Employee Cuts and Changes At Suzuki & Yamaha

Rumors of employee cuts at American Suzuki and an official press release on changes in Yamaha's U.S. racing program were announced yesterday. The rumors regarding American Suzuki have the company terminating employees in their press department. This apparent cut follows a 15% cut in their work force back in April. The cuts don't come as a surprise in a U.S. market that has seen a 44% decrease in motorcycle sales that led to the recent closing of the Buell Motorcycle Company.

In an official press release Yamaha announced that they would be making changes that will result in the loss of jobs in their racing department. Graves Motorsports will continue to be a Yamaha partner in AMA racing and will assume additional responsibilities for the 2010 season. Yamaha finished second in the American Superbike and Daytona SportBike championships with Josh Hayes on a YZF-R1 and Josh Herrin on a YZF-R6.

The global economy and the sale of the AMA's race sanctioning rights to the Daytona Motorsports Group has led to cataclysmic change in U.S. road racing. The DMG initiated a multitude of changes that infuriated manufacturers and riders alike. The racing was often competitive, but inequities in the rules, safety concerns and a dictatorial management style led to dissatisfaction and low attendance at many tracks.

The changes at Suzuki and Yamaha follow Honda's announcement that they will be pulling out of AMA road racing for the 2010 season. It's hard to say whether the economy or the changes that the DMG has made to AMA road racing have led to the cuts and changes at the three companies. Whatever the case may be many AMA riders and teams are unsure about what they'll be doing next year. AMA riders like Jamie Hacking, Jake Zemke, Chaz Davies and Martin Cardenas had wild card rides in World Superbike and World Supersport during the course of the season, but most of those rides are taken for next year. Buell is out of business, Honda is pulling out of AMA road racing and the AMA has yet to announce the schedule for the 2010 season. There are going to be some sleepless nights this winter for anyone who makes their living in AMA road racing.

Ben Spies – The Winner And Still Champion

In an up and down season that included fourteen wins and coming back from being 88 points down in the championship Ben Spies and his Yamaha team left the final round of the season with the World Superbike championship in their pocket. It was the first World Superbike championship for Yamaha who also took titles in World Supersport with Cal Crutchlow and MotoGP with some guy named Rossi. For Spies it was his fourth consecutive superbike championship after beating Mat Mladin for the AMA title in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Spies trailed Noriyuki Haga by ten points coming into the final round at Portimao. He knew that he would win the championship if he won both races so he and his team did what they had to do to make that happen by winning superpole and getting out to an early lead in race one. Haga struggled all weekend, qualifying ninth, and he lost the front end and crashed out in race one as Spies led from start to finish. The champ talked about his day, "We had a really good first race, in the second we did what we had to do to win. It was quite difficult to keep it in check as the pace was pretty fast, I saw I had a couple of people behind me and I knew that if Nori won I had to be in sixth and that's where I was so I tried to get a bit of a gap on them and stay out of trouble. Max (Biaggi) came through the inside of me and ran off a couple of times which really freaked me out so I went to get past him, and then settled in for some nice fast laps to the end." Spies finished fifth in race two, and Haga finished second behind teammate Michel Fabrizio.

Winning the championship proves that Spies has the talent and the mental strength to be one of the best riders in the world, but many credit his years of on and off track battles with Mladin as having prepared him for anything that motorcycle racing at the world level can throw at him. Never known for being close with his former teammate the now retired Mladin has nothing but good things to say about Spies these days, "Ben World Champ. Collecting some cash today. Everyone in Australia scoffed at me when I said he would win. Suckers."

World Superbike has a reputation for being a paddock with a relaxed atmosphere, especially when compared to the dog-eat-dog world of MotoGP. After enduring several years in the bitter rivalry with Mladin Spies' season in WSBK was a breath of fresh air. He battled with Haga for the entire season, but the two rivals got along well enough to spend time together away from the track. After ten full seasons in the series and now three second place finishes in the championship Haga was the sentimental favorite for the title, but the eternally optimistic and likeable Nitro Nori wasn’t bitter about getting beat by a rookie, "My compliments go to Ben who has been such a strong rival this year and even though he is going to MotoGP next year, I am sure we will remain friends. This week we'll start testing in preparation for next year. This year was a new adventure with Ducati, and we'll continue to give 100% in 2010."

