Dutch MotoGP™ debrief with Masao Azuma
Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Extra-soft, Soft & Medium; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)
Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)
At last Saturday’s Dutch Grand Prix, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi consolidated his lead of the MotoGP™ championship standings with a hard-fought victory over Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez and fellow Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo who finished in second and third place respectively.
It was a record-breaking weekend at Assen with Rossi setting a new Circuit Best Lap record (1’32.627) in qualifying, Marquez setting a new Circuit Record Lap (1’33.617) during the race and the overall race time (40’54.037) beating the old mark by over twenty seconds. Weather conditions for the race were dry with a peak track temperature of 32°C recorded during the twenty-six lap contest.
Q&A with Masao Azuma – Chief Engineer, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department
We saw many records smashed at this year’s Dutch Grand Prix, are you happy with how the weekend went for Bridgestone?
“Yes it was a positive weekend for us, not just for the very quick pace shown by the riders but also we had relatively few incidents and our tyre allocation worked well for everyone. At Assen, it is important to bring a rear tyre allocation that can withstand high temperatures and loads, yet still provides enough grip and consistency for the riders and in this regard, I think we delivered. Assen can experience quite a range in track temperatures between the morning and afternoon sessions and our front tyre allocation provided enough options for the riders to negotiate this change comfortably. It was a record-breaking weekend at Assen at what is a challenging circuit for tyre development, so I am happy with our performance.”
Only one rider, Marc Marquez selected the medium front slick for the race. Were you surprised that more riders didn’t select this option?
“I wasn’t surprised that the medium compound front slick wasn’t used by more riders, as traditionally riders prefer softer front options at Assen as they want as much cornering grip as possible. We’ve only offered the medium compound front at Assen for the last couple of years, and this year Marc was only one of two riders to try the medium compound front slick on Friday and he felt it gave better braking stability without sacrificing too much cornering performance. He was very quick in the Saturday morning Warm Up session using the medium front and even though track temperatures for the race were a bit lower than in FP4, he felt this was the best option for him. For the other riders, the preferred to race on the soft compound rear which doesn’t have the braking stability of the medium option, but offers better cornering grip and warm-up performance.”
Assen is a very severe circuit for the rear tyre with some very fast sections. What is it about this circuit that makes it so tough for the rear tyre and does this require a special approach to tyre development?
“The Assen circuit is quite severe on tyres due to its fast corners and the high camber in some of the quicker sections, but we also need to ensure our rear tyres offer high levels of grip. This banking significantly increases the load on the rear tyre which means we have to take a special approach to tyre development for this circuit to ensure maximum safety for the riders. At many circuits we provide rear slicks that feature a slightly modified construction to improve edge grip, but the severity of the Assen circuit means we are unable to provide this specification of rear slick at the Dutch Grand Prix. Instead, we ensure we offer a tyre allocation with compounds that offer the best balance of grip, durability and heat resistance. Not only did we see record pace all weekend at Assen, we experienced no abnormal wear with our tyres so it seems our compound allocation was well matched to the conditions we had at Assen last weekend.”
More, from a press release issued by Waznie Racing:
Szoke Gains a 20 Point Lead in the Canadian Superbike Championship
Jordan Szoke – 47th Career Superbike Win
Mopar Express Lane 2015 BMW S1000RR
Jordan Szoke claimed his second straight Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship season victory this weekend during a waterlogged, action packed race held at the 1.93 km Autodrome St Eustache circuit near Montreal Quebec, Canada.
Szoke took the lead by lap 3 of the shortened red flagged 10 lap race, and went on to claim the checkered by 6.477 sec over the remainder of the field. Originally scheduled for 22 laps, the race was red flagged after lap 7 and restarted.
Szoke snatched the lead after lap 3 and was in a heated battle with fellow BMW rider Michael Leon, until the final corners of lap 5. Leon crashed, unhurt but unable to continue.
“It was Michael’s race,” admitted Szoke “He was doing a great job and setting a great pace. When he crashed it was a little tight, I just squeezed between him and his bike. It’s a great start to the season but it’s a long way from over, I didn’t go out to try and win the race. The conditions were tough and I’m in a championship battle with Jodi, so he was my big concern.”
