Cool picture from Donington Park this morning on the first day of the second last round for British Superbikes.
Cool picture from Donington Park this morning on the first day of the second last round for British Superbikes.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Finally, a win for MCE Ducati this season. Tom Sykes led all 15 laps to win in convincing fashion in the first BSB race this weekend at Donington Park. Bradley Ray, Jason O'Halloran and Peter Hickman were in a race-long battle for 2nd with O'Halloran coming out ahead. Ray was 3rd until the final corner when he went in too hard, and Hickman was able to get past into 3rd. Ray finished a couple tenths back in 4th. Glenn Irwin finished 5th after racing hard with his brother Andrew and Kyle Ryde.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Leading up to the Thai GP at Chang International Circuit, all the talk was about rain in the forecast. But practice and qualifying was dry, and Marco Bezzecchi earned his first GP pole. Race day was a different story. After initially being delayed, the race started in the wet. Bezzecchi led early, but was given a penalty for exceeding track limits and never recovered, eventually finishing 16th. On the first lap, championship leader Fabio Quartararo was squeezed out of his 4th place starting spot and fell all the way back to 18th. Jack Miller took over the lead from Bezzecchi when he served his penalty. Francesco Bagnaia held 2nd from Miller until late in the race when Miguel Oliveira, Marc Marquez and Johann Zarco started to apply pressure. Oliveira passed Bagnaia and Miller to lead. Zarco seemed to use up his tires on his charge from 6 seconds back, and was unable (or unwilling, due to championship implications) to pass Bagnaia. Oliveira won, Miller 2nd, Bagnaia 3rd, Zarco 4th and Marquez 5th. Championship contenders Aleix Espargaro, struggling in the wet conditions and with the bike all weekend, finished 11th and Enea Bastianini 6th, while leader Quartararo finished out of the points in 17th. With 3 races left, the gap at the top has closed from 18 points to 2, and Miller's win last week and 2nd this week brings him to within 40 points of the lead with 75 available points remaining. Miller winning the championship would be a long shot, but a hilarious end to his final season with factory Ducati as he gives up his seat to Bastianini next year.
Edit: With Joan Mir still out due to injury, Danilo Petrucci filled in on the Suzuki fresh off his runner-up finish in the MotoAmerica championship. Petrucci started 24th and finished 20th.
MotoGP Standings after Chang International Circuit:
MotoGP standings after Motegi:
1. 219 Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)
2. 217 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
3. 199 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia)
4. 180 Enea Bastianini (Ducati)
5. 179 Jack Miller (Ducati)
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Races 2 and 3 of the BSB round at Donington Park went today. Championship leader Bradley Ray led race 2 early, but was passed by Tom Sykes, leaving 2nd place to be decided between Ray, Glenn and Andrew Irwin, Lee Jackson, Peter Hickman, Tommy Bridewell and Jason O'Halloran. Ray and Glenn Irwin were able to put a gap between 3rd and 4th. Sykes cruised to his second win of the weekend, with Ray 2nd, Glenn Irwin 3rd, Andy Irwin 4th and Lee Jackson 5th.
In race 3, Sykes again led but the race was red flagged after a crash involving Chrissy Rouse on lap 1. The race was restarted, and the fight was on between Ray, Sykes and the Irwin brothers. On lap 6, O'Halloran made a move inside Sykes at the Melbourne Hairpin but couldn't get it stopped and crashed hard. It was the third crash in the last 5 races for O'Halloran, and the second that had him leaving in the back of an ambulance with thumb and ankle injuries. Sykes was also forced to retire. The safety car was brought out to get O'Halloran safely off the track. When the race resumed, Glenn Irwin led but couldn't hold Ray off. Andy also got past Glen, and Bridewell was making a bid for it as well but a small mistake on the last lap foiled that plan. Ray won, followed by Andy Irwin, Glenn Irwin, Bridewell and Danny Buchan. The win gives Ray a 66 point lead in the championship with only 75 points still available. Only Glenn Irwin and Bridewell are still mathematically possible to win. But, anything can happen and with only 1 point between Irwin and Bridewell it might still be a tight finish.