From here Spies and crew chief Tom Houseworth move on to MotoGP and the Tech 3 Yamaha team. Spies rode three races in MotoGP on the factory Suzuki in 2008 so he has some idea of what to expect, but a full season in the top class will be a new experience. Mladin summarized his former teammate’s career and his future in MotoGP on 800cc bikes, "What an amazing career he's had to date. If they go back to 1000cc MotoGP bikes, Look Out! 800's a little harder for him. He's not a midget".

Ben Spies Championship Winning Interview (On The Throttle)

Portimao Superbike Race 1 Results

Portimao Superbike Race 2 Results

2009 World Superbike Final Rider Standings

World Superbike – The Final Round

You can go through all the permutations of what has to happen for Ben Spies or Noriyuki Haga to win the World Superbike title, but the bottom line is that if Spies scores ten more points than Haga he wins. If he doesn’t Haga takes home the championship that’s eluded him for so long.

The last round of the championship happens at the year old Portimao track that was the scene of a double win for Troy Bayliss last year when he dominated the field on the factory Ducati in the final race of his career. Haga struggled on the Yamaha in last year’s race with a mechanical problem in race one, and a jump start in race two led to a ride through penalty and a fourteenth place finish. As usual Spies finds himself at a track where he’s never raced before, but he did test at the track in the spring. Crew chief Tom Houseworth talked about the team’s approach to the race, “Though we have quite a lot of data from testing, the engine and chassis spec has changed quite a lot from pre-season so there will be some variables to work on. We will be looking for maximum grip and quick direction change as Portimao is quite a twisty circuit with elevation changes and a variety of corners. Our goal is to be set up quick and then pick race tires so we can get time on them in an attempt to find the 'perfect' race set up. Once traction and wheelie control are dialed in we will hope for good weather on Sunday and see if we can get it done."

The one thing that Spies knows is that if he wins both races this weekend he is the champion, "I can't wait to get to the circuit and get set up for Sunday's races. My focus is completely on going for two race wins on Sunday.” Haga seems to have the same plan as Spies, "Last year at Portimao didn't go to plan. I had some bad luck. This year I am in a better position and now everything comes down to this last event. My strategy won't be any different from normal. I always go out with the aim to win and I always give 100%.”

Former MotoGP rider Sylvain Guintoli is moving up from British Superbike to ride for the Alstare Suzuki team next season. Guintoli will be riding for his new team at Portimao this weekend.

Two more WSBK riders have signed with new teams for the 2010 season. Tom Sykes is leaving the Yamaha factory team for the Paul Bird Kawasaki team to race alongside Chris Vermuelen, and Carlos Checa is leaving Ten Kate Honda to race for the Althea Ducati team.

Chaz Davies will be racing with fellow AMA Daytona SportBike rider Martin Cardenas in the World Supersport race. Cardenas is riding in place of the injured Robbin Harms on the RES Software Veidec Honda Racing Team. Cardenas finished third in the inaugural season of the AMA’s Daytona SportBike championship.

The World Superbike teams will be testing at Portimao on Tuesday and Wednesday. Two-time champ James Toseland will be flying in from the MotoGP round in Malaysia to take part in the tests with the Yamaha factory team.

Portimao Superbike Free Practice 1 Times – Jakub Smrz quickest

Motorcycle Sales Report

The good news. Motorcycle sales are forecasted to increase in the next few years. The bad news. Not in the U.S. It seems that Harley-Davidson’s shuttering of Buell is just a harbinger of things to come for motorcycle sales in this country. Total U.S. motorcycle sales through the first nine months of the year were 434,370. A 44% decrease from the 771,950 bikes that were sold during the time same period in 2008.

The outlook for the global market is more optimistic with a research organization known as the Freedonia Group forecasting 7.6 percent annual growth through 2013. China and India are the two biggest markets for motorcycles, and both of those markets will continue to grow. Yamaha of India reported that sales for the month of September increased from 10,142 to 26,394 units sold when compared to September of 2008. The company’s success with selling bikes like the YZF-R1 has led them to selling the VMax in the Indian market.

Hero Honda is another Indian motorcycle company enjoying increased sales. The company that’s been the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheeled transportation for the last seven years announced a 28.5 percent increase in sales for the second quarter (July-Sept). That increase is in comparison with the second quarter of 2008 and represents 972,095 units sold and a 50 percent growth in profit after tax. Honda Motor Company has a 26% stake in Hero Honda which features bikes like the Hunk and the Splendor in its lineup.