Conditions were perfect during Saturdays qualifying as Szoke went on to claim pole position with a new lap record that has been withstanding since 2011 by the Saskatchewan native, Brett McCormick. This effort not only scribed his name back in the record books, but also gave him a valuable 4 points towards the championship.
“I had a clear lap and I just put my head down and had a nice and clean lap, no moments,” said Szoke. “We’re still dealing with some electronics stuff on the new bike. We can’t see all the data we need so we’re just using our experience and using the other bike a lot.”
Jordan leads the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship by 20 points heading into Rounds 3 & 4 double header action held at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway.
Szoke also picks up a valuable 50 points towards the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy. An innovative project in motorcycle racing comprised of 19 championships that stage 318 races in 23 countries on six continents.
Castrol Raceway
Highway 19 & Highway 2
Nisku Alberta, Canada
Event Hotline: (780) 468-FAST (3278)
http://castrolraceway.tix.com/Schedule.aspx?OrgNum…
For Jordan’s full schedule Information visit:
http://jordanszoke.com/Calendar.html
More, from a press release issued by Team China:
Su Takes Team China Close To Top 10 At Navarra
The 3.9km Navarra circuit played host to the most recent round of the Spanish Copa Honda CBR250R championship with Team China’s Hunter Su once again producing two solid results, the youngster who is now based in Spain claiming 13th and 11th respectively in Sunday’s two 11 lap races.
With the championship nearing the halfway point, Su continues to hone his skills, improving all the time and developing as a well rounded motorcycle racer.
The recent event, with races held on Sunday 28th June was run in almost ideal conditions, Hunter qualifying on row 5 of the grid in 14th.
In both races, the only non-Spanish rider in the series learned a lot and after outbreaking himself in the closing stages of the opening encounter he regrouped to pass one his rivals in the final meters in days final race to grab 11th on the run to the line.
It’s no secret that the racing in Spain from grass roots to the GP is second to none and for Su he’s relishing the opportunity to mix it week in week out with some of the fastest Spanish youngsters on two wheels.
Hunter Su – Team China: “For the first race, I had a normal start, but I tried to get to the inside as soon as possible since turn 1 and 2 are really fast corners, and it turned out like I expected, a lot of people went wide. I was battling with a rider who is usually a lot faster than me, but I don’t have too much experience when it comes to following and partnering up with other riders, so I was breaking deep and trying to pass him all the time, which slowed us both down. Eventually I went straight on at one of the heavy breaking corners, two riders passed me and I finished 13th. Another lesson learned – I need to have patience! Race 2, was way better. I had some traffic at the first couple of turns on the first lap, and they held me back meaning I had 3 seconds to make up to the rider in 11th place. I was more concentrated than ever and I could see myself getting a tiny bit closer every single corner. Half lap through lap 8, I was only 1 second away. There is a short straight followed by a super tight comer, and after sliding the bike into the turn amazingly I closed the gap to be right with him. I drafted him at the end straight but I played it safe, keeping the gap as close as possible, and eventually made my move, passing him just out of the last comer to take 11th place on the line! Racing is definitely a mind game and I’m loving it!”
More, from a press release issued by RoadRace Factory:
Set the oven to Utah and race for 2 hours.
Before we get too far into this one, let’s just say that we like Milller Motorsports Park, we really, really do. It’s just that Miller doesn’t love us back. Historically speaking, Miller Motorsports Park has always been that one circuit that just doesn’t jive with the vibes we lay down. Call it an energy vortex, call it a disruption in the force, whatever you want to call it, the RoadRace Factory and Miller Motorsports Park just don’t get along. This year’s trip to the world class facility was no exception. What the heat didn’t drain from our bodies, the track took from our wallets. There was one bright and shiny point in this weekend’s racing for us and that was the continued progression of rookie Cameron Petersen.
