2009 World Superbike Round 2 - Qatar (Race 1+2 Spoilers)

[Spidey]

Superpole Highlights.  Who knows how long until the vid gets yanked from Youtube.

SBK 2009 - Losail Superpole Highlights

[gm2]

Who knows how long until the vid gets yanked from Youtube.

handy then that Safari makes it so easy to grab stuff like this

[derby]

superpole is available on RU.

[SP3]

or... maybe not.

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/143984/1/ben_spies_i_probably_lost_a_couple_of_tenths.html

“The bike continues to get better and I'm getting more comfortable on it each time,” he added. “That's the big reason I think learning these circuits is coming along so well. I'm comfortable on the bike and if I make a mistake it handles so well that I can lean on it that much harder and make it through a turn.”

I'm glad that you are so pleased to have found evidence that disproves the very last sentence, and only that sentence, of my explanation - "Nor do I think that you will hear him say so even once." I will stand by my explanation that most of his track "learning" is via the team's prior data as the reason he was TENTHS (actually hundredths) off the pace in FP1 instead of SECONDS as it would have been pre-DA. If you have first hand knowledge of the inner workings of high level professional racing (like I have) that disproves my claims I 'd love to have an adult conversation about it rather than the playground level "see, I told you" one we are engaged in now. I now await more insightful responses like these:

"You can't be serious." and "SP3......Wow." Hard to argue with expert info like that.

Prost 

[gm2]

how about you share more of your first hand knowledge of the inner workings of high level professional racing instead?  no one here is claiming to be an expert on the topic, except maybe you.  that doesn't mean that you aren't going to get some sideways looks when you claim that not knowing the tracks is a non-issue.

fwiw, i don't disagree with the head-and-shoulders lead it would give a racer to have a crew and all that data.  i've said as much elsewhere.  but there's getting to a track and figuring it out real quick, maybe even so quick that you're in the top 10 of a world-level paddock full of folks who know the tracks really well.  and then there's pole position, twice.  maybe it's and handful of tenths between the two, but those are the pregnant dog of the bunch.

[SP3]

I've never claimed to be an expert either though I have explained by previous career enough times that I thought it was fairly common knowledge here (and other forums). In fact I try to not bring it up for fear of sounding like I AM an expert (apparently a poor job of it).

At any rate - 15 years of race wrenching (i.e. that was my full time 365 day a year job). 5 in IMSA as (late 80's to early 90's), 2 years Indy Lights (team record = 20 wins from 24 races and championships both years), 3 years CART Indycar/Champcar (same team everyone moved "up" from IL - Honda's 1st Indycar win - my chassis, and it sits in the Honda Collection Hall; 3 other wins), single year of Indy Lights with another team as crew chief - disaster in every way, remaining 4 years in Champcar/IRL (moved "over" to same team's "big" cars) 1 win first year, 0 the next, 5 or 6 the third, none the last ('02).

Now that this sounds like a friggin CV, I will add that during this time span I worked with teams/drivers with and without data aquistion. I have witnessed and took part in the progression from the days of reams of papers with every little detail scribbled down to the days 50 or more channels of real time data collection - most of it streamed to the pit box for the entertainment of the crew while we waited for the driver to return for more tweaking. I fully understand the extent to which DA prepares a pilot for an event. In the old days, a driver would take a day or more of running to learn a new track. The time it took "newbies" to figure out a track dropped dramatically as each year passed and each data channel was added. That is my experience. I am sorry that I cannot explain it better than this.

out.

[Spidey]

Look, if you're going to make an over-the-top statement like saying that top riders don't need to learn tracks by riding them, don't get offended when people blow you off.  A more even-handed post invariably draws a better and more informed response.  For example, your later and more tempered statement--that there is a big difference between track learning pre-DA and post-DA--is worth discussing. 

Edit:  I saw that this thread was the straw that broke the camel's back for you, and now you're taking some time off the DMF?  Well, that sucks.  I hope you'll take it less seriously down the line and come back and enjoy the place again.  In the meanwhile, ride and  and watch many races.     You'll be welcomed back with open arms.

[superjohn]

I think there's a lot to what SP3 says. Data acquisition makes it easier to set-up a bike/car from year to year. It's always good to have a steady stream of data. The rider still has to learn the track and develop a rhythm, but these guys are professionals. In 2 laps they know most of the track layout, and in 5-10 they're ready to go.

[DanTheMan]

Race 1 was a great race as well. Go Ben! 

[derby]

Superbike - Race 1

Update: March 14, 2009, 10:55 PM ET

1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 36'06.304 (160,93 kph)
2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1.893
3 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 2.168
4 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 12.061
5 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 12.597
6 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 12.971
7 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 13.570
8 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 19.306
9 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 19.388
10 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 20.981
11 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 21.164
12 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 21.994
13 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 22.917
14 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 27.218
15 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 31.602
16 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 33.934
17 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 47.496
18 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 47.505
19 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 59.278
20 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 59.295
21 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 59.338
22 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'04.008
RET 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R
RET 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R
RET 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9
RET 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR

[derby]

spies. double. 'nuff said. 

[derby]

Superbike - Race 2
Update: March 14, 2009, 14:24 PM ET

1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 36'02.126 (161,241 kph)
2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1.274
3 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1.622
4 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1.845
5 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 5.117
6 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 9.512
7 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 9.514
8 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 12.621
9 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 13.842
10 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 13.884
11 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 13.888
12 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 14.913
13 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 15.762
14 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 15.920
15 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 19.565
16 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 21.759
17 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 28.523
18 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 40.499
19 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 43.761
20 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 44.669
21 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 48.955
22 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R
RET 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R

[Speeddog]

Soup has race 2 much different from that... 

[derby]

Soup has race 2 much different from that... 

soup is very, very wrong. 

[Speeddog]

soup is very, very wrong. 

First the Corser/Xaus thing, and now this. 



I liked Soup's version with Corser 4th.
Now Soup's fixed it.