Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

u " LJ Continued from page 3 o completed. "A good three days. and for me the best part is to understand the problems we have had in braking." Rossi said. "We got some good settings yesterday. and today we have found some 'good Michelin tires. The grip on the edge has always been a problem, but today we have the tires and the settings to get good grip on the edge. The engine and chassis feel strong. and now that we understand the braking better. it is pOSSible to make a good time." Hayden, who ran 60 laps and turned in a 2:05.47 best lap, was happy with the progress he has made to date. "I've gotta be pretty pleased with the tests here." Hayden said. "It's an awesome place, and although it's been hard learning the track on the new bike - I've learned heaps. and the important thing is I've stayed upright and the times are getting faster. Things seemed to get better when we set most of the bike to standard settings and I could concentrate on the tires and just riding the bike better. I'd like to be able to go harder into the tums. It's a question of confidence, really. I know I can be far harder on thiS bike than I could be on my VTR.I'm enjoying it. I'm sure it'II comel" for each type of circuit. but. above all, testing different solutions for the fundamental parts of the bike such as the frame, the swingarm, the steering yoke. and ergonomic components. We can only (j be satisfied with the times obtained as well as the information provided. Thanks (I to the professionalism demonstrated by Troy and Loris in giving feedback on the components being tested. We are making major progress in the development of this project. " o o u J J o Both Ducati riders succeeded in improving their times on thiS final day of testing, in particular Troy Bayliss, who. despite never having seen the circuit before. ended the test with a time of 2:04.0. improving his first day's time by 2.5 sec· onds. Loris Capirossi was also on the pace, setting a 2:03.9 (the 2002 GP pole time was 2:04.4). The times recorded confirm the bike's constant improvement and the positive feeling established by both riders with the Italian bike. ''I'm really happy with the tests and in particular with today's results," Bayliss said. "I can see a constant improvement, and being L; qUicker than the first day by 2.5 seconds (1 is confirmation of that. I'm establishing an U excellent feeling with the bike. thanks ' \ also to a series of minor modifications to U the setup and riding position. There are still a lot of things to improve. and I am sure that we can go even qUicker. I can't 'I wait to go to Jerez to continue the development work, As well as the circuit. I've never been in such torrid heat before you have to be really fit to race in these conditions. " ~ o .... u 'I Fausto Gresini's Telefonica MoviStar Honda squad is in much the same position as their rivals at Repsol Honda. Team leader Daijiro Kato spent the day evaluating tires for Michelin while new teammate Sete Gibernau continued to leam all he could about the RCV. Kato's best lap was a 2:03.7. "I wanted to go for a good time in the last hour. but I still had to work on four sets of new Michelin tires, both rear and front pairs," Kato said. "When I got to the last set of tires, I was going to go for it and try and put in a qUick lap, but thiS last pair weren't as good as the previous ones. Despite this. we did find out some good tires. which. of course. is the most important thing. Valentino and Max were very quick, but I am happy with my performance over the past three days. I was setting constantly fast times, and that is the best way to be. I get the brand new bike in a month's time, but I don't think it will be radically different, and as things are going well with the new parts we have tested here, I am excited about getting on it. .. " U U o o O "If we consider that we have never been to the circuit before and had no reference data, the results are much better than expected." Loris Capirossi said at the end of the session. "We didn't come here to set qUick times - that would have been asking too much. Nevertheless, we were able to work a lot on the setup and try out different tires and configurations. We still have a few traction problems with the tight curves on this track. but we are on the right path. We're making constant progress, and a couple more days testing would have given us the chance of doing a fantastic job. To sum up. the test was important. and we obtained a lot of information. We are up there with the rest, and we have a lot of potential to improve. I can see it's going to be a great championship." O O O O O O O : 0 10 O Max Biaggi settled on a good setup for his RCV and toward the end of the day began to increase his pace, matching or bettering the times set by his fellow Honda riders at Sepang. Biaggi's best time was a 2:02.8. "I can look back on this test and say, 'It was very positive, ..' Biaggi said. "Two and a half months without riding a motorcycle. But within 10 laps of riding this bike. I felt comfortable; at the end of the test I felt quite good about it. Today we finalized the setup and covered a lot of kilometers. Michelin asked us to do an endurance test with the tires. The test went well. Michelin are doing a great job for us for 2003. I spent the last 10 minutes of the test - I pushed hard looking for the limit. I got close, but I didn't want to make a mistake on the first test with the bike. The team and I are beginning to understand each other. and I feel comfortable. We now have one month before we test again. I will keep The HRC RC211V winter test at Sepang, Malaysia, ended on a high note on January 22. with all teams and riders satisfied with the results and the data logged for future reference. according to a team press release. Ovemight rain Iinu gered at the 5.548km circuit during the morning of the final day, but by 1:30. the I track was dry enough for the riders to get in track time in good conditions. Most riders spent the afternoon testing tires for r their 2003 suppliers. The Repsol Honda r team of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden pronounced themselves satisfied at the end of the day. After running 55 laps I and posting a best time of 2:02.65. Rossi .....; said he was happy with the amount of 'I technical setup and tire testing work he ; " \....) " '-' " r L.i 86 fl FEBRUARY 5. 