Like ripping off a band-aid, let’s just get into this weekend shall we? Friday’s first practice session was where it all started. The trio of riders had all gone out together. Tomy was immediately fast and was running pretty consistent lap times despite struggling with some set-up issues. Ben was getting quicker as the session went on and Cam was going quick for a rider who had never turned a lap around the 3.08 mile track. It was about 3/4 of the way through session one when Cameron had his mistake. Nothing big, clipped the curb coming through the Attitudes and off into the desert he went. The desert is what mechanics have nightmares about. Running off track at MMP is akin to dumping a few buckets of rocks and talcum powder over your motorcycle and pouring some into the airbox for good measure. His crew had some work to do before session two.
Session two was later in the afternoon and it would be a qualifying session. Time to start laying down quick times because they now matter. Tomy was doing well and Cam’s crew had clearly gotten everything sorted out as he was flying around the track. Benny was also getting faster and faster. At the midpoint of the session, he had just competed his fastest lap and was entering turn three at over a hundred miles per hour when the back end of his R6 stepped out and regained traction. Now in the motorcycle racing world, this is called a “Highside”. In this case it should’ve been called a “Moon Landing”. Benny was violently removed from his motorcycle and that separation occurred at such a velocity as to completely destroy his R6 as it bounced and tumbled through the high desert of Utah. Benny would land on his feet on the curbing and the force of that impact literally ripped the soles off his boots. He suffered a concussion and was sent to local hospital for evaluation. He would be released hours later and under the new MotoAmerica Concussion policy, he is not allowed to race for 7-14 days. Day one in the books and already one rider was out and one machine totaled.
Would Saturday bring a turnabout of fortunes? Would the team finally shake the monkey from their backs? Would Batman finally defeat the Joker? Sorry, getting carried away.
Saturday morning would be the final qualifying session and the, now duo, of Tomy and Cam would be seeking to place their machines on the best possible grid positions. Grid position means so much at MMP. The first corner is “two states” away and a “few feet back” translates to miles behind by T1 so qualifying is everything to these two. Cam continued to just be on the gas. His crew had found something that was working for him and that allowed him to just run wild and pursue his highest qualifying position in the US. The fates had other ideas for Tomy. They twisted his strings and finally cut them early in the session. He would make a minor mistake and low-side at the bottom of the Attitudes. Reference earlier rock / talc sentence. He would remount and limp the bike back to the pits without a clip-on on the throttle side. It would take his crew most of the session to make the repairs and by the time he got back onto the track, he could only make one lap. He would have to rely on his previous times to grid. Races would begin with Cam sitting a few positions ahead of Tomy and Ben up in the commentators booth
Race one was held under the blistering high desert sun. Heat waves rising from the tarmac, riders being soaked with ice-cold towels, fuel tanks being shrouded by reflective covers as all awaited the horns to sound that would clear the track and allow the racing to begin. The track was cleared quickly and the riders took to their sighting lap. Riders lined up, revs climbed and the heat from the starting grid was intense. Lights out! Riders began their interplanetary trek towards T1. It was a pretty close grouping for the first few laps. Cam didn’t get the start he had hoped for while Tomy flew off the line and was heading up the chasing group. By the midpoint of the race, the leaders were clearing away and the chase group had begun to string out. Cam would make some brave passes and would catch David Anthony. Tomy was struggling with set-up again and would be unable to join his teammate in the fight. Cam was able to pass David in the corners but lacked the speed in the straights. He was setting up to make his move into the final corner on the final lap but was unable to pull it off. He would cross the line in P6 while Tomy rode alone into P7. It would seem that things were looking up and maybe Sunday would bring about solutions that have the guys fighting closer to the front.
Desert mornings are deceptive. They are usually cool and pleasant. Sunday was exactly that. Leaving the hotel and heading to the track, the crew and riders were optimistic that the weather would be cooler and maybe even “nice”. No such luck. By 8am it was getting hot and by race time it was surface of Mercury hot. Not an opinion, it’s science. The morning warm-up session served to shake down the bikes as they had been overhauled over the night. Again, Tomy and his crew tried a different set-up and while it was better, it still wasn’t ideal. Cam and the CamP45 crew were pleased and ready for race two.