In other motorcycle news rumors that Volkswagen is interested in buying Ducati are resurfacing. The German auto manufacturer considered purchasing Ducati back in 1985 when the Italian company was struggling financially, and Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Peich's recent comment that, "I would still like a small, valuable motorcycle manufacturer”, was all that was needed to fuel the Volkswagen-To-Buy-Ducati stories. At this point the Ducati rumors are just that, but it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch for the company that also controls Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley and Audi to add the Ferrari of motorcycles to their lineup.

Casey Stoner - No Respect

Casey Stoner doesn't know the meaning of take it easy. In the world of MotoGP where every millisecond counts Stoner is known as the man who is always at full throttle. After winning five races and challenging Dani Pedrosa for the 250cc title in 2006 he made the jump to MotoGP with the LCR satellite Honda team. He showed promise with a pole at the second race of the season, but his hard charging style led to a series of accidents that gained him a reputation as a crasher. He finished eighth in the 2006 championship, and his rookie season in the top class impressed Ducati officials enough for them to offer him a ride alongside Loris Capirossi on the factory team.

Stoner repaid Ducati's faith in him by taking five of the first eight races of the 2007 season, and lost his crasher label along the way. Many attributed his winning ways and maturity to getting married in the off season, but more than likely it was the combination of talent, a fast bike and Bridgestone tires with good front end grip. Stoner and the Ducati seemed to be a perfect match, but Capirossi struggled to one podium in the first nine races on the other factory Ducati. The Italian became the first of several Ducati riders who were unable to match the pace of Stoner. Stoner went on to win ten races and the championship by 125 points over Dani Pedrosa.

When Stoner won the 2007 MotoGP title he became the champion of a series that had been the personal playground of Valentino Rossi. The Italian's run of five straight championships had been interrupted by the Nicky Hayden's consistent run to the title the previous season. Rossi's post-race theatrics and Hayden's easygoing personality were in stark contrast to Stoner's hard driving, no-nonsense style. When Rossi won championships he dominated the competition, but he kept the racing close and often let other riders lead until the closing laps of a race when he took the lead to win. Stoner's style was to dominate the competition and win by a wide margin. Rossi's playful personality was a public relations dream while Stoner's all-business persona didn't always sit well with some members of the media and Rossi fans.

In spite of his incredible season on the Ducati there were many who claimed that it was the bike and not Stoner's talent that led to title. Hard to believe when Capirossi only had one win and finished seventh in the championship on the same bike. Stoner followed up his championship winning season with six wins, but finished second to Rossi who took the 2008 title with nine wins. Marco Melandri was a consistent backmarker on the second factory Ducati while Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli finished twelfth and thirteenth on the satellite Ducati team.

Fast forward to 2009 and order has finally been restored to the MotoGP championship for the legions of Rossi fans now that their man is back on top. The predictions of a continuation of the Ross-Stoner title fight looked on target after Stoner beat Rossi in the first race at Qatar, but when Jorge Lorenzo took two of the next three races a new contender was thrown into the mix. Lorenzo is a character in the mold of Rossi. A proven winner who celebrates his wins with flair, but a first year MotoGP crasher like Stoner. Lorenzo is Rossi's teammate and his success led to the erection of a wall in the garage the two riders share, but even though he's challenging Rossi he's becoming a fan favorite.

Stoner managed to win two of the first five races, but midway through the season he began to suffer from an energy sapping ailment that saw him fading as the race progressed. Stoner eventually came to the decision that he needed to stop racing to get well. An unusual decision in a sport where riders routinely ride the beast that is a MotoGP bike with broken bones and other injuries. Never a man of many words Stoner headed home and began a reclusive recovery away from the track and the media.

The Casey criticism and the theories about the true nature of the ailment began as soon as his departure was announced. How can he do this, he's not really sick, he can't take the pressure, he's too high strung and just another victim of Rossi's mental games. But it wasn't just the media. The head of Marlboro (his sponsor) and former world champions Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Gardner weighed in on the Stoner sabbatical, and Ducati tried to persuade Lorenzo to ride for them in 2010 in case Stoner was unable to recover.

Well he's back now, and it's like he never left. Following a solid second in his first race back at Portugal, Stoner put in a flawless performance at his home grand prix ahead of the man some said had gotten into his head. He's still not certain that he's put the mystery illness behind him, but he hasn't had any symptoms since his return. Remarkably, he is third in the championship ahead of Dani Pedrosa.

