FIM Supersport World Championship Eurospeedway Lausitz, Germany September 8 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Kevin CURTAIN (Yam YZF-R6), 1:41.167 2. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR600RR), 1:41.862 3. Johan STIGEFELT (Hon CBR600RR), 1:42.569 4. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Hon CBR600RR), 1:42.571 5. Robbin HARMS (Hon CBR600RR), 1:42.613 6. Yoann TIBERIO (Hon CBR600RR), 1:42.706 7. Kai Borre ANDERSEN (Suz GSX-R600), 1:42.712 8. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Yam YZF-R6), 1:42.866 9. Katsuaki FUJIWARA (Hon CBR600RR), 1:42.921 10. Gianluca NANNELLI (Duc 749R), 1:42.956 11. Christian ZAISER (Duc 749R), 1:43.039 12. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Hon CBR600RR), 1:43.106 13. Stephane CHAMBON (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:43.171 14. Fabien FORET (Yam YZF-R6), 1:43.239 15. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yam YZF-R6), 1:43.239 16. Maxime BERGER (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:43.688 17. Mauro SANCHINI (Yam YZF-R1), 1:43.705 18. William DE ANGELIS (Hon CBR600RR), 1:43.713 19. Tatu LAUSLEHTO (Hon CBR600RR), 1:44.018 20. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R6), 1:44.227 23. Chris PERIS (Yam YZF-R6), 1:44.701 24. Vesa KALLIO (Yam YZF-R6), 1:44.771 More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: SOFUOGLU SECOND QUICKEST WITH CHARPENTIER FOURTH Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda) kicked off his Lausitz weekend in fine style with the second fastest qualifying time of the official afternoon session, while his team-mate Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) went fourth quickest, some 0.709 behind. Fastest rider was Charpentier’s principle championship rival, Kevin Curtain, on 1’41.167. After a recent test at Lausitz, and an early career spent racing in the German championship, Sofuoglu’s track knowledge was a boon to him as he goes for consecutive race wins in what is his rookie year. Charpentier had to take time to get used to the Lausitz circuit again, but finished on a provisional front row position nonetheless, with another qualifying session available to him on Saturday. Ronald Ten Kate Team Manager “I am happy to have both riders on the provisional front row. Kenan is doing very well around here and matching his best time at the test. We will see more from him tomorrow as we are still having some difficulties with his set-up. For Sebastien, who didn’t have the three-day test here, the time is OK, even if we have not quite decided on the gearing of the machine. To be this fast on the first day is OK, but we can still improve quite a bit. We will work hard overnight, but I have to say that overall I am quite satisfied with our performance today.” Kenan Sofuoglu Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (2nd Fastest – Fastest Lap 1’41.862 – 18 Laps) “All OK because we had a test here and I have made a better lap times than I did then. Second position is good, but the problem will be the Yamaha rider in front of us, with a gap of almost seven tenths. We still have tomorrow to work on things. The bike is really OK, I just have to improve myself a little bit more. Hopefully I can find half a second or so, and then I can be closer. So I have a mission to improve my lap time and start the race from the front row.” Sebastien Charpentier Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (4th Fastest – Fastest Lap 1’42.571 – 16 Laps) “It is the first day so we will have to see how it goes tomorrow. The bike is not perfectly set-up at the moment, and it is necessary to lift it up again, and tomorrow is a new day. There was no test here for me earlier this year, so I have to get used to the track which is slow and not in perfect conditions.” More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki: XAVIER POISED! Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Xavier Simeon was held by traffic in qualifying and had to setle for second place at the end of the first qualifying for European Superstock 600 today. During the day, he had small problems with the gearing and set-up of his GSX-R600, but towards the end he and the team had good ideas about which direction to take. Simeon’s nearest rival Nicola Canepa (Ducati) took provisional pole today with a time of 1:46.723. Behind Xavier in third place is Antonelli (Honda), with Ten Napel (Yamaha) fourth. XAVIER – 2nd, 1:47.370 We changed the sprocket and a few minor things today, to make the bike work better. I had a little problem getting it to change