SBK Assen 2009

[Corny]

I will be in Assen on saturday and sunday for this weekend's SBK races..

Assen seems to suit the Ducs well, so I give Haga a good chance. But PLEASE, let it be an exciting race, we've just seen one this year (1st Philip Island race)

Bit of a shame MotoGP is on the same day, so I will not be able to see it

[CaptainRaiden]

I will be in Assen on saturday and sunday for this weekend's SBK races..

Assen seems to suit the Ducs well, so I give Haga a good chance. But PLEASE, let it be an exciting race, we've just seen one this year (1st Philip Island race)

Bit of a shame MotoGP is on the same day, so I will not be able to see it

Make sure to get us some pictures. :D

I would be able to watch SBK on Eurosport (Both races I hope, unless Eurosport has a brain fart), and MotoGP on the internet probably on some stream. AND since I am an F1 fan as well, this Sunday is like a "Racegasm". :p

[Roby44]

Its a big weekend for sure....

Have fun at Assen take lots of pictures for us...

[TheFamousEccles]

Love these type of weekend, where too much motorsport is barely enough! My wife though, she not so wrapped ;)

[Corny]

Too bad I have sold my camera :p

Watching the bikes myself is way better than let the camera look to it ;)

It might be raining on saturday BTW, that will shake up the grid

[Wim_Impreza]

I don't see rain in the weather forecast: http://www.weeronline.com/Nederland/Assen.htm

[Corny]

Nederlandse teletekst gaf aan dat er kans was op buien, zaterdagmiddag ;) Daarom ook 'might'

[Roby44]

Love these type of weekend, where too much motorsport is barely enough! My wife though, she not so wrapped ;)

We have the opposite here in our household, I love the racing, my husband not so much!! :rolleyes:

[neninja]

Hopkins has dislocated his hip in the Superbike session. That will be him out for the weekend I would expect

[tha_jackal]

WSS FP1:

1 26 Lascorz J ESP Kawasaki ZX-6R PIT IN 1'41.650 20
2 35 Crutchlow C GBR Yamaha YZF R6 PIT IN 1'41.869 0.219 23
3 51 Pirro M ITA Yamaha YZF R6 PIT IN 1'42.081 0.431 21
4 50 Laverty E IRL Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'42.164 0.514 26
5 24 McCoy G AUS Triumph Daytona 675 PIT IN 1'42.168 0.518 26
6 13 West A AUS Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'42.427 0.777 22
7 54 Sofuoglu K TUR Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'42.428 0.778 23
8 77 Veneman B NED Suzuki GSX-R600 PIT IN 1'42.490 0.840 24
9 1 Pitt A AUS Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'42.655 1.005 23
10 8 Aitchison M AUS Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'42.659 1.009 25
11 99 Foret F FRA Yamaha YZF R6 PIT IN 1'42.688 1.038 26
12 14 Lagrive M FRA Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'42.738 1.088 26
13 69 Nannelli G ITA Triumph Daytona 675 PIT IN 1'43.021 1.371 23
14 117 Praia M POR Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'43.032 1.382 24
15 127 Harms R DEN Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'43.090 1.440 24
16 105 Vizziello G ITA Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'43.324 1.674 23
17 21 Fujiwara K JPN Kawasaki ZX-6R PIT IN 1'43.390 1.740 18
18 53 Polita A ITA Suzuki GSX-R600 PIT IN 1'43.507 1.857 27
19 55 Roccoli M ITA Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'43.545 1.895 23
20 96 Smrz M CZE Triumph Daytona 675 PIT IN 1'43.766 2.116 20
21 28 Vos A NED Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'44.105 2.455 19
22 30 Günther J GER Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'44.274 2.624 24
23 7 Vostàrek P CZE Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'44.705 3.055 23
24 9 Dell'Omo D ITA Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'44.895 3.245 24
25 83 Holland R AUS Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'45.087 3.437 20
26 94 Van Nieuwenhuizen M NED Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'45.536 3.886 19
27 57 Bos K NED Yamaha YZF R6 PIT IN 1'45.830 4.180 20
28 32 Lai F ITA Honda CBR600RR PIT IN 1'46.008 4.358 18
29 5 Pradita T INA Yamaha YZF R6 PIT IN 1'46.010 4.360 23
30 88 Guerra Y ESP Yamaha YZF R6 PIT IN 1'46.280 4.630 25
31 27 Van Poppel T NED Yamaha YZF R6 PIT IN 1'46.579 4.929 24

[patnicholls]

Very pleasantly surprised by Michele Pirro in Supersport in the last couple of events, he's coming straight into contention for one of the smaller teams after coming up from Superstock last year.