Race two time was a little later in the afternoon that it had been on Saturday. That time baked the track surface a little bit more and when the riders took to their positions, the heat was full on. This time, Cam would get a good start and as always, Tomy would make one of his almost perfect starts and pass a few riders to get within one bike of Cam. They would set out to chase down the lead group. Up front, Yamaha’s JD Beach put on a clinic and checked out of the race leaving Garrett Gerloff, Bobby Fong and Josh Herrin to duke it out for the podium. Cam’s nemesis, David Anthony was already behind him by the mid-point of the race. It would be a lonely ride for Cam as he chased the lead group. Tomy, struggling with continued set-up issues, was again riding around the track a few tenths off the pace. The cumulative effect was a solitary P7 while Cam scored his US best P5.
In the end, Miller once again took its toll on the team. Tomy left searching for an ideal set-up and Benny had to sit out. The bright spots were Cam’s performance and the fact Benny wasn’t more seriously injured. Now with a little break until Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the team will use the time to recuperate and heal. Riders and machines have been pushed non-stop since the season began and now with a little time off, it’s time to recenter and come out swinging for Round 7.
Tomy Puerta
5th in Series Points
“Really hard weekend for all the RoadRace Factory Team and wasn’t different for Evan Logan and me… Had a really bad front chatter all weekend and in both races and a little problem with the gear box in race 2. Didn’t get the results I wanted for that weekend but now we are looking forward to Laguna!
Thanks a lot to all the RoadRace Factory crew after long nights working at the track everyone was smiling and giving us the best they could for the races! We will get there!!”
Ben Young
7th in Series Points
“The weekend started well with a nice short drive from the race house then a great first practice, hopes were high for first qualifying.
I went out stuck in a group then managed to split and make my way away just after a few laps there was a red flag, came back chilled out then got going again. I only had about 5 laps that session and we tried a hard rear and with the heat it was no good, zero grip since the word “go” and I wanted to try it to maybe see if it would work in a race simulation. But nothing and unfortunately it sent me to the sky.
After waking up in the ambulance and then again in the med centre it was clear then that my weekend was over, but I tried to stay positive but it came down to the doctors saying “No” I woke up Saturday battered and bruised. Q2 came around and I was there to cheer Tomy and Cam but after wishing my luck to Cam I had to leave hot pit as it brought tears to my eyes watching everyone head out and me sitting there.
About 10 mins to go I thought I better head back to be there to cheer the guys on so I did, it wasn’t easy but they did a wicked job!
Thankfully I was up in the commentary booth for races 1 and 2 to keep me away from the emotions! It was a difficult weekend but I’m thankful to hobble away in one piece and be ready to for Laguna!”
Cameron Petersen
8th in Series Points
“So far this has been my best weekend of the season, we started off a bit slow with a crash and some bike issues but Sean and DJ put in some hard work to make sure my bike was working perfect.
Race 1 I got off to a horrible start and had to push hard to get through the field and had a good race with Dave Anthony and ended up P5.
We made a lot of changes for Race 2 and the bike was working awesome, I put my head down and was able to get away from the guys behind me and did my best lap time of the weekend and ended up in a season best P4.
I’m having so much fun riding my bike and working with the team and we’re going to build off this momentum for Laguna, I just want to thank everyone behind me Trek Bicycles, Bell Helmets, RS Taichi, Racer gloves, Danny and Mick and my Dad and the rest of the RoadRace Factory Team”
Danny Walker
Team Manager
“This was a really tough weekend for us as a whole. I don’t have a great deal of things to say other than we survived and I am thankful that Ben is relatively ok. We all know that racing is a dangerous sport and when you see a wreck like that with a rider who is unbroken and able to walk away, you just thank the powers up above. It’s a testament to the safety standards of the sport. Bell Helmets make an incredible product and if it weren’t for that, Ben would’ve been in much worse shape. His bike is broken in places I’ve never seen a bike break and the fact that he was sitting in the pits and later in the commentators booth is just amazing. He’s headed home to rest and repair his body and this break is exactly what he needs.
As far as Tomy and his efforts this weekend, I don’t know. It’s hard to say what the issue really was. I know he and his crew worked hard to find the right set-up but it just escaped them this weekend. It happens and now his crew have their work to do before Laguna where Tomy goes well and I expect the results will be there.
