Dainese: No problem with Lorenzo's D-Air System during Valencia MotoGP

From a press release issued by Dainese:

During the fourth lap of the MotoGP race in Valencia, Jorge Lorenzo’s D-Air® opened instantly when the racer’s bike underwent an exceptionally violent yaw, in this way providing precious technical information for the perfection of the system.

The telemetry data derived submitted to careful examination showed that the D-Air® system reacted correctly without perceived influence on the racer’s riding.

The analysis of the times in that section of the racetrack revealed a modest delay of 6-7 tenths of a second caused primarily by the loss of balance and the opening of the air-bag, which successively deflated in the established time of around 20 seconds.
All this goes to show the system’s harmlessness above all: instant inflation does not compromise the rider’s ability to control the vehicle or continue the race in any way, obviously whenever the skid does not lead to a fall.

The yaw of Lorenzo’s bike as faithfully recorded by telemetry, was sharp and abrupt. Even if rare, events of this degree can be particularly dangerous for riders if they develop into a high-side. Detecting the danger, the Dainese D-Air® Dainese triggered and inflated before the impact took place: a “delayed” inflation is no use in the event of a high-side. In this case, the Spanish ace’s enormous talent enabled him to regain control of his M1 bike.

Another extremely interesting bit of information provided by telemetry analysis showed that the trigger level set for the opening of the D-Air® was exceeded by a mere less than 1%. This demonstrates that the system has reached highly-advanced levels of development and reliability and that it now only requires “fine tuning” in its electronics and ergonomics.

Last but not least, at the end of Sunday’s race when he was informed of the first analysis results, Jorge Lorenzo declared that he‘s more willing than ever to continue wearing the Dainese racing suit with built-in D-Air® system in both tests and races because he considers it a protector that he simply can’t go without!

James Rispoli Breaks Femur

Road Racer X magazine is reporting that AGV Dainese's James Rispoli broke his femur during motocross training over the weekend.

Wishing The Rocket a very prompt and fast recovery.

Rispoli Breaks Femur

November 16, 2009 by admin  
Filed under News

Road racer, dirt tracker and landspeed record holder James Rispoli had another busy weekend. The young gun release his new web site www.jamesrispoli.com on Friday, tested a big non-Harley twin for an Ohio based team on Saturday, practiced some motorcross on Sunday at a local NY track and took his first helicopter ride after a stalled landing pitched him over the bars and he broke his femur. He was flown to the Erie County Trauma Center where they performed a successful surgery on the clean break inserting a rod into the bone attached by screws. He is resting comfortably and will return home on Tuesday where he will be able to start rehab with an expected full recovery. James wanted to thank all the folks at the practice track that made quick decisions on his behalf that allowed for this successful outcome.

What our World Champs do on weekend

They go race MOTOCROSS!! :)

Rossi organized a fundraiser race for kids leukemia at Cavallara, with a few road racing guys, including Dovi, Simoncelli and Mr. Schwantz himself. 10,000 fans turned up.

Honda Repsol's Andrea Dovizioso won the overall.


From Twowheelsblog.com:


Over 10,000 people turned out to see Valentino Rossi’s event Motocross dei Campioni, 30 anni più tardi (Motocross of the Champions, thirty years later). The fund raiser was organized to help kids suffering from leukemia at the Pesaro Hospital and the public was treated to an exciting day, that saw Andrea Dovizioso take the most points and win the race.
The first heat was won by Spanish rider and this year’s 125cc Champion Julian Simon, followed by Andrea Dovizioso and Marco Melandri, while Rossi was sixth after falling in the third lap but was able to finish.
The second heat finished in the same manner with Rossi taking fourth. Julian Simon could not take part in the third as he had a plane to catch, so the podium saw Dovizioso, Rossi and Melandri, with Dovizioso winning the event with the most points.
“It was a great race,” said a satisfied Rossi at the end of the show: “we had over 10,000 paying spectators and this was our goal, to help the AIL ( Italian Leukemia Association) and the children.”.

Hodgson back to BSB with Rob Mac Yamaha

From Visordown.com

BRITISH SUPERBIKE fans can expect to see Neil Hodgson back on the grid in next year's series; the Lancastrian has signed to ride for Motorpoint Yamaha to race in BSB in 2010.

Visordown's BSB man says he's surprised by Hodgson's decision to sign for Rob McElnea’s squad, considering the team's patchy success in 2009. It's rumoured HM plant Honda had been interested in signing the 2003 World Superbike Champion but the deal didn't come to fruition.

But it'll be good to see the old boy back on the British Superbike scene. Perhaps it'll rekindle Hodgson's long-standing grudge match with fellow BSB competitor Chris Walker.

Good bye Neil and Good Luck in BSB, it was a pleasure working with you this past AM season.

Mission Impossible: Simoncelli vs. Aoyama in Valencia

Can AGV Dainese's rising star Marco Simoncelli bring the crown back home in Valencia this weekend? Supersic is 21 points behind Honda's Aoyama and will go for it in Spain.

Good luck Marco!!

The Donkey is coming!!

AGV helmets announces the release of the GP-Tech replica of Valentino's Donkey. This must-have lid will hit the US towards Feb 2010.

AGV Dainese Sammy Halbert 2009 Grand National Champion!

Congrats to Sammy for some gnarly racing and a lot of determination (despite a crash in the last Main event) to bring the Grand National home.

