Go time!

Xaus leads Biaggi? Yes, please.


The 2008 World Superbike season finally fucking started yesterday at the Losail Curcuit in Qatar. Actually, the races actually happened on Saturday. Normally, races take place on Sunday, but in Qatar, they happen on Saturday due to some crazy religious stuff. They're not even allowed to have Champagne on the podium. The track itself is literally in the middle of the desert of Qatar about 20 miles outside of Doha...miles and miles of run off if someone overcooks a corner.

I was going to write some long-winded recap of the races. instead, you can read Jeff's...it pretty much covers everything.

Clicky...http://churchofchoppers.blogspot.com/search/label/SBK%202008

The highlights for me included; Haga highsiding himself into orbit after taking a hand off the bars to give Biaggi a good finger-wagging, Xaus roughing up Biaggi in race 2, and of course...Bayliss making several trips on to the astro turf, and still robbing Biaggi of the race 1 win. Also...Tardozzi (Bayliss' crew chief) frantically signalling from pit wall for Bayliss to "calm down" during race 1. Of course, Bayliss paid no mind, and you tell by Tardozzi's expression that he was less than pleased. Rumor is that this is Bayliss' last year, so I doubt he will be out their just touring around all season.

Apparently, with the new rules, twin-cylinder bikes are allowed a 1200cc capacity (Ducati have bored out their 1098's to 1200), while the inline 4's are still limited to 1000cc. From what I understand, if Ducati (the only factory running twins in the series) starts to run off with race wins and points, the FIM can alter the rules midseason to reduce any advantage Ducati may have by further restricting airboxes and even adding ballast to the Ducs. Lame. I was pretty obvious, especially in race 2, that the Suzukis were the fastest bikes down the long front straight at Losail.

Anyway...here's the Bayliss/Biaggi last lap pass-a-thon from race 1. Note Bayliss' look over the shoulder mid-pass.



Haga's faceplant...en Espanol.



Next weekend...Phillip Island. Tasty.



T...out