March
Hopkins satisfied with first test – Exclusive pictures
31 March 2009 by
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John Hopkins heads to Valencia WSB this weekend satisfied after completing a one day test at Almeria, Spain on Monday. Riding the Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR for the first time, Hopkins had to acquaint...
Hopkins in Almeria for first WSB test –Exclusive Pictures
30 March 2009 by
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John Hopkins is minutes away from getting his first taste of the Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade he’ll campaign in the World Superbike Championship this year. The former Kawasaki MotoGP rider is...
Tommy Hill on target for more points in Valencia
26 March 2009 by
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Tommy Hill has already scored points in three of the four opening World Superbike races this year and is targeting round three at Valencia for even better results. Onboard the Altea Honda CBR1000RR...
Shakey welcomes Hopkins to WSB
26 March 2009 by
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The last time Shane Byrne rode against John Hopkins was in MotoGP in 2004 and 2005. Now four years on the reigning British Superbike Champion is relishing the opportunity of racing against the...
Photos from Qatar WSB
25 March 2009 by
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Here’s a few photos I took at the Qatar WSB round – great racing, especially the supersports! Facilities at Losail are non-existent, but at least it’s cheap (once you’re here!).
John Hopkins buoyed by Colin Edwards advice
25 March 2009 by
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John Hopkins has told MCN of his excitement and anticipation at joining up with the Stiggy Honda WSB squad for the first time having spoken to fellow American Colin Edwards about the move. Some of the...
John Hopkins targets World Superbike wins
21 March 2009 by
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John Hopkins is confident he will be fighting for victories in World Superbikes having finally signed a deal with the Stiggy Honda squad. The 25-year-old will try and rebuild his career in World...
John Hopkins signing a ‘dream’ for Stiggy Honda
21 March 2009 by
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Stiggy Honda boss Johan Stigefelt reckons the capture of high profile American John Hopkins is like a ‘dream’ for the WSB squad. Hopkins will join British rider Leon Haslam for the rest of the 2009...
Hopkins first test date confirmed
21 March 2009 by

John Hopkins will get an initial shake down test onboard the Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade superbike before he arrives at Valencia for round three of the championship on 3rd to 5th April. Hopkins...
Leon Haslam unfazed by John Hopkins’ arrival
20 March 2009 by
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Leon Haslam has told MCN that he is unfazed by the arrival of high profile MotoGP star John Hopkins as his team-mate in the Stiggy Honda WSB squad. Hopkins will race an identical Honda CBR1000RR...
Qatar WSB
20 March 2009 by
Hi Folks, I work in Qatar and took the opportunity of going along to the SBK meeting at Losail. The racing was great and the riders put on an excellent show for the very small crowd which bothered to come along. Also I was pleasantly surprised that, although not running at the front, the BMW’s didn’t disgrace themselves either. It keeps the series alive when another manufacturer comes in,...
John Hopkins signs Stiggy Honda WSB deal
20 March 2009 by
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MotoGP exile John Hopkins has signed a deal to race for the Stiggy Honda World Superbike team, as was first reported by MCN four months ago. The 25-year-old, who was left without a ride following...
Spies’ Crew Chief: “Ben will be really good in a couple of years”
19 March 2009 by
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American sensation Ben Spies has taken the WSB paddock by storm winning three out of the opening four races of 2009 and the man that knows him best, his crew chief and mentor Tom Houseworth believes...
WSB boss outlines cost cutting future
17 March 2009 by
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WSB boss Paolo Flammini has vowed to make only considered and rational changes to his championship in light of the current economical down turn. Two weeks ago it was confirmed that WSB race weekends...
WSB Qatar: Haga and Spies Open Points Gap
14 March 2009 by
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Noriyuki Haga and Ben Spies look like making the battle for the 2009 World Superbike Championship a two-man shootout after both edged away from rivals in today’s two races in Qatar. Haga holds onto...
WSB Qatar: Spies Batters Haga Again
14 March 2009 by
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American new boy Ben Spies again drubbed the World Superbike Championship old guard when he won the second race at the second round of the series in Qatar on his Yamaha R1. The former AMA Superbike...
WSS Qatar: How Laverty Climbed from Grand Prix Obscurity
14 March 2009 by
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Eugene Laverty’s success in topping the rostrum in the World Supersport race at Qatar today is a wonderful reward for a young rider who could so easily have sunk into the obscurity suffered by so many...
WSS Qatar: Laverty Hammers Ten Kate Pair
14 March 2009 by
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Eugene Laverty emerged from two years of despair in 250cc grand prix racing to win his first World Supersport Championship race in an extraordinary sprint to the line on his Parkalgar Honda CBR600 in...