In a politically correct world where your personality and how you relate to the media directly influence how you are judged and perceived, sports figures with a no nonsense attitude like Stoner don't always get the credit they deserve. When he finished second in his first race back he said that he was glad to silence the critics so the negative comments clearly bother him. If Stoner is able to put his illness behind him he should be back at the front challenging for wins next year. At 24 he’s a young man in a young man's sport so he has more than enough time to win another championship, and that may be what he has to do to get the respect that he deserves.

Buell Motorcycle Company - A Burst Of Glory

The recent news that the Buell Motorcycle Company is going out of business came as a shock to many, and followed a year of controversy for Buell in AMA roadracing. Harley-Davidson’s sport bike division has struggled to compete with the likes of Honda, Yamaha and Ducati, but they were ultimately defeated by the global economy. The company recently celebrated their first AMA roadracing championship in the Daytona SportBike division with Danny Eslick riding a Buell 1125R to the title. Eslick won the championship in the final round at New Jersey against a field that included the Yamaha YZF-R6, Honda CBR600RR, Suzuki GSX-R600, Ducati 848 and Aprilia RSV1000R.

The fact that the 1125R was racing in a series where many of the bikes were powered by 600cc engines made the bike’s presence controversial from the start, but Eslick didn’t dominate the competition. The bike did have a power advantage, but the more nimble 600cc bikes had an advantage on the tighter circuits while the Buell showed it’s strength on tracks where it could stretch its legs. The company also introduced a customer race bike for the American Superbike class called the 1125RR during the season. The fact that the bike was built for the sole purpose of racing and didn’t adhere to the AMA’s requirement of being certified for the street led to more controversy.

In the end it comes down to more people being out of jobs in an economy where unemployment continues to move in the wrong direction. The Daytona SportBike championship produced exciting racing week in and week out despite the power advantage of the Buell. With Buell’s demise and Honda’s recent withdrawal the future of AMA roadracing after a turbulent season under new management is at a crossroads. Recently retired and newly crowned American Superbike champion Mat Mladin summed up his feelings on Twitter, “I just met Eric Buell at New Jersey for the first time. Don't know him personally, but seemed like a great bloke. I have detached myself from the racing since the last race, but with Buell’s demise today it is hard to not feel sad about racing in the USA”.

World Superbike – 2010 Rider Update

It's over a week until the final round of this year's World Superbike Championship, but there's been no shortage of news since the last round at Imola where a first and a second gave Noriyuki Haga a ten point lead over Ben Spies in the fight for the superbike crown. Most of the news has to do with who will be riding where next year. A situation that has become clear since it was announced that Spies will be riding a Yamaha in MotoGP next year. Here are some of the riders who have signed for next season:

Max Biaggi – Aprilia

Troy Corser & Ruben Xaus - BMW

Michel Fabrizio & Noriyuki Haga – Ducati Corse

Jonathan Rea & Max Neukirchner – Ten Kate Honda

Chris Vermuelen – Paul Bird Kawasaki

Sylvain Guintoli & Leon Haslam – Alstare Suzuki

Cal Crutchlow & James Toseland – Yamaha

One of the surprises on this list is that Max Neukirchner will be riding for Ten Kate Honda in 2010. The German rider has had an injury plagued year that left him on the sidelines for most of the season. A dispute with his Alstare Suzuki team over the treatment of his injuries and when he should return to action has led to the team issuing a statement and ending their association with Neukirchner. Sylvain Guintoli moves up from BSB, and Leon Haslam moves over from the financially struggling Stiggy Team to complete the team’s lineup for 2010. Yukio Kagayama leaves Alstare for the British Superbike series.

There are only a few good rides left with many good riders still sitting on the sidelines. Those riders include Shane Byrne, Leon Camier, Carlos Checa, Alex DeAngelis, Toni Elias, John Hopkins and Tom Sykes. The best seats still up for grabs are at the Aprilia factory team and the Paul Bird Kawasaki team. Aprilia recently stated that they would be fielding a second team in 2010.

Max Neukirchner is just one of several WSBK riders who have been injured this year. Here’s a list of crash victims who suffered the most critical injuries. Only Haga was able to recuperate without missing any races:

Noriyuki Haga – broken arm, fractured shoulder blade
John Hopkins – head trauma, hip, leg, shoulder & wrist injuries
Shinya Nakano – broken collarbone
Max Neukirchner – broken femur, fractured vertebrae
Brendan Roberts – severe bruising
Makoto Tamada – broken fingers, concussion
Ruben Xaus – broken femur

The World Supersport teams are testing at Portimao this week ahead of next week’s final race at the Portuguese circuit. Chaz Davies will once again be riding on a Triumph supersport bike, and Leon Camier will be riding the Aprilia superbike in place of the injured Shinya Nakano. The final weekend will see the conclusion of the Haga-Spies championship battle, and more revelations about who will be taking those remaining seats in 2010.

