Round 4: ASSEN TT Race Thread [SPOILERS]

[ÜberDoober]

The SBK boys are back in action at Assen this weekend for another exciting round of racing! After all the excitement at the last race, I'm looking forward to this one, for sure! Registered Doobers can check the Events Calendar for TV broadcast information.

The Assen TT Circuit
Located in Assen, Netherlands, a couple of hours drive north of Amsterdam, the Assen TT Circuit is called ‘The Cathedral' of motorcycling by fans and has a capacity of 100,000 spectators, including 60,000 seats. The current circuit was built back in 1955 and it remained basically unchanged until a 2006 redesign removed most of the northern loop to make way for a new entertainment complex. The current racetrack has a length of 4.555 kilometres (2.830 miles), with a longest straight of 560 metres (0.348 miles). The track layout makes it very technical and twisty, with little room for rider error, but modifications over the years have helped to make it safer. The curves are banked and the surface offers considerable grip, even in the wet.

Superbike heads to classic Dutch TT circuit for Round 4 of 14
The classic Dutch TT circuit at Assen plays host to the fourth round of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship this weekend, after a gap of three weeks from the Spanish Round.

With two second places at Valencia, Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) increased his lead over his closest rivals to 48 points but the Australian is now coming under threat from a number of adversaries, mainly on four-cylinder machines. Regulation-wise, there will be no extra handicap applied to the twin-cylinder 1200s for the next three rounds, as the event average difference between the two types of machines - twins and fours - has so far proved to be insufficient to warrant a change.

At Valencia the twins appeared to struggle against the fours, despite a Ducati 1-2 and a fortuitous win by Lorenzo Lanzi (RG Team) in race 1, because riders from three different manufacturers, Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), Carlos Checa (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) and Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki), were all on top form. The Spaniard and the German however had their infamous last-lap, last-corner clash, which eliminated both riders from the top slots and helped Bayliss to boost his points lead.

Second place in the championship is still in the hands of Spain's Fonsi Nieto, but the Alstare Suzuki rider has not had another result to match his Losail win and is coming under pressure from third and fourth placed men, Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB) and Checa, both equal on 72 points.

Full Story: EXTERNAL LINK (http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=2204)

[ÜberDoober]

Results of first qualifying session. Notables include Biaggi in 11th and Troy Corser in 15th. Bayliss no surprise in spite of his bicycle accident

1 21 Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 1'39.677
2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.009
3 34 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'40.036
4 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'40.064
5 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'40.195
6 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'40.278
7 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 1'40.375
8 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'40.409
9 23 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.496
10 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'40.520
11 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'40.673
12 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.695
13 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.745
14 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.746
15 11 Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.778
16 38 Nakatomi S. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.817
17 111 Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'40.837
18 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'40.839
19 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.919
20 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'40.997
21 194 Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'41.156
22 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.279
23 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.561
24 28 Vos A. (NED) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'41.662
25 88 Aoyama S. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.289
26 22 Morelli L. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'43.030
27 83 Holland R. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'43.184
28 13 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'43.312
29 77 Napoleone L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'43.439

[ÜberDoober]

2nd Qualifying results. Ducati 1098 in the top four spots. SuperPole to come!

1 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'39.558
2 111 Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'39.596
3 21 Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 1'39.677
4 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 1'39.832
5 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'39.974
6 41 Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.009
7 34 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'40.036
8 11 Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.042
9 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'40.082
10 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.096
11 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'40.278
12 23 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.309
13 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.314
14 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.331
15 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'40.520
16 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'40.588
17 38 Nakatomi S. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.657
18 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'40.673
19 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.695
20 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'40.714
21 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.741
22 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.869
23 194 Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.906
24 83 Holland R. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.633
25 28 Vos A. (NED) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'41.662
26 88 Aoyama S. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.203
27 22 Morelli L. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'43.030
28 13 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'43.312
29 77 Napoleone L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'43.414

[DooberRoni]

Troy Bayliss takes SuperPole!

