What to expect when attending CBSK race day

For those wondering about the outcome of the gnarly crash in Pro Superbike race 1 at the end of the main straight (fastest possible place to crash on the fastest possible bikes to crash on), one of the Flyin' Banana's team members posted a photo of him giving us the finger from the hospital, and he has since been released. No major injuries.

His bike ghost-rode into the tire wall. It didn't do so well. The front fell off.

In our two-rider team of olde washed-up riders living the dream, we had one who turned lap times better than expectations on Thursday, qualified at the back (but qualified! for Pro Supersport), ran the two-lap warm-up for race 1 but retired with a badly slipping clutch. That turned out to be because the clutch hub nut came undone. It smoked the clutch plates and it needed replacement parts, and tools, that we didn't have trackside. The other finished Amateur Sportbike with the best lap times he's ever done. Still got lapped near the end of race 2 (race 1 didn't go full distance) but that's ok.

They're both riding relatively ancient equipment that's short 20 horsepower.
 
Brian P said:
For those wondering about the outcome of the gnarly crash in Pro Superbike race 1 at the end of the main straight (fastest possible place to crash on the fastest possible bikes to crash on), one of the Flyin' Banana's team members posted a photo of him giving us the finger from the hospital, and he has since been released. No major injuries.

His bike ghost-rode into the tire wall. It didn't do so well. The front fell off.

In our two-rider team of olde washed-up riders living the dream, we had one who turned lap times better than expectations on Thursday, qualified at the back (but qualified! for Pro Supersport), ran the two-lap warm-up for race 1 but retired with a badly slipping clutch. That turned out to be because the clutch hub nut came undone. It smoked the clutch plates and it needed replacement parts, and tools, that we didn't have trackside. The other finished Amateur Sportbike with the best lap times he's ever done. Still got lapped near the end of race 2 (race 1 didn't go full distance) but that's ok.

They're both riding relatively ancient equipment that's short 20 horsepower.
Click to expand...
Regarding that big crash,... what the heck happened there? I saw the You Tube short of it, looks like Frast was setting up a pass into 8 and got momentarily attached to the Banana bike and rider. For sure one of the scary ones, glad everyone is OK. Who was on the Banana bike?
 
Glenn/RZ500 said:
Regarding that big crash,... what the heck happened there? I saw the You Tube short of it, looks like Frast was setting up a pass into 8 and got momentarily attached to the Banana bike and rider. For sure one of the scary ones, glad everyone is OK. Who was on the Banana bike?
Click to expand...

The banana bike (yellow) is Frast. The green/black Kawasaki is Alex Michel.

Michel passed Frast toward the end of the back straight, then as they came into the braking zone the two made contact and Frast got tangled in the back of Michel's bike then thrown over the wall when they impacted.
 
We think the tangle happened because Michel started turning in but Frast was at least partially in his draft and couldn't scrub off enough speed to avoid collision. Draft is very significant at those speeds. On bikes with downforce aero (all modern superbikes) that's less effective when in someone's draft, too.

I'll stay with my 40-some-odd hp bike.
 
2013 Christian Auger #13 lost his life.

Last year Guerin end up with career ending injuries. Yesterday accident was horrific, miracle that Zoltan is going to be ok.

Turn 8 is so dangerous, minimal safety for 2 wheels.
 
Jayv said:
2013 Christian Auger #13 lost his life.

Last year Guerin end up with career ending injuries. Yesterday accident was horrific, miracle that Zoltan is going to be ok.

Turn 8 is so dangerous, minimal safety for 2 wheels.
Click to expand...
Long ago,.. wasn`t Peter Wilson killed at 8 with brake failure on his GSX-R 1100?
 
Alexandre Michel has been posting on social media. He has a broken collarbone.

He also posted video of the crash. I saw this in the paddock but didn't have the ability to slow it down or do any stop-motion analysis at the time. Do not click this link unless you want to see it ... Video

Zoltan staying to the right going up the straight was probably done with a view of making it harder for another rider to overtake on the inside (which is what normally happens). But he had to move to the left to the correct entrance point for the next corner. Alexandre saw the gap on the left, was able to close the gap due to drafting, and went for it because that's what racers do. Their trajectories met. Aerodynamic forces at these speeds are not to be neglected.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom