WSBK: Fast By France

Check out this interview with Kawasaki World Superbike rider, Loris Baz.  It is a press release obtained by www.speedtv.com. 

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/wsbk-fast-by-france/

SPEEDWAY: World Speedway Invitational Returns to U.S. Soil

This is a story on World Speedway motorcycle racing returning to the U.S.  Haven't really followed this series.  But, it is noteworthy.  Check out the story via the link.

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/speedway-world-speedway-invitational-returns-to-us-soil/

The race took place this weekend, in fact.  Pretty cool.

John Surtees

John Surtees was another legend who had great success on both two wheels and four.  Hard to find any really good footage of Surtees' early days in motorcycle competition.  However, John Surtees did enter a classic motorcycle race in 1980 at the Amaroo Park circuit located in Annangrove, New South Wales.  The track was in used for three decades, opening in 1967 and closing in 1998.  John Surtees is shown as being a great rider, even later in his career, as this video demonstrates.  Check it out, fans.  It's a scrap between John Surtees and Jackie Saunders.  Surtees wins the race.

1990 AMA Superbike & Supersport: Mid Ohio

More delving into the archives of motorcycle racing.  This video is of AMA Superbike and Supersport at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, circa 1990.  The track is actually not far from the home base for the American Motorcyclist Association.  Check this out.

AMA SBK: '13 Grid Finally Taking Shape

This article was published two weeks ago.  But, it does give some insight as to who will be where on the grid in AMA Superbike for the 2013 season.  Check it out.

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/ama-sbk-13-grid-finally-taking-shape/

MOTOGP: Regulation Updates

SPEED.com has a story about regulation updates in MotoGP, Moto 2 and Moto 3.  Some will be effective immediately, while others will be phased in over the next year to three years.  Here is the link to all the details.

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-regulation-updates/

2013 FIM World Superbike race schedule + riders & teams

Here is all the information on the 2013 FIM World Superbike Championship.  The race schedule has been announced and so have the riders and teams.  The schedule has some changes.  Round two will see a first race for WSBK in India at the Buddh circuit.  There is a race that has a venue still to be confirmed.  The U.S. round moves dates and venues.  It will be run in September instead of May and moves from Miller Motorsports Park in Tooelle, Utah, to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.  The last time WSBK ran at Laguna Seca was in 2004 before a hiatus for the series coming to the U.S. for four years.  The race will be run in late September.

Unlike last year, the season will end in Spain instead of France.  There will be 15 races, assuming that the TBA venue is confirmed, and, the contract for running at Portimao in Portugal is finalized.  Here's the calendar:

Round 1: 2/24 Australia          Philip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Round 2: 3/10 India                Buddh International Circuit
Round 3: 4/7 Spain                 Motorland Aragon
Round 4: 4/28 Netherlands     Assen TT circuit
Round 5: 5/12 Italy                Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Round 6: 5/26 Great Britain   Donington Park
Round 7: 6/9 Portugal           Autodromo Internacional do Algarve
Round 8: 6/23 TBA              TBA
Round 9: 6/30 Italy               Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
Round 10: 7/21 Russia         Moscow Raceway
Round 11: 8/4 Great Britain  Silverstone
Round 12: 9/1 Germany       Nurburgring
Round 13: 9/29 United States     Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA
Round 14: 10/6 France               Circuit de Nevers, Magny Cours
Round 15: 10/20 Spain               Circuito de Jerez

Here are the teams, manufacturers and riders on the 2013 roster.  Wildcard riders might fill in during various races of the season, or fill out the field.

Althea Racing     Aprilia RSV4 Factory               Davide Giugliano     ITA

Aprilia Racing Team     Aprilia RSV4 Factory      Sylvain Guintoli       FRA
                                                                           Eugene Laverty      IRL

Red Devils Roma        Aprilia RSV4 Factory       Michele Fabrizio     ITA

BMW Motorrad Italia BMW S1000RR              Chaz Davies           GBR
                                                                           Marco Melandri     ITA

Team Grillini                BMW S1000RR              Vittorio Ianuzzo      ITA

Team Ducati Alstare    Ducati 1199 Paginale        Ayrton Badovini     ITA
                                                                          Carlos Checa         ESP

PATA Honda World
Superbike                   Honda CBR1000RR        Leon Haslam         GBR
                                                                          Johnny Rea            GBR

Kawasaki Racing Team     Kawasaki ZX10R     Loris Baz               FRA
                                                                         Tom Sykes             GBR

FIXI Crescent Suzuki       Suzuki GSX-R1000  Leon Camier          GBR
                                                                         Jules Cluzel            FRA

     

Bike Road Racing Series: Macau motorcycle Grand Prix (season finale)

The Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix is a very different event from a typical Bike Road Racing Series event on the roads of Ireland.  There are riders at Macau that run regularly in the series, and some that have done only a handful of races this year, whose names you may be familiar with.

Macau is similar to Hong Kong.  It is a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China.  Macau's economy is based upon gambling, tourism, and manufacturing.  The racetrack at Macau is known as the Guia circuit.  It is a narrow, bumpy,   Here are the main corners on the race track to serve as reference.

Mandarin Bend
Lisboa
San Francisco Hill
Maternity Bend
Solitude Esses
Reservoir Bend
Moorish Hill
Melco hairpin
Donna Maria
Fisherman's Bend
R Bend

This track does have two things that most street courses don't.  Plenty of elevation changes, and, a long straightaway to bring out a vehicle's top speed.

