R I DE F I M
M A G A Z I N E
WITH US!
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T H E
VITO IPPOLITO RE-ELECTED 2010 FIM CONGRESS MACAU
POLE POSITION
FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX
KENAN THE KING: PART TWO FIM SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPION
AXO SPORT S.P.A. VIA F. FILZI, 66-31036 ISTRANA (TV) ITALY TEL. +39 0422 832300 - FAX + 39 0422 832303 WWW.AXOSPORT.COM / INFO@AXOSPORT.COM
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SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2010 5
Editorial STANDINGS SPEEDWAY
6-9 10-15
Pole Position Tomasz is King of the Speedway World’ FIM INSIDE STANDINGS SUPERBIKE
16-21 23
Viva Italia! 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship FIM INSIDE RIDE WORLD RECORDS
24-28
Bub Bonneville Speed trials 2010 STANDINGS women trial
30-31 Publishing Director: Guy Maitre
Laia Sanz crowned Champion FIM Women’s Trial World Championship RIDE TRIAL
Chief Editor: Isabelle Larivière Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme 11, route Suisse – 1295 Mies – Suisse Tel : +41-22 950 95 00 – Fax : +41-22 950 95 01 @ : info@fim.ch website : fim-live.com Photos: BSI Speedway Ltd Eric Malherbe Alan Cathcart G2F Media/Ray Archer Maggie Sutton Collection Maurice Büla/FIM Mark Walters mx-pure.com David Reygondeau
33-35
Spain dictate Team Trial Competition 2010 FIM Trial des Nations
36-37
FIM INSIDE VINTAGE
39-42
Grand Prix Why no manufacturers’ title in 1954 STANDINGS SIDECAR
44-47
Lay-out & Printing: OIKO SERVICE srl via Po 74 66020 S.Giovanni Teatino Chieti (Italy)
Retrospective 2010 From Le Mans to Magny-Cours GALLERY MOTOCROSS
48-53
FIM Magazine n° 75 Issued September-October 2010
Past issues available on request
The magnificent Four Winners of America’s first ever “Nations” GALLERY SUPERSPORT
The articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the official position of the FIM.
54-56
Kenan the King: part two Turkish Star is now a double Champion
The content of this publication is based on the best knowledge and information available at the time the articles were written.
57-58
ROAD BOOK SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
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“My bike helps me save lives every day.” Bubacarr Jallow, a health worker in the Gambia
But every day in Africa children still die...
...because they don’t get the health care they need.
To find out how to help get more health workers on the road and save lives visit www.riders.org Riders for health, The drummonds, spring hill, Pitsford, Northampton, NN6 9AA, United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1604 889 580
F: +44 (0)1604 889 595
e: rfh@riders.org
UK RegisTeRed ChARiTy No. 1054565
editorial New Horizons The 2010 FIM Congress was held in Macau (China) a few weeks ago. It was perhaps one of the most decisive, challenging and interesting congresses in the history of the FIM. Not so much because important decisions were taken but because when there are elections, the interest increases: in addition to the election of the President, the Board of Directors saw the change of three members. It is noteworthy that there are considerable changes in the geopolitical composition of the Board which now reflects in part the same changes that are happening in this globalised world. We are now better represented within emerging countries and by people with a vision in line with our times. I think this will bring new perspectives to the global vision of the FIM Board of Directors. Vito IPPOLITO FIM President
That being said, I think that what really stands out most is the adoption of new statutes. These have been designed with new principles of governance and have been the battlefield of intense internal debate for the past year and a half. In the end, as I said, they were approved by a large majority and with an eye towards the future of our organisation. I would say that we have opted for a brighter future for the FIM and the motorcycling world. The next ten years will be crucial for the FIM and we are hoping that the new working methods and internal reorganisation will release powerful forces that should lead to achieving the objectives of our Strategic Plan. I dare say it is the Strategic Plan of all federations and everybody who loves the motorcycle and sports. This year will be the year to implement everything we have developed. As with a new engine and a new design we will need some time to run smoothly. But it is a high quality and high powered motor. It has the quality given by our members and the power of its revolutionary operation. I wholeheartedly wish much success to all members of our organisation, from the National Federations to those working in the field. I also ask again for your cooperation, as you have so passionately done in the past. And for the everyday rider who may know very little about our internal organisation, I expect to see the fruits of our work on the roads and at races. I invite you to send us your comments. What we do is dedicated to our athletes, the fans who enjoy racing and those traveling on the roads all over the world. Until the next edition.
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POLE POSITION
TOMASZ IS KING OF THE SPEEDWAY WORLD’
ON 23 MAY 1995 THE NEW ERA OF THE FIM INDI V IDUAL SP E E D WAY
WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP OPENED WITH THE FIRST GRAND PRIX, HELD IN WROCLAW, POLAND. THE WINNER OF THAT MEETING WA S TOMA SZ GOLLOB, A YOUNG,
SOMETIMES
HEADSTRONG POLE WHO WAS ALREADY PREDICTED TO BE A FUTURE CHAMPION. IT TOOK HIM 15 YEARS BUT WHEN HE RECEIVED HIS FIM GOLD MEDAL IN OCTOBER 2010, APPROPRIATELY IN HIS HOME TOWN OF BYDGOSZC Z, IT MARKED THE END OF ONE OF THE LONGEST JOURNEYS TO THE TITLE IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT.
At the start of this season there were many who were predicting the demise of the ‘old school’ of GP riders. Most of the current top scorers were in their middle to late 30s – too old, some said, for the cauldron which is Grand Prix speedway – and ready to be replaced by the young contenders such as the Russian ‘wunderkind’ Emil Sayfutdinov, the laid-back Aussie Chris Holder or the new British hope Tai Woffinden. As always, there were many twists and turns to the competition before the destination of the crown was decided. Travel arrangements for the first round of the series in Leszno, Poland were threatened by the Icelandic volcano dust with riders and officials having to make last minute changes to flights and some having to make a long journey across Europe by road but when Referee Krister Gardell started the first race all riders were present and ready to race. As the meeting progressed it seemed that some of those predictions might have some substance. Gollob, along with fellow veterans Greg Hancock and qualifier Magnus Zetterstrom, were at the foot of the scorecard with Sayfutdinov, Kenneth Bjerre and Wild Card Janusz Kolodziej making the semi-finals. However, it was reigning champion Jason Crump who took the Final, suggesting that he was back to full fitness following his injury-dogged 2009 season. A wet and windy Gothenburg in May presented new Race Director Tony Olsson with a challenge on the temporary race track at Ullevi but despite the drizzle which fell during most of the meeting there was some exciting racing and it was the young Dane, Kenneth Bjerre who emerged the winner with Gollob and Hancock also featuring in the Final. By contrast, those who had enjoyed a good result in Leszno had a disappointing evening in Gothenburg.
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The Marketa Stadium in Prague has hosted a round of the Grand Prix for the past 14 years but has not always enjoyed the best of weathers. There had been some heavy rain during the week preceding this year’s event which had hampered track preparation but happily the rain clouds parted and allowed a sunny start to the meeting. It was to prove an unhappy evening for young Emil Sayfutdinov however as he clipped the back wheel of Chris Harris entering the pits’ bend and rode at full speed into the safety fence. The air barrier did its work once again saving a more serious injury but the young Russian still left the track bound for hospital with a broken left arm which effectively spelt the end of his World Championship aspirations for 2010. After an impetuous and controversial clash with Andreas Jonsson, Gollob continued his steady rise through the rankings with a win in the Final from Nicki Pedersen, Jarek Hampel and veteran Zetterström taking him to fourth place overall. Parken in Copenhagen produced a night of excitement and surprise on another excellent track produced by former Race Director Ole Olsen’s Speed Sport organisation. Racing was of the highest order with Poland’s Jarek Hampel enjoying a fine win which moved him five points clear of Bjerre at the top of the classification. Surprise was in the form of Nicki Pedersen’s continuing inconsistent results and only five points in front of his home crowd.
The Torun club in Poland and its local government have developed a magnificent, purpose-built speedway stadium at the Marian Rose Motoarena named after the Torun rider killed in a race accident in 1970. This first visit of the SGP to the venue produced racing to match the surroundings and attracted a capacity and partisan 17,000 crowd who were not disappointed when Polish riders filled the first three places.
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At the start of this season there were many who were predicting the demise of the ‘old school’ of GP riders...///
Tomasz Gollob with an immaculate 7-ride maximum was the winner with Rune Holta and Jarek Hampel following. An eventful evening for Chris Holder ended when he fell in front of Greg Hancock and was taken to hospital with a suspected broken arm. Thankfully he returned, much relieved before the end of racing, to report nothing worse than bruising.
It is ten years since SGP moved into Cardiff’s awesome Millennium Stadium. It is now established as the premier venue of the series. Nearly 45,000 spectators – a record for the Grand Prix – enjoyed an evening of spectacular entertainment on a superbly prepared track with another new winner in Chris Holder, the 22-year old Australian experiencing his first year as a Grand Prix rider. Jarek Hampel took third place behind Jason Crump to move into the lead by 2 points ahead of Gollob who bowed out at the semi-final stage courtesy of an ignition problem. The customary break for the Speedway World Cup which followed left the leader board showing: 1.Jarek Hampel (92 points); 2.Tomasz Gollob (90 ); 3.Jason Crump (75 ); 4.Kenneth Bjerre (66); 5.Chris Holder (60); 6.Rune Holta (56); 7.Hans Andersen (56); 8.Nicki Pedersen (51) ...but there were to be a few more twists and turns before the end of this road. The G & B Arena set in picturesque forest land in Malilla once again hosted the Scandinavian Grand Prix in early August. For once we were blessed with good weather, a packed stadium with the many volunteers from the Dackarna club helping to provide superb organisation and a tremendous race track. Action was again fast and
F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
furious, too furious for Sayfutdinov making his return from the injury he had sustained in Prague. The little Russian’s season was ended when he was the victim of a rash move by Gollob in Heat 17 which left him with a broken left wrist and a deserved disqualification for the Pole who nevertheless consolidated his position at the top of the table with a third place in the Final behind Holta and Crump. Nicki Pedersen was also returning from injury but withdrew from the meeting after clashing with fellow Dane Hans Andersen. Pedersen aggravated his shoulder damage and Andersen suffered broken fingers in the accident which was to prove the end of both men’s title aspirations for the year. In the old Yugoslavia, Zvonko Pavlic was a national speedway champion but his ambition for many years since has been to build a stadium suitable to house the very biggest events in the sport. In August that wish was achieved, but was very nearly ruined by the weather gods. At the superb Speedway Stadion Milenium in Gorican, practice in a sunny 300 was followed by 24 hours of torrential rain, forcing the Race Director and the FIM Jury to postpone the meeting until the following day – only the second time in GP history that this has happened. Thankfully the sunshine returned for Sunday morning and after some thrilling racing it was Greg Hancock and Chris Harris who filled the first two places with both increasing their chances of a top eight qualification. With Jason Crump taking third place there was no change at the top of the leader table although Gollob increased his lead over Hampel to 7 points. Round nine took us back to Vojens Speedway Center in Denmark and again attracted a large crowd, proving the popularity of the sport in the Viking kingdom. The rain, which is no stranger to this track,
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had fallen overnight and returned before the start but, thanks to the specially designed covers and with some sterling work from the track staff, racing was possible. The riders responded with some full-blooded racing and a superb 7-race maximum from Gollob saw him consolidate his position as series leader. With only two rounds remaining it was looking increasingly as if Tomasz, riding as well as at any time in his career, would finally secure that world title which had eluded him for so many years. And so it was to be, at the Italian Grand Prix in Terenzano. With Crump, still restricted by his season-long injury problems, failing to progress from the qualifying races, only fellow countryman Hampel stood in his way. When he was eliminated in the second Semi-final Gollob’s points lead became unbeatable and, as if to underline his superiority he took 1st position in the final from Harris and Hancock amidst great celebrations in the pits. Long after midnight when all other riders had left, Tomasz was still at the track, smiling, signing autographs, giving interviews and generally taking in his situation as new World Champion. The fact that the title had already been settled and, with little change likely to the other places in the top eight, the last Bydgoszcz meeting was something of an anti-climax and when it was announced that Gollob had broken his ankle earlier in the week during a Motocross practice it was clear that the track action would be subdued. Having obtained medical clearance, the new champion lined up in his first race which he duly won but he was clearly uncomfortable and he later withdrew from the meeting. His loyal fans were there however to see him crowned as the new champion and the celebrations continued well into the night as the Poles marked the end of 37 barren years for Poland since Jerzy Szczakiel won in 1973. For the record, the final was won by Andreas Jonsson, his first of the season, followed by Chris Harris and Wild Card Janusz Kolodziej. Looking back on another series of SGP racing we can savour the fact that the racing has been as competitive and entertaining as ever. Despite the apparent dominance of the leading 3, only 23 points separated the next nine riders and there were 8 different winners in 11 rounds. Injuries undoubtedly affected the performances of Crump, Pedersen, Andersen and of course Sayfutdinov but this should not devalue the results of the Polish riders who filled three of
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With only two rounds remaining it was looking increasingly as if Tomasz, riding as well as at any time in his career, would finally secure the world title. ///
the top four places. Other highlights would include remarkable late season recoveries by veteran Greg Hancock and tough Brit Chris Harris. After the Cardiff round, Harris was in 12th place and Hancock 13th but both improved to such a degree in the second half of the season that they secured automatic qualification for 2011. The top 8 automatically qualify for the 2011 competition where they will be joined by the top 3 riders from the GP Challenge meeting and 4 permanent Wild Cards nominated each year by the FIM Speedway Grand Prix Commission and BSI Speedway, promoters of the Championship.
Final Standings for 2010 are: 1. Tomasz Gollob (Poland) - 166 points; 2. Jaroslaw Hampel (Poland) - 137; 3. Jason Crump (Australia) - 135; 4. Rune Holta (Poland) -109; 5. Greg Hancock (USA) -107; 6. Chris Harris (GB) - 107; 7. Kenneth Bjerre (Denmark) - 106; 8. Chris Holder (Australia) - 96; 9. Andreas Jonsson (Sweden) - 95; 10. Nicki Pedersen (Denmark) - 91; 11. Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden) - 87; 12. Hans Andersen (Denmark) - 86; 13. Magnus ZetterstrĂśm (Sweden) - 74; 14. Tai Woffinden (GB) - 49; 15. Emil Sayfutdinov (Russia)- 33. FIM M AGA ZINE . 7 5 / / / S E PT E M BE R O C TO B E R 2 0 1 0
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2010 SGP podium: 1 Tomasz Gollob (Poland), 2.Jaroslaw Hampel (Poland), 3.Jason Crump (Australia). ///
Disappointments must include the failure of British hopeful Tai Woffinden to capitalise on his wild card nomination. Off-track problems will have contributed and, possibly too much had been expected of him but he is undoubtedly a prospect for future success and will surely return to the top series at some time. Jason Crump’s efforts to retain his title disguised the extent of the serious injury he suffered in 2009 but he was gracious in defeat when handing over the No 1 race jacket to Gollob in Terenzano and refused to use the injury as an excuse. He will be having further surgery during the close season to ensure that his presence at the top will continue and we can look forward to renewed battles between these two next year.
When I wrote the previous review twelve months ago I suggested that the younger riders would have a greater influence on the title race in 2010. This prediction has not been completely achieved but the emergence of Chris Holder as a genuine future championship prospect in his first year to add to the performance of Emil Sayfutdinov in 2009 confirms that the march of youth will continue to provide new talent. Another Russian, 19 year-old Artem Laguta has qualified from the Grand Prix Challenge meeting along with Swedes Fredrik Lindgren and Antonio Lindback. Poland’s Janusz Kolodziej cannot be far away from a place after his performances this year and double Under-21 champion Darcy Ward will be keen to join his Australian colleagues at the earliest opportunity.
Grand Prix speedway Bydgoszcz this year is a perfect vehicle for also witnessed another television and coverage Grand Prix speedway is a perfect vehicle for television and coverage continues to retirement; that of referee continues to provide provide extraordinary images to over 150 countries worldwide. /// Tony Steele who has extraordinary images reached the FIM age limit. to over 150 countries By far the most experienced official with a total of 38 SGP meetings worldwide. Movement of the series outside Europe, although not to his credit, his quiet and confident manner and diplomacy have likely next year, cannot be too far away with BSI/IMG continuing earned him the respect of riders and colleagues alike and he has set their efforts to develop the SGP series towards a truly global event. a standard which others following will find hard to achieve. Yes, the future is as exciting as ever. by Graham Brodie
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2010 FIM CONGRESS VITO IPPOLITO RE-ELECTED
THE 125TH FIM CONGRESS WAS HELD FROM 17 TO 23 OCTOBER AT THE VENETIAN RESORT-HOTEL IN MACAU (CHINA) WITH THE ATTENDANCE OF 92 NATIONAL FEDERATIONS - A RECORD IN THE HISTORY OF THE FIM.
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During the FIM General Assembly, a large majority of the members voted for the adoption of new statutes for the FIM, designed with new principles of governance. The same day Mr Vito Ippolito (Venezuela) was elected FIM President for a second term by 55 votes versus 41 votes cast for his opponent, Mr Jean-Pierre Mougin. In the FIM Board of Directors, Mr Jorge Viegas (Portugal) was re-elected and nominated FIM Deputy President while Mr Nasser Khalifa Al Atya (Qatar) and David White (Australia) were elected as new FIM Board Members.
NEW FIM ORGANISATION COMPOSITION OF THE FIM BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD President
Vito IPPOLITO (Venezuela)
Deputy President
Jorge VIEGAS (Portugal)
Vice President
Robert RASOR (United States)
EB CONU Representative and FIM Africa President
Beaulah SCHOEMAN (South Africa)
Chief Executive Officer
Guy MAITRE (Switzerland)
MEMBERS OF THE FIM BOARD Nasser Khalifa AL ATYA (Qatar) Juan MORETA (Spain) David WHITE (Australia) Andrzej WITKOWSKI (Poland) FIM Asia President Stephan CARAPIET (Philippines) FIM North America President Robert DINGMAN (United States) FIM Oceania President Darryl HIDDLE (Australia) President of the Union EuropĂŠenne de Motocyclisme Vincenzo MAZZI (Italy) FIM Latin America President Pedro VENTURO (Peru)
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Jorge Viegas (POR) - FIM Deputy President. “For me the re-election was very important because I have been participating hard and deep in all this process of changing the statutes but mainly the new governance principles. In fact, this new structure looks complex but in the end I expect it will make things much easier. I have been in the FIM since 1992 so I am not a newcomer. I have been commission member, Commission President and a FIM Vice-President and I even participated in the other change of statutes thirteen years ago, so I am living an incredible adventure of changing this
organisation. More important than changing the statutes and structure is changing the mentality. We are in an organisation that is facing competition not only in motor sports but also in other forms of entertainment: we are also in the leisure business which is a very broad concept that is taking over a bigger and bigger part of people’s lives all over the world. We want FIM to become much more global and that no continent over rules another. We have to work together and I am really happy to have been re-elected and to be part of the future of the FIM.”
Nasser Khalifa Al Atya (QAT) – New member of the FIM Board “I am really proud and happy to be a member of the FIM Board of Directors. It is one of my dreams to have this opportunity to reach this level where I can promote the FIM like I promote my own country and the area where I come from. It is important to have a representation of different continents on the Board and to build bridges and to have a good link between countries. That will help the FIM to be healthier and to work in a more realistic way. I am very pleased about the group of people that I am working with now; we should support each other. I am really lucky because they are far more experienced than me and I will do my best to get their help and support to build my own experience. Even if I am the youngest member, I think it is important to add young
blood within this experienced team and I am sure that I can add value in promoting the FIM. This is a passion I have! The way I promote my country and the motorcycling in that area gives me good credit to reach this new level. I have had the chance to deal with the biggest promoters within the FIM for 8 years now which gives me a clear idea of what the motorcycle culture is and what we need to improve. As an organiser in Qatar, we have been working hard to increase the level of organisation, lighting systems and so on. We have received many awards from the promoters which is helpful for me on the sporting, marketing and development side. I think that all this experiences has given me the right background and I feel confident in my new position within the FIM.”
David White (AUS) - New member of the FIM Board “I have been CEO (formerly National Executive Director) of Motorcycling Australia for 20 years and during that time I have attended many FIM Congresses. I was a competitor from 1962 until 1990 in Moto Trials, Dirt Track and classic Road Racing events and member of the Track Racing Commission for a period of eight years. I have been working for the Strategic Plan and Implementation Committee for 2 years. We can see, through the strategic planning process, that there are going to be significant changes within the FIM. I thought I would like to be part of those changes. In Australia, We have been through a Strategic Planning process: we changed the structure and I have learnt a lot of things that I can
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hopefully bring to the FIM. We have been doing significant work on risk management and I have ideas that I would like to offer to the FIM in that regard as well as many more. I thought it was time for the FIM to become a more modern organisation and more global. I am really happy. I was not necessarily expecting what happened and it is very important for me that people have shown confidence in me to put me on the board of Directors. Another important change from my own Federation’s point of view is that the new structure of the FIM includes more people coming from different parts of the world; this is very positive for the future of the FIM.”
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Mr Vito Ippolito was elected FIM President during the General Assembly at the FIM Congress in Salvador, Brazil, on 16 October 2006. Vito Ippolito is Venezuelan; born on 3 February 1952. • President of the FMV (Venezuelan Federation) from 1992 to 2006. • Member of the FIM Road Racing Commission from 1984 until 1990. • FIM Vice-President from 1990 to 1996. • FIM Deputy President from 1997 to 2006. • President of the ULM (Union Latino-Americana de Motociclismo) from 1984 until 1998. • Manager of the team Venemotos whose rider Carlos Lavado became 250 Grand Prix World Champion in 1983 and 1986. Vito Ippolito is the first non-European elected President of the FIM since its foundation in 1904.
FOUR QUESTIONS TO VITO IPPOLITO: How do you feel after your re-election? “Of course, I am very satisfied about my re-election but also because this was a very important day for the future of the FIM. The new statutes were approved by the General Assembly and good members have been elected to the new Board of Directors; all our goals were achieved.”
On the sporting side what are the main points that you want to develop? “From the sporting point of view we want to establish more continental championships to involve more countries at an international level of competition. It is very important to bring these riders to the FIM World Championships.”
What is the next step for you in the coming 4 years?
What about Social Responsibility?
“This year we finished establishing the Strategic Plan for the FIM and the next four years will be an interesting period for implementing this plan. We will work with a new system, new structure. Our goals are really ambitious but the world is moving faster than in the past; we have to prepare the FIM for all threats and also to place the Federation in a better situation.”
“This is a very important matter. Today the environment is a big issue worldwide and the FIM must intervene - to work on alternative energies and so on. Talking about social responsibility also means that we must work hard on Road Safety. There are countries, especially in Asia, with every day more and more people riding motorcycles on the road and we need to help our federations to prepare these people to ride more safely.”
by Isabelle Larivière F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
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VIVA ITALIA !
2010 FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BRITISH IN 2007, AUSTRALIAN IN 2008, AMERICAN IN 2009, THE 2010 FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPION IS ITALIAN. MAX BIAGGI ENTERED THE LEGEND BY BECOMING AT 39 YEARS THE FIRST ITALIAN RIDER WORLD CHAMPION IN THE SUPERBIKE CLASS. HE MADE THIS EXPLOIT WITH THE ITALIAN MANUFACTURER APRILIA TO WHOM HE OFFERED, AS A PREMIUM, THE MANUFACTURER’S WORLD TITLE. The 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship’s entries were more than promising at the beginning of the season. There were at least a dozen of serious candidates to the title. One of the characteristics of the 2010 Championship was that none of the seven manufacturers was entering a new model. All motorcycles, from the Aprilia RSV4 to the Ducati 1198R, the BMW S1000 RR and the four Japanese machines, were present in the same configuration as in 2009. With the exception of a few minor technical improvements, it was thus necessary for each rider to make the difference on the track, taking into account the known advantages and handicaps
of its opponents. It was an exceptional context for a Superbike season which in the end kept all its promises, from the first round in Australia at the end of February until the last race in Magny-Cours at the beginning of October. After thirteen events held on four continents, Max Biaggi finally clinched the title. Aged 39, the senior of the Superbike class gave to Aprilia both rider and manufacturer’s titles, only two years after the comeback of the Italian factory to four-stroke competition. Let’s go back to a 2010 Superbike year during which each manufacturer played a front role.
It was an exceptional context for a Superbike season which in the end kept all its promises, from the first round in Australia at the end of February until the last race in Magny-Cours at the beginning of October. ///
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APRILIA – TO THE GLORY OF BIAGGI When one looks carefully at Max Biaggi’s season, one notes that the Roman knew how to gather all the ingredients which are a part of building up a title. First, he showed an impressive regularity by scoring points in each one of the 26 season’s races. He was then very fast, taking advantage of the exceptional dynamic qualities of his RSV4 Aprilia. He actively took part in the development of this motorcycle. He also knew to be wise on circuits which did not favour his bike, notably on bumpy tracks which suit less the radical chassis layout of the RSV4, like Phillip Island, Kyalami or Imola. He showed a great perceptiveness by contenting himself with good placings, without taking risks of crashing by increasing the pace and trying to win at any cost. And finally he was also lucky, like in Miller where he got a double win thanks to the double technical problem of Carlos Checa who was unreachable in the lead. With ten wins in 2010, Max Biaggi clinched the World title, 75 points ahead of Leon Haslam. Biaggi has thus become the first Italian rider World Champion in the Superbike class. What does not spoil anything, is that he clinched this fifth crown – after the four in the 250cc Grand Prix
With ten wins in 2010, Max Biaggi clinched the World title, 75 points ahead of Leon Haslam. ///
between 1994 and 1997 – riding an Italian motorcycle and, on top of it, in front of his public at the Imola circuit. The celebrations were intense. Beside the brilliant triumph of the Roman, it must also be noted that Aprilia invested in a young English rider this year. Leon Camier is not unknown as
he was English Champion in 2009. Despite an injury at the wrist which prevented him from racing in the end of the season, the British rider held his place perfectly for this first year in World Superbike. And nothing indicates that he will not give work next year on the factory Aprilia to his Italian elder.
SUZUKI – HASLAM’S MERIT He was the toughest of Max Biaggi’s opponents in the race for the title. Between Haslam and Biaggi, there are two generations facing each other, but also two different styles. The first is a fighter, the second is calculating. With the Alstare team, Haslam made a fantastic season start. He met however his first doubts in Miller (USA) when he crashed during the second race. It was his first blank result of the season and it is also without doubt the turning point of the 2010 season for the British rider who lost the first place of the Championship to Max. In Miller, Biaggi won both races thanks to the problems of Carlos Checa’s Ducati. Still in Miller, Aprilia was authorized to use a new valve gear system. This technical argument was contrasting with the technical “withdrawal” of the Japanese factory which stopped the development of its GSX-R. Leon Haslam crashed for the first time of the season. The doubt came in. This doubt was reinforced at the two following rounds because of the New Pirelli tyres which didn’t suit the Suzuki. Haslam had his worst racing week-end in Brno where he scored fourteen points only in two races. Biaggi took the lead irremediably. Leon’s hopes would definitely fade in the thick smoke of a broken engine in the second race in Imola, when he was trying his best in an ending, colorful season. F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
Leon Haslam was the toughest of Max Biaggi’s opponents in the race for the title. ///
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DUCATI – GOING PRIVATE The season of the Ducati factory was not simple, to say the least. After Davide Tardozzi had left at the end of 2009, Ernesto Marinelli had to take over the team and work with Noriyuki Haga, somehow perturbed, and Michel Fabrizio, not always regular. Within this context, it soon appeared that the strong man of Ducati was riding a private motorcycle and his name was Carlos Checa. As from Australia, the Spaniard marked the spirits by winning the second heat. He would step on the rostrum for eight times in 2010 and clinch three wins (6 rostrums with 2 wins for Haga, 6 rostrums win 1 win for Fabrizio). Carlos Checa is the third man of the Championship and without his double retirement in Miller, while he was winning the race in front of Biaggi, it could have been further different. And then, there was this storming statement in the second half of August, when Ducati President Gabriele del Torchio announced that the Superbike official programme would stop after 21 seasons of participation, 13 riders’ titles and 16 manufacturers’ titles. It was a difficult decision for the team to swallow, which was
In the second half of August,Ducati President announced that the Superbike official programme would stop after 21 seasons of participation, 13 riders’ titles and 16 manufacturers’ titles. ///
managing with much class and control this uncommon end-of-season for the Italian manufacturer. One will remember the tears of Michel Fabrizio who finished the history of Ducati in Superbike with a symbolic podium place (3rd) at the last race in Magny-Cours.
Next year, only private Ducatis will be entered in the FIM Superbike World Championship, among which will be Carlos Checa and a certain Sylvain Guintoli in the new structure Liberty Racing.
YAMAHA – CRUTCHLOW IN THE STEPS OF SPIES (OR ALMOST) Like Ben Spies, Cal Crutchlow made his first season in the FIM Superbike World Championship riding the factor y R1 Yamaha. Like the American in 2009, the English rider became “Rookie of the Year” in 2010 and collected the pole positions (6). Like Spies, Crutchlow raced for one season only in the World Superbike before going to the Yamaha Tech 3 team in MotoGP. The comparison with the American rider, who became Superbike World Champion in 2009, stops here. Cal Crutchlow clinched three wins this season (14 for Spies last ye a r ). F i f t h in t h e C hampionship, Crutchlow’s season mainly put in evidence the exceptional performance of Spies in 2009. Moreover, his teammate, James Toseland, was incapable to take any victory along the whole year. The Yamaha is not an “easy” motorcycle. Toseland’s season was quite a deception, but Crutchlow’s one was in the norm. However, Yamaha was never in a position to race for the title this year and had to be content with a second role in the Championship. But one will remember that Cal Crutchlow’s end of
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Cal Crutchlow became “Rookie of the Year” in 2010 and collected the 6 pole positions. ///
season was much better that the first half. The change happened in Silverstone when the Elglish rider made a splendid double win
in front of his public, taking then consecutive podiums during the last three racing weekends.