[Rod Richardson]

SUPERBIKE QUALIFYING SESSION 1

1 19 B. Spies Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.747
2 96 J. Smrz Ducati 1098R 1'39.055 0.308
3 71 Y. Kagayama Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'39.128 0.381
4 7 C. Checa Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.141 0.394
5 84 M. Fabrizio Ducati 1098R 1'39.238 0.491
6 55 R. Laconi Ducati 1098R 1'39.246 0.499
7 76 M. Neukirchner Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'39.265 0.518
8 65 J. Rea Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.359 0.612
9 9 R. Kiyonari Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.506 0.759
10 91 L. Haslam Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.585 0.838
11 11 T. Corser BMW S1000 RR 1'39.597 0.850
12 41 N. Haga Ducati 1098R 1'39.621 0.874
13 67 S. Byrne Ducati 1098R 1'39.784 1.037
14 31 K. Muggeridge Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'39.897 1.150
15 66 T. Sykes Yamaha YZF R1 1'39.899 1.152
16 3 M. Biaggi Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.934 1.187
17 56 S. Nakano Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'40.199 1.452
18 111 R. Xaus BMW S1000 RR 1'40.349 1.602
19 33 T. Hill Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.617 1.870
20 25 D. Salom Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.853 2.106
21 24 B. Roberts Ducati 1098R 1'40.944 2.197
22 77 V. Iannuzzo Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.014 2.267
23 99 L. Scassa Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.085 2.338
24 100 M. Tamada Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.165 2.418
25 32 S. Easton Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.355 2.608
26 15 M. Baiocco Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.363 2.616
27 94 D. Checa Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.823 3.076
28 88 R. Resch Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'41.978 3.231

[TheFamousEccles]

Spies is good,new circuit and all. I know its been said before, but I wish they didn't fiddle with the Assen track, it was one ballsy of a track before, now not quite so...

Hey, auto-editing! So I can't even write the word "b-----d" on this site?

[Roby44]

Hopkins has dislocated his hip in the Superbike session. That will be him out for the weekend I would expect

That is just so sad isn't it **... :rolleyes:





** I am glad that he isn't seriously hurt but he did take my Roby's ride.... :(

[Rod Richardson]

SUPERBIKE QUALIFYING SESSION 2

1 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'38.714
2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'38.735
3 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.747
4 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'38.900
5 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'39.022
6 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.059
7 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'39.074
8 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'39.128
9 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.141
10 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'39.323
11 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.359
12 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.359
13 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'39.539
14 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'39.581
15 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 1'39.782
16 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'39.798
17 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.824
18 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'39.827
19 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.934
20 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.047
21 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R1 1'40.496
22 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.572
23 32 Easton S. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.608
24 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.014
25 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.057
26 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.062
27 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.085
28 88 Resch R. (AUT) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'41.978

[Rod Richardson]

SUPERPOLE


1. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'37.626;

2. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'37.765;

3. Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.072;

4. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'38.202;

5. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'38.215;

6. Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'38.353;

7. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.640;

8. Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.790;

9. Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'38.288;

10. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'38.441;

11. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.510;

12. Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'38.521;

13. Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'38.802;

14. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'38.811;

15.Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.906;

16. Kiyonari R. (JPN)Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.079

[Roby44]

Ben Spies seems to just love Superpole doesn't he!!

Perhaps he might have given Troy a run for his money......Just perhaps.. :)

[Rod Richardson]

Great racing and although we expect Haga and Spies to shine, Haslam's effort was an absolute blinder. That pass by Spies and Haslam's effort to hold him off defies description. Pity that Spies crashed out of race 2.

The 600's race was excellent (as usual) and Laverty, Crutchlow and Lascorz' efforts in particular and their battle to the line were the highlights of a great spectacle.

According to Crashnet.com Pitt suffered the temporary loss of feeling in his left hand in the crash but no broken/fractured bones. Makes it difficult as far as his Championship standing is concerned.

[The Phantom]

Spies v Bayliss would be something else.

Great races, especially WSS.

Spies is really riding on the limit, perhaps he should ease up slightly and ensure he's going to make it to the end of each race...

[Corny]

Race one was very good indeed.. Absolutely amazing racing

Been in the paddock on saturday, great to see it for once. Will post some pics later

[Corny]

Spies' scooter
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/7691/superbikeassen2009004.jpg

What a nice guy Hopper is! Compared with Biaggi, Haga and Spies, I give him a 10/10!! He's a real nice guy in real
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/963/superbikeassen2009044.jpg

An old, well known racer was in the paddock as well
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/2201/superbikeassen2009048.jpg

Number 13's truck :p
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/499/superbikeassen2009054.jpg

[CaptainRaiden]

What an absolute amazing race one! Hats off to Ben Spies. As good as Ben Spies is, I hope he doesn't become crash prone, because only the fourth race of the season and he has already gifted Haga 50 points. This reminds me of Stoner in MotoGP last year regularly crashing in front of Rossi, making it easier for the Italian.

