FTR SCOOP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS IN PORTUGAL FTR MOTO took two more top 10 finishes in an action-packed 16th round of the Moto2 World Championship at Estoril in Portugal on Sunday. Gabor Talmacsi, on the FIMMCO Speed Up Team machine, finished in eighth place after taking his first pole position of the year and the sixth for FTR Moto all after two days of wet practice on Friday and Saturday led to a dry race. Karel Abraham worked his way through from 22nd place on the grid and the Cardion AB Motoracing Team M210 rider finished in 10th place after making a trademark burst in the second half of the 26-lap race and finishing just four seconds behind the race winner. Hard-charging Andrea Iannone looked set for a fourth win of the year as he battled through from 34th place on row nine of the grid to hold fourth place with six laps to go after a succession of fastest laps for the Italian. But the luckless Iannone crashed out on the FIMMCO Speed Up Team machine at the start of lap 20 to end his challenge. He remounted to finish the race in 21st place. Aeroport de Castello-Ajo Team M210 rider Alex Debon was a non starter at Estoril after the Spanish rider crashed in Saturday’s free practice and fractured his right collarbone. Iannone remains third in the World Championship with Talmacsi moving up to sixth, Abraham sits in 14th with Debon 15th. “The lack of dry practice made for an interesting race and it looked like Andrea Iannone was going to pull off a fantastic victory at one point but it wasn’t to be,” said FTR’s Steve Bones. He continued: “Seeing Gabor Talmacsi get pole position then lead the race was superb and the battle for third on the last couple of laps could have easily gone a different way and Talmacsi and Karel Abraham could have been in contention for podium finishes. “The weekend was obviously a disappointing one for Alex Debon and we wish him well in his recovery. We’re all looking forward to Valencia next weekend now and hopefully a victorious finish to the 2010 Championship.” More, from a press release issued by TwoThree Public Relations: Pirotta claims AFXC Supersport title with Eastern Creek victory On Two Wheels Motorsports Yamaha rider Mitch Pirotta has been crowned 2010 Australian Formula Xtreme Supersport Champion after taking victory at Eastern Creek Raceway’s season finale in New South Wales on Sunday, 31 October. Pirotta claimed the Eastern Creek overall via three victories in Sunday’s trio of five-lap races to narrowly win his first national road racing title ahead of fellow YZF-R6 rider Aaron Gobert by two points. Run within the Formula Oz category at the five-round AFXC series, Pirotta was excited to be able to clinch the championship and overall round victory for the 2010 season. Competing against the higher capacity 1000cc machines, Pirotta also impressed by finishing third outright in the class at Eastern Creek, first B-grade finisher for the day. That result clinched fourth in the series outright. On 14 September 2010, Mitchell tied the knot and got married to Courtney, his love of six years. After taking three months off the bike and with very little training, not much was expected from this round but it turned out to be a sweet victory for the 21-year-old in his third year of road racing. “It was good to be able to win the Supersport class, really good to battle with Aaron Gobert and I learnt a lot during the weekend,” Pirotta commented. “Aaron is a very gifted rider and with all his U.S. experience it was great to be in such great company. “Racing with the Superbikes gives me extra incentive to go faster and hone my holeshots against the bigger bikes, especially today having 2008 ASBK Champion Glenn Allerton on the front row. Finishing third overall was awesome.” After finishing second in last year’s Australian Superstock 600 Championship, Pirotta was thankful to all his supporters that helped him go one better in his selected title for this year in the AFXC Supersport ranks. “I’d really like to thank On Two Wheels Motorsports, Terry Hay’s Shock Treatment, Yamaha Motor Australia, Swann Insurance, Dunlop Tyres, RST Leathers, KBC Helmets and Big Kahuna Racing for all their support to help us win this title for the year,” Pirotta concluded. The Formula Xtreme series will now take a month long break before an all-new Summer Series commences at Eastern Creek Raceway on 3-4 December. For further information about On Two Wheels Motorsports, log onto the Campbelltown-based motorcycle store’s website at www.ontwowheels.com.au. EASTERN CREEK AFXC SUPERSPORT RESULTS: 1. Mitchell PIROTTA (On Two Wheels Motorsports Yamaha) 2. Aaron GOBERT 3. Dylan MAVIN 4. Mathew FYFFE 5. Garry VAN DIGGELE FINAL 2010 AFXC SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 1. Mitchell PIROTTA (On Two Wheels Motorsports Yamaha) 141 2. Aaron GOBERT 139 3. Mathew FYFFE 106 4. Kris KEEN 85 5. Barry SUTHERLAND 76