Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Provisional World Superbike Qualifying Results:

1. Steve Martin, Ducati 999RS, 1:27.396
2. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, 1:27.415
3. Regis Laconi, Ducati 999F04, 1:27.593
4. Chris Vermeulen, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:27.625
5. Noriyuki Haga, Ducati 999RS, 1:27.729
6. James Toseland, Ducati 999F04, 1:27.787
7. Troy Corser, Foggy Petronas FP1, 1:27.903
8. Marco Borciani, Ducati 999RS, 1:27.908
9. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, 1:28.016
10. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:28.269
11. Garry McCoy, Ducati 999RS, 1:28.646
12. Leon Haslam, Ducati 999RS, 1:28.865
13. Chris Walker, Foggy Petronas FP1, 1:28.929
14. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:29.039
15. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.147
16. Jiri Mrkyvka, Ducati 998RS, 1:29.529
17. Gianluca Nannelli, Ducati 998RS, 1:29.895
18. Miguel Praia, Ducati 999RS, 1:31.037
19. Horst Saiger, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:31.070
20. Alessio Velini, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:31.283
21. Warwick Nowland, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.583


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Corser on the pace at Laguna Seca

Troy Corser signalled his intent for round seven of the Superbike World Championship with a controlled first day of qualifying at Laguna Seca.

The Australian stayed in the top three places for most of the opening day’s action at the challenging Californian circuit. He ended the afternoon session seventh fastest, with Steve Martin setting the pace with a time of 1:27.396, as a host of other riders opted to use qualifying tyres for their fastest laps.

Team-mate Chris Walker was hampered by a succession of technical problems and was only able to complete 14 laps in the morning session. He finished 13th fastest, a second behind Troy’s best time of 1:27.903.

Troy said: “I am as fast as anyone out there on race tyres, so today has been not too bad and I have saved my qualifiers for tomorrow. My lap times have been consistent as well, although we have still not made decisions on race tyres for the front or rear. We can still improve the set-up of the bike but a lot is down to the tyres sliding, especially on the straights that have kinks, and you cannot stop that with changes to the suspension. I changed the gearing from the morning to make it shorter going up the hill, and that helped.”

Chris said: “Today has been very hard work for not a lot of reward. But you do get days like this and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. I just got into my stride for the last half a dozen laps but by that time the session was over. We have a direction for tomorrow by shortening the gearing, which will shorten the wheel base and improve grip. We also want to try a modification to the rear shock.”

Friday qualifying times, Superbike World Championship, round 7, Laguna Seca, USA: 1 Martin 1:27.396; 2 Chili 1:27.414; 3 Laconi 1:27.593; 4 Vermeulen 1:27.625; 5 Haga 1:27.729; 6 Toseland 1:27.787; 7 Corser (Foggy PETRONAS Racing) 1:27.903; 8 Borciani 1:27.908; 9 Pedercini 1:28.016; 10 Sanchini 1:28.269; 13 Walker 1:28.929

Friday morning free practice times: 1 Borciani (DFX) 1:27.868; 2 Haga (Renegade Ducati) 1:28.123; 3 Corser (Foggy PETRONAS Racing) 1:28.201; 4 Martin (DFX) 1:28.216; 5 Laconi (Ducati Fila) 1:28.478; 6 Clementi (Kawasaki Bertocchi) 1:28.845; 7 Pedercini (Team Pedercini) 1:28.882; 8 Toseland (Ducati Fila) 1:28.907; 9 Chili (PSG-1) 1:29.014; 10 Vermeulen (Ten Kate Honda) 1:29.133; 12 Walker (Foggy PETRONAS Racing) 1:29.280


More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks – Scuderia Caracchi:

Positive the opening day at Laguna Seca for the Team

The opening day of the seventh round for World Superbike Championship on the Californian track of Laguna Seca has been quite positive for the Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks Team. Garry McCoy on his 999RS Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks ended the first qualifying session today in eleventh position, despite a small technical trouble at the end, but his main goal today was to find once more a good feeling with this track that he misses since eleven years.

“In the morning I had a little bit difficult.” – told Garry McCoy at the end of the day. “I contested Laguna Seca during 1993 season, but then I rode a 125 and I found the track very large at that time. Now on this bike I find the track quite narrower, so all the morning’s session has been spent to get a good feeling on the 999RS Ducati for this track. Then in the afternoon’s session we spent most of the time to test tyres and we found a good solution that allow us several fast laps in a row, so I’m satisfied. Unfortunately when we put the qualifying tyres a small trouble with the sprocket didn’t allow me to manage the throttle outing the corners as I’m used to. Tomorrow we’ll spend some time to test new tyres for the race; for the front no problem, at the moment I’m happy, but at the rear I’m confident we could be able to improve something.”

