2009 World Superbike

[motogpboy]

Surprised there isn't a thread for this yet though most of us bike guys hang out in the Moto GP thread...

That being said I really think this year is going to be the most exciting in World Superbike since 2002. I'm EXTREMELY excited.

USA!! USA!! USA!!

[MP4/14]

Race 1

1 JPN Haga
2 GER Neukirchner
3 JPN Kagayama
4 ITA Fabrizio
5 GBR Rea

Race 2

1 USA Spies
2 JPN Haga
3 GBR Haslam
4 FRA Laconi
5 ITA Fabrizio

Standings:

1 Haga JPN 45
2 Neukirchner GER 30
3 Haslam GBR 26
4 Spies USA 25
5 Kagayama JPN 24
6 Fabrizio ITA 24
7 Laconi FRA 22
8 Rea GBR 18
9 Smrz CZE 16
10 Sykes GBR 12


Haga had a brilliant weekend. The best Aussie is in 11th place overall in the standings. Whats happening with that?

[motogpboy]

Only reason why I didn't post the results is that SPEED still hasn't shown Race 2 in the United States until midnight tonight...

but now that the cat is out of the bag...

SPIES! SPIES! SPIES!!!!!!!!!!!

[MP4/14]

Sorry I thought it was safe to post since the race was 4 days ago.

[motogpboy]

Don't worry about it mate... it is getting a bit ridiculous

We've gotten pretty screwed over here in the States with our motorcycle coverage :/

[MP4/14]

I bet it isnt happening with MotoGP.

Here SPBK doesnt even get shown except for an half-hour highlights show a week after the race.

MotoGP is live unless F1 is on in which case F1 gets televised first. Although we have a free to air HD channel which is 24 hour sport starting soon so that might change.

[motogpboy]

I just had it so good in Italy. We got the Moto GP PRE SEASON test live on TV. Free TV.

But yeah they're showing Moto GP same day still...

But we're getting our own National Championship sometimes 2 weeks late. Total bs.

[avanti]

I was just about to start a SBK thread! I love SBK, so many riders, so close racing, its almost more exciting than motogp!

And yes, we have it good in Italy, both moto gp and superbike is always live on free tv, pre-season, training/qualifying and races. MotoGp even gets more coverage than F1!

[motogpboy]

Originally Posted by avanti

MotoGp even gets more coverage than F1!

Yeah that's because you guys currently have Rossi racing

Every cab I ever got into in Italy had at least a little sticker of him somewhere near the driver's dash.

That and your motorino culture from the ages of 14+ kind of breeds 2 wheel junkies..

That being said..

I WANT A FREAKING APE CAR!!!!

[motogpboy]

Spies gets his 2nd Superpole in a row... top form!


1 19 B. SPIES USA Yamaha WSB Yamaha YZF R1 1'57.280
2 96 J. SMRZ CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1'57.384
3 3 M.BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Aprilia RSV4 1'57.694
4 41 N. HAGA JPN Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 1'57.850
5 66 T. SYKES GBR Yamaha WSB Yamaha YZF R1 1'57.878
6 56 S. NAKANO JPN Aprilia Racing Aprilia RSV4 1'58.755
7 7 C. CHECA ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1'59.090
8 67 S. BYRNE GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 2'00.021

[MP4/14]

Originally Posted by motogpboy

Spies gets his 2nd Superpole in a row... top form!


1 19 B. SPIES USA Yamaha WSB Yamaha YZF R1 1'57.280
2 96 J. SMRZ CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1'57.384
3 3 M.BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Aprilia RSV4 1'57.694
4 41 N. HAGA JPN Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 1'57.850
5 66 T. SYKES GBR Yamaha WSB Yamaha YZF R1 1'57.878
6 56 S. NAKANO JPN Aprilia Racing Aprilia RSV4 1'58.755
7 7 C. CHECA ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1'59.090
8 67 S. BYRNE GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 2'00.021

Waiting to download it

Still no bloody Aussies

I didnt think the hype would turn out to be true (aka Spies). He must have something special!

[motogpboy]

Originally Posted by MP4/14

Waiting to download it

Still no bloody Aussies

I didnt think the hype would turn out to be true (aka Spies). He must have something special!

I've been watching him in the US since he was in Formula Xtreme ( a smaller now defunct racing class of the AMA Superbike series).

Saw him every year at Sears Point (Infineon Raceway..but I still won't call it that) and Laguna Seca...

He really is something special. I believe it was 07 if I recall correctly that Laguna first had 2 rounds of the AMA Superbike championship with the 2nd of the 2 being the last race of the season... Went to that and Spies took the title away from Mladin during the last race. Just brilliant.

He's bloody fast. I've talked to him a few times and he really is a down to Earth guy...

Though to make you happy I met Vermeulen in the Paddock at the 04 WSBK race at Laguna Seca and talked to him for about ten minutes early in the morning. I was dating an Aussie from Mt. Gambier at the time and told him such and he was like "Whoa cool I love the Blue Lake!" was a pretty good conversation starter He was a really awesome guy as well...

Though really you think now what might have been. With the Suzuki showing incredible pace during Moto GP testing...if they hadn't let Spies get away, I'd really like to see what he could have done on it.

[MP4/14]

Blue lake is awesome

There are females in Mt Gambier now? Gee if she was good looking thats like winning lottery mate.

[motogpboy]

Originally Posted by MP4/14

Blue lake is awesome

There are females in Mt Gambier now? Gee if she was good looking thats like winning lottery mate.

Lol...she was pretty good looking.

Very cute face and a very nice lil body and all...plus you know..that whole aussie accent thing Yes...like winning the lottery except she was absolutely nuts

On completely related news to the thread topic...

SPIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

USA!!! USA!!!! USA!!!!

