Ian Hutchinson claims dominant win with his BMW S 1000 RR – Successful outings for the BMW racers in the BSB and the Superbike IDM.
Munich (DE), 13th July 2016. Ian Hutchinson (GB) once more proved that he is not only a brilliant road racer: last weekend, the Tyco BMW rider continued his streak of success in the Superstock class of the British Superbike Championship (BSB STK) and rode his BMW S 1000 RR to his first win of the season in the series. Snetterton (GB) was also a successful hunting ground for his fellow BMW riders in the BSB, with Michael Laverty (GB) and Michael Rutter (GB) stepping onto the podium, too. In Zolder (BE), Mathieu Gines (FR), Bastien Mackels (BE), Jan Bühn (DE) and Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NL) claimed podium finishes in the Superbike IDM / International German Championship (IDM). The BMW Motorrrad Motorsport racers were also in action in Laguna Seca (US), where the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) and the MotoAmerica FIM/AMA North American Road Racing Series (AMA) held their races. The riders and teams were supported by the experts from BMW Motorrad Motorsport, who were on site at all the races in Europe and North America. With their results, the BMW racers collected further points for the 2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy (see full standings below).
MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in Laguna Seca, USA.
Iconic Laguna Seca (US) hosted the ninth round of the 2016 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) last weekend. The best placed BMW S 1000 RR rider was once more Jordi Torres (ES) from the Althea BMW Racing Team. He finished the two races on the Californian track in eighth and sixth. The team’s other RR was ridden by Raffaele De Rosa (IT), who stood in for the injured Markus Reiterberger (DE). For De Rosa, who successfully races with the Althea BMW S 1000 RR in the FIM Superstock Cup (STK1000), it was the first outing on the WorldSBK version of the bike. He failed to finish race one but was 11th in race two.
Milwaukee BMW rider Karel Abraham (CZ) brought his RR home in 14th and 12th. His team-mate, Joshua Brookes (AU), who like De Rosa raced the challenging Laguna Seca circuit for the first time, was 13th in race one but retired in race two.
British Superbike Championship in Snetterton, Great Britain.
The BMW Motorrad Motorsport racers in the British Superbike Championship (BSB) collected more trophies at Snetterton (GB) last weekend. In the Superbike class (BSB SBK), Michael Laverty (GB / Tyco BMW) finished third on the podium in race two. In the first encounter Laverty retired, while Jake Dixon (GB / Briggs Equipment BMW) was the highest placed BMW rider in sixth.
In the Superstock class (BSB STK), Ian Hutchinson (GB / Tyco BMW) celebrated a dominant win. After 12 laps he crossed the line with an advantage of over seven seconds. It was Hutchinson’s first win of the season in the series, after he had also finished all the other races held so far this season on the podium. He was joined on the podium by Michael Rutter (GB / Briggs Equipment BMW) in third. The championship standings in the BSB STK are still led by BMW racer Taylor MacKenzie (GB / Buildbase BMW Motorrad), while Hutchinson improved to second overall.
Superbike IDM / International German Championship in Zolder, Belgium.
The Superbike IDM / International German Championship (IDM) made a guest appearance in Zolder in Belgium last weekend. It was the home round both for the Van Zon-Remeha-BMW team and for Bastien Mackels (BE / Wilbers-BMW-Racing) – and both had plenty of reasons to celebrate.
In the Superbike class (IDM SBK), Mathieu Gines (FR) rode his Van Zon-Remeha-BMW S 1000 RR to second place on the podium in race one. A fall in race two meant he had to start a catch-up, which led to fourth place in the SBK class. Local hero Mackels stepped onto the podium on both occasions, finishing both races in third. In the championship classification, Gines is currently second, two points behind the leader.
The Superstock class (IDM STK) also saw three podium finishes for the BMW S 1000 RR. Jan Bühn (DE / Van Zon-Remeha-BMW) was second in race one and third in race two. His team-mate Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NL) joined him on the podium after the first encounter, which he had finished in third. The fourth Van Zon-Remeha-BMW team rider, Marco Nekvasil (AT), was not able to take part in the races after he suffered fractures to both legs when crashing in the second free practice. We wish Marco a speed recovery.
MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series in Laguna Seca, USA.
At the WorldSBK round in Laguna Seca (US), the eighth and penultimate meeting of the 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series (AMA) was held. BMW rider Steve Rapp (US / Scheibe Racing) was 12th, while Cory Call (US / San Jose BMW/Keigwins@theTrack) finished in 16th.
2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy – Current Standings.
Status: 13th July 2016
Pos. Name (Nat.) Series / Class Points
1 Michal Prášek (CZ) AARR STK 262.00
2 Maximilian Scheib (CL) CEV 198.80
3 Ian Hutchinson (GB) BMW RRC 198.50
4 Pekka Päivärinta / Kirsi Kainulainen (FI) SWC 189.19
5 Raffaele De Rosa (IT) STK1000 189.04
6 Taylor MacKenzie (GB) BSB STK 185.45
7 Kenny Foray (FR) FSBK SBK 180.96
8 Jordan Szoke (CA) CSBK 176.25
9 Stefan Kerschbaumer (AT) EWC STK 173.12
9 Bastien Mackels (BE) EWC STK 173.12
9 Dominik Vincon (DE) EWC STK 173.12
12 Benjamin Colliaux (FR) FR EU 170.19
13 Vincent Lonbois (BE) IRRC 161.36
14 Lukáš Pešek (CZ) AARR SBK 155.60
15 Danilo Lewis (BR) BRSBK 153.75
16. Michael Dunlop (GB/BMW RRC/153.35), 17. Jordi Torres (ES/WorldSBK/151.00), 18. Florian Brunet-Lugardon (FR/FR EU/147.69), 19. Mathieu Gines (FR/IDM SBK/133.03), 20. Martin Choy (BG/AARR SBK/123.60), 21. Joshua Elliott (GB/BSB STK/122.55), 22. Jan Bühn (DE/IDM STK/118.46), 23. Sébastien Le Grelle (BE/IRRC/117.09), 24. Lance Isaacs (ZA/RSA SBK/116.57), 25. Michael Rutter (GB/BSB STK/115.36), 26. Michel Amalric (FR/FR EU/110.77), 27. Didier Grams (DE/IRRC/109.00), 28. Cyril Brunet-Lugardon (FR/FR EU/99.69), 29. Santiago Barragán (ES/CEV/99.49), 30. Christian Iddon (GB/BSB SBK/99.00), 31. Ben Young (GB/CSBK/97.50), 32. Hernani Teixeira (FR/FR EU/96.00), 33. Marco Nekvasil (AT/IDM STK/94.00), 34. Richard Cooper (GB/BSB SBK/93.40), 35. Matteo Ferrari (IT/CIV/92.00), 36. Martin Tritscher (AT/AARR STK/90.00), 37. Hudson Kennaugh (ZA/BSB STK/88.00), 38. Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NL/IDM STK/87.85), 39. Michael Laverty (GB/BSB SBK/87.80), 40. Miloš Cihak (CZ/AARR SBK/85.20), 41. Mike Roscher/Anna Burkard (DE/SWC/84.30), 42. Markus Reiterberger (DE/WorldSBK/80.00), 43. Madjid Idres (FR/FR EU/77.54), 44. Michael Leon (CA/CSBK/77.25), 45. Steve Rapp (US/AMA SBK/74.93), 46. Joshua Brookes (AU/WorldSBK/74.20), 47. Lee Johnston (GB/BMW RRC/71.00), 48. Julien Brun (FR/FR EU/69.38), 49. Luca Vitali (IT/STK1000/69.25), 50. David Bouvier (FR/FR EU/68.96), 51. Bertrand Boyer (FR/FR EU/64.00), 52. Camille Hedelin (FR/EWC SBK/54.53), 52. Clive Rambure (FR/EWC SBK/54.53), 54. Marek Hartl (CZ/AARR STK/54.40), 55. Karel Abraham (CZ/WorldSBK/51.90), 55. Alastair Seeley (GB/BMW RRC/51.90), 57. Roberto Blazquez (ES/CEV/50.00), 58. Daisaku Sakai (JP/MFJ/49.67), 59. Jeremy Cook (US/AMA STK/49.33), 60. Denni Schiavoni (IT/CIV/47.20), 61. Lee Jackson (GB/BSB SBK/45.40), 62. Leon Jeacock (GB/BSB STK/43.64), 63. Petr Bicište (CZ/IRRC/43.64), 64. Marc Neumann (DE/IDM STK/42.62), 