Temple of VTEC Rumors and News - World Superbike at TT Assen Day 1

TOV is on site at TT Assen in the canal-crossed heartland of the Netherlands. As international-level motorcycle race tracks go, Assen is widely considered to be one of the best. While it features little elevation change (like the rest of the Netherlands) Assen's complexes of high-speed, flowing turns give riders the option of several different lines at several corners. This usually makes for dramatic passes and great finishes.

As some of you may remember, last year's World Supersport race here was easily the best world championship race last year. You can still view a video stream of it at World Superbike's website: http://www.worldsbk.com/en/sbk-live.html

Assen also happens to be Ten Kate Honda's home race. The team hasn't started off the year as strongly as they might have liked, with only a pair of 4th places being their best result thus far.

Stiggy Motorsports Honda is a new team in WSBK this year and thus far they've been doing well, even better than Ten Kate. They scored possibly the coup of the year by signing former Moto GP rider John Hopkins just a few weeks ago. We're trying to line up a few words with him sometime this weekend.

WSBK Free Practice 1

This is looking like the first weekend where Carlos Checa has been on pace this year. There were only a handful of riders that could put together more than one lap in the 1 minute 40 second range so Carlos is in good shape, as is Johnny Rea. Kiyonari ran off the track a few times and had a transponder but still ended up 7th in the first session.

Leon Haslam of Stiggy Motorsports has been making his case for the best Honda rider this year and he is right up there in 4th, although he only put in one 1:40.xx at the end of the session. John Hopkins was 28th fastest but only ran 4 laps.

UPDATE - John Hopkins Injured

John Hopkins suffered a highside crash in turn 14 in the first session today. The word is that he fractured his hip or pelvis, but he's been released from the hospital and will be returning to the track today. Unfortunately he's been ruled out of competition (and my interview) this weekend.

Hopper had a horrendous crash at Assen last year when he was riding the Kawasaki Moto GP bike. It is a cruel twist of fate that he has a big crash here in WSBK.

WSBK Free Practice 1 Times

1. Ben Spies - Yamaha Italia 1:39.687
2. Max Neukirchner - Suzuki Alstare Brux 1:40.050
3. Carlos Checa - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1:40.143
4. Leon Haslam - Stiggy Racing Honda 1:40.147
5. Regis Laconi - DFX Corse 1:40.369
6. Noriyuki Haga - Ducati Xerox Team 1:40.417
7. Ryuichi Kiyonari - Ten Kate Honda Racing 1:40.571
8. Karl Muggeridge - Celani Race Team Suzuki 1:40.693
9. Tom Sykes Yamaha Italia - 1:40.696
10. Michel Fabrizio - Ducati Xerox Team 1:40.835
11. Johnny Rea - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1:40.872
12. Shakey Byrne - Sterilgarda Ducati 1:40.914
13. Yukio Kagayama - Suzuki Alstare Brux 1:41.017
14. Shinya Nakano - Aprilia Racing 1:41.108
15. Troy Corser - BMW Motorrad Motorsport 1:41.111
16. Jakub Smrz - Guandalini Racing by Grifo Ducati 1:41.170
17. Max Biaggi - Aprilia Racing 1:41.202
18. Tommy Hill - Honda Althea Racing 1:41.289
19. Ruben Xaus - BMW Motorrad Motorsport 1:41.621
20. Brendan Roberts - Guandalini Racing by Grifo Ducati 1:41.859
21. David Salom - Team Pedercini Kawasaki 1:42.134
22. Luca Scassa - Team Pedercini Kawasaki 1:42.223
23. David Checa - Yamaha France GMT94 Ipone 1:42.388
24. Makoto Tamada - Kawasaki World Superbike Team 1:42.442
25. Vitorio Ianuzzo - Squadra Corse Italia Honda 1:42.980
26. Stuart Easton - Stuart Easton Kawasaki World Superbike Team 1:43.008
27. M. Baiocco - PSG-1 Corse 1:43.330
28. John Hopkins - Stiggy Motorsports Honda 1:44.396
29. Roland Resch - TKR Suzuki Switzerland 1:45.276

