Ducati pilot earns fifth race win of the season at round seven.
Image: Supplied.
Be Wiser Ducati’s Josh Brookes earned a stellar double podium at Thruxton’s seventh round of the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB) last weekend, picking up his fifth race win of the season.
Brookes returned to the winners circle in race two after scoring third in the opening encounter, setting him up to qualify for the upcoming Showdown.
“Tyre conservation is on your mind all weekend here at Thruxton so with the second race going from 20 laps to 13 laps and then down to eight laps, I could ride exactly how I wanted to and just went full speed as the tyre was always going to last eight laps,” Brookes explained.
“I just got my head down and went for it and whilst it may not have been as close as the first race, I enjoyed it a lot more. The field is so level now, every race is tough but Pirelli have done a great job with the tyres and they’re a little bit easier to manage around here now and although I still wanted more from myself, I was happy with the first race podium.
“I got pushed around a bit too much on track and needed to find a little bit more confidence, so the second race win has given me exactly what I needed and it’s great to be back on the top step.”
Fellow Australian Jason O’Halloran (McAms Yamaha) experienced a strong weekend, recording a pair of fourth place finishes across the two races. BSB now heads to Cadwell Park on 16-18 August.
Commanding Coolum performance leads to back-to-back titles.
Image: Foremost Media.
Successfully defending the number one plate, DPH Motorsport Husqvarna’s Wilson Todd has indicated his 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals MX2 crown holds greater meaning than his maiden title in the category last year.
Todd rode commandingly at Coolum’s double-header finale last weekend as the championship came down to the final moto, picking up two overall victories along the way.
The popular Queenslander faced a difficult title defence despite holding the red-plate for majority of the season, dealing with challengers from Kyle Webster (Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing) and Jay Wilson (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) for the prized number one.
“This one means a lot,” said Todd. “We did it a lot tougher [this season], and the boys rode good all year. We had a bad round at Murray Bridge and it closed it right up, but in the second half of the season, these guys were really on it, so it made it hard on us. We’re so glad to make it happen.
“It’s special, just like last year, but even more because it came down and it was really tight at the end. You go to bed and you have your demons speaking to you at night saying ‘this could happen, that could happen’, but we came out and everything went smoothly.”
It was an incredible weekend for the DPH outfit, picking up both the MX2 and MX1 titles, with Todd Waters also putting on a dominant display to earn the premier class crown.
Set-up struggles hinder Gardner at Czech grand prix
Section: Competition
SAG Racing contender finishes outside the point at Brno.
Image: Supplied.
Australian Remy Gardner admits he struggled to find a suitable set-up at Brno’s 10th round of the Moto2 World Championship last weekend, leading him to finish outside of the points.
Admittedly using the wrong tyre for qualifying, Gardner set the 15th fastest time before mustering up a 16th place finish in Sunday’s 19-lap encounter.
“It’s easy to say that in qualifying we were on the wrong tyre,” Gardner stated. “We made a call and it just wasn’t the right one. I found it hard all weekend with finding a general set-up, but we kept working. The race itself was far from perfect.
“I made a decent start, but we just didn’t have the setting and I struggled. I kept my head down and was close to the points but it’s not the result we deserve. We know we are faster than that, so we need to come back stronger in Austria next weekend. Thanks to everyone for the constant support.”
The SAG Racing Team ace sits 12th in the championship standings as Moto2 heads to the Red Bull Ring this weekend in Austria.
Bopping’s racing future uncertain as health battle continues
Section: Competition
Empire Kawasaki rider still seeking answers on undiagnosed health issue.
Image: Foremost Media.
Lawson Bopping’s future in racing is uncertain as he continues to battle an ongoing undiagnosed health issue that has significantly impacted him this season, and ultimately forced him to withdraw from Coolum’s Pirelli MX Nationals double-header finale following the second MX1 sprint race on Saturday.
Bopping faced the mysterious fatigue-related health problem in 2016 which prompted him to step away from racing motocross, however the New South Welshman was thought to have overcome the issue upon making a comeback with the Empire Kawasaki outfit this year until it reemerged at the halfway mark of the season.
