Video: Josh Brookes Shows Us the Fastest Line over “The Mountain” at Cadwell Park

The Mountain at Cadwell Park, as it is known, is like the British version of the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca: another one of those special points on a race track, that would not exist on the computer-generated courses we see today. Famous for lofting bikes into the air, The Mountain makes for spectacular photographs, and should be on every rider’s track day bucket list. Finding the fastest racing line over The Mountain can be difficult though, as riders have to contend with keeping the front of their motorcycles down, but such is not the case for HM Plant Honda’s Josh Brookes…

Lost Knee Puck Hinders Hayden at Indy

Track conditions were the talk of the paddock this weekend at the Indianapolis GP, as riders battled the changing tarmac surfaces, and undulating bumps of the Indy infield. Perhaps most vocal of his displeasure with the course was Ducati rider Casey Stoner, who called the Indianapolis Motor Speedway not a world class track, and specifically complained about plastic drains that would catch riders as the ventured in towards the edge of the track (Rossi also complained of these drains). Teammate Nicky Hayden was less critical before Sunday’s race though, saying that Stoner’s comments could be applied to many of the courses on the MotoGP calendar. However after losing a knee puck to one of the drainage grates that Stoner criticized earlier, Hayden may be re-thinking his tune.

Rossi Waiting to Hear if Burgess Will Retire

Talking after the Indianapolis GP, Valentino Rossi explained that he is waiting to hear from Jeremy Burgess as to whether the Australian Crew Chief will retire next season. Assured of the fact that Burgess would not stay behind at Yamaha, and would not work with another rider, Rossi stated the buzz around whether Burgess would move with the Italian to Ducati, hinges as to when Burgess plans on retiring from motorcycle racing.

Nicky Hayden Renews Contract with Ducati

Under the lights of the Indy Mile, where motorcycle racing began for the Kentucky-born MotoGP racer, Nicky Hayden has signed a two-year contract with Ducati Corse for the 2011 & 2012 seasons. Not the biggest surprise in the paddock, Hayden’s contract renewal has never really been questioned this season as the American started the season off with series of strong finishes and continues to be a strong brand ambassador for Ducati in the United States. Hayden will be joined the next two years by former teammate Valentino Rossi, the pair rode for Repsol Honda in 2003, with Hayden finishing the season 5th in his rookie GP season.

World Superbike Responds to Ducati Exodus

Infront Motor Sports, rights holder to the World Superbike Championship series, has responded to the news that Ducati Corse will be leaving the series in 2011. Responding with an official press release, IMS’s message essentially boils down to poking holes in Ducati’s statement about technical regulations. Stating that the 2009 season was dominated by the Ducati 1198 Superbike, sans one Ben Spies, the Italian firm has clearly been able to be competitive with the current formula. IMS goes on to basically say that WSBK is about more than one manufacturer, and can’t cater to Ducati’s whims even if they do have a lengthy history together.

Ben Spies to Factory Yamaha Team

As expected, Ben Spies and Yamaha have announced that the current World Superbike Champion and MotoGP rookie will move up to the factory Yamaha team (noticeably not called Fiat-Yamaha in the press release) for the 2011 season. Spies’ move to the factory squad has lovingly been referred to as the “second worst-kept secret in MotoGP,” right after Rossi’s departure from the Fiat-Yamaha team to Ducati Corse.

Colin Edwards – “I’m going fishing. Screw this sh*t.”

No one makes the MotoGP media center come alive with emotion more so than Colin Edwards. A veteran of the sport, and born with no filter between his brain and mouth, the Texan Tornado captured the spotlight during the pre-race press conference at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. A stark contrast to the polished veneers of other riders, Edwards isn’t afraid to tell things the way he sees it, even if it involves some colorful language. To get an idea of what we mean, check out a portion of the press conference transcript after the jump.

