Ducati Monster Forum

 ;D

Event Schedule Miller

all times local time (MDT or UTC-6)

DUR.   CATEGORY   PROGRAMME

Friday         
10.00-12.00   120'   WSBK/WSS   TECHNICAL/SPORTING CHECKS
08.30-09.15   45'   GT U FREE PRACTICE
09.25-10.10   45'   GT O   FREE PRACTICE
10.20-10.40   20'   GT U   QUALIFYING PRACTICE
10.50-11.10   20'   GT O   QUALIFYING PRACTICE
11.20-12.20   60'   LUNCH/PARADE LAPS   
12.25         FIM TRACK INSPECTION
12.45-13.45   60'   WSBK   FREE PRACTICE
14.00-14.45   45'   W SUPERSPORT   FREE PRACTICE
15.30-16.30   60'   WSBK   QUALIFYING PRACTICE
16.45-17.30   45'   W SUPERSPORT   FREE PRACTICE

Saturday         
08.20-08.40   20'   GT U   QUALIFYING PRACTICE
08.50-09.20   30'   GT O QUALIFYING PRACTICE
09.25         FIM TRACK INSPECTION
09.45-10.30   45'   W SUPERSPORT   FREE PRACTICE
10.45-11.30   45'   WSBK   QUALIFYING PRACTICE
11.30-12.50   90'   LUNCH/PARADES   
12.25-12.50   25'   PIT WALK   PIT WALK
13.00-13.45   45'   W SUPERSPORT   QUALIFYING PRACTICE
14.00-14.45   45'   WSBK   FREE PRACTICE
15.00-15.12   12'   WSBK   SUPERPOLE (1)
15.19-15.31   12'   WSBK   SUPERPOLE (2)
15.38-15.50   12'   WSBK   SUPERPOLE (3)
16.15-16.45   30'   GT U RACE

Sunday         
08.35-08.55   20'   GT O   WARM UP
09.00         FIM TRACK INSPECTION
09.20-09.40   20'   WSBK   WARM UP
09.50-10.10   20'   W SUPERSPORT WARM UP
10.25-11.00   35'   GT O RACE
11.10-11.30   20'   PIT WALK   PIT WALK
12.00      WSBK   RACE 1 (21 LAPS KM. 103.047)
13.25      W SUPERSPORT   RACE (18 LAPS KM. 88.300)
15.30      WSBK   RACE 2 (21 LAPS KM. 103.047)

Ben Spies crashed in race 1 due to a dust devil that blew across the track taking Haga and Fabrizio out with him due to their extremely close proximity racing...Troy Corser running a close forth avoided the collision and took the win...Johnny Rhea and Leon Haslam rounded out the rest of the podium....Max Biaggi DNF'd after making contact with and taking out Ruben Xaus when trying to come under him on the inside of a turn and inadvertantly got Xaus's knee in his wheel...


okay...not that I am routing for carnage...but damnit, I am starting to go through withdrawal already!...is it racetime yet?

T-Storms this weekend? hope it gets pushed out

Sunday, May 31
High: 81 °F RealFeel®: 83 °F
Intervals of clouds and sun with a shower or thunderstorm around in the afternoon

event schedule added to first post.

Pos.   Rider   Team   Bike   Time
1   Yukio Kagayama   Suzuki Alstare   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   1:51.356
2   Troy Corser   BMW Motorrad Motorsport   BMW S1000 RR   1:51.360
3   Carlos Checa   HANNspree Ten Kate Honda   Honda CBR1000RR   1:51.374
4   Ben Spies   Yamaha World Superbike   Yamaha YZF R1   1:51.378
5   Ryuichi Kiyonari   Ten Kate Honda Racing   Honda CBR1000RR   1:51.387
6   Shane Byrne   Team Sterilgarda   Ducati 1098R   1:51.473
7   Luca Scassa   Team Pedercini   Kawasaki ZX 10R   1:51.705
8   Noriyuki Haga   Ducati Xerox Team   Ducati 1098R   1:51.799
9   Michel Fabrizio   Ducati Xerox Team   Ducati 1098R   1:51.836
10   Jamie Hacking   Paul Bird   Kawasaki ZX 10R   1:51.865
11   Jakub Smrz   Guandalini Racing   Ducati 1098R   1:51.953
12   Max Biaggi   Aprilia Racing   Aprilia RSV4   1:52.989
13   Jonathan Rea   HANNspree Ten Kate Honda   Honda CBR1000RR   1:52.004
14   Broc Parkes   Kawasaki World Superbike R.T.   Kawasaki ZX 10R   1:52.026
15   Karl Muggeridge   Celani Corse   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   1:52.351
16   Gregorio Lavilla   Pro Ride World Superbike   Honda CBR1000RR   1:52.488
17   Fonsi Nieto   Suzuki Alstare   GSX-R1000   1:52.562
18   Leon Haslam   Stiggy Racing Honda   Honda CBR1000RR   1:52.609
19   Jake Zemke   Stiggy Racing Honda   Honda CBR1000RR   1:52.624
20   Ruben Xaus   BMW Motorrad Motorsport   BMW S1000 RR   1:52.763

Top 5 within three hundredths of a second?   :o

Hacking in the top 10!!!

I think the top 15 all within 1 second is even more  :o

Q1 Results

Pos   #   Rider   Nat   Bike   Best Lap   Gap   Laps
1   3   Biaggi M   ITA   Aprilia RSV4 Factory   1'49.820      25
2   19   Spies B   USA   Yamaha YZF R1   1'49.901   0.081   21
3   7   Checa C   ESP   Honda CBR1000RR   1'50.144   0.324   22
4   96   Smrz J   CZE   Ducati 1098R   1'50.282   0.462   21
5   84   Fabrizio M   ITA   Ducati 1098R   1'50.457   0.637   21
6   2   Hacking J   USA   Kawasaki ZX 10R   1'50.466   0.646   22
7   67   Byrne S   GBR   Ducati 1098R   1'50.512   0.692   21
8   71   Kagayama Y   JPN   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   1'50.556   0.736   17
9   9   Kiyonari R   JPN   Honda CBR1000RR   1'50.701   0.881   20
10   65   Rea J   GBR   Honda CBR1000RR   1'50.740   0.920   22
11   41   Haga N   JPN   Ducati 1098R   1'50.755   0.935   19
12   31   Muggeridge K   AUS   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   1'50.757   0.937   18
13   23   Parkes B   AUS   Kawasaki ZX 10R   1'50.961   1.141   17
14   11   Corser T   AUS   BMW S1000 RR   1'51.002   1.182   19
15   36   Lavilla G   ESP   Ducati 1098R   1'51.046   1.226   16
16   98   Zemke J   USA   Honda CBR1000RR   1'51.072   1.252   21
17   111   Xaus R   ESP   BMW S1000 RR   1'51.216   1.396   20
18   56   Nakano S   JPN   Aprilia RSV4 Factory   1'51.228   1.408   19
19   66   Sykes T   GBR   Yamaha YZF R1   1'51.387   1.567   19
20   91   Haslam L   GBR   Honda CBR1000RR   1'51.389   1.569   21
21   99   Scassa L   ITA   Kawasaki ZX 10R   1'51.430   1.610   18
22   25   Salom D   ESP   Kawasaki ZX 10R   1'51.577   1.757   20
23   57   Lanzi L   ITA   Ducati 1098R   1'51.596   1.776   19
24   33   Hill T   GBR   Honda CBR1000RR   1'51.821   2.001   19
25   10   Nieto F   ESP   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   1'52.037   2.217   23
26   64   Nigon E   FRA   Yamaha YZF R1   1'52.932   3.112   19

Races on Speed TV at 5 and 6pm EST, Sunday.   [thumbsup]

Ah screw it. I'm hopping on a plane to utah.

I'll try to keep the thread updated via blackberry.<grin>

I wish I was there again this year, just too much going on...

Have to say WOOOT for Hacking, amazing to see an AMA guy up there and on a Kawasaki of all things...
Really looking forward to see the races, and to see Spies try and break the record for most consecutive Poles.



The wife hates how excited I am about these things... If it's not motogp she rolls her eyes

make the beast with two backser

Q2

1. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 49.204s
2. Jakub Smrz CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 49.329s
3. Ben Spies USA Yamaha WSB YZF R1 1min 49.773s
4. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 49.820s
5. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 49.845s
6. Carlos Checa ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 50.033s
7. Jonathan Rea GBR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 50.086s
8. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 50.094s
9. Fonsi Nieto ESP Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 50.347s
10. Karl Muggeridge AUS Celani Suzuki GSX-R1000 1min 50.391s
11. Jamie Hacking USA Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R 1min 50.427s
12. Shinya Nakano JPN Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 50.458s
13. Leon Haslam GBR Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 50.505s
14. Shane Byrne GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 1min 50.512s
15. Broc Parkes AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-0R 1min 50.532s
16. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 50.556s
17. Gregorio Lavilla ESP Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 50.598s
18. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Corse Ducati 1098R 1min 50.617s
19. Luca Scassa ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 50.676s
20. David Salom ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 50.773s
21. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 50.793s
22. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha WSB YZF R1 1min 50.807s
23. Jake Zemke USA Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 51.072s
24. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 51.166s
25. Tommy Hill GBR HANNspree Althea Honda CBR1000RR 1min 51.451s
26. Erwan Nigon FRA Yamaha France GMT 94 1min 52.137s

Fabrizio is WAY faster than Spies has gone all weekend.  Ben'll have to bring the heat in Superpole to keep the pole position streak alive.  I think Zemke, Sykes and Corser don't qualify for Superpole.  Damn  :'(

Haga highsided, but apparently escaped with just heavy bruising

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/147641/1/pictures_hagas_monster_accident.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/147641/1/pictures_hagas_monster_accident.html)

(http://pix.crash.net/motorsport/360/PA595256.jpg)

Hacking with the fastest lap in SP1  :o

SP1

1  Jamie Hacking  39  1'49.216
2  Ben Spies  36   1'49.330
3  Jakub Smrz  37   1'49.383
4  Michel Fabrizio  38  1'49.408
5  Carlos Checa  39  1'49.497
6  Noriyuki Haga  37  1'49.549
7  Jonathan Rea  38  1'49.624
8  Ryuichi Kiyonari  38  1'49.718
9  Leon Haslam  39  1'49.721
10  Shinya Nakano  32  1'49.724
11  Shane Byrne  38  1'49.766
12  Fonsi Nieto  43  1'49.885
13  Broc Parkes  34  1'49.994
14  Max Biaggi  45  1'50.020
15  Yukio Kagayama  36  1'50.025
16  Luca Scassa  37  1'50.172

Superpole 2

1 19 Spies B USA Yamaha YZF R1 PIT IN 1'48.319  2
2 84 Fabrizio M ITA Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'48.594 0.275 2
3 9 Kiyonari R JPN Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'48.659 0.340 2
4 96 Smrz J CZE Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'48.870 0.551 3
5 7 Checa C ESP Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'49.118 0.799 2
6 23 Parkes B AUS Kawasaki ZX 10R PIT IN 1'49.326 1.007 2
7 2 Hacking J USA Kawasaki ZX 10R PIT IN 1'49.405 1.086 3
8 67 Byrne S GBR Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'49.510 1.191 5
9 41 Haga N JPN Ducati 1098R  1'49.516 1.197 
10 56 Nakano S JPN Aprilia RSV4 Factory  1'49.528 1.209 
11 65 Rea J GBR Honda CBR1000RR  1'49.541 1.222 
12 91 Haslam L GBR Honda CBR1000RR  1'49.765 1.446 
13 71 Kagayama Y JPN Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9  1'50.114 1.795 
14 10 Nieto F ESP Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9  1'50.488 2.169 
15 99 Scassa L ITA Kawasaki ZX 10R  1'50.987 2.668 
16 3 Biaggi M ITA Aprilia RSV4 Factory  1'51.351 3.032 
17 36 Lavilla G ESP Ducati 1098R     
18 25 Salom D ESP Kawasaki ZX 10R     
19 57 Lanzi L ITA Ducati 1098R     
20 31 Muggeridge K AUS Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9

Haga's out for SP3! 

