SBK Returns To South Africa

This weekend SBK is at Kyalami for the first time since 2002.

The track is about 20km from where I live but I won't be going as I am a bit cash-strapped this month

If Ben Spies takes pole he will achieve something that has only been done once before, back in 1991 Doug Polen took 5 consecutive pole positions.

It is a beautiful day today with no chance of rain so we should see some good lap times in first practice today.

Apart from Max Neukirchner, Troy Corser and Makoto Tamada won't be racing this weekend. Corser's BMW will be ridden by test rider Steve Martin and Tamada's works Kawasaki has been give to local rider Sheridan Morias. Morias has dominated the local 600 and 1000 Superbike series on Kawasaki this season. Neukirchner has been replaced by Fonsi Nieto.

As I get practice times I will post them.

Kyalami 15-16-17 May 2009 Superbike Free Practice Chequered Flag
Pos # Rider Nat Bike Last Lap Best Lap Gap Laps
1 84 Fabrizio M ITA Ducati 1098R 1'43.824 1'40.067 21
2 7 Checa C ESP Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.365 1'40.102 0.035 24
3 65 Rea J GBR Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.853 1'40.119 0.052 22
4 91 Haslam L GBR Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'40.137 0.070 26
5 56 Nakano S JPN Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'40.322 0.255 28
6 67 Byrne S GBR Ducati 1098R 1'41.013 1'40.498 0.431 28
7 132 Morais S RSA Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.502 0.435 29
8 36 Lavilla G ESP Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'40.514 0.447 21
9 41 Haga N JPN Ducati 1098R 1'40.738 1'40.531 0.464 21
10 66 Sykes T GBR Yamaha YZF R1 PIT IN 1'40.599 0.532 20
11 3 Biaggi M ITA Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'40.623 1'40.623 0.556 28
12 19 Spies B USA Yamaha YZF R1 1'40.681 0.614 23
13 71 Kagayama Y JPN Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'40.738 1'40.738 0.671 23
14 9 Kiyonari R JPN Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.030 1'40.801 0.734 26
15 111 Xaus R ESP BMW S1000 RR 1'52.627 1'41.099 1.032 21
16 96 Smrz J CZE Ducati 1098R 1'41.317 1.250 26
17 23 Parkes B AUS Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'48.789 1'41.324 1.257 24
18 25 Salom D ESP Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'42.042 1'41.713 1.646 28
19 10 Nieto F ESP Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'41.783 1.716 25
20 33 Hill T GBR Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.389 1'42.389 2.322 25
21 49 Whyte S RSA Yamaha YZF R1 CRASH 1'42.400 2.333 21
22 31 Muggeridge K AUS Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 PIT IN 1'42.496 2.429 20
23 99 Scassa L ITA Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'42.535 2.468 29
24 17 Martin S AUS BMW S1000 RR 1'42.775 2.708 23

Not bad by our local boy, 7th fastest and less than half a second off the pace!

I've been catching up on these races watching them off my DVR. I just finished the 1st race at Assen. It was freakin' awesome. Best race I've ever seen.

I was pumped after watching that one and decided to put the second one on. I was pissed after the 1st lap and turned the damn thing off.

maverick1970 said:

I've been catching up on these races watching them off my DVR. I just finished the 1st race at Assen. It was freakin' awesome. Best race I've ever seen.

Click to expand...

The superbikes have been just that this year... SUPER.

Must say though, the Supersports races have been just awesome... they ride the wheels off those 600's.

Qualifying session 1:

1 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'38.103
2 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.506
3 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.600
4 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.865
5 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'38.998
6 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'39.055
7 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'39.230
8 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'39.258
9 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.284
10 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'39.357
11 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.370
12 132 Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'39.388
13 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'39.389
14 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'39.470
15 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'39.475
16 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.788
17 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'39.961
18 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.105
19 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.192
20 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'40.304
21 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.308
22 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'40.544
23 49 Whyte S. (RSA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.737
24 17 Martin S. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'42.015

Regis Laconi has been placed in a pharmacological coma following an accident at the start of World Superbike free practice at Kyalami.

The Frenchman crashed on his first lap around the South African circuit, his head making hard contact with the gravel to warrant immediate medical attention.

Stabilised at the track side before being airlifted to Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg, Laconi is suspected to have fractured his cervical vertebrae.

Laconi was subsequently placed into a coma for the time being in order for them to monitor his progress. Nonetheless, while Laconi is considered to be on the 'danger list', a press release issued by the DFX Corse team says Laconi has seemingly not suffered any neurological trauma and is able to move his limbs.

He is scheduled to be operated on tonight when two plates will be inserted to support his vertebral column where he has suffered his injury.

The team stated that he came off the track at a high-speed left hander, violently striking the top of his body and his head.

from crash.net

Crap, awful news, get well soon Regis.

:rockon:

Andz said:

Regis Laconi has been placed in a pharmacological coma following an accident at the start of World Superbike free practice at Kyalami.

The Frenchman crashed on his first lap around the South African circuit, his head making hard contact with the gravel to warrant immediate medical attention.

Stabilised at the track side before being airlifted to Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg, Laconi is suspected to have fractured his cervical vertebrae.

Laconi was subsequently placed into a coma for the time being in order for them to monitor his progress. Nonetheless, while Laconi is considered to be on the 'danger list', a press release issued by the DFX Corse team says Laconi has seemingly not suffered any neurological trauma and is able to move his limbs.

He is scheduled to be operated on tonight when two plates will be inserted to support his vertebral column where he has suffered his injury.

The team stated that he came off the track at a high-speed left hander, violently striking the top of his body and his head.

from crash.net

Click to expand...

Not nice.....hope he recovers real quick.

On a brighter note, it looks like Fabrizio has forgotten that Haga is supposedly the number 1 rider for Team Xerox Ducati...on the pace again!

:rockon:

Another pole for Spies!

1. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'37.288
2. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'37.289
3. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'37.466
4. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'37.544
5. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.634
6. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'37.677
7. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.940
8. Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.241
9. Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'37.935
10. Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.988
11. Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'38.013
12. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.081
13. Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'38.130
14. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'38.171
15. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.194
16. Lavilla G. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'38.733

Andz said:

Another pole for Spies!

1. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'37.288
2. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'37.289
3. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'37.466
4. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'37.544
5. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.634
6. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'37.677
7. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.940
8. Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.241
9. Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'37.935
10. Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.988
11. Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'38.013
12. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.081
13. Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'38.130
14. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'38.171
15. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.194
16. Lavilla G. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'38.733

Click to expand...

Let's hope Ben can hold onto the bike, and get a win, or close enough to it in both races...would really like to see the Championship chase tighten up a little.

:thumbup:

For those who don't know Kyalami I have attached the view on Google Earth.



The track runs anti-clockwise with the pits and start/finish at the bottom. It has 14 turns,

One thing that this picture doesn't show is the change in elevation. from the start the track dips down in the first bend then up again in the next series of left handers. from then it is pretty flat until the riders start climbing to the highest point of the course, the double bend at the extreme left. The drop from there is known as the "mineshaft" and it is so steep that you will struggle to walk up it. It was just after this section that Laconi crashed on Friday.

The little chicane has been removed since this picture was taken.

More info: Kyalami Racing