vendredi 5 septembre 2014
Baz signe le meilleur temps du vendredi en Andalousie / Baz Leads the WBSK field after FP1 and FP2
Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) a conclu la première journée à Jerez avec le meilleur temps, établi à la fin de la seconde séance d’essais. Face à des températures qui dépassaient les 30°C vendredi après-midi, les pilotes pouvaient s’attendre à aller un peu moins vite que le matin mais bon nombre d’entre eux ont fini par améliorer leurs chronos dans les six dernières minutes de la séance.
Le Français a été l’auteur de la plus belle progression et est passé de la cinquième à la première place avec un temps d’1’42.677. Il reléguait ainsi Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team), leader de la première séance, et le Champion en titre Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) aux seconde et troisième positions sur le classement combiné.
Deuxième de la seconde séance, Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) grimpait à la quatrième place du classement de la journée, devant Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) et Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), double vainqueur à Jerez l’an dernier.
Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team) est tombé pour la seconde fois de la journée et a été relégué à la septième position, devant Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) et Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team).
Dans la catégorie EVO, Alessandro Andreozzi (Team Pedercini) a impressionné en ne finissant qu’à 1.3s du temps de référence et en prenant la douzième place du classement combiné, avec trois dixièmes d’avance sur Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia).
Jérémy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) est dix-huitième tandis que Imre Toth (Team Toth BMW), de retour de blessure, est le dernier pilote provisoirement qualifié en Superpole avant la séance FP3 de samedi matin.
Temperatures at Jerez soared into the 30’s for FP2 leaving many to think that few riders would better their times from FP1. This was looking the case until the final 6 minutes when several fast laps completely changed the running order.
After topping FP1 Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) was unable to improve but with only one rider bettering the Italian’s time from this morning he remained in a solid 2nd overall.
Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) was the biggest improver, jumping from 5th to the top of the timing sheet with a lap time of 1.42.677. The Frenchman is looking confident over a number of laps at the technical Spanish circuit and on today’s performance looks set to feature highly in the races on Sunday.
After topping FP1 Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) was unable to improve but with only one rider bettering the Italian’s time from this morning he remained in a solid 2nd overall.
Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) was the biggest improver, jumping from 5th to the top of the timing sheet with a lap time of 1.42.677. The Frenchman is looking confident over a number of laps at the technical Spanish circuit and on today’s performance looks set to feature highly in the races on Sunday.
Behind Baz, Melandri and Sykes there were other significant improvers namely Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who elevated himself into contention in 4th, ahead of Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) and 2013 race winner Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) who completed the top 6.
Chaz Davies fell from his Ducati for the second time in as many session and dropped to 7th ahead of Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who was 10th.
In the EVO fight Team Pedercini’s Alessandro Andreozzi closed to within 1.3s of the fastest time of the day with an impressive 1.44.031, the Italian claiming an impressive 12th overall.
Currently the final participant in Superpole 1 is the returning from injury Imre Toth (Team Toth BMW) but with FP3 still to come tomorrow morning there is still a chance for others to make it through.
Royal Enfield sets Land Speed record at Bonneville. 97.67 MPH
A souped-up Royal Enfield Continental GT has set a new Land Speed record in the 500MPPS (Modified Pushrod Partially Streamlined) category, clocking an average unofficial speed of 157.2 kmph. that’s 97.6796 miles per hour!
Matt Capri’s souped-up Royal Enfield Continental GT, ridden by Nadine de Freitas has modifications to cam shafts, the cylinder head, throttle bodies, piston and exhaust system. The engine’s power output increased to over 60PS and compression ratio has been increased as well.
“The great thing about the Continental GT is its chassis and its price point. If you choose to increase the horsepower output, the chassis will handle the additional horsepower. The brakes are exceptional, the frame is exceptional, and it comes with advanced rear suspension,” performance tuner and former motorcycle champion racer Matt Capri said in a video.
The Speed Week at Bonneville, earlier scheduled to take place from August 9-15 was cancelled due to heavy rain in the area. The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) – organizers of the event – had announced that Speed Week will be clubbed as a week-long event with the World Finals to take place in late September.
