IDM Supersport Championship Round 3, Nurburgring 29/30th of May, 2010 CUDLIN SURRENDERS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD… FOR NOW Australia’s Damian Cudlin was forced to surrender his lead in the 2010 IDM Supersport Championship after a turbulent race in Nurburgring on the weekend. Heading into the round with a 5 point championship lead, courtesy of 3 consecutive podium finishes and a dominating win at Lausitzring, Cudlin felt confident ahead of the Nurburgring round however the weekend proved to be disappointing in comparison to his previous outings with a lack lustre qualifying followed by a frustrating race. In the opening qualifying session, Cudlin slotted onto the front row, however some engine issues forced the Aussie down the order in the second qualifying session, leaving him in 7th position on the grid. The MRC Austria Team worked tirelessly to solve the issues for Sunday’s 20 lap race and broke through in Warm Up where Cudlin posted the 2nd fastest time. As the ever looming clouds erupted, the race was officially declared ‘wet’ as the 50 strong Supersport field took their places on the grid. As the lights went out, Cudlin got away with the leading group and began working his way forward when Steven Michels tried a desperate move and crashed into the side of Cudlin’s Yamaha R6, sending him to the gravel trap and Michels to the medical centre. As Cudlin rejoined the race he immediately discovered his foot peg had broken in the carnage and was forced to continue “one legged”. A crash at the end of the main straight brought out the red flag and the race was stopped on the 5th lap. The race was declared to be a “two part race” and the restart was reduced to 17 laps with the winner determined on combined times of both races. Although handicapped in the first outing, Cudlin had still managed to work his way to 5th however had lost valuable time on the leading trio. As the rider’s returned to the pits, a fuming Cudlin tried to regain his focus and prepare for his second outing as the MRC Team worked on the damage to his machine. In the restart Cudlin immediately made his presence felt at the front, first making his way into 2nd before briefly taking the lead with 5 laps to run. However on combined time the deficit was too great and Cudlin realised his chances of winning were just too small. As they began their final lap, Cudlin misunderstood the team’s pit signals and reduced his speed as he settled for what he thought was a safe 2nd however the looming threat of Knobloch and Gunter laid right behind him and suddenly saw their chance to pounce. Entering the final chicane Knobloch made an aggressive pass on a surprised Cudlin, forcing the Aussie into the gravel for a 2nd time. Holding onto the machine by the skin of his teeth, Cudlin crossed the line in 4th place, visibly unhappy. “The whole weekend’s been a bit of a disaster really and today was no different.” Cudlin said bluntly after the race. “On the first lap I got T-Boned by a Bone Head and it sent me into the gravel and busted my foot rest. I kept going but I was relieved when the race was red flagged as my leg felt like it was about to drop off. The guys repaired my bike for the 2nd part of the race and in this leg I felt more comfortable. I worked my way to the front before Ranseder stepped it up a bit at the end. I knew I couldn’t beat him on combined time anyway so I decided to settle for 2nd, only the 10 second lead I thought I had on 3rd was actually the deficit to Ranseder on combined time. I slowed a bit on the last lap then got pushed out of the way by Knobloch in the last chicane and into the gravel again. I’m really disappointed with 4th but it’s better than a DNF I guess. I hope we can get back on top at Sachsenring, and have a dry race for a change!” Cudlin now trails Knobloch in the standings by 2 points in the hotly contested championship. The next round of the IDM series will be held at Sachsenring on the 19/20th of June. More, from a press release issued by Waznie Racing: Szoke Scores Record 30th National Superbike Career Win at Circut ICAR The Waznie Racing/Ciclo Werks BMC/ Dewildt Honda team arrived at ICAR in Mirabel Quebec for Round #1 of the Canadian National Championships and were rewarded with 30+ degree weather for the weekend. For the first time, Szoke debuts his own Honda Race Team. “I’ve put all my savings, my earnings, and mortgaged my house to do this,” Szoke said. “My expectations are high”. Jordan and teh Fasr Company crew were not disappointed. Szoke not only topped the charts throughout the entire weekend in testing, but also claimed the Pole Position award in Superbike aboard his new