The top rider in this year's race is Michael Rutter.  He's won the Macau Grand Prix seven times, going for number eight.  He is teamed with John McGuinness who has won the race once, about ten years ago.  Gary Johnson is back in the field.  He hasn't scored a podium or won at Macau.  But, either of those things could happen in this race.  Ditto for Martin Jessopp.  He finished second in last year's Macau motorcycle Grand Prix.

We go first to qualifying highlights.  Here's what went down.

This is a 30 minute qualifying session after the one scheduled the day before was cancelled.  Riders will need to get fast laps done early as daylight is fading.  At this point, Michael Rutter is on provisional pole at 2:28.3.  Rutter is slower in this session, but still at the top of the timesheets at 2:31 and change.  Martin Jessopp and Gary Johnson both might have something to say about that.  The leaders in qualifying are:

1. John McGuinness
2. Michael Rutter
3. Martin Jessopp
4. Gary Johnson
5. Simon Andrews
6. Jimmy Storrar
7. James Hillier
8. Didier Grams

The track is getting quicker.  McGuinness turns in a flying lap at 2:27.763 which is his best of the session so far.  Rutter is only slightly faster.  Martin Jessopp still holds down third.  Horst Saiger (from the FIM World Endurance Championship), will compete at Macau.  Right now, he runs fifth, between Johnson and Andrews.  Half the bikes are on track.  Half in pit lane.  The heat plays a big factor at Macau.  Mark Miller is coming into the pits.

Meanwhile, Saiger is waved through by Davy Morgan.  Simon Andrews wants to pass Horst Saiger.  It's Kawasaki vs. BMW.  So, the battles are on, even in qualifying.  The race has not started yet.  Rutter brings fast time down to 2:27.5.  Conor Cummins is up to fifth overall.  Right now, it's McGuinness and Rutter who are the top.  They are team mates for SMT Honda.  A red flag comes out with ten minutes left, stopping the session.

So, here are the positions after the qualifying session is concluded.

1. #1 Michael Rutter          SMT Racing
2. #2 John McGuinness     SMT Racing
3. #40 Martin Jessopp      Riders Motorcycles.com
4. #5 Gary Johnson          Quattro Plant Motorsports
5. #4 Conor Cummins      Tyco Suzuki

That is the top five.  The race is coming up.  Michael Rutter is the winningest rider at Macau with seven wins, beating the previous record mark set by Ron Haslam.  The two SMT Honda's are on different tires.  McGuinness running Dunlop and Rutter, Pirelli.   There are no wet weather tires that can be used.

The riders are on their warmup lap.  The track might be damp.  Here's the whole grid.

Row 1:     #1 Michael Rutter     GBR
                #2 John McGuinness GBR
                #40 Martin Jessopp   GBR

Row 2:     #5 Gary Johnson       GBR
               #4 Conor Cummins    GBR
              #8 Horst Saiger           AUT

Row 3:   #17 Simon Andrews    GBR
              #15 James Storrar       GBR
              #55 Dan Kneen           Isle of Man

Row 4: #37 James Hillier           GBR
            #26 Didier Grams          GER
            #9 James McBride         GBR

Row 5: #13 Riko Penzkofer       GER
            #12 Steve Mercer          GBR
            #66 Branko Srdanov      NLD

Row 6: #10 Mark Miller             USA
            #20 David Johnson         NZL
            #54 Steve Heneghan       IRL

Row 7: #113 Rafael Pascholian   BRA
            #71 Davy Morgan          GBR
           #74 Y. Matsushita           JPN

Row 8: #47 Brandon Cretu       USA
            #32 Joao Fernandes     MCO
            #18 Sio Hong Sou        MCO

Row 9: #44 Jamie Hamilton      GBR

We are ready to race.

The race is on!  At the start of this 15 lap race, McGuinness and Rutter battle side by side.  Martin Jessopp is down to fourth as this 25 bike field thunders around the Guia circuit.  Conor Cummins is now third.  The bikes turn into Lisboa for the first time.  Jessopp has to stay with the two Honda's of Rutter and McGuinness.  There's dirt on the track from the car races that took place at Macau including the Formula 3 Grand Prix, the GT race, and the touring car race.

McGuinness and Rutter are both going for it.  One rider may have a problem.  The red flag comes out on lap one, stopping the race.  What happened?  Rain is falling on the track.  One rider is out of the race.  The bikes and riders go back to the pits.  According to Michael Rutter, things seem to be worsening with the rain.  So, the race is stopped, and will be restarted, the next day.

What will happen is, the motorcycle GP will follow the final car race (the Formula 3 Grand Prix), and be shortened by five laps, for a total distance of ten laps.  It's now or never for the bike race as the F3 car race had plenty of red flags in it.  At the start, Gary Johnson takes the race lead immediately.  Rutter and McGuinness follow.  Conor Cummins is fourth.  Martin Jessopp is down the field as Rutter passes Johnson.  McGuinness is running well on his Honda.

He follows right behind Johnson, and will pick up speed as the race continues.  McGuinness will have to stick to Rutter like glue.  The bikes round the Melco hairpin.  Martin Jessopp and Simon Andrews are moving forward.  McGuinness has his bike set for power up the hills and not necessarily outright straightaway speed.  Conor Cummins and Martin Jessopp battle through Lisboa.  Up San Francisco Hill, everyone settles down just a bit.