2003' cue • e n e vv s my concentration: I want to ride the bike again as soon as possible. I'm haVing a lot of fun with it!" As soon as conditions permitted, the Pramac Honda Team took to the track on the final day, concentrating their efforts on tire-testing for Bridgestone. Makoto Tamada and Shinichi Itoh completed a full aftemoon of testing, confirming the data already collected and testing several sets of tire combinations. "I'm pleased with these three days of tests, even though I still haven't found the perfect setup for my bike," Tamada said. "I'm not worried about it. though, because I know my potential. and these tests helped me get a better feeling for the bike and adapt it to my aggressive style of braking. We 've got lots of information from these tests that will help us improve even further in the next sessions." Tamada and Itoh both ran best laps of 2:06.5 during the tests. "I tried out many different tires and different solutions to get a good idea about everything we need to analyze." Itoh said. '" think I've been able to do a good job, and we've sure got a huge amount of data. I think we'll soon be able to bridge the gap between us and the leaders." Asinine Clothing Co. has formed a new supercross/motocross team. Asinine Pro Racing. The team will compete in the 125cc Eastern Regional Supercross Series as well as the outdoor MX Nationals. Team owners/managers are Brent and Calvin Cahoon, and the team riders are Kris Papworth C125cc East SX and 250cc outdoors) and Corey Young (250cc outdoor). For more information. call Kris Papworth at 714/883-8120, Calvin Cahoon at 801/818-0671, Brent Cahoon at 630/968-2042. or visit AsinineClothing.com. AHRMA. WERA Vintage and Jennings GP are teaming up to host a three-day preDaytona "Spring Classic" at the northem FlOrida road race facility. February 2628. The two racing organizations will honor each other's licenses. as well as those issued by the U.S. Classic Racing Association and Canada' s Vintage Road Racing Association. for the event. Things kick off Wednesday. February 26, with a practice day run by Jennings GP (formerly North FlOrida Motorsports Park). open to any motorcycle eligible for the following days' AHRMA and WERA Vintage racing. The motorcycle-only track, nearly two miles in length with 14 turns. is located off 1-75 north of 1-10. For registration and other information, call 904/707-1737 or visit www.jenningsgp.com. The largest motorcycle drag race in history is scheduled this summer at Brainerd International Raceway. featuring a $150,000 purse and as many as 1000 drag bikes from both domestic and import manufacturers. according to Brainerd International Raceway. The event is scheduled for July 21-27. The BIR Big Race will be an historical event because the total payout is the largest ever, and it's the first all-motorcycle race that will involve every major manufacturer. according to the racetrack. The top rac- ers from the All-Harley Drag Racing Association, National Hot Rod Association, AMA/Prostar Series and affiliated racing groups around the world will compete on BIR's quarter-mile drag strip. according to BIR. According to BIR officials, the key to the event is when domestic bikes face off against the imports. Harley-Davidson dragsters. for example, rarely race against the imports, but the BIR Big Race's Pro Stock category will feature separate ladders for domestic and import drag bikes. with the winners of each facing off in the finals. The race will feature 12 classes, including everything from the fastest racers in the Top Fuel category down to Junior Racers. All racers will be competing for substantial prize money. Friday of the event will feature a separate $35.500 E.T. Shootout. which is the largest Sportsman payout in motorcycle drag racing history. The Rev Zone, a one-hour weekly sports talk radio show devoted entirely to supercross/motocross and other dirt bike activities, made its debut on January 5. The show will air on Sundays from 3 to 4 p.m. on KWRM, AM 1370 in Southern California, SpeedFreaks, the motorsports radio show, will host a pre-race party at Dave & Busters in Orange, California, on Friday, January 21, featuring riders from the Suzuki Crossover Challenge and some of the stars of supercross racing, according to a release from the show, For more information. call 714/769-1515. Road America will host up to 20.000 motorcyclists during Harley-Davidson' s 100th Anniversary celebration, according to George Bruggenthies. president and general manager of the racetrack in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The motorcyclists are slated to start arriving on August 25 and will stay through Labor Day, which concludes Harley's celebration. All camping reservations must be made in advance. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com. EI Cajon MX Park in EI Cajon, California. will hold its first "big race" on Sunday, February 8 - the day after the San Diego Supercross. For more information, visit www.elcajonmx.com. The AMA has announced that it will hold a 2003 AMA Western National Sidecar Motocross Championship. The five-round series will begin at Honey Lake MX in Milford, California. and will end at Hollister Hills in Hollister. California. on October 18. A warm-up race will take place at Speedworld MX in Wittman. Arizona, on February 1. Italian supercross racer Davide Esposti, who is competing on the Team MD Racing Suzuki RM 125, is looking for a place to stay and a workshop in the Southern California area. If there's anyone out there who speaks Italian and wants to show some hospitality to a racer, call Davide on his cell phone at 011/39-335-582-4560 or e-mail him at doria@termozeta.es. eN

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