Former motorcycle Grand Prix race winner Doriano Romboni was killed in a practice crash for a Sic Supermoto race and passed away at the Santa Maria Goretti hospital in Latina, Italy.
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/Romboni+passes+away+after+Supermoto+accident
Rest In Peace, Doriano Romboni.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Friday, November 29, 2013
Bike Road Racing Series round 4: Billown, Part 2
We're ready for day two action at the Billown circuit on the Isle of Man, and the fourth and final day of the Southern 100 international road races.
Guy Martin wants his second Southern 100 championship. But, Michael Dunlop will be one of his biggest competitors. We've seen the track, and all the major corners. The first race of the day is the championship race for the Superbikes. This is Honda vs. Suzuki. Michael Dunlop vs. Guy Martin. The big boys and the big toys are coming out to play. We are ready, for the Manx Gas Solo Championship Superbike race! Go! At the start, Dean Harrison immediately jumps into the race lead.
Michael Dunlop also gets a decent start and doesn't bog down off the line. Ian Lougher is up there, but here comes Dunlop, taking the fight to Martin. Michael Dunlop is making a move into Iron Gate. It's Suzuki vs. Honda vs. Kawasaki. Dunlop takes the lead. Not far behind are names like Jamie Hamilton, Michael Pearson and Russ Mountford. We've seen Hamilton and Mountford in some of the other divisions racing, and they were featured prominently, in part one of this race report.
They cleanly race through Ballabeg hairpin and are well on their way. Guy Martin may be third, but he's had better race starts during his Superbike career in the Bike Road Racing Series. Ian Lougher is going to have to book it to keep up with the top three. The bikes ease into Cross Four-Ways for the first time. The big 1000cc four cylinder engines, are roaring, announcing their presence on the Isle of Man. Lougher, Pearson, and Hamilton, are also in a race of their own.
Whoever mashes the throttle hardest and soonest, will have the advantage down the front straight. Ian Lougher moves to the outside of Jamie Hamilton. What can he do? Ooh! Lougher almost hits the wall! Woohoo! That was close! Phew! Dunlop leads, but Dean Harrison is right along with him. Not to be outdone, Martin is right up the tailpipe of Dean Harrison's motorcycle. Seamus Elliott runs at the back of the pack on bike #97, trying to make his way around Ballabeg hairpin.
Martin pops a wheelie as he's going after Harrison around one of the sloped curves. Michael Dunlop is ahead for Honda TT Legends, (a name recognizable from the coverage of the FIM World Endurance Championship, here on this blog). Two laps complete. Seven remain. We've got a couple of 600 Supersport bikes mixed in with the Superbikes for good measure, in this race. They make their way back towards Ballabeg another time.
Hamilton, Lougher, and Pearson, are still in their own battle, behind the leaders. As for Martin, he's still finding difficulty in passing Harrison. Martin won't give up. But, he gets a bonus. Dean Harrison, runs wide, off the racing line. Ian Lougher still fends off Michael Pearson. Harrison and Martin are going to be the ones to fight it out for second. There's still six laps left. Jamie Hamilton runs by himself, with Michael Pearson and Ian Lougher in pursuit. Dean Harrison has his feet off the foot pegs into Cross Four Ways! Hang it on the edge!
Ian Lougher pops another wheelie! Dunlop is still ahead of Martin. But, Martin has broken the 2:14 lap barrier, running a 2:13.9. This might be a new lap record for the Billown course. Martin continues to close on Dunlop. Dean Harrison has faded. It's a two man race for the win. Russ Mountford flies past Roy Gallagh's farm, approaching the Bomb Hole. Dunlop slides his way into the last corner, coming up to complete another lap.
The Suzuki is fast in a straight line, but doesn't quite have the oomph of the Honda out of the corners. Russ Mountford catches Michael Pearson, and Pearson, makes his way down the escape road. Martin, also catches Dunlop. Guy Martin is skating all over, while Michael Dunlop's bike is on rails. It has nothing to do with technique. It's more about bike setup. Remember from part one... the bike isn't control of you as a rider. You, the rider, control the bike.
Both of them slide towards the wall, and emerge unscathed. Guy Martin has a run on Michael Dunlop. He's flying, folks. Martin nabs the lead. Martin is in P1! How will Dunlop respond to this challenge? Dunlop wants to get him back, going into Ballekeighan. Tim Poole overtakes slower rider Mike James on bike #39. Dean Harrison holds third. Both Martin and Dunlop wheelie, coming up out of the Bomb Hole. This is intense!
Jamie Hamilton and Dean Harrison are still out there, but neither is in contention to win this race. Martin flies into Stadium, and Dunlop is still pushing. It's the final lap of the Superbike race. Dean Harrison is still third. Watch out for backmarkers. Russ Mountford is running with James Cownton behind him. Through Ballabeg, Cross Four Ways, and Great Meadow. There is still time for decisive moves. This is it. Will it be Tyco Suzuki, or Honda TT Legends? They've gone through Church Bends. Great Meadow, Stadium, and Castletown corner are all that remains.
Martin wins it! He's the Southern 100 champ!
#4 Guy Martin Suzuki 1000
Here's the top five.
1. #4 Guy Martin Suzuki 1000
2. #1 Michael Dunlop Honda 1000
3. #2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 1000
4. #44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 1000
5. #9 Ian Lougher Honda 1000
Let's resume the action, and go three wheelin'. It's time for the sidecars on the Isle of Man. In the first race for sidecars, a battle ensued between Wayne Lockey and Greg Lambert. It was a race between three teams. Colin Harrison made his way past Greg Lambert. Roy Hanks was also in the wars in the first sidecar race. The race was stopped after a vicious crash where one of the passengers was tossed from the sidecar! Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle, won it.
#77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
Here's the top five.
1. #77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
2. #26 Bryan/Winn Honda 600
3. #3 Harrison/Chauhan Honda 600
4. #4 Lockey/Capewell Honda 600
5. #5 Lambert/Cole Honda 600
Gary Bryan, is confident. Roy Hanks, has many memories of racing on the Isle of Man, as he's done so for years. Hanks' dad raced on this course, against another racer named Charlie Freeman. Back then, the bikes were made by companies like BSA, Triumph, and Norton... legendary names in motorcycle racing history. We come to the sidecar championship race at Billown.
Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle are the top runners, and we'll also pay attention to the team of Harrison and Chauhan. The Bell team (father and son), are also in this race. Ben and Tom Birchall start from pole and will be ones to watch. Bring up the revs, and here we go! Ben Birchall makes a good start going into the lead of the race immediately. It's a side-by-side duel between the Bell's and the Reeves/Sayle team. Tim Reeves has the edge.
How do you tiptoe around Ballekeighan on a sidecar? It's tough. But, you have to. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle are going for it right away. The Birchall team holds onto P1. The Lockie and Capewell team is doing well, too. Gary Bryant and Jamie Winn are running well. They want to pass Ian and Carl Bell. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle are watching all this. We watch sidecar #15 in the hands of Stuart Stubbel and Robert Munt. Keep all three wheels down. No curb hopping in a sidecar cycle.
The 600cc Honda sidecar seems to have a throatier, sharper, nastier exhaust note than the rest of the bikes out there in this division. This team is reeling in the Birchall brothers. So, it's Ben and Tom Birchall followed by Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle. Next, it's Ian and Carl Bell. Gary Bryan and Jamie Winn are fourth. Reeves looks to be closing up on the Birchall's and they let that team go past.
Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle have it all their own way in the sidecar championship race at the moment. Conrad Harrison, Greg Lambert, and Wayne Lockie, are a ways down the order. Dean Lindley is also in there. Through Cross Four-Ways, nice and quick. Ian and Carl Bell seem like they might have an opportunity to challenge for the win here, too. They've won these races, and championships. They know what it takes to run a sidecar racer on the Isle of Man.
Dean Lindley bumps another competitor, trying to pass. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle open their margin little by little. These sidecars with the 600cc motors sound really sweet. Keep the revs high and the speed up. Tim Reeves wants a Southern 100 win to add to his CV. He's won the Isle of Mann TT, the British Superbike Championship, and has World Championship sidecar wins. With the sidecar racers, the bumps through these corners, present a real shock to the system.
Darren Hope is also in this race. He used to be a passenger, but now, drives a sidecar cycle. Watch out into Cross Four-Ways. That's tricky even on a regular motorcycle, as we've already seen. Roy Hanks... the legend, is running great, along with passenger, Kevin Perry. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle are flying into Stadium. It seems that Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle have a definite advantage. The Birchall's and the other competitors are not keeping up as well as they'd like to. The intervals are regular and steady. But, there's still a race on our hands here, blokes.
The Birchall's are getting quicker. This is a six lap race. It should have been eight. But, two laps were subtracted from the distance. Dean Lindley is running well, with passenger, Jason O'Connor. Cole Bennett and Lee Kane are also running in top form on sidecar #13. 125 miles an hour maximum speed, lying on your tummy? Jeez! Serious case of road rash! Thank goodness for leathers, chest and back protectors, and helmets.
Dan Sayle has won many races at Billown in the past. He is as successful as riders like Dave Molyneux and Klaus Glafboch. Greg Lambert and Wayne Lockie are in a battle for position. Reeves and Sayle still lead over the Birchall's and the Bell's. Gary Bryant has dropped behind. Colin Harrison is fifth. The Bell's are pushing and want to try for second. Roy Hanks is still bringing up the rear of the pack. The Birchall's might be closing in on the very strong Honda of Reeves and Sayle.
Everyone seems to run in the 2:37 range in terms of lap times. John Chandler pushes Horst Valsack out of the way. The margins between the top three continue to tighten up. This is the last lap of the sidecar race. Ben and Tom Birchall reset fast lap at 2:35.8. John Chandler pulls to the side of the road. Could it be game over for Chandler? Yes. Dean Lindley and Jason O'Connor, meanwhile, have been running their own race so far.
The top three run through the Bomb Hole for the last time. We are into the last mile of this race for the sidecars. Headed to Castletown corner, it looks like Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle will indeed be the winners. The Birchall's were close. But not close enough. Reeves and Sayle, win! The Birchall's still score fastest lap. Ian and Carl Bell, round out the podium.
#77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
Here's the top five for the sidecars.
1. #77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
2. #1 Birchall/Birchall Honda 600
3. #2 Bell/Bell Honda 600
4. #26 Bryan/Winn Honda 600
5. #3 Harrison/Chauhan Honda 600
The next race that will be highlighted is the Armoy Race of Legends in Armoy, Northern Ireland. Stay tuned for that. There will be a race report, coming soon.
Guy Martin wants his second Southern 100 championship. But, Michael Dunlop will be one of his biggest competitors. We've seen the track, and all the major corners. The first race of the day is the championship race for the Superbikes. This is Honda vs. Suzuki. Michael Dunlop vs. Guy Martin. The big boys and the big toys are coming out to play. We are ready, for the Manx Gas Solo Championship Superbike race! Go! At the start, Dean Harrison immediately jumps into the race lead.
Michael Dunlop also gets a decent start and doesn't bog down off the line. Ian Lougher is up there, but here comes Dunlop, taking the fight to Martin. Michael Dunlop is making a move into Iron Gate. It's Suzuki vs. Honda vs. Kawasaki. Dunlop takes the lead. Not far behind are names like Jamie Hamilton, Michael Pearson and Russ Mountford. We've seen Hamilton and Mountford in some of the other divisions racing, and they were featured prominently, in part one of this race report.