Cam had a great weekend. A minor get-off early on but no real harm to either him or the bike. He showed that he’s clicking with our program and I think if we get the bikes even more sorted, he’ll be up front fighting for podiums.
We’ll take this weekend as our learning experience. Count our blessings and focus on Laguna. We go well there, and I’m looking forward to putting on a show for the World Superbike audience.”
More, from another press release issued by RoadRace Factory/Red Bull:
Hard times in the High Desert
First or Last. It isn’t just a cool motto, it’s been a fact of Jake Gagne’s season. Coming into Miller Motorsports Park, that motto would be put to the test. The test wouldn’t come from the heat or from the track conditions but from Jake’s own history with the Utah track. When looking back through his history at the facility, it’s never really been a track that he can say confidently that he’s going to own. Believe it or not, the calm and cool San Diego.. San Diegoian.. San Dieagian… San Diegoite… racer from San Diego has a track that he hasn’t been able to figure out. The Fates have given MMP to Jake in order to keep him humble and this year, they would be spinning their threads at a record pace to try to keep up with him and his R1.
Friday began as any Friday does on a race weekend. Two allocated free practice sessions with a dash of solar radiation and thermal energy. It was during that first free practice session that Jake was determined to show the Fates that they don’t control his future. He was on a tear as he was setting quickest section times as he was right on the heels of the factory Yamaha Superbike of Josh Hayes. It was looking impressive as he was able to stay in the draft of Superbikes. When the first session ended, Jake was the fastest Superstock machine and sitting in P4 overall.
Free practice two was held later that afternoon and this is where the story begins to get interesting. The Fates, having been defeated in the morning, were determined to not allow Jake to continue his progress. Jake set out in the afternoon session with the hopes of keeping up with the Superbikes again. Knowing that on a track like MMP, the Superbikes had the advantage of the long straights, his plan was to use them as hole punches through the thin desert air and maintain a draft in the straights to keep them close and then pounce in the corners. As his times dropped, the Fates cut the first string and Jake went for a desert tour. While the incident was minor, the Utah desert is a talcum powder / rock mixture that eats motorcycles. His primary machine was now in the “Used Bin” and he would be left to his “B” bike to finish the day. That night, his 32Crew would be up late washing, assessing and repairing.
Saturday morning and one more free practice before Superpole. The 32Crew had spent all night working the primary motorcycle and as Jake set out to shake the motorcycle down, a collective sigh of relief was given. Jake was doing what Jake does, he was hauling the mail and his times were dropping lap by lap. All was looking positive for a solid Superpole appearance, but the Fates had a different opinion. Jake would endure another off track excursion and this time there would be no overnight repair possible. Fixes had to be done within a few hours as Superpole quickly approached.
The 32Crew, being the exceptional duo of Scott Jensen and Danny Anderson, worked their mojo and in defiance of the Fates, had Jake’s primary motorcycle back up and ready for Superpole. Jake left the pit in the hopes of claiming yet another Superstock Pole position. Superpole is a quick hit of Motorcross style action. It’s a 15 minute all out, leave nothing on the table, scrap to the line. Jake had just turned his fastest lap and was chasing down Aprilia’s Sheridan Morais who had just captured provisional pole when the Fates, clearly frustrated by their continuous lack of progress in stopping Jake, conjured a gremlin from deep within Jake’s R1. On Jake’s last lap his bike would become “Unstarted” and he would be left trackside waiting for the truck ride back to the pits where he would learn that he was indeed in Superstock P2 for the start of the races.
The thing about electrical gremlins is that they don’t play nice. They can be detected in one area of the harness then move to other areas at the speed of thought. The 32Crew spent another night and most of the morning chasing down the problem so that Jake would have the best bike possible for the races on Sunday. It was Jake and his crew versus the Fates. After a short morning warm-up on Sunday, nothing would be revealed. Both bikes seemed to be working well enough and as the races approached, the team had a guarded optimism. As Jake lined up for Race One, the heat and the tension were on the rise. Once the crew cleared the track and the lights went off, it would be Jake against the Fates. Jake made another incredible start getting off the line and staying as close to the Superbikes as possible. He cleared away from Joshua Day early on and as the race progressed, the gap between Jake and the Superbikes would steadily grow as the gap between Josh Day and Jake shrank. Towards the final few laps Josh made a pass on Jake and as Jake tried to counter, the electrical gremlin reappeared. The Fates had cut their second string. Jake would be left track-side yet again to watch his “First or Last” motto become reality as Josh Day went on to win Race One.
