IOMTT: Day #5 TT Final Qualifying Session Report – Isle of Man

IOMTT Press Release:

After the trials of tribulations of recent evenings, conditions were perfect for the final qualifying session of the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races and it proved to be a rapid night of action on the Mountain Course as Michael Dunlop threw down the gauntlet with a lap of 131.501mph, not only his personal best but also just 1.3s outside the outright lap record.

Gary Johnson set the pace on the opening lap on his Superstock bike and he was the only rider to break the 130mph barrier first time around with a lap of 130.207mph although Guy Martin wasn’t far behind on his Superbike with 129.992mph.

Second time around and Bruce Anstey went quickest at 130.642mph on his Superbike with John McGuinness lapping at 129.790 which saw him end up fourth overall. Dan Kneen slotted into a superb fifth place at 129.107, comfortably his best ever lap of the 37 and ¾-mile course while Michael Rutter placed sixth (128.883) with William Dunlop, Josh Brookes, James Hillier, Ian Hutchinson and Dean Harrison the other riders to lap in excess of 127mph.

However, Dunlop waited until the closing stages to really set the track alight as he ripped round the course at 131.501mph to end the week top of the Superbike leaderboard and surely heading into tomorrow’s Superbike race as favorite. Anstey remained in second overall with Guy Martin the third Superbike rider over 130mph with a lap of 130.102mph.

Cameron Donald had his best night of the week on the Norton with a speed of 123.095 with strong performances also coming from Jimmy Storrar (124.286), James Cowton (123.247) and Michael Sweeney (121.039).

Johnson’s superb 130mph lap saw him top the Superstock class although Harrison was also flying on his Superstock Kawasaki with a speed of 128.662mph, which was his best ever lap of the course. Michael Dunlop went slightly quicker at 129.333 to place third with Hillier in fourth and Rutter putting in a late quick lap to go fifth.

Meanwhile, newcomer Peter Hickman put in three laps in excess of 121mph but his fourth was his best of the week at an excellent 123.329mph. Fellow debutante Martin Jessopp just missed out on his first 120mph lap at 119.918mph with Alan Bonner (117.499), Vick de Cooremeter (116.741), Phil Crowe (116.738), Danny Webb (116.510) and Callum Laidlaw (112.058) all improving on their previous bests.

With most riders opting to get out on their 1000cc machines, there were few quick laps in the Supersport class but Johnson had a busy evening with two laps on the Triumph, the quickest of which, 125.934, was the fastest of the week. William Dunlop (124.475) and Keith Amor (124.356) placed second and third respectively on the night although Michael Dunlop’s lap from Thursday, 124.530, means he ended the week second overall. There was a notable performance from Daley Mathison who moved up to 22nd fastest qualifier from an original start number of 81.

In the F2 Sidecar class Dave Molyneux/Patrick Farrance were fastest on the night at 113.422 closely followed by John Holden/Andy Winkle (113.039), Conrad Harrison/Mike Aylott (112.333) and Tim Reeves/Gregory Cluze (111.651).

Karl Bennett/Lee Cain put in their first ever 110mph lap whilst a stunning lap came from newcomers Alan Founds/Tom Peters with a speed of 107.291mph. Fellow debutantes John and Jake Lowther also recorded their best lap of the week at 101.246mph.

All eyes then switched to the SES TT Zero class as fans were treated to their first look at this year’s Electric bike class.  The eagerly anticipated showdown between Mugen teammates Bruce Anstey and John McGuinness was put on ice when Anstey pulled in at Quarterbridge leaving McGuinness to post a stunning first lap of 20.:13.202 (111.904mph).

Buckeye’s Rob Barber and Italian outfit VercarMoto also completed laps to get their qualifying campaigns underway while Paul Owen (Brunel) Rob Wilson (Sarolea) and Russ Mountford (Arc Ev Engineering) all set off from the grandstand but failed to complete their laps.

Neal Champion (Greeba Castle) and Calum Laidlaw (Governors Bridge) were both reported off in the Superbike session but while Laidlaw was reported OK and later went out again, Champion was taken by airmed to Nobles Hospital.  Sean Anderson was also airlifted to Nobles in the Supersport following an accident at Guthries while Frank Lelias and Paul Knapton were both taken by airmed for further assessment.

For more information: www.iomtt.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

Valentino Rossi’s Special Mugello Helmet Explained

It’s the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, and that means another special AGV helmet from Valentino Rossi. A wonderful tradition from the nine-time World Champion, Rossi’s helmets can however at times be enigmatic, especially to non-Italians.