They cleanly race through Ballabeg hairpin and are well on their way. Guy Martin may be third, but he's had better race starts during his Superbike career in the Bike Road Racing Series. Ian Lougher is going to have to book it to keep up with the top three. The bikes ease into Cross Four-Ways for the first time. The big 1000cc four cylinder engines, are roaring, announcing their presence on the Isle of Man. Lougher, Pearson, and Hamilton, are also in a race of their own.
Whoever mashes the throttle hardest and soonest, will have the advantage down the front straight. Ian Lougher moves to the outside of Jamie Hamilton. What can he do? Ooh! Lougher almost hits the wall! Woohoo! That was close! Phew! Dunlop leads, but Dean Harrison is right along with him. Not to be outdone, Martin is right up the tailpipe of Dean Harrison's motorcycle. Seamus Elliott runs at the back of the pack on bike #97, trying to make his way around Ballabeg hairpin.
Martin pops a wheelie as he's going after Harrison around one of the sloped curves. Michael Dunlop is ahead for Honda TT Legends, (a name recognizable from the coverage of the FIM World Endurance Championship, here on this blog). Two laps complete. Seven remain. We've got a couple of 600 Supersport bikes mixed in with the Superbikes for good measure, in this race. They make their way back towards Ballabeg another time.
Hamilton, Lougher, and Pearson, are still in their own battle, behind the leaders. As for Martin, he's still finding difficulty in passing Harrison. Martin won't give up. But, he gets a bonus. Dean Harrison, runs wide, off the racing line. Ian Lougher still fends off Michael Pearson. Harrison and Martin are going to be the ones to fight it out for second. There's still six laps left. Jamie Hamilton runs by himself, with Michael Pearson and Ian Lougher in pursuit. Dean Harrison has his feet off the foot pegs into Cross Four Ways! Hang it on the edge!
Ian Lougher pops another wheelie! Dunlop is still ahead of Martin. But, Martin has broken the 2:14 lap barrier, running a 2:13.9. This might be a new lap record for the Billown course. Martin continues to close on Dunlop. Dean Harrison has faded. It's a two man race for the win. Russ Mountford flies past Roy Gallagh's farm, approaching the Bomb Hole. Dunlop slides his way into the last corner, coming up to complete another lap.
The Suzuki is fast in a straight line, but doesn't quite have the oomph of the Honda out of the corners. Russ Mountford catches Michael Pearson, and Pearson, makes his way down the escape road. Martin, also catches Dunlop. Guy Martin is skating all over, while Michael Dunlop's bike is on rails. It has nothing to do with technique. It's more about bike setup. Remember from part one... the bike isn't control of you as a rider. You, the rider, control the bike.
Both of them slide towards the wall, and emerge unscathed. Guy Martin has a run on Michael Dunlop. He's flying, folks. Martin nabs the lead. Martin is in P1! How will Dunlop respond to this challenge? Dunlop wants to get him back, going into Ballekeighan. Tim Poole overtakes slower rider Mike James on bike #39. Dean Harrison holds third. Both Martin and Dunlop wheelie, coming up out of the Bomb Hole. This is intense!
Jamie Hamilton and Dean Harrison are still out there, but neither is in contention to win this race. Martin flies into Stadium, and Dunlop is still pushing. It's the final lap of the Superbike race. Dean Harrison is still third. Watch out for backmarkers. Russ Mountford is running with James Cownton behind him. Through Ballabeg, Cross Four Ways, and Great Meadow. There is still time for decisive moves. This is it. Will it be Tyco Suzuki, or Honda TT Legends? They've gone through Church Bends. Great Meadow, Stadium, and Castletown corner are all that remains.
Martin wins it! He's the Southern 100 champ!
#4 Guy Martin Suzuki 1000
Here's the top five.
1. #4 Guy Martin Suzuki 1000
2. #1 Michael Dunlop Honda 1000
3. #2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 1000
4. #44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 1000
5. #9 Ian Lougher Honda 1000
Let's resume the action, and go three wheelin'. It's time for the sidecars on the Isle of Man. In the first race for sidecars, a battle ensued between Wayne Lockey and Greg Lambert. It was a race between three teams. Colin Harrison made his way past Greg Lambert. Roy Hanks was also in the wars in the first sidecar race. The race was stopped after a vicious crash where one of the passengers was tossed from the sidecar! Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle, won it.
#77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
Here's the top five.
1. #77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
2. #26 Bryan/Winn Honda 600
3. #3 Harrison/Chauhan Honda 600
4. #4 Lockey/Capewell Honda 600
5. #5 Lambert/Cole Honda 600
Gary Bryan, is confident. Roy Hanks, has many memories of racing on the Isle of Man, as he's done so for years. Hanks' dad raced on this course, against another racer named Charlie Freeman. Back then, the bikes were made by companies like BSA, Triumph, and Norton... legendary names in motorcycle racing history. We come to the sidecar championship race at Billown.
Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle are the top runners, and we'll also pay attention to the team of Harrison and Chauhan. The Bell team (father and son), are also in this race. Ben and Tom Birchall start from pole and will be ones to watch. Bring up the revs, and here we go! Ben Birchall makes a good start going into the lead of the race immediately. It's a side-by-side duel between the Bell's and the Reeves/Sayle team. Tim Reeves has the edge.
How do you tiptoe around Ballekeighan on a sidecar? It's tough. But, you have to. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle are going for it right away. The Birchall team holds onto P1. The Lockie and Capewell team is doing well, too. Gary Bryant and Jamie Winn are running well. They want to pass Ian and Carl Bell. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle are watching all this. We watch sidecar #15 in the hands of Stuart Stubbel and Robert Munt. Keep all three wheels down. No curb hopping in a sidecar cycle.