Honda VFR 1200 Introduced

After months of anticipation and hype the new Honda VFR 1200 has finally been introduced. The bike continues the sport touring tradition of the VFR 750 and the VFR 800 adding the option of an automatic transmission. Both versions of the bike (manual & automatic) use a shaft drive, and weigh in at 591 and 613 pounds. The bike will be available at Honda dealers in the Spring of 2010.

Honda VFR1200F - 6-speed Manual Transmission
VFR1200F - Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission

Engine Type: 1237cc liquid-cooled 76° V-4
Bore and Stroke: 81mm x 60mm
Compression ratio: 12.0:1
Valves: SOHC; four valves per cylinder
Induction: PGM-FI 44mm throttle bodies
Ignition: Digital electronic

Transmission: 6-speed
Six-speed automatic with two modes and manual mode

Final Drive: Shaft

Suspension
Front: 43mm; 4.7 inches travel
Rear: Pro Arm single-side swingarm with Pro-Link® single gas-charged shock; 5.1 inches travel

Brakes
Front: Dual 320mm discs, CBS 6-piston calipers with ABS
Rear: Single 276mm disc, CBS two-piston caliper with ABS

Tires
Front: 120/70 ZR17 radial
Rear: 190/55 ZR17 radial

Wheelbase: 60.8 inches (1545mm)
Rake: 25-deg
Trail: 101.0mm (4.0 inches)

Seat Height: 32.1 inches (815mm)
Fuel Capacity: 4.9 gallons
Color: Candy Red
Curb Weight: 591 lbs (VFR1200F)
613 lbs (VFR1200F with Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission)

MotoGP – The Championship Battle

Jorge Lorenzo’s wire-to-wire win at Estoril doesn’t put him in the same class as Valentino Rossi, but it does certify him as one of the few riders who can dominate an entire MotoGP weekend. Since Rossi started racing in the top class back in 2000 the only other rider who’s been able to do that on a consistent basis has been Casey Stoner. Speaking of Stoner, contrary to the reports of his demise the Aussie finished second after a two month absence due to a stamina sapping illness, "It is great to be competitive again and to stay that way right to the end of the race. I maybe could have been faster over the opening few laps, but I made a little mistake which caused my foot to slip off the peg. It broke the footrest support and it was moving around in all the right-handers, so my foot was slipping off. As the laps went by I was able to alter the footpeg position a little, but I wasn't able to go any faster. Obviously Jorge was too fast for us today”.

Lorenzo’s win moved him to within eighteen points of Rossi who struggled to finish fourth, "It was a very difficult race for me. I was never able to be fast because I did not have enough grip in the rear and our tire did not work well, but I think it was more a problem of setting. After a few laps I was in great difficulties, and I immediately understood that this was not going to be "our" race.” Pedrosa finished third in the race and he’s third in the championship, but Stoner is only three points behind the Spaniard.

The battle that everyone will be watching is the title fight between the two Yamaha teammates. Rossi struggled at Estoril, and Lorenzo had the perfect weekend at the track where he won his first MotoGP race last year. In the competitive world of MotoGP you’re only as good as your last race, but a look at the last six gives some perspective:

Last six races:

Rossi – 3 wins, 4th, 5th, retirement (99 pts)

Lorenzo – 2 wins, 2 seconds, 2 retirements (90 pts)

Fairly close, but the second retirement hurt Lorenzo. A look back at the last three races of 2008 shows a marked difference between the two riders results:

2008 Results (Phillip Island, Sepang, Valencia):

Rossi – 2nd, 1st, 3rd (61 pts)

Lorenzo – 4th, retirement, 8th (21 pts)

Prior results can be an indicator of future performance, but at this point in the season the two riders are about even. It seems more than likely that Lorenzo will improve on last year’s performance in the final three races. The new factor thrown into the equation is the return of Casey Stoner. Both Rossi and Lorenzo will be fighting for points with Pedrosa and Stoner who will be going for wins since they can’t win the championship. The mountain that Lorenzo will have to climb is Rossi’s eighteen point lead.