WSB Qatar: Byrne Backs up Words with Strong 6th
14 March 2009 by
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British champion Shane Byrne lived up to his confident pledge to bounce back in the second round of the World Superbike series by scoring a strong sixth place in the opening leg on the Losail circuit...
WSB Qatar: Spies Cuts into Haga's Lead
14 March 2009 by
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American Ben Spies sent a chill through the Ducati Xerox pitbox in Qatar today when he won his second consecutive World Superbike Championship race on the new Yamaha R1 on the desert circuit. Noriyuki...
WSB Qatar: Makoto Tamada ruled out of races after big warm-up crash
14 March 2009 by
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Factory Kawasaki rider Makoto Tamada will miss the two races in Qatar following a heavy high side in warm-up this morning on his Paul Bird prepared ZX-10R. The former WSB and MotoGP race winner...
WSB Qatar: Sykes targets podium
14 March 2009 by
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Tom Sykes believes he has the pace to run with his dominant team-mate Ben Spies after an impressive practice and qualifying session in Qatar. The 23 year old will line up on the second row of the grid...
Why no Brands Hatch WSB this year?
13 March 2009 by
Why is there no Brands Hatch WSB this year? It surely must still be one of the best events in Europe, for racing and atmosphere, and still drawing large crowds, and all the Brits racing this year? Seems crazy to me! We have Donnington, but sorry it’s not the same or as good, (should still have Moto GP) or Moto GP at Brands, why not. Then we get Moto GP to Silverston in 2010, a useless spectator...
Qatar WSS: Crutchlow and Laverty 1-2 on grid
13 March 2009 by
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World Supersport men Cal Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty are convinced they can fight for victory in Saturday’s 18 lap race after qualifying first and second on the grid. The two men have been on top...
Qatar WSB: Spies takes second successive pole
13 March 2009 by
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Factory Yamaha rider Ben Spies has taken his second successive pole and smashed another lap record at the Qatar World Superbike round. Spies – who has run at the front in all sessions – posted a lap...
John Hopkins to Stiggy Honda rumours persist
13 March 2009 by
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Rumours that exiled Kawasaki MotoGP rider John Hopkins could make his debut in WSB this year have resurfaced in Qatar. Hopkins has been linked to the new Stiggy Honda World Superbike team to ride...
Sofuoglu walks away from big crash
13 March 2009 by
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Kenan Sofuoglu was left nursing a battered right elbow after crashing his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda during the opening free practice session this morning. Sofuoglu crashed at the fast turn two and...
Ten Kate Honda back on the pace in Qatar
12 March 2009 by
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After a nightmare in Phillip Island, the Ten Kate Honda squad have bounced back to form with all three riders in the top five at the end of first qualifying in Qatar. Britain’s Jonathan Rea leads the...
Qatar WSB: Ben Spies dialled into Qatar circuit
12 March 2009 by
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Ben Spies continued to push the pace at the front of WSB by setting provisional pole position during the opening qualifying session at Qatar. The Yamaha World Superbike rider has acquainted himself...
Qatar WSB: Spies Attacks with Provisional Pole
12 March 2009 by
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American threat Ben Spies again pressured his WSB rivals when he claimed provisional pole position on a Yamaha R1 for Saturday’s second round of the series at Qatar. Spies ripped round the desert...
Qatar WSB: Rea fast with more to come
12 March 2009 by
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Jonathan Rea showed he will be a serious contender this weekend in Qatar by clocking the third fastest time during the opening free practice. Rea who struggled with tyre issues two weeks ago in...
Shakey upbeat after Free Practice
12 March 2009 by
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Shane Byrne made a promising start to round two of the World Superbike Championship at Qatar by topping the time sheets at the start of the session. The British rider who crashed twice and scored no...
Qatar WSB: Track knowledge no problem for Spies
12 March 2009 by
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American Ben Spies stunned the WSB paddock during the opening free practice session in Qatar this morning by positing the second fastest time of the hour long session. Despite no previous track...
Laverty: “It feels slow compared to a 250”
12 March 2009 by
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Parkalgar Honda man Eugene Laverty revealed that his Supersport machine feels slow in terms of corner speed compared to the Aprilia he rode in 250GP’s last year. Whilst his Honda CBR600RR may have...
Qatar WSB: Neukirchner, Spies and Rea Set Pace
12 March 2009 by
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Germany’s Max Neukirchner, buoyed by his second-place ranking in the World Superbike Championship, gunned his Alstare Suzuki round the Losail circuit in 2m 0.486s to lead the first free practice...
Qatar WSB: Crutchlow fast but still learning
12 March 2009 by
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Cal Crutchlow made a strong start to the second round of the World Supersport Championship at Qatar by posting the fourth fastest lap time in this morning opening free practice session. The factory...