Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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Vermeulen and Haga were turning 1:27 lap times, the pace having dropped as tire wear became a factor. On lap 22 the gap had grown to a mass ive 5.023 seconds, and despite the pressure exerted by Chili, the gap was only gradually to reduce, such was Vermeulen's literal and figurative grip on things. Not bad for a class, circuit and relative podium rookie. "The circuit conditions were quite good, and the tire was quite good , but my bike did not have perfect settings, wh ich meant it didn't turn in so well," Chili said. "I would have liked to have been first in 5uperpole yesterday, but I am happy with this finish on the podium." With Martin just happy to finish on the podium after some horrid results recently, the first three were set , but the fight for fourth and fifth was inspired by the pre race prayers, always a feature of the Laguna 5BK weekend. How come? Well Cain and Abel (Toseland and Laconi, with Toseland taking on the role of aggressor) was the closest thing we can equate the chaos of the last three laps to . With team manager Davide Tardozzi watching from Pit Lane, it was evident that he was somewhat displeased at the antics of his riders, touch ing and pushing to the white stripes on some of the more risky comers of the trac k. The team were not pleased, not with the yellow peril of Vermeulen having taken the last two races and now kicking hard at the hallowed doors of Ducati's factory exclusivity . Laconi, whatever his internal thoughts on the whole situation, said afterward, "The front grip was good, but I lost some from the rear. For sure there were some strong moves in the race with James ." Haga had overhauled Garry McCoy to finish sixth. Mauro 5anchini went eighth on his Kawasaki, with Renegade Ducati's Leon Haslam and Petronas' Troy Corser ro unding out the top 10. It had been a hard run for Haga in race one, no stranger to mechanical and other forms of mayhem. From his 16th place on the grid of race two, Haga attacked hard to secure seventh into turn two, but Toseland led Vermeulen into the first corners of the lap. Two riders tangled and fell at the first significant left, Jiri Mrkyvka and Gianluca Nannelli, ending their participation. They would soon be joined by Alessio Velini, for the second time crashing out of a Laguna event. With the top riders spread out in a finger formation , and with Toseland trying to make a break on revised suspension settings, Haga made another Pac-Man move on Chili, who had changed his front tire from what he used in race one . The race order was Toseland, Vermeulen , Laconi, Martin and Haga in the first circuits . Such was Vermeulen's desire to get on the ta il of Toseland and beyond that, he was smoking the rear tire, even from the first corners, but he settled Briefly... The track record for World Superbike, I:24.833 from Troy Bayliss on Michelins in 2002, remained unmolested. Many thought that the new breed of four-cylinder AMA machines,consideringthe heat of Dunlop versus Michelin competition this year, would beat that time. Chili, destroyed and distraught that he lost the chance to secure the Superpole win fro m a good position. made short comments in the postrace Superpole event and then stormed off • after making apologies to the crowd - to remonstrate with race officials. He felt he should be given another opportunity to set his Superpole lap, despite still qualifying on the front row, in fourth. Long-termWorld Superbike lV broadcaster Speed Cha nnel announced a threeyear deal to continue showingWorld Superbike on American cable Tv. In 2003 Speed Channel ran 78 hours of SBK programming. including extensive live coverage of the United States round. This fuelledthe theory that there is more of a chance of World Superbike retaininga date at Laguna than losing it, especially in the usualearly July date. MotoGP also wants that date, to fit in with plansfor the 200S race calendar. The Formula One dates as usual willdete r· mine exactlywhen MotoGP and World Superbike dates will be made. The new kid on the block: Chris Vermeulen is suddenly a top dog in World Superbike, having won the lost three races. If he keeps it up, he could be a factor in the title chose. down into rhythm behind the hard charging Englishman as the race began to spread out . On lap five the avaricious Vermeulen made another pass on Toseland, again at tum one, but a spirited defense saw him have to pass again, just as Chili went inside Martin for fifth. Laconi missed a braking marker on lap six and allowed Haga to come up to his tail, a place he was to stay ultimately, despite some classic attempts to pass some even successful for a time . Chris Walker was ruled out of the race after slowing on lap eight , and on lap nine, just as Haga went third . It was a disaster day for Petronas all around, in a tough weekend with its new spec engines . Haga, out of the running for the win, was some 4.9 seconds from the leader at that stage, and his teammate Haslam was having some short-lived success behind , passing Martin for sixth, with the Aussie plainly finding his second race difficult on his second choice machine, his first having reached the safe limit of race kilometers. "The second bike hasn't been giving me the same feel all weekend," Martin said. "Sixth was the best I could do . Overall it was a pos itive weekend and one we can certainly build on for the next race at Brands Hatch, where I expect to be back on the pod ium." Laconi had a go back at Haga on lap 16, after a period of some relaxation and con templation for the top riders , who were keen to conserve tires for the final push . After all 28 laps around Laguna is a significant undertaking. The Pirellis were holding up reasonably well to the extremes of 90-degree track temperatures, but toward the end the inevitable grip issues came to light, with every single rider on the absolutely softest possible tire in the Pirelli truck. Corser saw his weekend result in a single tenth-place finish in race one, his machine malfunctioning in race two on lap 18. "This has been a very frustrating and disappointing weekend, especially considering I was reasonably happy with my set up and race tires," Corser said. "In the second race the bike was okay for a few laps, but then I started to lose the rear going into the right-handers. But I was right on the back of Clementi, and the track was busy so I did not get a chance to look down until Sanchini came past . There was too much oil on the bike, and I knew I wouldn't be able to finish, and I didn't wan t to crash like I did in Germany." Haslam was unfortunate to fall on lap 22, breaking his left wrist, and he was the last of the nonfinishers , leaving a paltry www.cyclenews.com With no pro visional calendar forthcoming as yet, there has , however, been talk of the loose shape of the World Superbike calendar next year. With a maximum of 14 rounds, the series should start in Qatar, move to Phillip Island, then Valencia in Spain. It would then follow on with Monza, Oschersleben, then Silverstone, with Misana returni ng t o its traditional mi dsummer date. A new venue, either Spa-Francorchamps or more likely Zolder, would be squeezed into June, before the expected return to Laguna Seca. Then Brands, Assen, Imola (not a certainty by any means) and then Magny Cours would fin ish off the European season. The last race could well be in Shanghai, China, at the FI facility. A delegation of the new powers that be at Mont Tremblant, Canada, was in attendance at La guna, adding a wildcard into that mix. With the possibility of La guna leaving the fold for MotoGp, a return to Mexico could also be on the cards - ironicallyat the Monterrey circuit. The 200,000capacitystadium has hosted American-style car races in the past and is one possible way to stay in the same region of the world, if there is a loss of Laguna. More rumors circulated Laguna about the shape of the 2005 championship, both in content and venue . O ne rumor that the Renegade Ducati squad had entered negotiations with Honda to run in Superbike in 2005 was scotched by the team owner Mark Griffiths. "I have heard that rumor as well, but we haven't had any discussions Continued on page '9 CYCLE NEWS • JULY 21,2004 17