Here's a quick report from Pomona from Road Racer X dirt track insider Miriam Deitcher:

"In 1999, Carr ran away with the championship, finishing 65 points ahead of Rich King. The story was quite different this year as, heading into Pomona, six riders were in mathematical contention for the Grand National Championship: Sammy Halbert, Jared Mees (-1), Kopp (-4), JR Schnabel (-19), defending champ Kenny Coolbeth, (-24) and Jake Johnson (-24).
Although I consider Mees and others to be my good friends, I found myself secretly rooting for Halbert all season long. He’s just the kind of kid you want to see do well. His dad tunes his bikes, and he’s sponsored by his family. Off the track, he’s quiet, humble, and gracious. On the track, however, he’s ferocious and exciting as hell to watch. I often hear him described as a “racer’s racer” with a “win or die trying” attitude.

Halbert elevating his foot, moment after winning the Grand National Championship. - Miriam Deitcher photo

Halbert’s championship hopes almost came to an end during the Pomona main event, when he pummeled into Stevie Bonsey’s bike after the former MotoGP 125cc rider crashed. “His bike slid right in front of me, and I went up and over at high speed,” Halbert wrote in his post-race report. The crash, which catapulted Sammy ten or more feet into the air upon impact, was so scary it would’ve sent most riders packing. But not Sammy. “It looked like it was all over,” he said. “I felt like my leg might have been broken. After a few minutes, I stood up and luckily the bike wasn’t too damaged to continue.” Not only did Halbert join the single-file restart in dead last, he then proceeded to finish on the podium. All that, with a leg so messed up he could hardly walk the next day.
Halbert’s third-place finish at Pomona was just enough to edge out Kopp by one point and Mees by three to win the Grand National Championship, making 2009 the closest top-three Grand National Champion finish in AMA Flat Track history. You have to go all the way back to 1963 for the next closest, when Dick Mann, George Roeder, and Ralph White ended the season ten points apart.

The feat puts Sammy in the elite Grand National Champion club with legendary riders like Parker, Carr, Ricky Graham, and Bubba Shobert. Or does it? In 2006, AMA Pro Racing stopped recognizing the Grand National Champion. Instead, they honor the winners of the Twins and Singles series individually, but not the all-around champ. At the AMA Flat Track end-of-the-year banquet the night after Pomona, Sammy’s Grand National Championship went unmentioned."

Here's Sammy's Race Pomona report:

"Going into Pomona I was thinking I needed to just go in and get 28 points, by winning the Dash for Cash, and the GNC Main event. I then would have guaranteed myself at least second place in the AMA GNC Twins Championship, and a shot at winning if Jared Mees finished 10th or worse. I felt like all the training I have done all year has built up to this event, and I was ready to put it to good use.

The track turned out to be very challenging as they tried to make it hard packed, but the soil was too soft, and it was obvious right away that it was going to be a rough track all night. I qualified 9th but was confident I would be upfront when it came down to race time.

There was a few restarts in my heat race and I was getting shuffled backwards in most of them, I was worried as I fell back out of the top five before the restart. On the last re-start I didn't come off the line well, but I just charged into the lead through the first turn, but was soon passed by Henry Wiles. I tried my best to hang with him, but he was just a little faster. Then I had to give it everything I had to hold off challenges from Matt Weidman and JR Schnabel. Top two in this heat was crucial as it meant front row starts for the GNC Main event and Dash for Cash. I knew I had just barely kept my title hopes alive by finishing second.

The Dash for Cash just didn't go my way, I tried to find some good lines to pass, but found some bumps instead and dropped back to 6th place. Joe Kopp finished second which meant that we would be tied in the Overall Grand National Championship going into the Main event with Mees just one point behind.

In the main event I had kind of a rough time, and went backwards a little. I was running right behind Mees when all of a sudden Steve Bonsey crashed running the low line in turns three. His bike slid right in front of me,and I went up and over at high speed. I was layed out hard on the track, and it looked like it was all over, I felt like my leg might have been broken. After a few minutes I stood up, and luckily the bike wasn't to damaged to continue. I started in last place on the single file restart and worked my way around riders and continued to search for a fast line. Halfway through the race I had developed enough courage to try running the low line Thur the bumps in turn one, that turned out to be the key to my success as my Harley-Davidson XR750 was set up to handle the bumps well. I was then able to go just a little faster in each corner than everyone around me so I worked my way past Kopp, Johnson, and Carr. then I caught and passed Weidman and Mees for third, and it seemed I was catching the leaders, but it was too little to late. I finished in third place and was happy to limp onto the podium. I finished the season in third place for the AMA GNC Twins Championship, and won the "Overall Grand National Championship" by 1 point marking the closest ever top three riders in the Grand National Championship Series! I am also the first rider under 23 years old to win the Grand National Championship (combined points) since 1978.

I am so happy to end the season on such a high note by charging from last place to third in the Pomona GNC Main Event! They know I am coming for them! I also feel very honored to have won the www.flattrack.com overall Grand National Championship by having the most points in the singles and twins class for 2009.

I am looking forward to expanding my team for next year with the addition of my older brother, National #69 Jethro Halbert. I am really looking forward to working alongside him week in and week out, like we did as Amateurs. We will be stronger as a team together and will come to Daytona Bike Week prepared to gang up on the rest of the GNC Regulars.

Thanks to all my sponsors for helping to make the 2009 Racing Season a great success for me!"