Jessopp wants to pass Cummins.  Horst Saiger has also joined in this battle.  Up the hill to Moorish, there's a hard stop after a 90 degree right hand curve.  Then comes the Donna Maria section of the track.  Johnson has passed McGuinness as Michael Rutter leads.  It's close through the hairpin, going back downhill.  There's passing in the Melco hairpin.  Unlike in the car races at Macau, there are no corner flags for the motorcycles.

McGuinness is looking for a way around Johnson.  The bikes start another lap, heading down the front straight, towards the Mandarin.  Simon Andrews sets fast lap at 2:28.891.  McGuinness closes up and then drops back from Gary Johnson.  Andrews passes Johnson.  He makes the move going through Lisboa.  McGuinness is pushing as the front wheel of his bike rose off the ground on the uphill.  The track is surrounded by walls.  If you wanted to play pinball riding a motorcycle, this is how it's done, folks, on the streets of Macau.

McGuinness wanted to pass Gary Johnson, but had Simon Andrews take him entirely by surprise.  Martin Jessopp has faded slightly.  Everyone thought he'd be in contention for a win here.  Not the case so far.  Simon Andrews is right up on Gary Johnson's rear wheel.  Andrews does it again, getting right around Johnson.  One lap to halfway.  Jessopp takes possession of fast lap at 2:27.249.  He has passed John McGuinness and is going to be on top of Simon Andrews soon.

Jessopp has an extra burst of speed, getting around Simon Andrews.  Michael Rutter holds the lead by two and a half seconds.  Johnson is now second.  He'll need to hold his line, as you cannot make defensive moves around a track this narrow.  Jessopp is setting all the purple (fastest of all) sector times, even though Michael Rutter holds down P1.  Jessopp flies by Johnson on the straight just past Melco hairpin.  Jessopp has flown from sixth to second in one lap!  It's the halfway mark already.  The riders are on lap five of ten.

Andrews continues to hound Johnson while 1-2 it's Rutter followed by Jessopp.  Don't count out Simon Andrews on his BMW either.  Jessopp in sector one, is three tenths quicker than Michael Rutter, the leader.  Jessopp picks up 2/10ths on Rutter now.  1:34.8 for Jessopp, and 1:35 flat for Rutter.  Some riders who might lose energy during a longer race, won't do so, since this race is run at a shortened distance.  Jessopp is almost a second quicker than Rutter.  Rutters lap is 2:29.033, while Jessopp is running a 2:28.043.

McGuinness and Johnson battle until McGuinness goes straight on down an escape road at Lisboa.  McGuinnness outbrakes himself.  Jessopp is still hounding Rutter.  It's just that Rutter has a real comfortable margin.  Well, maybe not so comfortable.  It's actually shrinking.  Rutter goes purple in sector two.  Rutter runs a 1:33.9, and Jessopp, a 1:34.7.  Rutter is very well on his way to an eighth win in the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix.  Rutter runs a personal best time in sector one another time.  His lap is a 2:27.432, while Jessopp still needs a few more hundreths at 2:27.567.

The Ducati has an advantage on the longer, faster sections, compared to the Honda.  Rutter is still up by a second, and Martin Jessopp is running out of time, with just three laps left.  Simon Andrews is third.  Michael Rutter increases his lead margin to 3.5 seconds.  These guys are now racing more like a traditional bike road race.  That is, against the clock, rather than against each other.  Rutter is in traffic, which may give Martin Jessopp and opportunity.

The gap goes up with a lap or so left.  Rutter turns in a 2:28.111, while Jessopp, can only muster 2:28.709.  Is Rutter in the clear?  Will Martin Jessopp have an opportunity to challenge?  Jessopp has a fast bike.  But, Rutter has been running the Macau motorcycle race for a lot longer.  So, he knows the track.  Simon Andrews in third, is out of contention, except for that final place on the podium.  Rutter begins the last lap of the race.

Jessopp is still quickest on the long, wide straightaways.  But, the gap grows.  It's five plus seconds between Michael Rutter and Martin Jessopp now.  Rutter goes through Lisboa one more time, still quicker by a second or so.  Rutter is in cruise mode from here on out.  Michael Rutter goes through Melko hairpin once more, and is headed for victory.  Doing a wheelie on the front straight, Michael Rutter wins Macau Grand Prix number eight!  Will he come back for the 60th anniversary in 2013 and go for a ninth win?  Odds are, the answer would be, yes.

#1 Michael Rutter     SMT Racing Honda

So ends a fabulous season in 2012 of the Bike Road Racing Championship!  2013 beckons, and we'll see what happens then.  So long, for now.

      

WSBK: 'Syked' for 2013

Article on World Superbike standout Tom Sykes who rides for Kawasaki.  He's looking for more in 2013.

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/wsbk-syked-for-2013/

Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy motorcycle race at Goodwood Revival

At the Goodwood Revival race, there are mostly cars competing, save for one race.  It's the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy for bikes from 1951-1954.  Makes include  Matchless, AJS, and  BSA.  Here's the information on the race.

http://www.goodwood.co.uk/revival/the-races/barry-sheene-memorial-trophy.aspx

Duncan Fitchett was the race winner.