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HONDA – REA IN UPS AND DOWNS Honda’ season, and Jonathan Rea’s, was irregular but brilliant. While the British rider was obviously part of the men able to fight for the title at the beginning of the season, he met his first difficulty in Portimão when he retired in the second race with mechanical problems. But principally, Rea made mistakes in both races in Monza. One month later, he injured himself in the Miller’s practice session. Not in form, he courageously took part in both races and only took ten little points. It was worse in Misano where Rea scored only seven points. Totally distanced in the championship, he was then obliged to brilliant actions in order to show the qualities of a CBR Honda which would receive a couple of technical improvements at the beginning of summer. KAWASAKI – ALL HOPES ARE PERMITTED
Kawasaki could count on its second rider, Tom Sykes who offered Kawasaki results that the manufacturer was not obtaining for the last three years. ///
Jonathan Rea was obviously part of the men able to f ight for the title but his 2010 season was too irregular. ///
the development of the new motorcycle had started during the summer, Tom Sykes entered in the top ten. Even better, in Imola he clinched a brilliant pole position on a wet track, and took the lead in both races before losing the pace. He finished in fourth, at the edge of the podium, in the second race. Well, Tom Sykes and Kawasaki are a good story. He was not in the programme, but Kawasaki could not let go a rider who made so much work at development level of the 2011 machine – which is already announced as faster than the previous one in the same track conditions. Kawasaki will thus be back to the front pack in 2011. BMW – THE GERMAN METHOD
The season started pretty badly for the Kawasaki team. As of the Phillip Island race, Crhis Vermeulen, transferred from MotoGP, crashed at high speed and was seriously injured at a knee. Stubborn, the Australian rider tried to race in the following events at any cost, but for nothing. The operation was essential and he had to stay away from the tracks until the beginning of 2011. His season was over and the whole work planned for the development of the ZX-10R 2011 was lost. Luckily, Kawasaki could count on its second rider, Tom Sykes. Discreet at the beginning of the season, the English rider would go on improving his strength race by race. Art the same time in charge of the first tests with the 2011 motorcycle he rode for the first time in August, Sykes would meet an exceptional end of season and offer Kawasaki results that the manufacturer was not obtaining for the last three years. As from the Nurburgring, while
After an excellent start of the season, things did not go in the right direction for BMW. ///
One year for learning, one year for… surprising, unfortunately not in the right direction. Everything seemed to be in the right place, though, in theory. BMW had even recruited the most famous team manager, Davide Tardozzi, thanked at the end of last year by Ducati. Troy Corser and Rubem Xaus, kept in their functions
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Rea would then make a series of exceptional week-ends as from Brno where he finished winner and second, then twice in second place in Silverstone and continued with the Suzuka Eight Hours in Japan where he also finished on the rostrum, in the second place. Jonathan Rea proved then that he was the Number One rider at Honda in Superbike, while his teammate Max Neukirchner was only the shadow of himself during the whole season. Unfortunately for the English rider, he injured himself once again during the Superpole in Imola, held under the rain. Despite his attempts to take part in the races in Italy and France, he had to desist and let the benefit of the third place in the Championship to Carlos Checa for five little points.
as riders, knew the motorcycle perfectly. Anyway the start of the season of the S1000 RR was excellent. Troy Corser even offered to BMW its first podium in Monza, eighteen races only after the big start of the Bavarian manufacturer in the FIM Superbike World Championship. This achievement was comparable to the one of Aprilia, which won the World Championship, but whose experience in competition cannot be denied. This is not the case of BMW and this podium of Troy Corser is really impressive, showing the strength of the German manufacturer. The problem is the story is never written in advance. If the first half of the season was remarkable, the second one was a disaster. After a second podium in the first race in Misano, in which Corser was third again, the Australian would not be better than tenth anymore… when he finished the race. BMW then went through a human and technical crisis which took unexpected proportions. Instead of concentrating on the performances of the motorcycles and the riders, the team managers seemed to dive into deep disagreements. Davide Tardozzi was fired even before the end of the season, and the motorcycle competition responsible, Berthold Hauser, who had put in place the Superbike programme, followed the same way some weeks later. The season was spoiled for BMW which could certainly pretend a better result than the 11th place of Corser in the riders’ classification. The performances of the S1000 RR in the different national Championships and the title clinched in the Superstock 1000cc FIM Cup show this.
by Eric Malherbe
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HONDA TEN KATE IS BACK REVIEW SUPERSPORT CLASS
IN 2010, THE TEN KATE HONDA TEAM WON ITS EIGHTH WORLD TITLE IN THE SUPERSPORT CLASS. KENAN SOFUOGLU BECAME THE THIRD RIDER OF THE FAMOUS TEAM, AFTER THE FRENCH RIDER CHARPENTIER AND THE AUSTRALIAN RIDER PITT, TO WIN A SECOND WORLD CROWN IN THE DISCIPLINE. He never stepped down from the rostrum in 2010. Kenan Sofuoglu made an exemplary Supersport season. The Turkish rider put all his racing experience and all his enthusiasm at the disposal of this second world title that he clinched with a hard fight against his main adversaries in the Championship. He has thus offered to Ten Kate an eighth world crown since 2002. It is an amazing list of achievements for the Dutch structure which is back to success after having lost the title to Yamaha in 2009 (Cal Crutchlow). Since then, Yamaha has withdrawn from competition. Nevertheless, the quality in the preparation of the motorcycles and the level of the riders is still very high in Supersport. The candidates for the world title were not so many, but Kenan Sofuoglu had to face the opposition of two strong and motivated riders. Eugene Laverty, also riding a Honda like Sofuoglu, fought for the title until the end. With no less than eight wins in thirteen races, the Irishman deserves respect. Despite his speed and performances, he was not able to beat the Turkish rider who won the title with only 11 points advantage. Contrary to the latter, Laverty lacked regularity: a blank result in the Czech Republic, eleventh in Portugal after a little crash during the race, the Parkalgar Honda rider paid a high fee for these two mistakes facing an inflexible Sofuoglu. It was not an easy win for Sofuoglu, however, who had to face the competition of the young Joan Lascorz, at least during the whole first part of the season until the terrible accident of the Spaniard in Silverstone at the beginning of August. Riding his factory Kawasaki, Lascorz is easily at the level of Sofuoglu and Laverty. The three riders offer a stunning show on the track, leaving the group of other riders far behind. Among them, Chaz Davies succeeded in climbing onto the rostrum four times this season. This is a kind of consolation for the Triumph team which was hoping for much better results this season with four entered factory motorcycles. One will note, in the end, the disappointing performance of Michele Pirro, Sofuoglu’s teammate in the Ten Kate team, the brilliant race of Gino Rea, third in Silverstone in front of his public, and the farewell of Katsuaki Fujiwara to the category after ten seasons in Supersport. Kenan Sofuoglu put all his racing experience and enthusiasm to clinch his second World title, he had thus offered to Ten Kate an eighth world crown since 2002. ///
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Ayrton badovini won nine races out of ten and offers to the BMW S1000 RR an exceptional first season in the 1000cc Superstock Class. ///
BMW: NINE OUT OF TEN! REVIEW FIM SUPERSTOCK 1000cc CUP
AYRTON BADOVINI WILL REMEMBER FOR A LONG TIME HIS 2010 YEAR. HE WON NINE RACES OUT OF TEN AND OFFERS TO THE BMW S1000 RR AN EXCEPTIONAL FIRST SEASON IN THE 1000CC SUPERSTOCK CLASS. It was necessary to wait until the last race of the 2010 Championship to see Ayrton Badovini and his unreachable BMW S1000 RR put down a knee. Hit during the morning warm-up, the Italian rider went to the starting grid of the Magny-Cours circuit with a painful ankle. A grain of sand would jam the well lubricated machine of the Italian-German couple and prevent them from clinching their tenth consecutive win of the season. Maxime Berger, in front of his public, then saw the unique occasion of the year to take over from Badovini and finally win a race after having finished five times on the second step of the rostrum. This time, and only this time, Badovini finished behind the French rider and had to content himself with a second place. It was a little disappointment which did not spoil the fantastic season of the BMW team in the 1000cc Superstock. For its first appearance in this class, the S1000 RR gave an incredible lesson of performance
and regularity to the whole of its adversaries. Even so, talent was not lacking on the track in order to attack the German fortress, with Maxime Berger in the lead, but also the Italians Magnoni, Antonelli and Giugliano. With the title won before the summer break, the BMW will still be the machine to beat next year. This does not take anything away from the riding qualities of Ayrton Badovini. Others also, such as the Frenchmen Sylvain Barrier or Matthieu Lussiana or the Italian Davide Beretta, could ride a BMW, and the results were not so brilliant as those of Badovini. But the performances of this motorcycle seem exceptional and the riding qualities of Maxime Berger associated to the level of preparation of his CBR Honda made by the Ten Kate Junior team, could not do anything against it. For 2011, some are already looking at the brand new and much expected Kawasaki ZX10R. Will it be able to climb to the level of the BMW? Answer in a few months.
by Eric Malherbe F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
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Fi m inside
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PUBLIC AFFAIRS FIM EXPERIENCED RIDER TRAINING SYMPOSIUM – MAY 2011 IN CANADA – SUPPORTING THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF ACTION FOR ROAD SAFETY
The safety of riders on the roads is a major issue for the FIM. - The reason behind the establishment of the Experienced Rider Training network with a first event held in Luxembourg back in 1996. Since then, a series of events have been held to bring expert riders together to work on advances in rider training. A major issue today (which we report on in this magazine) is the increased availability of anti lock braking systems on modern motorcycles and scooters. For this technology to be really effective in an emergency rider – including existing riders – need new training to have confidence in the technology so that they really will activate it in an emergency. Attitudes also need to be addressed and here it is interesting that competition riders are showing there is nothing lost in the “motorcycling experience” from this technology. May 2011 also sees the launch of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road
Safety which the FIM supports. This will be one of the first events of the Decade coming as it does at the end of May and it is also supported by our friends in the FIA Foundation.
Training Symposium. The event dates are May 25, 26, 27. The ERTS will be “headquartered” in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada at a hotel within walking distance of the spectacular Niagara Falls and all the related tourist attractions. The activities directly related to the ERTS will be held at a professional race track facility. The agenda for this ERTS is intended to encourage participation from: professional rider trainers, motorcycle safety advocates and individuals involved in managing national or regional rider training initiatives as well as regulatory staff involved in drafting legislative initiatives.
For the second time in its history, the Experienced Rider Training Symposium (ERTS) will be held outside Europe. In May of 2011 the Canada Safety Council and the Canadian Motorcycle Association will host the next edition of the Experienced Rider
We look forward to welcoming you to the 2011 ERTS. For more details and registration, see: www.erts.ca or follow the link from the FIM home page at www.fim-live.com
IFZ CONFERENCE – COLOGNE Delegates discuss new European Union regulations for ABS braking and ifz launches new DVD.
FIM Director of Public Affairs John Chatterton-Ross at IFZ (Photo: Harry Beugelink) .///
ifz is the German Institute for Motorcycle Safety. Held in conjunction with the Intermot motorcycle show the 2010 edition of this conference was one of the best ever. The timing could not have been better for delegates as the European Union announced plans for new regulations on motorcycle brake technology. (As we predicted in the last issue of Ride with Us!) The European Commission is set to propose to the Council and Parliament new laws which would require all motorcycles and scooters above 125cc to be fitted with anti lock braking systems. 125cc and below the requirement will be for combined braking systems to be fitted. – Systems that activate braking on both the front and rear wheel regardless of which of the two braking controls is use. It is thought this will be of help to many riders in an emergency. The current proposal is that all of this should come into force by 2017. As we reported in the last issue all cars and light vans sold in the EU since 2001 have been fitted with anti lock brakes so motorcycling is trailing behind. It is not new technology as a speaker from BMW reminded delegates pointing to their first
ABS equipped bike from 1988! In fact it goes back even further as the British police were using Nortons with Lucas-Girling ABS on the front wheel even before the BMW was launched. Delegates were divided on the likely effectiveness of the proposals. It certainly presents a challenge for everyone involved in rider training to adapt and teach new (and existing) riders to use ABS in an emergency. The conference theme this year included the environment and FIM Director of Public Affairs John Chatterton-Ross spoke on the way in which sport is driving the agenda. His presentation covered electric racing on and off road, the use of bio fuel mixtures in Endurance racing. He ended by posing the question of whether diesel will ever progress in motorcycling beyond its extensive use in the military. (NATO forces use a diesel engine Kawasaki not available to the general market). The conference included the launch on the new ifz DVD on rider training – available in German and English editions. By the time this is published you will be able to purchase a copy on line from www.ifz.de We have reviewed it and it is brilliant! by John Chatterton-Ross
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BUB BONNEVILLE SPEED TRIALS 2010 BONNEVILLE - THERE’S A MAGIC IN THE NAME, AND FOR ANY TRUE-BLOODED MOTORCYCLE FAN THE CHANCE TO VISIT THE 159MI²/412KM² SALT FLATS IN THE HIGH DESERT OF NORTHWESTERN UTAH 115MI/185KM WEST OF SALT LAKE CITY, DURING THE ANNUAL FIM-RECOGNIZED BUB MOTORCYCLE SPEED TRIALS, IS RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE ISLE OF MAN TT AS A BOX TO BE TICKED
It’s one of the world’s great motorcycle
experiences as displayed in That Movie, The World’s Fastest Indian, which so well depicts Bonneville’s lunar landscape, and captures the camaraderie of those who visit this magical place in the quest for speed. Extremely flat, and aligned so perfectly with the Earth’s shape that you can actually see the curvature of the planet off in the distance, thanks to the needed perspective provided by the 5,000ft Silver Island Mountains running down their western flanks, the Bonneville Salt Flats are one of the world’s must-see natural wonders - even without the extra allure of the annual Speed Trials recordfest. Named after Captain Benjamin de Bonneville, a French-born US army officer who explored the area in the 1830s, the six-feet/two-metre thick, solid but smooth surface is a relic of the last Ice Age – and it’s been the undisputed World Centre of Speed on two wheels ever since 1948, when Rollie Free made history there by riding his Vincent motorcycle to an American land speed record of more than 150mph/240kmh wearing just a pair of Speedo bathers, and with his legs stuck out behind him, thus putting Bonneville on the map. Now in their seventh year of running, the bike-only BUB Speed Trials are the brainchild of rotund, larger-than-life Dennis Manning, aka BUB - as in, Big Ugly Bastard!
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The creator of the Harley-Davidson rig that conveyed Cal Rayborn to the motorcycle land speed record in 1970, Manning also built BUB Racing’s Seven Streamliner that seven-time AMA Grand National champion Chris Carr rode to a new outright FIM World mark of 367.382mph at Bonneville in September 2009 powered by BUB’s self-designed turbocharged 3000cc V-4 motor producing over 500bhp at the rear wheel. Manning reasoned that, instead of being second class citizens at the cardominated SCTA Bonneville Speed Trials run each August since 1949, bikes needed to have their own week on the Salt, and in 2004 he began running his own annual BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, officially recognised by the AMA and FIM. Hence the name for the International Course, the longer of the two 90-feet wide tracks dredged from the Salt Flats, eleven miles in length to accommodate the streamliners, against the shorter seven-mile Mountain Course. Whatever you’ve read about the Bonneville Salt Flats being other-worldly and extraterrestrial, it’s all true. Drive out to the Salt just as dawn is breaking - the early riser catches the cool air that makes engines run harder and faster - and what awaits you is a whole lot of nothingness, an eerily plain white landscape illuminated by the fierce red light of a glorious sunrise. There’s no water,
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The Bonneville Salt Flats are one of the world’s must-see natural wonders - even without the extra allure of the annual Speed Trials recordfest. ///
no animals, no plants, and the only insects are the flies hitching a ride in your truck. Ten miles out in the salt is the Paddock, a seemingly arbitrary huddle of motorhomes and trailers clustered early settlerstyle out in the snow white desert, and soon to start baking under the relentless sun whose effect is magnified by the reflection off the salt - hourly applications of Factor 30 sun lotion, and drinking lots of water, are two of the secrets of Salt Flats survival. But at least this is dry heat, with little humidity, so it’s not wearying, just VERY hot. However, keep in mind that power output drops as elevation increases, and with the Salt Flats sitting at 4,291ft/1,308m above sea level, Bonneville poses an extra challenge in countering the 13% loss in power on an unsupercharged engine occasioned by the thinner air at this elevation. Now you know why, in the old days, so many Land Speed records were set on Daytona Beach, running on the sand with the tide moving out!
on which he holds four AMA speed records at over 180mph and tows to the Salt Flats each year with wife Diane behind their 1949 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn limousine! Or the girder-forked Confederate Wraith and Fighter über-cruisers, running 166mph in street-legal form. Or 1996 FIM World Speedway champion Billy Hamill’s Jawa 500 speedway single, with a laydown engine and two-speed gearbox. Etcetera. The Bonneville paddock is petrolhead paradise.
