Ducati Monster Forum

Derby's in dallas shopping for a rifle rack or something (Happy Birthday Derby! [yesterday]) and i'm not getting up in the middle of the night to update Spoiler references... so, you know the drill.  this thread will eventually have all sorts of spoilers in it.  be forewarned.

kick-off PR, bs, and schedule

http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/latest-news/1043-imola-opens-gates-to-superbike-public.html (http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/latest-news/1043-imola-opens-gates-to-superbike-public.html)


marco's coming to play!

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/152636/1/simoncelli_targets_wsbk_top_five.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/152636/1/simoncelli_targets_wsbk_top_five.html)



The Real News

http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/152601/1/spies_takes_title_lead_to_ducatis_backyard.html (http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/152601/1/spies_takes_title_lead_to_ducatis_backyard.html)


on speedtv: 2pm and 3pm, PST


GO THE BEN.

Woohoo!!!  I've already got wood.  And it's been more than 4 hours.  Do I need to call a doctor or sumptin'?

Pictures   8)

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Dan, you're a dick.  Take more pictures.   [thumbsup]

Will do, we'll be back at the track on Sat.

<threadjack>

Say hi to the Eye-talians, the crazy Spaniards and the Mexican.  Jay or any of the younger Americans there with you?

</threadjack>

you can't ask a question and then call end-threadjack.  ;)

<threadjack>

why not?

 </threadjack>

 [laugh]

...exactly  ;D

GREAT PICS...lookin forward to more...

and Happy Belated Bday to the Derb-ster!

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Sep/090925a.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Sep/090925a.htm)

1 lap of 1st practise and things stopped due to lack of traction in 1 section....safety concerns raised and being considered....

sykes' 'ready to taste the champagne' will have to wait... broken something or another after going down

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Sep/090925c.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Sep/090925c.htm)

I'm watching live timing right now.  Is it still wet?  Byrne is on top of the order, so I assume so.  What are dry times?

Edit:  scratch that.  Spies is on top with 9 min to go.

Imola 25-26-27 September 2009   Superbike   Free Practice   Session Complete
Pos   #   Rider      Nat   Bike         Last Lap   Best Lap   Gap   Laps
1   84   Fabrizio M   ITA   Ducati 1098R      PIT IN   1'49.895      22
2   7   Checa C      ESP   Honda CBR1000RR      PIT IN   1'50.125   0.230   22
3   19   Spies B      USA   Yamaha YZF R1      PIT IN   1'50.213   0.318   24
4   65   Rea J      GBR   Honda CBR1000RR      PIT IN   1'50.308   0.413   19
5   3   Biaggi M      ITA   Aprilia RSV4 Factory   PIT IN   1'50.515   0.620   21
6   71   Kagayama Y   JPN   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   PIT IN   1'50.516   0.621   21
7   91   Haslam L      GBR   Honda CBR1000RR      PIT IN   1'50.716   0.821   21
8   67   Byrne S      GBR   Ducati 1098R      PIT IN   1'50.801   0.906   23
9   96   Smrz J      CZE   Ducati 1098R      PIT IN   1'50.806   0.911   26
10   11   Corser T      AUS   BMW S1000 RR      PIT IN   1'50.876   0.981   20
11   14   Lagrive M      FRA   Honda CBR1000RR      PIT IN   1'51.003   1.108   20
12   58   Simoncelli M   ITA   Aprilia RSV4 Factory   PIT IN   1'51.090   1.195   22
13   41   Haga N      JPN   Ducati 1098R      PIT IN   1'51.112   1.217   22
14   57   Lanzi L      ITA   Ducati 1098R      PIT IN   1'51.333   1.438   20
15   31   Muggeridge K   AUS   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   PIT IN   1'51.527   1.632   19
16   111   Xaus R      ESP   BMW S1000 RR      PIT IN   1'51.769   1.874   18
17   100   Tamada M   JPN   Kawasaki ZX 10R      PIT IN   1'51.898   2.003   21
18   66   Sykes T      GBR   Yamaha YZF R1      PIT IN   1'51.922   2.027   19
19   23   Parkes B      AUS   Kawasaki ZX 10R      PIT IN   1'51.954   2.059   20
20   10   Nieto F      ESP   Ducati 1098R      PIT IN   1'52.086   2.191   19
21   9   Kiyonari R   JPN   Honda CBR1000RR      PIT IN   1'52.183   2.288   22
22   15   Baiocco M   ITA   Ducati 1098R      PIT IN   1'52.446   2.551   23
23   99   Scassa L      ITA   Kawasaki ZX 10R      PIT IN   1'52.792   2.897   21
24   124   Conforti L      ITA   Ducati 1098R      PIT IN   1'53.389   3.494   17
25   77   Iannuzzo V   ITA   Honda CBR1000RR      PIT IN   1'54.108   4.213   22
26   25   Salom D      ESP   Kawasaki ZX 10R      PIT IN   1'54.258   4.363   22
27   94   Checa D      ESP   Yamaha YZF R1      PIT IN   1'54.428   4.533   25

Damnit Dan...you make my Indy coverage look like crap!