Thankfully, the folks at AGV have helped us understand Aldo Drudi’s latest work, which we assume will popularly be called the “Di Vale Helmet” hence forth. We decode the receipe, with photos, after the jump.

As if the noodles weren’t enough of a dead giveaway, Rossi’s Mugello helmet for 2014 is a spoof on an Italian pasta brand, which is similar in name to the “Di Vale” brand shown on the GP star’s lid.

Colored like a pasta box, and featuring rigatoni noodles (we’re more penne folks ourselves, but rigatoni is a solid choice as well Vale); the helmet is a play on Rossi’ 20th racing season, and as the helmet reminds us, despite Rossi’s old age, the Italian is “never overcooked!”

Other graphics include shafts of wheat (sorry to our gluten-free readers), as well as the Casanova and Savelli corners, Rossi’s favorite right-left combination and overtaking zone at Mugello

Naturally Rossi’s bulldogs Caesar and Cecilia make an appearance, appropriately eating a bowl of pasta, while a recipe reminds us that the cooking time for “Di Vale” pasta is strict 46 minutes.

Lastly: helmet, rider, and pasta are “Made in Tavullia” and are certified authentic Italian products, as if there was any doubt.

A special hat-tip to AGV public relations man CJ for doing the heavy lifting on this piece, while we just took the credit for it and clicked “Publish”.

Source: AGV and Valentino Rossi

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

XR1200: Wisconsin Native Hanson Readies for Home Round

Road America Press Release:

Coming off his first AMA Pro Road Racing career podium, local rider Nick Hansen is geared up to race in front of family and friends at this weekend’s Subway Superbike Doubleheader at Road America in nearby Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Hansen is still reeling from his success in the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series race earlier this year at Daytona International Speedway where he qualified in the No. 7 spot on his #97 Aerostar Global-Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson XR1200. After an exciting duel with some of the series top riders, Hansen finished the race in the No. 3 spot to take his best finish in AMA Pro Road Racing to date.

During the downtime between Daytona and Road America, Hansen has been juggling his full-time college courses at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where he’s majoring in Marketing, as well as working part time at a local Holiday Inn Express, and fitting in as much track time and training as possible.

“I can’t wait to get to Road America and hopefully continue to run up front. It’s my home track, I’m comfortable there and I want to put on a good show for my team, friends and family that have all been working hard to support my efforts,” said Hansen. “I’m third in points going into the second round of the season, I’m in a good place and can’t wait to get back on the bike!”

Hansen will get plenty of track time this weekend at Road America by competing in the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series event on the Global-Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson XR1200 as well as riding the #97 H&S Distributors-Suburban Speed Buell 1125R in the double-header AMA Pro SuperSport races.

During this weekend’s family affair, Nick will also be supporting his older brother, Cristopher Hansen, in his efforts during the AMA Supermoto event on Saturday at Road America. The Hansen brothers owe much of their motorcycle racing careers to their family. Their grandparents, Wayne and Joan Houpt own and operate Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson in Thiensville, WI and give tremendous support to their racing efforts. And on this weekend especially, they are both excited to be representing their home state of Wisconsin and making their family proud.

For more information: www.roadamerica.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

Marco Simoncelli Named a “MotoGP Legend” at Mugello

The Italian GP at Mugello kicked off with a special tribute, as Marco Simoncelli was posthumously inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame as a MotoGP Legend.

A popular figure in the MotoGP paddock, Simoncelli tragically lost his life in 2011, during the second lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta officially inducted Marco as a MotoGP Legend at the Italian circuit, with Marco’s father Paolo Simoncelli present.

Marco Simoncelli is the latest rider to receive grand prix motorcycle racing’s honor, since Casey Stoner was inducted to the Hall of Fame last year at Phillip Island.

Only 21 grand prix riders have received this honor, with Kevin Schwantz, Kenny Roberts Sr., and Giacomo Agostini being among them.

In addition to being the 2008 250cc World Champion, Simoncelli’s record includes 15 pole positions, 31 podiums, and 14 victories across the three Grand Prix classes.

Source: MotoGP

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

IOMTT: Lezayre with Richard Mushet

Returning to Lezayre for Thursday evening’s practice, with the promise of better weather than the previous night, there was still the threat of rain in the air when I arrived.