The 600cc Honda sidecar seems to have a throatier, sharper, nastier exhaust note than the rest of the bikes out there in this division. This team is reeling in the Birchall brothers. So, it's Ben and Tom Birchall followed by Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle. Next, it's Ian and Carl Bell. Gary Bryan and Jamie Winn are fourth. Reeves looks to be closing up on the Birchall's and they let that team go past.
Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle have it all their own way in the sidecar championship race at the moment. Conrad Harrison, Greg Lambert, and Wayne Lockie, are a ways down the order. Dean Lindley is also in there. Through Cross Four-Ways, nice and quick. Ian and Carl Bell seem like they might have an opportunity to challenge for the win here, too. They've won these races, and championships. They know what it takes to run a sidecar racer on the Isle of Man.
Dean Lindley bumps another competitor, trying to pass. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle open their margin little by little. These sidecars with the 600cc motors sound really sweet. Keep the revs high and the speed up. Tim Reeves wants a Southern 100 win to add to his CV. He's won the Isle of Mann TT, the British Superbike Championship, and has World Championship sidecar wins. With the sidecar racers, the bumps through these corners, present a real shock to the system.
Darren Hope is also in this race. He used to be a passenger, but now, drives a sidecar cycle. Watch out into Cross Four-Ways. That's tricky even on a regular motorcycle, as we've already seen. Roy Hanks... the legend, is running great, along with passenger, Kevin Perry. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle are flying into Stadium. It seems that Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle have a definite advantage. The Birchall's and the other competitors are not keeping up as well as they'd like to. The intervals are regular and steady. But, there's still a race on our hands here, blokes.
The Birchall's are getting quicker. This is a six lap race. It should have been eight. But, two laps were subtracted from the distance. Dean Lindley is running well, with passenger, Jason O'Connor. Cole Bennett and Lee Kane are also running in top form on sidecar #13. 125 miles an hour maximum speed, lying on your tummy? Jeez! Serious case of road rash! Thank goodness for leathers, chest and back protectors, and helmets.
Dan Sayle has won many races at Billown in the past. He is as successful as riders like Dave Molyneux and Klaus Glafboch. Greg Lambert and Wayne Lockie are in a battle for position. Reeves and Sayle still lead over the Birchall's and the Bell's. Gary Bryant has dropped behind. Colin Harrison is fifth. The Bell's are pushing and want to try for second. Roy Hanks is still bringing up the rear of the pack. The Birchall's might be closing in on the very strong Honda of Reeves and Sayle.
Everyone seems to run in the 2:37 range in terms of lap times. John Chandler pushes Horst Valsack out of the way. The margins between the top three continue to tighten up. This is the last lap of the sidecar race. Ben and Tom Birchall reset fast lap at 2:35.8. John Chandler pulls to the side of the road. Could it be game over for Chandler? Yes. Dean Lindley and Jason O'Connor, meanwhile, have been running their own race so far.
The top three run through the Bomb Hole for the last time. We are into the last mile of this race for the sidecars. Headed to Castletown corner, it looks like Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle will indeed be the winners. The Birchall's were close. But not close enough. Reeves and Sayle, win! The Birchall's still score fastest lap. Ian and Carl Bell, round out the podium.
#77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
Here's the top five for the sidecars.
1. #77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
2. #1 Birchall/Birchall Honda 600
3. #2 Bell/Bell Honda 600
4. #26 Bryan/Winn Honda 600
5. #3 Harrison/Chauhan Honda 600
The next race that will be highlighted is the Armoy Race of Legends in Armoy, Northern Ireland. Stay tuned for that. There will be a race report, coming soon.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Bike Road Racing Series round 4: Billown, Part 1
We return to the Billown circuit for round four of the 2013 Bike Road Racing Series. This is actually the other races that took place during the Southern 100 weekend. Two race reports will be coming your way, or rather, one race report, will be split into two parts.
Get ready for more high speed, and close action. This is the Billown 100. Let's review (having raced here, previously), the key corners on this 4.25 mile track, before we go racing. The corners include Ballakeighan, Iron Gate, Joey's Gate, the Ballabeg hairpin, Williams corner (the trickiest part of the track which goes past a farm, and into this unique turn called the bomb hole). Cross Four-Ways follows, before sliding into Church Bends. Out of Church Bends, the riders fly down the fastest part of the track at Great Meadow.
To complete the lap at Billown, it's hard on the brakes through the last two turns known as Stadium Bend, and Castletown corner. The first race of the day, is not for Superbikes, but instead, it's the combined race for 125cc and 400cc motorcycles presented by Station Garage. Castletown is the capital of the Isle of Man, (or Mann as it's properly spelled). Chris Palmer, is a local racer. He and his family, live here. Palmer runs a 125cc bike.
OK, folks. We are ready for the aforementioned Station Garage 125cc/400cc race to begin. Strap on the helmet and the racing gloves, twist the throttle, and get ready to race. There will be one, and only one winner this year. No separate honors for each class. Some big names are in this race. Chris Palmer, William Dunlop, Paul Robinson, and Ian Lougher, are probably the four biggest stars in this category. Lougher and Dunlop run a lot of different kinds of bikes in these race meetings.
The sun is low in the sky, and we're ready. Go! Chris Palmer and Alistair Haworth both get the jump on the rest of this field. Callum Collister is also up there. The field is bunched up going into Ballakeighan and Iron Gate. Rider Dave Kennington on bike #46 wanted to make an outside move. He couldn't quite do it. Collister, Howeth, and Dave Taylor are the top three right now. One year in this race, the start was so late, the streetlights in the town came on during the race.