Pos. Rider Team Bike Time
1 Troy Bayliss Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 1:38.428
2 Noriyuki Haga Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team Yamaha YZF R1 1:38.546
3 Ruben Xaus Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098R 1:38.587
4 Troy Corser Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team Yamaha YZF R1 1:38.761
5 Max Neukirchner Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 1:38.840
6 Carlos Checa Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1:38.864
7 Yukio Kagayama Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 1:39.029
8 Jakub Smrz Guandalini Racing by Grifo's Ducati 1098R 1:39.058
9 Fonsi Nieto Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 1:39.189
10 Makoto Tamada Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX 10R 1:39.307
11 Regis Laconi Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX 10R 1:39.613
12 Michel Fabrizio Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 1:39.859
13 Ryuichi Kiyonari Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1:40.000
14 David Checa Yamaha France - GMT 94 Yamaha YZF R1 1:40.189
15 Gregorio Lavilla Paul Bird Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1:40.377
16 Lorenzo Lanzi R.G.Team Ducati 1098R 1:40.786

[ÜberDoober]

Haga, Xaus, Nieto, David Checa & Fabrizio all crashed out. Xaus got back in.

Results of race 1

Pos. Rider Team Bike
1 Troy Bayliss Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R
2 Carlos Checa Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR
3 Max Neukirchner Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8
4 Yukio Kagayama Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8
5 Troy Corser Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team Yamaha YZF R1
6 Jakub Smrz Guandalini Racing by Grifo's Ducati 1098R
7 Ryuichi Kiyonari Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR
8 Makoto Tamada Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX 10R
9 Gregorio Lavilla Paul Bird Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR
10 Max Biaggi Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098R
11 Regis Laconi Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX 10R
12 Kenan Sofuoglu Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Jr Honda CBR1000RR
13 Ayrton Badovini Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX 10R
14 Karl Muggeridge D.F Racing Honda CBR1000RR
15 Shinichi Nakatomi YZF Yamaha Yamaha YZF R1
16 Ruben Xaus Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098R
17 Sebastien Gimbert Yamaha France - GMT 94 Yamaha YZF R1
18 Russel Holland D.F Racing Honda CBR1000RR
19 Shuhei Aoyama Alto Evolution Honda Honda CBR1000RR

[DooberRoni]

Results of race 2. Looks like a Troy Bayliss weekend! :cool:

1 21 Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 36'46.238 (163,516 kph)
2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 0.082
3 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 6.336
4 111 Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 7.575
5 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 8.011
6 34 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 13.999
7 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 15.215
8 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 16.376
9 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 17.269
10 11 Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 18.380
11 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 18.926
12 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 21.452
13 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 23.794
14 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 29.847
15 38 Nakatomi S. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 30.252
16 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 31.249
17 194 Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 31.328
18 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 39.814
19 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR1000RR 49.956
20 83 Holland R. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 51.554
21 88 Aoyama S. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 51.642
22 77 Napoleone L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'02.682
23 28 Vos A. (NED) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'02.729
RET 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08
RET 23 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 22 Morelli L. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR

[ÜberDoober]

Just watched race one on SPEED. Awesome one handed wheelie across the finish line by Bayliss! :001_cool:

[LittleAlguy]

What a finish between Haga and Bayliss. I was a bit surprised that Bayliss didn't pull away all that much. Kudos for Haga on very nice tire management and late race pace.

I guess Biaggi is still feeling the effects of that Phillip Island accident.

[ÜberDoober]

BAH! I wish I could have seen race two. I have a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR 350 in my computer and for some reason, on the channel I want the most, the signal is too shitty to watch or record. (test of new relaxed word filter!)

The reason I bought the dang thing was to record stuff off SPUDtv and that's one of the 3 stations that look too crappy to use. :angry-004:

[LittleAlguy]

Sorry to hear. :(