Honda Motor Company – Bad News, Good News

The worldwide recession has had a negative effect on most corporations. Even the Honda Motor Company. A leader in any industry it decides to enter HMC has had to cut back in these difficult times. The company recently announced that they will be closing their European car and motorcycle design studios in Germany. This follows the closing of their British factory for the first four months of the year.

On this side of the pond the company shut down their motorcycle plant in Marysville, Ohio where they have been building Gold Wing motorcycles since 1979. The move was announced prior to the global meltdown so it probably had more to do with Honda’s long term plans than the difficult economy. In the future all Gold Wings will be imported from Japan.

On the motorsports side Honda sold their Formula 1 team in March due to the financial crisis. The company had dominated F1 as an engine supplier to McLaren in the late 80’s and early 90’s, but their return to the championship as a team had produced marginal results. The team was sold to Ross Brawn who changed the cars over to Mercedes-Benz power, and at this point in time the team’s two cars sit first and second in the world championship. In motorcycle racing news Honda has decided not to participate in the AMA’s Superbike Championship in 2010. In making the announcement the company said, “the current AMA/DMG racing environment does not align with our company goals”, so the decision to leave the championship has more to do with their disagreements with the sanctioning body than it does with current economic conditions.

While Honda’s automotive sales generate more profits for the company, motorcycle sales play an important role in the company’s bottom line. Former president and CEO Takeo Fukui talked about the fiscal impact of motorcycles, “History shows that motorcycles remain strong in a difficult market environment and have always supported Honda in difficult times. People showed renewed interest in the value of motorcycles which consume less fuel for commuting purposes as well as for their easy-to-own/easy-to-use efficiency.”

The U.S. is an important market for Honda, but for the most part motorcycles in this country are considered luxury items. With a limited amount of growth expected in the U.S. and other countries HMC will be looking to other areas to increase their market share, “Honda will continue to look to the newly emerging countries in regions such as Asia and South America where motorcycles are being used for everyday transportation, long-term and steady market growth is expected despite some external factors such as changes in economic conditions. Worldwide, the company is focused on developing battery technology in order to produce a quality electric motorcycle for consumers”.

That said the company is still clearly focused on creating motorcycles for markets like the U.S. and Europe. A great deal of media coverage has been dedicated to their newest bike the VFR 1200. The bike will have it’s official introduction on Wednesday and preliminary information from Honda can be found a this website.

World Superbike – Magny-Cours Review

A first and a second by Noriyuki Haga and a first and a fourth by Ben Spies at this weekend’s World Superbike round at Magny-Cours have stacked the championship deck of cards in the Japanese rider’s favor. Haga leaves the French circuit with a ten point lead in a title fight that features a final round at Portimao. The task ahead for Spies is clear. Win both races and he wins the title.

Haga looked strong in both races, and nearly took the win from Spies on the final lap of race one, "The whole first race had some good parts and bad ones. We made some small mistakes, costing us a tenth here and a tenth there letting the riders come back and not really taking advantage of the lead. I made a mistake on the last lap and let Nori through, so I had to get on the outside and get back past.” Spies win in race one put him back in the championship lead, but Haga was still happy with his effort, “In race one I really enjoyed myself, it was a fantastic race. I didn't make the best start and then it took a lot of laps before I was able to pass Max. Once I got past him I realized I didn't have many laps left in which to catch Ben. If I'd had just one extra lap, I think I'd have won.”

Race two saw Haga jumping out to an early lead, and Spies unable to match the pace of the top three riders, “Honestly I'm just super disappointed with the second race. We made a rear tire choice which was neither better nor worse, but the front tire we had on in the second race was hard to go at a pace with. I was consistently half a second off what we were doing in practice. I'm honestly surprised we didn't finish in tenth with the way the bike felt.” Haga finished first ahead of Max Biaggi and Jonathan Rea, and was in control from start to finish, “In the second race, we made some small changes to my bike and they worked, giving me more confidence. This victory is truly a great result as we have regained a small advantage.”

With the championship coming down to the wire Haga has had the better results in the last four races at Imola and Magny-Cours:

Haga – first, second, second, first

Spies – fourth, fifth, first, fourth

It would be easy to say the difference between the two riders/teams performance is based on one reason or another, but variables like experience, track knowledge, bike characteristics and pressure are all part of the equation. A veteran of championship pressure Spies is keeping things in perspective, “Even if we had won today we would still go to Portimao having to win both races so it doesn't really change too much.", and for his part Haga knows that the championship is far from over, “Now we go to Portimao where Ben and I will fight for the 2009 title. I can't wait." Should be good.