Bike Road Racing Series: Scarborough Gold Cup

OK.  Yours truly was mistaken.  There is one more round of the Bike Road Racing Series.  It was thought that the Ulster Grand Prix was the last race of the year.  But no.  This post will highlight the penultimate race, which is the Scarborough Gold Cup.  The setting is North Yorkshire, England, and the town of Scarborough.  The track is known as Oliver's Mount.  This is the 62nd running of the Scarborough Gold Cup, which is officially known as the International Steve Henshaw Gold Cup.

The first motorcycle race at Oliver's Mount was held back in 1946.  This is a short track.  It is only 2.43 miles around as compared with some of the other venues that the Bike Road Racing Series has visited throughout the 2012 season such as Cookstown, The Isle of Man, and the Northwest 200 circuit, to name a few.  The corners and spots on this track include the Mere Hairpin, Sheene's Rise, Quarry Hill, and The Esses, before going up the long back straightaway.  It isn't really a straightaway by definition.  Off the back straight, the next corner is called Memorial.  From Memorial, there is a short straight that leads to Drury's hairpin.

Going downhill, the riders approach what is known as the Mountside hairpin.  This hairpin is tricky, because it is downhill.  In the middle of the next straightaway, there is a part called Jeffrie's Jump.  The bikes are at top speed in sixth gear, and can either pop a wheelie, or get airborne at this part of the course.  Off the straightaway, the bikes come to another section called the Farm Bends.  These are slightly slower corners.  From Farm Bends, the riders come back to the start/finish line.

John McGuinness is one rider who has won the Scarborough Gold Cup before.  The first race of the day is the Darran Lindsay Trophy for the big bikes.  This race is actually run in two parts, and we pick up the action in the second part of this event in terms of how it is scored for the points standings.  The riders are ready to race.

At the start, Jamie Hamilton gets the jump over everyone else.  Guy Martin didn't get the start he wanted, and Bruce Anstey is working his way through the field.  Dean Harrison and Michael Pearson battle for second while John McGuinness is currently fourth.  The bikes go over Sheene's Rise and power up Quarry Hill for the first time.  Dean Harrison overtakes Jamie Hamilton for the race lead.  Anstey is hounding McGuinness.

Pearson wants by Hamilton going into Memorial corner.  Bruce Anstey is only making his second start at Scarborough in a decade.  Guy Martin sweeps around Anstey and takes a spot away.  The bikes roll through Drury's and the battle is heating up.  Pearson dumps his bike in the hairpin.  He'll resume, but lose places.  Dean Harrison currently leads, giving it everything he's got on that motorbike at the moment.  Anstey now runs fifth, tackling the Farm Bends.  Lap one is in the books.

Martin and Anstey are fourth and fifth.  Michael Dunlop (a favorite in this championship as readers well know), is languishing in tenth place.  Down the backstretch, Martin is applying the blowtorch to McGuinness.  Martin passes McGuinness into Memorial corner, and Bruce Anstey has a grandstand view of that, from his bike, just slightly behind.  Martin is already up to second, sweeping past Jamie Hamilton.  Close shave!  Martin is on a charge to the front.  Harrison leads and absolutely makes his Kawasaki ZX10R fly over the jump!

Ian Lougher is down in seventh place.  He retired from the first leg of the event, but is back on form now.  The riders are on their third lap.  No indication is given as to how many laps this race will be.  Harrison and Martin battle at the sharp end while others are content to give each other some space.  Ian Lougher goes too deep into the hairpin, sliding off course, but keeping control of the motorcycle.  Jamie Hamilton is slowing down going through Farm Bends.  He could have braking issues.  Martin sweeps around Harrison once more.  Hamilton and McGuinness continue an epic scrap for third.

Hamilton is losing grip and nearly loses his bike, too.  But he's hanging on.  Ian Lougher continues to chase Mick Cummings.  Lougher makes the pass successfully and continues chasing down his competition.  Guy Martin is checking out.  He's runniing consistent lap times and going smoothly through all the corners.  This race is coming to an end.  Guy Martin wins it.

#1 Guy Martin       Suzuki

The distance for that race was eight laps.  Martin wins the Darrin Lindsay cup as the winner.

The next race is for the 650cc Super Twins.

Ryan Farquhar is to retire after this race.  So, he will leave a large void in the Super Twin field.  Jamie Hamilton was to have taken part in this event, but will not, as he crashed his bike in qualifying the day before.
Once more, this event is in it's second leg.  It is the Supertwin Phil Mellor Trophy.  At the start of this one, Dean Harrison might have taken the lead as Ian Lougher battles his way through the scrum of bikes.  Everyone makes it through the Mere Hairpin.  Difficult to tell who is in the lead.

Ian Lougher tries passing Paul Gartlett.  But, no dice.  Not yet anyway.  Davy Morgan passes Lougher.  Ivan Lintin is holding down second spot at the present time.  Ian Lougher has been shuffled down to sixth spot.  This race is another eight lap event.  Harrison and Lintin lead through Drury's with Craig Shirlaw third.  Lougher still wants by Gartlett.  Harrison won the first leg of the Super Twin event.  Dean Harrison leads by 8/10ths of a second.

Davy Morgan holds down fourth place.  Lougher tries making a pass, but goes straight instead of heading into the turn.  It's still Harrison, Lintin, and Shirlaw, the top three.  Davy Morgan runs solitary in fourth place.  Wayne Martin and John Battey (on bikes #7 and #66 respectively) follow each other down the order in lockstep.  Dean Harrison has a decent cushion over Ivan Linton at the moment.  Andy McPherson is another rider having a good race.  David Bell has passed Paul Gartlett somewhere along the way.