Spies does it again!

Utah USA Round 29-30-31 May 2009 Superbike
Superpole 3 Session Complete

Pos # Rider Nat Bike Last Lap Best Lap Gap Laps

1 19 Spies B USA Yamaha YZF R1 PIT IN 1'48.344 2
2 7 Checa C ESP Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'48.908 0.564 4
3 9 Kiyonari R JPN Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'49.243 0.899 3
4 84 Fabrizio M ITA Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'49.434 1.090 3
5 96 Smrz J CZE Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'49.658 1.314 2
6 67 Byrne S GBR Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'49.982 1.638 4
7 23 Parkes B AUS Kawasaki ZX 10R PIT IN 1'51.328 2.984 3
8 2 Hacking J USA Kawasaki ZX 10R PIT IN 1'51.438 3.094 2

9 41 Haga N JPN Ducati 1098R
10 56 Nakano S JPN Aprilia RSV4 Factory
11 65 Rea J GBR Honda CBR1000RR
12 91 Haslam L GBR Honda CBR1000RR
13 71 Kagayama Y JPN Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9
14 10 Nieto F ESP Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9
15 99 Scassa L ITA Kawasaki ZX 10R
16 3 Biaggi M ITA Aprilia RSV4 Factory
17 36 Lavilla G ESP Ducati 1098R
18 25 Salom D ESP Kawasaki ZX 10R
19 57 Lanzi L ITA Ducati 1098R
20 31 Muggeridge K AUS Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9

Spies is epic.  7 in a row.  Congrats on the record, Ben.  Now turn it into some points.   [thumbsup]

Hacking must have used his qualifiers to get into SP3.  Not a bad strategy.  However, his 49.2 would have put him in 3rd.   :o

unreal.  i've run out of superlatives. 

hope this shows the paul bird folks that they need hacking...

OK...I'd never seen it before...Superpole is AWESOME!!

We watched it from the grandstands at the end of the main straight. The format is cool in itself, as there is quite a bit of suspense. The weather made it even more exciting as there were thunderstorms moving in, so the track was kinda wet for SP3...maybe a tad for SP2...and the rain was threatening for all 3. Not sure how wet the track was(hardly at all I think), but they had the wet flags out...and it really added some drama to the whole superpole process.  [bow_down] I hated to see it, but Shakey knocking Haga out of SP3 at the last minute was pretty cool.

Can't wait for tomorrow!  ;D ;D

there's a reason i tell people to avoid the results until they can download it from racing-underground.  ;D

Ben Spies: F%^K YEAH!


 ;D

I know it's cliche to complain about the American speed commentators.. but wtf... so annoying during the first race.  Second race seemed better or maybe I was just numb.

Grats to Ben. Hopefully Haga can continue the fight after he's healed up.

...as if Kiyonari is so hard to pronounce.

He also missed on Ten Kate.  I didn't know it was possible but according to them Fabrizio was drafting Spies from 1.5 seconds behind.

It was horrible coverage 

then again, i think it was scott russell who said that jonathan rae and kiyo are on different teams...

hey..... it's still better than GW in the booth

i haven't watched the broadcast yet, which announcer are you referring to?

American commentators will never have the same passion for this sport.  When you watch MOto GP or WSBK it's exciting because the commentators are really into the race and they seem to know a lot more about the teams and riders.  Back to regular broadcasting ;D

Does the rest of the world get to watch with the normal brodcasters?  Or are they stuck with the same thing we are?

well, the british eurosport broadcast used their normal announcers.

you can check the worldsbk site when they post the race videos to see what announcers they used.

given my conversation w/ ben bostrom on sunday, i'm pretty sure they got green and bboz.

on the net it was bboz and i dnot know who the other guy is, but sounds like the normal guy.

yeah, it was greene.


man derb, that bb name was REALLY heavy huh...   [cheeky]

I disagree...you look at Greg when he is doing it for Speed and when he did it for Fox, and you had 2 different broadcasters,because Greg was told how to do things by the producers as apposed to just generally doing his thing...he knows the racers and teams names in proper pronunciation and can convey what is going on a whole lot better in my opinion...

