WSBK VALENCIA

Looks like there is a chance for rain.

Spies and Hopkins to finish one two with Biaggi finishing third

This is the event schedule for this weekend, from the Valencia track website.




Friday
12:45 - 13:45 60' WSBK Free Practice
14:00 - 14:45 45' Superstock 1000 Free Practice
15:00 - 16:00 60' W. Supersport Free Practice
16:15 - 17:15 60' WSBK Qualifying Practice
17:30 - 18:00 30' Superstock 600 Free Practice
Saturday
09:00 - 09:30 30' Superstock 1000 Free Practice
09:45 - 10:30 45' W. Supersport Free Practice
10:45 - 11:30 45' WSBK Qualifying Practice
11:45 - 12:15 30' Superstock 600 Free Practice
12:25 - 12:50 25' Pit Walk Pit Walk
13:00 - 13:45 45' W. Supersport Qualifying Practice
14:00 - 14:45 45' WSBK Free Practice
15:00 - 15:12 12' WSBK Superpole (1)
15:19 - 15:31 12' WSBK Superpole (2)
15:38 - 15:50 12' WSBK Superpole (3)
16:10 - 16:40 30' Superstock 1000 Qualifying Practice
16:55 - 17:25 30' Superstock 600 Qualifying Practice
Sunday
09:00 - 09:10 10' Superstock 1000 Warm Up
09:20 - 09:40 20' WSBK Warm Up
09:50 - 10:10 20' W. Supersport Warm Up
10:40 Superstock 1000 Race 13 Laps - Km 52.065
11:10 - 11:30 20' Pit Walk Pit Walk
12:00 WSBK Race 1 23 Laps - Km 92.115
13:25 W. Supersport Race
14:30 Superstock 600 Race
15:30 WSBK Race 2 23 Laps - Km 92.115

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Apr 1 2009, 11:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Looks like there is a chance for rain.

Spies and Hopkins to finish one two with Biaggi finishing third

I cant remember being this antsy and amped about a race weekend in a long time. Even though it is real early in the season, a mental turning point could happen this weekend. If Spies comes in and dominates the weekend and doubles and Haga gets seconds,they will be tied but the damage will have been done to Haga's head. I think Haga knows this is a major moment in the season and will push past his limit and take a fall or have a run off in one of the races.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Apr 2 2009, 07:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I cant remember being this antsy and amped about a race weekend in a long time. Even though it is real early in the season, a mental turning point could happen this weekend. If Spies comes in and dominates the weekend and doubles and Haga gets seconds,they will be tied but the damage will have been done to Haga's head. I think Haga knows this is a major moment in the season and will push past his limit and take a fall or have a run off in one of the races.

my thoughts exactly








GO SPIES!!!




GO HOPPER!! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/.....gif

Haga threw down the gauntlet by saying that going to Valencia was going to be good for him and the bike. In other words, this is where I will really shine. Well we will see. I can talk bad about Haga because for the most part he has been a class guy (except for the oil spilling incident). So I hope he comes in a comfortable and safe THIRD.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Apr 2 2009, 02:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Looks like there is a chance for rain.

Spies and Hopkins to finish one two with Biaggi finishing third
Spies may win...... Hopkins for 2nd????

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Apr 2 2009, 06:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Spies may win...... Hopkins for 2nd????
Hey Son, good morning buddy. So what do you predict for Hopkins. I say top 5 somewhere. But I'm hopping for podium finish. That may be a giant leap of faith, since I don't think he's ridden a superbike for a decade.

Hopper and Haga fighting for 2nd....Spies Doing wheelies

Oh yea, I just remembered that the minor leagues were having an event at Road Atlanta this weekend. I had totally forgot till i clicked on a site a second ago and saw an ad. Damn shame really,this will be the first RA race ive missed since AMA has raced bikes there. Tonight, i would be loading up the bike for an early escape tomorrow morning and a great ride thru the North Georgia Mountains but hey, sometimes you have to make a stand. About half the group that i ride with are going but are mainly doing it because they had promised kids or wives they could go. No one is excited about the races as far as i can tell.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Apr 2 2009, 09:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hey Son, good morning buddy. So what do you predict for Hopkins. I say top 5 somewhere. But I'm hopping for podium finish. That may be a giant leap of faith, since I don't think he's ridden a superbike for a decade.

He's never ridden a Superbike. He did run FX and Supersport on 750cc and 600cc bikes, but never the 1000cc machines. Pretty much the same, but much bigger bike than he has ridden since 2002.

He won't finish in the top 10. Makota Tamada actually won in MotoGP and he is tooling around in the rear WSBK. Hopkins never won a single race in MotoGP, and I expect him to not be much higher in the results.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Apr 2 2009, 11:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hey Son, good morning buddy. So what do you predict for Hopkins. I say top 5 somewhere. But I'm hopping for podium finish. That may be a giant leap of faith, since I don't think he's ridden a superbike for a decade.
Hopkins......if he makes top ten I'll be impressed. New bike, team, tyres, and crew - top ten will be a fair effort.
To be fair, there's so much more intrigue than motoGP. How good is Stiggy? Lots of questions to be answered. Hoping for some crackin races.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Apr 2 2009, 08:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hopkins......if he makes top ten I'll be impressed. New bike, team, tyres, and crew - top ten will be a fair effort.
To be fair, there's so much more intrigue than motoGP. How good is Stiggy? Lots of questions to be answered. Hoping for some crackin races.

Little Rocket put the Stig on the box...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Apr 2 2009, 06:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hey Son, good morning buddy. So what do you predict for Hopkins. I say top 5 somewhere. But I'm hopping for podium finish. That may be a giant leap of faith, since I don't think he's ridden a superbike for a decade.

He just had a test last week and of course they said it went really well. Hopkins said he was having fun again.

