Race News from Around the World,  June 2004 c/o mcnews

 

Upcoming Track Days, Last Updated - June 14th, 2004.

  • Aug 21 - VIC - Winton - HRCA - Track Day - 03 9595 5032
  • Sep 9 - VIC - Phillip Island - HRCA - Track Day - 03 9595 5032
  • Dec 11 - VIC - Phillip Island - HRCA - Track Day - 03 9595 5032

 

Maxxis Australian Motocross Championship - 2004 - Round Three - Coolum (QLD) – Preview. June 3rd, 2004: Round three of the 2004 Maxxis Australian Motocross Championship will be held at Coolum (Qld) on June 6, as Australia’s best riders set out to extinguish New Zealand’s bout of early-season brilliance. New Zealand riders have won all eight of the Pro races in the opening two rounds, with the irresistible troika of Darryll King, Shayne King and Cody Cooper the most prolific – especially the latter, who remains undefeated in Pro Lites aboard his #8 No Fear Honda CRF250R.

 

Production starts on BMW's new master blaster, June 4th, 2004.

On 1 June, production of BMW’s new K1200 S high performance superbike started at the BMW motorcycle plant in Berlin. However, the motorcycles currently manufactured will not go to customers but will be used for internal purposes including training and to perfect all processes to ensure the highest level of quality when the new model is officially launched in September.

 

American Superbike Championship 2004 - Elkhart Lake, June 5th, 2004.

Mat Mladin has maintained his position at the front of the 2004 American AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship after a hard fought second place finish in the first of this weekend’s two Superbike Nationals held at the Road America circuit at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

 

Kiwi wins 1000cc Production TT, June 9th, 2004.

Bruce Anstey broke lap and race records as he convincingly won the delayed 1000cc Production race as the Isle of Man TT racing festival continues. The Kiwi headed off a determined challenge from John McGuinness who was bidding to take a third consecutive victory during the week.

 

MotoGP 2004 - Round 5 – Catalunya,125 Race, June 13th, 2004.

With 3 laps to run Barbera took the lead from Nieto but the front group were still tightly packed with Casey Stoner lying 4th.  He then moved up to third with two laps remaining. As they got the last lap board Stoner was pushed back to fifth while Nieto took the lead, Barbera back in front two corners later, Stoner up to fourth, Nieto back in the lead up the inside, Barbera up the inside at the next turn, then Dovizioso up to 2nd, Barbera then held the lead through a series of turns with Dovizioso right behind as they came on to the main straight and Barbera takes the win by 0.006 of a second. Nieto third, Stoner 4th.

 

 

125 Race Result

125 Championship Points
  1. Barbera
  2. Dovizioso
  3. Nieto
  4. Stoner
  5. Lorenzo
  1. Dovizioso 96
  2. Barbera 74
  3. Locatelli 73
  4. Stoner 68
  5. Nieto 55

 

MotoGP 2004 - Round 5 – Catalunya, 250 Race, June 13th, 2004.

Three riders broke away early in this 250 race with Randy De Puniet leading the way from Daniel Pedrosa and Toni Elias.  As the laps progressed Toni Elias lost touch with De Puniet and Pedrosa.  A further five seconds back was a hectic battle for fourth being waged between Rolfo, Porto, Nieto, De Angelis and Poggiali. Daniel Pedrosa and Randy De Puniet stepped the battle up another peg during the middle stages of the race. With nine laps to run Poggiali and Rolfo both went down. Daniel Pedrosa and Randy De Puniet were riding the wheels off their machines in the closing laps of this race, both riders sliding their 250 machines around the fast double right hander in a fashion more reminiscent of the big MotoGP machines.  Thrilling stuff. The leading pair swapped places numerous times on the last lap with De Puniet holding the lead most of the time and held on to take the win.  An awesome race, just like the 125 race earlier, now for the MotoGP men and no doubt another thriller.

 

250 Race Result

 

250 Championship Points

1. De Puniet

6. Aoyama

  1. De Puniet 98

2. Pedrosa

7. Guintoli

  1. Pedrosa 90

3. Elias

8. Debon

      3.   Porto 63

4. Porto

9. West

 

5. Nieto

10. Battaini 

 

 

MotoGP 2004 - Round 5 - Catalunya - MotoGP Race, June 13th, 2004.

Troy Bayliss then went down very hard tumbling roughly through the gravel trap and obviously hurt.  Conscious and moving limbs but certainly the Australian has sustained some sort of injury in that sickening tumble. Rossi went through to the lead at the end of the main straight with two laps remaining before the two front runners then smoked the hell out of their rear tyres around the fast right hander, both seriously sideways complete with smoky trail.  Later on in the lap Gibernau ran a little wide and touched the grass which nearly put him on the deck but he stayed on the pace and within striking distance but it had allowed Rossi to pull a few bike lengths prior to them starting the final lap. Rossi looked to maybe have it as they started the last lap, unless he makes a mistake the race is Rossi's. Gibernau closes right up on entry to the third last corner, Gibernau right on his pipe, they come around the right handers on to the straight, hard on the gas and yes he does it,  Rossi takes the win.

 

A fair distance back was Marco Melandri who rounded out the podium while Carlos Checa brought home fourth place for Yamaha to make it the best weekend for the tuning fork brand in Grand Prix since god was a boy. Ruben Xaus the best Ducati rider with an excellent sixth place, just behind Colin Edwards who brought home fifth place.  No points scored for either of the full factory Repsol HRC riders; management will not be impressed.

 

MotoGP

Race Result

MotoGP

Championship Points

1. Rossi

6. Xaus

1. Gibernau 106

7. Melandri 34

2. Gibernau

7. Nakano

2. Rossi 101

8. Capirossi

3. Melandri

8. Biaggi

3. Biaggi 80

9. Abe

4. Checa

9. Abe

4. Checa 49

10. Hayden

5. Edwards

10. Capirossi 

5. Barros 48

11. Bayliss 

 

 

6. Edwards 44

 

 

World Superbike 2004 - Round 6 - Silverstone - Race 1, June 13th, 2004.

Chris Vermeulen and Noriyuki Haga quickly broke away from the pack in this opening race at Silverstone.  The early star of the race was Pierfrancesco Chili who stormed from well back on the grid up to third place to be in front of the factory Ducati riders.  Up front Noriyuki Haga sat right on the tail of Vermeulen lap after lap. He went to the lead briefly at times but for the most part looked content to stick on Vermeulen's pipe.   Then on the last lap the two swapped paint numerous times but the Japanese rider got the better in what ended up being a lottery for the win.  But the winner was Haga in what ended up being a well judged ride from Noriyuki. With McCoy scoring fourth, Martin sixth, Corser seventh and Warwick Nowland eleventh, Australia had five riders finish in the top 11.

 

World Supersport 2004 - Round 6 - Silverstone - Supersport Race, June 13th, 2004.

Karl Muggeridge led them away from Ducati rider Lorenzo Lanzi and Kevin Curtain.  Jurgen Vd Goorbergh, Fabien Foret and Broc Parkes also away well.  Lanzi actually took the lead from Muggeridge on lap two but Muggas quickly reclaimed the lead. Fabien Foret then stepped up another cog to slot past Kevin Curtain before then taking second place from Lanzi with 15 laps to run. At one third race distance Foret then took the lead from Muggeridge but the Aussie came right back at the Frenchman two corners later, then Foret again, then Muggas again.  Lanzi, Parkes and Curtain right behind the leading pair all this time.  Parkes then got the better of Lanzi for third place. High speed tussles continued to the end amongst the leading trio with Foret coming away the victor.

 

Race Results

 

Championship

Standings

1. Foret

6. Goorbergh

1. Muggeridge 107

6. Lanzi 50

2. Muggeridge

7. Riba

2. Goorbergh 92

7. Charpentier 48

3. Parkes

8. Charpentier

3. Parkes 69

8. Chambon 45

4. Lanzi

9. Corradi

4. Curtain 58

9. Fujiwara 44

5. Curtain

10. Chambon 

5. Foret 55

10 Neukirchner 36 

 

 

World Superbike 2004 - Round 6 - Silverstone - Race 2, June 13th, 2004.

