Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel won his second-straight supercross lites main event battling throughout the 15-lap race at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Pourcel had to chase down his teammate Dean Wilson who flew out to the holeshot and led the first two-thirds of the race. Wilson would finish one spot off the podium in fourth. In the supercross class, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Nick Wey came home 10th for his fifth straight top-10 finish. Ryan Villopoto finished 19th after crashing.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Under the Tent

Win Again
Pourcel was part of a very eventful race as the top four riders in the supercross lites class raced together right from the drop of the gate. With Wilson up front, Pourcel battled to get close to the lead and with just three laps remaining he claimed the top spot and earned his second win of the season.

“I had a good start and almost got the holeshot,” said Pourcel. “When I saw it was Dean next to me I let him go because he had a good run. I wanted to work together with him so we could both pull away. It was a crazy race; guys were making moves that made it difficult to ride. Everything worked for me though because I won after everybody crashed trying to pass each other.”

Holeshot
In only his second race, Wilson wowed the crowd with a daring holeshot and then the 18-year-old rookie didn’t look back leading the first eight laps of the main event.

“Tonight was great,” said Wilson. “I got out there with the holeshot. I can’t say enough about my Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki. It has so much power and I got a great start. I rode well the first ten laps, but then I started to get tired and my arms began to pump up. I felt great running up front. “

Hard Luck
Villopoto looked to be in position to contend for the win at Atlanta running second when he went down just before the mechanics area. Villopoto was uninjured after his trip over the bars, but his muffler packed full of dirt, which kept him from starting his bike right away.

“I was going triple-triple through that section and came up on a lapper,” said Villopoto. “I had to change my line and I ended up casing the jump. That sent me over the bars. Worse than that though was the silencer filled with dirt and I couldn’t get the bike restarted. It wouldn’t have been too bad if I could have got going right away. I wasn’t hurt at all.”

Steady Race
Wey continued his streak of top-10 finishes fighting his way up from the back during the race.

“I’m pushing each week to get better,” said Wey. “This week we got another top 10, but it could have been better. I got a decent start, but got stuck on the outside in the first couple of corners. I hit (Davi) Milsaps and almost slid out, so I lost a lot of spots. I’m riding a lot better during the week and I’m hoping I can bring that to the track on Saturday.”

Long Season
For the second time this season, Villopoto faces a 20-point deficit in the points standings. In the four races before Atlanta, Villopoto made up the deficit and he is looking to do the same in the second half of the season.

“There are nine races left in the season,” said Villopoto. “That’s a lot of time to make up the 23 points. I just need to work to put myself back in a good position in the points.”

Differences
Wilson’s first time at the point was different than anything he’s ever experienced. The amateur champion is still looking for his first podium, and is using every lap to gain the experience he needs to get on the box.

“Leading a supercross race is a lot different,” said Wilson. “In my amateur races I would get the lead and pull away. In the pro ranks, there’s somebody behind you the whole time. My Kawasaki KX?250F handled great. Even without berms on the track I was able to turn the bike easily. I wish I could have held on for a podium, but it was a learning experience.”

Flat Track
The layout of the Georgia Dome was different than most of the riders have ever seen at a supercross event. Normally the turns have large berms to help the riders get through the turn faster, but Atlanta was almost all flat corners which put a premium on rider skill.

“The track threw me off because there were no berms,” said Wey. “Every track we practice on has berms, and we showed up this week and there were only three bowl turns. That made it hard to get a flow and difficult to pinpoint where I needed to get better because the track was so different.”

Source: http://www.kawasaki.com/NewsEvents/NewsDetail.aspx?id=916

Bikes, Motorcycles, Scooters & Two Wheelers

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Congratulations to MV Agusta for obtaining 3rd place in this years Masterbike Competition. A little about the new 2010 MV Agusta F4:

When the new F4 was designed, MV engineers had a single objective: to build the best supersport motorcycle in the world. F4 should not only be only the most beauti- ful motorcycle in the world or the fastest, it should also be the most effective motor- cycle on the track, the lightest and the most technologically advanced motorcycle. The result is the new F4, unmistakably MV.