LINK

If Bayliss can hop on a MOTOGP bike and win, why can't somebody come into WSBK and win. I know we are talkinga bout Hopkins, but I think he may come out and surprise a few people, specially since he will be on competitive machinery.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Apr 2 2009, 05:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I cant remember being this antsy and amped about a race weekend in a long time. Even though it is real early in the season, a mental turning point could happen this weekend. If Spies comes in and dominates the weekend and doubles and Haga gets seconds,they will be tied but the damage will have been done to Haga's head. I think Haga knows this is a major moment in the season and will push past his limit and take a fall or have a run off in one of the races.

Same. WSBK is bringing the goods this season.

Haga and Spies both have a lot to lose/gain this weekend. Hopper's career is on the line as well, imo. I know he has the rest of the season to adapt, but a bad/good start can have a huge impact on his psyche.

A lot going on this weekend.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hayden Fan @ Apr 2 2009, 09:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He's never ridden a Superbike. He did run FX and Supersport on 750cc and 600cc bikes, but never the 1000cc machines. Pretty much the same, but much bigger bike than he has ridden since 2002.

He won't finish in the top 10. Makota Tamada actually won in MotoGP and he is tooling around in the rear WSBK. Hopkins never won a single race in MotoGP, and I expect him to not be much higher in the results.
Formula Extreme were 1000cc bikes when Hopkins won the title and they were close to Superbikes in performance,usually within a second or so of the Superbike times.

Damn excited as well for this weekend. The WSBK crew is back to Europe, Valencia is a short tight track that allows for some great racing. It's a tough season for me as I am a big Haga fan and also a fan of Spies, I want them both to do well and would be happy with either winning races or the overall. At this point I can't pick a favorite, just happy to see some great competition. Haga so far has been playing it conservative, he's bound to turn it up a notch so I just don't see Spies pulling a Stoner this year and running away with it.

In regards to Hopkins, I agree a top 10 would be a good result for him. He obviously has great track knowledge which is an advantage, but he is new to the bike, tires, team, superpole etc. He's going to need some time. No doubt Stiggy Honda is a good team to be on. Haslam has shown the bike can get the job done. Being managed by an ex racer has got to be a plus too. If I was Hopkins I would be happy too, after the Kawasaki experience and with the bs rules they have thrown at MotoGP lately.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hayden Fan @ Apr 2 2009, 08:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He's never ridden a Superbike. He did run FX and Supersport on 750cc and 600cc bikes, but never the 1000cc machines. Pretty much the same, but much bigger bike than he has ridden since 2002.

He won't finish in the top 10. Makota Tamada actually won in MotoGP and he is tooling around in the rear WSBK. Hopkins never won a single race in MotoGP, and I expect him to not be much higher in the results.
Formula Xtreme was the 1000cc formula while he was riding, it wasn't changed to a 600cc class until 2006 or something like that. So he has a season's worth of experience on kitted out 1000cc bikes, albeit it was eight years ago. I think top 10 is a realistic goal and I think he'll make it. The Tamada comparison is quite misleading. He won those races because he was on the 211 when it was hands down the best bike on the grid and he was the best Bridgestone package at the time, winning races at flyaway rounds. Since then he's lost quite a bit of confidence and speed, and he's riding a Kawasaki.

I think the closest comparison to make would be Biaggi. His pedigree is far superior to Hopkins' but you look at Biaggi's final year in GP on the Repsol Honda and he finished fifth. Because their career trajectories are completely opposite (Biaggi on the bottom of a downward slope and Hopkins near his peak), I would say Hopkins probably has just a bit more speed (at the moment) than Biaggi. Haslam has proved the Stiggy group is a competitive package, now Hopkins needs to translate that into a top 10 this weekend and wins by season's end.

To be fair, I think that Spies actually may have some laps around Valencia. He was testing the GSV-R. I can't remember if it rained or what but it was only a few laps, but non the less, he can't claim it's a track that he never rolled a tire on.

Advantage Spies

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VTtwinner @ Apr 2 2009, 05:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Friday
12:45 - 13:45 60' WSBK Free Practice
14:00 - 14:45 45' Superstock 1000 Free Practice
15:00 - 16:00 60' W. Supersport Free Practice
16:15 - 17:15 60' WSBK Qualifying Practice
17:30 - 18:00 30' Superstock 600 Free Practice
Saturday
09:00 - 09:30 30' Superstock 1000 Free Practice
09:45 - 10:30 45' W. Supersport Free Practice
10:45 - 11:30 45' WSBK Qualifying Practice
11:45 - 12:15 30' Superstock 600 Free Practice
12:25 - 12:50 25' Pit Walk Pit Walk
13:00 - 13:45 45' W. Supersport Qualifying Practice
14:00 - 14:45 45' WSBK Free Practice
15:00 - 15:12 12' WSBK Superpole (1)
15:19 - 15:31 12' WSBK Superpole (2)
15:38 - 15:50 12' WSBK Superpole (3)
16:10 - 16:40 30' Superstock 1000 Qualifying Practice
16:55 - 17:25 30' Superstock 600 Qualifying Practice
Sunday
09:00 - 09:10 10' Superstock 1000 Warm Up
09:20 - 09:40 20' WSBK Warm Up
09:50 - 10:10 20' W. Supersport Warm Up
10:40 Superstock 1000 Race 13 Laps - Km 52.065
11:10 - 11:30 20' Pit Walk Pit Walk
12:00 WSBK Race 1 23 Laps - Km 92.115
13:25 W. Supersport Race
14:30 Superstock 600 Race
15:30 WSBK Race 2 23 Laps - Km 92.115

9 hours ahead of PST, that sucks. I might catch superpole at 6 am but the first race is at 3 am and second is at 6 am. DAMNIT