This treasure trove of gofaster machinery is Race HQ for the annual BUB Speed Trials, which in 2010 saw twelve riders from the USA, Japan, Switzerland and Australia out of the 41 officially entered to make FIM World Record attempts in different categories, achieve their purpose in setting new outright flying start marks over both the kilometre and mile (subject to due ratification). They’re the elite of the more than 300 riders in total who The Paddock houses the most signed up at BUB 2010 to make The Paddock houses the most eclectic selection of motorcycles on the planet eclectic selection of motorcycles runs under AMA rules, two of - no two are identical. /// on the planet - no two are whom staged a new-era shootidentical, not even the horde of out between two American Hayabusas, which are inevitably the most plentiful. The wild, weird, motorcycles with an alternative power source for the crown of the wacky and wonderful – they’re all here. Like the HDT 611cc diesel fastest eco-friendly bike in the world. Fresh from winning the FIM single, holder of eight FIM world speed records for compression-spark e-Power series round run alongside the U.S. MotoGP at Laguna motors. Or the miniature streamliner powered by an Aprilia two-stroke Seca six weeks earlier, and before that the Isle of Man TT Zero race in RS50 motor. Or Max Lambky’s magnificent twin-engined 3000cc June, Michael Czysz aboard his self-conceived MotoCzysz E1pc was Vincent streamliner sponsored by Sonny Angel, Yamaha’s first US aiming to make it a hattrick of successes by garnering an e-record dealer whose son Don drove the Vincent to a 222 mph AMA Vintage at Bonneville. His rival Paul Thede was riding the Lightning Moto 1 ‘liner record that set beards a-bristling as the plethora of Z.Z.Top which Czysz had passed between the last corner and the finish line look-alikes comprising the Vincent’s pit crew threw their stetsons to take victory at Laguna Seca on the MotoCzysz as the Lightning’s in the air. Or Vincent tyro Marty Dickerson, who as recounted in That lithium ion dry-cell batteries ran out of charge. Each was now Movie was the man who smoothed Burt Munro’s way from NZ to seeking to break the existing FIM world speed record for partiallyBonneville, yet over 50 years later at the age of 83, is still breaking streamlined Electric bikes of 102.027mph/164.198kmh set back records on the salt - in 2009 he bumped his AMA 1000 M-VG in 1994 at Nardo by then-250GP world champion (and today, the record up to 155.193mph on a Vincent. Or any one of the dozens new World Superbike champion) Max Biaggi aboard the Italianof different Triumphs of all eras competing for Vintage and modern built Violent Violet, crammed back then full of wet-cell batteries. records alike, like Canadian aircraft engineer Tom Mellor’s exquisite After a spirited tussle with each trumping the other’s speeds, it 1969 T150 Trident clothed in his own sleek, self-made streamlining, was Thede on the Lightning who eventually prevailed, hiking the F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
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Marty Dickerson who competed with Burt Munro the star of the movie " The world's Fastest Indian" with Antony Hopkins. ///
FIM mark to 173.349mph/278.977kmh on the final morning of the five days of runs, one of which was mostly lost after heavy rain, with shards of lightning bouncing off the mountains. Remember that salt is a conductor, so that when a lightning bolt strikes the Salt Flats, it’s not earthed out, but instead will give an electric shock to anyone not wearing rubber-soled shoes, plus it made the MotoCzysz and Lightning teams take extra care with their e-vehicles! Also, the rainfall that has nowhere to go - the thick salt isn’t as porous as normal soil, and since the salt flats are so level, it doesn’t run off, either, but just sits and combines with the salt to make it slushy and lacking grip, until the sun dries it off.
Awaiting your turn is an inescapable
part of the Bonneville experience, goodnaturedly administered by the horde of unpaid red-shirted BUB volunteers without whom none of this could happen. But one good thing about hanging around waiting at Bonneville is the people you meet there while doing that, from literally all walks of life, of all ages and both sexes, and many different countries. Like Aussie Greg Watters, a cash-strapped Down Under record holder who was eager to experience racing in Utah, so had dismantled his turbocharged GSX-R750 and to save costs on shipping had sent only the motor to a mate in California. There, Greg bought a 26
used five year-old Suzuki on eBay, swapped engines in his friend’s garage, and now he had a Bonneville bike - and a pretty good one too, achieving his ambition by setting a new AMA record for the 750 MPS BG/ Modified Production partially-streamlined blown (i.e. turbocharged) pump fuel class, at 215.389 mph. “Reckon I might tap up eBay for some sponsorship next year, and try for an FIM record!” joked Greg. But then eventually, it’s your turn to ride out to the Mile Three mark (only bikes faster than 180mph start from Mile Zero), so remote from the Paddock it seems you’re on a different planet, then clustering under the E-Z Up shelters to escape the sun’s harsh rays while awaiting your turn. When that comes, you ride out onto the course, watching for the starter to wave his green flag in a figure of eight fashion to send you on your way - and then suddenly, it’s you, your bike, and the Salt. Looking down the course from the hot seat is one of the world’s great sights on two wheels, with the wide expanse of white stretching off into infinity. It’s your job to keep it pinned wide open between the red quarter-mile flags and yellow mile flags, while aiming for the horizon. Park your toes on the footrests, snuggle your knees next to the tank, pull in your elbows, and rest your fingers lightly on the ’bars, making sure the throttle is pinned. The chin bar of your helmet will rub the tank
as you peer round the side of the dash, and the sunlight bounces back off the salt into your eyes - always wear a full tint visor at Bonneville. Past the Mile Five board and into the Measured Mile, and as you stand with your toes tucked tightly in on the footrests and lift your rear end in the air to try to smooth out the airflow behind you, be prepared for a slow but insistent weave on the smooth though slightly loose salt. Focus on steering straight – crabbing across the track loses speed, since you’re covering more distance – then there’s the Mile Six flags denoting the end of the timed mile, so back off the throttle and drift over to the left, taking care not to lose control as you ride through the ungraded salt off-piste, before killing the engine and waiting for your crew to come and collect you, before heading back to the Paddock for the all-important speed ticket. Then, if you’ve qualified within 5% of the record you’re aiming for, you can head to Impound for a return run in the opposite direction to set a two-way speed, which under FIM rules must be made within two hours (just on the same day for AMA records) – and if not, go line up and try again, aiming to fulfil the late World land Speed Record holder Don Vesco’s legendary mantra: “You do not leave the Salt Flats until you have broken all of your parts, and only then do you head home and start work on next year….!”
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Every morning the compulsory riders briefing. ///
Even in a recession, participant numbers were up at Bonneville this year, the fruit of a far-sighted decision by the FIM to overhaul the categories for World record marks in 2009. After serving as the FIM’s Steward for the BUB Speed Trials, Charles Hennekam persuaded his colleagues to establish differential classes for the first time within each cubic capacity sector for single-, twinand multi-cylinder motorcycles, whereas previously all that had mattered was the size of the engine, irrespective of the number of cylinders. This recognition of today’s market forces, where twin-cylinder bikes occupy such a significant proportion of the sporting streetbike sector, meant that, henceforth, four-cylinder Suzukis wouldn’t own every FIM speed record from 750cc to 2000cc, but that all the European and American twincylinder manufacturers had the chance to shoot for records of their own, so revitalizing what had become a rather stagnant speed record sector. And in following the AMA and establishing differential categories for full, partially and non-streamlined motorcycles, as well as the traditional forced induction (so, supercharged or turbocharged) or normally aspirated differentiations, this meant there were a whole new series of FIM World Records on offer.
The result has been an accelerated
interest in record-breaking around the globe with bikes that would previously
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never have bothered showing up, as demonstrated by some of the successful FIM record-setters at BUB Bonneville 2010. Two of these rode Harleys, with Japan’s Kasutoshi Misutani taking his FXLR to a new FIM 2000cc non-streamlined normally-aspirated twin-cylinder World mark of 145.850mph/234.723kmh, while American Johnny Cortopassi broke the equivalent 1350cc record on his VRSCR VRod at 160.808mph/258.796kmh – both in categories that without any differentiation in the number of cylinders would previously have been the exclusive preserve of the much faster fours. There were still lots of those, though, with American Michael Garcia setting the fastest new FIM record in any class at 208.494mph/335.539kmh on his Suzuki Hayabusa in the 1350cc partially-streamlined normally-aspirated multi-cylinder category. At the other end of the performance scale, local rider Tad Meadows from Reno, Nevada read the rulebook carefully, tuned up his 1955 BSA Gold Star, and set a new FIM World record for the 500cc non-streamlined normally aspirated single-cylinder class at 103.914mph/167.233kmh. So you think you could have gone that at least fast that on your modern streetlegal single that you ride to work every day? Well, why don’t you try to beat that record officially yourself, then?!
“Trying to beat anybody’s speed record, even your own, is like shaking up a cocktail and hoping you got the ingredients right,” said legendary Swiss speed guru Fritz Egli, who at the age of 72 entered the FIM World Record books in 2009 on his firstever visit to run at Bonneville, with a speed of 206.157mph on his turbo Hayabusa sidecar, but was unable to beat that speed on his 2010 return, owing to traction problems after the rain loosened the salt. “Of course, you must do your engine tuning and machine preparation correctly before you arrive at Bonneville – but then you must hope the weather conditions are good, the salt is in good shape, and you have the correct tyres to give good grip, as well as adjusting the engine setup for optimum performance. Then it’s up to you to ride the course properly – and if you do that, and get a new record, it’s a truly wonderful feeling, which gives you and your team so much satisfaction. But – you always think you can go faster, so there’s always a next time!” Indeed, the search for speed on the Bonneville Salt Flats is so truly addictive, they ought to stick a warning label on the sign off the I-80 freeway from Salt Lake City directing you to the Bonneville Speedway: “Warning: Turnoff may lead to Salt sickness. No known cure except lack of $$$$. Beware!!”
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BONNEVILLE BABES: THE WORLD’S FASTEST WOMEN
More than 20 women were racing at Bonneville this year, three of them entered for FIM World record attempts. One of these, Belen Wagner, set new FIM records in the 125cc non-streamlined normally aspirated single-cylinder class at 109.190mph/175.724kmh on her KTM FRR125 GP road racer shorn of its bodywork – but the best-known and fastest female racer, Leslie Porterfield, failed to set any new FIM marks owing to traction problems with her turbocharged Honda. But her Honda CBR1000 Fireblade streetbike made history as the first Production 1000cc motorcycle to be clocked over 200mph at the BUB Speed Trials, with an impressive 201mph two-way average through the mile to set a new AMA Production record. More than 20 women were racing at Bonneville this year, three of them entered for FIM World
Porterfield, 35, the owner of High Five record attempts. /// Cycles in Dallas, Texas who has been nominated by the FIM as the Woman Rider ride a motorcycle, and I didn’t know anyone long-haired, blonde Texan’s heart was in of the Year for 2010, has had a roller-coaster who did,” says Leslie. “But I found I had a motorcycles, so four years on she parted ride at Bonneville - literally. For in her debut passion for it, even if I got very intimidated with her building company and founded year on the Salt Flats, in 2007, she crashed showing up in race paddocks for the first High Five, relying on her racetrack exploits her Turbo Hayabusa after setting a 194 mph time. Becoming a racer is something I did to bring people to her 15,000ft² used bike speed, fracturing seven ribs and puncturing strictly for my own personal satisfaction, dealership. Two years later, she debuted at a lung. Undeterred, Leslie was back in action mainly for fun. It was chasing a dream of the Salt Flats. “It’s funny, I didn’t realize when a year later, clocking 234.197mph on her mine. But I think a lot of my success now is I first started going to Bonneville that there’s turbo Suzuki to become the first woman due to the fact I got put in those situations, so much to riding a motorcycle fast on the to enter the Bonneville 200 MPH Club on a and learned how to handle them.” Her Salt,” says Leslie now. “Aerodynamics are conventional sit-on motorcycle, as opposed business success was a consequence of very important, and so are body position and to a lay-down streamliner. In 2009 Porterfield that, when Leslie opened High Five Cycles in gearshift points - just one elbow in the wind can cost several miles was recognized by the an hour. The motorcycle Guinness Book of Records takes a lot of preparation, as the World’s Fastest and so many things go Woman, with a one-way into making it all happen pass at 240.382mph, - and it’s definitely shattering the AMA’s a lesson in patience 1350cc Modified partially because you have such a streamlined blown fuel long time to wait before record by 13 mph, and going back out on to the netting her the BUBSalt, so you have to make sponsored Top Time each run count. It’s also Award for sit-on bikes, the physically demanding first time this prize was you’re out on the Salt won by a woman. She Flats all day from 6am till currently holds four FIM dark in summer, when it’s World records, including really hot, and the runs the 2000cc partiallythemselves are physically streamlined forced Leslie Porterf ield, failed to set any newFIM marks owing to traction problems with her demanding. There’s a induction multi-cylinder turbocharged Honda. /// lot more to it than just mark at 232.522mph. hopping on the bike and twisting the throttle, like 2005 after selling three Yamaha dealerships so many people think, especially with the Porterfield started riding bikes when she was she’d owned in the late ‘90s in favour of turbo bikes. They can be quite a handful! 16, and was bitten by the racing bug at age starting a building company which fixed 19 when she took a road-racing course. “So by Alan Cathcart many people told me I’d never be able to up mortgage repossessions. But the fast,
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LAILA SANZ CROWNED CHAMPION FOR THE TENTH TIME
THE FIM WOMEN’S TRIAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CONTINUES TO GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH, WITH THE WORLD’S BEST FEMALE TRIAL RIDERS PRODUCING A NAIL BITING AND ABSORBING SHOWCASE OVER THREE HARD-FOUGHT ROUNDS IN 2010. But while this year’s championship will be remembered for its professionalism, diversity and close competition, the headline act was once again Laia Sanz - repsol montesa, who won an incredible tenth world title in a sport she has dominated since the series first began in 2000. While Sanz was always the favourite to retain her crown and secure a tenth title in the championship’s eleven-year history, she was not without stiff competition. As predicted, this came in the form of two Brits, seasoned campaigner Rebekah Cook - Sherco and emerging star Joanne Coles - Gas Gas. The pair had challenged Sanz in the first two rounds of the 2010 Women’s European Trial Championship prior to round one of the FIM Women’s Trial World Championship in France, and both represented a real threat to Sanz’s ambition. The highly anticipated series kicked-off in July on a steep sided valley above the alpine town of Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne. A ski resort during the winter, the ambient conditions offered little relief as temperatures soared in what proved to be a physically challenging, high scoring Trial in a tough environment. However while the oppressive heat troubled some, it had the least effect on Sanz, who began her campaign with an authoritative performance to claim a convincing victory some thirty-five marks clear of her nearest competitor. It was an emphatic win for Sanz, who made light work of the dry and dusty sections after looking slightly edgy on lap one. She originally found it difficult to get into any sort of rhythm as she got caught up in the queues while each rider used every second to complete the long and technical hazards. Sanz failed to let this effect her concentration though, and she lost marks in just three sections to end the lap more than twenty clear of her nearest rival, Britain’s Emma Bristow - Gas Gas. It was a completely different story on the second lap as Sanz upped her speed to complete the course over an hour ahead of schedule. She collected a further three marks to take her tally for the Trial to eleven, and was declared the winner even though the other women were still completing the course. Remarkably this was because her accumulative score was already half that of any of her competitors’ first lap total. Teenager Joanne Coles, who had turned eighteen just weeks before round one, claimed her first ever runners-up spot at World level while Bristow came home in third. Cook was a disappointing fourth with sixty-three marks to Sanz’s eleven.
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Laia Sanz was always the favourite to retain her crown and secure a tenth title in the championship’s eleven-year history. ///
The women had to wait eight weeks for round two in the Czech Republic, but the delay did not deter the Trial’s leading female protagonists, Sanz and Cook, who provided fans with an epic, tense and dramatic dual that went right the way down to the wire. Sanz started well, completing her first lap without the loss of a single mark. Although Laia was out in front, Cook was never far behind, parting with just one dab during her first tour of the fourteen damp and slippery sections.