/yank

[Spiral Tap]

I knew he would be very good in WSBK. He's the only guy to straight up out-gun Mladin on a consistent basis, and the gap from AMA Superbike to SBK isn't nearly as large as the gap from AMA to MotoGP as SBK are also on big production based bikes.

But out-pacing everyone THIS quick? He's a legend.

[Spiral Tap]

Race 2 results:

1 1 19 B. SPIES USA Yamaha WSB Yamaha YZF R1 18 1'59.041 314,3 1'57.280 310,7 25 25 75 2
2 4 41 N.HAGA JPN Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 18 1.274 1'59.126 315,2 1'57.850 311,6 20 20 85 1
3 3 3 M.BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Aprilia RSV4 18 1.622 1'59.263 317,0 1'57.694 313,4 16 16 38 4
4 12 9 R.KIYONARI JPN Ten Kate Honda Racing Honda CBR1000RR 18 1.845 1'59.185 316,1 1'59.055 308,9 8 13 21 13
5 5 66 T. SYKES GBR Yamaha WSB Yamaha YZF R1 18 5.117 1'59.286 315,2 1'57.878 308,9 9 11 32 6
6 19 76 M.NEUKIRCHNER GER Suzuki Alstare BRUX Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 18 9.512 1'59.673 318,9 1'59.926 316,1 10 40 3
7 6 56 S. NAKANO JPN Aprilia Racing Aprilia RSV4 18 9.514 1'59.775 314,3 1'58.755 308,0 13 9 27 9
8 17 65 J. REA GBR HANNspree Ten Kate HondHa onda CBR1000RR 18 12.621 2'00.008 315,2 1'59.713 308,0 4 8 30 8
9 16 11 T. CORSER AUS BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 18 13.842 1'59.880 318,0 1'59.454 302,8 7 7 22 12
10 15 111 R. XAUS ESP BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 18 13.884 1'59.976 315,2 1'59.435 305,4 3 6 14 17
11 18 91 L. HASLAM GBR Stiggy Racing Honda Honda CBR1000RR 18 13.888 1'59.729 316,1 1'59.882 307,1 5 5 36 5
12 8 67 S. BYRNE GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 18 14.913 2'00.197 313,4 2'00.021 308,0 10 4 14 16
13 7 7 C.CHECA ESP HANNspree Ten Kate HondHa onda CBR1000RR 18 15.762 1'59.946 314,3 1'59.090 308,9 11 3 21 14
14 11 55 R. LACONI FRA DFX Corse Ducati 1098R 18 15.920 2'00.045 320,8 1'59.044 311,6 6 2 30 7
15 14 71 Y. KAGAYAMA JPN Suzuki Alstare BRUX Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 18 19.565 2'00.291 315,2 1'59.134 310,7 1 25 10
16 13 23 B. PARKES AUS Kawasaki World Superbike RK.aTw. asaki ZX 10R 18 21.759 2'00.247 315,2 1'59.074 308,0 2 2 20
17 2 96 J. SMRZ CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 18 28.523 1'59.868 311,6 1'57.384 309,8 16 15
18 21 31 K. MUGGERIDGE AUS Celani Race Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 18 40.499 2'01.068 303,7 2'00.738 302,8
19 24 24 B. ROBERTS AUS Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 18 43.761 2'01.193 308,0 2'01.165 302,8
20 27 99 L. SCASSA ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX 10R 18 44.669 2'01.119 302,8 2'01.607 298,6
21 25 77 V. IANNUZZO ITA Squadra Corse Italia Honda CBR1000RR 18 48.955 2'01.674 310,7 2'01.560 304,5
22 28 15 M.BAIOCCO ITA PSG1-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX 10R 15 3 Laps 2'02.010 309,8 2'02.663 301,1
--------------------------------------------------Not Classified--------------------------------------------------
RET 9 44 R.ROLFO ITA Stiggy Racing Honda Honda CBR1000RR 17 1 Lap 2'00.483 313,4 1'58.734 306,3 3 19
RET 10 84 M.FABRIZIO ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 13 5 Laps 2'00.176 314,3 1'58.919 314,3 24 11
RET 23 25 D. SALOM ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX 10R 8 10 Laps 2'02.265 302,8 2'01.047 297,0
RET 20 33 T. HILL GBR HANNspree Honda Althea Honda CBR1000RR 6 12 Laps 2'00.979 315,2 2'00.108 309,8 1 5 18
RET 26 86 A. BADOVINI ITA PSG1-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX 10R 1 17 Laps 300,3 2'01.561 300,3

[Mally Dangerous]

Gotta say I enjoyed the Qatar race. I have been more of a MotoGP guy than WSBK but I think I'll be watching both this year.

One thing though, I think they need better camera work on World Superbike. It's seems that all the camera shots are long and wide where as in MotoGP the camera zooms in closer. I think I would like WSBK more if the camera work was better.

[Mally Dangerous]

It's official, Hopper will be riding for Stiggy Racing. http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=3050 (I'm going to post this in the MotoGP thread too.)

[Karoug]

Stiggy is a better team principal than he ever was a rider!!

[TJP]

Originally Posted by MP4/14

Here SPBK doesnt even get shown except for an half-hour highlights show a week after the race.

That is incorrect - like the MotoGP, nearly all the WSBK rounds are aired live, you need Fox sports to watch it or visit a pub when its on.

I was at Phillip Island for the opening round and Spies was very impressive, as was the new flat plane crank R1 Yamaha. Sounds sensational! The Aprilia RSV4 is beautiful and sounded rather good and the Ducati was as lovely as ever.

Speaking of Ducati, one has to wonder if Haga is kicking himself for leaving Yamaha, although this is his best start to a championship.

Better still for WSBK is the news that Hopper is in the championship. It will be very interesting how he competitive he is.