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results

Championship Standings

MotoGP – Estoril Preview

With Casey Stoner back in the paddock, Ben Spies confirmed for MotoGP in 2010, James Toseland and Chris Vermuelen returning to World Superbike the MotoGP championship battle was on the back page of the sports section leading up to this weekend’s round at Estoril. Jorge Lorenzo quickly dispelled any notion that he had given up on his effort to dethrone teammate Valentino Rossi by being quickest in practice and qualifying. The high flying Mallorcan trails Rossi by thirty points with four races and 100 points remaining.

Lorenzo’s run to the pole was his fifth of the season and .260 of a second quicker than Rossi who will start the race in second. Any doubts about Casey Stoner’s health and resolve were forgotten as the Australian quickly resumed his role as one of the fastest riders in the field qualifying third ahead of Dani Pedrosa. Both riders were less than half a second off Lorenzo’s time so it looks like a return to normalcy with the Big Four fighting for the podium, and the rest of the field contesting the remaining spots. The only question that remains is whether or not Stoner has the stamina to finish an entire race.

The rest of the field was led by Colin Edwards in fifth, just under a second off Lorenzo’s time. The 35 year old Texan has shown that he still has what it takes by consistently beating teammate Toseland who is heading back to World Superbike to make way for Spies on the Tech 3 Yamaha team. Randy DePuniet returned to comeback-rider-of-the-year form with his run to sixth place on the grid. The French rider recently re-signed with his LCR Honda team, and is back on form after breaking his ankle in a training accident. Nicky Hayden qualified ninth, just over a second behind Stoner and ahead of Mika Kallio who just re-signed with Pramac Ducati.

The lastest news on the Ben Spies front is that he’ll be getting a wildcard ride in the season ending MotoGP race at Valencia. The race takes place two weeks after the last WSBK race at Portimao. The wildcard ride should benefit Spies who is entering a series that has cut back on preseason testing and race weekend practice. David Emmett over at motomatters.com is reporting a rumor that Michael Jordan will be sponsoring that ride.

In other MotoGP news the FIM has published the entry list for the new Moto2 series that replaces the 250cc class in 2010. The original announcement of the new class was met with skepticism, but that negative reception has been replaced by overwhelming support. The new class will feature the return of Team Roberts to World Championship racing.

Estoril Qualifying Results – Lorenzo quickest

SPEED Television Coverage – Sunday (10/04):

250cc Race – 5:00pm (EST)

MotoGP Race – 6:00pm (EST)

World Superbike – Magny-Cours Preview

All of the news leading up to this weekend’s round in France has been about riders moving to and from World Superbike. Here’s some of the changes that were announced this past week:

Ben Spies to Tech 3 Yamaha (MotoGP)
James Toseland to Yamaha (WSBK)
Cal Crutchlow to Yamaha (WSBK)
Chris Vermuelen to Kawasaki (WSBK)
Leon Camier (BSB champ) riding Aprilia for last two rounds

Definitely an eventful week, but with that out of the way the riders can get down to the real business at hand which is a championship fight that has Noriyuki Haga leading Ben Spies by three points with a hundred points up for grabs. Haga came away with a first and a second at the last round while Spies struggled to a fourth and a fifth. Haga’s teammate, Michel Fabrizio, could have easily let him win the second race at Imola, but he was clearly the stronger rider. It will be interesting to see if Fabrizio’s tactics change in the last two rounds.

Spies talked to superbikeplanet’s Dean Adams about last weekend’s round at Imola:

Spies said the pre-race premonition he had that Imola is a 'Ducati track' feels like it came true. "It's not an excuse, at all," he said. "I rode, again, as hard as I could. If you look at the past year, you look at how the bikes were - the Aprilias and the Ducatis, the Aprilia's kind of not really a four-cylinder, not really a twin. It's kind of like a GP bike. It's a good package. And the Ducati, any place you go to that's bumpy and has low grip, just the way the Ducati's built, it's going to be better than most of the bikes.”