However, motorcycle speed runs started last weekend after volunteers from Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials prepared three tracks where racing ensued on August 24.
To be able to reach that speed would of been impossible without the help of Matt as he has a pletora of experience in everything from port and polishing, to offsetting a cranks stroke.
The fairing was a one off and made to fit snugly on the RE, so much so that the clip on’s and the levers had to be shaved to accommodate the red Dunstall style set up.
Nadine de Freitas slings her leg over on the Continental and gets ready for another pass!
This is quite the milestone and I am sure the team in India are more than happy with that red machine right now!
Ah! yes, the good old WD40, unseizes all, lubes and takes care of that nasty salt.
Towing back to the Pitts for some more tweaking and heading for a record attempt at Bonneville, the Mecca of speed!
Getting the bike ready for another pass as time flies by.
Now its off to the short course and see how this RE handles the next timed run!
This time its the Continental running naked!
There she sits all ready with the stainless megaphone ready to bark.
More adjustments and can see a little water around the flats right now but at least it dried up as Speed Week was a wash out!
Wind is getting up and readings are being taken to allow for set up on the next run for these two machines.
Nadine de Freitas gets on it on the Bonneville Salt Flats and she gets a World record, good on ya girl!
A fun machine that has been worked on by Matt Capri of South bay triumph and it proved to all that it could get a record!
Well done to all! Now off to the garage to work on my Continental!
- See more at: http://www.cb750cafe.com/blog/royal-enfield-sets-land-speed-record-at-bonneville-97-67-mph/#sthash.tze4mBH0.dpuf
Porsche 917 Image Build. Jordan Donnelly
Stunning image from Jordan Donnelly of a Porsche 917. And how he created it.
I am a bit old school when it comes to photography. If I haven’t managed to capture the image ‘in camera’ then, frankly, I’m a bit screwed. There is, however, a new breed of talented folk out there who have the ability to conjure up beautiful imagery by manipulating reality. It is a dark art shrouded in mystery that is normally a kept secret by its disciples.
When Jordan Donnelly released this stunning image of a Porsche 917, it rebounded off every corner on the internetawebaspehere. Jordan has now posted this short film showing how he managed to build this image and all I can say is, Mr. Donnelly – Adobe Wan Kenobi has taught you well.
Source – Jordan Donnelly
The Bug Movie
Damon Ristau, the co-director of The Best Bar in America is making a new documentary about the history of the Volkswagen Bug. The Kickstarter campaign is less than 48 hours away from the end and needs only a few more backers to make the goal. If you want to be part of a terrific documentary and help the campaign succeeds, check it out and make it happen: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/busmovie/the-bug-movie
YAMAHA SR500 BY BUNKER OF ISTANBUL
If you’ve been to Istanbul, you’ll know that it’s riot of color. The bazaars and basilicas are an assault on the retinas, in the best possible way.
So it’s surprising to discover that this cool and understated Yamaha SR500 comes from the city formerly known as Constantinople. It’s the work of brothers Mert and Can Uzer ofBunker Custom Motorcycles, and was commissioned by a kite boarder.
“After the first conversations with the client, we decided on a primitive but robust machine. The SR500 was the first to pop into our minds, but it’s really hard to find decent bikes in Turkey—and finding an SR500 is even harder.”
Mert managed to locate an SR500 for sale a whopping 330 km away, in the mountain city of Eskişehir. And as soon as the bike was back in the shop, the Bunker crew set to work. “We’ve aimed for a scrambler-style setup,” says Mert. “The bike will spend time on the rough roads of Alaçatı, one of the best surfing spots in Turkey.”
The look is handmade and raw, with the custom tank dictating the style. “Although we love the original SR500 tank, we always thought it could have been better.” The new tank has a more geometric design, and it’s also a little shorter—to suit the new riding posture and ergonomics. It’s finished with a brushed effect and stark brown and blue stripes, with a clear coat to protect it.