Ka-Chunk!!

Seems like something just got dropped. [laugh]

and it wasn't a steamfitters wrench either

no he doesn't.

i'll give him that his on-track interviews this year have been a lot better.  but he should not commentate races.  he gets too excited and fumblemake the beast with two backss all his words or he just can't get anything out.. there'll be 3 seconds of silence, then he'll scream, "SIDE BY SIDE!  THAT SUIT IS MADE OF LEATHER!".  It's painful.

it's a very hard job to do well, no doubt.  but he does not qualify.

I'm glad Ben took a chunk out of Haga's lead.  One more weekend like that and the championship race gets interesting.  Unfortunately for Ben, Miller is Haga's bad track.  Even more unfortunate, Haga is generally reallllllly strong finishing off the season.  I still don't think Ben can do it absent some big mistakes from Haga.  Both of them will have mistakes for the second half, but they'll should largely even out.

Who is Fabrizio guy and who taught him to ride?  He was donkey balls at the begining of the season and now looks like he almost knows what he's doing.

Hacker.  [thumbsup]  I hope he doesn't get a rep as a hack or overly aggressive.  He doesn't deserve it.  He did, however, appear to do everything in his power to ensure he was the top Kawi, even if that meant killing every other Kawi rider out there.   ;D

Haslam.   :'(

I'm sick of hearing Byrne talk about how he could have done better or that he's disappointed. 

Anyone catch the last lap of the SS race?  Rubbin' in racin'.  I wouldn't have been able to shake Sofoglu's hand after that move.  Thsoe guys' are better sports than I am. 

re the announcers, I watched it on Speed and they (Russel and some other souchebag) absolutely ruined the race.  They didn't give us lap times, barely talked about gaps between riders and failed to explain aggregate timing (which I forgot about).  I couldn't figure out why the screen said Fabrizio was in 3rd or 4th when he was in 6th or something.  I had to go back and re-watch the races just to figure out half of what happened.  make the beast with two backsin' idiots.  I bet I could have done better.  Seriously. 

he knows his job is on the line.  imagine who else wants that bike.  yep, everyone.


at least with the coverage that i saw, it wasn't possible to tell who was passing who between he and scassa.  if jamie was passing he didn't have enough on him and scassa didn't know he was there.  if scassa was passing on the outside, he turned in too early and clipped jamie.

he did pretty much take out parkes.... ;)

but a big HELL YEAH for jamie either way.  he got up to 4th in the first version of race 1!!  on what is generally considered to be a bottom 15 bike.  first time on pirellis, first time on that bike, only 2nd or 3rd time at miller.  that wasn't home field advantage; he was just riding the wheels off that thing.  i hope that ben's continued strong recommendations help get him a wsbk ride.

 
big fat +1


kenan really doesn't like to race like that.  remember him trying to literally punch josh hayes on the front straight in portugal last year?  but he's figured out that in this season he's actually in the british wss series; he's not going to beat laverty and crutchlow if he can't take, and dish out, that kind of riding.  laverty actually said 'fair play to kenan' afterward.  those guys are down with the rugby passes.


i keep saying it's got to be a hard job.  but, agreed: i think several of us could have done a better job than that.

there are 14 races left in the season. the mistakes don't have to be big.


he's always been able to ride.


there seems to be some contention about the race 2 incident. i was on the other side of the track, but people with a better view than i contend that scassa was actually passing hacking and turned in too soon. i'll have to rewatch the race when i get home.

that said, hacking has the best finish for that bike in 44 races (on tires he's never ridden on) and likely would've had a top 4 if it hadn't been for the race 1 redflag.... you can't argue with that result.


i'm more pissed about the points been lost to haga over his crash than i am about him crashing.


i think he found something this weekend... we'll see what happens at misano.


not only that, he said he left the door open because he knew that crutchlow wasn't close enough and that keenan made a pass he could be proud of.

