Curiosities - Magny Cours 12th Round – 6th, 7th And 8th October

While Corser is waiting to score half of a point to reach the 3000 mark or score 21 points to become the man that scored the highest number of points in SBK™ history, two riders are close to important milestones. Chris Walker now counts 983 points and misses only 17 points to reach the 1000 mark and Ruben Xaus is just behind with 975.

Xaus And Bayliss Towards 100

Ruben Xaus now counts 99 races started and Troy Bayliss 98, so they can reach the 100 race starts in Magny Cours.

Suzuki Ends Its Sequence

In Imola, after 70 straight races, there wasn't a Suzuki in the points. The japanese manufacturer managed to put a bike in the points since Assen 2003 and it was recording the ninth sequence of all times. At the moment the best sequence of races in the points is set by Kawasaki, with 50 races (since Assen 2004).

10 Fastest Laps

Troy Bayliss in Magny Cours could score an important record that was scored only 4 times in 19 season: set 10 fastest laps in a season. In the past the riders that were capable to do it were: Doug Polen in 1991 (14), Fogarty in 1993 and 1994 (10) and Hodgson in 2003 (10). Bayliss at the moment counts 9 fastest laps, the same number that recorded in 2002.

Anniversaries Of The Week

• October the 3rd – 2004, Magny Cours race 1, first and only fastest race lap for Steve Martin; first front row appearance for Sebastien Gimbert; the french rider in his SBK™ career started from the front row only in Magny Cours 2004 and Losail 2005. 1993, Donington, first podium for Jamie Whitham;

• October the 4th – 1998, Sugo race 1, first and only win for Keiichi Kitagawa. It's the first win for the Suzuki GSX-R 750, that up to 2001 will rack up other 5 wins. The previous model, the GSXR 750 R won in 1988 race 1 in Sugo (Gary Goodfellow) and the following year in the same track with Doug Polen. Kitagawa's win came then after 9 years without a win for Suzuki. In the same race Akira Ryo scored his first fastest lap and climbed for the first time on the podium. A race to remember for Suzuki, that scored its first double win. At the moment the japanese manufacturer counts 5 double wins. 1992, Monza race 2: 10th fastest lap for Fabrizio Pirovano and first podium for Piergiorgio Bontempi;

• October the 5th – 1997, Sugo, first front row appearance for Noriyuki Haga, that at the moment counts 30. In race 2 the japanese rider scores his first win and in the same race the 25th fastest lap in Yamaha's history. The 5th of october is the birthday of 2004 World Champion and current Honda rider James Toseland;

• October the 6th – 1996, Troy Corser scores in Albacete race 1 his 10th win. 1991, Mugello, Doug Polen scores his 10th pole (the 9th of the season) and he is the first rider to reach this milestone. In the following race in Phillip Island Polen will score his 10th pole of the season, a single season record still unbeaten.

Milestones In France

Superbikes ran in France from 1988 to 1991 and then from 2003 onwards. The tracks were Le Mans and Paul Ricard from 1988 to 1990 and Magny Cours from 1991 onwards. These are the milestone recorded on french soil:

• 1988, Le Mans: Fabrizio Pirovano scores his first win and his first fastest lap, the first one recorded by Yamaha;

• 1989, Paul Ricard race 2: 10th win for Bimota and first fastest lap for Giancarlo Falappa. In race 1 Mike Baldwin, the other works rider for Bimota Experience team scores his first (and only) fastest lap;

• 1990, Le Mans: Baldassarre Monti scores his first pole position, the 10th for Honda. In race 2 Raymond Roche scores his 25th podium finish;

• 2003, Magny Cours: 100th race start for Mauro Sanchini and first pole position for James Toseland;

• 2005, Magny Cours race 1: 10th win for Chris Vermeulen. In race 2 Lorenzo Lanzi scores his first fastest lap and Noriyuki Haga his 50th podium finish.

Highs And Lows Of 2005 In Magny Cours

• Lorenzo Lanzi scores his second win in career after race 2 at the Eurospeedway Lausitz;

• Troy Corser sets his worst qualifying result of the season: 16th. He ends a streak of 12 front rows that started in Magny Cours 2004.

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