In the race 3 crash on lap 1, Chrissy Rouse sustained a significant head injury and was put into a medically induced coma before being transferred to hospital for further investigation and treatment.
BSB Standings after Donington Park:
1. 1171 Bradley Ray (Yamaha)
2. 1105 Glenn Irwin (Honda)
3. 1104 Tommy Bridewell (Ducati)
4. 1095 Lee Jackson (Kawasaki)
5. 1077 Jason O'Halloran (Yamaha)
6. 1051 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha)
7. 1031 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)
8. 1017 Rory Skinner (Kawasaki)
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
He didn't make it. This sucks.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
World Superbikes are the only series running this weekend, at Portimao. Superbike race 1 started late and was shortened from 20 laps to 14. Kawasaki teammates Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes started the race 1-2. Toprak Razgatlioglu took the lead on lap 6, and held it to the end while Rea and Alvaro Bautista raced for 2nd. Bautista passed Rea on the second last lap, leaving Rea to finish 3rd, Axel Bassani 4th and Lowes 5th.
The reason for the delay was waiting for the medical helicopter to return after a crash in the WSSP300 race. Victor Steeman crashed on the 3rd lap of that race and was struck by another rider. Steeman was transported to hospital with "polytrauma and head injuries".
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
The WSBK superpole race and race 2 have concluded with the usual suspects at the front. The superpole race had Toprak Razgatlioglu and Alvaro Bautista racing for the lead, with Razgatlioglu coming out ahead. Jonathan Rea finished 3rd, Alex Lowes 4th and Michael Ruben Rinaldi 5th.
Race 2 was more closely contested with Rea leading early, then Razgatlioglu, then Bautista, back to Razgatlioglu and then back to Bautista for the win. Razgatlioglu finished 2nd, Rea with his third 3rd place finish of the weekend, Rinaldi 4th and Lowes 5th.
MotoAmerica champion Jake Gagne was also in the field this weekend on a wildcard entry, and finished 19th, 16th and 15th in the three races.
No word yet on Victor Steeman, other than he remains in hospital in critical condition.
World Superbike Standings after Portimao:
1. 448 Alvaro Bautista (Ducati)
2. 392 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha)
3. 366 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki)
4. 232 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Ducati)
5. 196 Andrea Locatelli (Yamaha)
Next weekend features MotoGP at Phillip Island and the British Superbikes season wraps up at Brands Hatch.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show QuoteSteeman didn't make it either.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Last round of the season for British Superbikes this weekend at Brands Hatch. The race was preceded by a nice tribute to Chrissy Rouse, who lost his life after a crash in the previous round at Donington Park. Bradley Ray went in to race 1 with a 66 point lead over Glenn Irwin and 67 over Tommy Bridewell, with 75 points available on the weekend. Irwin started on pole, and led the field into turn 1. Bridwell had an awful start, falling back to 7th or something, and Ray settled into 4th. Tom Neave and Lee Jackson crashed in turn 1, ending their day. Irwin led every lap, and he had to if he was going to have a shot at the championship. Peter Hickman finished 2nd and Andrew Irwin 3rd. Bridewell did end up getting past Ray, but 4th was as high as he got and it didn't matter anyway since Ray finished 5th, giving him enough points to secure the championship.
Notable mentions are this year's British Supersport and British Superstock champions, Jack Kennedy and Davey Todd, getting a chance at superbikes and finishing in the points in 14th and 15th.
Lee Jackson is out for the rest of the weekend with a broken wrist from his lap 1 crash.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Is that person with the Pirelli hat on a female?
If you don't like that, you're really going to be unhappy if WSBK goes the way it looks like it's going to.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
MotoGP returned to Phillip Island for the first time since 2019. With 3 races left in the season, the fight for the championship was still tight with 2 points between Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia, and Aleix Espargaro, Enea Bastianini and Jack Miller still in with a chance. Jorge Martin started on pole (after whining like a fuckin idiot for not being picked for the factory Ducati seat over Bastianini next year, despite being outridden by Bastianini all year). On lap 4, Quartararo made a mistake on the brakes and dropped all the way down to 22nd. Bastianini was way down the order too, falling back from his 15th starting spot. On lap 9, Miller was taken out by Alex Marquez. Quartararo crashed out on lap 11. By this time, the lead group was Bagnaia, Espargaro, Martin, Alex Rins, Marc Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi and Luca Marini. Espargaro and Martin would eventually drift back, while Bastianini mounted a late-race charge to finish 5th (ahead of stupid Martin in 7th). Despite there being no team orders from Ducati, and Bagnaia saying he doesn't want to win the championship with team orders, you couldn't help but notice that Bagania was leading a pack of 6 bikes, 4 of which were Ducatis. Starting the last lap, Bagnaia led but Rins and Marquez shot through. Rins held on to win for Suzuki in their final MotoGP season, with Marquez 2nd, Bagnaia 3rd, Bezzecchi 4th and Bastianini 5th.