65. Garrick Vlok (ZA/RSA SBK/42.57), 66. Nasarudin Mat Yusop (MY/MSC STK/41.20), 67. Rob McNealy (GB/BSB STK/34.73), 68. Sam West (GB/BMW RRC/34.20), 69. Yuta Kodama (JP/MFJ/33.67), 70. David Datzer (DE/IRRC/32.73), 71. Colin Butler (CA/MSC SBK/32.00), 71. Manu Dagault (FR/FR EU/32.00), 73. Ronald Slamet (ZA/RSA SBK/31.14), 74. Davo Johnson (AU/BMW RRC/29.80), 75. Nicolas Senechal (FR/EWC SBK/29.77), 76. Alex Olsen (GB/BSB STK/29.09), 77. Arnaud Friedrich (DE/IDM STK/28.77), 78. Eric Vionnet (CH/STK1000/28.75), 79. Maxime Bonnot (FR/FSBK SBK/27.08), 80. Rene Skalicky (CZ/AARR STK/26.60), 81. Michal Bidas (CZ/AARR STK/26.00), 82. Dominique Platet (FR/EWC SBK/24.77), 83. Léon Benichou (FR/FR EU/24.31), 84. Björn Stuppi (DE/IDM STK/23.54), 85. Ricky Lee Weare (ZA/RSA SBK/23.43), 86. Lim Ho Gon (KR/MFJ/23.00), 86. Shinya Takeishi (JP/MFJ/23.00), 88. Chrissy Rouse (GB/BSB STK/22.91), 89. Michal Šembera (CZ/AARR SBK/22.00), 90. Adrián Bonastre (ES/CEV/19.00), 90. Howie Mainwaring Smart (GB/BSB SBK/19.00), 92. Barry Teasdale (GB/BSB STK/18.91), 93. Justin Gillesen (ZA/RSA SBK/18.86), 94. Michal Fojtik (CZ/AARR STK/18.40), 95. Gauthier Duwelz (BE/STK1000/17.25), 96. Martin Jessopp (GB/BMW RRC/16.80), 97. Adam Jenkinson (GB/BSB STK/16.00), 98. Janez Prosenik (SI/EWC SBK/15.65), 99. Michal Filla (CZ/IDM STK/15.54), 100. Etienne Nelson (ZA/RSA SBK/15.43), 101. Dominic Herbertson (GB/BMW RRC/13.80), 102. Evert Stoffberg (ZA/RSA SBK/13.14), 103. Ben Godfrey (GB/BSB STK/12.91), 104. Pedro Rodriguez (ES/CEV/12.60), 105. Matthieu Lussiana (FR/WorldSBK/12.20), 106. Dominic Chang (SG/MSC STK/11.20), 107. Jakub Smrz (CZ/BSB SBK/8.00), 108. Sabine Holbrook (DE/AARR SBK/7.60), 109. Federico D’Annunzio (IT/STK1000/7.50), 110. Pierre Bezuidenhout (ZA/RSA SBK/6.57), 111. Thomas Toffel (CH/STK1000/5.75), 112. Pascal Meslet (FR/FR EU/4.92), 113. Valter Patronen (FI/CEV/4.80), 114. Matej Smrz (BSB SBK/ 4.60), 115. John Krieger (ZA/RSA SBK/4.57), 116. Eric Dagault (FR/FR EU/3.69), 117. Heinrich Rheeder (ZA/RSA SBK/3.29), 118. Derek McGee (IE/BMW RRC/1.60), 119. Elwyn Steenkamp (ZA/RSA SBK/1.14), 120. Daniel Cooper (GB/BMW RRC/0.00), 120. Christophe Costes (FR/FR EU/0.00), 120. Stefan Dolipski (DE/AMA STK/0.00), 120. Ryan Farquhar (GB/BMW RRC/0.00), 120. Marcel Irnie (CA/CSBK/0.00), 120. Aaron League (US/BSB STK/0.00), 120. Ales Nechvatal (CZ/IRRC/0.00), 120. Joan Sardanyons (ES/CEV/0.00), 120. Tomas Svitok (SK/AARR STK/0.00), 120. Jacques van Wyngaardt (ZA/RSA SBK/0.00)
More, from a press release issued by Millennium Technologies/KWR:
Millennium Technologies’ Wyman battles through adversity for top fives at Laguna
TUCSON, Ariz. — The Millennium Technologies-sponsored Kyle Wyman Racing team fought hard this past weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the eighth and penultimate round of the 2016 MotoAmerica Superbike championship. Wyman battled through adversity in practice and qualifying to salvage two top-5 finishes for the KWR team.