The engine, chassis and the swingarm are brand new. The reengineered design which has resulted in a motorcycle that is 4 cm narrower, has a chassis that offers increased torsional rigidity while at the same time reducing the overall weight by 10 kg (22 lbs). The F4 is the absolute reference for the supersport category with its advanced technical solutions and its extraordinary performance.

Source: http://www.mvagusta.net/news/166/mv-agusta-f4-third-place-in-masterbike-competition/

Bikes, Motorcycles, Scooters & Two Wheelers

Greensboro, GA – 8-time AMA National Enduro Champion, Mike Lafferty finished 3rd overall at the second round of the AMA National Enduro Series hosted by the Cherokee Enduro Riders Club.

Georgia courses are known for being tight and technical with mostly hard-packed clay sections, and of course, roots. This round was no different. “The course was typical of Georgia,” commented Lafferty. “It was tight woods for miles. The weather was perfect and there were no problems with dust, it was a great day for a race.”

Lafferty’s results stayed consistent throughout the day. He remained within the top three through most checks and finished the race in 3rd place approximately 20 seconds behind the 2nd place finisher, Russell Bobbitt.

Fellow Husaberg rider Nick Fahringer had a solid finish just missing 5th position by 4 seconds. “I struggle a little bit to ride this type of terrain. I had been practicing the past few weeks on softer dirt and it hurt my results today,” stated Fahringer. “Overall, I felt pretty good and my result was decent. I am heading to Florida now to prepare for the next round and hope to improve my result at the Alligator.”

Source:http://www.husaberg.com/Lafferty-Podiums-at-Cherokee-National-Enduro-.23.0.html?nodeID=749&cHash=8484cfd2da

Bikes, Motorcycles, Scooters & Two Wheelers

Cloudy sky and dry track today in Phillip Island for the first World Superbike races of the season. The Althea racing team and riders worked on the last minute adjustments of their Ducati 1198 bikes during the morning warm up, in order to be ready for the two 22-laps Superbike races. Due to yesterday Superpole upshots, today Carlos Checa lined up from the first row and Shakey Byrne from the fifth. In race one not a good start for Checa. The Spanish riders did not take advantage from his start from the first row of the grid. In the first few laps Checa was sixth and teammate Shakey, after quite a quick start, was seventeenth. Near to the middle of the race Checa was battling for fourth in a group of six riders while Byrne made up several places up to fourteenth. Checa ended the first race in seventh place and Byrne obtained the fourteenth position. Also in race two Carlos did not start quickly from the first row, ending the first lap in eighth place. Fifteenth place for Byrne in the first few laps. As the race proceed Checa was able to recover some position and near to the middle of the race he reached the first group of riders in fifth place. Also Byrne recovered quickly and in a few laps he was up tenth position, but caught up in the third group of riders, he was unable to make much progress and concluded in twelfth place. With few laps to go Checa moved up to fourth position and with some incredible overtaking he worked his way up through the field to pass Guintoli, Fabrizio and Haslam to take the lead on the very last lap, snatching an extraordinary first victory for the Althea racing team.

Race one : 1) Haslam (Suzuki) – 2) Fabrizio (Ducati) – 3) Haga (Ducati) – 4) Rea (Honda) – 5) Biaggi (Aprilia) - 6) Guintoli (Suzuki) – 7) Checa (Ducati) …….. 14) Byrne (Ducati)

Race two : 1) Checa (Ducati) – 2) Haslam (Suzuki) – 3) Fabrizio (Ducati) – 4) Guintoli (Suzuki) – 5) Haga (Ducati) - 6) Rea (Honda) – 7) Corser (BMW) …….. 12) Byrne (Ducati)

Carlos Checa :”The second race was perfect. In race one we chose a tyre that was perhaps too hard for the conditions and I found it hard to brake. In race two we selected a better tyre and I could brake much more strongly, I also had a very good pace and was able to pass riders fairly easily. My style of riding actually seemed to mean that tyre wear was less of a problem for me than for some other riders. By the last lap I was up in second and I could finally get pass Haslam. I wanted to pass him earlier but it was impossible and he didn’t leave me space to pass until the very end. I am of course extremely happy with the result, it is my first race with the Althea team and on the Ducati 1198 and we have a good package with which to fight this season. My thanks go to the entire team for their hard work and dedication.”