WSBK Qualifying 1

1. Ben Spies - Yamaha WSB 1:38.75
2. Jakub Smrz - Guandalini Racing by Grifo Ducati 1:39.06
3. Yukio Kagayama - Suzuki Alstare Brux 1:39.13
4. Carlos Checa - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1:39.14
5. Michel Fabrizio - Ducati Xerox Team 1:39.24
6. Regis Laconi - DFX Corse Ducati 1:39.25
7. Max Neukirchner - Suzuki Alstare Brux 1:39.27
8. Johnny Rea - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1:39.36
9. Ryuichi Kiyonari - Ten Kate Honda 1:39.51
10. Leon Haslam - Stiggy Racing Honda 1:39.59
11. Troy Corser - BMW Motorrad Motorsport 1:39.60
12. Noriyuki Haga - Ducati Xerox Team 1:39.62
13. Shakey Byrne - Sterilgarda Ducati 1:39.78
14. Karl Muggeridge - Celani Ream Team Suzuki 1:39.90
15. Tom Sykes - Yamaha Italia 1:39.90
16. Max Biaggi - Aprilia Racing 1:39.93
17. Shinya Nakano - Aprilia Racing 1:40.20
18. Ruben Xaus - BMW Motorrad Motorsport 1:40.35
19. Tommy Hill - Honda Althea Racing 1:40.62
20. David Salom - Team Pedercini Kawasaki 1:40.85
21. Brendan Roberts - Guandalini Racing by Grifo Ducati 1:40.94
22. V. Ianuzzo - Squadra Corse Italia Honda 1:41.01
23. Luca Scassa - Team Pedercini Kawasaki 1:41.09
24. Makoto Tamada - Kawasaki World Superbike Team 1:41.17
25. Stuart Easton - Kawasaki World Superbike Team 1:41.36
26. M. Baiocco - PSG-1Corse Kawasaki 1:41.36
27. David Checa - Yamaha France GMT94 Ipone 1:41.82
28. Roland Resch - TKR Suzuki Switzerland 1:41.98

WSS Free Practice

The Ten Kate team just starting campaign their 2009 CBR600RR's (2009 was a MMC for the 600RR) and haven't quite gotten to where they want to be with it. Still, they're not terribly far off.

Kenan Sofuoglu: "Again, it was not easy today having only one session to try to learn more about this new CBR. We tried a few different set-ups and finally got close to something that allowed us to take third place in Valencia. I am missing something in acceleration out of corners at the moment, but, if we can get the set-up better, this will not be too much of a problem."

World Supersport FP 1 Times

1. Joan Lascorz - Kawasaki Motocard.com 1:41.65
2. Cal Crutchlow - Yamaha World Supersport Team 1:41.87
3. M. Pirro - Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni 1:42.08
4. Eugene Laverty - Parkalgar Honda 1:42.16
5. Gary McCoy - ParkinGO Triumph BE1 1:42.17
6. Anthony West - Stiggy Racing Honda 1:42.43
7. Kenan Sofuoglu - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1:42.43
8. Barry Veneman - Hoegee Suzuki Team 1:42.49
9. Andrew Pitt - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1:42.66
10. Mark Aitchison - Honda Althea Racing 1:42.66
11. Fabien Foret - Yamaha World Supersport Team 1:42.69
12. Mathieu Lagrive - Honda Althea Racing 1:42.74
13. Gianluca Nannelli - ParkinGO Triumph BE1 1:43.02
14. Miguel Praia - Parkalgar Honda 1:43.03
15. Robin Harms - Veidec Racing RES Software 1:43.09
16. G. Vizzielo - Stiggy Racing Honda 1:43.32
17. K. Fukiwara - Kawasaki Motocard.com 1:43.39
18. Alex Polita - Hoegee Suzuki Team 1:43.51
19. Massimo Roccoli - Intermoto Czech 1:43.55
20. M. Smrz - MS Racing 1:43.77
21. A. Vos - Veidec Racing RES Software 1:44.11
22. J. Gunther - RES Software Veidec Racing Honda 1:44.27
23.P. Vostarek - Intermoto Czech 1:44.71
24. D. Dell'omo - Kuja Racing Honda 1:44.90
25. Russel Holland - Echo CRS Grand Prix Honda 1:45.09
26. M. Van Nieuwenhuize - Sterken Racing 1:45.54
27. K. Bos - VD Sleen/VD Heyden Yamaha 1:45.83
28. Fabrizio Lai - Echo CRS Grand Prix Honda 1:46.01
29. T. Pradita - YZF Yamaha 1:46.01
30. Y. Guerra - Holiday Gym Racing Yamaha 1:46.28
31. T. Van Poppel - Holiday Gym Racing Yamaha 1:46.58

The Aprilia RSV4 is an all-new bike and Aprilia is returning to WSBK competition after an almost 10 year hiatus. Very clean and trick-looking bike.

Japan-Italy Racing used to run a Honda in Moto GP, but are now running a new Aprilia RSV4 in World Superstock.

Privateer riders have to push their own bikes back into the paddock. Who's that woman? Ben Spies' mom, possibly the most feared/revered woman in motorcycle racing. Ali G sez: "Respek"

Apparently 2 out of 3 BMW mechanics prefer the smell of race fuel.

Ryuichi Kiyonari looking sharp in his HRC colors. Why is his paint scheme different than the other Ten Kates? Hannspree decided they didn't have the funds to sponsor his bike so Honda Access stepped up with the cash.