At the halfway mark, the race is red flagged.  The race will be restarted.  Dean Harrison will lead the bikes away for the restart.  Harrison leads over Lintin.  David Bell will be third.  Harrison has Lintin right on top of him, all over the tailpipe of his bike.  The gaps are growing between most of the bikes now.  This race will be based on an aggregate result.  Dean Harrison must stay ahead of Ivan Lintin if he wants to win without having a battle on his hands.  Brad Hughes on bike #51 is running farther down the field at this point.

The top four remains Harrison, Lintin, Shirlaw, and Morgan.  There is nothing between Harrison and Linton.  But, Harrison might just have this win locked up with the key to the safe, thrown away.  It's the last lap of the Super Twin race.  Linton is not giving up and not letting Dean Harrison get away.  Harrison wins the second race.

#38 Dean Harrison     Kawasaki

Guy Martin has actually won the Scarborough Gold Cup, seven times.  Martin is the fastest qualifier for the Gold Cup race, setting a time of 1:45.961.  This is the big race of the weekend.  It is the Scarborough Gold Cup.  So many great motorcycle racers have won this race including Phil Read, Geoff Duke, Giacomo Agostini, Barry Sheene, Carl Fogarty, and others.  This is the official race.  A marshal blows his whistle, telling people to clear the grid.

Bruce Anstey won't start.  The gearbox on his bike isn't working.  At the start, it's John McGuinness taking the lead, like he was shot from a cannon!  Guy Martin is second, while the rest of the pack fiercely battles each other.  The bikes runs two by two.  Jamie Hamilton is sixth.  Michael Pearson and Michael Dunlop are also in the top group.  Pearson has crashed.  He won't have a chance at winning the Scarborough Gold Cup.  McGuinness rides a Superstock bike, while Guy Martin races a full fledged Superbike.  It's McGuinness, Martin, and Harrison, the top three.

The riders complete the first of eight laps scheduled.  Martin and McGuinness continue their squabble.  McGuinness is clearly holding off Martin's Suzuki.  Dean Harrison takes Martin by surprise and passes him.  Ian Lougher is running slightly behind the top three, right behind Jules Croft.  Dean Harrison's rear tire slides, and he drifts the rear end of his bike out, without losing control!  Phew!  Harrison won't let a slight slip up deter him, as he comes inside John McGuinness, trying to make a pass.

Harrison takes the lead in the Scarborough Gold Cup!  Martin passes McGuinness back.  Ian Lougher is eleven seconds back from the top three.  Lougher still follows Croft.  At the front, Harrison and Martin do synchronized jumps, landing right together with both wheels of their bikes back on the tarmac!  Wow!  Jules Croft is sliding his bike, feeling the heat from Lougher now.  Lougher is still having issues with Croft who is holding him up.  Meanwhile, Guy Martin has taken the race lead.

Four laps are complete.  The Gold Cup race is half over.  Bike #69, Dave Willams, is under pressure from a rival.  Martin is pulling away from Dean Harrison.  Dean Harrison seems to be letting up his relentless pace just a little bit.  Michael Dunlop is fourth as the bikes negotiate Jeffrey's jump another time.  Gary Graves and Mick Cuddins are in tenth and eleventh spots, further down the order.  Guy Martin is checking out.  He could very well win this race.

Jamie Hamilton follows Michael Dunlop, but Hamilton is far slower.  Ian Lougher successfully manages to pass Jules Croft.  Guy Martin starts lap seven, 2.1 seconds ahead of John McGuinness, with a lap or so remaining.  Ian Lougher is going well.  He won the Gold Cup in 2002, riding a 250cc bike.  It was the last time any bike with an engine smaller than 1000ccs has won the Scarborough Gold Cup feature race.  Guy Martin wins the Scarborough Gold Cup for the eighth time in his career!

#1 Guy Martin     Suzuki

It's time to go three wheelin' folks.  The sidecar race is up next!

This is the second leg of the National F2 Sidecar race.  The race will be six laps.  At the start, Ian and Carl Bell get off to an early lead.  The sidecar bikes are so wide, it's going to be difficult for them to get through the hairpin cleanly.  Carl Fenwick and Mark Sayers are third.  Not sure who the second place duo is just yet.  The names of the sidecar rider teams just aren't as familiar.  Dave Hurst and Ben Bins are sixth.  Molyneux and Farrance are closing up.  They are the second place team.  The passengers in the sidecar really have to be on their game in these races.  It's a tag team effort.

The team of Conrad Harrison and Lee Patterson are running up at the sharp end as Ian and Carl Bell negotiate the bumps in the road.  The sidecars do fly over the jumps, and they do have some aerodynamic downforce to help them out.  Sidecar #1 has a tank slapper!  It's Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance!  The Fennig/Sayers duo is still holding third down solidly.  In fourth, it's... Michael Dunlop!  Yes.  He's running in sidecars.  This is his first race running a sidecar.  Dunlop is riding with Dan Sayle who is very experienced in sidecars.

