Max Biaggi - Aprilia 2010

Max Biaggi won both races this weekend for the Aprilia team at the Miller Motorsports Park in Utah while his team-mate Leon Camier made it onto the podium after his best finish so far this season.

Race One

It was Carlos Checa on the Althea Ducati that dominated race one from the start, fighting off a challenging Max Biaggi midway through the race to gain an advantage of almost three seconds.

As the race got underway, it was Leon Camier that managed to squeeze his machine between the Ducati of ChecaBiaggi and his team-mate to slot into second place but only until the next corner when Checa breezed past.  Checa was then on the tail of Biaggi who had taken the lead after a fantastic start but by the second lap Checa went around the outside of the Italian to take his position at the front of the field.

With only two laps of the race left to run and with a comfortable lead over Biaggi, Checa’s Ducati came to a standstill out on circuit, leaving the Spaniard with no option but to park up his bike and return to the pits.

Biaggi crossed the line to take the chequered flag ahead of Leon Haslam who had battled his way back through the field from ninth place after a poor start and with a smoking Ducati ahead of him.  Haslam had been sat behind Jakub Smrz on PATA B&G Racing Ducati when smoke began bellowing out of the bike causing Haslam to inform the marshall’s of the problem which appeared to have gone unnoticed by Smrz.

Haslam was fortunate to be gifted a further two places after Jonathan Rea on the Ten Kate Honda suffered another off following his accident in Superpole and took Cal Crutchlow on the Yamaha Sterilgarda with him.  Both riders managed to make their way back on track but were then at the back of the field.

The Alstare Suzuki rider was now up to sixth position and chasing down Noriyuki Haga on the Ducati Xerox and Checa, passing both riders in an impressive move.  Haga followed Haslam through and the pair were soon harassing Camier who was sitting in third place but Camier held his line leaving until lap 16  when he ran wide allowing  the pair to take advantage of the flying Aprilia.

Biaggi crossed the line to take the chequered flag ahead of Haslam in second and Haga in third.  Leon Camier claimed fourth followed by Troy Corser in fifth, Shane Byrne in sixth, Luca Scassa in seventh, Sylvain Guintoli in eighth, James Toseland in ninth and Ruben Xaus rounding off the top ten riders.

Here are the results;

1. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 38mins 20.442secs 21 laps
2. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +4.931s
3. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +6.432s
4. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +8.576s
5. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +11.150s
6. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +11.243s
7. Luca Scassa ITA Team Supersonic Ducati 1198 +12.432s
8. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +15.145s
9. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +16.091s
10. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +16.502s
11. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +18.719s
12. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +24.285s
13. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +36.479s
14. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +39.700s
15. Chris Vermeulen AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +41.263s

19. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 19 laps completed
20. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 1 lap completed
21. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Ducati 1198 0 laps completed

Race Two

Max Biaggi is now leading the World Superbike championship after winning the second race of the day for the Aprilia team.

It was Carlos Checa that once again looked as if he would dominate the race as he out-breaked the Aprilia rider into turn one to take the lead.  Biaggi sat in second position followed by Troy Corser in third from fifteenth position on the grid with Leon Camier in fourth place ahead of Ruben Xaus in fifth.

Leon Haslam had been forced back to tenth place after being pushed aside as the field headed into the first set of bends.  By the second lap, Corser had made a gap of over a second between himself and Biaggi but by lap seven, bad luck had once again stuck the Althea rider as he incurred further technical problems with his bike and was out of the race as he coasted to a halt.

Biaggi was now leading for the second time in two races while behind Leon Haslam had fought his way past James Toseland, Noriyuki Haga, Jonathan Rea and Ruben Xaus to slot into fifth place.  As Haslam began to close on the leading riders disaster struck as the Suzuki rider high-sided after making an error and was out of the race.

Corser was now in second place with Leon Camier in third and Cal Crutchlow in fourth but as the race developed the BMW of Corser began to lose pace allowing Camier to close in on him and move into second on lap 13 with Crutchlow following on the next lap.

Biaggi crossed the line to take the flag for the second time followed by Camier with his best finish so far this season, making it a 1-2 for the Aprilia team. Crutchlow grabbed the third step of the podium in third ahead of Noriyuki Haga in fourth, Corser in fifth, Sylvain Guintoli in sixth, Shane Byrne in seventh, Jonathan Rea in eighth, Michel Fabrizio in ninth and Luca Scassa in tenth.

