Round 6: Miller-Utah Offishul Thread

[ÜberDoober]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/SBKlogoBig.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/SuperbikeGRID.jpg
Photo Credit: © Miller Motorsports Park (http://www.millermotorsportspark.com/)
SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2008
June 1, 2008
Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/STVlogo.jpg
Sunday June 1st
RACE# 1
2:00pm Eastern
11:00am Pacific
RACE# 2
5:00pm Eastern
2:00pm Pacific
Schedule info courtesy of (clicks)
http://www.dooberville.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=52 (http://www.racefantv.com/USTV.htm)
Because the one at Speed Bites!


http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/MillerCircuit.jpg
Image courtesy of: Racing Circuts.net (http://theracingline.net/racingcircuits/racingcircuits/main.htm)




The Full course is a 23-turn (28-apex), 4.486 mi (7.220 km) road circuit run counter-clockwise. The front stretch can see vehicles reaching speeds of 200 mph (321.9 km/h). Smaller configurations of the track can be made from the full course, including a 3.048 miles (4.905 km) outer course that does not use the tighter infield lay-out, as well as two 2.2 miles (3.5 km) layouts that each use half of the full course and can be run simultaneously. At almost 4.5 miles (7.2 km), it is the longest road racing facility in North America. It is about ½ mile (0.8 km) longer than the previous holder, Road America. The Outer course is one of the fastest road courses in North America, with AMA Superbikes posting average speeds over 100 miles per hour (160.9 km/h).

Its corner names (in order) are Sunset Bend, Dreamboat, Work Out, Scream, Black Rock Hairpin, Right Hook, Knock Out, Demon, Devil, Diablo, Indecision, Precision, Fast, Faster, Gotcha, Mabey Y'll Makit, Satisfaction, Agony, Ecstasy, 1st Attitude, 2nd Attitude, Bad Attitude, Tooele Turn, Kink, Club House Corner, Wind-Up, and Release.

Miller Motorsports Park also contains a 0.89 miles (1.43 km) kart track that can be configured as a first-rate supermoto track with the inclusion of two dirt sections.

The facility has a 24 acres (97,124.6 m²) paddock that contains 220 team garages, 40 day garages, 27 grand prix garages located along the hot pits, an on-site medical facility, five million dollar Club House, vintage car museum, and a helicopter pad.

Source: wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_Motorsports_Park)

With this event coming up and it being a home round and all, we'll start the official thread early! If you haven't already seen the comments about the title sponser, StriVectin, check it out here (http://www.dooberville.com/forums/showthread.php?t=456). It's bizzaro!:ack2:

In reading the other boards I visit, and of course SPUDtv, with all the discussion about travel and lodging itineraries, I wish I had planned and saved up the money to attend this event.

If I could take the time away from life and work and had a couple extra nights motel bill extra, I could have ridden my bike up there. It's only about 800 miles. If I still had my Gold Wing, I could have done it in one ride but on my Ninja, it would take me two. 400 miles on it in a day and I'm spent. :(

So, I don't want to knock my beloved MotoGP but this series has some kickass racing. For some reason it has been off my radar up until a few years ago and I still don't follow it as closely as the other stuff. Why aren't there any Americans here? I know there was (Colin, Scotty Russell, Doug Polen)

[DooberRoni]

Headline from the AMA & SBK page back home at DooberVille.com (go there (http://www.dooberville.com/amasbk.htm))


Back in the USA!
May 16, 2008

The history of the Superbike World Championship is linked inextricably to the USA and the return of the USA Round to the calendar, this time in the state of Utah, has aroused major interest in Europe and the rest of the world. The date of June 1st 2008 is destined to become another milestone in Superbike history.

The new home for the USA Round of the Superbike World Championship is the fantastic Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, a circuit that the European Superbike regulars have been viewing with growing interest since its date first appeared on the 2008 calendar. In the run-up to the sixth round of this year's championship, we take a look back at the history of World Superbike racing in the United States of America.

This is a very interesting story. Go read it at: http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=2276

[Gary]

I was of the impression that SBK was running the outer course at Miller, not the full course.

On the other hand, I'm usually wrong...

[DooberRoni]

I was of the impression that SBK was running the outer course at Miller, not the full course.

On the other hand, I'm usually wrong...

Who knows? I do believe the AMA gang is using a different circuit. Have you checked the schedule for next Sunday? It looks SPEED is not showing anything live. :mad: MotoGP from Mugello isn't even on until 10:00pm EST, right after WT. Check RaceFanTV.com (http://www.racefantv.com/USTV.htm)for the details. Bastards!