The Bell's are stretching their lead.  The passenger is in a vulnerable spot, and must keep shifting his weight at all times.  Please keep arms and legs inside the vehicle?  Not here.  This is no amusement park fun ride.  Right behind Dunlop and Sayle, it's Dave Atkinson and Phil Natin right behind.  Jim Noble and Shawn Chandler follow.  Behind them, it's John and Jake Lautha.  The gap between second and third is starting to spread out.  Dunlop is being hounded by Atkinson right now.  Atkinson still wants by Dunlop.  The amount of road space a sidecar cycle takes up is pretty amazing.  They are very wide vehicles.

Molyneux is getting closer to the Bells.  Tony Thurkel and Nigel Barlow riding on sidecar #5 are having a good race.  The gap between first and second has not changed.  Dunlop is really being pursued by Atkinson now.  Atkinson takes the sidecar almost onto the grass!  There is no room to make a pass!  Molyneux is closing up on the Bell's, too.  Atkinson goes off the road!  He and his team mate are pushed aside by the Dunlop sidecar!  Conrad Harrison goes by, too!  Atkinson runs wide another time.  They've actually crashed!  Both riders are fine.  But, there's shrapnel on the road.

The race is red flagged.  The Bell's win it, with the race ending slightly early.  Here are the results.

1. #3 Bell/Bell                             Yamaha
2. #1 Molyneux/Farrance            Kawasaki
3. #7 Fenwick/Sayers                 Honda
4. #2 Harrison/Patterson             Honda
5. #11 Dunlop/Sayle                   Honda

Next, day two action of the Gold Cup.  More intense racing, coming your way.

Bruce Anstey is making the most of coming back to Scarborough, and of course, he returns after an absence of nearly a decade.  The weather could provide a challenge for the second day of racing.  This is the second leg of the David Jeffries Cup for 600cc Supersport bikes.

At the start, Dean Harrison, presumably, takes an early lead.  It's difficult to tell with all these bikes crowded together through the first hairpin.  Harrison is first, followed by Anstey.  Guy Martin runs third.  Martin is beginning to pass everyone.  Could he be on a charge to the front in the 600 race?  We'll see.  Michael Pearson currently runs fourth.  Dean Harrison is right up behind Martin now.  He's looking to pass, but can't quite do it through the tight corners.  This race is eight laps, and will fly by as the 600cc bikes are going all out at top speed.

Guy Martin is too quick on the throttle, and nearly pays for it.  He stay on the bike, but it could have been an ugly incident.  Riders must not take too many chances in these races.  The road circuits are very unforgiving.  Pearson easily passes Anstey on the inside line.  William Dunlop ran well in leg one.  But, he's languishing now, in the second race for the 600s.  Bruce Anstey could be slowing down.  Harrison is still up the sharp end as the bikes buck and jump over the rolling undulations on the back part of the course.

It's still Martin vs. Harrison over Sheene's Rise.  Harrison is pushing. This is a cat and mouse game on high powered two wheeled machines.  Ian Lougher is going well.  Harrison passes in the hairpin, and Martin really fudges the corner, stopping the bike!  Martin cannot re-fire the engine.  Michael Pearson goes by as Martin does get the engine fired up on his Suzuki.  He won't repeat wins in this big race.

So, the order is Harrison, Michael Pearson, and Ian Lougher, the top three.  Michael Dunlop passes bike #15 ridden by Daniel Freer.  Guy Martin retires.  The problem with his bike is terminal.  The battle is on between Lougher and Pearson.  William Dunlop is also on a charge.  He's caught up with this pack.  Lougher has been criticized as being too old to remain in this sport.  But, he knows how to ride a 600.  So, don't count him out.  William Dunlop rides ahead of bike #52, James Cownton.

Lougher and Dunlop gang up on Pearson, looking to pass him, fair and square.  Lougher is now second.  Ivan Lintin (a name who has been mentioned several times), is also running, contently in this race, lower down the order, slightly.  Now, turn up the heat to a boil.  There's a three way battle for position!  It's Lougher, Dunlop and others, being passed by their competitors!  Lintin and Lougher, lead this pack.  Dunlop wants by Pearson.  Rider Tom Robinson ditches his bike on an uphill section, but he'll be OK.  Dean Harrison will cruise to the checkers.

Can Ian Lougher still pass the three riders he's been in battle with for the whole race?  Lougher passes William Dunlop, but he's having trouble making it stick.  No dice.  On aggregate results, Dean Harrison wins 
The David Jeffries Cup!

#38 Dean Harrison     Yamaha

The next race is a combined one for 250cc bikes and classic bikes.  Two stroke bikes are not as common.  But, they still have their fans.  This is the Lee Pullan 250 & Classic race.  It too, is in the second half.

At the start, Phil Harvey gets the jump and leaves William Dunlop in the dust!  The vintage bikes are right with the more modern machines.  The two stroke bikes are very temperamental as far as how the motors are set up.  Dunlop carves his way through the field, but it won't be enough to compete with the leaders.  Phil Harvey and Paul Owen are going to the be two scrapping for the win in this one, it appears.  Owen is being hounded by bike #73 ridden by Justin Waring.  Harvey continues to lead.  The hairpin is tricky, because the only way a 250cc bike works, going around that corner, is if the rider slips the clutch and intentionally stalls the motor for a millisecond.