CBR1000RR. “I honestly think I could have beaten the lap record, if we had the same factors as last year.” says Szoke “The tires we are allotted to use are a harder compound, as opposed to the qualifying tires we used last season. I couldn’t get heat into it and it spun up a couple of times. The tire was off the warmer too early and cooled down a bit, which didn’t help either.” Not to be outdone, Szoke also took his CBR600RR fast enough around the 1.74 mile Circut ICAR to break the SportBike lap record during qualifying. “My goal for the season is to go faster on my new Hondas at every track as opposed to last year. We’re off to a good start.” Szoke lead all 18 laps of the Superbike race aboard his CBR1000 RR and scored perfect points for the weekend. Jordan is attempting to win his record seventh Canadian Superbike Crown, and fifth straight title. In other action, Szoke also got his bid in for a fifth straight Pro Sportbike championship with another victory. Jordan lead every lap in the eight lap race, which was shortened due to a red flag on lap nine. “What a good start to the championships, it sure means a lot to us as a team,” exclaims Szoke, “We’re all exhausted, the Fast Company crew put over 700 hrs in over 5 weeks and the bikes are 90% there.” Famed tuner Scott Miller adds, ” It’s amazing to think that just 6 weeks ago they were street bikes, I can’t believe it.” “Usually when you get to the track, you lose sleep.” laughs Szoke “This time it was just such a relief to be here, we were able to catch up on some shut eye.” Jordan’s wife Amy Szoke also shook down her new infamous pink CBR600RR under the banner of Waznie Racing/Ciclo Werks BMC/Dewildt Honda at Circut ICAR in the AM600 and Women’s Cup Championships. “It was my first time on a bike since September, and I wanted to brush the rust off.” says Amy “We had a new bike, a new track, a new team, and a new crew chief. There was a lot of “new’s” in there, but I was really happy with what we were able to accomplish with set up.” Amy finished 4th in Women’s Cup on Sunday and 18th in AM600. “Considering we were just a handful of seconds off the pace here, I can hardly wait to get to Calgary to see where we end up.” Round 2 & 3 of the championship is held at Race City AB. The track is familiar to Amy, as she has competed there since 2006. “I know the track well, and have had solid results there. I have trained very hard with my husband throughout the winter, I can hardly wait to go out west to see where we can peg our new Honda on the AM grid.” It was a perfect weekend for Szoke and his Fast Company crew. Watch for Szoke defending his points lead at Round #2/3 of the Canadian National Championships in Calgary AB Canada on June 24 – 27. Google Maps to Race City Motorsports Park: ~http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Race+City+Speedway&sll=45.780245,-74.007061&sspn=0.012241,0.019977&gl=ca&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Race+City+Speedway,+11550+68+St+SE,+Calgary,+AB+T2Z+3E8&z=15&iwloc=A~ Waznie Racing would like to thank: Waznie Racing Inc, Ciclo Werks , BMC Swiss Cycling Technology , Dewildt Honda, Fast Company, Joe Rocket, Monster Energy, Shoei, Pirelli, Akrapovic, Honda Pro Oils, Hot Bodies, Motovan, TCX Boots, EBC Brakes, LighTech, Sunstar, DID, Oakley, Ogio, BK Designs, PUG, VP Fuels, Samco, Hinson, Stomp Grip, oppracing.com, Chickenhawk, Just Transmissions , Strodes, Bodyline Fitness, Robot Pirate Ninja Productions, u-vu.ca More, from a press release issued by Pegasusraceteam: Pegasusraceteam rider Harald Kitsch took another Buell victory at Assen / Netherlands The yearly Ducati Clubraces are at moment the most competitive event in V-Twin racing worldwide. “Our team worked very hard to get the things together for this important event with their low noiselevel and the very limited track time, good to see that the success continues” said team owner Thomas Wanner. With dark clouds in the sky, rider Harald Kitsch took in both dry qualifiying sessions on Saturday the fastest lap and rode the Erik Buell Racing 1190 RR-B into the poleposition. “Unfortunatly we still have no rain setup for the bikes, so if we get rain on Sunday it will be hard to compete with the Assen rain specialists” said rider Harald Kitsch on Saturday evening. In the night the rain started and continued the rest of the weekend. The team decided to use the “B” bike with lower power and the old radiator setup in the wet and took in Heat 1 the victory ahead of Ducati and KTM. The second race of the day with less rain and more traction problems Harald Kitsch finished 3rd. “Harald was really brave” said Crewchief Jens Krüper “We tried to soften the bike for the rain, but it was still much too hard and so he never found acceptable traction. Additionally we built a special big exhaust system to meet the strict 104 dB noise regulations, and it blocked the maneuverability of Harald’s right foot a lot. With a proper setup another double victory would be possible; we learn from race to race more about Erik’s 1190 RR, and I can tell you its a winning bike!”