Chris Palmer is being challenged by Dave Corliss. The bikes fly past Joey's Gate and into the hairpin. Collister continues leading this race. Paul Robinson ditches his bike. One of the 250cc riders is in trouble already. Fortunately, he picks up his Aprilia, and continues. Chris Palmer is absolutely flying on his 125cc Honda at the moment. Never let go of the throttle on a 125cc bike. Keep it wide open and wound up, all the time.
Alistair Haworth has taken over the race lead. Chris Palmer, meanwhile, closes in on Dave Taylor. Howeth leads. He's very good on a 400cc bike. Ian Lougher makes a pass on Dave Corlett. If the top three finishers in this race are on 400cc bikes, the 125cc riders won't get any glory, unfortunately. Callum Collister goes back in front for the time being. Chris Palmer is indeed closing up on his competitor. Dave Taylor is the man he wants to pass to gain another spot.
Haworth retakes the lead from Collister coming down into Castletown corner. We watch Joe Newbold on bike #143, being chased by a couple more riders behind him. Howeth and Collister are going to battle to the end in this one. They're shoulder to shoulder coming to Ballekeighan again. The 400cc bikes are very controllable, and they're beautifully made bikes, too. The leaders race into Ballabeg hairpin another time. Now, we see a battle between bikes #76 and #56. Eddie Lymer rides the #76 machine. Seamus Elliott is also in that battle.
Through Great Meadow and into Stadium. Collister is running very well in this race, and is well in control. Dave Corliss battles Mark Goodings for position. Ian Lougher, meanwhile, is booking it. He's fifth after being stuck in sixth place for a while. He seems to be closing up on both Dave Taylor and Chris Palmer. Palmer wants to overtake Taylor into the braking zone for Ballabeg. Oh no! Taylor runs straight on, missing the corner! He'll lose time now. Chris Palmer could get on the podium here. Eddie Lymer and Dan Sayle continue their battle. Sayle is on bike #56.
We are used to seeing Sayle in sidecar competition. Lougher is quickly closing up on Palmer. William Dunlop is another rider who has run 125cc bikes at Billown before. But, he's not in the race this year, having not found an opportunity for a ride. He was on the entry list, but, the ride never materialized. Dunlop has also had issues with his 250cc bike. Now, another brave pass. Lougher, passes Palmer! Lougher and Palmer are going to fight this one out, for sure.
It's game over for bike #117 of Dave Walsh. He's got a mechanical issue with his motorcycle. Walsh is riding a KTM. Alistair Haworth is second, doing a wheelie up the hill. Callum Collister still leads, in a league of his own. It's the last lap of this race. Chris Palmer makes a pass on Ian Lougher. They're side-by-side through Ballekeighan! Who's going to prevail? It'll be Lougher. The back wheels of the bikes go light there some of the corners around here. But, the battle rages between Palmer and Lougher.
Collister is going to win this race. But, it's Lougher and Palmer we'll be watching for. Callum Collister wins it. Now, to third place. Lougher beats Palmer to the line! Wow!
#53 Callum Collister Kawasaki 400
Here's the top five.
1. #53 Callum Collister Kawasaki 400
2. #29 Alistair Haworth Yamaha 400
3. #9 Ian Lougher Honda 125
4. #5 Chris Palmer Honda 125
5. #46 David Kennington Kawasaki 400
Next up, it's the Junior Consolation Support Race, for 650cc bikes. You've got a mix of Super Twins, (the 650cc machines), with a 400 or 125 bike thrown in for good measure. Conor Cummins is not racing this weekend. Instead, he's supporting his dad Billy Cummins, who is running in this race, At the start, from onboard Billy Cummins' bike, we see a slight false start. But, they're away.
Rad Hughes and James Neesom both get good starts. James Niesam leads this race. Nicholas Pfeiffer is another rider in this battle for the lead. Jack Hunter and Steven Orff are also in their own battle. Through Ballabeg, the order remains the same in this one. The riders move through Williams and down into the Bomb Hole for the first time. The order has not changed as they run through Church bends. Rad Hughes leads with James Niesam and Jack Hunter.
A rider "overcooks" the entry to Ballekeighan and fortunately, manages to get their bike turned in the right direction. Neesom passes Rad Hughes for the race lead. Billy Cummins has run into trouble. He's missed an entry to the corner, missing a gear, or finding a false neutral in the transmission somewhere. Jack Hunter comes under pressure from Nicholas Pfeiffer. Dave Clark leads a second group on bike #85. Neesom and Hughes continue to fight for the race lead.
Niklas Pfeiffer is still hanging in there. Neesom continues pulling ahead of Rad Hughes. Billy Cummins' bike must be running at full song again. Ian Cowie on bike #66 and bike #102 battle. #102 is Mark Bamford. Bamford makes the pass and it's done and dusted. Super Twins are a great bike to race on a track like this because the rider can be in control of the motorcycle as opposed to the bike controlling the rider.
The battle continues. But, Ian Cowie makes his way by Mark Bamford. Battle for the lead here, folks. Rad Hughes is all over James Niesam one more time. Niesam does it, and Niklas Pfeiffer passes Jack Hunter. Most of these bikes are Kawasaki's with the exception of one or two Suzuki SV650's. Stuart Raynor on bike #42 is slowing, with mechanical issues. Joe Newbold is also running well. He was in the previous race with the 125cc bikes, too. It's the final lap of the Super Twins race. It's going to be James Neesom's race to lose.
Slower riders such as Dave Clark, Leon Murphy, and James Christie make their way around the course. Billy Cummins is still trying to recover. He's done so, very well. Into Castletown corner, there's a pass. Rad Hughes has gone around James Neesom. Rad Hughes wins! What happened to Neesom? Ah. He gets second place.