direction, but it’s something we’ll work on in tomorrow’s qualifying session. I probably could’ve gone quicker, but I hit loads of traffic when I was trying for a fast lap. But, as long as I am on the front row, that’ll be OK for the race. Of course, that will not stop me from trying to get pole position! More, from a press release issued by Millet Racing Yamaha: GOOD PRACTICE SESSION FOR SAVARY AND MILLET Superstock 600 European Championship Round 8 EuroSpeedway (Germany) Michael Savary and Franck Millet do lap times, for their first time in Lausitz, only one second away from the 10th position. This is a good sign for the second timed session tomorrow. In the first free practice session, Michael Savary was 16th in 1’51.286 and Franck Millet 22nd in 1’52.229. This is an honourable result for two riders and a team who are discovering the track, facing many opponents who raced here last year. In the timed practice session, they were quicker with 1’50.370 for Savary and 1’50.475 for Millet. Their positions (18th and 20th) can be explained by the fact that the times are very close. Jean-Louis Millet (team manager): “It is a good session. I am happy with the times, if not with the positions. We discover the track. We need to be motivated to go 0.5 seconds quicker. We also have to make better some little details.” Michael Savary: “I started with a good rhythm. We need to change the sprocket to use lower revs. Then in the final quick laps, I had trouble with some slower riders.” Franck Millet: “I have good sensations and a nice feeling with the front. We are not very far regarding the times. We already have some good settings. We can gain 5 to 6 positions with some details working a little bit better.” Results: 1- Canepa (Ducati) 1’46.723 ; 2- Simeon (Suzuki) 1’47.370 ; 3- Antonelli (Honda) 1’47.647 ; 4-Ten Napel (Yamaha) 1’47.997 ; 5- Giugliano (Kawasaki) 1’48.004″¦18- Savary (Yamaha) 1’50.370 ; 20- Millet (Yamaha) 1’50.475 Championship: 1- Simeon (Suzuki) 160 points, 2-Canepa (Ducati) 126, 3-Giugliano (Kawasaki) 100, 4-Antonelli (Honda) 68, 5-Colucci (Ducati) 55, 6-Jezek (Kawasaki) 51, 7-Savary (Yamaha) 41″¦12-Millet (Yamaha) 27 More, from a press release issued by Beowulf Racing: HUGE LEAP FORWARD FOR BEOWULF RACING IN GERMANY 2006 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, Rd 8: Eurospeedway, Germany Qualifying session 1, Fri 8th September The confidence of Guildford racer Pat McDougall (20) aboard the Beowulf Racing GSXR-1000 Suzuki continues to grow on a day-by-day basis. At the Eurospeedway circuit in Germany today, McDougall ended the opening timed session of qualifying for Sunday’s eighth-round 2006 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup race in 19th position. It’s a huge jump forward for the young hotshot in just his third outing for the Somerset-based team this year, having spent the first half of his season in the British R6 Cup. Pat McDougall hasn’t enjoyed the best of luck during 2006. When he had to retire early from this morning’s free practice session with suspension problems, he probably thought his run of misfortune had followed him all the way east to Germany. Thankfully, the turnaround he was so desperately looking for came in the afternoon. Visibly more at ease aboard his machine the young ace lapped the 2.7-mile track in a time of 1:45.820. Significantly, this represents the first time McDougall has bettered one of his 2005 lap times, when he rode for Beowulf in the junior FIM European Superstock 600 Championship. “I’m dead chuffed with that,” grinned McDougall afterwards. “The bike’s not quite as intimidating as it was at Brands Hatch or Assen and I’m really starting to enjoy throwing it around. It’s still hard work, but I’m getting there.” Team Boss Andy Stone was similarly impressed with his protégé’s performance. “Pat’s a real tryer and his efforts are starting to pay off. Following the events in this morning’s open practice session, we softened up the suspension of the Beowulf Suzuki and that seems to have done the trick,” he said. Tomorrow brings an additional session of practice and a further 25-minute qualifying period ahead of Sunday’s 14-lap race. On a roll at last, McDougall’s intention will probably be just to ensure that he keeps today’s rate of progress going. To learn more about Pat McDougall and Beowulf Racing visit www.beowulf-racing.com FIM SUPERSTOCK 1000 CUP, RD 8: GERMANY Qualifying Session 1 Results 1. Claudio Corti (Ita) Yamaha 1:42.580 2. Ayrton Badovini (Ita) MV Augusta 1:43.404 3. Luca Scassa (Ita) MV Augusta 1:43.416 19. Pat McDougall (GBr) Suzuki 1:45.820