More motorcycle racing from the glorious 500cc Grand Prix era. This is the 1993 Dutch TT (Dutch Tourist Trophy) race from the Assen circuit in Holland.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
1993 Dutch TT
More motorcycle racing from the glorious 500cc Grand Prix era. This is the 1993 Dutch TT (Dutch Tourist Trophy) race from the Assen circuit in Holland.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Moto 3: Australia
Here are the highlights of the Moto 3 race from Philip Island.
Danny Webb is a guest commentator. He had an engine issue with his Mahindra bike. Maverick Vinales missed the Malaysia round, but he's back for Australia. He has apologized to everyone for missing the Malaysia round. 23 laps are scheduled. On the pole will be Sandro Cortese (the World Champion in Moto 3). He won the 125cc race last year. Arthur Sissis is running in his home race. The bikes set off on their formation lap.
At the start, Zulhfammi Khairuddin leads and a few riders get shuffled down the order. Maverick Vinales and Sandro Cortese both drop down the order as the bikes go through Lukey Heights and MG corner. Zulhfammi Khairuddin leads down Gardner straight into Doohan corner. Nikolas Ajo is up to seventh. Jack Miller is starting to move up, too. The bikes enter the Honda hairpin and Sandro Cortese fends off the challenge from Miguel Oliviera. Luis Salom has also made a good start in this race.
Arthur Sissis passes Nikolas Ajo as a bike clips a seagull. What a mess! Alessandro Tonucci is real fast as Ricardo Moretti pits. Into Siberia corner, Maverick Vinales moves up. Zulhfammi Khairuddin still wants a win in his 50th start. Roberto Moncayo and Arthur Sissis are running well. Jonas Folger is right behind Khairuddin now. Sissis tries to pass Oliviera for sixth out of the Southern Loop. Sissis defends his spot into the Honda hairpin. Cortese is right where he wants to be and pounce when it's right.
There's a long way to go yet. Five riders will be penalized for jumping the start. Alberto Moncayo, Jonas Folger, Louis Rossi, and Luis Salom, are all going to be sent to the sin bin. Jack Miller will be, too. Louis Rossi has gone off the road in the Honda hairpin. That might just negate his penalty. Maybe. Sissis and Cortese are going to be in a battle. Louis Rossi has served his penalty. But the others still need to do it. Luis Salom is serving his penalty with 17 laps to go. Salom resumes in the race as Sandro Cortese takes over the lead with Miguel Oliviera. Jack Miller serves his ride through penalty, too.
This is Miller's home race. He'll be gutted. But he needs to get it done. Jonas Folger has fallen behind significantly. Folger also has to serve his penalty. He must come in to avoid being black flagged. Cortese and Oliviera are pulling away. Danny Kent is also back there. Alex Rins has come from sixteenth to fourth. He was last year's Spanish Moto 3 champ. The bikes comes over Lukey Heights and Niklas Ajo slides his bike off into the gravel trap and he fortunately stays on the bike! But, man, did he have to wrestle it! That incident was in turn eleven.
Ajo slowed up some of the riders. Oliviera is ahead of Alex Rins by two seconds. Brad Binder will be penalized. He needs to serve it before he's black flagged. Miller still needs to serve his penalty. He does. Maverick Vinales is up to third. Miguel Oliviera is right behind Sandro Cortese. This is the lead battle. Fourteen laps remain. Sissis takes over third into the Southern Loop. He tucks in behind Alessandro Tonucci. Sissis is forced wide and Vinales passes as Tonucci gets right onto the ripple strips separating the track and the grass. Nicolas Ajo has another fall. Cortese is pulling away, but, Oliviera is coming.
Miguel Oliviera wants his first Moto 3 win and didn't ride at Philip Island last year. Alex Rins and Romano Fenati battle back in the pack. Maverick Vinales is catching up and so is Jonas Folger. Folger runs 18th. This happens when a rider is penalized. They lose on track time, and track position. There's a yellow flag. Someone has crashed. It's probably Nikolas Ajo. He's been taken to the medical center for a checkup. Arthur Sissis could get on the podium. But he must pass Rins and Vinales in order to do it. Ten laps now remain.
Zulhfammi Khairuddin is now tenth. Salom, Folger, Rossi, and Moncayo have all been penalized. More battling for position in the last ten laps. Arthur Sissis is now third. He's behind the lead duo of Cortese and Oliviera. Maverick Vinales has crashed! He's back on the bike now. But, he crashed in the Siberia corner. The bike is back in pit lane and will have the bodywork changed. However, it's game over for Vinales. Vinales' bike has had the ECU ripped off the engine. Whoa. Romano Fenati passes Arthur Sissis.
Miguel Oliviera makes a move on Sandro Cortese for the lead. Fenati and Tonucci are up to third and fourth. Arthur Sissis is down to fifth. But he's still in contention. Luis Salom languishes in 17th place. Oliviera is gapping Cortese slightly. Can he close up? Danny Kent is beginning to come into the picture, slightly, as Sissis makes a pass into fifth again. Cortese is going really well, but, Zulhfammi Khairuddin is having issues with his KTM. He tried to pull off the road but ditched the bike and fell, hard, in the process. There's a huge battle as Cortese and Oliviera continue to scrap for the win.
Cortese stretches his lead. Sissis is third as Fenati passes Danny Kent into Doohan corner and Stoner corner. Will the Aussie get on the podium? He'll be the first on the podium in Moto 3/125cc since Casey Stoner in 2004. It looks like Cortese will win the race. The battle remains for the remaining spots. There are four bikes in a battle as Danny Kent passes for third. Danny Kent holds on into Siberia over Sissis. Into Hayshed, and Lukey Hights, into MG corner. There's swapping all over the place. Sandro Cortese wins it! It's his fifth win. Oliviera is second and Sissis gets on the podium!