James Toseland crashed out on lap 15 of the race after losing the front end of his Yamaha Sterilgarda when he came out of one corner too fast leaving him no time to slow down for the next.

Here are the results;

1. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 21 laps
2. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +5.899s
3. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +7.363s
4. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +8.842s
5. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +9.473s
6. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +12.293s
7. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +12.483s
8. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +15.959s
9. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 +18.897s
10. Luca Scassa ITA Team Supersonic Ducati 1198 +20.372s
11. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +26.823s
12. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +30.344s
13. Chris Vermeulen AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +33.337s
14. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +38.772s
15. Broc Parkes AUS Echo-CRS Honda CBR1000RR +44.994s

16. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Ducati 1198 18 laps completed
17. Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 15 laps completed
18. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 14 laps completed
19. Roger Lee Hayden USA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 12 laps completed
20. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 7 laps completed
21. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 7 laps completed

February 28                                 Australia                                                               Phillip Island

March 28                                       Portugal                                                               Portimão

April 11                                             Spain                                                                   Valencia (*)

April 25                                          Netherlands                                                           Assen

May 9                                               Italy                                                                          Monza

May 16                                            South Africa                                                          Kyalami

May 31                                            United States                                                        Salt Lake City

June 27                                          San Marino                                                            Misano

July 11                                             Czech Repub.                                                        Brno

August 1                                         Great Britain                                                         Donington Park

September 5                                Germany                                                                  Nürburgring

September 26                              Italy                                                                            Imola (*)/(**)

October 3                                        France                                                                       Magny Cours

(*) = To be confirmed

(**) = Subject to homologation

Karl Muggeridge

Karl Muggeridge has now signed to race for Holzhauer Honda team in the IDM Superbike series for the 2010 season after failing to land a ride in the World Superbike Championship.

The Australian rider came to the World Superbike series in 2005 after winning the World Supersport Championship the previous year for the Ten Kate Honda team.

The 34-year-old was given the chance to compete in the WSB class when the Ten Kate Honda team expanded their team to two riders, riding alongside Chris Vermeulen, where he finished his rookie season for the team in eleventh place overall.

The following year he was again failed to secure a podium finish and miss the Valencia round due to a back injury, ending the season in twelfth place overall,

He lost his ride with the team for 2007 season and despite being offered a seat in the Supersport World Championship, he chose to move to the Alto Evolution Honda team to ride alongside Josh Brookes.  A dismal season saw Muggeridge miss his home race at Phillip Island after crashing out during the practice session.  Due to legal problems the team were unable to race at the Misano round and then Brookes left the team.

In 2008 Muggeridge joined the DFXtreme team where he finished the season fifteenth overall before moving onto the Celani Suzuki team in 2009.

In April of 2009, Muggeridge suffered two broken vertebrae after his crash at Assen but the injury wasn’t discovered until he had another fall at the American circuit.  After weeks of being kept on the sidelines due to the need to rest his injuries, the Australian stepped into the British Superbike series for the HM Plant Honda team.

Muggeridge then filled the seat for the Alstare Suzuki team, replacing the injured German rider Max Neukirchner back in the World Superbike series.

Ben Spies

Ben Spies, was yet again the man on a mission after dominating the two races at the Miller Motorsport Park circuit on Sunday.

Race One

The Sterilgarda Yamaha rider Ben Spies set the pole position record in qualifying on Saturday, his seventh consecutive pole position.

The first race was stopped on lap 7 after the Celani Race Suzuki rider Karl Muggeridge crashed out and was left lying in the middle of the circuit, bringing out the red flag.  He eventually walked away and suffered only bruising.

At the restart the Ten Kate Honda rider Ryuichi Kiyonari beat Spies into the first corner but only held it until turn three when Spies took the lead.

Spies disappeared into the distance and finished the race nearly 10 seconds ahead of the rest of the field on a race was being run on aggregate times.

The Hanspree Ten Kate Honda rider Carlos Checa finished in second place followed by Ducati Xerox rider Michel Fabrizio in third.

Ryuichi Kiyonari finished in fourth place ahead of Jonathan Rea on the second Hanspree Ten Kate Honda and Max Biaggi on the Aprilia Racing machine.

Noriyuki Haga, who is currently leading the championship, had a huge crash during practice and suffered a bruised back, seeing him finish the first race back in ninth place.