With 2 races left in the season, it looks to be Bagnaia's championship to lose. Espargaro and Bastianini are still in it, but need a lot to go wrong for Bagnaia and Quartararo.
MotoGP standings after Phillip Island:
1. 233 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
2. 219 Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)
3. 206 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia)
4. 191 Enea Bastianini (Ducati)
5. 179 Jack Miller (Ducati)
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Today is the last day of the season for British Superbikes. Glenn Irwin led race 2 from the pole from Andrew Irwin, Danny Buchan, Peter Hickman and Bradley Ray. Ray crashed out on lap 2 at Paddock Hill. Hickman took the lead from Glenn Irwin on lap 4. Jason O'Halloran caught the lead pack with a handful of laps to go, and was up into 4th before crashing out on the last lap after contact with Andy Irwin. Irwin would be given a 20 second time penalty and a 3 position grid penalty for race 3. Hickman got his first win of the season, Buchan 2nd, Glenn Irwin 3rd, Kyle Ryde 4th and Tommy Bridewell 5th after starting the race on pit lane.
Race 3 had Buchan leading with the Irwins, Hickman and Bridewell following. O'Halloran didn't make the start, with mechanical problems on the bike after the race 2 crash. Buchan led until lap 17 of 20, when a mistake allowed the Irwins through. Glenn Irwin went on to finish the weekend and the season as he started, winning his 5th race of the season. Andy Irwin finished 2nd, Buchan 3rd, Bridewell 4th and Hickman 5th.
Final British Superbikes Standings:
1. 1192 Bradley Ray (Yamaha)
2. 1171 Glenn Irwin (Honda)
3. 1141 Tommy Bridewell (Ducati)
4. 1095 Lee Jackson (Kawasaki)
5. 1087 Jason O'Halloran (Yamaha)
6. 1077 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha)
7. 1031 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)
8. 1017 Rory Skinner (Kawasaki)
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
The World Superbike championship is getting close to sewn up with 3 rounds to go. Alvaro Bautista came into the Argentina round with a 56 point lead over Toprak Razgatlioglu. 56 points isn't much when there's 3 rounds times 62 points per round still available, but Bautista doesn't seem to make any mistakes. On the first lap of race 1, Bautista passed Jonathan Rea and Razgatlioglu for the lead. Razgatlioglu tried to force a pass back, but ended up crashing into the gravel. Bautista dropped back to 4th to avoid being caught up, and eventually made his way back to the front. Rea and Axel Bassani raced hard every lap, with Rea eventually coming out on top. Bautista won, Rea 2nd, Bassani 3rd, Iker Lecuona 4th and Michael Ruben Rinaldi 5th. Razgatlioglu remounted after his crash and eventually finished 15th.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
The MotoGP race at Sepang was full of commentary about how the championship could be clinched if this and this happens, and what drama, and if the checkered flag flew now, and team orders, and flimsy Europeans. So I put it on mute. It seemed like a good race for first between Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini, and a good race for third between Fabio Quartararo, Marc Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, Alex Rins and Joan Mir. Bagnaia being the championship leader, and being able to be named champion if he won and Quartararo finished no better than fourth, and that both Bagnaia and Bastianini ride Ducatis (Bagnaia for factory and Bastianini for Gresini), and that Bastianini will be moving to factory Ducati next year so he and Bagnaia will be teammates next year meant whatever that fuckin chatterbox's name is that does commentary wouldn't shut the fuck up, but it looked like both were riding near the limit. Bagnaia won, with Bastianini 2nd, which will fuel all kinds of speculation from dickheads. Quartararo rode the wheels off his bike to finish 3rd ahead of Bezzecchi and Rins. Jorge Martin set a lap record in qualifying to sit on the pole, and then crashed out of the lead. Imagine being such a douchebag to publicly say you don't know why you didn't get the factory Ducati seat over Bastianini, who has outrode you all season, and then crash out of the lead. Anyway. One round left in two weeks at Valencia, and Bagnaia has a 23 point lead, which I think means Bagnaia has to finish 14th or better to win it, and Quartararo needs to win and have Bagnaia finish 15th or worse to win it.
MotoGP standings after Sepang:
1. 258 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
2. 235 Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)
3. 212 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia)
4. 211 Enea Bastianini (Ducati)
5. 189 Jack Miller (Ducati)
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
I watched WSBK today, but I'm tired and don't feel like typing a bunch more. Toprak Razgatlioglu won the superpole race and Alvaro Bautista won race 2. Jonathan Rea finished 3rd in race 2 and probably somewhere thereabouts in the superpole race. Nobody else has really factored into anything all season. There are 2 rounds left - Mandalika Nov 12-13 and Phillip Island Nov 19-20.
World Superbike Standings after Portimao:
1. 507 Alvaro Bautista (Ducati)
2. 425 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha)
3. 409 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki)
4. 260 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Ducati)
5. 217 Alex Lowes (Kawasaki)
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Sidecar passenger Olivier Lavorel has died from injuries sustained at the Isle of Man TT. On June 4, on the first lap of the sidecar TT, driver Cesar Chanal and Lavorel crashed at Ago's Leap. Chanal died at the scene and Lavorel was transported to hospital in critical condition.
I don't know what that will mean for sidecars at future TTs. Deaths at the event aren't unusual; there's been 272 since 1911, including competitors, marshals and spectators. Four deaths in two sidecar races, all at the same spot on the circuit where no other fatal crashes have occurred, seems high.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Valencia was host to the last race of the season for MotoGP. It was billed as #TheDecider, as the championship was being contested by reigning champ Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia. Although it wasn't really much of a decider. In the last 10 races, Bagnaia overcame a 91 point deficit to come in to the final race with a 23 point lead, meaning all he had to do was finish 14th or better, and Quartaro would have had to win and have Bagania finish 15th or worse.
Alex Rins shot off the second row on the start into the lead. Quartararo and Bagnaia were 5th and 6th. Quartararo passed Jack Miller for 4th, but Miller passed him back. Bagnaia tried to follow him through, but he and Quartararo made contact, knocking a wing off Bagnaia's Ducati. Bagnaia started to drift back through the field as Brad Binder started storming toward the front. Binder came up 0.396 seconds short, as Rins gave Suzuki a final win in their final race in MotoGP. Binder finished 2nd, polesitter Jorge Martin 3rd, Quartararo 4th and Miguel Oliveira 5th. Bagnaia finished 9th, good enough to win his first MotoGP title.
MotoGP Standings after Valencia:
1. 265 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
2. 248 Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)
3. 219 Enea Bastianini (Ducati)
4. 212 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia)
5. 189 Jack Miller (Ducati)
World Superbikes still has two races left next weekend and the weekend after, and the Macau Grand Prix in two weeks, and that'll be it for motorbike racing this year.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Alvaro Bautista went into Mandalika with an 82 point lead in the World Superbike championship over Toprak Razgatlioglu. While still mathematically possible, Razgatlioglu faces a big hill to climb to defend his 2021 title. Race 1 went Razgatlioglu's way, as he led every lap from the pole. However, he only took 5 points out of Bautista's lead as Bautista finished 2nd ahead of Jonathan Rea. Andrea Locatelli finished 4th and Michael Ruben Rinaldi 5th. Iker Lecuona and Lucas Mahias didn't start after suffering injuries in crashes in practice. Philipp Oetll crashed, and missed the superpole race and race 2.
The superpole race was more hard fought between Razgatlioglu and Rea, but again ended with Razgatlioglu coming out on top. Locatelli finished 3rd after battling early with Alex Lowes. Bautista slid back to 6th on the start, but recovered to finish 4th. Axel Bassani finished 5th. Razgatlioglu has now closed the gap from 82 points to 71, with 87 points left on the season.