#11 Sandro Cortese GER KTM
One race remains in Moto 3 as well as the other classes for the season. It's in Valencia, Spain, in less than two weeks.
Danny Webb is a guest commentator. He had an engine issue with his Mahindra bike. Maverick Vinales missed the Malaysia round, but he's back for Australia. He has apologized to everyone for missing the Malaysia round. 23 laps are scheduled. On the pole will be Sandro Cortese (the World Champion in Moto 3). He won the 125cc race last year. Arthur Sissis is running in his home race. The bikes set off on their formation lap.
At the start, Zulhfammi Khairuddin leads and a few riders get shuffled down the order. Maverick Vinales and Sandro Cortese both drop down the order as the bikes go through Lukey Heights and MG corner. Zulhfammi Khairuddin leads down Gardner straight into Doohan corner. Nikolas Ajo is up to seventh. Jack Miller is starting to move up, too. The bikes enter the Honda hairpin and Sandro Cortese fends off the challenge from Miguel Oliviera. Luis Salom has also made a good start in this race.
Arthur Sissis passes Nikolas Ajo as a bike clips a seagull. What a mess! Alessandro Tonucci is real fast as Ricardo Moretti pits. Into Siberia corner, Maverick Vinales moves up. Zulhfammi Khairuddin still wants a win in his 50th start. Roberto Moncayo and Arthur Sissis are running well. Jonas Folger is right behind Khairuddin now. Sissis tries to pass Oliviera for sixth out of the Southern Loop. Sissis defends his spot into the Honda hairpin. Cortese is right where he wants to be and pounce when it's right.
There's a long way to go yet. Five riders will be penalized for jumping the start. Alberto Moncayo, Jonas Folger, Louis Rossi, and Luis Salom, are all going to be sent to the sin bin. Jack Miller will be, too. Louis Rossi has gone off the road in the Honda hairpin. That might just negate his penalty. Maybe. Sissis and Cortese are going to be in a battle. Louis Rossi has served his penalty. But the others still need to do it. Luis Salom is serving his penalty with 17 laps to go. Salom resumes in the race as Sandro Cortese takes over the lead with Miguel Oliviera. Jack Miller serves his ride through penalty, too.
This is Miller's home race. He'll be gutted. But he needs to get it done. Jonas Folger has fallen behind significantly. Folger also has to serve his penalty. He must come in to avoid being black flagged. Cortese and Oliviera are pulling away. Danny Kent is also back there. Alex Rins has come from sixteenth to fourth. He was last year's Spanish Moto 3 champ. The bikes comes over Lukey Heights and Niklas Ajo slides his bike off into the gravel trap and he fortunately stays on the bike! But, man, did he have to wrestle it! That incident was in turn eleven.
Ajo slowed up some of the riders. Oliviera is ahead of Alex Rins by two seconds. Brad Binder will be penalized. He needs to serve it before he's black flagged. Miller still needs to serve his penalty. He does. Maverick Vinales is up to third. Miguel Oliviera is right behind Sandro Cortese. This is the lead battle. Fourteen laps remain. Sissis takes over third into the Southern Loop. He tucks in behind Alessandro Tonucci. Sissis is forced wide and Vinales passes as Tonucci gets right onto the ripple strips separating the track and the grass. Nicolas Ajo has another fall. Cortese is pulling away, but, Oliviera is coming.
Miguel Oliviera wants his first Moto 3 win and didn't ride at Philip Island last year. Alex Rins and Romano Fenati battle back in the pack. Maverick Vinales is catching up and so is Jonas Folger. Folger runs 18th. This happens when a rider is penalized. They lose on track time, and track position. There's a yellow flag. Someone has crashed. It's probably Nikolas Ajo. He's been taken to the medical center for a checkup. Arthur Sissis could get on the podium. But he must pass Rins and Vinales in order to do it. Ten laps now remain.
Zulhfammi Khairuddin is now tenth. Salom, Folger, Rossi, and Moncayo have all been penalized. More battling for position in the last ten laps. Arthur Sissis is now third. He's behind the lead duo of Cortese and Oliviera. Maverick Vinales has crashed! He's back on the bike now. But, he crashed in the Siberia corner. The bike is back in pit lane and will have the bodywork changed. However, it's game over for Vinales. Vinales' bike has had the ECU ripped off the engine. Whoa. Romano Fenati passes Arthur Sissis.
Miguel Oliviera makes a move on Sandro Cortese for the lead. Fenati and Tonucci are up to third and fourth. Arthur Sissis is down to fifth. But he's still in contention. Luis Salom languishes in 17th place. Oliviera is gapping Cortese slightly. Can he close up? Danny Kent is beginning to come into the picture, slightly, as Sissis makes a pass into fifth again. Cortese is going really well, but, Zulhfammi Khairuddin is having issues with his KTM. He tried to pull off the road but ditched the bike and fell, hard, in the process. There's a huge battle as Cortese and Oliviera continue to scrap for the win.
Cortese stretches his lead. Sissis is third as Fenati passes Danny Kent into Doohan corner and Stoner corner. Will the Aussie get on the podium? He'll be the first on the podium in Moto 3/125cc since Casey Stoner in 2004. It looks like Cortese will win the race. The battle remains for the remaining spots. There are four bikes in a battle as Danny Kent passes for third. Danny Kent holds on into Siberia over Sissis. Into Hayshed, and Lukey Hights, into MG corner. There's swapping all over the place. Sandro Cortese wins it! It's his fifth win. Oliviera is second and Sissis gets on the podium!
#11 Sandro Cortese GER KTM
One race remains in Moto 3 as well as the other classes for the season. It's in Valencia, Spain, in less than two weeks.
