CAFÉ RACER 76: 06/11/15

jeudi 11 juin 2015

Les chiffres du MotoGP™ avant le #CatalanGP / Which MotoGP™ riders have won the #CatalanGP from pole?

Quelques statistiques avant la 24e venue du Championnat du Monde à Montmeló.

Seuls trois circuits figurent au calendrier des Grands Prix depuis plus longtemps que Montmeló : Jerez, Mugello et Assen.
Le dernier Grand Prix sans le moindre vainqueur espagnol sur l’ensemble des trois catégories est le GP de Catalogne de 2002.
Les Espagnols avaient remporté les épreuves des trois catégories à Catalunya en 2013 et 2014. La dernière victoire non-espagnole sur ce circuit est celle d’Andrea Iannone en Moto2™ en 2012.
Depuis l’introduction des 4-temps en MotoGP™, Yamaha a remporté sept victoires à Montmeló, Honda quatre et Ducati deux.
La dernière victoire de Suzuki en Catalogne remonte à 2000 et avait été remportée par Kenny Roberts. Depuis l’introduction de la formule MotoGP™ en 2002, le meilleur résultat de la marque est la quatrième place, prise par John Hopkins en 2006 et en 2007.
Le dernier podium de Ducati au GP de Catalogne est la troisième place de Casey Stoner en 2010.
Les pilotes Honda étaient en pole position en MotoGP™ au Grand Prix de Catalogne ces quatre dernières années mais aucun d’entre eux ne s’est imposé en partant de la pole. La dernière pole de Yamaha remonte à 2010 (Jorge Lorenzo) et celle de Ducati, la seule de la marque italienne à Montmeló, de 2008 (Casey Stoner).
Valentino Rossi est le pilote avec le plus de victoires à Catalunya. L’Italien en compte neuf (1 x 125cc, 2 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP™), contre quatre pour Jorge Lorenzo (1 x 250cc, 3 x MotoGP™) et Max Biaggi (4 x 250cc).
L’épreuve de la catégorie reine à Catalunya a été remportée par un Espagnol à huit reprises : Álex Crivillé én 1995 & 1999, Carlos Checa en 1996, Dani Pedrosa en 2008, Jorge Lorenzo en 2010, 2012 & 2013 et Marc Márquez l’an dernier.
Le GP de Catalogne a eu au moins un pilote espagnol sur le podium en MotoGP™ ces huit dernières années.
Seuls deux pilotes se sont imposés depuis la pole à Catalunya en MotoGP™ : Valentino Rossi en 2006 et Jorge Lorenzo en 2010.
La victoire de Marc Márquez en Catalogne l’an dernier était la 100e victoire de la marque depuis l’introduction de la catégorie MotoGP™ 4-temps en 2002.
Les trois vainqueurs du GP de Catalogne 2014 ont tous fini par décrocher le titre mondial dans leurs catégories respectives.
Marc et Álex Márquez s’étaient respectivement imposé en MotoGP™ et en Moto3™ l’an dernier à Catalunya. C’était la première fois en 66 ans d’histoire que le Championnat du Monde voyait deux frère s’imposer le même jour.

All of the vital MotoGP™ stats you need to know ahead of the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya in Barcelona.

The Circuit de Catalunya was first included in the motorcycle grand prix series in 1992 and this is the 24th successive year that it has hosted a grand prix event. Below are some stats and facts about motorcycle grand prix racing at the circuit:

Only three current venues have a longer on-going sequence of hosting grand prix events: Jerez, Mugello and Assen.
The last time that Spain did not have at least one GP winner across the three classes at the Catalan Grand Prix was 2002.
Spanish riders won all three classes in Catalunya in both 2013 and 2014. The last non-Spanish rider to win a grand prix in Catalunya is Andrea Iannone in the Moto2™ class in 2012.
During the four-stroke MotoGP™ era, Yamaha have taken seven victories, Honda have had four wins and Ducati two.
The last win by Suzuki at the Catalunya Grand Prix was in 2000, when Kenny Roberts won the 500cc race. Since the introduction of the MotoGP™ formula in 2002 the best results by Suzuki riders have been 4th place finishes by John Hopkins in both 2006 and 2007.
The last podium finish by a Ducati rider at the Catalan GP was the 3rd place finish by Casey Stoner in 2010.
Honda riders have started from pole for the MotoGP™ race in Catalunya for the last four years, but none of those riders has gone on to win the race from pole. The last Yamaha rider to start from pole was Jorge Lorenzo in 2010. Ducati have had a single pole at the Catalunya GP – with Casey Stoner in 2008.
Valentino Rossi is the most successful rider across all grand prix classes at the Catalunya circuit with nine victories (1 x 125cc, 2 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP™). The next most successful, with four wins each in Catalunya, are Jorge Lorenzo (1 x 250cc, 3 x MotoGP™) and Max Biaggi (4 x 250cc).
There have been eight premier-class victories by Spanish riders at the Catalunya circuit; Alex Criville in 1995 & 1999, Carlos Checa in 1996, Dani Pedrosa in 2008, Jorge Lorenzo in 2010, 2012 & 2013 and Marc Marquez last year.
There has been at least one Spanish rider on the podium in the MotoGP™ race at the Catalan GP for the last eight years.
Only two riders have won the MotoGP™ race at Catalunya from pole position: Valentino Rossi in 2006 and Jorge Lorenzo in 2010.
The win by Marc Marquez in Catalunya last year was the 100th victory for Honda in the four-stroke MotoGP™ class which was introduced in 2002, as a replacement for the 500cc category as the premier-class of grand prix racing.

The three riders who won at Catalunya last year all went on to win their respective world titles.

Marc Marquez won the MotoGP™ race at Catalunya last year and Alex Marquez won the Moto3™ race - the first time in 66 years of World Championship competition that siblings both won Grand Prix races on the same day.

The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya officially starts with the Press Conference on Thursday at 17:00 local time, while the MotoGP™ on-track action kicks off on Friday at 9:55am local time in Barcelona.

Yamaha Faster Sons

The World Greatest Motor-Sport Event - Tourist Trophy ( TT ) Ireland

Dorotheum to auction BMW 328 with an unusual history

At Dorotheum’s Vienna auction on 13 June 2015, a very special BMW 328 – bought by photographer Herbert W. Hesselmann in 1969 and maintained until his death in 2011 – will cross the block…

Hesselmann’s clients included Playboy and Lui but, in the automotive world, he was most famous for his ‘Sleeping Beauties’ series of photographs, documenting a French junkyard teeming with old Bugattis and Ferraris. He also enjoyed historic racing, using his prized BMW 328 to compete in numerous events including the Mille Miglia and the Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. The BMW remained with Hesselmann until his death in 2011, since when it has not moved. Estimated to fetch between 280,000 and 480,000 euros, its fascinating history can be read in the Classic Driver Market.

Boomerang generation – Bonhams to offer wild Maserati concept at Chantilly

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Chantilly Arts & Elegance, Bonhams has revealed the lot-list for its new companion sale, and its star consignment is the left-field 1970s concept, the Maserati Boomerang…

Trendsetter

Revealed at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show and built on Bora underpinnings, the Boomerang was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro (then at Italdesign), who said the car was drawn “almost entirely with a ruler”. What’s more, the Boomerang was among the first angular design studies, of which many more – bolstered by their popularity – would follow throughout the decade. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the pre-sale estimate is available on request only. If you’re keen on ultra-rare coupés, the one-of-a-handful Aigle-bodied Alfa Romeo 1900C Super Sprint is also offered at the sale. And on this week’s topic of ultra-low-mileage classics, how about a Lancia Aurelia B52 with just 3,700km from new?

Photos: Franck Minieri, Bonhams, Maserati

‘78 Honda CB750 – Steel Bent Customs

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Written by Marlon Slack.