the worldss guys aren't above rubbin' and bar bangin'


i spoke with w/ russell on sunday morning, and the guy is really enjoying the announcing gig. more importantly, he actually works at it. he was running around all morning with a notepad, going to each of the garages and getting information/stories on all the racers and teams for the broadcast.

he was originally supposed to be paired w/ greene for the world feed, but speed evidently pulled him to announce for them at the last minute. jonathan greene supposedly wasn't too happy about that, but was fortunately able to get ben bostrom to work the broadcast with him.

i'm kinda disappointed. i woudl've loved to have seen what he could've done w/ a "real" announcer.

How'd you get to talk to everyone?  IIRC, you know the Bostroms or someone?


I'm excited just thinkin' about it.  If Haga has a weekend where he crashes in Race 1 and can't make it out for Race 2, the championship will be really close.


Something other than a tricycle?  I don't believe it.  ;D  At least his f'n leathers look like they fit him this weekend.  He normally looks like a homeless dude wearing some hand-me-down clothes.


It wasn't a pass that I could see.  It just looked Scassa parked it.  Hacking was a coupla seconds faster a lap and was carrying tons more speed.  He just ran into Scassa's back wheel and did one of those LEO moves where they spin out the rear of your car.  Hacking chalked it up to "I don't know these guys or how they race."  <shrug>  I find it telling that Hacking knows more about the Kawi than the WSBK team.  It says something about those AMA bikes and how developed they are/were.  Can you imagine what Spies and Mladin would do to the WSBK field on a Yosh Suzuki?!?  Speaking of which, I'm pretty bummed Mat wasn't out there this weekend.  That woulda been awesom.


Like I said, a better sport than I am.


I'm not sayin' the guy didn't try.  He just sucked balls.

BTW, anyone see Mladin's tweets--

---

Its "OFFICIAL". The Yamaha is just 2 good! They should add 25lbs b4 the next race. Not possible 4 lowly X-AMA guy to beat the Worlds best.
6:18 PM May 31st from web

---

Hacking trying to kill all the kawi guys in todays races. ran into back of Parkes and then Scassa in race 2 ;-) Scassa big crash.
3:18 PM May 31st from web

---

There seems to be word spreading that I turned down a Suzuki ride. Not true. I was never offered a ride. I wonder why???
8:29 PM May 29th from web

---

Great job for Jamie Hacking today. 6th place on an unfamiliar bike. Long way to go, but he is making good of his chance so far.
8:27 PM May 29th from web 

I just watched it again (I'm at home watching the 'Lil Freak.  Racing during the day.   [thumbsup])  Scassa is on the outside and side by side with Hacking and pulling ahead as they are leaned to the right.  Hacking is on the inside.  I'm not sure if it was part of a pass by Scassa or whether Hacking had been trying to an inside pass.  Scassa gets ahead of Hacking, but not a full bike length.  Hacking just keeps on the throttle.  Scassa turns in more, but Hacking is already on the throttle on the inside and carrying much more speed and moving up on Scassa.  Scassa's rear wheel hadn't cleared Hacking's front wheel (he would have cleared it if Hacking hadn't carried speed for the inside line, which was his).  Hacking's front pushes Scassa's rear sideways and forces a highside. 

I was there for all three days and I had really good access to the Xerox/Ducati team garage and hospitality at Boulder Motorsports where the Ducati team chef was cooking it up all weekend.

I gotta say that I was a bit of a Haga fan before this weekend. Friday morning we saw him at the Hilton in the lobby and his attitude was pretty much stone faced don't bother me. Later on that day in the hospiltality tent he ate his lunch sitting on a cooler behind a curtain, then after during an autograph session he was completely unengaged, wouldn't look at anyone, just stayed looking down autographing posters for a few minutes and left without acknowledging anyone. One person managed to get a picture with him and he wouldn't even smile for the camera. And this was the day before his high side... [laugh]

Fabrizio on the other hand was great. That guy loves what he's doing and loves the fans, taking pics with them, autographs no problem, giving his pucks away, throwing his hat out and chasing umbrella girls lol.