The popular number 70 is set to undergo further medical evaluation by a new doctor, which Bopping is hopeful will lead to answers that will allow him to continue racing at full health.
“Over the last couple of months I’ve been dealing with health issues again, so it’s been difficult in these last few rounds,” said Bopping. “Yesterday started off pretty decent and I was around fourth at the start of moto one, but obviously just couldn’t hang in there and faded back. From there I got sick and it was dangerous for me, so it’s really disappointing.
“I’ll be seeing a new doctor real soon, I’m booked in on Thursday. I’ve got that to look forward to and hopefully we can get to the bottom of it. I’ll keep at it and hopefully be back racing at some stage – I don’t know when, but I’ve got serious issues happening.”
Initially drafted into the Kawasaki squad as a fill-in for Dylan Long, the team later signed Bopping for the remainder of the season. He finished the MX Nationals 16th in the standings with a best overall finish of fifth at Wonthaggi, which marked his return to the Australian championship.
Rookie phenomenon Fabio Quartararo went faster than his Czech GP FP2 time to top the timesheets at the one-day Brno Test. The Frenchman’s 1:55.616 was 0.012 ahead of second-fastest Maverick Viñales as he and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammate Valentino Rossi got their hands on an early 2020 YZR-M1 prototype, with Franco Morbidelli making it an Iwata factory 1-2-3 on Monday.
Fabio Quartararo – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
One of the key talking points leading up to the Brno Test was Yamaha rolling out a first version of next year’s bike. Rossi was out on a blacked-out YZR-M1 early in the day as he and teammate Viñales got their first taste of what the 2020 bike will be like, and the duo had a new seat unit to test for their 2019 bikes.
Viñales, as usual, showed his hard-working nature, riding until the very end of the session and completing 74 laps in total. His best time of 1‘55.628s was set in the final stages, on lap 68, earning him second place, just 0.012s from first. He worked mainly on improving the 2019 bike‘s performance for the next races and is looking forward to stepping up to the challenge in the Austrian Grand Prix.
Maverick Vinales – P2
“Today I was working on improving the feeling on the bike that I had during the race. Luckily, this morning the grip of the track was very low, so this actually helped us to work pretty hard and we found a way to be better. But the tests are always great for us, so this is nothing new. We will keep trying to stay calm and stay focused in Austria. I tried the prototype for a few laps, but I preferred to concentrate on improving my 2019 bike for Austria. The laps on the 2020 bike were good though, they were good lap times, so we will see at the next test.”
Maverick Vinales – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Rossi also had a very productive day of testing in Brno. He spent time trying the 2020 prototype “black bike”, as well as the standard 2019 YZR-M1. The Doctor completed 63 laps in total and really put his head down on the last stint. His final lap saw him move up to sixth place with a 1‘56.015s and a 0.399s gap to first. His time was 0.512s quicker than the Italian‘s best time set during the Czech GP weekend, giving him a confidence boost that he is working in the right direction.
Valentino Rossi – P6
“It was a good day and a good test, because we worked quite a lot and we found something good. We also tried the prototype of the new bike, but sincerely we don‘t have a lot of changes, it‘s a different engine and a slightly different setting of the chassis. But these are just the first touches, and what we have is already good. After that we worked more with the standard 2019 bike. Some things on the 2020 prototype are good, some things need to be tested again in Misano. This is to be expected because it‘s just a trial run, and we might have something else at the next tests, later on this season.”
Valentino Rossi – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
In the Petronas Yamaha SRT box, pacesetter Quartararo tested carbon forks on his M1, the same as the factory team use and was able to make the most of the day’s eight hours of track activity, and was delighted by his progress and able to be not only fast but consistent, setting himself up for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Fabio Quartararo – P1
“Today was really productive for us and we tried many things including some elements for the coming weekend in Austria. As always in testing there was some positives and some negatives, but in the end it was useful to test again. We tried the new carbon forks and the bike felt a little bit lighter with them, we tried some new tyres from Michelin and we were able to use some electronics settings that the team has wanted to test. We need to think about what we’ve tested and have some discussions about the direction that we’ll take with the new parts.”
Fabio Quartararo – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Meanwhile, Morbidelli improved his time last in the session to set the third quickest time of the day and got a solid 78 laps under his belt – the same as Quartararo. The Italian tried a thumb brake which he has already used on some occasions, but his main focus was on settings.
Franco Morbidelli – P3
“We tried some changes with the electronics and other settings, and I think we’ve improved the package, although of course we’re going to have to wait and see how the bike reacts to them next weekend in Austria before we can be certain. I worked with a thumb brake for the first time and the initial feeling was good, but it’s going to take some time to get used to it. All in all, I’m happy and it’s always nice to finish a test in the top three.”
Franco Morbidelli – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Czech GP winner and Championship leader Marc Marquez had three bikes at his disposal for the Brno Test. One was the one he raced with which has no carbon fibre reinforcements, the second had a small carbon fibre insert near the steering head and the third had a smaller carbon fibre insert.
The seven-time Champion also tried a new Honda aero package on one of the RC213Vs, but he did most of his work on his standard bike and as he completed 70 laps, finishing eighth on the timesheets…likely not pushing too hard on test duty.
Marc Marquez – P8
“In the end we did more laps than we had planned. But we had many things to do as HRC brought many things and Michelin had two tyres for us to try as well. We had different things on the bike, some new frames and some aerodynamics – it was all very interesting and some of them could help us in the next race. We’re also thinking about the future further ahead. It was a good test and we were able to understand some more things.”
Marc Marquez – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Cal Crutchlow also had three bikes to play with during the test. Similar to Marquez, one was his standard 2019 bike while another had the reinforced carbon chassis. Another had some “test items” on it and, again similar to Marquez, the British rider did most of his work on his standard 2019 package and ended the day P5.
Cal Crutchlow – P5
“I have my standard race bike that I’ve been using this year, I have one updated chassis and then the other one is some test items on the bike. In the end, I’m doing most of my work on the standard bike that I’ve been racing all year. The feeling is obviously different on all three bikes with the parts we’re testing, but we have to give credit to Honda as they’re working very, very hard to improve our feeling with the bike – my feeling and also the other riders’ feeling. This is the first time I’ve used new chassis and I think there are some positives and negatives to it and I still feel more comfortable with my standard one.”
Cal Crutchlow – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
With rain having affected much of the action in Brno over the past few days, teammate Takaaki Nakagami was pleased to be able to carry out some testing in dry, warm conditions today. The Japanese star was focusing on improving his exit speed from corners and also tested a Michelin tyre later in the day.
Takaaki Nakagami – P11
“We’re looking to understand more about the set-up as we have back-to-back races. This weekend we didn’t have many dry sessions, only Friday and the warm-up for the race. So we need to understand today’s conditions as the weather is better, although the temperature is not too high. We’ve tried a little bit of a different set-up and we also did a Michelin tyre test. Our main problem over the weekend was the edge grip and to keep our speed in the second part of the turn, so during the test we worked on those areas.”
Takaaki Nakagami – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
At Team Suzuki Ecstar, there was a high-speed crash for rookie Joan Mir with just under 45 minutes of the session remaining that brought out the Red Flag. Mir’s GSX-RR ended over the fence at Turn 1 and as a precaution, the Spaniard was taken to hospital for further checks.
Joan Mir – P7
“The crash was a scary one, but finally it looks like everything is more or less OK. I had some pain and struggled to breathe initially, but then the situation got better and better and I received excellent assistance and support from the medics at the track. It will take a couple of days to recover, I need to take it easy and take my time, but at the moment I feel relieved that everything is OK, and I hope I will be 100% ready to race in Austria in just a few days.”
Joan Mir – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
For teammate Alex Rins, work with the new aero package we saw across the weekend was his main focus, but he also had a small evolution on the chassis and swingarm that he tested in Barcelona. The Spaniard finished fourth fastest having completed 69 laps at Brno, with Mir also completing 69 laps – some while using the aero package for the first time – before his crash saw him end the test in seventh.
Alex Rins – P4
“Today was very positive, and I completed a good testing program. I compared the new fairing – with the new aerodynamic package – to the old one, and it helped me to confirm my good feeling with the new fairing. I also tested a new chassis and swingarm, and the difference isn’t as obvious as it is with the fairing, so we need to do a bit more analysis. I’m pleased with the work done, and I’m looking forward to going to Austria.”