When things go bad, sometimes they just seem to keep getting worse. For Jake and his 32Crew, this is exactly what happened. Jake’s bike was taken to Parc Ferme after Race One and as it sat in the heat, it began to spew precious fluids and by the time the bike was returned to the pit, Scotty and Danny had their hands full. During the support class races, they completely tore down his primary bike and back-up bike to find solutions that would allow Jake to stay in the race and win in the afternoon. Scott and Danny employed all the help they could muster as it was an all hands on deck effort to restore the primary bike back to race condition. By the time the horns blew for the riders to take to their sighting lap, his primary bike had been repaired and he cautiously left pit lane. The sighting lap gave no indication of any issues and so with hopeful hearts the team watched as the revs went up and the lights went out.
Again, Jake made a great start and was leading the Superstock class in the early stages. What happened next can only be described as complete irreverence for fate. As Jake exited turn 5, the Fates cut their final string and the gremlin did their bidding. Jake’s bike went from a controlled slide to being shut off which caused him to crash the bike. He would pick up the bike, fire it up and head to the pits. A quick evaluation and back out to finish the race. Jake would re-enter dead last. However, he would slowly and steadily increase his speed and soon he was doing close to his fastest laps of the weekend. He would finish in the points and remain in control of the series championship. What proves that Jake is no mere mortal, wasn’t the fact that he remounted after a crash to finish the race, it’s that he accomplished this feat with a motorcycle in less than optimal condition. Post race inspection showed that the front brake reservoir had become dislodged from its mount. It was flapping all around the upper cowl and an air bubble was induced into the system. The front brake lever could be pulled with ease to the throttle meaning his front brakes were less than positive. The crash had also destroyed his left side rear-set. Spinning freely on its mount, Jake had no solid location for his left foot for most of the race. Lastly, it was learned that Jake had been fighting a stomach bug all weekend.
Even though the Fates had sliced their strings and caused Jake to falter, yet he prevailed! He didn’t accept his fate when it was dolled out to him. He showed why he’s a world class athlete and did it all with a smile on his face and appreciation for his crew. Now it’s on to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and another track where the Superbikes don’t have a clear advantage. The 32Crew is already on the hunt to rid the bike of any electrical issues so that when they roll into Laguna, it won’t be up to the Fates.
Jake Gagne
1st in Superstock Points
“Utah was a rough one, just one of those weekends. Scotty and DA worked till 3 am every night to clean up a few of my mistakes and scratches, so I have to give them a huge hats off. It’s very encouraging to see how hard the whole crew works together to get the job done.
Race 1, I got off to a decent start but was struggling half way through until we had some electrical gremlins that shut the bike off with a few to go.
Race 2, I felt a bit better off the bat but didn’t last long. I was sliding out of 5 when we had a little electrical hiccup and it cut out when the rear was stepped out. I was done before I knew it. I’m glad we were able to pick it up and finish to get some points.
I can’t wait to swing my leg over the R1 in a couple weeks at Laguna!”
Danny Walker
Team Manager
“‘This was the toughest weekend we’ve had. You know there are certain places that just don’t go well with certain riders. We can go back and see that Miller just seems to have Jake’s number. I’m glad we got through this weekend as I don’t really know how much more we could’ve thrown at his bikes.
To take the positives from here, I’ll say that we’ve got the best crews in the paddock. I know these guys were here until the early morning every day working on Jake’s bike. Electrical issues are tough and when a bike goes down at a 120mph, it’s the things you can’t see that come back to bite you.
Jake also keeps my faith in him. He just rides and rides strong. He’s the most mentally strong rider I know of and when there’s an issue or something’s not going right, he will ride around it if possible. Sometimes he’ll even go faster somehow.