Can William Dunlop catch up?  Meanwhile, in the classic race, it's #46, John Jones on his 350cc Honda, in front.  There's a specific type of Castrol motor oil used in the old bikes, that if you're a spectator who has seen the races, you'd well know.  Yours truly, and many readers, probably just have to imagine that.  Dunlop is reeling in Justin Waring.  The only way to get around the tricky hairpin turn on a 250 is by slipping the clutch.  Phil Harvey is checking out.  Justin Waring is being reeled in by William Dunlop.  Dunlop is back on form now, so, there was no mechanical issue with his motorcycle.  Dunlop passes.  His next target, is Paul Owen.

Dunlop is speeding up.  Will he pass Owen through the hilly section?  Not quite.  Down the straight to complete another lap, Dunlop is pushing.  He finally gets by Paul Owen, going back into the first turn.  Owen was taken by surprise.  The classic division has a new leader.  It's bike #105 of Gary Jamison on his Honda 350.  The gap has closed tremendously between Dunlop and Harvey.  Gary Jamison is being pursued by bike #66 in the classic division.  Meanwhile, in 250s, Dunlop gets the lead back.

Ed Hanley Jr. is Gary Jamison's pursuer for the classic title.  There's no stopping Dunlop, but Harvey isn't finished yet either.  The Jamison/Manley Jr. tussle heats up, too.  Halfway home.  This race is scheduled for eight laps.  Four are complete.  Jamison is gapping Hanley as well.  John Jones has appeared to race with Jamison and Manley, too.  So, the classic bike battle is not over by any stretch, folks.  Dunlop is cruising, easing away from Paul Owen.  Justin Waring passes Paul Owen for second.  William Dunlop is beginning to lap the classic bikes now.

John Jones tries going for the lead in the Classics, but can't get there.  Jones passes Gary Jamison.  William Dunlop wins the 250cc/Classic event going away.

250cc
#6 William Dunlop     Honda

Classic
#46 John Jones         Matchless

Next race, the 125cc and 400cc bikes in their second appearance.  It is a combination of those two classes in one race.

Chris Palmer won the first leg of the 125cc race.  Seamus Elliott and Sam Wilson were second and third in the first part of the race action.  James Cownton won leg one for the 400cc machines. A combined result decides the overall outcome of the races.  The race will be six laps, and for the 125cc bikes, the race is the Stu Reed Trophy.

At the start, James Cowton leads away from the rest of the pack.  The bikes negotiate the first corner fine, and make their way uphill.  Cowton already is opening a lead.  Cowton is riding a Honda RVF400 which is a legendary bike in the category.  The 125cc bikes are very popular, but they are bound to go extinct at some point.  A rider has his hand in the air, signaling trouble.  It's Tony Flinton.  Something is awry with his bike.  Chris Palmer now leads on his 125.  Palmer wants to win the second leg of this race.  So, he has to beat Seamus Elliott and Sam Wilson.

Daniel Freer and Gavin Lupton battle for position.  Six laps is a long way for these riders.  Who could be lurking to steal one of these 125 rider's thunder?  It's Ian Lougher, who does well on any bike he rides.  Seamus Elliott retires from the race, and so does another bike, (the #37 machine of Tony Flinton).  Palmer is making the 125 fly and Ian Lougher's 400 just lifts it's front wheel.  Palmer and Lougher run 1-2.  Seamus Elliott is third.  He's coming, fast.  Sarah Boys is the only female rider in this race.  But, she is running well.  Meanwhile, Palmer will now have to fend off Lougher's challenge.

Seamus Elliott is balked by a 400cc bike.  For some reason, the 400s are not as reliable as the little 125s.  Gavin Lockton and James Cowton continue their dust up for third.  Tony Limer is running decently on his 400, (bike #76).  Lougher tried to get around Palmer.  But, no dice.  The leaders negotiate a lapped rider.  That is Bob Farrington on bike #42.  Lockton and Cownton continue to follow one another.  Rather, it is bike #9 ahead of bike #52.  Sarah Boys is up to seventh place.  Lougher passes Palmer for the lead.

Justin Waring is about to be lapped by the lead duo.  Lougher gets around Palmer one more time.  Chris Palmer wins it.  He has his fist in the air before crossing the finish line!  He knew he'd won that race.

125cc

#50 Chris Palmer      Honda

400cc

#9 Gavin Lupton      Honda

Cowton wins on aggregate based on both races.

#52 James Cowton     Honda

One more race at Scarborough.  One more chance to go three wheelin'.  It's the sidecars in their third race of the weekend.

Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance have the advantage over Ian and Carl Bell going into the last race.  Dave Molyneux starts the race with a hole shot!  But, Ian and Carl Bell immediately race into the lead.  Michael Dunlop runs third.  Carl Fennig and Mark Sayers come next.  Tony Thurkel and Nigel Barlow are next in line.  Molyneux and Farrance are trying to get away from the Bells.  Ian and Carl want the lead.  Into Sheene's Rise, up the hill, nothing changes.

Jim Noble and his passenger are chasing John Chandler.  It Molyneux/Farrance vs. Bell/Bell.  The two sidecar cycles touch!  The Bell's are forced wide onto the berm!  Contact is not an unknown in sidecar racing competition.  Molyneux and Farrance have a decent lead.  If the result stands, Molyneux and Farrance will be number one on the aggregate leader board.  Meanwhile, Ian and Carl Bell are going to retire from this race.  Their season is over.

