Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

I Round 8 WORLD SUPERBIKE Briefly•.. I July 30, 2004 I~ W ith one lap to go, Muggeridge passed Charpentier on t he road w ith .247 of a sec ond to make up. It see med impossible given the pace of C harpe ntier, that he co uld do it, but the championshi p lead er was in full force and made up ground to w in by a to ta l of .098 of a sec ond. Muggeridge was elated , an d 24 poin ts in the lead : Charpentier, less gutted tha n he might have be e n. The most pissed-off guy was Parkes, missingon a third by .005 of a seco nd on com bined time. Curtain, put off by no fault of his own in leg one , and lucky to escape with just a savage beating fro m the tarmac and his ow n bike , was fifth, with Co rradi sixth and much happ ier than of late. Katsuaki Fujiwara , the top Suzuki o n another black day for the pu rple-and -yellow brigade at C orona, was se ve nt h, w ith C ham bo n just be hind and lannuzzo in the d ust . We st, loo king like he shouldn 't really be there but try ing to enjoy it the same, it was ninth, w ith his tough opponent, Lanzi, 10th. eN Karl Muggeridge won his fourth World Supersport race of the year. off the lap record, but it was to be a change in fortun e fo r the 2002 champion shortly afterward . O n lap 10 Foret, running wide at the ex it of Graham Hill Bend, had the rea r of his R6 spit round as he hit the grass on the gas, highsiding himself and send ing his bike off up the trac k. The closely following Curtain could not avoid him and ran over his upper leg, and as he spun around on the track , Parkes, attempting to take avoiding action , then ran over his ot her leg. The race was almost immed iate ly red- flagged to allow Foret to receive med ical treatment. He was diagnosed with a fractured right femur and left ankle and is being treated in a local hospital. That diagnosis was later corrected to a smas hed ankle, but no longer a broken thigh... The restart, over 14 laps with the first nine laps counting, was, unlike MotoGP. an aggregate affair, with Charpentier, Muggeridge, Curtai n, van den Goorbergh and Parkes all in the top five slots. Kellner and Lanzi clashed on the inside at Druids on the restart and Kellner was launched off: he walked away dazed and confused. Tiberio also got the rough e nd of the deal, as he was pushed off tra ck, restarting way do wn to retire after a wo nderful ride in both parts. Van den Goorbergh, beh ind Corradi for a while, soon made progress back to the podium places, but after an outrageously jumped and then stopped launch from the third row, Matth ieu Lagrive suffered a ride through penalty. Corradi attempted to overtake van den Goo rbergh on lap 10, missed, and the Dutchman was back through for kee ps. Lanzi and West, having a dust-u p, made for some interesting actio n. Charpentier, obviously out for his own dom inance and no less, tore off a tear-off visor right into the slipstream of riders behind over the line - a move the TV people saw fit to repeat. Co rradi was dropping back on road, and as the race came toward a conclusion o n combined lap 20, there was the bizarre sight of t he re lative positions on aggregate and track pos ition being exacty the same, right down to 13th place. 24 AUGUST 11, 2004 • eyeLEN E W 5 BRANDS HATCH LONGfIEUD, KENT, ENGLAND RE SU LT : JULY 30, 2004 S SU PERBIKE QU ALIFYING : I. Steve Manin ( 1:27.213); 2. Pier-Prancescc Chili ( 1:27.398); 3. Regis Laconi (1:27.565); 4. No riyuki Haga ( 1:27.833); 5. Troy Corser ( 1:28 . 110) ; 6. Marco Borciani (1:28. 12 1); 7. Ch ris Vermeu len ( 1:28. 13 1); 8. Gianluca N omnelli ( 1:28. 144); 9. James Ellison ( 1:28.356); 10. Leon Haslam ( 1:28.432); II. Lucio Peden:ini (1:28.70 1); 12. James Tose land ( 1:28 .72 1); 13. C hris Walker ( 1:28.822); 14. Mauro Sanehinl ( 1:29.2 12); IS. Pie rgiorgio Bontempi ( 1:29.602); 16. Giovanni Bussel ( 1:28.218); 11. Garry McCoy ( 1:28.663); 18. Cr.lig Coxhell ( 1:29.0 3 1); 19. Sebastian G'mbert ( 1;29. 105); 20 . Ivan Clementi ( 1:29. 193); 21. Giancarlo De Matteis ( 1:29.433); 22. Warwi ck Nowtand ( I:29.88 5); 23 . Alessio Velinl ( I:30 .326); 24. Jiri Mrkyvlc.a ( I:3 1.