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When Rebekah finished it only added to the tension as both riders were tied on five marks apiece. After an agonising few moments a relieved Laia was awarded the Trial by virtue of a most cleans tiebreak. It was the second time in her career that Cook had lost out to her nemesis on a tiebreak. The pair were joined on the podium by Coles, who finished third to set up an interesting climax for second place in the series at the final round. The spotlight on the rostrum was shone firmly on Sanz though, who in winning the second of three rounds, had done enough to seal her tenth World title. Cook was the first to congratulate her. Demonstrating the popularity and depth of the series, a total of thirty-six female riders with representatives from ten different countries contested the third and final round of the Women’s Trial World Championship in Poland, with some from as far afield as America and Australia. With the title already secure, a relaxed Sanz cruised to a four-mark triumph at what was another low scoring, but restless event. It soon became clear that Sanz would maintain her unbeaten record in 2010 and the focus quickly shifted to the battle for second place in the series between Cook and Coles. Going into the finale the British pair were separated by just two points in the standings, with Coles holding the advantage. Both had it all to play for. After a nerve-racking battle commenced and Cook emerged the strongest to finish runner-up in Myslenice and, in doing so claimed second place in the championship for the third successive season. It was a frustrating end for Coles who had ridden brilliantly all year, held second position from the start of the series, and firmly established herself among the top three women in the World. In the end though, a soft five saw Coles relinquish her position to Cook on the final day of what had been a tight and exciting contest. The 2010 FIM Women's Trial World Championship top three: Sanz Laia (SPA), second COOK Rebekah (GBR) and third COLES Joanne. ///
Cook’s persistence kept Sanz on her toes throughout the second lap, and a disputed five on section seven, where she was deemed to have dislodged a wooden marker that she believed was already broken, left the Spaniard waiting anxiously in parc fermÊ for Cook to return to the finish. In contrast, Cook was oblivious to the drama and unaware that she now led the event.
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Bristow and Sandra Gomez - Gas Gas had a similarly intense battle for fourth place in the championship, with Bristow clinging on to her overall position in the standings despite finishing a lowly seventh in Poland. With the pair tied on twenty-six points apiece, Bristow held on to fourth in the series thanks to her podium in France. by Jake Miller
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SPAIN DICTATE TEAM TRIAL COMPETITION 2010 FIM TRIAL DES NATIONS THE FIM TRIAL DES NATIONS RETURNED TO ITS ORIGINS IN 2010 WITH POLAND, WHO S TAGED THE INAUGUR AL INTERNATIONAL TEAM TRIAL BACK IN 1984, HOSTING THE TWENTY-SEVENTH EDITION OF THE CHERISHED EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 11-12. Spanish team captain Toni Bou -
Repsol Montesa had not even been born in 1984. However what the current indoor and outdoor FIM Trial World Champion lacks in experience he certainly makes up for in tenacity, which was demonstrated when he led his country to a comfortable and clear victory in the World Championship group. Spain has dominated the Trial des Nations in recent times, winning seven consecutive titles since their reign was briefly interrupted by Great Britain in 2002 and 2003. This year, with four of the SPEA FIM Trial World Championship’s top five ranked riders in their squad, Spain travelled to Myslenice in southern Poland as clear favourites to win an eighth successive title. Predictably, their performance did not disappoint. Spain’s formidable all-Catalan line-up, which consisted of Bou, Adam Raga Gas Gas, Jeroni Fajardo - Beta and Albert Cabestany - Sherco, share fifteen World titles between them and, in truth, did not look like surrendering their country’s crown. With their supremacy never in doubt, they galloped to a seemingly
F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
Spain has dominated the Trial des Nations in recent times, winning seven consecutive titles. ///
effortless victory while parting with just fourteen marks to finish an astonishing thirty-eight marks clear of their closest rivals, Great Britain and take their tally of back-to-back titles to eight. “It is always good to win a Trial, any Trial,” said two-time FIM World Trial Champion Raga. “But to win on behalf of your country feels very special. We are very happy to have continued Spain’s success at this event and to have won it eight times in a row. We hope this momentum continues long into the future.” It was an epic performance from a foursome at the top of their game. Bou, Raga and the veteran Cabestany are old masters, seasoned campaigners that have amassed years of accumulative experience. While Fajardo is a relative rookie in comparison, he too is supertalented, and he verified his capability and admittance in the very top echelons
of the sport with a strong showing. Sadly the less accomplished and experienced British team failed to present a serious threat in 2010. However, their runners-up spot was also safe as they completed the wet and muddy course with a huge seventy-one mark margin over third placed Italy. With twelve FIM World titles veteran Dougie Lampkin - Beta was joined by James Dabill - Gas Gas, Michael Brown - Sherco and Alexz Wigg - Beta in a British squad that did their best, but lacked the skill and composure to seriously threaten Spain’s long reign at the forefront of this celebrated, colourful, and highly anticipated event. In third place the Italians had a slightly less comfortable route to the podium in Poland, as they were forced to fend off advances from a young, vibrant and hungry French quartet managed by
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ex-triple FIM Trial World Champion Thierry Michaud. Like the British outfit, the Italian team was a mix of youth and experience, with Matteo Grattarola - Sherco, Francesco Lolitta - Beta, Fabio Lenzi - Montesa and Danielle Maurino - Gas Gas charged with representing their country in 2010 following a third place finish on home soil at last year’s event. At the halfway stage of the competition the Italians held a slender single mark advantage over France and this looked likely to be the most close-fought dual of the class. France’s Jerome Bethune - Beta, Beniot Dagnicourt - Beta, Alexandre Ferrer - Sherco and Loris Gubian - Gas Gas put up a brave fight during the second lap but could not prevent a maturing Italian team from pulling clear. The Italians rode well and finished twenty-four marks ahead of their French rivals to earn a deserved berth on the rostrum. This left the Japanese team to complete the top five in the category after making a welcome return this year having missed the event in 2009. Crowd favourite and regular World championship contender Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa was joined by the relatively unknown trio of Tsuyoshi Ogawa - Beta, Yoshiak Nomotoi - Beta and Akio Saito - Honda. However the amiable, but relatively inexperienced outfit failed to make a big impression on the leading teams and were outclassed on the day by their European opposition. As the five elite teams were fighting it out for honours in the World Championship Group no less than fifteen countries competed for the International Trophy, including teams from Australia and the USA. A year earlier Germany had come from behind to snatch a narrow victory from the Czech Republic, and the 2010 event was no less dramatic. 2009 winners Germany had an awful opening lap, recording an accumulative total that was almost double that of Norway’s. With victory out of sight the German squad of Jan Junklewitz - Sherco, Mirko Kammel - Beta, Christian Kregeloh - Sherco and Jan Peters - Beta made a desperate bid to salvage what they could from this disastrous first outing. The determined German outfit managed to retain their country’s pride on a second tour of the eighteen damp and slippery hazards that saw them record the best lap score of the Trial. This impressive recovery ensured Germany claimed third place ahead of the USA, who were back in the competition following their win in 2005. With Germany out of the running early Norway emerged as favourites after posting a tidy first lap. However the Norwegian team, which included Ib Anderson - Gas Gas, Kristoffer Leirvaag - Sherco, Mardon Moi - Beta and Hakon Perdersen - Sherco were kept honest by a motivated Czech Republic squad who were keen to make amends after losing out twelve months before. In the end it was a confident Norwegian team that triumphed to take the 2010 International Trophy with a solid, eighteenmark cushion over the Czech Republic, who would claim the runners-up spot for the second year in succession. They finished four marks clear of the rejuvenated and relieved Germans. 34
The British squad that did their best but lacked the skill and composure to seriously threaten Spain’s long reign. ///
Just sixteen marks separated the teams in fourth to eighth place, conforming the category’s competitiveness. Team USA were fourth while Finland slotted in behind them in fifth, nine marks adrift. Belgium claimed sixth place ahead of Australia, leaving Sweden the losers in this five-way scrap for a top five finish. The host nation of Poland, represented by Konrad Legutko - Sherco, Michal Lukaszczyk - Sherco, Gabriel Marcinow Gas Gas and Jozef Madry - Sherco finished in a respectable eleventh place as the event returned to its birth place of Myslenice after its twenty-six year trans-World journey. In the FIM Women’s Trial des Nations, which took place a day before the men’s event on September 11, ten times FIM Women’s Trial World Champion Laia Sanz - Repsol Montesa captained a three-rider Spanish team to a narrow victory over 2009 winners Great Britain. In what proved to be a tight and tense competition Laia was joined by Sandra Gomez - Gas Gas and Mireia Conde – Beta in a Spanish team that relied on Sanz for much of the competition. Great Britain meanwhile were represented by Rebekah Cook - Sherco, Joanne Coles - Gas Gas and Emma Bristow - Gas Gas, who are all ranked among the World’s top five female riders.
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2010 FIM Trial des Nations World Championship podium: Spain, Great Britain and Italy. ///
Having taken the title by a single mark in Italy last September the British trio were perhaps favourites going into the Trial des Nations this year, and heavy overnight rain prior to kick-off looked to have played into their hands and increased their chances yet further. Conditions on the course were wet and muddy, therefore typically British. The fight for top honours could not have been closer, with Spain snatching a single mark lead after the first five sections. This was thanks in part to Sanz’s clean in the fifth hazard, which was not matched by anyone else. Despite leading the early running, Great Britain fought back to finish the first lap with a one mark advantage over Spain. From this point it was clear that once again the women’s team title would be won by the smallest of margins. Of the fourteen hazards it was section five that proved the difference once again on lap two, with Spain pulling
back two marks as they turned a single mark deficit into a two-mark winning margin. As ever, Sanz was the difference in this incredibly tight two-way race. Spain has now won the women’s title a record four times since it first began in 2000, once more than Great Britain. While the top two positions always looked likely to go to Spain and Great Britain, the final place on the podium was certainly up for grabs, with a string of teams capable of finishing in the top three. Both France and Italy threatened, but in the end it was the more fancied German team of Rosita Leotta - Gas Gas, Ina Wilde - Sherco and Jessica Wulf - Beta that secured the last rostrum position for the second year in a row. France finished fourteen marks behind in fourth while Italy were more than forty marks adrift in fifth place. by Jake Miller
In the FIM Women’s Trial des Nations, the Spanish team took a narrow victory over 2009 winners Great Britain. ///
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TOURING AND LEISURE
Entrance to the FIM Motocamp in Donovaly .///
2010 FIM MOTOCAMP: TH 29 EDITION The 2010FIM Motocamp, organised by the Slovak Motorcycling Federation (SMF), was held from 25-28 August in the tourist centre of Donovaly, central Slovakia, at the junction of the Fatra and Low Tatras mountain ranges. A total of 352 participants (276 drivers with 76 passengers) took part from 18 countries. The SMF was very proud to host this event for the first time since the establishment of the independent Slovak Republic on 1 January 1993 and throughout the week there were displays of local folklore dancing and the playing of traditional instruments such as the “fujara” to demonstrate and celebrate the traditional culture of the country. The SMF President, Mr Peter Smižik and the Secretary General Tatiana Kašliková were fully involved in the organisation of this event with their very helpful, friendly and efficient staff but the final responsibility was put in the capable hands of Mr Albin Božek and he and his team worked tirelessly to make this event the success it was. Although the Motocamp officially opened on 24 August, optional excursions in the region were available for early arrivals and on the opening day, a reception was held for all the National Delegates in a nearby hotel in the presence of the Mayor of Banská Bystrica.
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Park Fermé at Bansk· Bystrica .///
The terrain for the campsite had been prepared well after the snow and rain of previous months (Donovaly is at almost 1000m altitude) and a marquee had been set up as the central meeting point for meals and entertainment. The buffet meals were well appreciated and the music, maybe a touch too loud at first, was tempered down by the last night with the participants refusing to let the musicians leave the stage!
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Campsite. ///
The excursion on the second day saw everyone on their bikes being efficiently escorted by police and SMF riders to Špania Dolina, an ancient mining village steeped in history where traditional architecture and even 400-year old wooden houses captured the imagination of the participants. The Parade of Nations gives participants the chance to ride together by nation with their bikes festooned with flags and national colours and this year was no exception. The 60km Nations’ ride from the campsite in Donovaly to the city of Banská Bystrica, the most important historical, cultural and economic centre of central Slovakia, was well received by the local population especially when each national team was welcomed by the Deputy-Mayor in the central square and by the playing of the national hymns. Everyone then had the rest of the afternoon to wander around the old historic town and relax.
The FIM Motocamp Trophy, awarded to the National Federation with the greatest number of points/km, was won by France followed by Great Britain and in third place Italy. The Ferruccio Colucci Challenge, awarded to the National Federation with the greatest number of motorcyclists and passengers, was also attributed to the French Federation and the Espana Challenge, awarded to the club with the greatest number of participants, was awarded to the Mayflower Motorcycle Club of Great Britain. The organisation of next year’s Motocamp will be in the experienced hands of “FIM Team GB” who will host the event in Glastonbury, Somerset, from 08-11 June. Dieter Sass presents FIM compliments plate to Albin Boûek .///
For more information, visit: www.motocamp2011.co.uk
by Maggie Sutton F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
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World’s Fastest Motorcycle
Congratulations to: Mike Akatiff, Rocky Robinson and the TOP 1 Ack Attack Crew for their NEW WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD
TOP 1 Ack Attack is lubricated with Evolution Moto 10W-30 Fully Synthetic Oil.
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GRAND PRIX:
WHY NO MANUFACTURERS’ TITLES IN 1954 E V ERY SP ORT ING E V EN T GENERALLY INCLUDES THE PARTICIPATION OF SEVERAL CONTRIBUTORS, FROM THE SPORTING ENTIT Y WHICH MANAGES THE SPORT TO THE AT H L E T E S
C O N C E R N E D,
INCLUDING THE ORGANISERS, THE CIRCUIT OR THE STADIUM (OR
OTHER W ISE ),
THE
SPECTATORS AND, IN THE CASE O F M OTO R S P O R T S , T H E MANUFAC TURERS, TEAMS, MECHANICS, ETC. Rhodesian Ray Amm on the 500cc Norton: one win (TT) and two second places (West Germany and Switzerland) gave him the second place in the 1954 Championship. ///
Relationships between this whole little world may vary according to circumstances but are – in general – good, which is necessary for a smooth running of the sport. This was not always the case though. Sometimes two parties were going through a period of misunderstandings that may have led to a crisis. This is what happened at the end of 1953 and beginning of 1954 between the FIM and the manufacturers of that time, more precisely the International Permanent Bureau of Motorcycle Manufacturers. For this reason there is no classification for manufacturers in the 1954 Road Racing Grand Prix – any mention would only be anecdotal, as no title was awarded that year. In fact, this was the first really serious problem since the creation of the Championship in 1949. An extraordinary meeting of the International Sporting Commission was held on 8-10 F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
October 1953 in Paris. Among the subjects on the agenda were an analysis of the situation in the annual Championships and a discussion with the International Permanent Bureau of Motorcycle Manufacturers. Mr Chamberlain, CSI Vice-President and ACU (Auto-Cycle Union, British Federation) delegate, spoke first: “In the opinion of the ACU, the Individual riders’ Championships have served their purpose and should now be abolished, but the Manufacturers’ Championships should be retained. The reasons for this proposal were that the riders’ Championships created difficult relations between the riders and the manufacturers whose machines they rode, and between the riders themselves”. A long discussion followed and eventually it was agreed that for the year 1954 the Individual Riders’ Championship should be abolished. This decision was conveyed to
the manufacturers at a joint meeting with the Bureau Permanent International des Constructeurs de Motocycles held on the afternoon of Friday 9 October. During this meeting the President of the Manufacturers’ Board “welcomed” the proposal of the CSI but, while accepting the abolition of the Riders’ Championship, the Permanent Bureau underlined the importance given to the reduction of the number of races, and its wishes to see the Manufacturers’ Championship being limited to a total of six races in each of the solo classes (125, 250, 350, 500) of which the four best results should be taken into account. Moreover, three of these six races should regularly take place in Germany, Great Britain and Italy respectively, and it should be laid down that only machines and riders entered by the manufacturers themselves should be allowed to participate.