Tom Sykes, team-mate of Spies, was still struggling with his machines set-up and managed only a thirteenth place in the first race.

Hanspree Honda Althea rider Tommy Hill, didn’t make the starting grid after an accident in the second qualifying session on Saturday entering  ‘Attitude’ corners.  The British rider was soon back at the circuit after being checked over at the hospital but the team decided it would be better for Hill to rest after suffering bad bruising and taking a hit to the head.

Here are the results;

1. Ben Spies USA Yamaha WSB YZF R1 21 laps
2. Carlos Checa ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +9.394s
3. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R +12.742s
4. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +14.278s
5. Jonathan Rea GBR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +14.915s
6. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 +15.461s
7. Jamie Hacking USA Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +22.901s
8. Jakub Smrz CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R +25.425s
9. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1098R +25.870s
10. Leon Haslam GBR Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR +26.093s
11. Shane Byrne GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R +28.181s
12. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 +29.275s
13. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha WSB YZF R1 +38.365s
14. Gregorio Lavilla ESP Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R +39.454s
15. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +39.513s

DNS. Tommy Hill GBR HANNspree Althea Honda CBR1000RR

Race Two

The second race was merely a repeat of the first with Spies yet again taking the win after leading from the first corner.

Fabrizio followed in second place after an excellent start ahead of Jonathan Rea who took the final step of the podium.

Spanish rider Carlos Checa crashed out on lap 4 after clipping the kerb on entering the ‘Attitude’ chicane while running in third position, ending his race.

Luca Scassa high sided off his Team Pedercini machine after he was clipped by Jamie Hacking on the Kawasaki bike.   Hacking who was using his second bike and battling for thirteenth place when he was hit by Hacking, the replacement rider for the injured Makoto Tamada, at high speed and suffered a broken metatarsus of his left foot.

Leon Haslam had a disappointing weekend after a tenth place in the first race and a DNF in race two.  Haslam on the Stiggy Motorsport Honda had qualified in twelveth on the grid for the second race, before working his way up to fourth and then third as he briefly passed Rea.  Rea took back the position as he got into the slip stream of the Stiggy on the long straight, but before long Haslam was once again on his tail, desperate for that final podium position.  As he lined up Rea on the final lap, Haslam clipped a kerb at the problematic ‘Attitude’ chicane and down he went, ending his chances.

Here are the results;

1. Ben Spies USA Yamaha WSB YZF R1 21 laps
2. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R +9.080s
3. Jonathan Rea GBR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +14.357s
4. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 +15.636s
5. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +17.156s
6. Jakub Smrz CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R +17.545s
7. Shinya Nakano JPN Aprilia Racing RSV-4 +19.659s
8. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1098R +23.456s
9. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha WSB YZF R1 +30.489s
10. Shane Byrne GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R +31.775s
11. Broc Parkes AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-0R +33.246s
12. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 +36.758s
13. Fonsi Nieto ESP Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 +36.857s
14. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Corse Ducati 1098R +37.290s
15. Jake Zemke USA Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR +42.639s

DNS Karl Muggeridge AUS Celani Suzuki GSX-R1000
DNS. Tommy Hill GBR HANNspree Althea Honda CBR1000RR

Troy Corser

This weekend the World Superbike riders and team head to the Miller Motorsports Park, Utah in the USA for round seven of the championship.

Ben Spies on the Yamaha World Superbike will be at his home circuit, no doubt trying to make amends for his non-finish at Kyalami at the last round.

Spies will be up against his friend Jamie Hacking who is replacing the injured Makoto Tamada on the Paul Bird Kawasaki machine.

John Hopkins is another American not racing as he is still recovering from his injuries and will be replaced once again by Jake Semke for the Stiggy Honda team.

Fonsi Nieto will once again be riding in place of the Suzuki Alstare rider Max Neukirchner and has now gained enough confidence on the bike to feel he can finish within the top ten.

Lorenzo Lanzi will be riding in place of Regis Laconi for the DFX Corse team after failing to secure a ride this season.

Noriyuki Haga is the man to beat this weekend, now leading the championship on the Ducati Xerox ahead of his team-mate Michel Fabrizio.  Last year, Haga broke his collarbone during the practice session but continued to race even finishing in sixth in the second race.

