VOL. 52 ISSUE 29 JULY 21, 2015 P47
KEVIN SCHWANTZ TALKS WORLD SUPERS
F
ormer World Champion
Kevin Schwantz was on
hand at Mazda Raceway La-
guna Seca for the U.S. World
Superbike round, July 17-19. We
had a chance to chat a bit with
Schwantz to get his thoughts on
the championship.
What do you think of World
Superbike? Some say the
level has gone down and
there are too many British
riders.
I guess we could say the
same thing about MotoGP, that
there are too many British riders.
A World Championship event
like this, with all the manufac-
turers involved—the Hondas,
BMWs, Aprilias, Suzukis, Ka-
wasakis—everybody that is here
that is involved means that there
is at least hope for those guys
at the top, but that cannot win
every weekend. I think there are
any of 10 or 12 guys who could
realistically win here. That is not
the case in MotoGP where it is a
race of four.
What about Jonathan Rea
and his big points lead?
Rea has made it his home
stomping ground this year, but
I do not think it takes much of a
bobble from him or [Tom] Sykes,
and those other guys could be
right there at the front
What about the lack of
wildcards? That connection
between domestic racing and
World Superbike seems to be
lost?
I think there is such a differ-
ence in the bikes, electronically,
that it is so hard to get off an
American Superbike. Espe-
cially on this weekend and at
this track, as physical as it is, it
would really, really test even the
fittest rider.
Gordon Ritchie
Kevin Schwantz attended
the Laguna Seca round of
the FIM World Superbike
Championship.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