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Other proposals were also submitted to the CSI. A proposal to reinstate the previous system of indicating each year one amongst the various classic meetings as the European Championship meeting was rejected. A Commission of Inspection CSI/Permanent Bureau was considered to be impracticable. One manufacturers’ representative in each country would be asked to give the views of the manufacturers of that country to the CSI. The entry of each manufacturer would be considered as automatic (no entry form), but each manufacturer should have the opportunity of declining his participation in the Championships before the start of the season. Finally, the Individual Championships shall be dropped for a period of one year – 1954 – and the question of its restitution considered in a year’s time. During the Congress in London on 10-14 November 1953, the CSI President, Mr Pieter Nortier, recalled that the subject had been discussed in October and it was decided to recommend to the General Council that the Riders’ Championship not be run the following year, but also not to reduce the number of countries in which World Championship races could take place, to maintain the Manufacturers’ Championship provided that the number of races counting towards this Championship be limited only
to the four best performances of each determined brand, and to give the permission to the manufacturers to withdraw from the World Championship provided that this intention was announced before 1st January of the following year. The first decision – to abolish the Riders’ Championship – was approved by the manufacturers, but they requested more time to discuss and take a decision about the other subjects. Several National Federations expressed themselves strongly against this decision concerning the individual Championships, notably Italy and Spain: Don Rodil said that the Grand Prix of Europe had been abolished in 1948, and going back to it clearly did not favour the interests of the sport as a whole. A series of events was created which enjoyed a great success and the FIM should continue its work in this way, and not make changes that could jeopardize this development. Besides, “the FIM should not become dependent on the manufacturers as the sport, not the industry, must be our main concern”. The President then explained why this proposal had been made. The reason came in part from the riders themselves. A top factory rider could be unlucky in the first events and then during further meetings, he could receive the order not to race too hard
in order not to prejudice the other riders of the manufacturer’s team of which he was also a member, and who had already been successful in the previous meetings. The Swiss delegate, Mr Barambon, replied that from a purely sporting point of view, it was a mistake to abolish the Individual Championships. According to Mr Chamberlain, Individual Championships were not very popular amongst some riders. He added that one of that year’s champions had tried to withdraw at the beginning of the year; a survey among the German riders resulted in a majority being against the championship. Finally he mentioned also the idea to propose to the General Council that in future the Bonacossa Trophy could
Fergus Anderson won his second consecutive title in the 350cc class (on a Moto Guzzi) in 1954. He was 45 years old… ///
Geof f Duke at the Tourist Trophy, during the presentation in Douglas, with his Gilera 500 four. He won five races in a row that year – getting his third title -, but at the Isle of Man, the race was stopped by a red flag. Duke had already refuelled but Ray Amm had not. The Rhodesian won by one minute. ///
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replace the Championships, as this Trophy would be awarded to the best rider of the year, following the results of a vote by the CSI members (this would be refused). Messrs Pérouse and Rodil were still not convinced. The President said that in any case the Manufacturers’ Permanent Bureau should meet again on November 30 and it was not impossible that the manufacturers might refuse to take part in the Championship. “Consequently, I wish to ask the General Council to authorise us to modify or even to cancel our recommendations if, following the decisions taken by the manufacturers, it would seem advisable to do so”. The authorisation was given by the General Council. The next meeting took place at the Automobile Club de France on December 11 and 12, following a preliminary meeting of the CSI Bureau on December 10. The outcome of the meeting of the Manufacturers’ Permanent Bureau, held in Milan on November 30, needed a serious discussion. In fact, the manufacturers had decided to go for confrontation, saying that if the CSI was not prepared to reduce the total number of Championship meetings to six, they would withdraw from the championship and also forbid their riders to take part individually. After a long discussion, the CSI delegates decided that, as the Manufacturers’ Permanent Bureau proposed to forbid its members to take part in a Manufacturers’ Championship, that Championship would be dropped for 1954 and an Individual Championship for
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The 250cc World title was won by German rider Werner Haas (picture) and the 125cc one by Austrian rider Rupert Hollaus. Both were riding NSU .///
riders would be reinstituted, covering all 9 Championship meetings, but only the four best results in any one series of races would count.
German pair Wilhelm Noll and Fritz Cron clinched the 1954 Sidecar title, beating Eric Oliver at the last race in Monza. It should have been BMW’s first title, but it did not count… ///
The story, though, has not yet come to an end. On January 18, 1954 in Brussels, the Manufacturers Permanent bureau met again – Messrs Nortier, CSI President, and Bruinsma, Dutch CSI member, were present at part of the meeting, following the request of the British manufacturers. The Permanent Bureau decided to maintain its decision of November 30 and was not ready to let the manufacturers who were interested in racing (nor the CSI!) find a solution themselves. Five days later, the Manufacturers’ Permanent Bureau issued a press release saying that it had decided to take part in six of the nine Classic Meetings (Grand Prix), but that they would not take part in the Grand Prix of France, Ulster and Spain. The Bureau had the intention to create a “Grand Prix of the Motorcycle Industry of Europe”, a Trophy which would be awarded to the manufacturer who scored most points in those six races. In the CSI report, there is a note from Secretary General Tom Loughborough: “This cannot be realized without the previous authorization of the FIM; Sporting Code Arts. 91, 92 and 93”. 41
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British rider Geoff Duke dominated the first half of the 50s, with four 500cc World titles (51, 53, 54 and 55) and two 350cc titles (51, 52). On the picture, at the Bremgarten circuit in Berne (Switzerland), en route to his fourth win of the season. ///
On March 18, a last attempt was made by the British Manufacturers in London who tried to convince the CSI members present - Messrs Nortier and Chamberlain (it was Chamberlain’s last meeting; he would pass away two days later), and Messrs Violet, President of the Technical Commission, and Secretary General Tom Loughborough - that the FIM should give the right to the riders to decline their participation, i.e. “to declare they do not wish to take part in the Championships”. The manufacturers were of the opinion that “most of the riders would decide not to take part and that it would be better to abandon the Championships”… It is quite possible that the attitude of the manufacturers was led by the British industry – the attitude of the ACU also advocates in this direction. It may be linked to the fact that the situation quickly evolved against them as from 1949. In the 500cc class, the last title for Norton was in 1951, in the 350cc in 1952 and in Sidecar in 1953… Gilera - soon followed by MV Agusta – won everything as from 1952 with their four-cylinder machines. Italian manufacturers started to dominate in the 350cc as from 1953, what they were doing in the 125cc and 250cc since 1949. In the Sidecar class, the BMW dominance would start in 1954. Solutions would be either to abandon the championships or to give more importance to the manufacturers’ titles (thus deleting the riders’ title), which maybe would make more publicity for them and push them to invest - in the
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case of Norton, to restart the development of a four cylinder engine, dropped some time before. Another argument would be to say that in the 500cc class the machines were too fast (and dangerous) and to propose to abandon this class.
But none of this would happen. The British industry would survive until the end of the 60s on the motorcycle market, and in racing by providing single-cylinder, then twin-cylinder machines to the privateers, allowing the starting grids to be filled up. AngloSaxon riders would still keep a supremacy during several years, by their number and their skills – Surtees, Hailwood, Redman…- and thanks to the success of the TT, but times would change… At the Congress in Scheveningen (Netherlands) on the first week of May 1954, the General Council decided to follow the rules as published in January, i.e. without any mention of a Manufacturers’ Championship (the article was deleted), with the mention of at least 30 entries per solo class (16 for sidecars), and with four races to count if four races or more were run. Contracting-out on the part of any individual driver would not be admitted. The article concerning the manufacturers would be re-introduced at the 1954 November Congress in Paris for the 1955 season. by Marc Pétrier
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RETROSPECTIVE
2010 FIM SIDECAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP S1 SERIES IN 2010, THE FIM SIDECAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WAS MANAGED BY THE FIM. THE FÉDÉR ATION INTERNATIONALE DE MOTOCYCLISME WANTED TO DEVELOP THIS CHAMPIONSHIP AS WELL AS ITS AUDIENCE AND THE INTEREST FOR THIS SPECTACULAR AND HISTORICAL DISCIPLINE WHICH STARTED IN 1949. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE 2010 SEASON, FROM LE MANS TO MAGNY-COURS… There were some big changes this year, the main one being that all teams had to run standard “stock” engines. This left some top teams changing from the trusted Suzuki engines to other makes like Honda, Yamaha and BMW. Tyres were a factor in the Championship as well with “Avon” making a comeback after many years absence. Reigning Championship winners the Birchall brothers entered the Championship with a new “LCR” chassis. Former 3 times Champion Tim Reeves had a new passenger, the Frenchman Gregory Cluze who has a wealth of experience at this level of competition. ROUND 1 – LE MANS, FRANCE Supporting the 24 Hours Endurance (FIM Endurance World Championship) race the Saturday race got off to a blistering start with Finnish driver Pekka Paivarinta and Swiss Passenger Adolf Hanni leading into the first corner followed by Garry/Dan Knight and Kurt Hock/Enrico Becker. As Birchall started to catch up with the leaders, the race was stopped after the Knights blew their engine. The re-start race was reduced to 15 laps. Once again Paivarinta got off to a great start followed by the Birchall brothers, Hock and Becker third and Tim Reeves/Gregory Cluze on LCR Honda forth. As the race progressed the two leading sidecars pulled away from the rest of the field, with the Birchall brothers starting to challenge for the lead. Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze who were battling for second place early in the race suffered a loss of power from their Honda powered outfit. They dropped to sixth but managed to get back to fourth following Kurt Hock/ Enrico Becker over the line in third. It was a great win for Pekka Paivarinta/Adolf Hanni but Ben and Tom Birchall in second had the consolation of setting the fastest lap.
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ROUND 2 - SCHLEIZ, GERMANY With a two race format at Schleiz giving teams the chance for two lots of points at this road circuit and with the weather looking good for the weekend it would be the chance for Paivarinta to increase his lead over the Birchall brothers. For Tim Reeves/Gregory Cluze was at a disadvantage to try to claw back good points as he was having technical problems with his Honda powered outfit. With his machine back in England it was down to help from Scottish Driver Scott Lawrie who gave Reeves the chance to use his Suzuki powered LCR. Race one on Saturday was to be an 11-lap race. At the start, the Birchalls shot away into the lead ahead of Paivarinta and Hanni. By lap two the German team Kurt Hock and Enrico Becker overtook Paivarinta to take second. They gave chase and got within 2 seconds of the Birchall brothers but they were unable to maintain the pace and followed the brothers over the line by 4 seconds. Paivarinta maintained his position to take third. Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze were very happy to take fourth on an unfamiliar machine. Race 2 on Sunday over 22 laps was going to be hard work for the teams as Schleiz is known to be a very demanding track for man and machine. Race 1 winners the Birchalls did not get the start they wanted. They slotted into fourth place on lap one with Reeves and Hock between them and leaders Paivarinta and Hanni. Birchall pushed hard and passed Reeves and Hock. With the leading four teams pulling away from the rest of the field the Birchall brothers caught Paivarinta and made a bid for first place. For three laps the two teams battled for the lead then the Birchall outfit developed a problem with the brakes forcing them to ease off the pace letting Paivarinta and Hanni take the win. Paivatinta left Schleiz with a slender 1 point lead over Birchall.
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The 2010 FIM Sidecar World Championship was managed by the FIM. This spectacular discipline started in 1945. ///
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ROUND 3 - RIJEKA, CROATIA The FIM Sidecar World Championship arrived in Croatia for another two race weekend.In free practice 2009 champions and 2010 title contenders Ben and Tom Birchall suffered a very high speed crash when they clipped a kerb; the outfit turned upside down and travelled 100 to 150 metres up the track. Another team who had a big crash in free practice was Milan Spendal and Peter Hill. Their outfit was very badly damaged after going backwards into the trackside Armco barrier and would
not participate any more in the weekend’s racing. Race one saw the Birchall brothers surprisingly on the grid in sixth place and they went on to secure 5 points in the race which saw Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze get their 2010 championship title back on track. The pair battled with Paivarinta from the start of the race. Paivatinta pull a 4.3 second advantage over the second place pairing of Reeves and Cluze. The eventual
third place team of Austrian pairing Josef Moser and Manfred Wechselberger had a race-long battle with Birchall team mates Janez Remse and Jamie Biggs who finished fourth. Race two on Sunday saw teams bringing out the wet tyres after heavy rain over night and through Sunday. Moser had a race-long battle with wildcards Scott Lawrie/James Neave with the Scotsman taking a very creditable 4th in his first FIM Round.
Race start, Round 2 in Schleiz (Germany). ///
ROUND 4 - SACHSENRING, GERMANY The penultimate round of the FIM Sidecar World Championship series came back to Germany supporting the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix, German MotoGP round at Sachsenring. With title contenders and present World Champions Ben and Tom Birchall still not 100 percent fit from their high speed crash in Croatia, they still qualified in second place. The German Kurt Hock was back after missing Croatia due to domestic duties in the German championship. However, he was without regular passenger Enrico
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Becker who had sustained injuries in a German Championship race and this would give stand-in passenger Michael Hildebrand a chance of a podium. The weekend also got off to a bad start for Reeves and Cluze with Reeves thinking the troubles that had plagued him at the beginning of the season were back. They only completed one lap in free practice with the Honda engine misfiring badly. However, with a new camshaft sensor fitted the pairing qualified on pole position.
Hock led the race; Reeves gave chase but in doing so his back tyre blistered leaving him with a lack of grip leaving him to follow Hock and Hildebrand over the line in second place. The Birchall Brothers were sitting in third place through the early stages of the race giving them a great chance to retain their World Crown. However, the effects of Ben’s injuries began to take their toll and they dropped to fourth letting Paivarinta and Hanni through to third. This meant that they could not retain their World Crown going into the last round 28 points behind title leaders Paivarinta and Hanni.