1) for the most part, everybody was pretty approachable at the track.

2) i'm not afraid to walk up and talk to anybody.  ;D

that's for damn sure  =)

watching the Speed coverage of WSS (already watched the eurosport version ;)).  ralph shaheen keeps saying "sofoogloo"

COME ON.

Fabrizio is awesome you can tell he absolutly loves what he is doing and he is very entertaining.  When they called everyone into the pits after Haga's off, he (Fabrizio) was pulling wheelies and playing for the crowd I found him very entertaining.

I was about 100 yards from the corner where Haga highsided and I am very surprised he was able to race.  He hit very hard and it looked to me like he was out cold for a little bit.

i was taking pics of everybody entering and exiting the tooele corner and i had just turned to the guy next to me to say something when haga crashed. i missed the whole damn sequence.  [bang]

Meh! So what??

Maybe he had a headache or a blazing row with his wife? Maybe he was hating his job this weekend? Maybe he was remembering his last trip to Miller?

Either way he's still an incredible racer and by all accounts usually pretty affable off track. It's not like there aren't plenty of other racers who are complete dickheads in and out of leathers. I for one hope like hell he wins this year, of all the guys out there he deserves it. Spies will be in GP's next year what does he care?

assuming he wants to go, which he says he doesn't (yet).

LOL, right!

Famous last words? Although saying that, if they change the rules as anticipated then I would guess there's no way in hell he would start in a satelite team (or his mum would let him for that matter!).

They've already changed that rule.  But he could go to factory Suzuki, since they have no satellite team.

Then again, if Rossi is making noises about coming to wsbk... It may be even more the place to be than it already is

Say what?

Link?

eh.. i'd have to look around.  i forget where it was.

he basically said that he's unhappy with the rule changes and general direction of GP.  that, and since he's won 8 GP titles on all 5 different types of bikes, there's really nothing left to prove there.  with nothing left to prove, he's more interested in being somewhere that's fun.

he contrasted the GP world with the fun atmosphere and high level of competitiveness in wsbk and said that it's not completely out of the question that he'd go there, maybe 2011.

Can't say as I blame him, WSBK seems to be a blast for everyone.
Definitely great racing to watch, so good for us too.  ;D

I agree with him.

I think Dorna is messing it up too.

A guy who doesn't appreciate his blessing of talent nor the fortune of where he is in life is not someone whom I think deserves to be where he is, and certainly not the championship. Being a bit of an ass to those who are actively seeking his autograph, pictures and what not indicates to me that he's not grateful to his position. Great talent and skill yeah, but I'll never be a fan of his.

Spies, on the other hand, maybe not Mr. Personality but at the very least I witnessed him smiling, waving and talking to others. That guy has a very bright future, focused, determined but still personable to those who appreciate him. And Fabrizio can't even speak English and he was fully engaged.

haga is often the most hilarious, engaged dude out there.  who knows what was up his rice burner.

How can you possibly judge and condemn a guy you've never actually met and only observed from afar for 10 or 20 minutes in total?

Media personalities on gossip shows do it all the time...


I agree...notice he hasn't pulled out any clown wigs for his podium appearances at all?...or any of the other goofy stuff he used to do?


I offer a slightly different idea as to maybe what was up his rice cooker...maybe he was annoyed that his son was spending too much time with "The Ben" or something?...just a radically weird idea with no basis for it...just tossing it out there...

Or maybe he just didn't like the way Rotten Randy was looking at him?

 ;)

Rotten is what Rotten does!

        -Forrest Gump..well, sorta.

I can only form an opinion based on my personal experiences, just like everyone else. He ignored everybody. It wasn't like he was being hounded by people at all. It was a fairly relaxed atmosphere and he simply ignored everybody. Every other racer I came across that weekend was the exact opposite of him.

There's a reason why Rossi is so popular and it's not just his 8 championships.

I think Haga was really depressed because Ralph Sheehan kept misprouncing his name and Kiyonari. Speed's coverage was crap - they had either too few cameras or the cameramen were drunk/incompetent.