Shane Byrne :” The first race I made it was very difficult for myself, I knew I had to make as many passes as possible to get near the front. I pushed to pass Guintoli and Sykes and couldn’t make it, so had to go straight. A small problem with the rear brake and it was hard to turn, but anyway I recovered and had good rhythm so I was happy with it, though not so happy with the result. The first thing to say about race two is congratulations to Carlos and to the whole team for the win. Genesio and the team have put together a very competitive machine. There are too many fast riders to be able to start from 18th and expect a good finish, but I got up as far as about tenth place which wasn’t so bad, having been caught up in battles with several riders. Today we have seen that there are many riders that can fight for race wins, the level of riding is very good. We go home and concentrate on preparations for Portimao.”

Genesio Bevilacqua – General manager :”What can I say? An incredible day. It’s the first round of the season and as a team we were well prepared but we didn’t expect a Carlos Checa in such amazing form today. It’s difficult to win a race at this level and we are extremely satisfied. We worked very hard over recent months to be ready for this weekend, during testing, and so this is an amazing result. Shakey was unfortunately not in perfect shape after the earlier crash but he made good pace in race two and we look forward to Portimao where we know he can be strong. Particular thanks goes to Ducati as it is due to their support that we are here today and celebrating this success. Thanks also to the whole team as their hard work over recent months had led to this incredible result today.”

Source:http://www.ducatipress.com/index.php?id=180&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=6752&tx_ttnews[backPid]=174&cHash=64a00e32cc

Bikes, Motorcycles, Scooters & Two Wheelers

The crowds at Phillip Island were today treated to two spectacular Superbike races, the first of which resulted in the closest ever finish in Superbike history, with Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) crossing the line just 0.004 of a second behind Leon Haslam on the Suzuki. Less than a second behind Michel, in third place, was his team-mate Noriyuki Haga. Race 2 was also extremely hard fought and some very close racing which made for great viewing saw Michel battle his way to a third place finish with Nori just behind him in fifth.
This morning’s warm-up passed without incident for Michel, who registered the fourth fastest lap time but unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for his team-mate Noriyuki, victim of a 250 km/hour crash on entering in the first corner after being knocked from his 1198 by Xaus. The doctors of the circuit’s medical centre declared him fit to ride, although the Japanese rider had suffered some bruising to his back, as well as a severe blow to the right forearm which swelled to such an extent as to require an pain-relief injection before the race.

Despite the difficulties in warm-up, race 1 began very well for both Ducati Xerox riders, Michel holding second position and Noriyuki, fast as lightning in his start, making up several position, to rocket from tenth to third position through the first corners. Right from the second lap the gap between the leaders, Haslam, Fabrizio and Haga, and the chasing pack, led by Jonathan Rea, began to increase and by mid-race the top three had built a five second advantage over fourth placed Rea. In the final four laps Michel tried to find a way past the young Briton but it was not to be and a final charge to the finish line led to a photofinish, with the result being declared the closest ever finish in a Superbike race. Michel crossed the line a mere four thousandths of a second after Haslam, with Haga following less than a second behind to snatch the third spot on the podium.

Race 2 began in exactly the same way as the first, with Haslam, Fabrizio and Haga again off the line quickest to take an immediate lead. Haslam’s team-mate Sylvain Guintoli soon joined the fray, as did Carlos Checa mid-race, and a five-way battle for supremacy ensued. Nori, still suffering after the earlier crash, could not keep pace with the other four but held fifth position, taking home important points in the process. Checa, on board Althea Racing’s Ducati 1198, waited until the last lap before passing both Fabrizio and Haslam to take the lead, leaving the Italian and the Briton to battle it out for second.