Friday’s practice sessions started out with mechanical issues plaguing the team. With the series running along side World Superbike, the already short sessions became shorter as time was missed while tuning the bike in the pits. Wyman found himself further down the timesheets than he’s been the past few rounds.
“We just struggled with the bike in the first sessions,” Wyman said. “Typically on Friday we get two hour-long sessions and we have more time to breathe between stints on the track. This weekend just felt rushed. We had a few problems with the bike and it felt like I came in once and there was only 10-minutes left in the session. Luckily none of our problems were major.”
For Saturday’s practice and Superpole, gremlins continued to affect the team and Kyle was unable to make a qualifying lap on a new tire, resulting in a grid position of 15th overall for both of Sunday’s Superbike races.
“After our frustrations on Saturday, I was just wanting to ride so bad,” Kyle said. “Above all else, with a bad qualifying position and everything, I was bummed because Laguna Seca is such a great track and I wanted to just get out there and have some fun on my R1. That was my new goal for both races.”
Wyman shot off the line in race one from the fifth row, settled into a race long battle and finished up 4th place in class, 11th overall despite apparent grip issues.
“In race one I felt like I had less grip than any other session I rode,” Kyle said. “Something didn’t seem right and we were quite a ways off of our lap times in practice. After the race we congregated with the guys from K-Tech suspension and were able to come up with a setup change for race two.”
Wyman’s run in race two proved that the changes made were in the right direction, and his pace was consistently quicker from a lap-time standpoint. He finished race two in 9th overall, 5th in class.
“I felt like race two was finally an opportunity for me to relax and loosen up on the bike,” Wyman added. “The first half of the race was hectic and I was making a few mistakes here and there, but towards the end of the race I was able to remind myself to relax and just have fun. I definitely accomplished that towards the end. It was really cool to see so many fans around the race track on the cool-off lap too.
“I’m bummed in a way because I feel like we belong a little further up the order, but I’m happy because we have a bike in one piece, I had some fun and was able to enjoy the privilege of racing at one of the most famous tracks in the U.S.”
The final round of the 2016 MotoAmerica Superbike championship is September 9-11, 2016 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J.
For more information on the products and services offered by the Millennium Technologies family of companies, visit www.mt-llc.com
For mor information about Kyle Wyman Racing (KWR), visit www.kylewymanracing.com
About Millennium Technologies:
Millennium Technologies is the world leader in Advanced Engine Solutions. Starting in 1997 as a Nickel Silicon Carbide (NSC) cylinder plating and service company, Millennium Technologies has expanded into complete service solutions for cylinders, cylinder heads, crankshafts, big-bore kits, and supplies parts such as pistons, gaskets, camshafts, and more. Millennium Technologies provides services for all levels of the powersports industry including OEMs, dealers, pro race teams and weekend mechanics. Millennium Technologies is the parent company of Revolution Performance, who provides a complete line of high performance American V-Twin engine parts and services, as well as Ballistic Performance Components, the leader in lightweight lithium-ion starter batteries for powersports vehicles.
