G oog le BadWeB | Login/out | Topics | Search | Custodians | Register | Edit Profile

Buell Forum » Buell RACING & More » Racing - Circuit/Road Racing » Archive through March 14, 2012 » American John Hopkins poised to take BSBK Championship « Previous Next »

Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Blake
Posted on Thursday, October 06, 2011 - 03:43 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

British Superbike Championship standings ahead of season finale (three race event at Brand's Hatch):

Current point standings
1. John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki) 609
2. Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 601
3. Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 568
4. Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) 565
5. Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) 565
6. Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 521


A total of 75 possible points is up for grab.

Go Hopper! : D
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Jaimec
Posted on Thursday, October 06, 2011 - 04:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

No worries... they LOVE calling him an "Anglo-American."
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Davegess
Posted on Thursday, October 06, 2011 - 06:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

they LOVE calling him an "Anglo-American."

Yeah, just like all the kids from Northern Ireland are "Brits". I like that Gene Laverty uses the Irish Republic flag in WBSK, I wonder what his brother in BSB uses? Everything has to have some bit of politics; )
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Simond
Posted on Friday, October 07, 2011 - 02:58 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My five year old has a day off school today. I'm taking him down to Brands to watch them practise. Unfortunately they are on the short "Indy" circuit today but paddock bend is still pretty exciting when they are going for it.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

46champ
Posted on Friday, October 07, 2011 - 11:41 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Simond are you saying that they practice on one course and race on a different course? That seems counter intuitive to achieving proper setup.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Simond
Posted on Friday, October 07, 2011 - 11:47 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

They ran today on the Indy Circuit but it is officially titled a "Test" session. This might be to cut costs or to keep the locals happy.
There is a practise session tomorrow morning followed by two qualifying sessions on the full GP circuit. There will be one race tomorrow afternoon and two on Friday.
It should be interesting. I hope Hopper's finger is ok - it looked nasty a couple of weeks ago. He was sixth fastest this afternoon but the Indy circuit gives little indication of their performance on the full GP circuit.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Jaimec
Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 04:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

What the heck happened to John in Race #2??
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Simond
Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 05:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A sensor failed.
It was a cracking finish to the Championship though - you couldn't have scripted it better.
I'm sure Shakey is gutted. I haven't worked it out but he must have scored the most points this year yet ended up third.
I hope John Crockford and Marshal Neil are ok. Crockford's crash looked horrific.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Blake
Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 05:27 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Congrats to Tommy Hill, fought for and won the #1. Tough to swallow for Hopper, championship lost by 0.006 seconds. Ouch!

British Superbike Championship
Brands Hatch GP Circuit
Leeds, Great Britain
October 9, 2011
Race Three

1. Shane Byrne (Hon CBR1000RR), 20 laps
2. Tommy Hill (Yam YZF-R1), -4.434 seconds
3. John Hopkins (Suz GSX-R1000), -4.440
4. James Ellison (Hon CBR1000RR), -4.679
5. Michael Laverty (Yam YZF-R1), -4.782
6. Josh Brookes (Suz GSX-R1000), -5.785
7. Michael Rutter (Duc 1098R), -12.253
8. Graeme Gowland (Hon CBR1000RR), -15.963, EVO
9. Peter Hickman (Hon CBR1000RR), -16.130
10. James Westmoreland (Hon CBR1000RR), -24.203, EVO
11. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hon CBR1000RR), -25.662

1. Hill, 647 points
2. Hopkins, 645
3. Byrne, 625
4. Laverty, 601
5. Brookes, 598
6. Kiyonari, 526
7. Kirkham, 210
8. Rutter, 164
9. Hickman, 155
10. Mason, 139
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Simond
Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 05:48 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The scoring system resets the top six rider's points to 500 with three rounds to go. They get credits for podiums achieved throughout the season but any points advantage built up during the season is erased.
...so effectively you start a 3 round championship between the top six riders in September. This was done to enhance the "spectacle" after Leon Camier ran away with the title in 2009.
If you take points won in the usual manner, Byrne would have won with Hill second and Hopper third. That is all academic though as the top riders tend to back off as soon as they know they are safe in the top six.......and Hopper wouldn't have sat out the August Cadwell round with his finger injury.

It certainly makes for a dramatic end to the season but is a little contrived. The final race yesterday, however, was superb!

(Message edited by SimonD on October 10, 2011)

(Message edited by SimonD on October 10, 2011)
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Trojan
Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 05:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Great finish to the season and John Hopkins ran Tommy Hill all the way to the line.

The only pity was Hopkins being very petulant when interviewed after the race by BBC. We know he was disapointed, but he could at least have congratulated the winner instead of sticking his lip out like a kid kicked out of a sweet shop : ( Maybe some PR lessons before Hopper gets back to MotoGP.