Lezayre is an eye-wateringly fast section of the circuit. It is on the run towards Ramsey, and is the most northernly section of the circuit.

Also known as the Conker Fields or “K” Tree, the riders wrestle with the bike as it rears it’s front end towards the heavens on a left-handed, fifth-gear kink. To give you an idea of the “K” Tree’s challenge, skip to 1:10 on this video to see Dan Kneen in full-flow through there.

Despite the rain holding off, tonight was another challenging session to shoot, as the ever-fading light under the trees made it increasingly difficult to track the riders with the autofocus on both of my camera bodies. Quite an issue when riders are travelling at speeds easily approaching 150 mph!

Photos: © 2014 Richard Mushet / Mushet Photo – All Rights Reserved

Richard Mushet is a British photographer who has been known to cover motorcycle racing in it’s many forms. You can view his site here, and follow his Facebook page for more frequent updates over here: MushetPhoto.

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

AMAMX: Round #2 Motocross Race Preview – Hangtown (Video)

Motocross Media Press Release:

The 2014 season of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, got under way last Saturday with the Red Bull Glen Helen National in San Bernardino, California, where Minnesota natives Ryan Dungey and Jeremy Martin secured season-opening victories. Now, heading into round two of the 12-race championship this weekend in Sacramento, California, Dungey will wear the coveted red number plate background to indicate his points lead in the 450 Class, while Martin will sport the 250 Class version of the leader’s red plate.

2014 Red Bull Glen Helen National Race Highlights:

Taking place at the Prairie City OHV Park, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will embark upon the 46th running of the GoPro Hangtown Motocross Classic this Saturday, May 31, as the fastest professional motocross racers in the world are poised to challenge for their respective titles at one of the oldest stops on the national circuit.

While Red Bull KTM‘s Dungey secured the overall victory at the opening round just last weekend, the Belle Plaine, Minnesota, native has an onslaught of competitors right on his heels. For example, Dungey’s Red Bull KTM teammate and 450 Class rookie Ken Roczen has proven to be a contender early on with a second overall at round one. In fact, Roczen led a majority of the second moto before Dungey, who is a two-time 450 Class Champion, made a last-lap pass for the win. As a former world champion hailing from Apolda, Germany, Roczen will is a young addition to this class worth keeping an eye on.

And don’t count out the Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX veteran Josh Grant, who led Moto 1 from start to finish at Glen Helen. While Grant experienced a big crash in the second moto, the California native made a big statement right out of the gates. He’s also proven in the past that he loves the Hangtown track-he made his professional debut here exactly ten years ago, leading his first-ever race right out of the gate.

Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia was a heavy favorite for a podium finish at the opener; however, a broken chain in Moto 1 left the Monroe, New York, native with a 34th place finish. Barcia bounced back with a fourth in the second moto, and he looks to improve his results at Hangtown. But there was no disappointment from his teammate Trey Canard, who kicked off the season with an overall podium finish. Canard’s moto scores of 7-3 were enough to place the Shawnee, Oklahoma, rider in third place for the day.

Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s newest member, Brett Metcalfe, who is filling in for the injured 450 Class Champion, Ryan Villopoto, had a great showing at the first round with his new team, securing fourth overall. Metcalfe, the reigning Canadian Motocross Champion, has been slated as another contender this season.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart finished just outside the top five at the season opener, where he experienced a minor crash in the first moto. Stewart, a former 450 Class Champion, is expected to be in championship contention this season. TwoTwo Motorsports/Discount Tire Racing’s Chad Reed enters the 2014 season fresh off an injury and the former 450 Class Champion is admittedly easing himself back into competition, where he is expected to be a front-runner upon full recovery.

In the 250 Class, the Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha duo of Jeremy Martin and Cooper Webb put forth an impressive performance at last Saturday’s opener. Martin swept the entire field, grabbing both MotoSport.com holeshots before dominating each moto for the win. Martin will have his hands full with teammate Cooper Webb, who finished as a consistent runner-up last weekend in Southern California. It was the first 1-2 finish for Yamaha in a 250 National since 1998.

In addition to the Yamaha duo above, the 250 Class has a strong field of talent competing for the championship. Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson, who grabbed third place in Moto 1 at Glen Helen, put his KTM in the mix early on but the Edgewood, New Mexico, native experienced mechanical issues in the second moto. Then there’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett, who also claimed a third-place moto finish. Baggett is a former 250 Class Champion and knows what it takes to get the job done through 12 rounds.