I think now, we recover. We have some time before Laguna and we’ll get this bike sorted and come back better than before. We feel that Laguna is a track where we can put the Superstock R1 in a position to beat some Superbikes. So we’ll just focus on that and move on.”
More, from a press release issued by Honda Canada/Accelerated Technologies:
Jodi Christie Podiums Twice at St-Eustache Canadian Superbike Round
Keene, ON — July 1, 2015 — Reigning Mopar Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie finished second in the Pro Superbike and Hindle Pro Sport Bike races at Autodrome St-Eustache, the second round of the 2015 CSBK series, to extend his lead in the Sport Bike standings and hold onto second in Superbike points.
Practice and qualifying were held in almost ideal conditions at St-Eustache, a 1.93-kilometre track just northwest of Montreal in Quebec, with Jodi qualifying on pole in Hindle Pro Sport Bike aboard his Honda CBR600RR with almost a one-second advantage over his nearest competitor. Qualifying for the Superbike class was dramatic, with Jodi breaking the existing lap record only to be demoted to second on the grid as Jordan Szoke, current points leader, went even quicker just moments after Jodi’s record lap. Unfortunately a red flag ended the session early, and Jodi was unable to better his time.
Rain on Sunday required the Accelerated Technologies/Honda Canada crew to completely change the setup on Jodi’s Honda equipment, and both races were held in tricky conditions. The team worked on suspension setup as well as fuel injection and traction control mapping in the bikes’ Bazzaz Z-FI TC systems during the morning sessions. In the Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike final, Jodi struggled with rear grip in the opening laps and was in fifth place until half-distance. Coming to terms with the CBR600RR setup and the slippery conditions, Jodi worked his way forward in the second half of the race, eventually finishing 1.4 seconds behind race winner Louie Raffa.
In the Mopar Pro Superbike final, Jodi got a good start from the front row to run in third position in the early laps, but the race was red-flagged after several laps for a crash on the front straight. At the restart, Jodi spun his CBR1000RR SP’s rear tire off the line and completed the opening lap in fifth. As the laps wound down, Jodi again worked his way forward and took advantage of attrition to move up to second, but was unable to close the gap to eventual winner Jordan Szoke.
The results keep Jodi second in the Mopar Pro Superbike standings and extend his lead in the Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike class as the series moves on to the next round at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, AB. The new venue for the series hosts a doubleheader round on the July 11-12 weekend, with races on both Saturday and Sunday.
Jodi Christie: “Overall it was a solid weekend at St-Eustache, finishing second in both classes gave me good points towards each championship and I am happy with the results. Of course I would have liked to be more competitive for the wins in the rain but I wasn’t comfortable pushing and risking a DNF. Our bike setup was great all weekend long and I really just had to work on smoothing out my riding because my CBR1000RR SP was so fast! I have to send out a huge thank you to my entire team and all of my great sponsors for helping me every step of the way this past weekend. I am really looking forward to getting out on track in two weeks in Edmonton, I am hungry for more race wins and can’t wait to have another shot at the new venue!”
John Sharrard — Crew Chief, Accelerated Technologies: “The team approached our sole Quebec stop on the tour with much excitement. Jodi has always been strong at this track, but the tight, bumpy, slippery circuit has historically favoured local riders with its constantly changing conditions. We were fastest almost every practice session all weekend with both our Honda CBR600RR in Sport Bike and our awesome CBR1000RR SP in Superbike. Our off-season engine program and Andrew Trevitt’s ongoing work with our suspension linkages seemed to be paying off. We easily captured the Pro Sport Bike pole on our 600, and then during Mopar Superbike qualifying, we bested Jordan and broke the outright track lap record, only to have Jordan respond with a slightly quicker time for the Superbike pole one lap before a red flag halted our session and ended our chance at a response. All very exciting stuff. On Sunday, God rolled the dice and it poured rain all day, turning the dragstrip front straight into a skating rink, completely shuffling the results around. Jodi rode awesome to two safe and great second-place finishes battling hydroplaning on deep puddles and poor visibility, the demon of running in second place, but brought all the bikes home safe and sound. We worked Monday on the dyno improving our Superbikes even more before heading out to Edmonton, and the whole team is looking forward to running the new circuit at Castrol Raceway.”