About Kyle Wyman Racing:
Kyle Wyman Racing (KWR) was formed in 2011 as a motorcycle road racing team focusing on healthy sponsorship opportunities for companies within and outside the motorcycle industry. KWR is the 2012 AMA Pro Harley-Davidson series championship winning team and current partner with Millennium Technologies. For more information visit www.kylewymanracing.com
More, from a press release issued by #RideHVMC Freeman Racing Ducati:
#RideHVMC Freeman Racing Ducati Secures Two Top Ten Finishes At Laguna Seca
#RideHVMC Freeman Racing Ducati traveled to the west coast for the penultimate 2016 MotoAmerica event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this past weekend. Corey Alexander rode the #23 Panigale R with added confidence, scoring a ninth place finish in race one, and improving to an eighth place finish in race two in 1000 SuperStock. The combined Superbike / Superstock field was banging elbows throughout the weekend, in perfect weather conditions. The entire team spent a great deal of time with the Panigale R before and during the race weekend, learning more through long days of practice, qualifying, and racing.
Corey Alexander maintained intense focus before and during the event at Laguna Seca, which combined World Superbike and MotoAmerica events. Keeping the weekend in perspective, Corey stated that “even though the results are not representative of the progress we have made with the Panigale R, I’m still very happy to be inside the top ten in both races, and actually to have had the opportunity to compete with some of the guys we need to be closer to. I’m excited to get home and back to work. Thanks everyone for the continued support!” Corey’s personal sponsors include: American Kargo, Arai Helmets, Boxed Water Is Better, Defy All Odds Apparel, JP43 Training & STAR School, Lapizta Watches, Outdoor Tech, Spidi Leathers, and XPD Boots. Follow Corey on social media via instagram.com/corey23alexander, twitter.com/corey5alexander, and facebook.com/corey23alexander!
Team principal Richie Alexander stated “We are very happy with Corey’s results in light of some of the struggles we have had over the last few races. Laguna Seca was really the first time Corey had a bike under him that worked properly in the dry. With the #RideHVMC Freeman Racing Ducati team getting such a late start to the season, and initial difficulties getting the electronics sorted, it has been tough going. Luckily we have some good people behind us, and we are on the right path. The Panigale R is a great motorcycle and we are looking forward to the last race in New Jersey.” #RideHVMC Freeman Racing Ducati returns home to the east coast for the final round of races at New Jersey Motorsports Park, September 9th through 11th. We look forward to seeing all of our local friends and fans in New Jersey! #RideHVMC Freeman Racing Ducati team sponsors include: Hudson Valley Motorcycles, MJRS Freeman Racing, Akrapovic, Armour Bodies, Beta Tools, Chicken Hawk Tire Warmers, CNC Racing, Design Star, K-Tech Suspension, LJ Painting, MOB Racing, New Rage Cycles, Orient Express, Signs Ink, Sprint Filter, Superlite Sprockets, TrakTape, Vesrah, Videri, and Zero Gravity Windscreens. #RideHVMC Freeman Racing Ducati is actively seeking additional partners for the 2016 season and beyond. If you have any interest in learning more about our program and its future plans, please contact us via email – [email protected]!
#RideHVMC is the home of all things rad by Hudson Valley Motorcycles, a family owned Ducati dealership in Ossining New York, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016. As lovers of two wheeled machines, we often find ourselves engulfed in a huge variety of activities which range from our own race team, custom bike builds, and assorted events and track schools. #RideHVMC was founded so we could share our passion for the sport and ongoing projects with all of our friends and fans in one place! #RideHVMC will give you insight into what is going on at Hudson Valley Motorcycles on a day-to-day basis. #RideHVMC is not a company, nor is it a traditional brand. It is our family, and you’re invited to join us at the dealership, the racetrack, or on the streets and backroads! Please visit www.hudsonvalleymotorcycles.com and www.hudsonvalleymotorcycles.com to learn more!
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor of America Inc.:
Suzuki Racers Succeed from Coast to Coast
Major motorcycle racing events took place this weekend on both sides of the country and Team Suzuki was well represented in Monterey, California and Southwick, Massachusetts. In the end, the Suzuki RM-Z450, Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Suzuki GSX-R600 all scored podium finishes. In addition, one of Suzuki’s all-time racing legends was back on the track at Mid-Ohio enjoying recognition for his great accomplishments. Weekend highlights include:
Ken Roczen finishing second overall on his Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing Suzuki RM-Z450 at the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross National in Southwick, Massachusetts.