Troy Corser is back to work this weekend after missing the last round due to the injuries picked-up at the Monza circuit when he was involved in two crashes.  The 37-year-old Australian is hoping for a good result on the BMW after finishing second at the circuit in 2008, however, it is another track that the team have no previous data for so Corser confessed to being happy to be on the second or third row of the grid.

March 1             Phillip Island                 Australia

March 14           Doha/Losail                 Qatar

April   5             Valencia                       Spain

April   26           Assen                          Holland

May    10           Monza                          Italy

May    17           Kyalami                        South Africa

May    31           Salt Lake City               USA

June    21          Misano                         San Marino

June    28          Donington Park           Great Britain

July     26          Brno                            Czech Republic

Sep.      6          Nurburgring                Germany

Sep.     27         Imola                          Italy

Oct.       4         Magny Cours              France

Oct.      25        Portimao                    Portugal

Noriyuki Haga crashed heavily at the USA round of the World Superbike Championship at the Miller Motorsports Park breaking his collarbone.On Monday he had surgery in California to fix the broken right collarbone, which is now held in place by metal plate and eight screws before returning to Italy on Monday.

The accident happened in the morning session of the qualifying practice, when Haga on the Yamaha Italia, tried to pass Hanspree Ten Kate Honda rider Kenan Sofuoglu, at the Black Rock Hairpin but hit the side of Sofuoglu and crashed out.

The pain was obvious but Haga got back on his bike and rode back to the pits. He was taken to the hospital where they confirmed the break but he opted to have it strapped and to be given pain killing injections so that he could participate in the afternoon sessions.

The next round of the World Superbikes is at the Nurburgring on the 15th of June and Haga is adamant he will be racing even though this operation has a normal recovery period of three weeks.

Carlos Checa in his first season with the World Superbike Championship after leaving Moto GP, not only scored his first pole position for the Hanspree Ten Kate Honda but won both races at the Salt Lake City round.

Race One

The Spanish rider took the victory in the first race ahead of Troy Corser on the Yamaha while Troy Bayliss failed to finish after he fell earlier.

Michel Fabrizio took the final step on the podium on the Xerox Ducati followed by Max Neukirchner in fourth place for Team Alstare Suzuki.

On lap four, Bayliss and Noriyuki Haga both lost the front end of their bikes and crashed just after Regis Laconi on the Kawasaki was also a casualty losing his seventh place.

The Alto Evolution Honda rider, Shuhei Ayama retired from the race on lap fourteen with mechanical problems after being a points scoring position.

With only five laps of the race to go, Corser passed Neukirchner for the second place and then with only three laps left, Fabrizio moved into third place.

Here are the results;

1 Carlos CHECA ESP Hannspree Ten Kate HondaHonda CBR1000RR
2 Troy CORSER AUS Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha YZF-R1
3 Michel FABRIZIO ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08
4 Max NEUKIRCHNER GER Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
5 Fonsi NIETO ESP Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000
6 Jakub SMRZ CZE Guandalini Racing by Grifo’sDucati 1098 RS 08
7 Karl MUGGERIDGE AUS D.F. Racing Honda CBR1000RR
8 Yukio KAGAYAMA JPN Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000
9 Max BIAGGI ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08
10 Ryuichi KIYONARI JPN Hannspree Ten Kate HondaHonda CBR1000RR
11 Lorenzo LANZI ITA R.G. Team Ducati 1098 RS 08
12 Kenan SOFUOGLU TUR Hannspree Ten Kate HondaH Jor.nda CBR1000RR
13 GregorioLAVILLA ESP Ventaxia VK Honda Honda CBR1000RR
14 Ruben XAUS ESP Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08
15 Russel HOLLAND AUS D.F. Racing – Bertocchi Honda CBR1000RR
16 Shinichi NAKATOMI JPN YZF Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1
17 Ayrton BADOVINI ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R
18 Sebastien GIMBERT FRA Yamaha France Ipone GMTY 9a4maha YZF-R1
19 Makoto TAMADA JPN Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R
20 Roberto ROLFO ITA Hannspree Honda Althea Honda CBR1000RR
21 Jason PRIDMORE USA Alto Evolution Honda SuperbHiokenda CBR1000RR
22 Vittorio IANNUZZO ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R
23 Scott JENSEN USA On The Throttle.TV Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8
24 Loic NAPOLEONE FRA Grillini PBR Team Yamaha YZF-R1 20

Race Two

Jakub Smrz had to start race two from the pit lane after struggling to keep his bike running on the warm-up lap as Troy Bayliss took the lead.