. Next Sound of Thunder raceweekend is at the Festival Italia at Oschersleben / Germany 25. – 27th of June. www.pegasusraceteam.com More, from a press release issued by KTM North America: KTM Rider Ty Howard Breaks Hallett Track Record and Scores Multiple Race Wins Hallett, OK Ridesmart/RPM Cycles/KTM rider Ty Howard showed up at Round 5 of the Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit to continue his impressive run in the series. The weather was perfect for the fifth round of the series which helped attract over 450 entries. Coming into the event Ty Howard and the KTM RC8 R where undefeated and had a streak of breaking track records at each track on the schedule. After coming within a couple tenths from the record in the morning warm-up the Hallett record was sure to fall. First up for Howard was the A Superstock class. Howard pulled an easy holeshot and looked set to run away with an easy victory. Unfortunately, he had one mistake while on turn 10 of the second lap when the rear tire broke loose. Fortunately, Howard was able to power out of the slide but not before busting his helmet through the RC8 R’s windscreen. “I tried some different compound tires and I think the rear was too hard and not quite the desired set up for this day,” remarked Howard. Despite the set back Howard went on to win the race by 7 seconds. The Formula One race was up next. Howard was back on the softer Dunlop slicks for the 8 lap race. The race was postponed for over an hour for an oil cleanup that caused the last turn, front straight and turn 1 to have an excessive oil dry laid down. Breaking a track record looked next to impossible with the poor track condition. Soon the riders where off and Howard was able to pull another holeshot. The softer Dunlop slicks were a perfect combination to match the powerful KTM RC8 R. Howard was able to pull a huge lead to win the race and break the track record by 0.4 seconds. The last race was up quick with only one race between and no time to make changes. After examining the track Ty decided to use a different gear in a fast left-right section. “The bike didn’t pull as hard as I wanted in 3rd gear so I decided to try 2nd gear for more drive on the exit,” commented Howard. After another holeshot the KTM was away to a big lead on the first lap. During the second lap Howard again lowered the track record by another 0.3 of a second. Howard eventually finished the race with a 19 second victory. Next Event: CMRA Round 6 Motorsport Ranch Cresson, TX Team Sponsors: KTM North America, KTM PowerParts, Skip Barber Superbike School Powered by KTM, Comedy Defensive Driving, Dunlop Tires, Ridesmart, RPM Cycles, Motorex, DynoJet, Lockhart Phillips, Arai Helmets, Komodo Gear, 5th Gear Motorsports, Totally Graphic Designs, Kyle USA, RaceworX, Vesrah, AVTEQ, Strapless Transport Stands, North Texas Superbikes, Venhill Brake Lines and Woodcraft. More, from a press release issued by Syndicate Motorsport Management: IRON HORSE BMW/ SPEEDCELL/ ESP SUPERBIKE STORM TO SECOND PLACE FINISH AT MILLER CHALLENGE June 3, 2010 (Tooele, UT) “” The Iron Horse BMW/ Speedcell/ Evan Steel Performance Superbike made the trek from the ESP shop in Tucson, Arizona to Tooele, Utah for the Lucas Oil Challenge race. The team encountered a setback before they even left the state of Arizona when a trailer axle exploded on the road outside of Flagstaff, Arizona. Undeterred, the team pulled an all-nighter to get the trailer fixed and back on the road. Saturday morning arrived and the road weary crew went to work setting up the German made Superbike for the fast and flowing Utah racetrack. Unlike most of their competitors, the ESP crew didn’t have the budget required to compete in the WERA race event the previous weekend at the Miller facility. Having no previous setup for the track or altitude, Peris and the crew were satisfied to finish the first day in fifth, with a time of 1:54.6, a mere 1.7 seconds off provisional pole sitter Toye. Sunday’s only scheduled on track activity was a final twenty minute session. After a delayed start to the session, Peris was only able to complete three flying laps and was unable to improve his time from Saturday. Monday morning warm up saw Peris and Toye battling for top honors in the final