Alex Rins – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Davide Brivio – Suzuki Ecstar Team Manager
“Joan crashed at the end of the test, which unfortunately means that the day wasn’t all positive. Up until then we were going well and checking lots of different items. Joan tested the new aero package and we received positive feedback from him, so I think we’ll be using it again in the coming races. We also had the chance to test a chassis which we first tried with Alex during the Catalunya test, and now we need to analyse our findings from that and discover the benefits and possible downsides. We took a lot of information from today and we’re pleased about that. Fingers crossed for Joan.”
Alex Rins – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Danilo Petrucci completed a total of 60 laps, setting a best time of 1’56.345, the Italian concentrating mainly on establishing a good feeling with his Desmosedici GP following yesterday’s difficult race, working on setup as they try to understand why the performance wasn’t quite there at Brno.
Danilo Petrucci – P10
“Today was surely positive because we had all the time we needed to work calmly. I used a medium tyre all day and in the final stages I was quite fast. We did a great job and I’m happy I found a good feeling, something which had been missing throughout the weekend. We had a lot of different things to test, but after yesterday’s problems in the race we decided to change our work schedule and focus on finding good pace again. I improved the bike’s stability a bit and above all the bike’s turn-in in the corners. Hopefully this will also help us in Austria, where I want to get back to being at the front again.”
Danilo Petrucci – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Andrea Dovizioso on the other hand was able to make a detailed back-to-back comparison between the two aerodynamic packages available, as well as trying out some new technical chassis solutions with a new swingarm and a new tyre made available by Michelin. The Italian ended the day with a best time of 1’56.391 after completing a total of 48 laps.
Andrea Dovizioso – P12
“It was important to do this test and I’m happy with the way things went today because we were able to make a detailed comparison between the new fairing and the one used until Brno, which gave us a positive response. We also had some new chassis solutions to try and these proved to be interesting, even though with the drop in the tyres it’s not always easy to make a comparison between different material. Finally, we also tried the new tyre that Michelin brought along and I had a particularly good feeling with that. Now we are going to Austria confident of being able to put in a good performance.”
Andrea Dovizioso – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
In the Pramac Racing box, Czech GP podium finisher Jack Miller confirmed he had been trying a new Ducati chassis during the weekend. The Australian was back to the one he used for the first half of the season for most of Monday’s test, with Miller doing back-to-back runs to confirm the new one was the way forward. Moreover, he made progress with the rear shock.
Teammate Francesco Bagnaia was focused on getting more miles under his belt and having found a new setup in FP4 at Brno, the reigning Moto2 World Champion will hope to take more confidence into Austria. Bagnaia ended the test as the fastest Ducati, placing ninth – 0.632 from Quartararo’s time.
Jack Miller – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Johann Zarco had a short day, finishing 20th and still feeling the positive energy of his front row qualification effort on Saturday, finishing the test early in the afternoon after riding 31 laps to be ready for his upcoming home round.
On the other side of the garage, Pol Espargaro did 49 laps as KTM worked on a little bit of everything: settings, electronics, chassis, aero package and suspension.
Pol Espargaro – P14
“It’s tricky to make a hot lap when you are trying many changes. First of all we analysed the problems we had from the race: why we could not make the top ten and why we suffered when the rear tyre was used. Tests like these are always useful for making conclusions and finding solutions and today was positive for that. We worked on the engine, electronics, the rear shock to look for a smoother delivery and less wheel spin. We are looking forward to the home GP now and all those orange flags. I missed the race last year and that outstanding experience of feeling all that support.”
Pol Espargaro – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Johann Zarco – P20
“I didn’t do so many laps today: we wanted to try things but also keep good energy for Spielberg. We gathered some important information but our base will more or less remain the same for next weekend because it is a totally different track compared to here. I’m still trying to improve my riding style. It is hard work but I am doing the best training possible to achieve this. I love Red Bull Ring and have had some good results there. We’ll see how we can manage the bike. We know it is an important track for the engine and we know our bike is quite fast. Let’s see.”