In the end, it was Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Red Bull/Honda’s Cole Seely who claimed the final podium position at the opener. Seely made a big statement that he is ready to compete for the 250 Class title this season.

Former 250 Class Champion and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki rider Dean Wilson sustained a knee injury at round one and will not be competing this weekend at Hangtown. Additionally, GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne will be sitting out, due to a thumb injury.

2014 Hangtown Motocross Animated Track Map: Rider’s POV:

The 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to Sacramento, California, this Saturday, May 31, for the GoPro Hangtown Motocross Classic.

Previous Round Results:
Red Bull Glen Helen National
Glen Helen Raceway – San Bernardino, California

450 Class (Moto Finish)

Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (3-1)
Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM (2-2)
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (7-3)
Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Kawasaki (4-5)
Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (1-15)
Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (6-9)
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki (6-6)
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki (8-8)
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (10-7)
Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki (9-10)

450 Class Championship Standings:

Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM 45
Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM 44
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda 34
Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Kawasaki 34
Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha 31
Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM 30
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki 26
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki 25
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki 24
Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki 23

250 Class (Moto Finish)

Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (1-1)
Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha (2-2)
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (4-4)
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrance, Calif., Kawasaki (8-3)
Christophe Pourcel, France, Yamaha (7-5)
Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda (5-9)
Matt Bisceglia, Tualatin, Ore., Honda (11-7)
Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (10-8)
Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda (15-6)
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM (3-31)

250 Class Championship Standings:

Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha 50
Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha 44
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda 36
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrance, Calif., Kawasaki 33
Christophe Pourcel, France, Yamaha 30
Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda 28
Matt Bisceglia, Tualatin, Ore., Honda 24
Marvin Musquin, France, KTM 24
Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda 21
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM 20

For more information: www.mxsportsproracing.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

Video: Watch William Dunlop Chase Down Ian Hutchinson at Triple-Digit Speeds at the IOMTT

A typical practice day spent at the Isle of Man TT starts in the evening, as the roads close just around dinner time (the Isle of Man’s latitude means the sun sets near 10pm). One finds a good vantage point before the roads close though, which also means choosing a spot that will provide their specatating for the next fews hours, as getting around the Mountain Course is nigh impossible once the bikes get going.

Those few hours are spent watching racers scream by at triple-digit speeds, until the sessions end and the roads re-open. Grabbing a quick bite to eat, spectators typical congregate at the bars where they drink, or the home-stays they sleep, and share what they saw on the course with their mate, over drinks and food of course.

As the night comes to an end, the TV stations air their coverage of the day, which pieces together the day’s events, and adds a cohesive narrative to what was before just a single-corner vantage point. Rinse and repeat this for nearly a week, and you have an idea of why the Isle of Man TT is so special, and less of a race and more of an event.

If you’re not there right now, or haven’t been there before, you probably don’t understand what all this really means, but modern technology can get us pretty close…almost as close as William Dunlop was to Ian Hutchinson tonight, as the pair railed across the mountain section that lends its name to the Snaefell Mountain Course.

It is the sights like these, which one witnesses first-hand on the Isle, that make the TT so special. Triple-digit paces on city streets, only feet apart (and sometimes only inches), racing for every second on the clock. Enjoy!

Source: Duke via My Life at Speed

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

MotoGP: Round #6 Movistar Yamaha Race Report – Mugello

Movistar Yamaha Press Release:

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP returns to Italy for Valentino Rossi’s first home race of the year, the Gran Premio d’Italia this Sunday at the Mugello circuit in Tuscany. The race is also a home Grand Prix for the team itself, being based alongside the historic Monza circuit in Gerno di Lesmo.

Rossi prepares to entertain his home fans in good form having been at the sharp end of recent races and taking a well earned second on the podium at the last round in France at Le Mans. The local hero remains the only Grand Prix rider ever to take seven straight wins at his home race, scoring consecutive premier class victories at Mugello from 2002 to 2008. Prior to this he also has a 125cc win in 1997 and a 250cc win in 1999. He will be determined to forget last year’s unfortunate DNF after being taken out on the first lap.

Jorge Lorenzo arrives at one of his favorite circuits determined to continue his five-year unbroken Mugello podium run. The track that has seen him claim the last three consecutive premier class wins and two consecutive second place finishes prior to that.