Monday, October 29, 2012
FIM e-Power International Championship
There's a championship exclusively for electric motorcycles called the FIM e-Power International Championship. Four rounds have been run. There was a race at Magny Cours, France. Here are the winners of the first four races for the e-Power championship. This series has been in existence since 2010. It's for bikes powered by alternative energy sources, specifically, battery power, and electricity. Very small fields of three to four riders compete.
Round 1: France (Magny Cours) Matthias Himmelman GER
Round 2: Hungary (Hungaroring) Katja Poensgen GER
*Round 3: U.S. (Laguna Seca) Michael Barnes USA *Laguna Seca featured a much larger field, of eleven bikes which included star American riders like Eric Bostrom, Steve Rapp, Steve Atlas, and Michael Barnes.
Round 4: Germany (Oschersleben) Race 1: Matthias Himmelman GER
Race 2: Yu Tang CHN
Round 5: France (Le Mans) Miguel Duhamel CDN
Former AMA championship winning rider, Canadian, Miguel Duhamel, wins the season finale for the FIM e-Power International Championship as a guest rider in their race that was a support event for the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race. So ends the championship season for the electric motorcycles of the FIM e-Power International Championship.
This review of the race winners was compiled sporadically for a while with the list above. More racing action to come from other motorcycle racing series sanctioned by the FIM before the end of the season. As for the e Power series, time will tell where it goes and how successful it is in the future.
Round 1: France (Magny Cours) Matthias Himmelman GER
Round 2: Hungary (Hungaroring) Katja Poensgen GER
*Round 3: U.S. (Laguna Seca) Michael Barnes USA *Laguna Seca featured a much larger field, of eleven bikes which included star American riders like Eric Bostrom, Steve Rapp, Steve Atlas, and Michael Barnes.
Round 4: Germany (Oschersleben) Race 1: Matthias Himmelman GER
Race 2: Yu Tang CHN
Round 5: France (Le Mans) Miguel Duhamel CDN
Former AMA championship winning rider, Canadian, Miguel Duhamel, wins the season finale for the FIM e-Power International Championship as a guest rider in their race that was a support event for the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race. So ends the championship season for the electric motorcycles of the FIM e-Power International Championship.
This review of the race winners was compiled sporadically for a while with the list above. More racing action to come from other motorcycle racing series sanctioned by the FIM before the end of the season. As for the e Power series, time will tell where it goes and how successful it is in the future.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Moto 2: Australia
Here are the highlights of the Moto 2 race from Philip Island in Victoria, Australia.
Marc Marquez could become champion after this race. 25 laps are scheduled. If Marquez scores two points, or, if Pol Espargaro doesn't win, he'll be champion. Pol Espargaro has pole position. Scott Redding is second. Alex de Angelis will not start. He is having an operation on his hand after a crash in practice and will have to wait to compete in the season finale in Spain.
At the start, all the front row gets away cleanly and Marc Marquez takes the lead into Doohan corner and the Southern Loop. Toni Elias and Taki Nakagami are going for it. Taki Nakagami takes the lead. Tom Luthi, Pol Espargaro, Scott Redding, and Johann Zarco round out the top six. Scott Redding has Mika Kallio all over him and Dominik Aegerter nearly took him out! Wow! Marc Marquez leads. He wants the title, now, before going to MotoGP next year. Scott Redding passes Johann Zarco. Anthony West is ninth and coming quick. Pol Espargaro follows Nakagami over Lukey Heights, into MG corner. Marquez twitches the bike, allowing Pol Espargaro to get the lead.
Redding is now third. Dominik Aegerter and Tito Rabat are in a battle. Tom Luthi has sunk from third to ninth. Anthony West tries Tito Rabat, but can't get by. Pol Espargaro runs a 1:34 flat. He's quickest on track, in the lead. He has to win to stay in contention. Dominik Aegerter is all the way up to fourth after starting twelfth. Into Doohan corner, Espargaro stays straight and true through the corner, on the same line, trying to mess with Marquez a little bit. If Scott Redding wants to win, he must get by Marquez and chase down Pol Espargaro.
Espargaro is running laps in the 1:43 bracket. Redding continues to close on Marc Marquez. Redding tries to get by Espargaro. Andrea Ianonne has mechanical problems. He runs off at Honda hairpin with a blown motor. Redding has passed Marc Marquez with 20 laps to go. Anthony West is fourth. It seems all these bikes are evenly matched. Espargaro runs a 1:33.745 which is a second faster than the rest of the field, and near his pole time. Pol Espargaro sets fast lap in the 1:33.7 bracket, just as he has consistently done so far. Anthony West fends off Dominik Aegerter, Tito Rabat, Simone Corsi, and others. Espargaro has to manage his gap. He's growing a lead, like Casey Stoner did in the MotoGP race.
Seventeen laps left to run. Anthony West is still competitive in fourth after finishing second in Malaysia last weekend. Marquez runs third and will be world champ if he stays there. Tom Luthi languishes in tenth position at the moment. Bradley Smith crashed in qualifying and has had a bad time this weekend. Toni Elias and Julian Simon battle each other. These two have been rivals before, back in the old 125cc class. Fifteen laps left as Pol Espargaro works his way through Lukey Heights again. Scott Redding really likes this track. He's doing well running at the sharp end of the order.
The race is nearing halfway. West trails Marquez with Dominik Aegerter running a strong fifth. West is 2/10ths behind Marquez. Randy Krummenacher passes Tom Luthi and Mika Kallio is also coming quickly. Pol Espargaro is still keeping up a good pace as Anthony West is going quickly, too. Marquez is third, behind Redding. Anthony West wants a podium in this race. Ten laps left to run. Tom Luthi is out of this race. He's crashed out. He will get back into the race but has no chance of winning.