Watch the Mopar Pro Superbike race here: https://youtu.be/_bLVJz8aVYw
About Jodi Christie Racing
Jodi Christie Racing competes in the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship with support from Honda Canada, Accelerated Technologies, Cameron Cycle, Hindle Exhaust, Bazzaz, Dunlop, Pro 6 Cycle, AiM Sports Data Acquisition, DID Chains, Orient Express, Blue Streak Racing, Motion Pro, Elka Suspension, Motovan, Motul Oil, Zero Gravity, Drift, NGK, Sunstar, Joe Rocket Leathers, Shoei Helmets, Mikey Moto, Bickle Racing, Woodcraft Technologies, Armour Bodies, GBRacing, Vortex, TCX Boots, Ride Rich, K-Tech, Wes Lake, Andrew & Peter Trevitt, and Gary & Roslyn Christie. Follow the team on Facebook (JodiChristieRacing) or Twitter and Instagram (@JCRacing20). For more information about the Canadian Superbike Series and to watch the races online, visit www.csbk.ca.
More, from a press release issued by Meen Motorsports:
Santa Clarita, CA (July 1st, 2015) – Wheels In Motion/ MotoSport.com/ Meen Yamaha riders Josh Herrin and Joe Roberts leave Miller Motorsports park with mixed results.
The Meen Team began the weekend with Herrin qualifying his Yamaha R6 4th on the grid. During Supersport race one, Herrin lost contact with the leaders in the first lap after getting a bad start. Yet working the draft with fellow Supersport rider Bobby Fong, he quickly made his way back up to the front pack, tailing Yamalube rider Garret Gerloff who was in second place. With only a few laps remaining Herrin put in his fastest lap of the weekend, significantly closing the gap between him and Gerloff and finished third. Race two proved a much better start for Herrin. Having a race long battle with Gerloff, the two swapped positions the majority of the race making for some exciting moments until the last lap. Unfortunately Herrin suffered a mechanical failure moments away from the checkered flag. Herrin is still currently second in the Supersport championship as he heads to the Meen Team’s home track in Monterey, CA for the 7th round of the MotoAmerica championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
“Last weekend was definitely a hard pill to swallow but no matter what happens you always get out there and try even harder the next time. Champions don’t give up and we will go to Laguna more determined than ever and accept nothing less than a victory,” states Herrin.
Meen Team’s Joe Roberts continued his winning streak at Miller. Qualifying his Wheels In Motion/ MotoSport.com/ Meen Machine on pole for the sixth consecutive round he also once again captured two more first place finishes in the MotoAmerica Bazzaz Superstock class. Sunday marks the 18 year olds eighth win of the season and fifth in a row. Roberts is now 37 points in the lead for the Superstock championship and has his sights set on performing in front of the World Superbike stage at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Be sure to catch all the action live on Fanschoice.tv from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the 7th round of the MotoAmerica Championship July 18-19th and a full show on CBS Sports from the last round in Utah at Miller Motorsports Park, July 5th 6pm ET.
Meen Motorsports would like to thank all their partners: Wheels In Motion, MotoSport.com, Yamaha Motor Corp, ARMA Energy, Yamalube, Core Moto, Dr. David Benkle, MOTO-D, Galfer, Camera Control, Active, Dynojet, Sunex Tools, MotoSox, Graves Motorsports, GB Racing, Flash Tune, Yamaha Generators, Designstar3.com, Motopia, Zero Gravity, Engine ICE, Drippin Wet, Speedcell, D.I.D., Vortex, Pacific Track Time, and Dunlop tires.
Meen Motorsports is a professional motorcycle racing team established in 2012 formally known as GP Bike Parts Racing (2011). If interested in being a partner/sponsor of Meen Motorsports please contact www.meenmotorsports.com. Become a Facebook Fan, search Meen Motorsports. Follow live team updates on Twitter @meenmotorsports and on Instagram @meenmoto.