#55 Rad Hughes Kawasaki 650
The top five:
1. #55 Rad Hughes Kawasaki 650
2. #91 James Neesom Kawasaki 650
3. #47 Niklas Pfeiffer Kawasaki 650
4. #69 Jack Hunter Kawasaki 650
5. #38 Billy Cummins Kawasaki 650
The next race is a combined event for the 250s and the 650 Super Twins. It's the Ocean Ford 250/650 race. Dean Harrison and Jamie Hamilton are going to be the main ones to watch in this contest. There was already one race for the Super Twins, and Harrison and Hamilton put on quite the show. It's a clean start, as we ride aboard the #88 bike of Joe Faragher. Watch bikes #2 and #44. Go! Chris Palmer had his front wheel up in the air. Dean Harrison gets the best launch off the line.
Hamilton is third. Ivan Lintin is the leader at the moment. Through Ballekeighan for the first time. Lintin looks to be breaking away from the rest of the pack already. It's Lintin, Hamilton, and Harrison, the top three. James Cownton, Russ Mountford, and Chris Palmer, follow. The bikes run into Cross Four-Ways for the first time, and Joe Faragher is still behind everyone else. Tim Poole is also up there, right behind Chris Palmer.
Ivan Lintin is making a break for it right now. Steve McKnight on bike #64 is also running decently. At the rear of the second group is bike #18 ridden by Callum Laidlaw. The leaders run through the Bomb Hole for the first time. Hamilton and Cownton are giving the Ryan Farquhar team a good run. Farquhar, is of course, a former racer. Ivan Lintin continues to lead this race. Lintin holds the lead into lap three of this race. Joe Faragher gets passed as Jamie Hamilton squeals the tires into the corner.
Adrian Harrison is another rider, deeper in this field. Now, back to the lead battle. Dean Harrison is closing in on Ivan Lintin. These two are leaving Jamie Hamilton in the dust. The gap between Harrison and Lintin closes even further. This will be a grandstand finish to the Super Twin and 250cc combined race. Haven't seen hide nor hair of the 250cc bikes though. They run past Joey's Gate. Colin Stevenson and Callum Laidlaw run farther down the race order.
Chris Palmer and Russ Mountford battle for fifth spot. You might want to go to the fridge and grab a bite to eat, chaps. This race hasn't changed at the front. It's still Harrison and Lintin going at it. John Bott and Adrian Harrison run together, for the last few positions in the top ten. Steve McKnight is still running out there, but he's shown the mechanical black flag (the "meatball"), because of something wrong with the bike. It's a black flag with a giant red dot in the middle, hence the nickname, "meatball". Lintin is still keeping Dean Harrison in his pocket.
Jamie Hamilton might have a problem as he's not riding the bike the way he'd mean to. Chris Palmer and Russ Mountford still battle, as Palmer is coming to grips with a Super Twin, after riding a 250cc bike for a long time, a bike he truly loved to race. Joe Faragher gets passed again. He's had a fraught race. Tim Poole is running decently. Oh boy! Dean Harrison is going to push, and he's right alongside Ivan Lintin now. Harrison slides down the inside. Will he make it stick?
He's got the spot. It's the last lap now. Lintin has the speed. Harrison has the cornering agility, and is better under braking. James Cowton is fourth. Lintin is still ahead. Can he do it? Chris Palmer still holds off Russ Mountford in their battle. They come into Church Bends one more time. Who is going to get the win? Tom Snow on bike #45 (another 250cc machine), runs well. But, that might be the last time you'll see a 250cc machine on the Billown course for the Southern 100. Dean Harrison slides sideways and is on the outside, trying to pass Lintin!
He does it! Harrison is going to win this race. Harrison wins it!
#2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 650
Here are the results.
1. #2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 650
2. #25 Ivan Lintin Tigcraft 650
3. #44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 650
4. #52 James Cowton Kawasaki 650
5. #5 Chris Palmer Kawasaki 650
More action to come from Billown and these other Southern 100 races, in another entry. Stay tuned for that in the not too distant future. Part 2, coming your way, soon. So long for now.
Get ready for more high speed, and close action. This is the Billown 100. Let's review (having raced here, previously), the key corners on this 4.25 mile track, before we go racing. The corners include Ballakeighan, Iron Gate, Joey's Gate, the Ballabeg hairpin, Williams corner (the trickiest part of the track which goes past a farm, and into this unique turn called the bomb hole). Cross Four-Ways follows, before sliding into Church Bends. Out of Church Bends, the riders fly down the fastest part of the track at Great Meadow.
To complete the lap at Billown, it's hard on the brakes through the last two turns known as Stadium Bend, and Castletown corner. The first race of the day, is not for Superbikes, but instead, it's the combined race for 125cc and 400cc motorcycles presented by Station Garage. Castletown is the capital of the Isle of Man, (or Mann as it's properly spelled). Chris Palmer, is a local racer. He and his family, live here. Palmer runs a 125cc bike.
OK, folks. We are ready for the aforementioned Station Garage 125cc/400cc race to begin. Strap on the helmet and the racing gloves, twist the throttle, and get ready to race. There will be one, and only one winner this year. No separate honors for each class. Some big names are in this race. Chris Palmer, William Dunlop, Paul Robinson, and Ian Lougher, are probably the four biggest stars in this category. Lougher and Dunlop run a lot of different kinds of bikes in these race meetings.
The sun is low in the sky, and we're ready. Go! Chris Palmer and Alistair Haworth both get the jump on the rest of this field. Callum Collister is also up there. The field is bunched up going into Ballakeighan and Iron Gate. Rider Dave Kennington on bike #46 wanted to make an outside move. He couldn't quite do it. Collister, Howeth, and Dave Taylor are the top three right now. One year in this race, the start was so late, the streetlights in the town came on during the race.
