Cycle Torque Grand Prix Special - Friday

IVECO Australian Grand Prix 2009

GP practice reports Races: Historics Supersport Superbike

Friday eMag

Rossi leads first practice NOVEMBER 2009 - 1

MotoGP

ROSSI LEADS

Stoner Second After First Practice VALENTINO Rossi has set the fastest lap of the first practice at the Iveco Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island today.

The Italian Yamaha rider lapped the Island circuit in 1:31:032, just 0.135s faster than local hero and Ducati rider Casey Stoner.

Both riders were quite a bit slower than Stoner’s circuit record, a blistering 1:28.665.

“Today we made a great start,” said Rossi after practice.

“We were concentrated and strong and I am really happy to start in front here at Phillip Island, which is somewhere that I love to ride. We were able to get a lot done in the practice session and try many different things and I was able to ride just how I wanted to.”

In contrast, Stoner wasn’t happy, despite being second.

“The track conditions weren’t good and we struggled for traction, which is usually a strong point of our bike. We tried a few different settings, one of which gave us better rear grip but compensated in turning, which was otherwise really good.”

Although the session remainded dry, many riders pulled in briefly when a few

spots appeared on their visors.

Third during Friday’s practice was Dani Pedrosa, followed

by Alex De Angelis, Colin Edwards, Jorge Lorenzo (who

crashed uninjured toward the end of the session). Chris Vermeulen struggled with bike set-up and is 15th.

Chris Vermulen

Casey Stoner

250cc

Hector Flies

Hector Barbera way in front PEPE World Team Aprilia rider Hector Barbera has finished the first day of practice at Phillip Island over half a second in front ofhis nearest rival, Scot racing’s Raffaele De Rosa (Honda).

Another lesser-known rider,

Jules Cluzel, is currenly third with regular front-runners Mike Di Meglio, Hector Faubel and mattina Pasini making up the top six.

Alex Debon, Marco Simoncelli and Hioshi Aoyama are 8th, 10th and 11th respectively.

Above: Axel Pons. Right: Vladimir Leonov. Below: Shoya Tomizawa

4 - NOVEMBER 2009

Surprisngly, the fastest rider on the track, former 125 champion Thomas Luthi, could only managed 12th fastest despite doing 270km/h on his Aprilia down the straight.

Jules Cluzel celebrates a good first practice with a wheelie at the end of the session.

NOVEMBER 2009 - 5

125cc

Tight at the top in

POL Espargaro has put his Derbi onto the top of the 125cc time sheets after Friday’s only practice session.

Espargaro, who is currently fourth in the championship standings, edged out Bradley Smith, Nicolas terol and Juian Simon on the time sheet - the four are covered by less than half a second.

They are also the top four in the title chase, with Simon holding a commanding lead of 50.5 points over Smith.

Terol is a further 9 points back.

With just three races to go - and therefore a maximum yield possible of 75 points - Simon just needs three reasonable finishes to seal the title.

125s, however, aren’t known for being reasonable - expect lots of argy-bargy action when the tiddlers line up on Sunday.

Simoni Corsi and Marc Marquez getting up close an personal in the left-hander before Lukey Heights.

n tiddler class

Australian Superbike Championship

Maxwell Domina WITH Wayne Maxwell (Honda Motologic) qualifying on pole (1:32.902) and a bumper field of 34 riders, the Superbike racing was always going to be a tight affair maybe a little too tight at the start as Marty Cragill (Phil Tainton Suzuki) appeared to collect Shawn Giles (Joe Rocket Suzuki) off the line, with both unable to complete the race.

Maxwell got a good jump on the field from the start and pushed hard throughout the race to pull a good margin on the chasing pair of Josh Waters (Joe Rocket Suzuki) and Craig Coxhell (Bisley Workwear / CJC Honda) who finished second and third respectively. Glenn Allerton (Honda Motologic) rode a strong second half of the race to finish almost two seconds behind Coxhell. Jake Holden (Motologic Honda) was a further five seconds back in fifth.

The hardest fought battle of the race was for sixth with some hard braking moves into Honda corner especially entertaining the crowd.

It was Robbie Bugden (Joe Rocket Suzuki) in sixth, holding out Kevin Curtain (Kawasaki Racing), David Anthony (Woodstock Honda) and Jamie Stauffer (Yamaha Racing).

Jordan Burgess (Teterin / Motologic Honda) rounded out the top ten.

By Matthew O’Connell

Maxwell, Waters & Coxhell nose to tail through MG Corner.

Photo by Keith Muir - www.bike-photos.com

ates

Australian SuperSport Championship

Stauffer: All class

The Supersport class produced some of the most outrageous racing of the day and once again highlighted the depth of talent competing in Australia right now.

The weather for the afternoon had settled into a slightly overcast 14 degrees, and this the scene for two cracking races.

Both six lap events were dominated by the trio of Jamie Stauffer (Yamaha Racing), Bryan Staring (Yamaha Racing) and Shannon Johnson (Woodstock Honda).

Sitting second in the championship before the start of race one, Stauffer rode a hard but smooth six laps to pip Staring by 0.16 of a second - with both riders seemingly unsure of who had crossed the line first.

Only 0.261 of a second back was Johnson, providing a great three way battle until the chequered flag.

Scott Charlton (Vern Graham Yamaha) rode solidly to fourth but was some ten seconds adrift. The rest of the top ten were grouped another five seconds back consisting of Ben Attard (Kawasaki), Jed Metcher (Yamaha), Christian Casella (Yamaha), Mitchell Pirotta (Yamaha), Brodie Waters (Honda) and Chas Hern (Suzuki).

Race two was just as hard fought and saw Stauffer once again claim top spot by the barest of margins - .004 of a second in front of Johnson. In third was Staring, only 0.305 of a second back.

Staring had pulled off some daring braking moves into Honda Corner and was fearless into Doohan Corner while Johnson was providing the entertainment in Turn Two. It would be Stauffer who prevailed at the finish though, making a slick run through MG Corner on the final lap to set up the best run of the trio onto Gardner Straight.

Finishing in close group of four some twelve seconds behind was Troy Herfross (Suzuki), Ben Attard (Kawasaki), Cole Odendaal (Yamaha), and Jed Metcher (Yamaha). Rounding out the top ten was Brodie Waters (Honda) and Chas Hern (Suzuki).

Photo by Keith Muir - www.bike-photos.com

By Matthew O’Connell

Glen Cameron Historics

Beaton bags two

The popularity of the Historical Class appears to grow and the action on track for Friday’s two races certainly captured the crowd’s interest.

Taking pole was Laurie Fyfe (Suzuki) in a time of 1:58.420 with Rob Phillis lining up beside him on the front row.

Phillis would eventually finish second in a hard fought (and loud) opening race - 0.867 seconds behind winner Beau Beaton on the impressive

looking Irving Vincent.

Finishing third was Scott Webster with Laurie Fyffe fourth and Michael Dibb rounding out the top five.

Race two also offered plenty of action and saw Scott Webster claim the lead into Doohan Corner first time around. By the second lap the front three had already broken away from the pack and by half race distance it looked as if Robbie Phillis may of been building a decent enough lead to take the

win.

It wasn’t to be, and on lap five Beaton was ready to make his move.

A great pass through MG Corner on the final lap saw Beaton finally take the lead and once again it was Phillis second and Webster third.

Pole sitter Fyffe repeated his fourth placing and Stuart Loly finished fifth.

- Matthew O’Connell

Photo by Keith Muir - www.bike-photos.com Yougnster Beau Beaton leads veteran Robbie Phillis.