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2010 FIM Sidecar World Championship podium in Magny-Cours: 1. PAIVARINTA Pekka/HANNI Adolf (FIN); 2. REEVES Tim/CLUZE Gregory (GBR); 3. BIRCHALL Ben/BIRCHALL Tom (GBR). ///
ROUND 5 - MAGNY-COURS, FRANCE The final round of the FIM Sidecar World Championship series came back to France to support the famous Bol d’Or 24 hours race. This would be the 2010 title decider for Reeves and Cluze with a slim chance of taking the title from Pekka Paivarinta and Adolf Hanni who led them by 20 points. This meant that if Paivarinta finished lower than 11th and Reeves won he would be Champion for the fourth time and Cluze would win his first World title. However, they still had to finish in the top two to take second in the Championship from the Birchall brothers if the title was not going to be theirs.
the rest of the field but once again the red flag came out. The final start would be a race over 5 laps and the result would be decided on aggregate times. With Reeves knowing he had time over the Swiss pairing of Schlosser and Hofer he and Cluze followed them over the line to take overall victory, but where did Paivarinta and Birchall finish? Paivarinta and Hanni who qualified in 5th spot had driven
the perfect race keeping out of trouble and finished in 5th overall which gave the Finnish driver his second World title. After 30 years racing and 28 years of trying to win the World title, coming second many times, Adolf Hanni finally got his first World title. For 2009 FIM World Champions Ben and Tom Birchall finishing in third overall meant that they came third in the 2010 FIM World title. by Mark Walters (“Walli”)
With Reeves starting the race from Pole he made a bad start. Newly crowned German Champions Marcus Schlosser and Thomas Hofer - wild card entry for this race - made a blistering start with the Birchall brothers in second. It was not long before Reeves worked his way up through the field to take the lead. The race was then red flagged after Janez Remse and stand-in passenger Paul Knapton went upside down with Knapton having to have hospital treatment. The race restarted and once again Schlosser made a blistering start but Reeves and Cluze caught up and passed them. The pair started to pull out a 1.5 second lead to lead
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Tom and Ben BIRCHALL in Schleiz. ///
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THE MAGNIFICENT FOUR WINNERS OF AMERICA’S FIRST EVER “NATIONS”
THE USA WON THE FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN BIELSTEIN (GERMANY) IN 1981. BUT IT WAS NOT THEIR FIRST VICTORY IN A FIM “NATIONS” EVENT. ACTUALLY, THE SAME FOUR MAN SQUAD OF DONNIE HANSEN, DANNY LAPORTE, JOHNNY O’MARA AND CHUCK SUN SHOCKED THE WORLD ONE WEEK EARLIER BEATING THE FAVOURITE BELGIAN TEAM ON THEIR HOME SOIL IN THE DEEP SANDS OF LOMMEL AND WINNING THE “TROPHÉE DES NATIONS”. For those who are not familiar with the “Nations” history, let us explain. At the beginning there were three FIM Motocross World Championships for national teams - the Motocross des Nations created in 1947 (500cc); the Trophée des Nations created in 1961 (250cc) and the Coupe des Nations created in 1981 (125cc). For practical reasons these were merged into a single event in 1985: the FIM Motocross of Nations. So in 1981, Roger De Coster was bringing an all American Honda team to the Trophée des Nations in Lommel. Nobody in Belgium believed they stood a chance against what was then the Belgian motocross might of André Vromans, Eric Geboers, Harry Everts and André Malherbe. Nobody? Well not really… I still remember the words of Roger’s friend and motocross journalist Vic Vermeir: “If Roger is bringing these guys over, it is certainly not to make a fool out of himself”.Vic was right. A Belgian won the battle but the Americans won the war. With the well appreciated help of Alex Moroz and Tami Greenhill of the “Legends and Heroes of Motocross” Tour, we were able to sit down with Donnie, Danny and Chuck in Lakewood. Johnny could not make it that day and mingle in the debate but he is a team player and answered our questions some days later on the phone. And what started off as a formal interview quickly became an “old” riders reunion who had stories to tell. And you know what? The sparkle in their eyes, the tone of their voice… they are still as passionate! But there is also respect, wisdom and some food for thought in what they are saying.
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First Americans ever to win the Nations honored by “Legends and Heroes” in Lakewood. Left to right: Alex Moroz, Roger De Coster, Danny Laporte, Chuck Sun and Donnie Hansen. Missing in action: Johnny O’Mara .///
This is not just an “ordinary” interview with 4 riders. It is about passion and love for the sport. And yes, we sometimes got “off track”… So, we had a tough choice: cut parts of the interview in order to also report on the 2010 FIM Motocross of Nations or, “Just do the guys”. After all, the whole world knows the US have won yet once again. Besides, we can have Paul Malin’s analysis of the event in the next issue. The choice was all too obvious. Enjoy!
FIM: HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU WERE TOLD YOU WERE GOING TO RIDE THE NATIONS? Danny Laporte: I knew for me that it was a good opportunity. I had not won a title in the US since 1979 and in 80 Chuck won. In 1981, I actually had a few problems. I broke my wrist early in the season. So for me, it was like extending my year; I was just starting to get going. I knew it was a race to try to make a good result because you need to if you want to be guaranteed a ride the next year. I always had the idea in my head to come to Europe once I won a title
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Leading the world; Chuck Sun grabs the holeshot in the 1981 TrophÈe des Nations, Lommel (Belgium) .///
in America. So, it was also an opportunity for me to show the European teams that I had the ability to maybe win a world title. That was my goal and I was really focused. Chuck Sun: It was an honour to be on the team but it was also mixed emotions for me because I was coming back from an injury. I was defending my US Title in ‘81 and at Washougal I had a big crash on the last lap. That was at the end of July. I finished the Championship second behind Broc Glover. When they asked me on the team I was on crutches. I said that I would be ready and started training and fortunately the sprain was not too bad. I really wanted to be on the team because in ‘79 in Gaildorf it was very close. I was on the team with Bob Hannah. We were both in the top 10 in both races but Rick Burgett broke his collarbone and Tommy Croft had problems with his bike and we were still fourth. We could have almost won that year. I wanted to come back with a vengeance and win. So, very excited for the opportunity at the time and anxious to heal from my injury quickly enough. Donnie Hansen: I was excited but I did not know what to expect. 1980 is my first year so I was still learning the tracks and the riders in the United States. I injured my ankle that year and did not finish the Nationals. In ‘81 I had much improved and finished third outdoor; Howerton and Hannah beat me. So going overseas, I was not sure what to expect… We were going to race the Europeans!
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Johnny O’Mara: From what I remember – I believe I was still even a teenager – I was kind of like really surprised and excited about it. I have to be honest; I think at the time I probably did not even know what the “Nations” was really because I was so young and still learning about the whole world of motocross. But I did understand the importance of it because I could sense that it was like an “Olympic type atmosphere” for motorcycling bringing the best of the world together. At that time it was a 2-week event, not just one like it is now. FIM: TELL US ABOUT YOUR TROPHÉE DES NATIONS (250CC) RACING EXPERIENCE IN LOMMEL. Danny Laporte: I grew up riding in the desert so I always looked forward to sand races like the Southwick tracks in Florida (?). I felt at home on the track but when I got there – and I tell this to everyone – and saw the bumps in Lommel, I said “There must be cars underneath each of the bumps, like the old Volkswagens, you know”. The bumps were so big, so deep and it was really different to what I was even used to. You just could not go anywhere because the sand was so deep, so heavy and the bumps were so deep. It is like jumping every bump. It was very different. The first race was pretty overwhelming. The track was different. We knew we were in the land of all the famous Belgian sand riders, Vromans, Van Velthoven, De Coster, Eric Geboers. They all rode the sand very well.
We knew we were up against the best sand riders in the world; and the Dutch riders as well. We really had no idea; I had no idea where we were going to stand. In practice we had some good lap times but still you never know. Once I was out on the track I was relaxed and started breathing and I felt really good. Then I felt more confident and kept going and going like all of us. We persevered and did really well. So, when we crossed the finish line we were all pretty surprised. And I said “Wow, was that it?” We had this big goal that we really had to go to this level and I think we did more than that and came out pretty strong. To me the whole Lommel weekend was amazing because the spectators were also very excited for us. Even the Belgian people… it was not that they were happy that we beat their guys but they were happy to see how enthusiastic and excited we were. I had a great time. The team atmosphere: I do not think that you ever replicate the same feeling. Up to that point we still did not have the recognition of the world and that moment we got recognition. Chuck Sun: My experience in Belgium really began in ‘78 when I was training with Husqvarna. It was always my dream to come to Europe to race because that is what everybody did. We looked up to Roger De Coster and coming to Europe was the pinnacle of racing. My first time in Belgium I was so anxious to ride! I first rode in Lommel in winter when all these big
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bumps were frozen: I was chasing around the Belgians and I crashed and broke my wrist... So, to get invited back and race on the US team on the good Hondas was an opportunity to redeem myself and get some revenge. Everybody banded together and we tried really hard. Danny was kind of our leader in the sand so we followed his lines and we all scored points. One of the most exciting things to see was the shift in the crowd. First, they were just curious: “Who are these Americans who think they can beat us in our backyard because we are the champions and they are just the B-team”. When at the end of practice and qualifying, our times were on top, their eyes were BIG. “Oh, it is a fluke, it is a short moto, we will beat them in the long moto…” And then, we started winning those and their faces were on the ground. In 2008, I raced the FIM Veterans in Lommel which was a treat for me to see my friends back in Europe and race on the same tracks I raced so many years ago. And the same spectators were coming out at the track and saying: “30 years ago, I was on that corner to see the first US team win.” Lommel, Belgium has a very special place in my heart. Donnie Hansen: We had a good team going over there with Roger and the Honda team. We were all good friends; we worked together on and off the bike. It was exciting. After qualifying we were up there in times. I do not remember anymore where exactly but we were there! We did really well in the first moto and we were leading going into the second. The track was unbelievable; how rough it was! It is worse than Southwick. But we put our heads down, got a good start, rode strong and the numbers added up: we beat the world champions. And that for a “second rate” team because the Hannahs, the Barnetts, the Glovers or who was supposed to go did not want to go. Roger getting his team together and winning it! Johnny O’Mara: The first thing that pops into my mind when you talk about Lommel is that everybody knows that it is just sand like nowhere else in the world. And that lived up to my expectations. I felt I was a pretty good sand rider. I grew up in the northern part of South California but still nothing prepares you for the Lommel sand. I think we all went there not really knowing what to expect. It was just all a learning process for us the whole time we were there. We all knew we had a good team around us telling us that we were not the favourites. We did not know what we were. We were
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kind of a “last minute American team put on the entry list”. I want to say we did not have a lot pressure but we were also young and kind of naïve that for sure we wanted to do good. They would not have chosen us if we were not good racers. Basically, I knew some of the names because in our time period of racing we all know names; who is good in Europe, who is good in America even if we do not know them personally. I knew some of the sand specialists; Belgium is known for that. And they lived up to it. It was Andre Vromans who won both motos that day and I think he lives right next to the circuit. Sure, he was the best guy that day but we had a better team overall; that is why we won. The highlight for me was that
them long. I felt good that first race; I was excited to pass some of the Europeans. I even crashed, jumped back on and finished second. In between the races it started raining and it was greasy. All I was trying to do was stay up on two wheels; I did not want to throw it away. I was able to finish right inside of the top 10. It was unexpected but the B-team finished on top again. Danny Laporte: I have to say something. He keeps saying B-team because the Europeans were expecting maybe Bob Hannah… But after that, Donnie won every race there was in America! So, you were on your way up! Chuck won a championship, I won a championship. Johnny O’Mara
Sand like nowhere in world, but Johnny O’Mara set two strong results and “smoked” the competition .///
I got the “holeshot” both times. So, I led the race for quite a bit of time which was very exciting for me. I did my part and then my team mates followed it up with solid results too which got us the win and shocked the world at that particular time. FIM: TELL US ABOUT YOUR SECOND “NATIONS” WIN, THE MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS (500CC) IN BIELSTEIN… Donnie Hansen: We had the momentum going to Germany. Bielstein was hard pack and I felt more comfortable. I did not have a good start and I worked myself up and ended up second behind I believe Hakan Carlqvist. I rode 500s back home locally a little bit but not on the pro circuit. I could ride them pretty good but I had not ridden
had his biggest success after that. All these riders were on their way up. It was perfect timing. No one really knew this but we were the guys right out of the back like the Musquins and Roczens now. Donnie Hansen: And what was your experience of Bielstein? Danny Laporte: Oh… Germany was the Black Forest full of rain. For most Americans, it was a difficult track actually because it was a typical European track. It was very fast, it was rainy and slippery. We had to cross pavements. In America, the tracks are very even, they are groomed very well. But in Europe, because you have all the rain, the snow, the ice and the mud the tracks can
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be really extreme. When it starts raining on a slippery track the Belgians, the Germans, the English riders; they all ride good when it is slippery. I was worried. I thought: “There is no way we can win; honestly not like that!” The most important was that we had that momentum and the confidence from the week before. And I think the European riders – we did not know it – they were more afraid of us all of the sudden! Donnie Hansen: Yeah, we got something! Chuck Sun: They were thinking of us; right, exactly! Danny Laporte: So that helped. The first win broke the ice. And it made everybody a little bit uneasy thinking about the
so I had to put it on again but still scored some points. In the second moto it was raining. And it was so incredible because everybody was going so slow! And there was a one-foot line around the track, remember? And everybody was just following it. And I finally said, “I cannot do this”. I got onto the slick surface and had a big crash and my bike just fell on my injured ankle. It was the most pain I have ever had in my life. The second moto was all these guys, you know (points at his team mates), I like to think that I contributed by training with them in the week and showing them how to ride a 500. But, these guys really pulled that second race out of the hat. But it was still a great experience with the
American sandmaster Danny Laporte jumping the bumps of Lommel .///
Americans which they never had to before. I think that was probably one of the reasons. In the end, I just remember it raining and I just kept focusing and riding… And we did OK! I do not think we won any motos; we did not do anything incredible. I think we just did OK that day and afterwards just won the title. That is my opinion of Germany: it was just a lot of trees and it was raining and grey (laughs). Chuck Sun: Germany I figured would be the best because the 500 was my class but actually I did better on the 250! The guys with no experience on the 500 actually did better. I had a little bit of a bike problem in the first moto when I was running in the top 5. On one of the hills, my chain came off
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consistency and pushing forward. Now, these guys are all Southern Californian: Johnny and Donnie were blue groove masters! I have never seen anybody so fast on that. It was a wonderful time. Germany turned out to be a great experience, just like Belgium. Johnny O’Mara: Personally, I had never even ridden a 500cc bike so it was obviously quite a shock to me. A new experience there also racing in Europe but they had faith in me that I could probably ride it pretty good. Sure, I was not the best guy but I think that I had solid moto finishes that helped our team to get to win the 500 that week. We probably panicked a little bit when it started raining but we kept it together as a team.
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We were able to adapt to any conditions: 250, 500, the rain, my first time on a 500, all of us very inexperienced but we were all very “hungry” and we were able to start that long string of long wins for the United States... FIM: YOU FOUR STARTED OFF SOMETHING. DID YOU EVER THINK THAT IT WOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF AN AMERICAN ERA? AND WHAT MADE THE AMERICAN RIDERS SO MUCH BETTER? Donnie Hansen: At the time, we raced more than the Europeans. We did Supercross, outdoors, the Trans-Cals; we raced all year long! The Europeans did not race Supercrosses, just outdoors. I think Supercross made the riders more technical and the combination of that with the outdoors made you stronger. Now, we are expecting each year to be number 1 racing the Europeans. That is how it felt. We were confident enough; 13 straight wins before they finally beat us; we were expecting to win. It is like the Belgians did for the longest time. Danny Laporte: I always think about that question and I have a different view. After we came, and there was another year we won, and another… I was thinking: “That is not right. Why are we winning so much? Why don’t the Europeans step it up, concentrate more?” I know in Europe it is not as interesting going to another race at the end of the year. We come to Europe really excited, everyone is focused to win and the Europeans are: “We are home; we are done with that”. They had the kind of attitude: “It is just another race we have to do”, you know. But we were coming as a team because one reason was that Roger always organised everything for us which was a real asset for us. De Coster putting the pieces of the puzzle together and us coming as a team to win; we had that American team spirit. But I always look at it as – and I am not being anti-American at all – America is a big country. Belgium has fewer people than Orange County. How could a country so small make so many good riders? Think about that. We have more motocross riders, enduro riders… I always thought: “How can Belgium put one team together?”. I said: “If the Europeans are going to figure this out, they will go: wait a minute this is not right. We need to race 300 million people against 300 million people. And that would be the EU against the US.” Could we have put up a strong enough team in the last 20 years to beat the
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Europeans in that arena? And I thought: “I do not think so”. I am just being real honest here. That is what I always thought. Donnie Hansen: Because the European countries are smaller and their laid back attitude at the end of the season and us going over and racing the whole year. Chuck Sun: One of the things I think throughout my career was when I got that first win. You always want to win but when you actually do win, something changes in you. And you really believe that you can. I think we helped give American riders the confidence. “We can win. They showed us we can!” And they carried that confidence forward. And that is a big part of it.
manager being from Belgium. It was like the perfect team and then we always had that chemistry starting from that year 1981 on. We just felt like it was an obligation to the United States and we just had the right ingredients with riders, team managers and everybody just set off that every year the “Nations” came upon us again.
is like Chuck says: you have got the big rigs instead of the box vans and the tents that we used to have back then. All the people, all the excitement…Us Americans have been so dominant that these Europeans are coming with a more “positive” attitude: “We got to beat these Americans!”; and they can! It makes for some good racing. It is a special event and I hope it continues for a long time.