[Gary]

Yeah, AMA is running the full course as is shown above, SBK is running the outer course.

I haven't looked at the schedule, but is SPEED at least showing both races Sunday? That is a poor excuse for a racing channel, slightly better than none at all. I refuse to watch their GP coverage, they are pathetic.

[ÜberDoober]

I haven't looked at the schedule, but is SPEED at least showing both races Sunday? That is a poor excuse for a racing channel, slightly better than none at all. I refuse to watch their GP coverage, they are pathetic.

First post updated with broadcast times or you can check the upcoming events two places on the main page. We use www.racefantv.com (http://www.racefantv.com) which so far has been very accurate and kicks ass on the schedule on SPEED's new and improved fubared website.

I must say that I am really pretty disappointed with SPEED as well. No qualifying or Superpole - nada. Folks in the eastern time zone don't even get to see MotoGP until 10:00pm. None of the AMA races are live either as far as I can tell. WTF, man? :thumbdown:

I thought about buying into the motogp.com program and looked last week. THEIR site is so screwed up, I couldn't find where to do it in under 5 minutes so said piss on it. I may give it another shot?

Nevermind, I found it. Is the high resolution package worth it or is the standard good enough? I'm on 15dn/1up cable

[Gary]

I bought hi-rez and I'm glad I did, but for the last race I couldn't connect to it (first time) and had to watch the other. The picture is not too clear with the standard but not unwatchable either. There is, or was, a free possibility to watch it live (if that's your plan) and there are definite free possibilities to watch it later, if you are interested I'll pm you with them.

[ÜberDoober]

Thanks for the info, Gary. It looks like about $133.00 to sign up for the hi-res version and that's what I'll probably do? Thanks for the other alternatives but if it involves a torrent or some other such tomfoolery, I'll just bite the bullet (and put it on my expense report!).

Heck, I get up at 4:00 to watch F1 stuff live and may as well do the same thing for MotoGP so I don't have to depend on Speed. Before I got involved with the whole DooberVille thing, I could avoid the Internet before the broadcasts but that's pretty much gone out the window.

[Gary]

Actually there is an Asian TV site online, TVU, that shows the GP's live (or did last year) on their Starsports channel. Most sites panic and require this info to go out via PM, but it's not a torrent or anything else, just a site. Perfectly legal as far as I know.

I have to watch them live or I will look at the results before the race. A GP addict with no self-control, lol.

[HeadDoober]

Most sites panic and require this info to go out via PM,

PANIC! :scared:


Glad we got that out of the way!

[ÜberDoober]

Just pulled this off the amasuperbike.com (http://www.amasuperbike.com/index.php?UID=Qf9vzS2QzGdJUItyeb1d8Q3iyj3qCg)

Coverage on SPEED
Saturday's AMA Superbike final will air on SPEED with same-day coverage at 10 pm Eastern time on Saturday, May 31. Sunday's race will air live on Sunday, June 1 at 4 pm Eastern time. The Supersport race will get the same day delay treatment, airing an hour before Sunday's Superbike race at 3 pm. The AMA Formula Xtreme and Superstock races will air on Tuesday, June 3 on SPEED at 12 pm.

Not sure yet but I'd guess at least one of the SBK races would be live too?

[Gary]

I looked at Sunday SPEED line-up at comcast.com (my local cable provider) and it looked like this (Eastern Time):

SBK 2-3PM
AMA sbk and ss 3-5PM
that godawful superbikers for half an hour
SBK 5:30-6:30PM
MotoGP 10-11PM

So I guessing most of Miller is live or close to it.

[ÜberDoober]

...that godawful superbikers

Oh don't get me started. :ack2: (we should start a thread to rag on this show)

The World boys will be in action Friday but I'll be away from the Interwebs for most of the day. There's a lot of bike racing this weekend, that's for dang sure and I'll have a lot of catching up to do when I get home tomorrow night. Can't wait!

[ÜberDoober]

Jason Pridmore moving to SBK? Wow! I could swear I saw him on the AMA timesheets but checking back, I guess not. This must be effective as of right now. Gee, the guy quits and disappears, comes back for a few AMA rounds and now is off to World Superbike. That's cool!


Jason Pridmore joins World Superbike championship trail
Update: May 30, 2008

American rider Jason Pridmore is to join this year's HANNspree Superbike World Championship, it was announced in a press release from the Alto Evolution Honda Superbike team today at Miller Motorsports Park.

