World Superbike would see sunnier skies off the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and a Misano track almost completely devoid of any sign of prior rain for Race 2. Slicks would now be the order of the day, which probably came as a relief to a few riders who were less than graceful in their bike swapping in Race 1. With the change in conditions came a complete change in the racing order. Continue reading to see how Race 2 went down under the Italian sun.
World Superbike riders at Misano, Italy today were greated to a damp track, courtesy of the on-and-off rain showers that have been plaguing the race course the whole weekend. With the track wet, but the sun out, tire selection would again be key.
Would the track dry out enough to run intermediates? Would some teams dry and run rains? Could there possibly be a chance to run slicks? Who would make the right choice by the start of the race? With WSBK adopting the flag-to-flag rules of MotoGP, riders would have a chance to come into the pits and swap for a new bike as the track conditions changed, making the racing all the more interesting, as many riders in the field had never performed such a swap before. Continue reading to see who got it right.
World Superbike this year has not lacked for worthy moments during racing, but the Superpole event is starting to become a drama in its own right that helps wet our appetites for Sunday’s racing. Every race Saturday, riders gamble on when to make use of their qualifiers, and each round of the Superpole is filled with strategy and intrigue. Misano would be no different.
On July 13th, the Ducs Fly South to New Jersey Motorsports Park to try and settle the age old question of what’s faster around the track? Motorcycles or Cars?
To answer that question, three Ferrari Challenge cars will take to the track, driven by the staff from Universal Autosports. Immediately following that race, a series of professional instructors and racers from Ducati will perform an identical contest piloting the Bologna Bullets. The top bike and top car from each series will then compete head-to-head, to see who should win the crown.
NJMP will be open to the public for the racing, and you can even bring your own bike to the track, and get some track time in yourself. More on that after the jump. Hat tip to Howard.
UPDATE: You can see the new 2010 Honda VFR1200F here.
We’ve got an update on Honda’s hotly-anticipated new V4-powered bike. It has been confirmed by Honda’s Senior Managing Director, Shigeru Takagi, that the new VFR will be seen in its finished form sometime this Fall, and will be in dealer showrooms next Spring.
The VFR1200, as you might have guessed from its name, will be a 1200cc version of the VFR model line. With the added displacement, the new V4 will take on the likes of the Hayabusa and ZX-14R, while Honda phases out the 800cc VFR and CBR1100xx.
According to Gizmag, the Kawasaki 1400GTR is set to get night vision in 2010. A feature we can already see in the auto industry being used by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the night vision will operate as both an obstacle detection aid, and also a vision enhancement while riding at night. This comes as an addition to the variable valve timing, tire pressure sensors, and keyless ignition that already come on the 2009 model that exemplifies 1400GTR as a technology proving ground for Kawasaki, much like how the VFR is for Honda.
Silly season continues here at Asphalt & Rubber. Next up on the rumormill is James Toseland, who is rumored to be looking at a return to World Superbike, possibly with the Alstare Suzuki team.
If that title didn’t illicit a “huh?” from you, then let us be the first to say the MotoGP rumormill has kicked it up a notch now that we’re about a third of the way through the 2009 season. The first rumor up to bat is the talk that Red Bull, the maker of the energy drink with wings, is looking to sponsor a MotoGP team. Early speculation places Red Bull flying into premiere motorcycle racing with the factory Honda team, which is currently Repsol Honda.
That brings us to our next rumor in this double-header, Repsol is rumored to be considering a move to Yamaha next year. Displeased with the performance Honda has given them in bringing a Spanish MotoGP Champion into fruition, the Spanish Oil company is looking for new tune at the Piano making company. More bizzaro after the jump.
Gaining less attention than on Sunday, the 125GP also had some final laps worth remembering. Julian Simon thought he had the GP in the bag as he pumped his fist in the air. As Simon would learn only a few hundred feet after the finish line, he was on lap 21 of 22. Thanks for the tip Steve.
As a part of Europe-wide police crackdown, more than 20 Hells Angels members were arrested in Italy today. Members of the motorcycle gang were picked up in the cities of: Verona, Vicenza, Padova, Treviso, Roma, Milano, Torino, Trieste, Cuneo, La Spezia, Pordenone, Lucca, Pavia, and Massa Carrara, with similar operations taking place in Germany and France.
At the arrests, weapons were seized from the bikers, and charges included robbery and extortion. Although, we have a feeling that list will grow after these detainees have been interviewed by police interrogators.
Italian to the core, the Hells Angels of Italy are headquartered in the picturesque and fair town of Verona, although today Verona may seem less funny to the gang members than William Shakespeare thought it to be. Reportedly, more than 140 Hell’s Angels members have been staked out at the hideout, with full guards at the door. Various weapons have been confiscated and more news is awaited on the results of the European wide arrests.
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