Donnie Hansen felt more confortable on the hard pack of Bielstein, Germany .///
Danny Laporte: Yeah… Donnie Hansen: Absolutely! Chuck Sun: This year. You saw Canard struggling, struggling (FIM: In the AMA Nationals)… And when he got that first win; all of a sudden he was winning everything! And he was so far behind! This sport requires so much thinking, so much training but it also requires a lot of belief. And if you can have a little helping of belief that “you can”, then it makes a big difference in your performance. Danny Laporte: That is true. Johnny O’Mara: My feeling is that it is because of Supercross being a centrepiece of racing in the US at that time. That really “elevated” all the Americans in those years to come and in the couple of years leading up to it. And I happened to be kind of part of that generation. I started my career in 1980 and raced until 1990 but that whole time period in the 80s, the Americans were just getting better – in my opinion – every month. I feel that I was one of the guys who helped pave that way for the others. In Supercross, we all loved the jumps, the doubles, the triples; we were innovators. It really helped technique wise and raised the skill levels up to what we have today. At that time, I think we were setting a new standard. After winning – personally, me and probably also my 3 team mates also – we were like: “Sure, we can do that again.” And we set the stage; we set a really high standard and anybody that got chosen for the team years after that really looked at it differently. It was the USA against the world. Everybody took the challenge a lot more seriously and that is what led to how many in a row it was. There is also that special bond we developed with the team that they built with us and Roger, the team
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FIM: COMPARING THE “NATIONS” IN YOUR TIME AND THIS YEAR’S FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS IN LAKEWOOD? Chuck Sun: When I am here, hearing the languages and seeing the people, the excitement; that is the same. So it is nice to see that some things never change. The whole world coming together, the appreciation of the talent of the different riders and the big question: “How good can we do against these riders? How good are they?” The American public seeing the talent from Europe. All that has the same vibe to it. It is very great to see. The Motocross of Nations is a big reunion for all of us; not only for us as a team but we get to see our friends from Europe coming over. So there is a very special vibe when it comes to the “Nations”. Now, with the additional sponsors, the big semis and the television; that just adds so much more to it but the feeling in the heart is the same. Donnie Hansen: I think it is still pretty exciting whether it is in 1981 or 2010. It
FIM (getting caught in the game): about the attitude; at one point european teams went to the race with the idea that the americans were just too good and that they were to get beaten again. This is no longer the case. Danny Laporte: That is the same position we were in before. Before we won, we were going to the “Nations” just to be in it. So, everybody lost interest. Donnie Hansen: Yeah, the main riders were not interested in going. Danny Laporte: Americans, we are on our own continent a little bit in our own world. But the Europeans, they have to travel through different countries all the time. So, they are used to travelling, used to eating different food. If we Americans go out of our own environment sometimes, we ask : “Where is the MacDonalds?” Donnie Hansen: That is out of our comfort zone.
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Danny Laporte: Yeah, so, the first time the Americans like Hannah went over, he came back: “I could not find any food over there. So, the Americans did not want to go to Europe: It rains all the time and there is no food! Donnie Hansen: Yeah and: “you cannot understand when they are talking at you and laughing.” Danny Laporte: And: “They are speaking
Donnie Hansen: They are racing Supercross now and they have more racing going on. Danny Laporte: And again Donnie has made a perfect point: in America we were racing 50 weekends a year. I was racing sometimes 2 nights a week, like you: Ascot, Indian Dunes, Saddleback. When I was in high school I was racing 4 days a week. Weren’t you too sometimes?
WHERE ARE THEY TODAY? Danny is married and has two kids. He has lots of “educated fans in Belgium” (who knew more about my life than I did!) and “loves the food over there, the bread is incredible.” He is working in the sport business. Finally, he is, what he calls “enjoying the American dream”. Chuck decided to get back in shape after the age of 50 riding mountain bikes and riding the FIM Veteran Motocross World Cup. He has been “testing new items in mountain bikes like the Turbo System” and is “happy to be out there racing and still working in the industry”. Donnie is married and “a family man”. He is also a racing consultant to his son Josh “trying to keep him on task”. He also has a daughter “beautiful Kaylin who is a sparkle in my eye”. Besides that, he does his motocross schools “for 26 years now”. Johnny started a family and has a daughter Shelby and a son “named Johnny Jr so we just call him JJ”. He is “very busy with that”. He is very into training in the sport and races mountain bikes at a high level. He also has a mountain bike team with top riders he also manages. Finally, he has “one pretty big working relationship” that he just started. He will be in charge of James Stewart’s racing programme “to help with his training and all his racing needs.
a funny language and they do not like you because you are speaking another language.”
Donnie Hansen: You could.
Chuck Sun: When I first went there, they looked at me and said: “So that is what an American looks like?”(FIM: Chuck has Asiatic roots). And I said: “That is right!” (Laughter).
Danny Laporte: You could. After school, you loaded up your bikes in the back of your truck; you raced the Indian Dunes doing a night motocross; Ascot on Wednesday; Saturday at euh…
FIM (getting back on track): So, Danny, going back to the initial question.
Donnie Hansen: Saddleback.
Danny Laporte: The motos are shorter (smiles). I think it has changed a lot now with the 30 minutes motos. It is a different type of race but that is another story. I love what Donnie was talking about; getting all the countries together. It really is awesome. It is like “our” Olympics and I think it is really important. It is a great thing. We went to Europe thinking we were going to lose and now we are back; we are kind of on top. We are pretty close now. The Europeans are coming back. There are a lot of great riders there right now.
F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
Chuck Sun: You could, yeah!
Danny Laporte: Sunday: Carlsbad. Donnie Hansen: That is in Southern California! I was racing in Oregon and I raced 4 days a week, same thing over there.
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Danny Laporte: So, we got a lot of experience in a short time; we had a lot of momentum going. So, I think that now the Europeans work harder; harder than the Americans. You have got some great talent and to come to America and show that… I think now the Americans are going to realise: "Those Europeans are good! We are not really beating them badly." It is close, very close. And they get to see how good these other guys are. Prior to the Europeans coming to America for the "Nations", we really did not know what was going on. We only read what you are reading in the American magazines and they are very biased towards the Americans. If you read those magazines you thought that there was no European on the same lap, you know. But when they are here you see that they are actually right there. I think it is really important for everybody else to see that and it makes for good racing. Now (FIM: going back to the initial question again), I think the new is going in the right direction. YouthStream is doing a great job putting this together in a different way than it was done. It is nice to see; it is great. Johnny O’Mara: I have not been to a “Nations” for a little while but I am still very much in the scene. The schedule and the lay-out is different now bringing it to one weekend. Four of my wins were on 2 weekends and the last one I did in’ 86 was the one weekend format. So, I have tasted a little bit from both. I think in all reality it is still kind of the same to me because you have to race as a team. I know back then you had 4 riders and now you only have 3 but you still have to have the best 3 and 5 moto finishes and 5 best scores. And we have been able to do that more consistently than the rest of the world. We have seen some spectacular racers from Europe over the years but maybe these countries were not able to put 3 consistent guys as the US have done. That is where the United States have that advantage: they can always put 3 riders and still have a list of very talented riders to pick from whereas other all the other teams do not have another choice. We always have a lot more cards than anybody else. by Isabelle Larivière & Dirk De Neve
Donnie Hansen: In the mud, in the mud (jokingly)!. Chuck Sun: In the mud and with longer hair (laughter)!
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For 27-Year-Old Kenan Sofuoglu the 2010 FIM Supersport World Championship season was an exercise in patience and brilliance. ///
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KENAN THE KING: PART TWO
TURKISH STAR KENAN SOFUOGLU IS NOW A DOUBLE CHAMPION IN WSS. FOR 27-YEAR-OLD KENAN SOFUOGLU (HANNSPREE TEN KATE HONDA) THE 2010 FIM SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON WAS AN EXERCISE IN PATIENCE AND BRILLIANCE.
Already the champion in this class in 2007, Sofuoglu’s latest push to the title involved winning three races, but his 2010 crown came more though his and his team’s astonishing ability to score a top three finish every time out, no matter what obstacles were placed in their path – sometimes literally. As his two main rivals for the title became only one after a seasonending accident suffered by Spanish rider Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Provec Motocard.com) at Silverstone, Sofuoglu held his nerve, his self-confidence, and his consistent podium pace. When his remaining rival Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) attempted a pass that brought them both down at the final chicane of the penultimate round in Imola, Sofuoglu demonstrated his increasing maturity by keeping his concentration levels high, picking his bike up the quickest, and crossing the line to finish second. The same runner-up result in the final round at Magny-Cours delivered the championship to Sofuoglu and Ten Kate. His second and their eighth Riders’ Championship in this class. This was Kenan’s eighth season of international competition, having outgrown the level of competition in his native country at a rapid rate. Sofuoglu’s passion for motorcycles, and racing, was passed onto him by his father, who owned a motorcycle business in Adapazari, North West Turkey. All three of his sons would become bike racers. After running scooters and dirt bikes around his new hometown, Kenan took up racing for real and in the 2001 Supersport Championship in his homeland, and he promptly finished second. The youngest of three talented racing brothers, Kenan was picked as the one to make the next big step, moved to Germany to further his career. Riding in a private team at first, he was quickly picked up by Yamaha Motor Germany, after winning the local R6 Cup in 2002. In 2003 he was runner-up in the respected IDM Supersport class, and took three steps into the Supersport World Championship as well, in Spain, France and Germany. His speed, if not at that stage his consistency, was obvious when he moved to the Superstock European Championship in 2004, again with Yamaha Motor Germany, finishing third and taking no less than five podiums. Locked in a battle with his own team-mate Didier Van Keymeulen in 2005, he took his first full wins, and but for a late mistake at the final corner of the final race of the year in France, he would have been champion. It was a blow, but a valuable lesson. F I M M AG AZ I NE .7 5 /// S E PTEMBER O CTO BER 2010
Nonetheless, he was given the plum ride in the World Supersport paddock in 2006; alongside WSS master Sebastien Charpentier in the Ten Kate team. Sofuoglu’s sometimes-erratic drop in form was in clanging contrast with his often mercurial brilliance, and that kind of up and down form would affect him at times in 2006. His team-mate Charpentier’s absence through injury caused Kenan to be dragged down by the pressure of being the lone rider. In conjunction with legendary rider-motivators Ten Kate, Kenan brought himself back to his best and won two races, helping his team-mate Charpentier win the crown. Kenan himself now looked ready to take over the mantle if he had half a chance. One year later, and it was Kenan who was the deserved champion, winning eight races on the way to a dominant championship. He wrapped it up at Brands Hatch with three rounds to spare, with a strong contingent of his loyal, vocal and highly visible Turkish fans attending the race.
As the first Turkish champion in major two-wheel sport, the world had never seen anything quite like it. Having conquered one racing world, the next challenge was to come in the Superbike World Championship, in 2008. At that stage of his career, it was not one test he could rise to, and his results slumped. Like many WSS greats before him, he found World Superbike, filled with experienced riders and a wide spectrum of competitive machinery, too big a gap to bridge in a single year. But this time around, there was an even greater pressure on Kenan mid-season than mere racing could account for. His brother Sinan had been killed in a practice crash at home in Turkey, while Kenan was preparing for his own race weekend His stunned team sent him home to be with his family, to help deal with what was the second tragic event that had claimed the life of one of his brothers. His eldest, Bahattin, had been killed in 2002, the result of a road traffic accident back in Turkey. Having now lost Sinan at an early age as well, it was unimaginable burden for his whole family to bear. As always, his devout religious beliefs were a help to Kenan. He is a fully observant Muslim, a fact that figures in his overall approach to life as a whole, not just racing. 55
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KENAN SOFUOGLU
• Date of birth: 25 August 1984 • Nationality: Turkish • Home town: Adapazari, Turkey • Bike: Honda CBR600RR • Race number: 54 • Hobbies: Cycling, Playstation,
bowling, jogging, cinema
Had he decided to stop racing in 2008 it would have been understandable to most people, but Kenan decided to continue his career, racing not only for himself but for all he held dear. He returned to World Superbike for Ten Kate, fighting but not scoring the kind of results he desired. When the Supersport crown was secured one round early by his fellow Ten Kate rider Andrew Pitt, from team-mate Jonathan Rea, a machine swap was agreed within the Ten Kate camp. Rea took to on the Superbike for the final round in Portugal, Sofuoglu moved back to Supersport. The result, after a year of trying to tame a 220bhp Superbike? Kenan went to Portimao and set pole, the fastest lap of the race, and scored the race win. As a demonstration of what he was still capable of, it had little competition. Whatever trials he had been through, and challenges had tried to overcome, Kenan, on a 600, had proved he was world class still. He was not to take his second WSS crown in 2009, as he may have expected, as the new pairing of eventual Champion Cal Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty were the brightest stars of the Supersport show. So much so that the ego and self-confidence of many other riders may have been terminally scarred by the experience of these two new boys making the ‘old guard’ look second best. Worst of all maybe, for a rider who considered his Netherlands based Ten Kate team as his second family, for the first time in eight years Ten Kate had also lost the Rider’s Championship, making the motivation for team and rider sky high in 2010. From the start of this year, Sofuoglu was in the mix, and his season-end statistics are quite amazing. Three 2010 wins give him an unbeaten career record total of 17, and across all the years of 56
his 600cc experience at world level, in 56 races he has scored 39 podiums. That’s an impressive 69.64% podium score on average. Even if we only consider 2010, he scored 13 podiums out of 13 starts – three wins, seven seconds and three third places. Laverty earned more wins this year, eight in fact, but one breakdown in Brno, one rider error to go 11th in Portugal, and a fifth in Spain for the Irish rider ensured that Sofuoglu would be champion again. It was almost destined not to be for Kenan, however, as he broke his ankle in a motocross accident shortly before the start of the season, then a silly fall from his scooter put a very deep gash in his elbow, and he had to plead his case to be allowed to practice and race at all. Despite the pain and weakness in his arm, he won the race…
Next stop for Sofuoglu is Moto2, a new adventure and one that may well suit him perfectly, given his huge experience, and success in another racing division powered by a 600cc engine. At 27, he is still not too old to learn new tricks, and what he brings to the global racing scene in general is another nationality, into what is an increasingly cosmopolitan racing world. He is currently, in conjunction with the local government of his home area Sakaraya, building short asphalt racetrack in Turkey, as he is now intent on bringing on new talent from his own country to the world stage. The pride of Turkey, a legend of WSS, and a rider with a lot of unfinished business to take care of, Sofuoglu may be a difficult name for non-Turks to spell, but we have not heard the last of it. by Gordon Ritchie
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Design KYRRIEL - Photos: Massimo Zanzani, Youthstream, good.shoot.com, O. Franke/IFMXF.com
MOTORS TV, International Motorcycling Federation Broadcaster Partner, congratulates all the 2010 FIM Champions.
www.motorstv.com
/ / / road book
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 01 – 06
27
Morelia MEXICO
Genoa ITALY
FIM INTERNATIONAL SIX DAYS’ ENDURO
2011 SPEA FIM X-Trial WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
07
2011 FIM INDOOR ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
FIM ROAD RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX
Genoa ITALY
Ricardo Tormo - Valencia SPAIN
20 - 21
03
FIM FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
FIM GALA CEREMONY
Estoril PORTUGAL
Ostrava CZECH REP
11
FIM FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Fortaleza BRAZIL
13
QTEL FIM ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 8 HOURS OF DOHA
Doha/Losail QATAR FIM ENDURANCE WORLD CUP 8 HOURS OF DOHA
Doha/Losail QATAR
58
28
FIM SUPERMOTO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Salou SPAIN
26 - 27
FIM FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Vienna AUSTRIA
FIM M AGA ZINE . 7 5 / / / S E PT E M BE R O C TO B E R 2 0 1 0
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