Ducati Trademarks “Diavel” Name in the UK

Ducati has recieved a trademark with the UK Intellectual Property Office for the Bolognese word for devil, or “Diavel”, which according to MCN is to be the name of the company’s new performance cruiser (shown here in a render done by Bar-Design exclusively for Asphalt & Rubber). Interestingly enough, Ducati has not trademarked the Diavel name with the United States Patent & Trademarks Office (USPTO). However with the British government, Ducati has reserved the Diavel mark for virtually every use possible, including lifestyle items like shirts, perfume, watches, and our personal favorite: skin cleansing lotions and creams.

Casey Stoner Ducati 1198S Phillip Island Replica

Missing three races because of a mystery illness, Casey Stoner put any critics he had from his sudden departure in 2009 to bed with his masterful race at Phillip Island. Racing in front of his home crowd, Stoner slid around the Australian course to a decisive victory, in what we called one of the top races of 2009. Making the moment even more special for Australian fans, and Ducatisti alike, was the special race livery that Stoner ran for his home race. Hoping to commemorate that race and Stoner’s contributions to the Marlboro Ducati team (Stoner is leaving Ducati for HRC next year), a French Ducati dealership in Moulins-lès-Metz has decided to sell a limited number of Casey Stoner Ducati 1198S Phillip Island replicas.

Norton Returning to MotoGP Racing

German magazine Speedweek is reporting that Norton will be back in GP racing for the 2012 season with a two-man team. Speedweek’s highly respected Austrian journalist Gunther Wiesinger has received word that Norton has requested two spots on the 2012 MotoGP grid, and has signed a request to join the series when it returns to the 1000cc format. It’s unclear at this time if Norton will be entering as a claiming rule team (CRT), or be listed as a factory prototype, which could have a dramatic affect on the team’s success in the series.

Garry McCoy Out of WSS and into Moto2?

Thu 01/21/2010 @ 11:47 am, by Jenny Gun

Home » Racing » Garry McCoy Out of WSS and into Moto2?

Sultan of Slide Garry McCoy has been dismissed from the factory Triumph WSS team this week. While the team issued a press release saying that the move was mutual, McCoy tells a different story, and is quick to point out salary wasn’t the issue. Whatever the case may be, the late departure by McCoy means a tough road ahead for the Australian in finding a 2010 ride, and his best option seems to be Moto2.

For 2010, Triumph will be fielding 4 bikes, up from 3, in the factory-backed teams of ParkinGO and BE1 Racing. McCoy was to ride alongside Chaz Davies on the ParkinGO team, but at Triumph’s announcement of the 2010 season put Jason DiSalvo in this position. The last words of the press release stated the following:

There will be no place in the line-up for Garry McCoy. The Australian had been expected to take his place alongside Davies but has left the team by mutual consent.

Commenting on his rider line-up for the 2010 season, BE1 Racing team owner Giuliano Rovelli said: “I’m very sorry that Garry McCoy and my Team didn’t reach an agreement, and I thank him for his determination and expertise, and for the good results achieved in 2009. I do wish Garry all the best for his career in the next future.”

According to McCoy, the decision was anything but mutual. On his personal website McCoy wrote that he was shocked to hear that Triumph was letting him go, and went on to say that “this was going to be [his] third year with Triumph and amongst everything, it was going to be the greatest season for each and every person who has bet on Triumph’s project.” McCoy has denied allegations that his departure was over salary negotiations, which seems to be confirmed by his replacement coming in the form of Jason DiSalvo (DiSalvo brings with him no personal sponsorships that would help fund the ParkinGo team).

For McCoy the options are slim. There are few remaining rides in WSS, and the only series that seems to still be really looking for racers, is Moto2. The Australian has signaled that he would be interested in riding for a Moto2 squad if it was the right opportunity. At this point its hard to tell what teams will be at the front of the pack come race day, which makes McCoy’s job of finding the right team even more challenging.

Source: MotoMatters

Top 5 Related Posts:

Tagged under: 2010, BE1 Racing, Garry McCoy, Giuliano Rovelli, Jason DiSalvo, Moto2, ParkinGO, Triumph, World Supersport, WSS

The Latest From A&R StreetLevel:

Was that a squirrel?
By: AnalogSquid @Tue, 30 Nov 1999 07:00:00