Chris Palmer is being challenged by Dave Corliss. The bikes fly past Joey's Gate and into the hairpin. Collister continues leading this race. Paul Robinson ditches his bike. One of the 250cc riders is in trouble already. Fortunately, he picks up his Aprilia, and continues. Chris Palmer is absolutely flying on his 125cc Honda at the moment. Never let go of the throttle on a 125cc bike. Keep it wide open and wound up, all the time.
Alistair Haworth has taken over the race lead. Chris Palmer, meanwhile, closes in on Dave Taylor. Howeth leads. He's very good on a 400cc bike. Ian Lougher makes a pass on Dave Corlett. If the top three finishers in this race are on 400cc bikes, the 125cc riders won't get any glory, unfortunately. Callum Collister goes back in front for the time being. Chris Palmer is indeed closing up on his competitor. Dave Taylor is the man he wants to pass to gain another spot.
Haworth retakes the lead from Collister coming down into Castletown corner. We watch Joe Newbold on bike #143, being chased by a couple more riders behind him. Howeth and Collister are going to battle to the end in this one. They're shoulder to shoulder coming to Ballekeighan again. The 400cc bikes are very controllable, and they're beautifully made bikes, too. The leaders race into Ballabeg hairpin another time. Now, we see a battle between bikes #76 and #56. Eddie Lymer rides the #76 machine. Seamus Elliott is also in that battle.
Through Great Meadow and into Stadium. Collister is running very well in this race, and is well in control. Dave Corliss battles Mark Goodings for position. Ian Lougher, meanwhile, is booking it. He's fifth after being stuck in sixth place for a while. He seems to be closing up on both Dave Taylor and Chris Palmer. Palmer wants to overtake Taylor into the braking zone for Ballabeg. Oh no! Taylor runs straight on, missing the corner! He'll lose time now. Chris Palmer could get on the podium here. Eddie Lymer and Dan Sayle continue their battle. Sayle is on bike #56.
We are used to seeing Sayle in sidecar competition. Lougher is quickly closing up on Palmer. William Dunlop is another rider who has run 125cc bikes at Billown before. But, he's not in the race this year, having not found an opportunity for a ride. He was on the entry list, but, the ride never materialized. Dunlop has also had issues with his 250cc bike. Now, another brave pass. Lougher, passes Palmer! Lougher and Palmer are going to fight this one out, for sure.
It's game over for bike #117 of Dave Walsh. He's got a mechanical issue with his motorcycle. Walsh is riding a KTM. Alistair Haworth is second, doing a wheelie up the hill. Callum Collister still leads, in a league of his own. It's the last lap of this race. Chris Palmer makes a pass on Ian Lougher. They're side-by-side through Ballekeighan! Who's going to prevail? It'll be Lougher. The back wheels of the bikes go light there some of the corners around here. But, the battle rages between Palmer and Lougher.
Collister is going to win this race. But, it's Lougher and Palmer we'll be watching for. Callum Collister wins it. Now, to third place. Lougher beats Palmer to the line! Wow!
#53 Callum Collister Kawasaki 400
Here's the top five.
1. #53 Callum Collister Kawasaki 400
2. #29 Alistair Haworth Yamaha 400
3. #9 Ian Lougher Honda 125
4. #5 Chris Palmer Honda 125
5. #46 David Kennington Kawasaki 400
Next up, it's the Junior Consolation Support Race, for 650cc bikes. You've got a mix of Super Twins, (the 650cc machines), with a 400 or 125 bike thrown in for good measure. Conor Cummins is not racing this weekend. Instead, he's supporting his dad Billy Cummins, who is running in this race, At the start, from onboard Billy Cummins' bike, we see a slight false start. But, they're away.
Rad Hughes and James Neesom both get good starts. James Niesam leads this race. Nicholas Pfeiffer is another rider in this battle for the lead. Jack Hunter and Steven Orff are also in their own battle. Through Ballabeg, the order remains the same in this one. The riders move through Williams and down into the Bomb Hole for the first time. The order has not changed as they run through Church bends. Rad Hughes leads with James Niesam and Jack Hunter.
A rider "overcooks" the entry to Ballekeighan and fortunately, manages to get their bike turned in the right direction. Neesom passes Rad Hughes for the race lead. Billy Cummins has run into trouble. He's missed an entry to the corner, missing a gear, or finding a false neutral in the transmission somewhere. Jack Hunter comes under pressure from Nicholas Pfeiffer. Dave Clark leads a second group on bike #85. Neesom and Hughes continue to fight for the race lead.
Niklas Pfeiffer is still hanging in there. Neesom continues pulling ahead of Rad Hughes. Billy Cummins' bike must be running at full song again. Ian Cowie on bike #66 and bike #102 battle. #102 is Mark Bamford. Bamford makes the pass and it's done and dusted. Super Twins are a great bike to race on a track like this because the rider can be in control of the motorcycle as opposed to the bike controlling the rider.
The battle continues. But, Ian Cowie makes his way by Mark Bamford. Battle for the lead here, folks. Rad Hughes is all over James Niesam one more time. Niesam does it, and Niklas Pfeiffer passes Jack Hunter. Most of these bikes are Kawasaki's with the exception of one or two Suzuki SV650's. Stuart Raynor on bike #42 is slowing, with mechanical issues. Joe Newbold is also running well. He was in the previous race with the 125cc bikes, too. It's the final lap of the Super Twins race. It's going to be James Neesom's race to lose.
Slower riders such as Dave Clark, Leon Murphy, and James Christie make their way around the course. Billy Cummins is still trying to recover. He's done so, very well. Into Castletown corner, there's a pass. Rad Hughes has gone around James Neesom. Rad Hughes wins! What happened to Neesom? Ah. He gets second place.