To keep weight down, Mert and co. have used aluminum wherever possible. The fenders and engine guard are hand-made, and there’s a new loop at the back of the frame—fitted at an angle to allow for longer-travel, 14.25” Progressive Suspension shocks.
The engine has been rebuilt with big valves and now breathes through a 38 mm Mikuni Sudco racing carb and a K&N filter. Gases exit via stainless headers hooked up to a Dime City Cycles muffler. “It’s tuned accordingly,” says Mert, “and the torque is amazing.” High flow, dual feed oil lines from Motolanna help keep temperatures down.
Bunker have hand-sanded the frame down to the metal, to accentuate the raw look, and added a coat of electrostatic clear paint for protection. There’s a new CNC-cut handlebar clamp, engraved with the model number and year, and a rack on the side of the frame for carrying a large kite. The electrics are now under the custom brown leather seat; they take up minimal room, thanks to a battery eliminator kit.
It’s a clean and beautifully detailed build—with a cool elegance that will stand out amidst the hustle and bustle of Istanbul. Top marks to the Uzer brothers, and expect to hear a lot more about Bunker in the future.
Photos by Onur Aynagoz. Follow the adventures of Bunker Custom Cycles via theirFacebook page. Our coverage of their previous builds is here.
via BIKEexif
La Bomba, la moto Iron BikerS
La base, une Yamaha 350 RDLC 31K. Deux années après, cadre découpé et refabriqué, 15 kilos de moins et plus tout à fait la même ligne...
Jante de 17 pouces montée par Seurat 3 sur un moyeu de KTM. Disque KTM et pot qui chante !
Boitier maison en inox par Chico et Nico, pour abriter la batterie et tout le bazar électrique.
Fourche d'origine, jantes en 17 pouces par Seurat 3, étrier de frein Beringer Brakes et patte maison, par Doud et Nico.
Phare de 125 TY ? A confirmer par Sonic Seb...
Peinture par French Khustom. Copie de réservoir de TZ 250, avec bouchon remplacé et déplacé vers le centre.
Cul de selle de Ducati des années 60.Superbe et minuscule maitre cylindre et levier de frein avant de chez Beringer Brakes, support de phare E-Nov.
Casque GPA Pure et pots de détente en inox.
Does ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ still apply?
Does touring car racing still uphold the time-honoured ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ mantra? And if so, how much does the current generation of touring car racing still value this concept with regard its road car division? crankandpiston.com catches up with Head of DTM at Audi Sport Dieter Gass to discuss this.
“I think it’s still there. It may not have the same magnitude it had in the past, but for me it’s still there. At the end of the day, motor racing for the spectators needs to look different to our road cars. You need to be able to see that the car on the track goes quicker than the road car through the corners. It’s all part of the appeal.”
It’s a compelling answer to an interesting question: does the ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ mantra still exist in motorsport today? It’s an expression that during the 1950s/1960s defined motor racing: a win for a manufacturer on Sunday traditionally led to a spike in showroom sales the following day thanks to the added publicity. Increased development, resources and a dependence on ‘aerodynamics’ over the intervening decades however have seen this dwindle in significance, the connection between motorsport and today’s road cars less obvious than it once was.
At face value, the increasingly popular Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters – Germany’s foremost touring car championship which today is one of the most popular across Europe – could be considered a key offender: look closely and you’ll see very little aesthetic difference between a Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe DTM and a BMW M4 DTM (save the badges), nor could their rear wing/ rear diffuser/bumper flap-heavy aero package be described as ‘straight from the showroom floor’. According to Head of DTM at Audi Sport Dieter Gass though – with whom crankandpiston.com recently grabbed a few words – this is a blinkered view.
“The DTM, for us, is not a program where we develop new technologies”, Herr Gass explains, “but one in which we compete directly with our market opposition – namely BMW and Mercedes – one-to-one weekend-after-weekend with limited budget. And unlike our Le Mans program where we develop new technology, the DTM is where we have the biggest exchange with the road car development. It’s a series that’s more about cost control, good competition, and marketing. So in that regard, it’s extremely important. To the board, it’s on the same level of importance as the LMP program, but with a different showcase.”
