Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Kawasaki Stars Out To Make Banner Headlines in America
Salt Lake City, United States, 27 May 2008
Makoto Tamada and Régis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse Ninja ZX-10R) will each face a new challenge this weekend as the World Superbike Championship returns to America for the first time since 2004. The venue for the sixth round of the 14 Round World Superbike Championship is an all-new one in WSB terms, Miller Motorsports Park, in Utah. The circuit, located in the desert close to Salt Lake City, is an entirely unknown quantity to all of the top riders in World Superbike, having only been used for AMA racing since it opened in 2006.

The layout of the Miller circuit bears a loose resemblance to the other desert-bound circuit on the championship trail, Losail, but unlike the track in Qatar Miller features some extravagantly named corners. Dreamboat, Scream, Witchcraft, Bad Attitude and Wind Up are just some of the bends Makoto and Régis will have to deal with on raceday, Sunday 1 June.

An entirely level playing field at this new circuit is expected to help the Kawasaki duo continue their progress when it comes to fine-tuning the set-up of the new-for-2008 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, as none of the other official entrants have any data for the perimeter course at Miller.

Only the Superbike side of Kawasaki’s official push in the overall WSB paddock will be in America, as there will be no World Supersport Championship class, or indeed Superstock classes, in America this year.

Regis Laconi: “It’s quite complicated for me to predict what will happen at the new Miller track. I don’t know the circuit so I’m waiting to get there and take in as much information as possible once I can ride around it for real. I have played the SBK videogame, which has Miller on it, so maybe that will help! At least I will have some idea where the bends are.”

After Miller is completed the next round, for WSB, WSS and Superstock championships, will take place at the Nürburgring, in Germany, on 15 June.

i knew there was some good coming out of me playing bike games all the time

i knwo the tracks better than Regis

Kawasaki Riders Work Hard For Points
Salt Lake City, United States, 2 June 2008
Makoto Tamada and Régis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse Ninja ZX-10R) rode with conviction in the two Miller Motorsports Park races and each rider scored points at this new WSB venue. In race one, shortened to 20-laps after a startline grid position delay involving backmarkers, Laconi looked set for a strong finish until a crash on lap five stopped him from capitalising further on his seventh place qualifying position. Tamada was a distant 19th in the race, after struggling to find a suitable set-up on his raceday machine.

In the second race, held over a full 21 laps, Laconi was a high as seventh until the pain from his first race crash started to affect his performance, and he had to drop back, finishing ninth. Tamada’s suspension and machine settings were improved a little and the Japanese star worked his way from 21st on lap one to 13th at the finish, scoring three points.

In the overall standings, Tamada leads Laconi by one place and three points. The Kawasaki duo will get a chance to make up more ground at the Nürburgring, on June 15.

Regis Laconi: “I had a big highside crash in race one, at the first corner, and I don’t understand what happened. I was pushing for sure, and the rear started spinning and never came back. I went high and I landed hard on my backside, stretching the tendon inside my thigh, and maybe hurting my sciatic nerve. My back was very sore and stiff after half race distance. It was impossible to do better after that. I did my best and it was a tough race for sure.”

Makoto Tamada: “Race one was very bad for me. Lots of chattering and not a lot of grip from the front or rear. We tried a few small changes to things for today but it was not so good. These settings were not what we needed maybe but we did all we could.”

After Miller the next round - including WSB, WSS and Superstock championships once more - will take place at the Nürburgring, in Germany, on 15 June.

Hacking Posted two seconds in the AMA race's on the long track at miller .