Also at Southwick, Broc Tickle racing his Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing Suzuki RM-Z450 to another top-10 finish.
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Toni Elias winning the pole and keeping his championship hopes alive by putting his Suzuki GSX-R1000 on the podium twice in MotoAmerica Superbike at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.
M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki’s Valentin Debise scoring his ninth Supersport podium of 2016 with an impressive runner-up result on his Suzuki GSX-R600 at Laguna Seca.
Suzuki racing legend Wes Cooley being honored as Grand Marshal for the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
After a two-year absence, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship returned to New England and The Wick 338, the famous sand track, in Southwick, Massachusetts. RCH Suzuki’s Ken Roczen put in another strong showing on his potent Suzuki RM-Z450, taking second overall in the 450 class with a 2-2 moto finish. Roczen, having won five of the seven nationals so far, continues to lead the championship points standings by 47 points.
“I tried to put up a fight in the second moto,” said Ken Roczen after the races at Southwick. “I tried to get a win or at least hang with the leader, and that’s what I did so I’m happy with how we rebounded from the first moto. 2-2 is still a good result. With the field as deep as it is, it’s unrealistic to come in and win every round, but that’s my mentality. I’m going to come back next weekend and try to go for another 1-1, because I believe that’s the attitude you need to win this championship.”
Broc Tickle continued his string of excellent Pro Motocross results in 2016, with the RCH Suzuki RM-Z450 rider scoring eighth overall at Southwick. He remains ranked fifth in the series standings.
“There were positives, I’m not bummed out by the weekend at all,” said Broc Tickle, who is coming off podium finishes at the last couple of rounds. “It was still solid with a 10-8 for eighth overall. We’re heading to Millville, another one of my favorite tracks.”
In addition to Roczen and Tickle, four other Suzuki RM-Z450-mounted riders made the national field at Southwick, including MicroBilt/PRBC Suzuki’s Ronnie Stewart, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Baggett, Central Mass Power Sports Suzuki’s Richie Tolman-Moschetti and Michael Giovanniello on his MXSponsor Suzuki.
In the 250 Class at Southwick, a quartet of Suzuki RM-Z250 riders made it into the main event – Kyle Cunningham and Jimmy Albertson (MotorcycleSuperstore.com Suzuki), as well as Luke Clout (MAD Racing Yoshimura Suzuki) and Jared Lesher (RGR Motorsports Suzuki).
COMING UP: Team Suzuki motocross riders now head to Millville, Minnesota and the Spring Creek National this coming Saturday, July 16th. Live coverage begins at 11:00 am Eastern on www.promotocross.com. The motos can also be viewed on MAVTV and NBCSN.
Toni Elias won the pole and stood on the podium after both races in MotoAmerica Superbike action at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. Elias finished second aboard his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 in race one and followed that up with a third-place finish in race two. Teammate Roger Hayden finished fourth in race two after crashing in the first race. Elias is still in the championship hunt going into the final MotoAmerica round in New Jersey on Sept. 9-11.
“It was one of the hardest races of the season,” said Toni Elias, Yoshimura Suzuki racer. “At the start I tried to go, but everybody followed me and then I understood it was going to be a group race. I tried maximum every lap. I was pushing 120 percent and risking a lot. Now I can say I’m happy. I’m happy because I gave all I had and tried very hard the last few laps. We’ll keep working.”
M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki’s Valentin Debise scored his ninth podium of 2016 in the Laguna Seca MotoAmerica Supersport contest. The Frenchman showcased his command on his Suzuki GSX-R600 both on the brakes and firing out of the corners. He seized second place and defended the position to the checkered flag following a spirited battle.
“This track is more about exit corner and that’s where I’m good on my bike,” explained Valentine Debise. “I used everything I could on my GSX-R to be the best. I was hoping to go and stay in the fight for the win, but I ended up having a great battle for second. I had a lot of fun. I want to say thanks to my M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki team.”
COMING UP: The national road racing season now takes a break before heading to the New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11 for the series finale.