Miguel Praia selected once more the 998RS for Laguna Seca too. The young Portuguese rider feels that bike easier to manage and finally the long job done to find a good feeling starts to give positive results.

“Today I’m quite satisfied for what we obtain on such a demanding track, totally unknown for me.” – said Miguel at the end of the session. “In Portugal I’ve done a long training riding a Supermotard machine on a very twisted track, to accustom myself at the wheelie by the engine power, which until now gave me several difficulties. I’m quite satisfied because I improved my lap time during all the day. Now we’ll look for a better setting on the bike and for tomorrow I’m confident to do better.”


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:


STEADY START FOR LACONI (THIRD) AND TOSELAND (SIXTH) IN LAGUNA SECA OPENING QUALIFYING SESSION

Laguna Seca (USA), 9 July 2004: Ducati Fila riders Regis Laconi and James Toseland got their California weekend off to a steady start with third and sixth quickest times respectively in the opening World Superbike qualifying session at the spectacular Laguna Seca circuit.

Championship leader Laconi bolted on a softer rear tyre in the final part of the session to set third-quickest time behind provisional polesitter Martin (DFX Ducati).

“I tried to make the bike comfortable for me to ride but the main change we made was to the rear tyre” commented Regis. “We switched from a hard one to a softer one about twenty minutes from the end and it was a lot faster. The last lap I did with the same tyre and it had already done 13 laps so I am quite happy with its performance.”

“The feeling with the bike is OK, the main problem was the back which is coming a lot better now but I’m sure we’ll make more progress tomorrow. Today basically I got good feedback from the bike and the tyre, and when you see that you feel good in the mind” concluded Laconi.

Toseland took a little time to adapt in qualifying but was generally also quite pleased with his Friday performance.

“It was a good session, although it took a few laps at the beginning to try and to find a comfortable setting on the bike. But we made a couple of changes, a stiffer front fork and a different linkage on the rear and it helped dramatically. I also moved the handlebars slightly closer in like the GP guys and that seemed to make a bit of a difference.

“For me the softer tyre on the rear is the best solution but let’s not forget that the race is 25 laps, so we’ll see tomorrow. Pirelli have produced a couple of soft compounds for here and the softer one seems to be the best.”

“Everything seems to be going in the right direction and I’m happy with the consistency I achieved on the race tyres – I did high 27s/low 28s most of the day” concluded Toseland.


More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group:

FRIDAY QUALIFYING

MARTIN THE DAY ONE MASTER

STEVIE WONDER: Bouncing back from some recent misfortunes and injuries Steve Martin marked his first day back at Laguna with the provisional pole time of 1:27.396, jumping up the order with his final lap. The former Aussie Superbike Champion, from the Italian DFX Racing Team, overhauled long time provisional pole sitter Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) by only 0.019 seconds.

FRANKIE FLIES: Chili once more showed why 22 years of racing experience counts for a lot in the early sessions at any SBK race weekend by taking second place in the first competition against the stopwatch, thanks to a time of 1:27.415. Running his usual hybrid 998RS with a 999 engine spec, Chili was a winner at Laguna last year.

LACONI LIFTS FORWARD: Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila 999F04) claimed a provisional front row start of third after a late run in qualifying, looking like it would be he and not Martin to go pole until the last split was revealed. Laconi’s team-mate James Toseland (Ducati Fila 999F04) qualified sixth, 0.391 seconds off the provisional pole time.

VERMEULEN VELOCITY: For the first time visitors to Laguna, the Ten Kate Honda team, their first experience was a sweet one, with Chris Vermeulen taking his CBR1000RR to the provisional front row, with a fourth best time. The remarkable progress of rider, bike and team was especially noteworthy at such a difficult to learn venue.

HAGA HAMMERS IN A TIME: Genuine Championship winning prospect Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati 999RS) skated and slid his way around the 45°C track surface, attacking the curves and whumps of Laguna to take fifth fastest time on the opening day, his booming Ducati one of many in the top ten. A former Laguna race winner, Haga knows the intricacies of this track better than most and is expected to pull out even more in the second session on Saturday morning. His team-mate Leon Haslam, already with a podium finish to his name in 2004, was 12th quickest.

THREE PRONGED ATTACK: Troy Corser (Petronas FP-1) was only deposed from a possible front row start in the later stages of the race, dropping to seventh quickest. Chris Walker, who had some problems in the early session, was 13th. The provisional second row was filled by the fastest man in the morning’s unofficial session, Marco Borciani, who had to watch his DFX team-mate Martin secure provisional pole. The Italian privateers Lucio Pedercini (Pedercini Ducati 998RS) and Mauro Sanchini (Kawasaki Bertocchi ZX-10) were ninth and tenth. Such was the competition that Borciani was only 0.873 seconds from the provisional pole time.