Bradley Smith and Toni Elias both move up. Gino Rea is languishing in 23rd spot. He is not having the same kind of race he did in the monsoon conditions in Malaysia last weekend. Marquez is still chasing Scott Redding. Pol Espargaro has virtually disappeared and is ahead by a country mile. Marquez is getting really close to Scott Redding and this gives a further advantage to Anthony West. Tom Luthi packs it in. He's a retirement from this race. Pol Espargaro flies down Gardner straight. Tito Rabat, Claudio Corti, Taki Nakagami, and Randy Krummenacher have had good racers today.
There's a whole pack that just can't quite catch the top three. Eric Granado is passed by the leaders. He's a backmarker, down the order. Catching Marquez is one thing for Redding, passing is another, going through Hay Shed corner. Only four laps remain. West is just behind Marquez. Anthony West is really getting close behind Marquez and Redding now. Redding knows he's there down the Gardner straight into Doohan corner. Anthony West is on the podium. The crowd is cheering their hero. Just two laps to go. Marquez will win the Moto 2 title.
Anthony West made his debut in Grand Prix motorcycle racing at Philip Island in 1998. Mika Kallio ditches his bike just before the race ends. One lap remains as Pol Espargaro is on his way to a race win, while Marc Marquez is on his way to a championship. Marquez wants to pass West to get on the podium. That might not sit well with the fans. He's going to clinch the title nonetheless. He's sitting there. Anthony West has made it to second! He almost slides the bike. Can Redding pass at Hay Shed? No. Through Lukey Heights. Pol Espargaro wins it in dominating style!
Marc Marquez gets nipped by West right at the end. But, that doesn't matter. He's third, and is 2012 Moto 2 World Champion!
#40 Pol Espargaro ESP Kalex Granollers
Champion:
#93 Marc Marquez ESP Suter Cervera
Marquez is champion! He's ready to make his move to MotoGP in 2013. There is one race remaining for Moto 2 in Valencia, Spain, coming up in two weeks.
Marc Marquez could become champion after this race. 25 laps are scheduled. If Marquez scores two points, or, if Pol Espargaro doesn't win, he'll be champion. Pol Espargaro has pole position. Scott Redding is second. Alex de Angelis will not start. He is having an operation on his hand after a crash in practice and will have to wait to compete in the season finale in Spain.
At the start, all the front row gets away cleanly and Marc Marquez takes the lead into Doohan corner and the Southern Loop. Toni Elias and Taki Nakagami are going for it. Taki Nakagami takes the lead. Tom Luthi, Pol Espargaro, Scott Redding, and Johann Zarco round out the top six. Scott Redding has Mika Kallio all over him and Dominik Aegerter nearly took him out! Wow! Marc Marquez leads. He wants the title, now, before going to MotoGP next year. Scott Redding passes Johann Zarco. Anthony West is ninth and coming quick. Pol Espargaro follows Nakagami over Lukey Heights, into MG corner. Marquez twitches the bike, allowing Pol Espargaro to get the lead.
Redding is now third. Dominik Aegerter and Tito Rabat are in a battle. Tom Luthi has sunk from third to ninth. Anthony West tries Tito Rabat, but can't get by. Pol Espargaro runs a 1:34 flat. He's quickest on track, in the lead. He has to win to stay in contention. Dominik Aegerter is all the way up to fourth after starting twelfth. Into Doohan corner, Espargaro stays straight and true through the corner, on the same line, trying to mess with Marquez a little bit. If Scott Redding wants to win, he must get by Marquez and chase down Pol Espargaro.
Espargaro is running laps in the 1:43 bracket. Redding continues to close on Marc Marquez. Redding tries to get by Espargaro. Andrea Ianonne has mechanical problems. He runs off at Honda hairpin with a blown motor. Redding has passed Marc Marquez with 20 laps to go. Anthony West is fourth. It seems all these bikes are evenly matched. Espargaro runs a 1:33.745 which is a second faster than the rest of the field, and near his pole time. Pol Espargaro sets fast lap in the 1:33.7 bracket, just as he has consistently done so far. Anthony West fends off Dominik Aegerter, Tito Rabat, Simone Corsi, and others. Espargaro has to manage his gap. He's growing a lead, like Casey Stoner did in the MotoGP race.
Seventeen laps left to run. Anthony West is still competitive in fourth after finishing second in Malaysia last weekend. Marquez runs third and will be world champ if he stays there. Tom Luthi languishes in tenth position at the moment. Bradley Smith crashed in qualifying and has had a bad time this weekend. Toni Elias and Julian Simon battle each other. These two have been rivals before, back in the old 125cc class. Fifteen laps left as Pol Espargaro works his way through Lukey Heights again. Scott Redding really likes this track. He's doing well running at the sharp end of the order.
The race is nearing halfway. West trails Marquez with Dominik Aegerter running a strong fifth. West is 2/10ths behind Marquez. Randy Krummenacher passes Tom Luthi and Mika Kallio is also coming quickly. Pol Espargaro is still keeping up a good pace as Anthony West is going quickly, too. Marquez is third, behind Redding. Anthony West wants a podium in this race. Ten laps left to run. Tom Luthi is out of this race. He's crashed out. He will get back into the race but has no chance of winning.
Bradley Smith and Toni Elias both move up. Gino Rea is languishing in 23rd spot. He is not having the same kind of race he did in the monsoon conditions in Malaysia last weekend. Marquez is still chasing Scott Redding. Pol Espargaro has virtually disappeared and is ahead by a country mile. Marquez is getting really close to Scott Redding and this gives a further advantage to Anthony West. Tom Luthi packs it in. He's a retirement from this race. Pol Espargaro flies down Gardner straight. Tito Rabat, Claudio Corti, Taki Nakagami, and Randy Krummenacher have had good racers today.