In the last few years news articles beginning with the words ‘Florida man’ have become a running joke. There’s even internet forums devoted to headlines that depict some of the most wonderfully bizarre acts to come out of the Sunshine State. If you get a moment, they’re worth checking out; ‘Florida Man Breaks into House, Poops on Floor and Drinks Contents of Vacuum Cleaner’ is my personal favourite. For me, that best sums up some of the drunken, insane characters that make up the unwashed social fabric of much of the South. Against such inebriated anarchy and swirling head noise stands Florida’s Steel Bent Customs, one of the most professional and consistently clean builders around, who have turned their capable hands to this 1978 Honda CB750 Super Sport.

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Steel Bent Customs started five years ago with owner Michael Mundy buying a bike that he wanted to build, customizing it and selling it off before channelling the funds into his next project. As the pace of his work started to quicken and he took on more bikes he soon he found himself head of a workshop with one of the more efficient work processes I’ve heard of recently.

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Customers place a deposit which holds them a spot on in the line to have their bike built. Once the bike is in the workshop and on the lift they’ll go over what the customer wants, pouring over photos and inspiration to help bring their dreams to life. This process allows them to keep bikes rolling through their shop at a pretty respectable pace. With builds taking around two months to complete Steel Bent Customs manage work their way through twelve to fifteen bikes a year.

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And that’s how this CB750 Super Sport came to life. It was in a condition typical of many old bikes, lying in parts in the owner’s garage as he waited for the time and space to be able to do the project justice. Instead of letting it lay dormant all the pieces were picked up and taken to Built City Customs who drew up a plan with the customer and went to work.

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Like most of the bikes that they build, Steel Bent Customs went around the frame removing all the unnecessary tabs and bracing, giving the frame a light and uncluttered appearance. The standard bulky rear end was cut and bent into a loop before it was sent to their local powder coat shop for some gloss black. Their go-to shop, ProFab, had a bit of work with this CB750 with the engine cases, ComStar wheels, kick starter and an assortment of other parts getting freshened up.

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The paintwork on the headlight bucket, tank and front fender was painted by Florida man Craig at his aptly-named workshop ‘Craig Paints Bikes’, finished in a beautiful shade of light silver. And the way the tank has been finished is interesting too, with the wide strip of gloss black along the bottom helping it appear smaller and lighter than it really is. That’s a neat trick.

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Finally the CB was fitted with a four into one exhaust system and the headers wrapped with titanium tape. The seat was finished in-house and four new air filters were fitted to the freshened-up carburettors while a pair of Shinko 230 Tour Master tyres were mounted front and back. Smaller gauges were fitted up front and some long and low tracker-inspired bars help round out a clean CB750 SS that’s sure to make any Florida man proud, vacuum cleaner fluid affected or not.

[Photos by Erick Runyon]

via PIPEBURN

Sin City Hustler Combines Excursion Limo, Monster Truck

If you have an irresistible urge to be bigger than everyone else and are willing to spend anyamount of money to do it, your ride has arrived. Ladies and gentlemen (or bros), meet the Sin City Hustler, the brainchild of Brad Campbell, owner of Big Toyz Racing Motors. The best way to describe it is a motley marriage of a Ford Excursion limousine and a monster truck.

Naturally, the press release for such an over-the-top vehicle is spilling over with hyperbole, including such gems as a custom parts list “a mile long” and that it’s “virtually unbreakable and up for the challenge on any terrain.” This beast is also claimed to have a “virtually maintenance-free platform.” While the Hustler’s 3-plus-foot ground clearance and massive balloon tires would get it over most topographical imperfections, we don’t think its massive size and width would work well on the tight, narrow, technical trails of Moab, Utah, or the Rubicon.

Among the hardware on the Hustler is a 521ci, 700hp big-block gas V-8, a DOM-tube frame chassis, and a quick-swap engine, transmission, and transfer case, in the off chance the virtually maintenance-free platform has an issue. If you’re interested in getting a Hustler of your own, scribble a check for $1 million to Big Toyz Racing Motors in White Hills, Arizona, or visit bigtoyzracing.com.

Source: Big Toyz Racing

Colourful classics at Motostalgia's Indianapolis auction

The catalogue for Motostalgia's Indianapolis sale on Sunday 12 June comprises not only a diverse array of American, European and Japanese collector cars – but also almost every shade in the colour spectrum. Here are our ten favourites...