Johann Zarco – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Miguel Oliveira (15th) and Hafizh Syahrin (19th) managed almost a hundred circulations between them and the Portuguese ended the day less than half a second from the top ten.
Miguel Oliveira – P15
“We have been very, very close to the top and mid-grid for the classification. Today the target wasn’t to do a fast lap, as we just wanted to try the parts that the factory team gave to us related to some things to the frame, some things to the engine, small details, that don’t make a big difference themselves but in the package helped us a lot to improve.”
Miguel Oliveira – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Hafizh Syahrin – P19
“There were not too many parts we tried today; we focused mainly on my riding. Plus, we tried something different with the electronics and we had two tyres from Michelin, which we tested. I probably tried a bit too hard this morning in turn five and came off the track but it was not a huge crash, so in the end everything was fine. We used the test engine, which is different to the one in the race, so overall it was a positive day.”
Hafizh Syahrin – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Mike Leitner – Red Bull KTM Team Manager
“We didn’t want to take many risks at this test so we are happy with the outcome of trying some new items with good potential. We worked on our specs like aerodynamics and also an idea for the chassis as well as the engine. It was a fundamental test that gave us a few positive points for the future. In the coming days we’ll make analysis of what – and when – we can use for our race bike. Conditions were good here today and it was not our target to go for the best lap-time.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – 2019 Brno MotoGP Test
Aleix Espargaro had a carbon-reinforced chassis to try during the morning hours for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, and in the afternoon the Spaniard tested a new swingarm for the Noale factory. He did 57 laps, with teammate Andrea Iannone doing 52.
It’s time for a couple of days rest after a busy day at the Czech adrenaline factory, but the riders are back on track for FP1 in Austria on Friday as the action kicks off at the Red Bull Ring.
This handy guide includes all new or significantly updated street-legal motorcycles for the 2020 model year. Organized in alphabetical order by manufacturer, it includes photos and links to details or, when available, first rides and road test reviews about each bike. This guide is updated regularly as more new/updated models are announced, and when we’ve had a chance to ride them and report our impressions.
Receiving updates similar to those that other models in the
R family received for 2019, the BMW R 1250 R roadster gets a larger 1,254cc
boxer twin with ShiftCam variable valve timing and valve stroke and updates to
its electronics package. It also gets a mild style refresh with a TFT display,
a DRL option for the halogen headlight and new color options. Although originally
announced as a 2019 model, the R 1250 R didn’t make it to the U.S. in time. BMW
says it will be available as a 2020 model with an MSRP starting at $14,995.
Receiving updates similar to those that other models in the
R family received for 2019, the BMW R 1250 R roadster gets a larger 1,254cc
boxer twin with ShiftCam variable valve timing and valve stroke and updates to
its electronics package. The RS also gets a style refresh that drops the
asymmetrical, winking look of the S 1000 RR in favor of a sporty twin-LED
headlight assembly, and an LED DRL (daytime running light) is an option.
Although announced as a 2019 model, the R 1250 RS didn’t make it to the U.S. in
time. BMW says it will be available as a 2020 model with an MSRP starting at
$15,695.
More power (205 hp), less weight (434 lbs), updated
technology and a new up-spec Motorsport version. The 2020 BMW S 1000 RR is at
the pointy end of the sportbike spear. Pricing starts at $16,995 and bikes will
be in dealerships in summer 2019.
Harley-Davidson’s new LiveWire electric motorcycle is seriously sporty, shockingly fast and whisper-quiet–everything a typical Harley isn’t. And that’s just the way Milwaukee wants it. It’s propelled by a liquid-cooled electric motor that makes a claimed 105 horsepower and 86 lb-ft of torque, drawing power from a 15.5 kWh battery that offers, according to H-D, a range of 146 miles in the city and 95 miles of combined stop-and-go and highway riding. Single-speed transmission offers twist-and-go convenience, and styling, ergonomics and components are the sportiest offered on any Harley-Davidson. MSRP starts at $29,799.