There's a whole pack that just can't quite catch the top three. Eric Granado is passed by the leaders. He's a backmarker, down the order. Catching Marquez is one thing for Redding, passing is another, going through Hay Shed corner. Only four laps remain. West is just behind Marquez. Anthony West is really getting close behind Marquez and Redding now. Redding knows he's there down the Gardner straight into Doohan corner. Anthony West is on the podium. The crowd is cheering their hero. Just two laps to go. Marquez will win the Moto 2 title.
Anthony West made his debut in Grand Prix motorcycle racing at Philip Island in 1998. Mika Kallio ditches his bike just before the race ends. One lap remains as Pol Espargaro is on his way to a race win, while Marc Marquez is on his way to a championship. Marquez wants to pass West to get on the podium. That might not sit well with the fans. He's going to clinch the title nonetheless. He's sitting there. Anthony West has made it to second! He almost slides the bike. Can Redding pass at Hay Shed? No. Through Lukey Heights. Pol Espargaro wins it in dominating style!
Marc Marquez gets nipped by West right at the end. But, that doesn't matter. He's third, and is 2012 Moto 2 World Champion!
#40 Pol Espargaro ESP Kalex Granollers
Champion:
#93 Marc Marquez ESP Suter Cervera
Marquez is champion! He's ready to make his move to MotoGP in 2013. There is one race remaining for Moto 2 in Valencia, Spain, coming up in two weeks.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
MotoGP round 17: Australia
The penultimate round of the 2012 MotoGP World Championship is the Australian Grand Prix at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia.
This is a very picturesque area with much farmland surrounding it. If Jorge Lorenzo wins today's race, he'll win the title. But, if native son Casey Stoner wins, he'll have six wins at his home track. Stoner will give 110% for sure and loves this track. Turn three has been named after Casey Stoner. Stoner's countryman, Chad Reed (U.S. Supercross champion) is in attendance at the race this weekend. Ben Spies is out after his crash. He won't start this race and may not start the season finale.
In practice, it was very cold, and here are the qualifying results. Rain came just before the end of the session. Casey Stoner set pole at 1:29.623 with Jorge Lorenzo second, and Dani Pedrosa, third. Randy de Puniet qualified ninth just ahead of Nicky Hayden. Colin Edwards qualifies sixteenth. Cal Crutchlow qualified well, but has been suffering from bronchitis and a fever this weekend. Ivan Silva starts caboose on the field.
The bikes set off on their warmup lap. Philip Island is a unique track according to riders. There are twelve turns with just two slow ones. It will be called Stoner Curve.
At the start, Jorge Lorenzo does a wheelie but gets the lead going into the Southern Loop. Coming thorugh Stoner Curve and Honda Corner, Dani Pedrosa takes the lead away from Jorge Lorenzo. This race will be 27 laps. Coming over Lukey Heights and into turn ten, the bikes fly on the straight. Stoner is up to second. Stoner is reeling in Pedrosa. However, it's over for Pedrosa! He falls down! He's out of this race! Jorge Lorenzo will be champion. Pedrosa is back on his bike, but pushed too hard and ditched his bike. The race enters it's third lap with Stoner running fastest lap at 1:30 and a half.
Pedrosa went too deep and low sided the bike. Casey Stoner is trying to gap Jorge Lorenzo right now as Pedrosa retires. There's a three way battle for the podium. It's the satellite Yamaha's and Honda's. Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Dovizioso, Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl all scrap. Crutchlow wants a podium after failing to finish in Japan and Malaysia. Stoner wiggles the bike big time, but he holds on. Jorge Lorenzo has to ride his own race. Next year, he'll team with Valentino Rossi. The train of the Tech 3 Yamaha's and the two Honda's continues to chug right along.
Casey Stoner is a full second faster than Jorge Lorenzo. Crutchlow, Dovizioso, Bradl, and Bautista, are all faster in lap time than Lorenzo. Cal Crutchlow runs a 1:31 flat and is 7/10ths quicker than Lorenzo. Colin Edwards is out of this race. Meanwhile, Alvaro Bautista is battling Andrea Dovizioso. Lorenzo is matching Stoner's lap times but is still three seconds behind. Stoner, Pedrosa, and Lorenzo all have 44 wins in various Grand Prix level motorcycle races. Stoner could make it 45 today.
Valentino Rossi leads a train with Karel Abraham and Nicky Hayden. Aleix Espargaro and Randy de Puniet battle for CRT honors. de Puniet is running well, but CRT bikes can't keep up with the prototype bikes. It's just like the old two stroke vs. four stroke battle in the 500cc days. Sixteen laps to run yet. Stoner runs across the whole of the curb in turn three named after him and is going very well. Stoner, (like Mick Doohan, and Barry Sheene, before him), will be another great Aussie motorcycle rider.
Cal Crutchlow is now in third, but Alvaro Bautista gets shocked by Stefan Bradl into Doohan corner, after the bikes come down Gardner straight (named for another Aussie motorcycle champ, Wayne Gardner). The bikes fly through Lukey Heights and into MG corner. Nicky Hayden set the lap record at Philip Island in 2008 and Stoner could break it, maybe. That was back in the days of 800cc MotoGP bikes instead of 1000cc machines. Twelve laps left to run now. Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden scrap for seventh. Randy de Puniet, Alvaro Bautista, and others, are running between ninth and twelfth spots.
Casey Stoner is having a great send off in his home race and still could win it. Alvaro Bautista is still chasing Andrea Dovizioso in this battle for fifth. Roberto Rolfo is out of the race. Rolfo has won at Philip Island, in the old 250cc class. Seven laps left to run. Alvaro Bautista is great on the brakes. Former World Champion Alex Barros was also a master at braking technique. Aleix Espargaro has passed Randy de Puniet, and is now tenth, leading among the CRT bikes. Bautista is trying to pass Dovizioso. But, it's doubtful he will.