"That's what it comes down to. Valencia, Kyalami and here, they've definitely got an advantage. We've got advantages at other tracks. Miller, the bike worked good. Qatar it worked good. Phillip Island. Portugal it's going to work really good. And I think Magny-Cours. I haven't been there, but I think, besides the two first-gear corners, I think the bike's going to be strong there. So yeah, like I said, I knew it coming in. I said it. But that didn't stop me from trying to beat them, but we just knew we were going to have to really have all our stuff together to do it. I think we did a good job. We lost the championship lead, but we still got - basically, we got four races to go, so we got plenty. We got 100 points on the table."

So it’s all come down to the last two rounds of the season. Some will say that the pressure is on Spies because he’s leaving the championship for MotoGP and Yamaha wants to win their first WSBK title now. But Spies grew up dealing with the pressure of fighting for titles with Mat Mladin, and won the 2007 AMA Superbike Championship by one point. After nine full seasons in WSBK Haga has finished second or third six times, but he’s never been able to come away with the title. In all likelihood both riders will be feeling the pressure, and with so many strong riders in the field they’ll be fighting more than each other to get the points they need to win the championship. Should be interesting.

Practice Session #1 – Rea quickest (Haga 3rd, Spies 7th)

SPEED Television Coverage on Sunday (10/04):

Race #1 – 3:00pm (EST)

Race #2 – 4:00pm (EST)

To Twitter Or Not To Twitter. . .

Having a Twitter account wasn’t even a thought, let alone a question, but now that I’m doing it I can’t stop. The diversity of people on Twitter these days ranges from Ellen DeGeneres to Mat Mladin. Right. . .him too. I’m following 24 people/feeds at this point with most of them having something to do with motorsports. Some tweets are just short messages about what the person is doing while others are links to articles and pictures. Here are some of the motorcycling related people I'm following:

BenSpies11 – comments and pictures from Ben Spies

MatMladin – the life and times of everyone’s favorite racer

BenBostrom – motorcycle racer, surfer, cyclist, climber, etc

Hayes131 – AMA superbike rider Josh Hayes

ChazDavies – AMA, WSS, 250cc, MotoGP rider Chaz Davies

TobyMoody – thoughts from the MotoGP commentator

OnTheThrottleTV – reports from the world of motorcycle racing

MotoGPMatters - reports from the world of motorcycle racing

AutoMotoPhoto – pictures & comments from a world class photographer

WheelSports – news from the world of automobiles & motorcycles

That's just a sampling of what’s out there. I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll like. Oh yeah, there are models on twitter too.

Spies To MotoGP In 2010

After weeks of speculation Yamaha has made it official. Ben Spies will be moving to MotoGP next year, and James Toseland will be heading back to World Superbike. Spies will be riding alongside fellow American Colin Edwards on the Tech 3 team, and Toseland will be riding on the Yamaha WSBK factory team. The following is taken from Yamaha press releases:

Yamaha Motor Company herewith confirms that Ben Spies will be moving to the MotoGP Championship in 2010 to join the Tech 3 Yamaha Team. The Texan recently signed a two-year deal with Yamaha, which originally planned for him to remain in World Superbike for one more year before moving to MotoGP in 2011, but Spies and Yamaha together have decided to advance the move by one year.

Ben Spies:

“I want to thank Yamaha globally for their faith in me. They have treated me like royalty! Yamaha just recently allowed me to rethink my contract for 2010-2011. I did sign for WSB for 2010 but after Indy I began thinking of the competition and my age versus waiting until 2011. This was not an easy decision, the Yamaha World Superbike Team crew and especially Massimo Meregalli have been fantastic and it’s been great fun to put in a season together. I am hoping that I can give Maio, Laurens Klein Koerkamp and everyone else a championship to remember this year with me. Herve Poncharal at Tech 3 is showing his support by allowing me to come on board with my Crew Chief Tom Houseworth and Gregory Wood, my mechanic, who have both been with me since AMA days. We will have learning curves to overcome next year but I am up for the new goal. I hope to have a good year and my goal is to try and stay in the top 6-8 which, given the talented line up, will be a tall order.”

Yamaha's World Superbike team will feature James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow who replaces Tom Sykes.

James Toseland:

“I’m looking forward to return to World Superbikes. I want to show I’m still the rider that can win world titles. Of course there is some disappointment at losing my opportunity in MotoGP as I believe the challenge was still achievable, but the R1 has proven to be beyond the strongest bikes in Superbike and I know many of the Yamaha World Superbike Team guys, so I’m going to pick up where I left off and give 100% to achieving good results with the team. Within Superbike there were a few options available to me, however the way Yamaha have treated me since I joined them has been outstanding.”