Two-time AMA Superbike Champion and Motorcycle Hall of Famer Wes Cooley was the Grand Marshal of this weekend’s big AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of AMA Superbike, Cooley rode the 1980 Yoshimura Suzuki GS1000 in parade laps and met with thousands of admiring fans over the course of the weekend.
“I wondered if people would still remember me from 35-40 years ago,” said the ever-modest Wes Cooley. “On Friday, I walked in here and went: ‘Great smell, great noise!’ It was just like being back from all those years ago.”
About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Outboard Motors and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
More, from a press release issued by David Rhinehart’s publicist:
David Rhinehart continues to dominate the AHRMA – Thruxton Cup
July 8-10th brought the Thruxton Cup back to New Jersey Motorsports Park for the 4th Annual NJMP Vintage Motorcycle Festival.
“I was a little worried having missed the whole practice on Friday and only raced this track one time before. Thankfully, because of the continued support from Speyside Enterprises, the K-Tech suspension on my Thruxton was dialed in and allowed me to get immediately comfortable. I was able to beat my lap record at this track and win both races,” Rhinehart stated.
With seven first place finishes so far this season, Rhinehart in the lead of the AHRMA – Thruxton Cup with the goal of winning the championship for 2016.
The Thruxton Cup racing continues September 2-4th at the Utah Motorsports Campus.
Rhinehart would like to thank each of his sponsors for their continued support in the 2016 racing season: Scorpion Helmets and Gloves, Triumph Motorcycles, K-Tech Suspension, Orient Express, Castrol Oil, Galfer Brakes, Vortex, Speyside Moto, XT Racing, Bridgestone Tires, Evol Technology, Rhinehart Development, Rhinehart Finishing, Chicken Hawk Racing, John Jewitt with Warranty One, and BES Engineering.
More, from a press release issued by Kawi Crew:
Solid West Cost Results for the Kawi Crew Team
The 2016 season began with a lot of questions for the Kawi Crew team. Danielle Diaz was entering graduate school to work on her doctorate and wasn’t sure how much time she would have to spend on racing. Sahar Zvik spent the early part of the year getting used to the new ZX-10, but with the west coast rounds of the Moto America season vastly approaching he decided to get back on the ZX-6R.
The team went to Utah with no big expectations, just go racing!
Danielle Diaz had a fresh perspective after spending most of the year behind books instead of handlebars. She quickly eclipsed her personal best lap around the UMC circuit and after taking the win in the 600 SSTK LCQ her confidence was riding high into the main events. Race 1 would see her equal her best ever pro result with a 16th in class, while race 2 went even better as she stepped up one more position to 15th. Looking back over the weekend she was content with her results, taking over 3 seconds off of her previous best lap time and capturing her best ever pro level result.
Sahar struggled early on with finding the right bike set up, which eventually forced him to retire from race 1. The team put their heads together to fix his bike issues and the results could be seen in the morning warm up as he would turn his fastest laps of the weekend. Sahar continued to drop time during race 2 and after a bad start he would fight his way up to 12th place in the 600 SSTK class. Even though it was a difficult weekend for Sahar, the team went to Laguna confident that the set up issues he had early in the week were solved.
Laguna is always a challenge for the 600 SSTK class. Track time is limited and typically you are on track early in the morning when conditions are not ideal. The Kawi Crew team knew each lap mattered going into the weekend and each rider took full advantage of every session, most times going P1 and P2 in the 600 SSTK practice sessions.
Both riders pushed each other throughout each session. Danielle would again show great pace as she surpassed her personal best lap time early in the weekend and would be well within the 107% to go directly to the main event.
Both riders struggled at the start of the 600 SSTK race, but recovered well and started to turn their fastest laps of the weekend. Danielle and Sahar battled with each other throughout the last few laps of the race with Sahar winning out in the end, leaving the Kawi Crew riders 11th and 12th place in class.
The Kawi Crew team can look back on the west coast rounds of the Moto America 600 SSTK series as a great success. The team is now looking forward to the 2017 season with great anticipation. Kawi Crew would like to thank all of the team’s sponsors for the amazing help, all of the team’s fans for their encouragement and to Moto America for continuing to work hard to make the American road racing series successful. See you at the races!