A very strong start for the Ducati Xerox Team as far as the championship standings are concerned, Michel in second position with 36 points, Nori fourth with 27 and their combined performances today putting Ducati in joint first place with Suzuki in the manufacturers classification.

Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 – 2nd , Race 2 -3rd)
“I had a great battle with Leon in Race 1. In the last four laps I tried to understand where I could attempt to get past him but it wasn’t easy so I pushed on right to the finish line and, to tell the truth, I thought I’d done enough! Leon and I were right there together as we crossed the line, and on the big screen I could see my wife celebrating in the box - but the result was decided by the photofinish and I had to settle for 20 points this time. The great thing about the Superbike championship however is that there are two races…. My team did not make any changes to the bike before the second race and I was again able to make a good start but it was a very difficult race. I stayed there with the leading pack but I realized it would be very hard to win, and in the last four laps it became more difficult to fight. I am very happy with today’s results, which put me in second place on the leaderboard after round 1. It will be a very long and challenging season but we’ve made a good start today.”

Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 – 3rd , Race 2 -)
“My result in Race 1 was really good as far as I’m concerned as I had had a crash during the warm-up and suffered from a bit of arm-pump during the race. I was confident that I could make a good start from 10th position and I did so and then I tried to keep up with Michel and Leon but my arm led me to make a few small mistakes. Anyway I really enjoyed the race and the points I made in the race are definitely a good start for the championship. In the second race my arm played up more and it became harder to brake, I felt very tired physically. But all in all, with regard to the classification and bearing in mind this morning’s accident, it didn’t go too badly; I finished third and fifth and we take home some good points.”

RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Haslam (Suzuki); 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox); 3. Haga (Ducati Xerox) Race 2 - 1. Checa (Ducati); 2. Haslam (Suzuki); 3. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox)

CLASSIFICATION: Riders – 1. Haslam (Suzuki) 45; 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 36; 3. Checa (Ducati) 34; 4. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 27; 5. Guintoli (Suzuki) 23; 6. Rea (Honda) 23; 7. Biaggi (Aprilia) 19….
Manufacturers – Ducati 45; Suzuki 45; Honda 23; Aprilia 19; BMW 16; Yamaha 7; Kawasaki 3

Source:http://www.ducatipress.com/index.php?id=178&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=6749&tx_ttnews[backPid]=173&cHash=27330ccef4

Bikes, Motorcycles, Scooters & Two Wheelers

The World Superbike Championship officially got underway at Phillip Island today and, for the Ducati Xerox team and riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio, results of the first qualifying session were very positive, Fabrizio propelling himself to second place on the timesheets and Haga concluding in fifth.

After the very encouraging results of the recent tests held here last weekend, Michel closing fastest and Noriyuki in sixth, the team returned to work today in a motivated and enthusiastic frame of mind.

In the early afternoon the Superbike riders took to the tracks for the first free practice session. Faced with hotter track temperatures (circa 45°C) compared to those of last week’s test, both Noriyuki and Michel continued to work on the set-up of their Ducati 1198 machines. Both riders concentrated on tyre durability, trying to find the best set-up on used tyres. Michel was victim of a crash mid-session caused by an unexpected lack of grip at the front on entry into a corner, the asphalt was extremely slippery due to the heat. Having lost valuable time, the Italian rider exited on his second bike but was unfortunately unable to record a very fast lap, closing the session in 11th. Noriyuki made his fastest lap near the start of the session, closing in seventh place, but confident.

Later on, in the first qualifying session, the two factory riders significantly improved on their times , lapping consistently fast and towards the end of the session, on soft compounds, they both registered times that left them both happy and in the top five. Noteworthy performances also came from Carlos Checa and Shane “Shakey” Byrne (Althea Racing), they too riding the 1198, who finished the session in first and fourth placed respectively.

Michel Fabrizio 1m32.1s
“We tried different tyre solutions this morning and various setting solutions in agreement with my engineer. I had a fall, losing the front, but without causing myself, or my bike, too much damage fortunately. Then in the qualifying session we found a good direction with the tyre solution that may well be the one to choose for the race; the results were quite encouraging. During my fast lap I lost a couple of tenths through the last corner but I’m happy; we’ve worked well and I’m satisfied with the results. We have a good race pace but a lot will depend on Sunday’s weather.”