It’s a fair point. Whilst focus on headline racing series across the globe is routed in technical development (albeit now with those all important ‘green’ and ‘cost cutting’ issues), touring cars have proven more down to earth, with interest in ‘the show’ and the rough and tumble therein greater than engineering breakthroughs. A better show after all equals better spectator turnout at events for series organisers, as well as increased media interest. In the interest of keeping competition tight therefore – and thus ‘the show’ better – the introduction of success ballast/’performance weights’ in 2012 as well as the controversial Drag Reduction System system (as seen in Formula 1) have led to closer racing and, ultimately, a more exciting season for spectators. Take the recent DTM round in Austria for instance where barely 0.2s covered the top seven cars in qualifying, a race in which any one of the top ten was in with a shout of victory.
For manufacturers then, reduced performance deficits under the series’ regulations allow any one of them to battle for victory come race weekend. Audi, winless thus far in the 2014 DTM season, has nevertheless taken 10 podiums across seven race weekends and still led the Manufacturer’s Championship after five rounds. Despite not winning on Sunday, the might of the PR machine meant selling ‘the brand’ on Monday was no less difficult. Why else, for example, would manufacturers invest millions of dollars into the sport if it did not ultimately aid their road car divisions?
“We’re still missing that victory,” Gass continues. “We do have a competitive car because we are there every weekend – we are not on the top spot but we are on the podium, and I hope we continue like that. That for me means that hopefully, sooner or later, we’re going to get the victory as well. It’s so close: if you make a slight mistake in qualifying, it’s extremely difficult to recover in the race.”
The link between Audi’s DTM campaign and its road car division then drawn out in kind. That still though leaves the tricky conundrum of the car itself. Yes, a win for a brand does help boost fan appeal (it’s helped keep Ferrari in business for more than 60 years), but does an aerodynamic package really encourage public interest in a particular model? In 2014 and for Audi, it just might.
First outlined in 2012, the DTM’s technical regulations included three new initiatives: improving driver safety; a reduction in costs; and ‘an equality of opportunities’ on-track. Whereas in years gone past, all manner of resources would have been thrown at a team’s technical department to make the car lighter, stronger, more aero efficient and, consequently, faster (it’s only money, right?), the occasional market crash means motorsport’s spend thrift nature has gone the way of the dodo. It’s very survival depended on it, with many series and teams closing up shop when sponsors walked and coffers eventually ran out. A freeze then on technical regulations and in-season testing for teams means complete overhauls of a manufacturer’s car is unlikely. The route of success now lies in the details.
“This year, you have a base-line homologation before the start of the season. Powertrain, aero and brakes are homologated both now and into 2015, so we should see the exact same cars again next year. That means there’s very few areas left where you can develop the car.”
True, on the face of it, Audi’s 2014 RS 5 DTM shares little in common with its road-going RS counterpart. The 450hp 4163cc V8 has been ripped out in place of a 460hp 4000c V8 – which may become a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder after 2016 if regulation rumours are to be believed – while the Quattro all-wheel drive system has also been binned in favour of rear-wheel drive. The DTM’s 1120kg base weight (a minimum according to the regulations) more than halves the 1725kg of the road-going RS 5, whilst Audi sports suspension, OEM brakes and S tronic seven-speed gearbox all get the boot, replaced with race-honed double wishbones, hydraulic dual-circuit braking system/carbon fibre discs, and a six-speed sequential, plus that high strength steel rollover cage and a 118-litre fuel tank. Not exactly what you’d call ‘showroom ready’. Appearances can prove deceptive though…
“The aerodynamic development is allowed only below a certain design line of the car, 275mm from the bottom. Everything above has to keep the road car’s silhouette, so the idea is to change the silhouette and keep everything that’s homologated below that the same. Obviously, some dimensions of the silhouette from one model to another change, but it’s about how you can adapt the homologated parts.”