session before the afternoon finale. The original fourteen lap race was not without incident. The first lap saw a red flag after a multiple bike pile up in the fast turn one. When the bikes were cleared and the track ready to go, the race distance was reduced to ten laps. The competitors re-gridded for the shortened race and, when the lights out, Peris and the S1000RR were not in sync and they were swallowed up by the charging field and entered the first corner in around fifteenth place. After making some bold passes, Peris started the second lap chasing May, Knapp, and Toye. After passing May, Peris set about catching Knapp and Toye. As the gap was getting smaller, Toye crashed out of the lead, leaving Knapp all by himself at the head of the field. The shortened race distance didn’t allow enough time for Peris to catch Knapp and he had to settle for second place. The S1000RR is now back at the ESP shop in Tucson, AZ where the crew is working on refining the handling package and chassis setup to track conditions and rider preference. The next event on the Iron Horse BMW/ ESP Superbike schedule is the Laguna Seca round of the AMA Superbike Championship. Although the team would like to contest the remaining AMA Superbike rounds, the budget is not currently in place. Team Iron Horse BMW/ ESP is actively seeking sponsorship to campaign as many additional AMA rounds as possible in 2010. Evan Steel: “Overall, it was a good weekend, we learned more about the BMW S1000RR, and it was great to be able to talk to the world team about the development of the bike. With a better start, I think we had a good shot at winning the race, Chris did the fastest lap of the race, 1:51.59 trying to catch back up, so that is encouraging. Xaus’s best lap in the World Superbike race one was a 1:49.3, so we are just over 2 seconds off that– not bad for what spec our bike is at currently and how little time we had on track this weekend. I just want to thank everyone who helped us make it out to this event, especially Jennifer Cartwright from Iron Horse, Josh Kaufmann from Speedcell, and my uncle Mike Lind for welding our trailer back together on the way here!!!!! Chris Peris: “Although I’m happy that we finished second overall–and the first BMW– I’m disappointed because I know that with a cleaner start I could have challenged Taylor for the win. We made more progress in the development of the S1000RR and we’ll continue to develop the bike and be ready for the race at Laguna Seca. “ For Sponsorship inquiries contact Murph at Syndicate Motorsport Management, LLC: (+1) 831 464 3458 or email: [email protected] Team Iron Horse BMW/ ESP Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. Team Iron Horse BMW/ ESP was created to maximize the strengths of both organizations. Iron Horse BMW is focused on their customers’ ownership experience. ESP is an independent sport bike shop that focuses on the racer and track day rider. This is the reason Iron Horse BMW teamed up with ESP. ESP understands the sportbike market, and they have the skills and experience Iron Horse BMW needs to be able to sell the S1000RR to new customers with the knowledge only racing provides. Iron Horse BMW/ESP will use their racing experience to further develop the S1000RR. Team Iron Horse BMW/ ESP will use AMA Superbike competition to develop chassis, suspension and motor parts and accessories that will be made available to S1000RR owners, allowing them to enjoy the BMW S1000RR for years to come. Evan Steel Performance Evan Steel Performance is a small, personal, specialized shop located in Tucson, Arizona that deals with all aspects of motorcycle road racing. ESP bikes have had some of the highest trap speeds in their classes at AMA Nationals, as well as the highest top speed at start/finish at the 50th annual Macau Grand Prix. In 2009, ESP clinched the Supersport East title with numerous victories. In 2008, ESP scored a very rare privateer podium at the VIR AMA National in the Superstock class with Chris Peris. ESP is open to any level of racing, from basic race prep to planning a season at the Nationals. ESP can be reached at (520) 294 3050 or www.evansteelperformance.com Iron Horse BMW Iron Horse BMW is Arizona’s premier BMW dealer, located in Tucson, Arizona. Iron Horse is dedicated to providing their customers with the best possible ownership experience. The staff are passionate and avid motorcyclists from motocross to roadracing and everything in between. They have the experience and ability to help riders get the most out of their motorcycles. To make your dream of S1000RR ownership a reality, contact Iron Horse at (520)327-0773 or www.ironhorsemotorcycles.com