Tony Thirkell is being challenged by Conrad Harrison and Lee Patterson.  Sometimes sidecars can go side by side.  But get three into one corner?  Not a chance.  Michael Dunlop is still second with Carl Fennig and Mark Sayers in third.  Harrison/Patterson are not giving up.  Harrison makes a pass and holds on.  Carl Fenwick smokes the brakes on his sidecar, aggressively charging through a turn.  Molyneux and Farrance are going to win this race.  Dunlop and Sayle are holding off their competitor.  Conrad Harrison is pulling away from Tony Thirkell and Nigel Barlow.

Fennig and Sayers are right on top of Dunlop and Sayle, headed for the finish.  This is the last lap.  Dave Molyneux continues in the lead.  Molyneux is in the clear, but, Dunlop and Harrison seem to be in a battle over who will get second and third.  Jim Noble is also in a tussle of his own.  Carl Fenwick tries taking second from Michael Dunlop.  Fenwick smokes the brakes and Dunlop goes right back by.  Molyneux and Farrens are the winners!

Dunlop and Sayle do get second place.

Here's the top five:

1. #1 Molyneux/Farrance     Kawasaki
2. #11 Dunlop/Sayle            Honda
3. #7 Fenwick/Sayers          Honda      
4. #2 Harrison/Patterson      Honda
5. #5 Thirkell/Barlow           Honda

The race from Scarborough, and most of the season for the Bike Road Racers is now done.  One race left.  It's at the Macau Grand Prix.  Those results will come in another blog post, soon.  Stay tuned.  





  


  



 




  

Mike "The Bike" Hailwood

Here is a video of the great Mike "The Bike" Hailwood.  He was known as "Mike The Bike" and had much success on both two wheels and four.  His Grand Prix motorcycle racing career occurred between 1958 and 1967, and then, during the late '60s and early 1970's, he became a successful car racer.  He is the first of a few riders that will be highlighted on this blog who had success on both two wheels and four. 

There is a video here of Hailwood racing at the Isle of Man TT in 1964 or so.  Check it out.  Also, here's the article on Hailwood from Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Hailwood

Racing legends and stars line up at the Paul Ricard circuit

There was a cool road race held at Paul Ricard last week featuring many motorcycle racers as well as seven-time Formula One World Champion, Michael Schumacher.  The bike racers included Pol Espargaro, John McGuinness, Randy Mamola, and Moto 2 rider, Keith Flint.  Here's the whole story.  Check it out.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/Racing+legends+and+stars+lineup+at+the+Paul+Ricard+Circuit

2013 MotoGP World Championship race schedule

Well, after an unsuccessful attempt to link an article about a possible second race for MotoGP in Malaysia, yours truly has found something better.  MotoGP has released their official 2013 calendar.  The link will be provided, and, the entire calendar will be drafted in this post as well.

http://www.motogp.com/en/calendar+circuits/2013

Here's the calendar.

Race #1: 4/7 Qatar                         Losail Circuit: Losail, Qatar
Race #2: 4/21 U.S.A.                     Circuit of the Americas: Austin, Texas
Race #3 5/5 Spain                          Jerez Circuit: Jerez, Spain
Race #4 5/19 France                      Bugatti Circuit: Le Mans, France
Race #5 6/2 Italy                            Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello: Mugello, Italy
Race #6 6/16 Catalunya                 Circuit de Catalunya: Barcelona, Spain
Race #7 6/29 Holland                    TT Circuit Assen: Assen, Holland
Race #8 7/7 Germany                    Sachsenring Circuit: Hohenstein Ernstthal, Saxony, Germany
Race #9 7/21 U.S.A.                     Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca: Monterey, California
Race #10 8/18 U.S.A.                   Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Indianapolis, Indiana
Race #11 8/25 Czech Republic      Automotodrom Brno: Brno, Czech Republic
Race #12 9/1 Great Britain            Silverstone Circuit: Silverstone, England
Race #13 9/15 San Marino           Misano World Circuit: San Marino
Race #14 9/29 Aragon
                       (Province of Spain) MotorLand Aragon: Aragon
Race #15 10/13 Malaysia              Sepang Circuit: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Race #16 10/20 Australia              Philip Island Circuit: Philip Island, Victoria, Australia
Race #17 10/27 Japan                  Motegi Circuit: Motegi, Japan
Race #18 11/10 Valencia              Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Comunitat Valenciana: Valencia, Spain

motorcycle racing news source

For more news in the world of motorcycle racing, outside of this blog, check out Crash.Net at this link.

http://www.crash.net/bikes/news_archive/1/content.html

Dig it.

James Toseland to spearhead UK motorcycle land speed record attempt

Two-time World Superbike champion James Toseland, will attempt to go for a motorcycle speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in less than two years.  Here are all the details via the automobile and motorcycle racing magazine Autosport and their online affiliate, www.autosport.com.  Follow the link, and check it out.

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/104724

Greatest show on earth *HD* 320 kph/200 mph Street Race, Isle of Man TT

Fans, you've GOT to check this out.  This is what the incredible Isle of Man TT looks like on video.  Reports have been written about these motorcycle road racers in Ireland.  But, words do not do justice to what these brave souls can do with a 200 mile per hour, 600 to 1000cc motorcycle.

World Superbike testing news

A recap of the test session for World Superbike last Thursday at the Jerez circuit in Spain.  Check it out via the link.  Marco Melandri was quickest for the Italian BMW team which replaces the full on factory squad for the 2013 championship.

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/wsbk-melandri-heads-thursday-order