The 2020 Suzuki Katana features styling cues that pay direct homage to the 1981 original, and it’s built around the potent GSX-S1000 999cc inline-four. It features ABS, traction control, Easy Start and Low RPM Assist, as well as a twin-spar aluminum frame, braced superbike-style swingarm, KYB suspension, dual front Brembo monoblock four-piston calipers, 310mm floating rotors and a model-specific LCD panel. We got a chance to ride the new Katana in Japan last March, but pricing and availability are TBD.
Announced in the fall of 2018, we’re still waiting to see the
new Ténéré 700 (T7, for short) in the flesh–Yamaha says it will be coming to
the U.S. in the second half of 2020 as a 2021 model. We know it will be
powered by the 689cc CP2 parallel twin used in the MT-07, housed in a new
tubular steel double-cradle frame. Other details include a 62.6-inch wheelbase,
9.5 inches of ground clearance, a fully adjustable USD 43mm fork with 8.3
inches of travel and a remote preload-adjustable rear shock with 7.9 inches of
travel.
Yamaha has updated its flagship sportbikes, the YZF-R1 and the track-ready YZF-R1M, for 2020, with both featuring refinements to their CP4 crossplane crankshaft engines, an augmented electronic rider aids package, enhanced suspension and redesigned bodywork. MSRP is $17,300 for the YZF-R1 and $26,099 for the YZF-R1M (the latter is available in limited quantities through Yamaha’s online reservation system).
The first new model from Zero Motorcycles since 2016, the 2020 SR/F’s streetfighter look and steel trellis frame blur the styling lines between gas and electric motorcycles. Powered by a new ZF75-10 IPM (Interior Permanent Magnet) motor and ZF14.4 lithium-ion battery, it delivers a claimed 140 lb-ft of torque and 110 horsepower. It also features Bosch’s Motorcycle Stability Control System and Zero’s new Cypher III operating system. Pricing starts at $18,995.
Quartararo tops the timesheets in MotoGP testing at Brno
Section: Competition
Yamaha completes top three with Vinales and Morbidelli.
Image: Supplied.
Rookie phenomenon Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) went faster than his Czech GP FP2 time to top the timesheets at the one-day Brno MotoGP test.
The Frenchman’s 1m55.616s was 0.012s ahead of second-fastest Maverick Vinales as he and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammate Valentino Rossi got their hands on an early 2020 YZR-M1 prototype, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) making it an Iwata factory 1-2-3 on Monday.
One of the key talking points leading up to the Brno Test was Yamaha rolling out a first version of next year’s bike. Rossi was out on a blacked-out YZR-M1 early in the day as he and teammate Vinales got their first taste of what the 2020 bike will be like, and the duo had a new seat unit to test for their 2019 bikes.
They were out on track until the chequered flag was waved as ‘The Doctor’ shot up to P6 on his final run, with 63 laps completed by the nine-time champion. Vinales got 74 laps under his belt ahead of Austria.
In the Petronas Yamaha SRT box, pacesetter Quartararo tested carbon forks on his M1, the same as the factory team use. Meanwhile, Morbidelli improved his time last in the session to set the third quickest time of the day and got a solid 78 laps under his belt – the same as Quartararo. The Italian tried a thumb brake which he has already used on some occasions, but his main focus was on settings.
Czech GP winner and championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had three bikes at his disposal for the Brno Test. One was the one he raced with which has no carbon fibre reinforcements, the second had a small carbon fibre insert near the steering head and the third had a smaller carbon fibre insert.
The seven-time champion also tried a new Honda aero package on one of the RC213Vs, but he did most of his work on his standard bike and as he completed 70 laps, finishing eighth on the timesheets – likely not pushing too hard on test duty.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) also had three bikes to play with during the test. Similar to Marquez, one was his standard 2019 bike while another had the reinforced carbon chassis. Another had some ‘test items’ on it and, again similar to Marquez, the British rider did most of his work on his standard 2019 package and ended the day P5.
Teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was mainly focusing on improving his setup, with the Japanese rider doing a Michelin tyre test at the end of the day to work on edge grip.
At Team Suzuki Ecstar, there was a high-speed crash for rookie Joan Mir with just under 45 minutes of the session remaining that brought out the Red Flag. Mir’s GSX-RR ended over the fence at turn one and as a precaution, the Spaniard was taken to hospital for further checks.
