Stefan Nebel on the podium at German Superbike Championship (IDM) The KTM Superbike Team Germany was impressive in the third race weekend of the IDM with the two official RC8R riders Stefan Nebel on the podium and two fourth places for teammate Martin Bauer. Privateer Vesa Kallio also picked up championship points on a weekend where the team made a strong impression Nebel of Germany delivered the highlight for the team this weekend with a third place in race one on the Nuerburgring circuit just an hour away from where he lives. KTM, the sports motorcycle manufacturers from Mattighofen in Austria are in second place in the Manufacturer’s standings, just one point behind the leader. Race One The first race started on a dry track but with just two laps to go in the regular race distance it started to rain. Until then, both of the official KTM riders had worked their way forward from their second row grid positions. Nebel, who went into the first corner in fourth place profited when championship leader Joerg Teuchert crashed in front of him in the middle of the race and was therefore able to celebrate his podium place in his home race. Team colleague Martin Bauer (Austria) also delivered a good race. The double IDM Superbike champion did not take any risks going into a treacherously tight corner after the start but then Bauer pulled out all the stops to hunt down the lead only to finish behind his RC8R colleague Nebel. Also finishing in the points in the 18-lap race was the KTM privateer Vesa Kallio. Even if the Finn was not able to hang onto his sensational seventh place on the starting grid, his eleventh place finish was still a reason to celebrate. Victory went to the Australian Karl Muggeridge who finished in front of Werner Daemen. Race Two The second race on the 3.61 km circuit was stopped after a mass pile-up in the first corner. It was Martin Bauer that found the best way through the first corner when the race was restarted. The Austrian speedily worked his way up to behind the leaders on his around 190 hp two-cylinder Superbike but despite his efforts, he still didn’t quite manage the third place on the podium. Bauer, who two weeks ago at Oschersleben delivered KTM’s first ever Superbike victory in the IDM, battled with a loss of grip in the latter part of the race and finished six second behind the winner Muggeridge in fourth place. Stefan Nebel got hemmed into the first corner and lost a lot of places in the 28-rider field. Riding with a rear tire that was too hard, his efforts to chase down the leaders meant he finished in eighth place. Vesa Kallio fought in a large group in the middle of the field during the entire race but the brother of former KTM GP racer Mika Kallio was still able to celebrate finishing in the points at 13th place. Stefan Nebel (3./8.): “Riding in my home race was a bit like the weather: very changeable. I didn’t apply quite enough pressure in the first two laps of the first race but apart from that I had a good rhythm and a good speed. I was doubly pleased with my third place because there were so many of my sponsors, partners and friends at the race. Sadly I couldn’t improve on that result in the second race. The pack got away from me and I had trouble closing the gap. 24 points is still a good booty and I am very motivated by the narrow gap in the championship points.” Martin Bauer (4./4.): ” A clear improvement on the first race. I would have been very pleased to finish on the podium but I quickly had big problems with grip with the left side of the tire where there is seldom stress on it. I do admit that I’m not satisfied with my two fourth places after our win two weeks ago. But I see the podium place in the first race as positive for Stefan and the team – and I’m still second in the championship standings.” IDM 125: KTM Youngster again on the road to success. First podium for Philipp Oettl Two 125 races were also on the program for the Nuerburgring Just like the the first three races of the season, the young KTM riders from the KTM Freudenberg Team and the KTM HP-Moto Teams were regulars on the podium. With a great second place in Saturday’s race as well as a fifth place in the second race, Swiss rider Damien Raemy moved into fourth place in the overall standings. And for the first time in his five races in the IDM, the 14-year-old Philipp Oettl was on the podium in third place. The young student from Bavaria had already signalled his ambition with a fifth place in the first race. The third IDM racing weekend was a mixed one for Toni Finsterbusch. On Saturday the 15-year-old sacrificed his chances of victory when he crashed while in the lead. On Sunday he picked up valuable points and is third in the table. His teammate Daniel Kartheininger finished in sixth place overall after finishing fourth and seventh. Results: Race One 1. Karl Muggeridge (AUS), Honda 2. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW 3. Stefan Nebel (GER), KTM 4. Martin Bauer, (AT), KTM 5. Matej Smrz (CZE), Honda Other KTM 11. Vesa Kallio (FIN), KTM Race Two: 1. Karl Muggeridge (AUS), Honda 2. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW 3. Barry Veneman (NL), BMW 4. Martin Bauer, (AT), KTM 5. Joerg Teuchert (GER), Yamaha Other KTM 8. Stefan Nebel (GER), KTM 11. Vesa Kallio (FIN), KTM IDM Championship standings after 6 of 16 races 1. Karl Muggeridge (AUS), Honda, 50 points – 123 points 2. Martin Bauer (AT), KTM, 87 3. Barry Veneman (NL), BMW, 81 4. Joerg Teuchert, (GER), Yamaha 76 5. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW, 73 Other KTM 6. Stefan Nebel (GER), KTM, 71 14. Vesa Kallio, (FIN), KTM, 21 IDM 125 Standings after five races 1. Luca Gruenwald, (GER), Seel, 111 points 2. Matthew Scholtz (RSA), Aprilia, 73 2. Toni Finsterbusch (GER), KTM, 65 4. Damien Raemy, (SUI), KTM, 55 5. Philipp Oettl, (GER), KTM, 54 5. Daniel Kartheininger (GER), KTM, 54 More, from a press release issued by Acceleration Racing: The Acceleration Race Team was back in action this past weekend competing in the first round of the 2010 National Superbike Championships at the Circuit Icar in Quebec. As the sole rider for the Acceleration Race Team this year, the 2009 Amateur National Champion, Cody Matechuk was ready to make his Professional debut aboard his Suzuki GSXR600. The young teenager from Cochrane Alberta (recently turned 16 ) won two consecutive National titles in his two years on the circuit thus far. Race action unfolded Saturday in the Superbike Qualifiers. With only a couple hot laps on the clock, the Acceleration Racing pilot looked as though he would set a blazing time when a low side crash in Turn 10 (a high-speed sweeping corner) took him out. The first crash in Matechuk’s racing career proved to be forgiving as the rider was quick to his feet and anxious to resume the chase. Damage to the bike however, was too extensive and Matechuk would have to sit out the rest of Qualifying. When the wait was over, the 3 laps posted by the Acceleration Racing bike left him qualifying 11th and one position shy of Superpole. Next session was 600 Sport bike qualifying and with only an hour to rebuild the bike, the crew worked frantically to get the injured Suzuki GSXR back through Tech. Matechuk remounted and the young rider went out for a couple laps to rekindle his momentum and ensure the bike set up was right. After 5 laps he came back in explaining the bike felt as though the rear was skipping through the turns. The earlier crash caused more damage than anticipated and a leak developed spitting oil down the left side of the bike. There was nothing more the team could do. Matechuk’s initial lap times left him in 7th position for Sunday’s race. Sunday’s Sport bike final was first on the list of events and Matechuk was back with a revamped GSXR 600 at his fingertips. After a 2 lap red flag re-start, Matechuk’s had a stellar launch. The Acceleration Racing Suzuki shot out of the back section in 6th. With a diving pass on lap 6, on the inside of the hairpin, he took over 5th. Reeling in the runaway lead pack Cody was within striking distance for 4th when a second red flag ended race action early. The Pro Superbike event gave Matechuk another heart-pounding launch as he crammed himself into the heart of the pack and came off the back section in 10th. With pressure from behind, Matechuk held his composure and made a clean pass for 9th. For 16 laps, Matechuk fought to hold his 9th place finish and at the checkered, he did just that. The performance puts the Acceleration rider in the early lead for Pro Rookie of the Year.