Haga on the other hand is riding absolutely brilliantly! I knew the Ducati was an easy bike to ride, but didn't know it would suit Haga so soon and so well. This doesn't take all the credit away from Bayliss' performance, but proves that he had a very good bike. Fabrizio is making the same bike look inferior, and is about 10 years younger than Haga.

4 races gone, Haga has 180 points, 20 shy of a perfect 200, and is 60 ahead of Spies. The best EVER start to a season for Haga. He looks like a completely different rider on that Xerox Ducati, smooth and fast, although I would love to see the "Nitro" side of him in one of the races.

I don't think Tardozzi misses Bayliss. In fact, he might be wondering why he didn't sign Haga earlier? Bayliss and Haga would have made a wonderful team.

[Corny]

I don't think Tardozzi misses Bayliss. In fact, he might be wondering why he didn't sign Haga earlier? Bayliss and Haga would have made a wonderful team.
A ship can only have one captain, see F1 in 2007 at McLaren :p

[CaptainRaiden]

A ship can only have one captain, see F1 in 2007 at McLaren :p

Yeah, I know, but I'm sure Tardozzi would have managed those two much better than what Ron Dennis managed with Alonso and Hamilton. And there won't be a problem of favoritism either since none of those two is Italian. :p

[CaptainRaiden]

Also, I know Laverty and Crutchlow came first and second in the Supersport race, but what a ride by Lascorz! Poor guy went from first to third in the last couple of corners.

I SO wanted him to win since I am a Kawasaki fan, and he is surely riding the wheels off that bike at the moment.

[leopard]

A ship can only have one captain, see F1 in 2007 at McLaren :p

This year McLaren have one captain, and one seaman ;)

Hey NinjaMaster, been waiting for your well considered thoughts on Assen. I'm still a bit shellshocked about the guys who are turning out to be a real threat to Nori .........objectivity a bit of a problem.

[The Phantom]

Haga on the other hand is riding absolutely brilliantly! I knew the Ducati was an easy bike to ride, but didn't know it would suit Haga so soon and so well.

Haga actually has a lot of experience on Ducatis, he raced 916 in Japan before going to WSB with Yamaha, and spent 2004 aboard a 999 in WSB, winning six races. He also did pretty well on the Aprilia RSV. So he knows his way around twins, I expected him to be this strong in 2009.

I sure didn't expect the performances Ben Spies has been turning in. That Race 1 pass on Haga is one of the all time greats.

[NinjaMaster]

What to say but wow! The lead battle in WSBK race 1 was as good as you could see. The overtake that Spies put on Haslam that took 4 corners to complete was as exciting racing as anything I've ever seen. I must say, I've been most impressed by Leon wwho's been showing the Ten Kate boys the way around. He's been a bigger surprise to me than Spies which is saying something. And I wouldn't worry about Ben becoming a crasher, he won't. He's too good for that.
Nori looks like he's really found that balance between all out aggression and control. In this mood he looks impossible to stop but every rider has a lesser period some time during the year and there's plenty of points left up for grabs. Neukirchner continued his trend of first race pace (which he wasted by crashing) and fading in the second. I don't know if this habit is in Max's head or the Suzuki is a fickle beast that doesn't adapt to changes in conditions.
Was stoked that Smrz finally was able to turn qualifying speed into race pace. It's been a fair while coming and hopefully it'll give him confidence that he is up to it and he can be up there more regularly. Kawasaki had a torrid time of things (more than usual) and really missed Broc Parkes. Get well soon Brocky!

The WSS race was one for the ages. Some really daring and over the top riding with a finale to die for. Lascorz (similar to Smrz) finally found a way to translate qualifying pace into race form (and ya don't reckon I was chuffed :) ) and hopefully team green - and red- have found a good base to see them consistently up there.
Both Crutchlow and Laverty have surprised me this year, similar to Spies I didn't think they'd be this good this early but congrats to em for it. There's a good half a dozen guys could take the title this year, nice to see the end of the Ten Kate Cup. On Ten Kate, I'm really glad Andrew Pitt got away basically unscathed after looking like having a busted wrist. His hopes are still alive.



Hey NinjaMaster, been waiting for your well considered thoughts on Assen. I'm still a bit shellshocked about the guys who are turning out to be a real threat to Nori .........objectivity a bit of a problem.

Cheers Sue, hope my run down was ok. Nori's looking the goods and is the rightful favourite but a small slip up and he can quickly be tracked down. I think he's really going to have to work hard this year, it won't be handed to him but my gut feel is that he'll be a constant at the front whilst his opponents will be a bit up and down. And I couldn't be happier for one of the series greats to finally win a crown, though I would've preferred it have been on a Yam.

Have you got your tickets for Hampton Downs for next year yet? We're seriously working out how to get to Phillip Island WSB and then NZ the next weekend. Be good to catch up with ya.