Kawasaki WSB - Valencia

[MadKaw]

LACONI SEVENTH AS NIETO DOUBLES UP
Vallelunga, Italy, 30 September 2007 - Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse Ninja ZX-10R) scored the single best Kawasaki rider finish at Vallelunga with a seventh in race one, but his regular team-mate Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse Ninja ZX-10R) scored a pair of eighth places to make the biggest mark in the points haul.
Laconi slowly fell to earth in race two after outbraking himself into the corner after the back straight, while third team rider at Vallelunga Vittorio Iannuzzo (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse Ninja ZX-10R) was a more than respectable tenth and 12th in the two 24-lap contests.

In the championship chase, Laconi is 11th on 122 points, Nieto is 13th on 98 and Iannuzzo, only an occasional presence in the team, is 19th, on 19 points.

Regis Laconi: “The first race was looking like a good fight but then Corser made a little mistake and I had to lose a lot of time when I ran off the track, and had to re-pass some riders. In the second race the start was OK but I saw nothing in the first few corners because of the cement dust covering an oil spill and that made it difficult for me to recover from. I tried my best but I made a mistake on the back straight when I braked and after I ran onto the gravel I could not restart. I was not so happy with the front tyre and I tried another one in race two but there was too much movement and not enough grip.”

Fonsi Nieto: “Not so bad, two sets of points and considering how practice went it is actually very good. I think it is hard to finish in the top ten here with the bike the way it is and I did it both races. I have to stay happy with that. We knew this track would be difficult for us, so I am happy to leave with two good points scores.”

Vittorio Iannuzzo: “I made a beautiful race one and at a certain point I really thought I could attack Fonsi. Then I had a problem with the clutch and I just focused on finishing the race. In race two the bike lifted the front just after the start and I lost positions, but I anyway got back a few of them. I made a mistake choosing the same tyres I had in race one because the higher temperature finished them off faster.”

VALLELUNGA OFFERS LITTLE TO SUPERSPORT DUO
Vallelunga, Italy, 30 September 2007 - Fabien Foret (Gil Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) and Pere Riba (GIL Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) found their hopes of strong points scoring finishes dashed in a shortened Vallelunga WSS race, with Foret the only rider to finish in the top 15.
His two points for 14th place were two more than his team-mate Riba could gain, after he suspected a problem with his front tyre and came into the pits to retire on the tenth lap.

The race was scheduled for 22-laps, but an oil spill on the fast corners after the startline, not spotted for some time, caused several riders to fall, and the race to be stopped after only 17 laps.

Fabien Foret: “We didn’t get good grip from the back but I tied my best. I caught three or four riders before the red flag. A few more points would have been good but we will see how it goes next week at the last race, because it is important to finish second overall, for the team and myself.”

Pere Riba: “In the race I felt like there was something really wrong with the front tyre or front end so I felt I had to come in to the pits. It has been a very hard weekend all round, but now we look to France to finish with better results.”


NEBEL CRASHES DURING A DRAMATIC WSS RACE
Vallelunga, Italy, 30 September 2007 - Stefan Nebel (Lightspeed Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) found the Vallelunga track a tough one to deal with on his first visit to the new SBK venue, and he proved unlucky in the race, finding an oil spill on track the hard way.
Having qualified 24th, Nebel was busy working his way forward when he suddenly fell at one of the fastest sections on the circuit, and although he did not suffer an fractures, he was comprehensively beaten by his fast fall in fifth gear on the approach to the Curva Cimini.

He was classified as a finisher, in 16th place, as he fell on the final lap before the race was called to a close.

Nebel fully intends to ride at the final round of the championship, at Magny-Cours next weekend, despite his extensive bruising.

Stefan Nebel: “I had a very fast crash at the right down the hill, on the oil. As soon as I saw that there was oil on the track I was immediately down. I think I have only one part of my body, my right arm, which is not blue from bruising. I haven’t broken anything, so I am ready to go to Magny-Cours. I should be OK to race there.”