#55 Rad Hughes Kawasaki 650
The top five:
1. #55 Rad Hughes Kawasaki 650
2. #91 James Neesom Kawasaki 650
3. #47 Niklas Pfeiffer Kawasaki 650
4. #69 Jack Hunter Kawasaki 650
5. #38 Billy Cummins Kawasaki 650
The next race is a combined event for the 250s and the 650 Super Twins. It's the Ocean Ford 250/650 race. Dean Harrison and Jamie Hamilton are going to be the main ones to watch in this contest. There was already one race for the Super Twins, and Harrison and Hamilton put on quite the show. It's a clean start, as we ride aboard the #88 bike of Joe Faragher. Watch bikes #2 and #44. Go! Chris Palmer had his front wheel up in the air. Dean Harrison gets the best launch off the line.
Hamilton is third. Ivan Lintin is the leader at the moment. Through Ballekeighan for the first time. Lintin looks to be breaking away from the rest of the pack already. It's Lintin, Hamilton, and Harrison, the top three. James Cownton, Russ Mountford, and Chris Palmer, follow. The bikes run into Cross Four-Ways for the first time, and Joe Faragher is still behind everyone else. Tim Poole is also up there, right behind Chris Palmer.
Ivan Lintin is making a break for it right now. Steve McKnight on bike #64 is also running decently. At the rear of the second group is bike #18 ridden by Callum Laidlaw. The leaders run through the Bomb Hole for the first time. Hamilton and Cownton are giving the Ryan Farquhar team a good run. Farquhar, is of course, a former racer. Ivan Lintin continues to lead this race. Lintin holds the lead into lap three of this race. Joe Faragher gets passed as Jamie Hamilton squeals the tires into the corner.
Adrian Harrison is another rider, deeper in this field. Now, back to the lead battle. Dean Harrison is closing in on Ivan Lintin. These two are leaving Jamie Hamilton in the dust. The gap between Harrison and Lintin closes even further. This will be a grandstand finish to the Super Twin and 250cc combined race. Haven't seen hide nor hair of the 250cc bikes though. They run past Joey's Gate. Colin Stevenson and Callum Laidlaw run farther down the race order.
Chris Palmer and Russ Mountford battle for fifth spot. You might want to go to the fridge and grab a bite to eat, chaps. This race hasn't changed at the front. It's still Harrison and Lintin going at it. John Bott and Adrian Harrison run together, for the last few positions in the top ten. Steve McKnight is still running out there, but he's shown the mechanical black flag (the "meatball"), because of something wrong with the bike. It's a black flag with a giant red dot in the middle, hence the nickname, "meatball". Lintin is still keeping Dean Harrison in his pocket.
Jamie Hamilton might have a problem as he's not riding the bike the way he'd mean to. Chris Palmer and Russ Mountford still battle, as Palmer is coming to grips with a Super Twin, after riding a 250cc bike for a long time, a bike he truly loved to race. Joe Faragher gets passed again. He's had a fraught race. Tim Poole is running decently. Oh boy! Dean Harrison is going to push, and he's right alongside Ivan Lintin now. Harrison slides down the inside. Will he make it stick?
He's got the spot. It's the last lap now. Lintin has the speed. Harrison has the cornering agility, and is better under braking. James Cowton is fourth. Lintin is still ahead. Can he do it? Chris Palmer still holds off Russ Mountford in their battle. They come into Church Bends one more time. Who is going to get the win? Tom Snow on bike #45 (another 250cc machine), runs well. But, that might be the last time you'll see a 250cc machine on the Billown course for the Southern 100. Dean Harrison slides sideways and is on the outside, trying to pass Lintin!
He does it! Harrison is going to win this race. Harrison wins it!
#2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 650
Here are the results.
1. #2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 650
2. #25 Ivan Lintin Tigcraft 650
3. #44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 650
4. #52 James Cowton Kawasaki 650
5. #5 Chris Palmer Kawasaki 650
More action to come from Billown and these other Southern 100 races, in another entry. Stay tuned for that in the not too distant future. Part 2, coming your way, soon. So long for now.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
MotoGP news and notes
Here's a link to some important news from the world of MotoGP, including stories on Valentino Rossi denying he'll retire from MotoGP racing, the plan for the Circuit of Wales to host MotoGP in 2015, an interview with Cal Crutchlow, a new "Open" class in MotoGP, and an interview with longtime Valentino Rossi crew chief, Jeremy Burgess, on why he split with the multiple world champion.
http://www.motogp.com/en/MotoGP+in+the+Media
http://www.motogp.com/en/MotoGP+in+the+Media
Lorenzo: "It's an honour to share the garage with Rossi"
Jorge Lorenzo talks about his season, what he will do in the off-season, and the great honor and privilege of sharing a garage with his team-mate, the legend, Valentino Rossi.
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/Lorenzo+on+winter+break+and+Rossi+future
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/Lorenzo+on+winter+break+and+Rossi+future
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Former Racing Champions - The Silence Of Racing
Former Grand Prix motorcycle racing champions Mike Baldwin, Freddie Spencer, and Mick Doohan talk about what they miss most about racing, in this article. Check it out.
http://www.sportrider.com/features/146_0805_former_racing_champions/viewall.html
http://www.sportrider.com/features/146_0805_former_racing_champions/viewall.html
Monday, November 18, 2013
MotoGP news stories
Take a look at this link: MotoGP in the Media, and pay particular attention to a couple of stories. They include Randy de Puniet sitting out the 2014 MotoGP season, and, a possibility that in 2015, Jorge Lorenzo could well move from Yamaha, to Honda.
http://www.motogp.com/en/MotoGP+in+the+Media
http://www.motogp.com/en/MotoGP+in+the+Media
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