Stefan Bradl is doing point and squirt maneuvers more than his pursuers. With tire wear, riders will square off turns and have to manage the front tire. Jorge Lorenzo passes Ivan Silva. Four laps left in the race. Jorge Lorenzo is on his way to a MotoGP championship title. Dovizioso and Bautista have passed Bradl with four laps left. Coming into Lukey Heights, this battle is far from over. Stoner will get his 40th win in top level motorcycle racing. Danilo Petrucci is 13th and he'll get a good finish in his first race at Philip Island.
Will Petrucci run next year? We'll see. Casey Stoner is mastering this track. Michele Pirro gets loose but continues. The scrap between Dovizioso, Bradl et al is hot and heavy just before the end. Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro continue trading spots for CRT honors. Bautista passes Dovizioso and so does Bradl, on the last lap. Casey Stoner will win this race, and Jorge Lorenzo will be champion. Dovizioso is flying, and his bike begins to shake. Did Stoner's knee hit the dirt? Yes. But he holds on. He comes through Lukey Heights again.
Jorge Lorenzo is going to win another MotoGP championship. Casey Stoner wins it! He earns his sixth straight win at Philip Island. Meanwhile, Jorge Lorenzo is the champ!
#1 Casey Stoner AUS Honda
World Champion:
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha
This is Lorenzo's second title! He had sixteen top two finishes in seventeen races, making him champion for the second time, also winning the title two years ago, in 2010. Lorenzo and Stoner are both enjoying the admiration of the crowd. Lorenzo is parading his bike around the track. Will he wear the #1 plate in 2013? It's his choice if he wants to or not. He does a burnout in celebration. He ios ecstatic and his crew surrounds him as he's on the bike, standing on the fuel tank.
Jorge Lorenzo earns 350 points in clinching his title. There are still positions to play for, headed into the final race. Honda wins the teams title and could win the constructors title. Just one more race remains in MotoGP in 2012. It's going to be in Valencia, Spain, coming up in two weeks.
This is a very picturesque area with much farmland surrounding it. If Jorge Lorenzo wins today's race, he'll win the title. But, if native son Casey Stoner wins, he'll have six wins at his home track. Stoner will give 110% for sure and loves this track. Turn three has been named after Casey Stoner. Stoner's countryman, Chad Reed (U.S. Supercross champion) is in attendance at the race this weekend. Ben Spies is out after his crash. He won't start this race and may not start the season finale.
In practice, it was very cold, and here are the qualifying results. Rain came just before the end of the session. Casey Stoner set pole at 1:29.623 with Jorge Lorenzo second, and Dani Pedrosa, third. Randy de Puniet qualified ninth just ahead of Nicky Hayden. Colin Edwards qualifies sixteenth. Cal Crutchlow qualified well, but has been suffering from bronchitis and a fever this weekend. Ivan Silva starts caboose on the field.
The bikes set off on their warmup lap. Philip Island is a unique track according to riders. There are twelve turns with just two slow ones. It will be called Stoner Curve.
At the start, Jorge Lorenzo does a wheelie but gets the lead going into the Southern Loop. Coming thorugh Stoner Curve and Honda Corner, Dani Pedrosa takes the lead away from Jorge Lorenzo. This race will be 27 laps. Coming over Lukey Heights and into turn ten, the bikes fly on the straight. Stoner is up to second. Stoner is reeling in Pedrosa. However, it's over for Pedrosa! He falls down! He's out of this race! Jorge Lorenzo will be champion. Pedrosa is back on his bike, but pushed too hard and ditched his bike. The race enters it's third lap with Stoner running fastest lap at 1:30 and a half.
Pedrosa went too deep and low sided the bike. Casey Stoner is trying to gap Jorge Lorenzo right now as Pedrosa retires. There's a three way battle for the podium. It's the satellite Yamaha's and Honda's. Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Dovizioso, Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl all scrap. Crutchlow wants a podium after failing to finish in Japan and Malaysia. Stoner wiggles the bike big time, but he holds on. Jorge Lorenzo has to ride his own race. Next year, he'll team with Valentino Rossi. The train of the Tech 3 Yamaha's and the two Honda's continues to chug right along.
Casey Stoner is a full second faster than Jorge Lorenzo. Crutchlow, Dovizioso, Bradl, and Bautista, are all faster in lap time than Lorenzo. Cal Crutchlow runs a 1:31 flat and is 7/10ths quicker than Lorenzo. Colin Edwards is out of this race. Meanwhile, Alvaro Bautista is battling Andrea Dovizioso. Lorenzo is matching Stoner's lap times but is still three seconds behind. Stoner, Pedrosa, and Lorenzo all have 44 wins in various Grand Prix level motorcycle races. Stoner could make it 45 today.
Valentino Rossi leads a train with Karel Abraham and Nicky Hayden. Aleix Espargaro and Randy de Puniet battle for CRT honors. de Puniet is running well, but CRT bikes can't keep up with the prototype bikes. It's just like the old two stroke vs. four stroke battle in the 500cc days. Sixteen laps to run yet. Stoner runs across the whole of the curb in turn three named after him and is going very well. Stoner, (like Mick Doohan, and Barry Sheene, before him), will be another great Aussie motorcycle rider.
Cal Crutchlow is now in third, but Alvaro Bautista gets shocked by Stefan Bradl into Doohan corner, after the bikes come down Gardner straight (named for another Aussie motorcycle champ, Wayne Gardner). The bikes fly through Lukey Heights and into MG corner. Nicky Hayden set the lap record at Philip Island in 2008 and Stoner could break it, maybe. That was back in the days of 800cc MotoGP bikes instead of 1000cc machines. Twelve laps left to run now. Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden scrap for seventh. Randy de Puniet, Alvaro Bautista, and others, are running between ninth and twelfth spots.