With only a few corners of the race gone, Troy Corser took the lead from Bayliss who was then passed by Neukirchner for the second place.

Bayliss reclaimed his second place spot on lap four while Smrz was black flagged and had to retire to the pits.

On lap seven, Ruben Xaus, already sore from his earlier incident, came off again and crawled slowly from the track as Bayliss’s machine developed a problem and he returned to the pits although he later rejoined the race.

Carlos Checa took the lead from Neukirchner while on lap sixteen Corser lost the front end of his bike and crashed out and couldn’t restart his bike.

Here are the results;

1 Carlos CHECA ESP Hannspree Ten Kate HondaHonda CBR1000RR
2 Max NEUKIRCHNER GER Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
3 Michel FABRIZIO ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08
4 Max BIAGGI ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08
5 Yukio KAGAYAMA JPN Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000
6 NoriyukiHAGA JPN Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha YZF-R1
7 Ryuichi KIYONARI JPN Hannspree Ten Kate HondaHonda CBR1000RR
8 Fonsi NIETO ESP Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000
9 R.egis LACONI FRA Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R
10 Lorenzo LANZI ITA R.G. Team Ducati 1098 RS 08
11 Karl MUGGERIDGE AUS D.F. Racing Honda CBR1000RR
12 A.ytrton BADOVINI ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R
13 Makoto TAMADA JPN Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R
14 Kenan SOFUOGLU TUR Hannspree Ten Kate HondaH Jor.nda CBR1000RR
15 Gregorio LAVILLA ESP Ventaxia VK Honda Honda CBR1000RR
16 Roberto ROLFO ITA Hannspree Honda Althea Honda CBR1000RR
17 Sebastien GIMBERT FRA Yamaha France Ipone GMTY 9a4maha YZF-R1
18 Justin PRIDMORE USA Alto Evolution Honda SuperbHiokenda CBR1000RR
19 Vittorio IANNUZZO ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R
20 Steve JENSEN USA On The Throttle.TV Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8
21 Loic NAPOLEONE FRA Grillini PBR Team Yamaha YZF-R1
22 Troy BAYLISS AUS Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08

Thanks to Patrick Mayon for this photograph

This weekend the World Superbike Championship takes place at the Miller Motorsports Park circuit near Salt Lake City, after an absence of an American round for four years.

The circuit was opened in 2006 and none of the World Superbike riders have ridden on the track before so riders and fans alike are looking forward to the practice session on Friday.

Troy Bayliss said, “I miss America and so am happy to be going back there. In one way I’m sorry we’re not going back to Laguna, a track I enjoyed and know well but, having said that, I met the owner and designer of the Miller track while at Assen and saw the layout and it looks like a great track too. To be honest that is about all I know of the track at the moment, it looks pretty safe but might also get very dusty, so we’ll have to see when we get there. I have good memories of racing in America, I guess my last visit was when I was in GP and I did OK so yeah, I’m looking forward to going back there again!”

Troy Corser has won three times in the past in America and is hoping for the same this weekend, he said “I am looking forward to going back again, it was always a nice race in America. From all I’ve heard and seen, the track we are going to is well designed and safe. It should be good. I still keep in contact with a lot of people over there, sponsors and friends and so on. More so now because they all know we’re coming back and they want to come and see the race again! I made a lot of friends over there and we have been keeping in contact by email. It’s great to be going back to the states again, for the championship and for me personally.”

Carlos Checa has been racing in America in recent years with the Moto GP series and said “I am looking forward to racing in America again. It’s always a good place to go and I try to get there a couple of days ahead and visit friends and do some climbing or cycling. I have always raced at Leguna Seca, so the Miller track will be a completely new experience for me and I heard it is a very fast track. Then again, it will be new to all the riders in the competition. I think the USA is a good place for the championship and it need to be included in the World Superbike Championship. Any credible World Championship should have at least one event in the United States.”

Max Biaggi said “I’ve just watched it on the internet and seen some pictures. It looks like it’s similar to European-standard tracks which is good. It’s not like the American tracks which are not so safe and not so wide. When we started racing in America the sport was not that popular but in the last few years that we raced there, a lot of people started to come and there were more people involved from the star-system who came close to this sport. Unfortunately where we go is in Utah, which is very far away, it’s not like California. We’ll see, it’s the first time there and it depends a lot on what people expect from this kind of event. With time however, I think people will also go there.”