Noriyuki Haga 1m32.7s
“We’ve tested the different rear tyres that Pirelli make available to us this weekend but we are still undecided as to which will have the best durability in these hot conditions. Tomorrow we’ll try a different solution for the setting but overall I’m happy. The lap times have been consistent but today was very hot and although I felt I could have pushed a little more, I didn’t want to risk it, also because I saw that several riders crashed.”

TIMES: 1. Checa (Ducati) 1.32.1; 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1’32.1, 3. Haslam (Suzuki) 1’32.3; 4. Byrne (Ducati) 1’32.6; 5. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 1’32.7; 6. Biaggi (Aprilia) 1’32.8; 7. Rea (Honda) 1’32.8; 8. Guintoli (Suzuki) 1’32.9…

Source:http://www.ducatipress.com/index.php?id=178&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=6737&tx_ttnews[backPid]=173&cHash=533ab6f9b9

Bikes, Motorcycles, Scooters & Two Wheelers

The crowds at Phillip Island were today treated to two spectacular Superbike races, the first of which resulted in the closest ever finish in Superbike history, with Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) crossing the line just 0.004 of a second behind Leon Haslam on the Suzuki. Less than a second behind Michel, in third place, was his team-mate Noriyuki Haga. Race 2 was also extremely hard fought and some very close racing which made for great viewing saw Michel battle his way to a third place finish with Nori just behind him in fifth.
This morning’s warm-up passed without incident for Michel, who registered the fourth fastest lap time but unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for his team-mate Noriyuki, victim of a 250 km/hour crash on entering in the first corner after being knocked from his 1198 by Xaus. The doctors of the circuit’s medical centre declared him fit to ride, although the Japanese rider had suffered some bruising to his back, as well as a severe blow to the right forearm which swelled to such an extent as to require an pain-relief injection before the race.

Despite the difficulties in warm-up, race 1 began very well for both Ducati Xerox riders, Michel holding second position and Noriyuki, fast as lightning in his start, making up several position, to rocket from tenth to third position through the first corners. Right from the second lap the gap between the leaders, Haslam, Fabrizio and Haga, and the chasing pack, led by Jonathan Rea, began to increase and by mid-race the top three had built a five second advantage over fourth placed Rea. In the final four laps Michel tried to find a way past the young Briton but it was not to be and a final charge to the finish line led to a photofinish, with the result being declared the closest ever finish in a Superbike race. Michel crossed the line a mere four thousandths of a second after Haslam, with Haga following less than a second behind to snatch the third spot on the podium.

Race 2 began in exactly the same way as the first, with Haslam, Fabrizio and Haga again off the line quickest to take an immediate lead. Haslam’s team-mate Sylvain Guintoli soon joined the fray, as did Carlos Checa mid-race, and a five-way battle for supremacy ensued. Nori, still suffering after the earlier crash, could not keep pace with the other four but held fifth position, taking home important points in the process. Checa, on board Althea Racing’s Ducati 1198, waited until the last lap before passing both Fabrizio and Haslam to take the lead, leaving the Italian and the Briton to battle it out for second.

A very strong start for the Ducati Xerox Team as far as the championship standings are concerned, Michel in second position with 36 points, Nori fourth with 27 and their combined performances today putting Ducati in joint first place with Suzuki in the manufacturers classification.

Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 – 2nd , Race 2 -3rd)
“I had a great battle with Leon in Race 1. In the last four laps I tried to understand where I could attempt to get past him but it wasn’t easy so I pushed on right to the finish line and, to tell the truth, I thought I’d done enough! Leon and I were right there together as we crossed the line, and on the big screen I could see my wife celebrating in the box - but the result was decided by the photofinish and I had to settle for 20 points this time. The great thing about the Superbike championship however is that there are two races…. My team did not make any changes to the bike before the second race and I was again able to make a good start but it was a very difficult race. I stayed there with the leading pack but I realized it would be very hard to win, and in the last four laps it became more difficult to fight. I am very happy with today’s results, which put me in second place on the leaderboard after round 1. It will be a very long and challenging season but we’ve made a good start today.”

Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 – 3rd , Race 2 -)
“My result in Race 1 was really good as far as I’m concerned as I had had a crash during the warm-up and suffered from a bit of arm-pump during the race. I was confident that I could make a good start from 10th position and I did so and then I tried to keep up with Michel and Leon but my arm led me to make a few small mistakes. Anyway I really enjoyed the race and the points I made in the race are definitely a good start for the championship. In the second race my arm played up more and it became harder to brake, I felt very tired physically. But all in all, with regard to the classification and bearing in mind this morning’s accident, it didn’t go too badly; I finished third and fifth and we take home some good points.”

RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Haslam (Suzuki); 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox); 3. Haga (Ducati Xerox) Race 2 - 1. Checa (Ducati); 2. Haslam (Suzuki); 3. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox)
CLASSIFICATION: Riders – 1. Haslam (Suzuki) 45; 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 36; 3. Checa (Ducati) 34; 4. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 27; 5. Guintoli (Suzuki) 23; 6. Rea (Honda) 23; 7. Biaggi (Aprilia) 19….
Manufacturers – Ducati 45; Suzuki 45; Honda 23; Aprilia 19; BMW 16; Yamaha 7; Kawasaki 3

Source: http://www.ducatipress.com/index.php?id=178&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=6749&tx_ttnews[backPid]=173&cHash=27330ccef4

Bikes, Motorcycles, Scooters & Two Wheelers

the first Superpole of the 2010 World Superbike season took place this afternoon at a breezy Phillip Island, and Ducati Xerox rider Michel Fabrizio was undoubtedly one of the protagonists, putting in a strong and consistent performance to snatch second place on tomorrow’s grid, and missing out on pole by just a fraction of a second. Team-mate Noriyuki Haga had a more difficult time, qualifying in tenth place for the opening races of the year. Of the first ten bikes on tomorrow’s grid, five are Ducati 1198s, yet another a demonstration of the bike’s competitiveness.

In this morning’s qualifying, and on a much cooler track compared to yesterday, the three fastest riders from yesterday, Checa, Fabrizio and Haslam did not manage to improve on their best times but they nevertheless held on the top three spots on the timesheet, qualifying first to third for the afternoon’s Superpole. Noriyuki, maintaining a similar pace to yesterday, preferred to work with a used tyre than change to a fresh one in the final minutes to record a fast lap, meaning that he qualified for Superpole in fourteenth place. It is interesting to note that the fastest seventeen riders lapped within seven tenths of a second of each other, a sure sign that this year’s championship will be extremely hard fought.

As expected, Superpole was a close battle between the top eight. In the first of the three phases, 14 minutes in length, Nori immediately recorded a time fast enough for him to be able to return to the garage, safe in the knowledge that he had done enough. Michel meanwhile needed a tyre change before his fastest lap propelled him up the timesheets to third place, to easily proceed to phase two along with his team-mate.

In the second mini-Superpole both factory riders went out on qualifiers, Michel making a fast lap and Nori changing tyre mid-session. What seemed to be a clean lap for Haga unfortunately failed to equate to a fast enough lap, due to an apparent lack of rear grip which meant that Haga’s Superpole finished here, with the tenth fastest time of the afternoon, although only two tenths off Michel’s pace in the same session.

Michel, who still had a qualifier left to use in the final phase, pushed to the limit and it seemed that the pole position was within his grasp, but it all came down to a fraction of a second, with Michel ultimately closing in second place, just 0.016 of a second from Haslam on the Suzuki. Lining up in the first eight on tomorrow’s grid are also the Ducati 1198s of Checa (Althea Racing) in fourth and Smrz (Team Pata B&G Racing) in sixth.
Three-time world champion Troy Bayliss is once again special guest at the Phillip Island circuit this weekend and it was he who presented former team-mate Michel Fabrizio with his Superpole trophy today. Troy will continue to work as a Ducati “ambassador” in 2010.