The decision was taken after the first five rounds of the championship, it read in the press release, because the team needed a more experienced rider in order to help its other rider Shuhei Aoyama in his process of adapting his riding style to Superbike. Italian Luca Morelli, who had raced for the team since the start of the year, was thought to be too young to carry out this role and this was the main reason that led both him and Alto Evolution to agree on breaking their agreement...

Source: worldsbk.com (http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=2294)

[ÜberDoober]

First session times in from Utah. What's the deal with the Ducati's?

Pos. Rider Team Bike Time

16 Jason Pridmore 1:52.557
17 Max Biaggi Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098R 1:52.619
18 Ruben Xaus Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098R 1:52.678

Good to see Pridmore on the track. That's quite a story...need to dig deeper...

[ÜberDoober]

worldsbk.com has the rest of the times. Makes Pridmore in 16th look not too bad. :)

16 43 Pridmore J. (USA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.557
17 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'52.619
18 111 Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'52.678

19 83 Holland R. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.679
20 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'52.682
21 194 Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'53.451
22 13 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'53.498
23 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'53.537
24 38 Nakatomi S. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'53.610
25 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'53.613
26 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'53.957
27 77 Napoleone L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'54.334
28 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'54.872
29 61 Jensen S. (USA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 1'55.853

[ÜberDoober]

Big doin's in Utah today. Opinions of the track seem to be favorable and Soup reports tickets for the weekend surpassed expectations. The biggest event ever at Miller Motorsports Park and this bodes well for the future of WSBK in the US. :)

Big drama with Haga getting hurt but coming back from the hospital to ride. Superpole is in the books and it looks like the Honda is starting to get sorted. With Haga wounded, it was up to Corser to grid the first Yamaha in fifth. Might we see another surprise win by Neukirchner? We'll know tomorrow!

Superpole Results
Pos. Rider Team Bike Time
1 Carlos Checa Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1:48.193
2 Max Neukirchner Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 1:48.504
3 Troy Bayliss Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 1:48.604
4 Michel Fabrizio Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 1:48.800
5 Troy Corser Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team Yamaha YZF R1 1:48.975
6 Ruben Xaus Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098R 1:49.181
7 Regis Laconi Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX 10R 1:49.206
8 Yukio Kagayama Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 1:49.394
9 Max Biaggi Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098R 1:49.479
10 Noriyuki Haga Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team Yamaha YZF R1 1:49.735 11 Jakub Smrz Guandalini Racing by Grifo's Ducati 1098R 1:49.784
12 Karl Muggeridge D.F Racing Honda CBR1000RR 1:49.858
13 Fonsi Nieto Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 1:49.942
14 Shuhei Aoyama Alto Evolution Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1:50.007
15 Lorenzo Lanzi R.G.Team Ducati 1098R 1:50.446
16 Ayrton Badovini Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX 10R 1:50.807

[ÜberDoober]

Well, we're half way through race 1 with Checa running away with it. We're so lucky to have Shouty Shaheen and Freddie calling this one for us. :o

Weather looks great up there today. Leaders are pretty strung out. Hahaha, just flipped over to NASCRAP and a saw a big stupid wreck that took out some of the favorites. Awwww.

[ÜberDoober]

By comparison, one of the least exciting races this season. Race two is going to be much better, methinks? Cool for Checa to take his first win though. I wonder if Dave will have him on WindTunnel again?

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

[Gary]

Just an FYI, while it's the biggest crowd ever at MMP, the local paper estimated the crowd at 8-10,000. Hopefully they were low!

I watched the races, rare for me as I don't care for tape-delayed races, but I can't say I found it too exciting. I don't know why but SBK just doesn't do it for me - guess I'm a GP snob. :cheers2:

[ÜberDoober]

...I watched the races, rare for me as I don't care for tape-delayed races, but I can't say I found it too exciting. I don't know why but SBK just doesn't do it for me - guess I'm a GP snob. :cheers2:

Join the crowd! I've only followed WSBK casually the last few years but some of the events have been real dogfights all the way to the wire. The races at Miller were the least entertaining of any I've seen all season. :( I even commented about this on our website: http://www.dooberville.com/amasbk.htm

Meh. I didn't even post the results of race two. They do have a deal for two more years and great praise was given to Miller for being a world class facility but except for the snowy mountains in the backdrop, the place looks boring as mud. I'd like to see them at least run the AMA circuit but still, it's all just a bunch of dusty scrub grass. Somewhere like Road America, Atlanta, Barber and even Mid-Ohio has more visual appeal as far as the trackside scenery goes.

For what it's worth, I'll still watch SBK but would also consider myself a "GP Snob" as well. :)