14. Jay Vincent Marco Melandrl prepares to race in his final 250cc race, after the announcement that he will ride a factory Yamaha four·stroke In MotoGP next season. At the end of a long weekend and a long process, Chuck Sorensen was pleased with his reSUlt, even if he was dead last in the 250cc Grand Prix and had been lapped. "The race was really good," said the three-time AMA 250cc GP champion and firsttime wild card. "I got a decent start and was right there with the pack. I wanted to hold on to those guys instead of mixing it up and getting in trouble. These guys don't mind riding really close to each other, whoever it is. "I raced my own race, watched my pit board. The tires started sliding at the end. That was okay. I think I could've done a better job with tuning my suspension." Sorensen said it was different from "being number one in the U.S. to. over here, coming in last." He'd come to Spain hoping to get some help from the Aprilia factory, but a tentative deal fell through not long before the race, and the team had to crate up his AMA bike, not very fresh from the final round at Virginia International Raceway. In the end. he got help from the Aprilia factory, Aprilia USA, sponsor Rocky Stargel, and the Proton KR team. As of late Thursday morning, the crate was still in customs in Valencia with an anticipated delivery of 1 p.m. The bike arrived as promised and the team was able to prep it for Friday's free practice. Even before he went out for the first time, Sorensen was aware of the layout. "I've been playing the video game at home," Sorensen said on Thursday morning. Once he walked around the track, he said, "It's gorgeous. It's beautiful." Not so for his prospects of help in the form of a motorcycle. "It was tough to try to get assistance from Aprilia, so I brought my bike over here, and I'm really happy with bringing my bike over," Sorensen said. "It's something I know about." Aprilia supplied one engine, built to customer spec. which Sorensen put in for Saturday's practice and qualifying and the race. Because of the nature of the track - long, flowing, connected corners, ortly one long straightaway - Sorensen hoped he would be at less of a disadvantage to the powerful factory bikes. "I expect to do well," Sorensen said. "I have my heart set on getting a championship point." That would be 15th - a tall order, given the competition, The race will be about the twice the length of Sorensen's American races, which means different Dunlop tires and more physical endurance. Sorensen wasn't worried about the endurance and didn't think the tires would be an issue. He was also forced to use unleaded fuel for the first time, which presented its own technical issues. "Every time I've seen unleaded fuel burning, it's completely black, even when it's running right," he said. Sorensen brought along his mechanic, Ward Wilson; former Buell Pro Thunder Champion Tom Montano, a fellow Northern Califomian; and team owner Rocky Stargel. When the race rolled around, Sorensen wasn't quite ready; rather, he'd run out of setup time. "There were four chances to get it right," he said of the practice and qualifying sessions. "In qualifying, we changed a lot of stuff around as far as the attitude of the bike and the engine setup. I was still about to do 1.5 seconds below the 107 percent I need to qualify. I've got to be happy with making the grid." The race was a challenge, dealing with riders with completely different riding styles on a track with unheard-of traction. "They shut off just like anybody else but left off the brakes and scrubbed off speed with the front tire," Sorensen said, "We don't have so many racetracks with flOWing comers with this much grip. It's like glue. There are so many places where you're leaned over on the gas or on the brakes," he said. All in all, Sorensen was pleased. "For the amount of time we had to put this together and the amount of resources we had, we did a pretty good job," he said. Jurgen ven den Goorbergh (1:34.536); 16. Nobuatsu Aokl (1:34.579); 17. John Hopkins (1:35.044); 18. Andrew Pitt (1:35.107): 19. David Garcia (1:35.186); 20, Norlck Abe (1:35.333); 21, Jose Luis Cerdoso (1:35.337): 22. Tetsuya Harada (1:35.606). MotoG?: 1. Alex Barros (Hon); 2. VlIlentino Rossi (Hon); 3. Max Blaggl (Yam); 4. Daljlro Kato (Hon); 5. Tohru Ukawa (Hon); 6. Shinya Nakano (Yam); 7. Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Han); 8. Jeremy McWilliams (Pro): 9. Olivier JllIcque (Yem); 10. Norlck Abe (Yam); 11. John Hopkins (YllIm); 12. Andrew Pitt (Kaw); 13. Sete Gibernau (Suz); 14. Tetsuye Harede (Hon). Time: 47 min.. 22.404 sec. Distance: 30 leps, 74.66 miles Melandrl (3) leads the pack Into tum one at the start of the 250c:c race. Me W8IIIt on to win his ninth race of the year. 14 NOVEMBER 13,2002' cue I • n • _ lIS Average speed: 94.561 mph. Margin of victory: 0.230 sec. MotoGP WORLD C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 16 of 16 rounds): 1. Valentino Rossi (355/11 wins); 2. Max Biaggi (215/3 wins); 3. Tohru Ukewe (209/1); 4. Alex Barros (204/3); 5. Carlos Checa (141); 6. Norlck Abe (129); 7. Daijlro Kato (117); 8. Loris Capirossi (109): 9. Kenny Roberts (99); 10. Olivier Jacque (81); 11. Shinya Nakano (68); 12. Nobu Aokl (63); 13. Jurgen van den Goorbergh (60); 14. Jeremy McWilliams (590); 15. John Hopkins (58); 16. Sete Gibernau (51); 17. Tetsuya Herada (47); 18. Akira Ryo (41); 19. (TIE) Regis Laconi/Garry McCoy (33).