Casey Stoner is having a great send off in his home race and still could win it. Alvaro Bautista is still chasing Andrea Dovizioso in this battle for fifth. Roberto Rolfo is out of the race. Rolfo has won at Philip Island, in the old 250cc class. Seven laps left to run. Alvaro Bautista is great on the brakes. Former World Champion Alex Barros was also a master at braking technique. Aleix Espargaro has passed Randy de Puniet, and is now tenth, leading among the CRT bikes. Bautista is trying to pass Dovizioso. But, it's doubtful he will.
Stefan Bradl is doing point and squirt maneuvers more than his pursuers. With tire wear, riders will square off turns and have to manage the front tire. Jorge Lorenzo passes Ivan Silva. Four laps left in the race. Jorge Lorenzo is on his way to a MotoGP championship title. Dovizioso and Bautista have passed Bradl with four laps left. Coming into Lukey Heights, this battle is far from over. Stoner will get his 40th win in top level motorcycle racing. Danilo Petrucci is 13th and he'll get a good finish in his first race at Philip Island.
Will Petrucci run next year? We'll see. Casey Stoner is mastering this track. Michele Pirro gets loose but continues. The scrap between Dovizioso, Bradl et al is hot and heavy just before the end. Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro continue trading spots for CRT honors. Bautista passes Dovizioso and so does Bradl, on the last lap. Casey Stoner will win this race, and Jorge Lorenzo will be champion. Dovizioso is flying, and his bike begins to shake. Did Stoner's knee hit the dirt? Yes. But he holds on. He comes through Lukey Heights again.
Jorge Lorenzo is going to win another MotoGP championship. Casey Stoner wins it! He earns his sixth straight win at Philip Island. Meanwhile, Jorge Lorenzo is the champ!
#1 Casey Stoner AUS Honda
World Champion:
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha
This is Lorenzo's second title! He had sixteen top two finishes in seventeen races, making him champion for the second time, also winning the title two years ago, in 2010. Lorenzo and Stoner are both enjoying the admiration of the crowd. Lorenzo is parading his bike around the track. Will he wear the #1 plate in 2013? It's his choice if he wants to or not. He does a burnout in celebration. He ios ecstatic and his crew surrounds him as he's on the bike, standing on the fuel tank.
Jorge Lorenzo earns 350 points in clinching his title. There are still positions to play for, headed into the final race. Honda wins the teams title and could win the constructors title. Just one more race remains in MotoGP in 2012. It's going to be in Valencia, Spain, coming up in two weeks.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race
Well, there likely will not be coverage of the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race as a month has passed since it's completion. It was billed as the finale for the 2012 FIM World Endurance Championship. But, apparently, it has also gone back to being a stand alone event in a way, with the other 24 hour race (the Bol D'or) being the main event. That was highlighted on this blog months ago.
SRC Kawasaki takes the win, giving Kawasaki a three-peat in terms of triumphs at the Bugatti motorcycle circuit at Le Mans. Julien Da Costa, Gregory Leblanc, and Freddy Foray, were the winning riders. No real need to highlight all class winners within the blog. The story was covered by www.lemans.org with all of the news of the class winners. Direct your attention, motorcycle racing fans, to the following link for the whole story.
http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24-heures-moto/updates/victory-for-kawasaki-and-title-for-suzuki_8711.html
Thus concludes the endurance motorcycle racing season for 2012. So long until next year. But, there will be plenty more about worldwide motorcycle racing. Two more rounds of MotoGP still to come this season, and other snippets of news will be shared. Stay tuned for further details as they arise.
SRC Kawasaki takes the win, giving Kawasaki a three-peat in terms of triumphs at the Bugatti motorcycle circuit at Le Mans. Julien Da Costa, Gregory Leblanc, and Freddy Foray, were the winning riders. No real need to highlight all class winners within the blog. The story was covered by www.lemans.org with all of the news of the class winners. Direct your attention, motorcycle racing fans, to the following link for the whole story.
http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24-heures-moto/updates/victory-for-kawasaki-and-title-for-suzuki_8711.html
Thus concludes the endurance motorcycle racing season for 2012. So long until next year. But, there will be plenty more about worldwide motorcycle racing. Two more rounds of MotoGP still to come this season, and other snippets of news will be shared. Stay tuned for further details as they arise.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Moto 3: Malaysia
Zulhfammi Khairuddin has pole for the Moto 3 race
At the start, Jonas Folger takes the lead as Sandro Cortese loses places. Zulhfammi Khairuddin comes out of the blocks well. Romano Fenati is also moving up. Danny Kent gets a good start. Luis Salom is ninth. Coming into turn nine, Efren Vazquez is pressing Khairuddin. Louis Rossi is now fifth. Sandro Cortese moves past Khairuddin onto the back straight. Miguel Oliviera is coming up, too. Folger is gapping the field already with two laps completed. Dark clouds loom over the raceway. Jonas Folger is streaking away from everyone else.
At the start, Jonas Folger takes the lead as Sandro Cortese loses places. Zulhfammi Khairuddin comes out of the blocks well. Romano Fenati is also moving up. Danny Kent gets a good start. Luis Salom is ninth. Coming into turn nine, Efren Vazquez is pressing Khairuddin. Louis Rossi is now fifth. Sandro Cortese moves past Khairuddin onto the back straight. Miguel Oliviera is coming up, too. Folger is gapping the field already with two laps completed. Dark clouds loom over the raceway. Jonas Folger is streaking away from everyone else.