There's no rain here, i think the traction issue was a hard scrubbing of the track after the last car day, no rubber on the track.

they were reporting no rubber on the track and or possible remnants of oil just not completely gotten up in cleansing of the surface or possible oils coming up from the track with additional heat post washing...it is a lil ambiguous....

I think where it is slippery...they need to send a buncha hooligans out there to just do burnouts all over the surface there to lay rubber and burn off oils and it'll be all good!...LOL...J/K.

it is an easy job to do!...LOL...cause it was CRAP!...

So, Sykes is out... where's Mladin when you need him.  [evil]

Whingeing somewhere...

I never thought much of it at the time, but i had to take a piss really bad, and the only spot was T1. I think, i dont know, never been there before.


Well wer're suppose to have a parade lap to the towm of Imola, lead by Troy balyss, but we'll see it it happens. 

Superpole 3

Jonny Rea was once again the first to go fast, taking provisional pole with a lap of 1'48.045. Noriyuki Haga took pole away from Rea at the halfway mark, with a lap of 1'47.885. But Haga's reign would not last long, with just over three minutes to go, Ben Spies edged ahead of Haga with a lap of 1'47.778. Haga, already out of his leathers, had no option but to accept defeat, for the duration of Superpole at least.

But Ben Spies was not to take his 10th Superpole of the season. On his final flying lap, after the checkered flag had fallen, Ducati's Michel Fabrizio put in a final blistering lap of 1'47.735 to take pole, pushing Spies down into 2nd. Jonny Rea almost took forced Spies even further back, but lost a couple of tenths in the final sector, and had to settle for 3rd, ahead of Noriyuki Haga.

Results:

Pos   No.   Rider   Bike   Time   Diff
1   84   M. Fabrizio   Ducati 1098R   1'47.735   
2   19   B. Spies   Yamaha YZF R1   1'47.778   0.043
3   65   J. Rea   Honda CBR1000RR   1'47.834   0.099
4   41   N. Haga   Ducati 1098R   1'47.885   0.150
5   96   J. Smrz   Ducati 1098R   1'48.156   0.421
6   3   M. Biaggi   Aprilia RSV4 Factory   1'48.665   0.930
7   67   S. Byrne   Ducati 1098R   1'49.092   1.357
8   58   M. Simoncelli   Aprilia RSV4 Factory   1'49.338   1.603
9   11   T. Corser   BMW S1000 RR   1'48.971   0.892
10   91   L. Haslam   Honda CBR1000RR   1'48.992   0.913
11   57   L. Lanzi   Ducati 1098R   1'49.060   0.981
12   10   F. Nieto   Ducati 1098R   1'49.105   1.026
13   7   C. Checa   Honda CBR1000RR   1'49.168   1.089
14   9   R. Kiyonari   Honda CBR1000RR   1'49.340   1.261
15   14   M. Lagrive   Honda CBR1000RR   1'49.641   1.562
16   66   T. Sykes   Yamaha YZF R1   1'49.681   1.602
17   71   Y. Kagayama   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   1'49.906   1.522
18   23   B. Parkes   Kawasaki ZX 10R   1'50.012   1.628
19   111   R. Xaus   BMW S1000 RR   1'50.152   1.768
20   31   K. Muggeridge   Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9   1'50.414   2.030

http://www.motomatters.com/results/2009/09/26/2009_imola_world_superbike_superpole_res.html (http://www.motomatters.com/results/2009/09/26/2009_imola_world_superbike_superpole_res.html)

I coulda been wrong about Simoncelli.  Looks like he sumptin' for everyone.  New bike, new tires, new team and he's top 8 in Superpole.  That's what we *would* have expected from Hopper when he first moved to WSBK.  WTF, mang?

Ducati better have given Douchebrizio team orders at this point.  If he and Haga are 1-2 in the race, he needs to let Haga past for the points.

...you forgot to mention his significant loss of track time due to the cancelled practice sessions.

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SENNA TRIBUTE
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MANY YEARS OF bAYLISS
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OTT interview with Martin and Greene:

http://www.onthethrottle.com/content/view/365/1/ (http://www.onthethrottle.com/content/view/365/1/)

Great race!

I'll bet Ben comes back in race 2 on fire. He just didn't seem to have the machinery to do it today.

Simoncelli makes some hairball passes, we was doing that all day, and also in practice.

The stands were absoultly nuts with Fabriz and Haga finishing 1 and 2, but they loved Simoncelli. And there were some Max B fans. Great races.

where are we, austrailia?

helluva day for the italians   [thumbsup]

...back to -3.  gonna be a battle to the end.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=142321642571# (http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=142321642571#)(http://)

Ducs showed up in force.  Haga looks like he's back with that quiet, but indominitable form he had at the beginning of the season.  What's up with The Ben in the last coupla races?  He lost a lot of the look of invincibility.  And Rea is starting to look like a f'n lunatic.   Simoncelli was just damn impressive, though a bit nutty as well (remember when he T-boned Bautista(?)).

