2009 World Superbike Round 14 - Portimao (Race 2 Spoilers)

[derby]

Just finished watching the dvr'd races.

Great race, excellent win for Ben.......BUT

"thanks yamaha for giving me the "SHIT" I need" ?!?!?

Damn ben, did you really have to just throw some cussing out there on national TV?  Way to rep the 'mericans!  We already look like blumbering idiots to the world....

"...i love winning bets on tv."

i wonder who that bet was with...

(totally sounds like something colin would say  )

[GregP]

I was dying to look at the results yesterday morning but didn't want to spoil the race.  Watched race one. I was psyched that Ben won but bummed that Haga fell off. When Ben started going backwards in race two I had to run in during a commercial and check the WSBK site.  I couldn't take the suspense!  Great season.  Can't wait to see Ben run the last MotoGP race and next season.

[derby]

When Ben started going backwards in race two I had to run in during a commercial and check the WSBK site.  I couldn't take the suspense!  Great season. 

ha! i was watching it live and didn't have that option.

the best i could do was look at live timing and scoring and do the math. he was keeping a pretty consistent ~4s gap to camier in 7th and haga wasn't close enough to take first. i did get (more) nervous when he started dicing w/ biaggi, though.

[Spidey]

How did Haga crash?

It looked like he got all out-of-sorts on braking, but then bike settled down before turn entry.  He crashed after it had settled.  I think what happened was that he didn't slow it down enough on braking and then was off-line a bit.  He tried to hold his normal line and then just tucked the front. 

14 wins (50% of the races)
11 poles (79% of the poles)
rookie WSBK year
new tracks
new bike
buncha mechanicals

--->  Faaaaaaaaaaack, mang.  Impressive.  Just f'n impressive.  

[mitt]

It looked like he got all out-of-sorts on braking, but then bike settled down before turn entry.  He crashed after it had settled.  I think what happened was that he didn't slow it down enough on braking and then was off-line a bit.  He tried to hold his normal line and then just tucked the front. 

14 wins (50% of the races)
11 poles (79% of the poles)
rookie WSBK year
new tracks
new bike
buncha mechanicals

--->  Faaaaaaaaaaack, mang.  Impressive.  Just f'n impressive.  

You forgot one - 12th in all time wins after only 1 season...

mitt

[gm2]

didn't get to watch either race 'til about 10pm last night... although the wife had already watched race 1.  ha!  unexpected.

i was too nervous to do anything but a quick calculation: entering race 2 i thought he had to finish no worse than 5th if haga won; it was really 6th.  shoulda thought harder about it.. race 2 would have been a lot less stressful.  =)

i know that after racing mladin for several years this was really not the pressure cooker for him that it would seem.. but most of the world can't wrap their head around that fact.  still, it's a major understatement to say that what he did this year was unprecedented.  effin' amazing.

who can't wait for Valencia!?   

[gm2]

[derby]

Ben Spies 2009 World Superbike Champion Exclusive Interview

[EvilSteve]

i know that after racing mladin for several years this was really not the pressure cooker for him that it would seem.. but most of the world can't wrap their head around that fact.  still, it's a major understatement to say that what he did this year was unprecedented.  effin' amazing.

Certainly gives me a new appreciation of Mladin's skill, the guy is super fast. Not sure how he'd go learning new bikes & tracks though.

Congratulations to Spies, he really is incredible.

[GregP]

ha! i was watching it live and didn't have that option.

the best i could do was look at live timing and scoring and do the math. he was keeping a pretty consistent ~4s gap to camier in 7th and haga wasn't close enough to take first. i did get (more) nervous when he started dicing w/ biaggi, though.

The Biaggi dicing was rediculous.  I think the comment was made, "lets hope Biaggi doesn't end Ben's season like he started it." 

Biaggi over shot that same turn at least 5 times during the 2nd race among a few others.  I guess he was on the ragged edge.  Very different race then race 1.

[gm2]

max does that a lot.  even on the 'zuk.  but i also think they are having a hard time getting that stupid-fast rsv to turn.

[zooom]

who can't wait for Valencia!?   

don't expect a performance like Bayliss did after winning the title in '06 on the 990 GP6.

[gm2]

don't expect a performance like Bayliss did after winning the title in '06 on the 990 GP6.

ok, captain random.