For teammate Alex Rins, work with the new aero package we saw across the weekend was his main focus, but he also had a small evolution on the chassis and swingarm that he tested in Barcelona. The Spaniard finished fourth fastest having completed 69 laps at Brno, with Mir also completing 69 laps – some while using the aero package for the first time – before his crash saw him end the test in seventh.
Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso completed a steady 48 laps on Monday to finish 12th on the times, with the Italian testing a new swingarm for the Bologna factory. Teammate Danilo Petrucci was working on setup as they try to understand why the performance wasn’t quite there at Brno. In the Pramac Racing box, Czech GP podium finisher Jack Miller confirmed he had been trying a new Ducati chassis during the weekend.
The Australian was back to the one he used for the first half of the season for most of Monday’s test, with Miller doing back-to-back runs to confirm the new one was the way forward. Moreover, he made progress with the rear shock. Teammate Francesco Bagnaia was focused on getting more miles under his belt and having found a new setup in FP4 at Brno, the reigning Moto2 world champion will hope to take more confidence into Austria. Bagnaia ended the test as the fastest Ducati, placing ninth – 0.632 from Quartararo’s time.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Johann Zarco had a short day to keep his energy levels high for the team’s home race in Austria this weekend, with the Frenchman completing the least laps of anyone – 31. On the other side of the garage, Pol Espargaro did 49 laps as KTM worked on a little bit of everything: settings, electronics, chassis, aero package and suspension.
Red Bull KTM Tech 3’s Miguel Oliveira got the chance to ride a full factory spec machine as well at Brno, impressively finishing the day just over a tenth off Espargaro on the timesheets as they took P14 and P15.
Aleix Espargaro had a carbon-reinforced chassis to try during the morning hours for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, and in the afternoon the Spaniard tested a new swingarm for the Noale factory. He did 57 laps, with teammate Andrea Iannone doing 52. MotoGP resumes this weekend at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Johann Zarco had a short day to keep his energy levels high for the team’s home race in Austria this weekend, the Frenchman completed the least number of laps of anyone – 31. On the other side of the factory garage, Pol Espargaro circulated 49 times as KTM worked on a little bit of everything: settings, electronics, chassis, aero package and suspension. Red Bull KTM Tech 3’s Miguel Oliveira got the chance to ride a full factory spec machine at Brno, he finished just over a tenth off Espargaro on the timesheets in P14 and P15 respectively.
Yeeow, sounds like it was a thrilling Buffalo Chip TT last night, right down to the last corner, wherein JD Beach slipped past teammate Jake Johnson for the win. Further back, the wily Jared Mees settled for a third place finish after series points leader Briar Bauman crashed out of the race – closing the points gap to just 12 as the 2019 AFT series enters the second half of the season tomorrow night at the Black Hills Half-Mile in aptly named Rapid City, S.D.
AFT Press Release:
STURGIS, S.D. (August 4, 2019) – JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) blasted past teammate Jake Johnson (No. 5 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) just a few feet short of the checkered flag to steal away a most improbable victory in Sunday night’s wild American Flat Track premier class showdown at the Buffalo Chip TT presented by Indian Motorcycle in Sturgis, S.D.
Until the very final moments, Johnson seemed all but assured of taking back-to-back AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines triumphs at the Buffalo Chip. The TT standout grabbed the holeshot and quickly broke free at the front while a four-rider fight for second took shape involving Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team XG750R Rev X), Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) and Beach.
Passing opportunities proved few and far between as the riders negotiated the purpose-built TT circuit on the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground that encircled “The Bar” and was pressed tight by thousands of fans on the fences. As a result, the top five could have easily been set from the opening lap if not for repeated drama.
Harley versus Indian versus Yamaha… (photos by Scott Hunter)
First, Vanderkooi ran wide and quickly gave up three positions. An aggressive Beach then made his way by Bauman as well and immediately went about applying intense pressure on Mees for second.
That pressure was so great, in fact, that Mees ultimately decided it was better to just hand the position over to Beach than invite trouble in an attempt to defend it, especially once he saw that championship rival Briar Bauman (No. 14 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) was destined to DNF after crashing further back in the field.