(47); 2S. Sergio Fuertes (I :3 1.068); 26. Miguel Praia (no time ). RAC E ON E: I. N oriyukJ Haga (Due); 2. Regis Lacon' (Due); 3. Steve Martin (Due); 4. Chris Vermeulen (Hon ); S. Troy Co rser (Pet); 6. James Ellison (Yam); 7. James Toseland (Due ); 8. Craig Coxhell (Hon ); 9. Chris Walker (Pet); 10. Gianluca Nannelli (Due ); I I. Marco Borclant (Due); 12. Gtovanni Busse! (Due); 13. Lucc Peder cinl (Due); 14. Ivan Clementi (Kaw); IS. Piergiorgio Bcntempi (Suz); 16. Warwick Nowland (Suz); 17. Alessio Vefini(Yam). Time: 37 rnin., 8. 172 sec . Dist a nce : 25 laps, 65.05 m iles Ave rage speed: 105 . 105 mph Ma rgi n of victory: . 134 sec. Fa s t e st lap : Pier-Franc esco Chili, lap 12. 1:28.09 4 RA CE TWO: I. Noriyuki Hap (Due); 2. Pier-Francesco Chili (Due); 3. Chr is Vermeul en (Hon); 1. Chris Walker (Pet ); 5. James Ellison (Yam); 6. Giovanni Busse; (Due) ; 7. Garry McCo y (Ouc); 8 . Craig C oxhell (Hon ) ; 9. Sebastian Gimbe rt (Yam); 10. Mau ro Sanchini (Kaw); I J. Ivan Clementi (Kaw); 12. Pie rgio rglo Bontempi (Suz); 13. Sergio Fuertes (Suz); 14 . Altesio Velini (Yam); 15. Miguel Praia (Due). Time: 37 min.. 5.030 sec . Distance : 25 laps. 6S.05 miles Ave ra ge speed: 105.253 mph Marg in of victory: .960 sec . Fastest lap : Pier-Frances co Chili, lap 13. 1:28.20 1 WO RLD C 'SHI P POINTS STANDIN GS (Aft e r 8 of I I ro und) : I. Regis L.acon (2 1815 wins); 2. Chris Vermeu len (2 16/3 wins); 3. i Noriyuki Haga (2 12/S wins); 4. Jame s Toseland (2 10/ 1 win); 5. PierFran cesco C hill ( 18011 win); 6. Garry McCo y ( 15511 win); 7. St eve Mart in ( 135); 8. Leon Haslam ( 120): 9 . Troy Corser (1 12); 10. Chris Walker ( 102); I I. Marco Borciani (99); 12. Mauro Sanchini (79): 13. Ivan Clementi (66); 14. Piergiorgio Bontempi (53); IS. Gianluca Nanne lli (47) . W OR LD SUPE RSPORT Q UA LIFYIN G: I . Karl Muggeridge (1:28 .991); 2. Broc Parkes (1:29.095); 3. Sebastian Charpentier (I :29.099); 4. Fabien For et ( I:29. 190); S. Kevin Curtin ( I:29. 339); 6. Jurgen van de n Goorbergh ( I :29. S33); 7. Katsuakl Fujiwara ( 1:29.567); 8. Stephane Chambon ( 1:29.88 9); 9. Alessio Corradi (1:30.088 ); 10. Christian Kellner ( 1:30.450); I I. lorenzo Lanzi ( 1:30.'15 1); 12. Mattieu Lagrive ( 1:30. 555); 13. Anthony West (1:30.573); 14. 'roann Tibe rio ( 1:30.768) ; IS. Max Neukirchne r (1:30.840) ; 16. Vittorio lannuno ( 1:30.86 1); 17. Walter Tortorogl io ( 1:30.86 5); 18. Stefano Cruc iani ( 1:30 .87 1); 19. Den is Sacchetti ( I :3 1. 165); 20 . Matt eo 8iacco (I :3 1.174); 2 1. Tom Tunst all ( I:3 1.275); 22. l uke Q uigley (I :3 1.488); 23. Sebastian le Gre lle ( I:3 1.522); Oean Ellison ( I:3 1.818 ). W O RLD SUPERS PORT RAC E: I. Karl Muggeridge (Hon ); 2. Sebastian Charpentier (Hon); 3. Jurgen van de n Goo rbe rgh (Yam); 4 . am); 6. A1lesio Corradi (Hon ); Brae Parkes (Hon) : 5. Kevin Curtai n (Y 7. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Suz); 8. Ste phane C hambon (Suz); 9. Anthony West (Hon); 10 . l or enzo Lanzi (Due); II. Max Neukirchne r (Hon ); 12. luke Quig ley (Suz); 13. Tom Tunstall (Hon); 14 . Walter Tort or oglio (Suz); 15. Matt ieu Lagrive (Sua): 16. Matt eo Biacco (Y ; 17. Sebastian Le Grelle (Hon) ; 18. Den is Sacchetti (Hon) ; 19. am) Stefano Cruciani (Kaw). W O RLD SU PERS PO RT WO RLD C 'S H IP POINTS STA ND IN GS (After 7 of 10 rounds) : I. Karl Mugge ridge ( 132/4 wins); 2. Jurgen van den Goorbergh ( 10811 win); 3. Broc Parkes (82); 4. Kevin Curt in (69); S. Sebastian Charpentier (68) ; 6. l or en zo Lanzi (56); 7. Fabien Foret (55); 8. (TIE) Kauuakt FujiwaralStephane Chambon (53); 10. Alessio Corradi (44) . 4 0 t h Anniv ersa r y Continu ed from page 23 running around half a second slower than inJune's BSBrace,and the feeling from most riderswas that the track itself was peculiarly slippery compared to previousyears. Nonetheless, with the new national best qualifying lap of 1:26.177 (Kagayama, Suzuki) not dosely touched by evenSteve Martin's Superpolebestof I;27.213, the gap between the massproduced, lim~ed-choice Pirellis and the qualifying specials of UKSuperi>ike was runningat a second per lap. Partofthe grip issues at Brands could be put down to the track temperatures, with high 40 degreesa common reading, inthe high 2O-degree centigradeambient temperatures. The thunderstonns that were a distinct possibility at one stage on Friday stayedout over the 'Thames Estuary, and the practicetrack time was all conductedinglorious sunshine. The futureof Chris Venneulen, a hot property after histhree winson the Firebladefor the Ten Kate team, was