Troy Corser suffered dramas on the grid when his machine refused to fire on the starting grid which meant the Australian was forced to start the race from pit lane. With two laps to run Laconi lost touch with Vermeulen and Haga with this pair left to continue their battle all the way to the line.  Haga finally got past for more than a couple of seconds late on the penultimate lap but that couple of seconds was all Vermeulen was allowing him to enjoy as the young Aussie did another switchback up the inside.  Heart stopping stuff! Last lap, Vermeulen the leader, Haga on his pipe, no doubt it will go down to the wire...  Haga inside and pulls alongside but Vermeulen holds on, Haga tried up the inside again a couple of corners later but Vermeulen responds, Haga inside but again Chris comes back, and he holds on for an amazing maiden win.  And boy did he have to work for it!  That was the race of the year.

 

Race Results

 

Championship

Standings

1. Vermeulen

6. Martin

1. Laconi 171

6. McCoy 128

2. Haga

7. Ellison

2. Toseland 168

7. Haslam 113

3. Laconi

8. McCoy

3. Haga 139

8. Corser 95

4. Haslam

9. Corser

4. Vermeulen 137

9. Martin 93

5. Toseland

10. Clementi 

5. Chili 129

10. Walker 82

 

 

MotoGP 2004 - Round 6 - Assen - 125 Race, June 26th, 2004.

After taking the first ever pole position for KTM Casey Stoner capitalised on that position to get away to a fantastic start and led the field through turn one. Stoner went underneath Locatelli for third as they ran onto the straight to commence the last lap but Locatelli had the speed down the straight to get him back again into turn one.  One of the riders then ran on to the grass but kept it nailed and bounced back on to the track which could have brought all four of them down but amazingly they all remained upright and Locatelli led the way with five corners to run.  Heart-stopping!

 

At the final turn it is Locatelli with the advantage. Stoner was at the back of the quartet and desperately looking for a way through.  Lorenzo took the lead in the final turn and the run to the line while Stoner also used the final turn to make a move and just managed to hold on to third as they crossed the line. Locatelli home second, Dovizioso fourth.  Wow!

 

125 Race Result

 

125 Championship Points

1. Lorenzo

6. Barbera

1. Dovizioso 109

2. Locatelli

7. Simoncelli

2. Locatelli 93

3. Stoner

8. Nieto

3. Barbera 84

4. Dovizioso

9. Giansanti

4. Stoner 84

5. Jenkner

10. Toth 

5. Nieto 63

 

 

 MotoGP 2004 - Round 6 - Assen - 250 Race, June 26th, 2004.

Porto got away well and led the field around the opening laps of this Dutch Grand Prix but Randy De Puniet moved through to the lead with seven laps down.  A few laps Porto came back and then managed to stretch a gap while Daniel Pedrosa moved up to second. Anthony West put in a stellar ride to come home as the first privateer in front of a whole fleet of factory bikes to score sixth place and celebrated that fact with a nice mono across the line.

 

 

 

 

250 Race Result

 

250 Championship Points

1. Porto

6. West

1. De Puniet 111

2. Pedrosa

7. Poggiali

2. Pedrosa 110

3. Elias

8. Nieto

3. Porto 88

4. De Puniet

9. Rolfo

 

5. De Angelis

10. Aoyama

 

 

 

MotoGP 2004 - Round 6 - Assen - MotoGP Race, June 26th, 2004.

Gibernau was a class act in the final laps but on the penultimate lap Rossi broke the lap record again with a 1m59.4 but that didn't him too many favours as Gibernau was only a few thousandths of a second slower.  Last lap and Rossi right on Gibernau's tail and looking for where he can take an advantage. Rossi got under and went deep but somehow managed to still get it turned. Amazing, Gibernau pulled alongside on exit but Rossi had the line for the next turn and Rossi takes the win.  Another great race. Melandri takes third, Biaggi fourth, Hayden fifth and Colin Edwards sixth. Gibernau looked absolutely gutted at losing, much more so than we have ever seen him before.  He didn't reveal the whole reasons for that in the post race press conference but I do believe he is dirty with Valentino due to an incident in the closing stages where the two riders touched.

 

MotoGP Race Result

 

MotoGP Championship Points

1. Rossi

6. Edwards

1. Rossi 126

2. Gibernau

7. Xaus

2. Gibernau 126

3. Melandri

8. Capirossi

3. Biaggi 93

4. Biaggi

9. Checa

4. Checa 56

5. Hayden

10. Hodgson

5. Melandri