Other than that, great race to the title and in the end a worthy winner who deserved to win (especially after being cruelly robbed last year).
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Simond
Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 07:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

In fairness Hopkins has been fantastic for the series and has done the PR thing very well all year. I don't think the Eurosport guy shoving a microphone under his helmet before he had even taken it off put him in the best of moods!
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Trojan
Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 08:19 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

In fairness Hopkins has been fantastic for the series and has done the PR thing very well all year. I don't think the Eurosport guy shoving a microphone under his helmet before he had even taken it off put him in the best of moods!

I agree to a point, adn he has been a revelation all year on the Suzuki. I still think though that he should have at least had the good grace to congratulate the winner (everyone else did after all). I know he must have been gutted to lose by such a close margin, but that's racing and he should be experienced and professional enough by now to realise that. His time will come around again.

Sorry I meant Eurosport and not BBC : ( oops. That's how confused I get from flicking channels between F1 and BSB : )
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Blake
Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 06:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Whoa! BSB uses the NASCAR championship model? That's surprising!
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Trojan
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - 05:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The new points system was brought in a couple of years ago as SimonD says, in order to stop a rider running away with the championship and making the last few rounds dull. he good thing about the 'showdown' system is that it always guarantees a good finish to the season and doesn't penalise a rider for a non finish during the year as badly as the old system used to. Unfortunately it does penalise a rider very heavily if he haas a non finish in any of th elast 6 races of the 'Showdown' series, as Tommy Hill found last year and Hopkins this year.
Also, it means that the rider with the best overall record for the year (Shane Byrne) finishes third instead of winning.

The system is popular with the media as it makes for a good final race, but isn't that popular with fans, riders or team managers so I think there may be some more rule 'tweaks' for next year.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Blake
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - 05:34 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Socialism in racing. Yuck!

A race isn't interesting just because a competitor has clinched the championship? I agree with the fans. Sounds goofy to me. Thought it was really goofy for NASCAR too.

If they want to diminish the effects of a poor showing at one race, then they ought to just count all but the worst performance of each competitor, kind of a race Mulligan.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Trojan
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - 08:23 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

If they want to diminish the effects of a poor showing at one race, then they ought to just count all but the worst performance of each competitor, kind of a race Mulligan.

They used to have a similar system in BSB. What prompted the changes was when Leon Camier won virtually every race in the first year of the crossplane crank R1, so by mid season had the championship sewn up.

I would prefer a series that takes every round into consideration for the final result, but the new system seems to have its share of powerful supporters and it does make the end of season races very exciting I must admit : (

The problem is that there is very little incentive for the riders/teams that don't make the final 6 round showdown to even turn up and race at teh last few events.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Jaimec
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - 08:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)


quote:

The problem is that there is very little incentive for the riders/teams that don't make the final 6 round showdown to even turn up and race at teh (sic) last few events.




Maybe if they just stayed home and had a beer instead the PTB would rethink things? Nah, more likely they'd just devise a penalty system.

It's like NHL Hockey. The regular season doesn't count for much... every year it seems the same four (or so) teams get eliminated and the playoff season is as long as the regular season. That makes the regular season downright boring as there are certain players that just "mailed it in" during the regular season and didn't wick it up till the play offs.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Simond
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - 11:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It is a shame that in the second half of the season there are always teams and riders that are not fighting for anything.
BUT when it produces racing such as we saw on Sunday..........!

I'm not sure what the policy is here about links to Youtube but if you search for "Race 3 Highlights - Brands Hatch GP" or "BSB 2011 - Brands Hatch - Phenomenal last lap, 0.006s" you'll get some idea : ).
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Blake
Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 12:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Simon,

See the "Help/Instructions" - "Formatting" - "Images & Video" page for posting YouTube content here.

\youtube{code}Where code is the eleven character youtube.com video identifier code immediately following the "http://www.youtube.com/watch?" portion of a youtube video URL, such as "zmqo8hCp6aU" (do not include quotes in formatting tag). The video will embed into your post.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Simond
Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 02:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thanks Blake.

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Blake
Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2011 - 11:14 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Wow! Thanks for posting that. Incredible.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Dannybuell
Posted on Friday, October 21, 2011 - 11:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My heart is pounding!
« Previous Next »

Add Your Message Here
Post:
Bold text Italics Underline Create a hyperlink Insert a clipart image

Username: Posting Information:
This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Password:
E-mail:
Options: Post as "Anonymous" (Valid reason required. Abusers will be exposed. If unsure, ask.)
Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Action:

Topics | Last Day | Tree View | Search | User List | Help/Instructions | Rules | Program Credits Administration