the subjectof muchdebate at Brands. The rider himselfhas stated that he has a contract with Honda, but the TenKate team state categoricallx that he has a contract with them, direct. In anycase, both team and rider believe it ismaybe the best path to stayinSBKin 2005, even ~, as seems eminently possible now, Venneulen canwin the title . Vermeulenisscheduled to ride a MotoGP RC21 IV inChinaat the Beijingcircuit, rightafter the ValenciaGp. The BBC, who runcomprehensive terresbial1V coverageof SBKthisyear,ran extensive coverage ofthe meetingwith the usual team of Suzi Peny, Steve Parish and Charlie Cox. Having covered the MotoGP race one weekend before at Donington, it has been a busytime for the lads and lasses from the BBC. was tight-lipped, but other reports suggest thisit's not true inanyfashion. There could, conceivably, be a parting of the ways, but given the successof the ZX-I O inthe UK(two winsfor Scott Smartand counting,on what isa doseto-road-specmachine), ~ seems Chili could do worse than stay where he is. His possibilities of riding for the TenKate Hondateam seem to be shrinking as ~ lookslike Vermeulen will stay, and if Muggeridge moves up to SBK, there is no spacefor him.It seems more likely that the K1affi Hondateam's ambitions will be met by their promotion to Superbike,and Chili isan obvious choiceto opt for: Budget isthe obvious wony for K1affi, who is largely unsponsored. The Bertocchi Kawasaki team had (BSBrace-winning team) Hawk Kawasaki personnel working on their machines before the race at Brands, and once more Kawasaki tech guru Christian Bourgeois (former WSS Team Manager with Foret and Riba in 2003) was in atte ndance. The expected new influx of Japanese mach ines in SBK mayhavean additional problem in2005that some did not foresee. Even though there isno expectation whatever than anyonewill break ranksand run an offICial squadon anyoriental machine in 2005,the increased input to anysupported SBK importer or dealteam mayspell the end for more than one current supported factory Supersport team. Ducati, from the Italian side, isnot expected to runa Supersporteffort in2005, as they have had limited successwith the 749Rand are already stretched to busting point with theirother SBKand especially MotoGP commitments. The good weather contributedto a decent crowd on Saturday and to some extent on Friday, but before the race there were still concernsregarding the final tally of spectators, with the two biggest eventson the British racing calendar so unavoidably close together. Theywere to proveunfounded. Rumors of Ducati's factory effort snatching awaythe Xerox sponsorship to the works team in2005were bandied about at Brands. As the current Fila Ducati link ends at the tennination of this season. the sportsweargiantmaystill be a team clothingsponsorin 2005 and beyond.Xerox isalso expected to be a top sponsorof the MotoGPproject. InSuperbike, there was a strangesight indeed: Giovanni Bussei on a De Cecco Ducati 998.A stranger sightcame intoviewas he propelled himself rightup the early practiceorder, onlyslipping to earth witha thump as his bike expired on hisSuperpole lap. He qualified on the tail end of the fourthrow after hislittle mishap. The 998RS ridersat Brands provedthat evenat such a quicktrack, an old 998RS, well set-up, couldmix ~ with the top level 999 riders. There has been little progresson the Suzuki front for 2005, with team boss of the Corona outfitFrancis Batta experiencing the same dazzlinglack of direction fromSuzuki as before.WithCorona not happy to onlybe inSupersport, but alsonot winninganymore, they are demandingthat it isSuperbikeor nothing. The previous MV Agusta link to Battaseems more tenuous with every passingday. The ru mor mill as to where and when everyonewould sort out their deals once more ran offthe rails. The previous expectationthat Pier-Francesco Chili's PSG-I team will run Kawasaki's in2005 was virtually made official at Brands, but it seems that Chili himself has set his heart on a Hondaor nothing. Frankie GSE Racing isfully expected to retum in2005, probablyon Yamahas or maybe even MY Agustas, butwith the Belgarda team looking more likely to be out on Yamahas, they maynot be the leadteam statusGSE would most li elydemand. k HawkKawasaki from the UKmayalso jointhe party.

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