Notes from the Television Screen: WSBK @ Phillip Island

Editor’s note – While I have been sorely remiss in properly posting here at OASTD, I have begun a new series of “Notes from the Television Screen,” in which I compile my thoughts from a racing weekend. Between my Formula1Blog commitments and various life choices (hello grad school!) I cannot cover all or the majority of any two-wheeled racing series, nor attend any racing in 2011 (though I”m planning on an attempt or two). These new articles will generally cover what I can catch of the WSBK season, MotoGP, and some Grand-Am. Enjoy!

The World Superbike season got underway beneath not just the stormy clouds at Phillip Island, but under a black cloud of grief. Young Australian racer Oscar McIntyre passed after sustaining injuries during Saturday’s Australian Supersport support race just before the first Superpole of the season began. That led to Superpole’s cancellation and Tom Sykes’ third career WSBK pole. Max Biaggi, Carlos Checa, and Jakub Smrz completed the front row of starters as the organizers set the grid from the earlier qualifying practice standings.

Though Sykes led into the first turn for both races, he and his Kawasaki were entirely unable to keep the position long. The Brit drifted backward in both races but refused to do so without a fight. It is unclear whether the issue lies with tire wear or a lack of power, but both likely contribute to Kawasaki’s lack of recent wins in WSBK.

The more important story is twofold: Biaggi and Checa. In the first race, Checa soon surpassed Sykes and had set off to capture the first race of the season as reigning champion. Only Biaggi seemed capable of giving him a run for his money until the Spaniard had an impossibly violent highside that threw him out of the saddle, fifteen feet into the air, into the gravel, and out of the race. Somehow Checa sustained only bruising and was able to compete in Race 2. His Ducati was not so lucky.

WSBK Assen; Race 1 and 2 Results: A Good Day for Britian

What Happens When Everything Is Driven to the Race

3:26pm EST — Jonathon Rea won both World Superbike races in Assen, after fighting it out from pole with a pack of riders all chasing the win, though he won Race 1 by a second and Race 2 by nearly two seconds, it was a day of close racing.  James Toseland, the former WSBK champion, podiumed for each race, second in Race 1 and third in Race 2.  It was all-Britian, all the time on the podium for each race, with Leon Camier third in Race 1, and Leon Haslam second in Race 2.  Full results follow:

WSBK Valencia Race 1 & 2: Haslam Wins, Haga Wins Red-Flagged Aggregate Race 2

What Happens When It’s a Hard Fight From the Back

1:52pm EST —

Race 1: At a warm and sunny Valencia, it was Leon Haslam who won the first race with a comfortable margin, after Carlos Checa lost the lead with a technical issue about halfway through.  Max Biaggi could not catch him up, instead fighting off James Toseland for second, while the Briton finished third.  Noriyuki Haga fought from an eleventh place start to finish fifth, just behind Troy Corser.  Pole sitter (see here for the starting grid) Cal Crutchlow finished seventh.

Race 1 Results (courtesy of the official WSBK site):
1. 91 Haslam L. Suzuki
2. 3 Biaggi M. Aprilia +1.757
3. 52 Toseland J. Yamaha +3.621
4. 11 Corser T. BMW +4.209
5. 41 Haga N. Ducati +4.378
6. 65 Rea J. Honda +9.834
7. 35 Crutchlow C. Yamaha +10.466
8. 57 Lanzi L. Ducati +16.080
9. 50 Guintoli S. Suzuki +18.382
10. 96 Smrz J. Ducati +18.589
11. 66 Sykes T. Kawasaki +22.903
12. 111 Xaus R. BMW +25.203
13. 76 Neukirchner M. Honda +25.676
14. 99 Scassa L. Ducati +26.606
15. 88 Pitt A. BMW +43.797
16. 95 Hayden R. Kawasaki +48.094
17. 15 Baiocco M. Kawasaki +48.190
18. 17 Andrews S. Kawasaki +52.863
RET 31 Iannuzzo V. Honda
RET 2 Camier L. Aprilia
RET 84 Fabrizio M. Ducati
RET 67 Byrne S. Ducati
RET 7 Checa C. Ducati
RET 123 Resch R. BMW

Race 2: An aggregate race after a L4 crash by Simon Andrews and Vittorio Iannuzzo on the front straight brought out the red flags.  He was diagnosed with fractures in his left foot and heel.  The race was decided by the combined times from the frist three laps (before the red flag) and the times posted in the second twenty-lap race.  On the re-start, it was Checa leading Rea, while Noriyuki Haga had already fought his way close to the front.  In the end, Haga beat Checa by .025 with Biaggi .0299 back from Haga for third.