At that point, Mees’ calculated decision appeared likely only to open the door for an eventual Estenson 1-2, but Beach still wasn’t satisfied. He somehow reeled in teammate Johnson, arriving on his rear wheel just in time to take the white flag. However, Beach simply couldn’t find a way through and was all but ready to follow Johnson to the checkered flag when Johnson’s bike suffered a mechanical issue exiting the race’s very final corner.
Beach promptly powered past, officially claiming the victory by 0.201 seconds. The win was the second of Beach’s AFT Twins career and his second straight on the tour’s run of TTs, having also won at the Arizona Super TT earlier this season.
As excited as he was, Beach couldn’t help but feel for Johnson. He said, “I’m heartbroken for Jake. He rode an amazing race. I came from like fifth and caught him, but we only had a lap to go. I was trying to find a way by him but there just wasn’t any room. Coming out of the last turn, I heard his bike blubber, so I knew I was hooked up and going. It’s awesome to get a win, but to get a win like that — especially with Jake because he’s such a good guy — it feels good but it doesn’t.
For Jake Johnson, so close and yet so far away…
“I have to thank the whole crowd for coming out. This event is awesome. And I’ve got to thank the whole Estenson racing team. They’ve been working really hard. We’ve got a bike that can go right, and I think we’ve proved it. And we have another chance at the Peoria TT, so we’ll see what happens.”
Mees came home in third, slashing his title deficit from 26 to just 12 (173-161) to open the second half of the ‘19 title fight.
Bronson Bauman finished fourth, followed by Vanderkooi in fifth.
Roof Systems AFT Singles presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys
For the second consecutive year, Ryan Sipes (No. 264 Red Bull/Leatt/KTM 450 SX-F) put on a masterclass of all-around riding ability at the Buffalo Chip TT with a convincing victory in the once-stopped and restarted Roof Systems AFT Singles presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Main Event.
With right- and left-handers of varying radii and jumps to navigate, the TTs demand a somewhat different, expanded skillset compared to the other three AFT disciplines. It should be no surprise that the supremely versatile Sipes once again shone under the lights at the Buffalo Chip, as he showcased the talents that also made him a Supercross race winner and America’s first-ever ISDE overall winner.
Sipes was in dominant form all day long, and effectively secured the win at the critically important start when he hammered into the lead off the line. His combination of superior speed and inch-perfect lines provided his opponents with precious little hope of defeating the Kentucky native on this night.
“I wanted this one really bad,” Sipes said. “All I’ve thought about since I crashed at Springfield was I should have won there, and now I have to win here. And I did it, so I feel really good about it.”
AFT Singles points leader Dalton Gauthier (No. 122 D&D Cycles/Gobert Smash Husqvarna FC450) was ecstatic to finish second. With series part-timer Sipes not in championship contention and key title rival Mikey Rush (No. 15 RMR Honda/Red Riders Rewards Honda CRF450R) suffering another difficult outing, Gauthier’s podium performance opened up some breathing space at the top of the standings.
Defending champ Dan Bromley (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) took over second in the championship chase with his sixth podium result of the season by finishing third.
‘16 class champ Ryan Wells (No. 94 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) made an impressive charge on a track that was nearly impossible to pass on to arrive in fourth while top qualifier Chad Cose (No. 49 Parkinson Bros Racing/Rod Lake Honda CRF450R) rounded out the top five.
Be sure to catch the feature broadcast of the Buffalo Chip TT presented by Indian Motorcyclewith flag-to-flag coverage of both Main Events, enhanced by exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage. The broadcast will debut on Saturday, August 10, at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT and re-air on Wednesday, August 14, starting at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT.
Next Up:
American Flat Track will be back at it Tuesday night to complete this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally doubleheader with the Black Hills Half-Mile presented by Law Tigers at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D., on Tuesday, August 6. Live coverage will once again be available at FansChoice.tv. Black Hills HM tickets are on sale now at tickets.americanflattrack.com.
NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’s VOD page.
Yamaha have rolled out the first step of their new engine which is expected to have better top speed and drivability, with Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) spending time out on a black bike. ‘The Doctor’ currently sits 12th on the times, with teammate Maverick Viñales ninth.