When Audi launched its ’14 DTM contender – codenamed RC3 during development – a greatly restricted technical rulebook meant reading between the lines was much more difficult than in seasons past (“in motor racing it is important to read and interpret the rules in a way that you get the best performance but remain legal”). As such – having focused on ‘the details’ – Audi ended up with a car that bore, apparently, “an even closer resemblance to the sporty production models of the RS line than its predecessor”. Yes, the overall look may have been more aggressive, but Audi’s traditional honeycomb grille (or a lightweight version of such) was incorporated into the build alongside more streamlined wing mirrors and closed rear wheel arches as part of the improved aerodynamics package. The latter two bore significance only to the über fanatics and rival designers looking on for areas to exploit. But to the general public, this new look made a difference. All of a sudden this generic touring car had a face….
A face that also came with a (presumably) whacking great price tag…
“This is the question we normally try to avoid [laughs]. We normally don’t talk too much about the figures, but I can say that the cost has gone down on the concept we are running now compared to 2011. It’s hard to make a figure because you need to consider development too.”
It’s tempting to speculate that when the new regulations arrive in 2016, this ‘resemblance to sporty models’ could continue, or even improve. By then the RS 5 DTM – which followed on from the A4 and A5 since Audi’s return to the series in 2004 – will have competed for four seasons and will be due a change. Once again, whilst strict regulations make the decision tougher, insight from the road car division is crucial to choosing Audi’s next DTM contender.
“Since 2012 we agreed to run a coupe-style car with two-doors rather than the saloon that we had in the past. Theoretically you could have two cars that fit the regulations – currently we don’t – but theoretically a manufacturer could have that. We try to tune the rules in the way that yes, we’re using a new engine – I think we’re going to get a similar situation with a four-cylinder engine – and you need to go with the times, with downsizing and efficiency, and so on. This is a daily business with the road cars. I don’t think we can afford to ignore that in the long term, but we’re trying to keep the regulations close so that the development freedom and the cost does not go sky high.
“There are widespread opinions on hybrid technology too. Cost is definitely an issue there. You need to evaluate carefully whether introducing a hybrid gives added value to the championship. Personally I don’t think so. I think the element of energy efficiency in a hybrid for a sprint race is somewhat limited, and if you use push-to-pass, you don’t respect the economic value of a hybrid. You could realise that in a much cheaper way, like DRS which we already have.”
Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday then may not hold the significance that it once did in motorsport. By its very nature though, ‘the biz’ is a fickle entity, one era rolling in after another. Cost cutting and environmental concerns have landed on its doorstep straight from the showroom floor, and given the indelible link between the two, it seems unlikely this will change any time soon. The ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ attitude may have changed, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s dead.
- Shots from the 2012/2013 DTM races at Brands Hatch courtesy of SportStock
1969 FORD CORTINA LOTUS MK 2
The Ford Cortina Lotus Mk 2 was the successor to the highly acclaimed Lotus Cortina Mk 1 – a small British car that had enjoyed significant successes on the race tracks of Europe, largely due to the special treatment showered on the cars by the engineers at Lotus.
The new Mk 2 was fitted with a 109bhp 1588cc DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine with twin Weber side-draught carburettors, a 4-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension (with McPherson struts, coil springs and an anti-roll bar), a live rear axle suspension with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and front disc and rear drum brakes.
Perhaps the most famous man to drive the Lotus Mk 2 was Jim Clark, a Formula 1 legend who loved the little Ford Cortina Lotus and raced them almost as a hobby when he wasn’t busy piloting his open-wheeled Lotus F1 car to the World Championship in ’63 and ’65.
The beautifully re-commissioned Ford Cortina Lotus Mk 2 you’re looking at here was originally given to Colin Chapman by Ford, Chapman is said to have driven the car quite enthusiastically for about 14,000 miles before selling it on. It’s still in the possession of the second owner but that’s going to change on the 8th of September 2014 when it’s due to be auctioned in London by RM Auctions.
It’s estimated to be worth approximately £40,000 to £60,000 which seems remarkably cheap for a car with a pedigree like this one, if you’d like to register to bid on it you can click here to view its full listing.
Photo Credits: Erik Fuller ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions
via SILODROME
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)