Race 2 Aggregate Results (courtesy of the official WSBK site):
1. 41 Haga N. Ducati
2. 7 Checa C. Ducati +0.025
3. 3 Biaggi M. Aprilia +0.299
4. 91 Haslam L. Suzuki +10.100
5. 65 Rea J. Honda +12.811
6. 50 Guintoli S. Suzuki +13.459
7. 52 Toseland J. Yamaha +14.845
8. 67 Byrne S. Ducati +14.861
9. 35 Crutchlow C. Yamaha +15.202
10. 96 Smrz J. Ducati +18.071
11. 111 Xaus R. BMW +25.179
12. 11 Corser T. BMW +26.116
13. 57 Lanzi L. Ducati +30.189
14. 99 Scassa L. Ducati +30.387
15. 66 Sykes T. Kawasaki +35.741
16. 88 Pitt A. BMW +43.244
17. 76 Neukirchner M. Honda +43.540
18. 123 Resch R. BMW +47.145
19. 95 Hayden R. Kawasaki +48.502
20. 15 Baiocco M. Kawasaki +51.838
RET 84 Fabrizio M.
RET 2 Camier L. Aprilia
RET 17 Andrews S. Kawasaki
RET 31 Iannuzzo V. Honda

WSBK Valencia Quali: Crutchlow on Pole, Again, with Checa and Biaggi Close Behind

What Happens When It’s Better Late Than Never (or so is written each time WSBK quali is posted)

12:02am EST — Cal Crutchlow will start on pole for both World Superbike races in Valencia, with faster-for-most-of-the-session Carlos Checa next to him, and Max Biaggi and Leon Haslam completing the front row.  Continuing their poor qualifying effort, the factory Ducatis of Michel Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga will start tenth and eleventh, respectively. American transplant and WSBK rookie Roger Hayden will start twenty-second with inferior Kawaski machinery.

Starting Grid for WSBK, Valencia Round (courtesy of official WSBK website):
1. 35 Crutchlow C., Yamaha, 1:33.615
2. 7 Checa C., Ducati, 1:33.840
3. 3 Biaggi M., Aprilia, 1:33.860
4. 91 Haslam L., Suzuki, 1:33.961
5. 11 Corser T., BMW, 1:34.059
6. 50 Guintoli S., Suzuki, 1:34.073
7. 65 Rea J., Honda, 1:34.235
8. 57 Lanzi L., Ducati, 1:34.261
9. 52 Toseland J., Yamaha, 1:33.988
10. 84 Fabrizio M., Ducati, 1:34.021
11. 41 Haga N., Ducati, 1:34.100
12. 67 Byrne S., Ducati, 1:34.246
13. 2 Camier L., Aprilia, 1:34.273
14. 96 Smrz J., Ducati, 1:34.280
15. 99 Scassa L., Ducati, 1:34.730
16. 76 Neukirchner M., Honda, 1:34.934
17. 111 Xaus R., BMW, 1:34.756
18. 66 Sykes T., Kawasaki, 1:34.894
19. 88 Pitt A., BMW, 1:36.088
20. 32 Morais S., Honda, 1:36.072
21. 15 Baiocco M., Kawasaki, 1:36.104
22. 95 Hayden R., Kawasaki, 1:36.117
23. 17 Andrews S., Kawasaki, 1:36.329
24. 31 Iannuzzo V., Honda, 1:36.524
25. 123 Resch R., BMW, 1:36.639

WSBK Portimao: Biaggi Makes It a Double, Winning Both Races

What Happens When Age Is Merely a Number

11:22am EST — Max Biaggi and Leon Haslam made both World Superbike races in Portimao Sunday a two-man show, finishing one-two in both Race 1 and Race 2 and about two tenths apart at the end of each after providing some exciting racing and trading the lead.  Both times, polesitter Cal Crutchlow could not keep the lead from the front row as second and fourth place starters Biaggi and Haslam dominated, after fighting amongst themselves in qualifying.  Haslam continues to lead the championship with 89 points, with Biaggi sixteen points behind and Checa, with 60 points, in third.

Race 1:
Johnny Rea was the last man on the podium for Race 1, as Carlos Checa held off Leon Camier for fourth.  Cal Crutchlow fell fighting with Rea for third with two laps left and finished fourteenth.  Returning and former champion James Toseland started fifteenth and finished seventh, while the Ducati duo of Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio started near the back and finished eighth and eleventh, respectively.  Following race results courtesy of the official WSBK website:

1. 3 Biaggi M., Aprilia
2. 91 Haslam L.,Suzuki + 0.200
3. 65 Rea J., Honda +6.901
4. 7 Checa C., Ducati +7.457
5. 2 Camier L., Aprilia +7.564
6. 67 Byrne S., Ducati +11.420
7. 52 Toseland J., Yamaha +18.391
8. 41 Haga N., Ducati +18.536
9. 11 Corser T., BMW +24.514
10. 111 Xaus R., BMW +32.427
11. 84 Fabrizio M., Ducati +35.045
12. 57 Lanzi L., Ducati +36.816
13. 50 Guintoli S., Suzuki +36.841
14. 35 Crutchlow C., Yamaha +44.678
15. 66 Sykes T., Kawasaki +44.942
16. 31 Iannuzzo V., Honda +59.135
17. 32 Morais S., Honda +59.852
18. 95 Hayden R., Kawasaki +1:00.097
19. 15 Baiocco M., Kawasaki +1:10.151
20. 99 Scassa L.. Ducati
RET 88 Pitt A., BMW
RET 96 Smrz J., Ducati
RET 49 Tamada M., BMW
RET 76 Neukirchner M., Honda

Race 2:
Biaggi also won race 2 over Haslam, though both had company at the front for the second race, with just over one second covering the top four, rounded out by Cal Crutchlow and Carlos Checa.  Camier was another two seconds back with Toseland moving up through the pack to finish sixth.  Haga and Fabrizio again finished eighth and eleventh.  The following race results are courtesy of the official WSBK website:

1. 3 Biaggi M., Aprilia
2. 91 Haslam L., Suzuki +0.191
3. 35 Crutchlow C., +0.658
4. 7 Checa C., Ducati +1.015
5. 2 Camier L., Aprilia +3.123
6. 52 Toseland J., Yamaha +9.131
7. 67 Byrne S., Ducati +11.033
8. 41 Haga N., Ducati +13.452
9. 50 Guintoli S., Suzuki +13.964
10. 11 Corser T., BMW +16.377
11. 84 Fabrizio M., Ducati +26.351
12. 111 Xaus R., BMW +27.964
13. 66 Sykes T., Kawasaki +33.566
14. 57 Lanzi L., Ducati +33.823
15. 76 Neukirchner M., Honda +37.372
16. 99 Scassa L., Ducati +45.611
17. 95 Hayden R., Kawasaki +56.512
18. 15 Baiocco M., Kawasaki +58.980
19. 49 Tamada M., BMW +1:15.819
20. 88 Pitt A., BMW +1:41.672
RET 32 Morais S., Honda
RET 96 Smrz J., Ducati
RET 65 Rea J., Honda
RET 31 Iannuzzo V., Honda

WSBK: Portimao Starting Grid, With a Very Varied Front Row

What Happens When It’s a Mish-Mash

1:43pm EST — With four different manufactures supplying the bikes that qualified on the front row, the second round of WSBK in Portimao looks to be another day of great racing.  Cal Crutchlow took pole, with Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa fighting closely over the second starting position.  Current championship leader Leon Haslam will finish off the front row.  In a surprising turn of events, last season’s championship runner-ups, Michel Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga only qualified seventeenth and eighteenth, respectively.  Because qualifying is done in three knockout rounds similar to Formula1, some times further back in the grid will actually be faster than those ahead.  Results of qualifying and the provisional starting grid for Sunday’s races, courtesy of the official WSBK website:

1. 35 Crutchlow C. 1:42.092
2. 3 Biaggi M. 1:42.513
3. 7 Checa C. 1:42.586
4. 91 Haslam L. 1:42.596
5. 65 Rea J. 1:42.807
6. 96 Smrz J. 1:42.889
7. 67 Byrne S. 1:42.960
8. 11 Corser T. 1:43.152
9. 50 Guintoli S. 1:42.984
10. 111 Xaus R. 1:42.999
11. 2 Camier L. 1:43.039
12. 66 Sykes T. 1:43.199
13. 76 Neukirchner M. 1:43.380
14. 57 Lanzi L. 1:43.568
15. 52 Toseland J. 1:49.401
16. 99 Scassa L. 1:44.249
17. 84 Fabrizio M. 1:43.564
18. 41 Haga N. 1:43.686
19. 88 Pitt A. 1:43.781
20. 49 Tamada M. 1:45.142
21. 32 Morais S. 1:45.520
22. 15 Baiocco M. 1:45.610
23. 31 Iannuzzo V. 1:45.795
24. 95 Hayden R. 1:45.799

WSBK: Philip Island Race 1 & 2, Close Racing and Closer Wins for Haslam and Checa

What Happens When Time Zones Wreak Havoc on Viewing

1:02am EST — Leon Haslam and Carlos Checa started out the World Superbike season with a win apiece at Philip Island.  Haslam barely beat Michel Fabrizo to the line in a photo finish for the first race, while Checa beat Haslam by three tenths over Haslam, with Fabrizio starting off this season’s championship hunt with a third in the second race.  For Race 1, Haslam added his first race win to this weekend’s first pole position (the starting grid can be seen here at On Any Sunday, These Days).  2009 championship runner-up Noriyuki Haga started tenth, but finished third.  The close racing that the series is known for did not disappoint, as Jonny Rea, Max Biaggi, Sylvain Guintoli, and Carlos Checa all fought for fourth position at the end. Former MotoGP riders Chris Vermeulen and James Toseland did not finish the race, as did 2009 Supersport champion Cal Crutchlow.