Rea led race 2 early on, but was overtaken by Razgatlioglu on lap 6. Bautista also got through on Rea, and stuck to Razgatlioglu. Bautista led lap 14, but Razgatlioglu took it back on lap 15. As they fought, Rea pulled back to within a few tenths, but dropped off at the end. Razgatlioglu completed the hat trick, Bautista finished 2nd, Rea 3rd, Locatelli 4th and Bassani 5th. Bautista's 2nd place finish gives him a 66 point lead going into the final round at Phillip Island, and with only 62 points available in a weekend, Bautista is the 2022 World Superbike champion.
World Superbike Standings after Mandalika:
1. 553 Alvaro Bautista (Ducati)
2. 487 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha)
3. 450 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki)
4. 279 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Ducati)
5. 245 Andrea Locatelli (Yamaha)
WSBK wraps up its season next weekend at Phillip Island. Next weekend is also the Macau Grand Prix, which is the final road race of the year.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
This weekend is the final round for World Superbikes, at Phillip Island. It rained before the race, but cleared off and began drying. Almost all the riders started on wets and planned on pitting to change tires as the track dried. The track and the conditions seemed to finally suit the Kawasakis, as Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes both led. On lap 10 of 22, Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu pitted from 2nd and 4th to change to slicks. Alvaro Bautista pitted on lap 11, and Lowes on lap 12. After all riders had pitted, Rea led over Razgatlioglu and Lowes. Rea went on to win his first race in 24 races. Razgatlioglu finished 2nd, Lowes 3rd, Andrea Locatelli 4th and Bautista 5th. The superpole race and race 2 are tomorrow.
The Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix ran this weekend as well. Most of the big names decided not to enter, mainly due to covid restrictions I think. There are 2 races, and the winner is determined by aggregate time. Both races were scheduled to go Saturday. Race 1 was postponed due to oil on the track, and then cancelled entirely due to damaged barriers from an earlier crash in one of the car races. Race 2 was pushed back to Sunday. (As I write this Saturday evening, it's apparently Sunday morning in Macau.) Erno Kostamo was the pre-race favorite, followed by David Datzer, but it was Sheridan Morais who led the first laps. On lap 3, Kostamo and Datzer passed Morais at the Melco Hairpin. Kostamo led the rest of the 8 lap race to win his first Macau GP. Datzer finished 2nd, Morais 3rd, Lukas Maurer 4th and Rob Hodson 5th.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454
Today was the last day for World Superbikes. It rained before the superpole race, and most riders started with wets or intermediates, but Alvaro Bautista gambled on the track drying and started on slicks. He started on the pole, but at the end of lap 1 had slid all the way back to 16th. The course again seemed to suit the Kawasakis as Alex Lowes led Jonathan Rea, with the Yamahas of Toprak Razgatlioglu, Andrea Locatelli and Garrett Gerloff in the mix. But by lap 8 the gamble was paying off as Bautista was up to 3rd and running 3 seconds a lap faster. At the end of the 10 lap race, Bautista had a 3 second lead over Razgatlioglu. Rea finished 3rd, Lowes 4th and Locatelli 5th.
Race 2 was dry so no drama compared to the first two races of the weekend. Rea led, followed by Scott Redding. Redding dropped off after a few laps and settled into 6th. Bautista took the lead on lap 6, but Rea was close and was looking faster until lap 17 when the race was red flagged for a crash involving Eugene Laverty. Laverty was taken to hospital with pelvic injuries. As the race was past 2/3 distance, the race was finished and Bautista was the winner. Rea finished 2nd, Lowes 3rd, Razgatlioglu 4th and Locatelli 5th.
Final WSBK Standings:
1. 601 Alvaro Bautista (Ducati)
2. 529 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha)
3. 502 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki)
4. 293 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Ducati)
5. 274 Andrea Locatelli (Yamaha)
That's it until the Daytona 200 on March 11 2023.
2024 Chevy Silveraydo 3500 Duramax
2007 GMC 2500 Duramax
1981 GMC C1500 454