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia HSBK Racing:
CORTI AND APRILIA HSBK LEAVE LAGUNA WITH TAINTED HARDWARE, UNNERVED SPIRITS
Houston, TX – Round 8 of the MotoAmerica Superstock series was held last weekend at historic Laguna Seca circuit in Monterey, CA. Though one round remains Laguna proved to be the last bastion for Aprilia HSBK Racing and pilot Claudio Corti’s championship efforts this season. In the end, seemingly ironic for both Italian brand and rider, it was a Machiavellian tale realized on the California coast.
Friday the team worked on bike set-up to increase performance and feel while Claudio Corti was reacquainted with the technical Laguna Seca track. Through three sessions, Corti was able to run a fast enough pace to head directly into Superpole 2. Here, Corti was able to pick up the pace, finishing 9th overall among Superbikes, and in 4th position among Superstock 1000 riders, ahead of series leader Josh Herrin.
In Race 1, Claudio got a great start off the line yet faced several challenges from an aggressive field in Superstock, exchanging positions nearly every lap, with half a dozen riders battling at times. As the laps ran down, everything was on the line as the riders charged through the corkscrew and into the final two turns, overtaking Herrin, with a first place finish for Eslick, Corti just behind in 2nd.
Due to a rider down, the finish came under review, and as race direction decided which yellow flags they could find footage on, Eslick and Corti were penalized not the single position they gained, but rather two, moving them into 3rd and 4th following the ruling.
Race 2, Aprilia HSBK Racing and championship challenger Corti had to make their own statement to the fans at Laguna. The race began with Corti immediately jumping toward the front of the pack, eventually finding himself on the heels of the Superbike riders, with an increasing gap on the Superstock riders. Midway through the race Corti began to lose distance, exchanging the lead a few times. Herrin, the series leader and almost guaranteed victor, had dropped back to eighth position, appearing to prefer a more leisurely victory outside the battle, as Corti went on to win Race 2 over 13 seconds ahead of the series champion.
Corti said, “In race one, I was penalized for passing on the yellow flag, it’s a shame you know. I know it’s for safety and I want to follow the FIM rules. However, I’m not the first person to pass on a yellow flag, but this is the first time Superstock riders have been penalized. Just puts a damper on things when it’s not consistent. Race two the bike was working so well I was in the middle of the all the Yamahas and then after resting a bit for couple laps I started to put on the gap. It was really important for me to win a race at Laguna Seca. It’s one of the most famous tracks with the most famous corner. I’m looking forward to the break and coming back and putting it all out on the track.”
The series moves to New Jersey Motorsports Park September 9th through 11th, where Aprilia HSBK and Claudio Corti achieved the double double earlier in the year, first in Superstock 1000 both races, along with a third step on the Superbike podium in each race, besting all but two of those more developed machines.
HSBK Racing would like to thank Piaggio North America, Aprilia Racing, Houston Superbikes, Bel-Ray, K-Tech Suspension, Pilot Motorsports, Motion Pro, Portable Shade, EVOL Technology, Galfer USA, Ferodo Brake Pads, Capit, GB Racing, Full Spectrum, Sunstar, Zero Gravity, DNA Air Filters, RaceSeats, Samco Sport, DB Holders, BikesPlast, Austin Racing, Fast Frank Racing, Cox Racing, Sidi, Nolan Helmets, CRAP Eyewear, Andrew Swenson Design, and Drippin Wet.
Aprilia HSBK Racing
Aprilia USA has officially partnered with HSBK Racing to lead the MotoAmerica program and to provide racing development services for privateers competing on Aprilia RSV4 machines. For more information on the team, updates after testing sessions, sponsor spotlights and race recaps, follow HSBK Racing on Facebook.https://www.facebook.com/HSBKRACING/
Houston Superbikes
Established in 2005, Houston Superbikes caters to motorcycle enthusiasts with its diverse line of high performance bikes, parts and apparel. Houston Superbikes is proud to offer their own line of carbon fiber and billet accessories for racing and street applications. Offering dyno tuning, engine building services and suspension setup, they are an industry leader in building race machines. For more information regarding Houston Superbikes, or to find out what they can do for you, please visit www.houstonsuperbikes.com