The final positions at the end of the first race were (courtesy of the official WSBK website):
1.  91 Haslam L.
2.  84 Fabrizio M. + .004
3.  41 Haga N. +.769
4.  65 Rea J. +10.201
5.   3 Biaggi M. +10.782
6.  50 Guintoli S. +11.079
7.   7 Checa C. +11.208
8 . 96 Smrz J. +16.522
9 . 11 Corser T. +20.291
10.  57 Lanzi L. +26.352
11.  2 Camier L. +29.775
12. 76 Neukirchner M. +30.155
13.  66 Sykes T. +31.951
14.  67 Byrne S. +31.957
15.  88 Pitt A. +55.082
16.  31 Iannuzzo V. +1:10.932
17.  15 Baiocco M. +1:11.237
18.  95 Hayden R. +1:17.357
19.  25 Brookes J.
RET  35 Crutchlow C.
RET  77 Vermeulen C.
RET  52 Toseland J.

In the second race, Checa passed Haslam for the lead and the win in the final section of the last lap, while Fabrizio finished third and Sylvain Guintoli and Haga rounded out the top five.  There was yet another scrimmage for sixth, with Rea ending the race in that position.  Again, Vermeulen did not finish in his home race, while rookie American Roger Hayden (brother to MotoGP champion Nicky) finished eighteenth in both races of his WSBK debut.

The final positions at the end of the first race were (courtesy of the official WSBK website):
1.   7 Checa C.
2.  91 Haslam L. +.307
3.  84 Fabrizio M. +.434
4.  50 Guintoli S. +.837
5.  41 Haga N. +3.453
6.  65 Rea J. +11.530
7.  11 Corser T. +12.026
8.   3 Biaggi M. +13.068
9.  35 Crutchlow C. +14.401
10.  52 Toseland J. +14.707
11.   2 Camier L. +14.743
12.  67 Byrne S. +14.851
13.  57 Lanzi L. +15.143
14.  25 Brookes J. +30.947
15.  88 Pitt A. +41.855
16.  76 Neukirchner M. +48.844
17.  31 Iannuzzo V. +1:06.866
18.  95 Hayden R. +1:07.751
RET  15 Baiocco M.
RET  66 Sykes T.
RET  77 Vermeulen C.
RET  96 Smrz J.

WSBK: Haslam on Pole as Action Begins Down Under

What Happens When the Two-Wheel Season Truly Begins

1:08am EST — In a set of qualifying sessions that had experienced riders all over the timesheets, Leon Haslam set the fastest time, 1:31.229, to start on pole for the season opening World Superbike race at Philip Island.  According to the official WSBK website, “close final competition sorted out the leading riders.”  Reigning champion Ben Spies is off to MotoGP, but runner-up Noriyuki Haga has remained, with his teammate Michel Fabrizio out-qualifying him for this first race, starting second as compared to Haga’s tenth.  The following qualifying times are courtesy of the official WSBK website:

1  91 Haslam L., Suzuki, 1:31.229
2  84 Fabrizio M., Ducati, 1:31.245
3  35 Crutchlow C., Yamaha, 1:31.642
4   7 Checa C., Ducati, 1:31.671
5  50 Guintoli S., Suzuki, 1:31.696
6  96 Smrz J., Ducati, 1:31.757
7  65 Rea J., Honda, 1:31.912
8  52 Toseland J., Yamaha, 1:32.019
9  57 Lanzi L., Ducati, 1:32.205
10  41 Haga N., Ducati, 1:32.229
11   3 Biaggi M., Aprilia, 1:32.293
12  66 Sykes T., Kawasaki, 1:32.398
13  11 Corser T., BMW, 1:32.430
14  77 Vermeulen C., Kawasaki, 1:32.561
15 111 Xaus R., BMW, 1:32.842
16   2 Camier L., Aprilia, 1:32.895
17  76 Neukirchner M., Honda, 1:32.782
18  67 Byrne S., Ducati, 1:32.823
19  88 Pitt A., BMW, 1:33.207
20 123 Resch R., BMW, 1:33.390
21  25 Brookes J., Honda, 1:33.901
22  31 Iannuzzo V., Honda, 1:34.248
23  15 Baiocco M., Kawasaki, 1:35.297
24  95 Hayden R., Kawasaki, 1:35.614

While the time difference makes for some awkward calculations, and American SPEEDtv coverage will not show the races until 3pm Sunday afternoon, the first and second race will begin at 9pm Saturday and 12:30am Saturday night/Sunday morning for those residing in the US Eastern time zone.