Michel Fabrizio
“Today’s Superpole was very difficult but I am very happy with the final result. I lost out on the pole by just a fraction of a second which is a shame, but it’s not the first time that that has happened and the important thing is that I’m on the front row tomorrow. I was happy with my flying lap, a clean lap, with no-one in front of me. Tomorrow will be an equally difficult challenge, and various riders, me, Haslam, Checa, Biaggi and Nori will surely be in contention. We know we have a good race pace and I’m feeling confident for the races.”

Noriyuki Haga
“In the second phase of the Superpole I went out on a race tyre but even though it felt like a clean lap, the time was not quick enough and unfortunately that put me out of the fight, and I finished tenth. Tomorrow I will of course need to make a fantastic start but I am confident that I am able to do that. I apologise to Ducati for the fact that I’m on the third row but I will, as ever, do my best in the races. Last year I started from 13th and won the race so I know it is possible to achieve a great result regardless of grid position.”

Source: http://www.ducatipress.com/index.php?id=178&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=6745&tx_ttnews[backPid]=173&cHash=57e58a6c41

Bikes, Motorcycles, Scooters & Two Wheelers

The Ducati MotoGP Team completed the second and final day of testing at Sepang, Malaysia, today with both riders extremely satisfied with the performance of their Desmosedici GP10 machines. Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden were both in highly competitive form today, clocking the second and third fastest times of the session respectively.

Like the rest of the riders the pair used the first three hours of the session, from 10am to 1pm, followed by a further two hours from 4pm to 6pm to do the majority of their set-up work. Slightly cooler temperatures at that time of the day compared to the intense early afternoon heat provided the most suitable conditions.

Casey Stoner (Ducati MotoGP Team) 2nd fastest, 2’00.512 (33 laps)
“When we first went out this morning the track conditions were a huge improvement on yesterday thanks to the slightly cooler temperatures, which meant the track was less slippery. That allowed us to get the best out of the bike and we were able to set some fast times. We started out with the same setting we finished with yesterday, which I already liked, and we changed just a couple of things and were able to immediately set a strong pace. It is just a shame that the red flag came out right after we put the new medium tyre on. I missed out on a few laps because of that but it wasn’t a big deal. We are really satisfied with the package we have now and the progress we have made so far. If you ask me I’d say we are starting off from a stronger base than last year so now we’ll just have to wait and see if we can get straight on the pace in Qatar.”

Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP Team) 3rd fastest, 2’00.703 (42 laps)
“I am obviously really happy because the changes we made yesterday afternoon that enabled me to go a couple of tenths faster despite the heat have proved to work even better today with the track in improved condition. After making small steps for the last few test sessions today we have finally taken a big leap forward and I was able to ride fast. The arm wasn’t too bad but it still isn’t as strong as before, which I can feel more than anything in the hard braking, and it was hard work today. Anyway, I am recovering well and now we move on from Sepang feeling really happy.”

Sepang Circuit Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati - 2007) 2’02.108
Best Pole: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha - 2009), 2’00.518

Unofficial lap times - Friday 26th February

1. Rossi (Yamaha) 2:00.271
2. Stoner(Ducati) 2:00.512
3. Hayden (Ducati) 2:00.703
4. Edwards(Yamaha) 2:00.988
5. Spies (Yamaha) 2:01.014
6. Capirossi (Suzuki) 2:01.320
7. Dovizioso (Honda) 2:01.439
8. Pedrosa (Honda) 2:01.478
9. Aoyama (Honda) 2:01.692
10. Bautista (Suzuki) 2:01.732
11. De Puniet (Honda) 2:01.980
12. Melandri (Honda) 2:02.078
13. Barbera (Ducati) 2:02.080
14. Kallio (Ducati) 2:02.082
15. Espargaro (Ducati) 2:02.367
16. Simoncelli (Honda) 2:03.689

Source: http://www.ducatipress.com/index.php?id=175&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=6742&tx_ttnews[backPid]=172&cHash=b08b6500f6

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