Valentino Rossi #46:

“I am very happy to go to Mugello. This is a beautiful track and I like it so much. This is one of my favorite weekend’s of the season! For this reason I will try to give my best. There are always 25 points as the other races, but Mugello is a matter of honor. Jorge has won the last three years on the Yamaha, doing fantastic races, and this means that the M1 is very competitive on this track. It will be my three hundredth GP this weekend and for that I am not very happy because it means that I’m old but I’m happy because I am in good shape and I can still be very fast! See you at Mugello!”

Jorge Lorenzo #99:

“Well, first of all I would like to forget what happened at Le Mans. There I couldn’t feel good on the bike and therefore we need to think about the future. I will never give up and continue working really hard to get ready when our moment comes. Now we are going to visit some special tracks for me and I think we can change some things to stay in front. We need to try to fight for our first victory of the season. That would be great for all of us, the team and I. Mugello is a suitable scenario for me where I’ve made some good memories in the past few years. It’s a special track and the layout is fantastic for my style of riding. Hopefully we can find our way in Tuscany!”

Massimo Meregalli:

“I am very confident, Mugello is a circuit that really suits our bike. Jorge has won the last three races there, it’s the second home race for Vale who also has a great Mugello record and it’s the home race for the team as we are based not so far away. We are excited for Friday morning to get started. It looks like the weather may not be great with some rain on Friday and Saturday but race day should be fine! I expect to see a huge crowd and we plan to put on a good show for everybody.”

For more information: www.yamahamotogp.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

IOMTT: Rain Cancels Wednesday Practice After Just One Lap

More rain has gotten in the way of the Isle of Man TT’s practice sessions, as Wednesday evening’s events came to a halt after only one lap around the Mountain Course. With rain hitting a few spots of the course, and an incident at the top of Barregarrow, Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson had no choice to but to call the night’s events to an end as the rain increased.

The incident at Barregarrow involved newcomer Laurent Hoffmann, who was airlifted to Nobles Hospital, and is reported to have leg injuries as a result of the crash. By the time that crash had been cleared, Mother Nature turned up the waterworks, and that was the end of things.

While most riders had begun their second lap, it was Michael Dunlop who was quickest during the shortened session, posting a 128.690 mph lap, just shy of his best lap yesterday. Guy Martin was second fastest for the night, and the only other rider over 128 mph.

Both riders, along with Ian Hutchinson, William Dunlop, Gary Johnson, Michael Rutter, and James Hillier were on their Superbike machines, while Conor Cummins opted for his Superstock, while Bruce Anstey, Keith Amor, and Dan Kneen took out their Supersport bikes.

Practice and qualifying sessions will resume tomorrow, though rain is again scheduled for the Isle of Man, so we will see what happens when the green flag is readied.

Source: IOMTT; Photo: © 2014 Richard Mushet / Mushet Photo – All Rights Reserved

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

Ducati Monster 821 – A Midsummer Dream from Bologna

Once we saw the unveiling of the Ducati Monster 1200 at EICMA last year, we knew it was only a matter of time before Bologna wedged its new 821cc liquid-cooled motor into a mid-size Monster machine.

That feeling was fueled further by spy photos the 821cc Monster making their way onto the internet, and now we have confirmation of the mid-sized Monster, as Borgo Panigale has officially launched its Ducati Monster 821.

Borrowing the 821cc Testastretta 11° engine (112hp and 65.9 lbs•ft) found on the newly revised Ducati Hypermotard, and its cousin the Ducati Hyperstrada, the Monster 821 continues Ducati’s trend to repurpose powerplants for multiple product families.

The Ducati Monster 821 also continues Bologna’s new trend of building its lower-spec midrange motorcycles with double-sided swingarms, to help further stratify and differentiate its models.

Tipping the scales at 395.7 lbs (dry), the Monster 821 is just over 5 lbs lighter than its 1200cc sibling, despite the 18hp difference between the two.

That doesn’t mean that value doesn’t come with what will likely be Ducati’s best selling model this year, as the Ducati Monster 821 comes with an eight-way adjustable traction control system, three-level anti-locking brakes system, and a three-level RbW riding mode system.

Ducati says to expect the Monster 821 to be at dealerships by July 2014 (available in Red or White), with a “Dark” option available as well (shown below). No word yet on US pricing, but we hope to have that information shortly.

For tiered-licensing countries, the Ducati Monster 821 has been specially restricted to 25kW (33hp) for Switzerland, and 35kW (4hp) for other participating countries.

Source: Ducati

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com