I can't believe Ducati didn't tell Fabio to let Haga win.  That better not come back to bite them in the ass.  

It's gonna be good from here on out.   [moto]  

I seriously thought he was gonna kill Haga.  Haga must have had some skidmarks after that.

Yeah, Haga is lucky as hell that Rea didn't T-bone him and end his season.

You mean do it AGAIN?

Haga must be getting pretty tired of Rea


Oh and  Nitro Nori is back  ;D

The thread is sure quiet without everyone posting THE BEN

I already hate Rea, but after reading his post race quote I can't help but confirm my feelings that he's a little pregnant dog. I saw a very different story on the screen than what he says:

“At the start of race one, the pace seemed quite slow and as I drew alongside Fabrizio to line him up for a pass he must have hit a curb or something. He sat up suddenly and pushed me wide, and I had to run straight into the gravel. Race two was not so good. I got a bad start and it turned into a bit of a dogfight, with people chopping me off and letting the brakes go again when I’d passed them. I made a few mistakes after that, but something also happened with the brakes, which had a bad vibration and the power was inconsistent.

Translation:

If it wasn't for those damn pesky riders finishing in front of me, I would've won!


I love it how it wasn't his fault. Douche.

I love it how your perspective & a Rea fan's perspective of the same incident would be completely different. You know all racers do this right? ;)

Here's an interview with "THE BEN" after the races about his incidents & the possibility of a GP switch (nothing new): http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38224 (http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38224)

I saw the races and on the replay of the 1st race of that move that led to Rea doin the dirty, it looked like the right turn, before that horshoe where he ditched, he came around Fabrizio on the outside and Fabrizio bumped him and pushed him wide...I didn't see it at 1st....I think he rides that Honda loose and slick and it works for him...but it looks cagey and a lil scary at moments....and this is a result of him having done so....

THE BEN

;D

i've always been a huge nori fan and the guy *deserves* a title... i just still think it isn't going to be this year  ;)

we'll see.  i really hope it comes down to race 2 at portimao.



edit:  http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/152835/1/spies_praises_haga_vows_to_push_on.html (http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/152835/1/spies_praises_haga_vows_to_push_on.html)

reportedly that bike is tiny... at 6' tall marco sure makes it look that way

It'd look even tinier if Marco's legs weren't 4 feet long, he's built like an ostrich.

Beautiful plumage.

is that what they are calling Marco's hair now???

Imagine how 6'2" Camier is gonna look on it for the next two rounds.   And I thought Xaus looked gangly on a bike.  This is gonna be comical. 

Monkey / Clown Bike Racing in Milton Keynes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJyCVcOMZI#normal)

http://www.motomatters.com/opinion/2009/09/30/world_superbike_magny_cours_preview_3_to.html (http://www.motomatters.com/opinion/2009/09/30/world_superbike_magny_cours_preview_3_to.html)

Team Manager Davide Tardozzi was reportedly very unhappy with the young Italian after race 2, despite his win.

 [laugh] [laugh]

Another hard-charging young rider who didn't make many friends at Imola, Ten Kate Honda's Jonny Rea, will also look to run at the front at Magny Cours, either around or through other riders, it doesn't seem to make much difference.

even if he's from Northern Ireland... he is still Irish after all... [drink]  ;D

I woulda been too.  You could see a coupla times where he held back and was doing the right thing.  But apparently, he can only keep the doucheosity in for so long. 

Maybe I have the completely the wrong take on this, but racing is still a team sport.  Team orders are just fine.  That's why we have teams.  When the championship is down to two riders and you're not one of them, you put aside ALL individual glory and do what you can to help.  You don't force anyone off the track or deliberately screw up their line, but you don't take points away from your teammate and you do what you can to protect their ass.  Douchebrizio should be clearing the way for Haga when necessary (i.e. pass someone and then slow the pace down a bit so that Haga has an opportunity to get by the person as well).  The rest of the time, he should be sitting behind him covering up his ass so Spies has to get past him to get to Haga.    If Spies takes off and Haga does't go with him, it's up to Fabrizio to drag Haga along until they catch up and then let Haga have the points.  If Haga doesn't come along, Fabrizio needs to push Spies to see if he breaks and if he doesn't, back the make the beast with two backs off and give Haga the points. 

They should sit down and talk about this stuff beforehand so Haga knows what's happening.

Being drunk is still no excuse for running of track that much.   [laugh]

i don't disagree with you, at least not entirely.  but a) from team to team, the teams are often not teams at all... just two guys with the same factory and sponsor backing -- and the rest of the year the first guy you want to beat is the guy in the garage with you, b) fabdouchio is italian, on a ducati, in a race at Imola, and c) he mathematically still had/has a chance at the title.  we all know it's not going to happen, but it's possible.

if it comes down to nori & ben in portimao like i think it will, then yeah, he should be doing everything you just said.   just like pedro did for nicky in valencia, '06...  [cheeky] [laugh]

yeah, well, he's from the wrong side of the coutry.  whaddyawant.  =)

If Haga loses the championship by 5 points or less, Fabrizio deserves a hearty kick in the nuts.