Your Top 8 For Superpole

[Guest24]

Personally Roger, I think the first race of the season is hard to handicap. Many off-season changes. No #21 yada yada. I really don't think the 1098's are WAY down. Just off the podium.

[signit98]

Yeah, he also takes Xaus over Corser (who is the King of PI and has had CONSISTENTLY better results than Ruben Xaus on the S1RR)... "interesting" indeed...

What's up with that, Mr. Major?

[Guest24]

Originally Posted by signit98

Yeah, he also takes Xaus over Corser (who is the King of PI and has had CONSISTENTLY better results than Ruben Xaus on the S1RR)... "interesting" indeed...

What's up with that, ...?

Let's call it a hunch Ralf. More to prove. Hungry, maybe. Or just a little pi$$ed at Corser's off handed comment about the superiority of his team.

[signit98]

Trouble with Ruben seems to be that he gets instable if he starts pushing to hard... we'll see... CAN'T wait...

[Chris Canning]

For sure the new qualy system will be a leveler,normally takes a while to ajust to do one fast lap,but as it's a relative normal set up,it really will be great to watch

[Guest24]

Ralf, it may be possible to view the race as it is being run Saturday evening. I'm still looking at the live computer feed on SBK TV. Qualifying can be seen Friday night if this live feed thigy works.

[branners]

Bearing in mind that this is for Superpole, not the races:
Rea
Nori
Shakey
Spies
Fab
Neuk
Checa
Corser

I will be there in 24 hours, can't wait the see the Bim in the CF

[signit98]

Originally Posted by Nail24

Ralf, it may be possible to view the race as it is being run Saturday evening. I'm still looking at the live computer feed on SBK TV. Qualifying can be seen Friday night if this live feed thigy works.

I don't mind the broadcast, Bubba... I DVR it and that way I can fast forward through the commercials...

The computer screen thingy usuallly leaves a few things to be desired in terms of quality... it this one better?

[hawkeyejohn14]

Originally Posted by branners

Bearing in mind that this is for Superpole, not the races:
Rea
Nori
Shakey
Spies
Fab
Neuk
Checa
Corser

I will be there in 24 hours, can't wait the see the Bim in the CF

cn't wait to see the pics....

[Chris Canning]

Originally Posted by branners

Bearing in mind that this is for Superpole, not the races:
Rea
Nori
Shakey
Spies
Fab
Neuk
Checa
Corser

I will be there in 24 hours, can't wait the see the Bim in the CF

Interesting one,worth a few bob at the bookies!!!

[markjenn]

Superbike - Qualifying 1st Session
Update: February 27, 2009, 05:25 PM ET

1 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'32.312
2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'32.569
3 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.623
4 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'32.673
5 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'32.704
6 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 1'32.928
7 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'32.932
8 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'32.939
9 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'32.971
10 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.991
11 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1'32.995
12 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098 RS 09 1'33.202
13 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'33.206
14 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'33.224
15 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'33.317
16 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'33.377
17 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'33.418
18 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'33.709
19 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'33.911
20 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'34.080
21 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.123
22 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'34.487
23 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 1'35.123
24 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'35.716
25 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'35.759
26 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'36.103
27 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.514
28 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'37.127

- Mark

[branners]

Interesting times. No one seems to be in a huge rush, just at the moment.
As a yardstick, the Oz Superbikes went out at 4pm and Wayne Maxwell was fastest on the Motologic Honda. His time would have put him sixth fastest in the WSBK session. All the Aussie bikes are on Dunlops, which are sturdy but not outrageously fast, and the local bikes are not in the same spec of either a WSBK bike, or even an AMA racer. They are a cross between a Superbike and a Superstock.
A buddy of mine, who is a professional photographer, is in the air and on his way south to the Island. If he lets me, I will post some pics Saturday.
The grid is gonna look way, way different to what we saw today...

[HugoVW]

1 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'32.312
16 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'33.377
That's one second difference!!!! Between the first 16 riders...wow...now that's close

[signit98]

In the cooler conditions of the morning's free practice session (25°/35°C), the quickest time was set by Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) in 1'32"752. The afternoon session saw the Suzukis move to the front, while Spies finished in eighth place, behind Shinya Nakano, making his WSB debut for Aprilia, and Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox). Max Biaggi's eleventh place doesn't reflect the true potential of the Italian rider as his time was set on used tyres to simulate a race distance.

As well as the return of Aprilia after seven years, today saw the first day of true championship activity for BMW in its debut season in Superbike. The German manufacturer finished the day in sixteenth position with Troy Corser and in twentieth with Ruben Xaus, but with the Australian just over a second off the pace of the provisional polesitter, the result is encouraging.

Today's first qualifying session saw the top 14 riders separated by just under a second, with less than two between Smrz and Tommy Hill (Honda Althea), twenty-first on the provisional grid.

The first fallers of the new season were David Salom (Kawasaki Pedercini) and Ryuichi Kiyonari (Ten Kate Honda) in the morning session, with Luca Scassa (Kawasaki Pedercini), Corser and Shane Byrne (Sterilgarda Ducati) all going down in qualifying, but without any serious consequences.

[Guest24]

Looking at the first Qual Run, coupled with the new qualifying rules, The race day line-up is anyones guess. One mistake on the run and you're outta there.

[SAHD]

Originally Posted by Nail24

Looking at the first Qual Run, coupled with the new qualifying rules, The race day line-up is anyones guess. One mistake on the run and you're outta there.

You got that right!

For the OZ race and world championship, HAGA & the 1198R will be the combo to beat!
And HAGA has to be motivated this year to win the whole thing.

[Guest24]

You meant 1098R, right?

[SAHD]

Originally Posted by Nail24

You meant 1098R, right?

Yes of course if you are counting in italian.

I guess the germans are not far behind with the F650GS which is a 798cc engine
based on the F800.

[signit98]

...it is de-facto an 1198, Bubba... I don't know why the STILL call it 1098R in the WSBK listing...

[markjenn]

Originally Posted by signit98

...it is de-facto an 1198, Bubba... I don't know why the STILL call it 1098R in the WSBK listing...

I had heard they were going to call it a 1198. I think timing and scoring just hasn't got the memo yet.

- Mark