McCOY RE-LEARNS: Garry McCoy (Xerox Ducati 999RS) has ridden at Laguna in his GP racing days, but his re-learning process was a slow one, with the Phillip Island race winner in 11th spot after two hours of track time.

Final qualifying for each class takes place on Saturday 10 July, with Superpole the final test to determine starting positions for the top 16 SBK qualifiers.


More, from a press release issued by Ten Kate Honda:

New Boys Make Great Showing in USA

In a season of firsts and new experiences for the Ten Kate Honda team the latest baptism of fire was dealt with in some style by Chris Vermeulen (Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) and his Netherlands-based team, each vastly experienced in Supersport but new to Superbike.

The challenge of the 3.610km Laguna circuit is one which regular SBK riders approach with some trepidation, especially the awe-inspiring Corkscrew chicane, a sheer drop down a left and right chicane at the highest part of the circuit. For the Ten Kate team and rider, the challenge has been risen to with great success so far, as Vermeulen qualified fourth overall in the first timed session of the weekend. His time of 1:27.625 was an outstanding achievement, only 0.229 seconds behind the provisional pole position rider, Steve Martin (Ducati). One more hour-long session remains to decide the final line up of the pre-Superpole grid, with the top 16 regular qualifiers going forward to the single lap competition of Superpole. Vermeulen stated, “I had to spend some parts of today just learning my way around. At one time Haga was behind me for quite a while so I pulled over to let him pass. I’m the one who needs to learn something from him here, not him learn something from me! My aim was to be in the top eight in the first day so to be top four is better than we expected. I’m sure we can find some more tomorrow as well.” Team Manager Ronald Ten Kate showed true admiration for his team and rider’s work. “Even in the European races, at circuits we have some experience of, we sometimes make a slow start. It was like that here in the beginning as we looked for a good set-up and then Chris learned his way around this very peculiar track. It is a very special track and we had no data for it, and a corner like the Corkscrew is a thing all its own. We have been very busy getting a good set-up and Chris did a great job by having a clever mind when it counted, setting a really good lap. He is already rookie of the year but he may well be showing that he’s more than that.” World Superbike Championship Round Seven – Laguna Seca, USA 9 – 11 July 2004 First Qualifying Session 1. S. Martin, AUS, Ducati 999 RS, 1:27.396 2. P. Chili, ITA, Ducati 998 RS, 1:27.415 3. R. Laconi, FRA, Ducati 999 F04, 1:27.593 4. C. Vermeulen, AUS, Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR, 1:27.625 5. N. Haga, JPN, Ducati 999 RS, 1:27.729 6. J. Toseland, GBR, Ducati 999 F04, 1:27.787 7. T. Corser, AUS, Petronas FP1, 1:27.903 8. M. Borciani, ITA, Ducati 999 RS, 1:27.908 9. L. Pedercini, ITA, Ducati 998 RS, 1:28.016 10. M. Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX 10, 1:28.269


More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist:

TROY HAPPY ON OPENING DAY

Troy Corser finished the first day of qualifying at Laguna Seca happy to be seventh quickest in the afternoon timed session. Troy was happy because the day had gone a lot better then the opening day last year and also because he had been running at the top of the leaderboard until the last ten minutes. Then, his competitors put on qualifying tyres and upped their times, pushing Troy down to seventh. Troy could’ve opted for some soft sticky rubber, but decided to carry on working on a good race set-up instead. Troy’s fellow countryman Steve Martin (Ducati) posted the day’s quickest time with a lap of 1:27.396. Pierfrancesco Chili (Ducati) was second quickest, ahead of Regis Laconi (Ducati) and Chris Vermeulen (Honda).

TROY – 7th, 1:27.903

For the first day, I’m pretty happy. It has been a lot better then last year for sure! The track feels a bit more bumpy this year and today I thought it was a bit sandy. It was also a bit windy in places, so I just used today to try and get a good bike set up. We’re using the same spec engine as we used at Silverstone, but here we’ve also got a new clutch to try out. But it takes quite a bit of time to change it, so I spent most of the time on the other bike getting a good set-up for the race. We tried quite a few tyres today and although there were some differences between them, the differences were not that great. They spun and slid a bit and it will be interesting if the temperature goes up, as the tyres seem to work better the hotter the conditions. I was at the top of the pile for a while this afternoon, but then the others put on the soft stuff and went quicker. I did my best time on race rubber, so I know I can run with them OK. This is a track where you have to have a good rhythm and at the moment I’m not quite there. But, as I said, I’m pretty happy with how today has gone.