Sandro Cortese doesn’t want Efren Vazquez behind him as he
knows he’ll be pressured as Ricardo Moretti has crashed. Zulhfammi Khairuddin wants a win, but he’s
also got a chance for the podium. The
physical difficulty of this race as well as focus is becoming evident. 18 laps are scheduled. Louis Rossi is now fourth. Khairuddin runs a fast lap in the 2:15
range. He wants by Folger and has more
power down the back straightaway. Efren
Vazquez is shuffled down to seventh.
Louis Rossi passes Sandro Cortese, but Cortese will come back by.
Jonas Folger is favored for this race because he was quicker
than anyone else in practice and qualifying.
Khairuddin tries Folger, but can’t get there. Cortese and Rossi follow. If you are too careful as a motorcycle rider,
you will have issues. Jonas Folger got
taken out last weekend in Japan. But
he’s ahead now. Sandro Cortese is in the
right spot and has continued his streak of running well all year. Louis Salom is still in this battle. He has to win. Maverick Vinales is not in this race as he’s
chosen not to race in the final three races.
He’s got issues with his team.
Louis Rossi ditches his bike right in front of Luis
Salom. Fortunately, Rossi was the only
one involved, and he did pick up his bike.
He couldn’t quite hang on to the bike.
Three laps to halfway. Sandro
Cortese is still running behind Jonas Folger and Zulfahmmi Khairuddin. Khairuddin runs better than Cortese through
the slower parts of the track. Luis
Salom has nothing to lose, even if he uses up his tires to catch the rest of
the front pack. Romano Fenati and
Nicolas Ajo battle. Danny Kent passes
Miguel Oliviera.
The front group is pulling ahead. All this is doing is helping Sandro
Cortese. Luis Salom patiently reels in
Cortese even though Cortese is really in this battle. It’s a four way scrap at the front. Cortese blocks Salom. But he still gets by. Danny Kent is 1.6 seconds behind this group
at the front. Rain could approach. It probably won’t be there for this
race. Ten laps remain now. Both Mahindra bikes are out. Those are Danny Webb and Ricardo
Moretti. Luis Salom has to win if he
wants to beat Cortese. But Cortese wants
the race and the championship in one fell swoop.
Three more laps will be run should the rain comke for the
race to be official. John McPhee is
nowhere near the leading group but is still running well. Cortese has caught the leaders. It’s Salom that is a concern after he’s been
locking the front brake. There are spots
of rain on track. It seems to be at the
back of the track as it’s dry on the front straight and in pit lane. Rain signals have gone out and the riders
will need to step up the pace. Two more
laps before it’s a full race, otherwise the distance will be reduced as
Zulhfammi Khairuddin tries to make a move.
If this race is stopped, you want to be in front.
Rain is still not there yet.
Can Zulhfammi Khairuddin battle Folger?
Yes! He passes Jonas Folger. If he can lead this lap and then lead the
next lap, the race is very well over.
One more lap to go to have it declared an official race. He’s the first Malaysian to start from pole
in Moto 3. Could he win his home
race? Everyone would have to complete
this lap to be scored. It’s
possible. Jonas Folger is really going
after Khairuddin as Danny Kent passes Luis Salom for fourth.
Sandro Cortese will be champion. But, Cortese tries passing Andrea
Tonucci. Arthur Sissis and Jack Miller
are also there. Khairuddin runs
wide. It’s Folger vs. Khairuddin for the
lead. They’re side by side and
Khairuddin takes the lead. Folger wants
this. The rain is starting to come
down. Cortese will win the
championship. But, who wins the
race? Folger takes the lead back. No.
Khairuddin hangs on. He wants his
home race win! Folger is back in the
lead. The race should be red flagged
very soon. Who is going to win this?
The scoring will go back a lap. Folger slides but keeps the lead. Who is going to win? Folger leads the way. Khairuddin has to take the lead and he does
it! Can he hook up into the last corner? Yes.
The fans go bonkers! Five laps
remain. No red flags. Luis Salom passes both Miguel Oliviera and
Danny Kent. Sandro Cortese’s parents are
watching. They’re understandably
nervous. Can Khairuddin be the first
Malaysian to win a motorcycle Grand Prix at his home race? Five laps remain now. If the red flag comes out, Khairuddin is the
winner.
Khairuddin and Cortese are team mates. Cortese passes Jonas Folger for second. He
wants to seal the title in style. He’ll
be the very first Moto 3 champ. Four
laps remain. Who does it? The Germans are tussling. Zulhfammi Khairuddin still leads. He’s at his home race, turning 21 last
Saturday. The track is just ten
kilometers from where Khairuddin lives.
Three laps remain. The rain is
here, but it’s a very light drizzle.
This race might go to the end.
Will Cortese get the victory and the title? He wants to get both at the same time.
Khairuddin holds off Cortese again. Cortese is in a decent spot. The sky is totally black at one point on the
track. Cortese is trying to pass
Khairuddin. Folger is third. But he’s a ways behind. Don’t take your team mate out. Jack Miller is up to thirteenth. Arthur Sissis is in ninth. John McPhee is 21st. Danny Kent is now sixth behind Luis Salom and
Miguel Oliviera. Khairuddin and Cortese
have 2/10ths of a second between them.
There’s still rain imminent. But
it will hold off for the Moto 3 race.
The crowd is going berserk.
Just one lap to go in the Moto 3 Malaysian Grand Prix. Zulhfammi Khairuddin is being cheered
home.
Cortese is trying to protect
Khairuddin. Will he make a move? Cortese might be trying to take the lead, or
will he let Khairuddin win? Everything’s
crossed. Take a deep breath. Cortese is powering down back in the lead,
down the straight. Khauiruddin comes
by. But Cortese gets the win and is Moto
3 World Champion!
#3 Sandro Cortese
GER KTM
Champion:
#3 Sandro Cortese
GER KTM
The next race for Moto 3 will be the penultimate round at
Philip Island in Australia, for the Australian Grand Prix, this weekend.
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