ARAI LOOKS FORWARD TO THE THUNDERSPRINT

This weekend – 7th and 8th of May – sees the Thundersprint take place in the town centre of Northwich, Cheshire; this well-established event has become one of the most popular and well-attended events on the UK’s motorcycling calendar.

The Thundersprint track is laid out in Northwich’s main car park and although tiny, at just 447 yards, is a superb little race circuit. The individually timed sprints take place on Sunday and racers taking part this year will include Arai’s MotoGP superstar Cal Crutchlow, who has always had a hankering to ride at the Thundersprint. He’s suitably pleased; “I have heard so many good things about the Thundersprint that for 2011 I was determined to be there. I enjoy racing in world championship events but they are serious work in every way. I’m coming to the Thundersprint to do what I love best in life: be with bikes, meet fans – and have a play about on the track too. I’m also looking forward to being with some of the famous riders of the past and seeing some fabulous historic Grand Prix bikes.”

There will be print programmes available throughout the Thundersprint on both Saturday and Sunday; these will be completely free of charge as is admission, parking and grandstand seating.

2724UK, the UK importer of Arai helmets, based very close to the Thundersprint in Newcastle under Lyme has been a long term supporter of the event – and accordingly the Arai Race Service Vehicle and Technicians will be in attendance, assisting any member of the public with an Arai that needs advice, service or attention. In addition, Arai is providing the trophies for winners for the following Thundersprint Races; Sidecar, Golden Age, Pre War, Classic 250, 350 and 500, Lightweight and Modern Classics.

 

Thundersprint Organiser, Frank Melling said; “As ever, we are delighted to have Arai involved in our event. It so pleasing to have one of motorcycling’s most iconic brands being so closely involved with the Thundersprint: truly, the world’s greatest (and only)  ‘Grand Prix in a Car Park’.”

John Wakefield, Managing Director of 2724UK, is equally as happy to be involved; “It’s great being part of this event with our Arai sponsorship and Race Service. It’s a day out the whole family can enjoy and showcases all the positive things about motorcycling – it’s certainly a unique occasion that just seems to get bigger and better every year.”

For more information on Arai helmets or the Thundersprint please visit www.whyarai.co.uk www.thundersprint.com

MOTOGP ROUND 3, ESTORIL, SUNDAY MAY 1

Arai riders work hard in Portugal but good results – and victory – is the reward.

DANI PEDROSA, REPSOL HONDA

Race Position: 1^st                        Championship Position: 2^nd

“IT’S BEEN HARD WORK, BUT FINALLY WE GOT A WIN!”

Dani Pedrosa took not only his first win at the Circuit Estoril in Portugal, but also put firmly behind him the shoulder injury that has blighted the start of his season. After qualifying in third place Pedrosa blasted off the line and glued himself to Jorge Lorenzo from the 1st to 24th laps; then with a perfect overtaking move he seized the lead of the race and took the flag with a three second advantage. He is now just four points behind Lorenzo in the overall championship standings.

“I’m very happy for the win, but more than the win I’m happy for my condition and it seems that my surgery was finally successful. I was trying to rest my arm at times as it was cramping with 15 laps to go, I was riding behind Jorge and waiting for the numbness to come together with the loss of power, but it didn’t come! I’m just so happy to see that the surgery has worked, it’s been around six months with this and it’s a big relief. For the race, I was riding at my best, Jorge is amazing here always riding so smooth and fast, I was trying to stay with him and in the end I felt comfortable and tried to make a move. I’m very happy to win here, it’s my first win in this track and thanks to all the doctors, my physio and trainer because it’s been hard work.”

COLIN EDWARDS, MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3

Race Position: 6^th                        Championship Position: 9^th

“IT WAS JUST SURVIVAL FOR THE FIRST FEW CORNERS!”

Colin Edwards claimed a season best sixth place finish after he’d produced a magnificent early challenge to fight with Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso as the Italian pair battled for fourth spot. The experienced American looked poised to join the Rossi and Dovizioso battle on lap ten when he closed to within 1.5s of Dovizioso with a determined performance. But he almost immediately started to encounter a side grip issue and despite a rousing effort to remain in touch, he settled for a safe sixth position to finish leading non-factory rider once again.

“I don’t know what happened at the start but there was stuff going on everywhere. I saw Casey have a big moment and then Simoncelli needed a parachute, so it was just survival for the first few corners and see what happened. I saw Valentino and Andrea right in front of me and I was ready to reel them in. I was getting closer but I was pushing so hard just to stay in touch I lost a bit of side grip in the middle of the race and the lap times dropped a bit. I couldn’t have tried any harder to catch them and felt I had the pace in some areas, but when I opened the throttle the traction control would kick in because I was having quite a bit of wheelspin. I can’t really ask for anything more because I know the package I’m on and I know how fast the factory bikes are and the guys sat on top of them. A top six to take into the next race in France gives us all a lot of confidence and I’m already looking forward to going there.”

CAL CRUTCHLOW, MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3

Race Position: 8^th                        Championship Position:  8^th

“I KEPT SOME FAST AND EXPERIENCED GUYS BEHIND ME…”

Cal Crutchlow looked on course to secure his best MotoGP finish of a rookie season; he showed outstanding form in the early stages of the race to pull away from an exciting battle involving Hiroshi Aoyama, Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies. Only Aoyama had the speed to match Crutchlow and the pair engaged in a captivating battle; Aoyama took seventh on lap 20, but determined not to let the former 250cc World Champion streak away, Crutchlow retaliated on lap 25 with a clinically executed overtake. He kept the hard charging Japanese rider at bay until the start of the final lap, and despite a brilliant attempt to re-pass at the final chicane, was only just unable to claim the position.

“I’m happy enough with that because before the start of the weekend I’d have never thought it possible to finish in the top eight on a circuit I’d never even seen before. And considering I had problems with both my arms all weekend, it is a great feeling. My right arm, which I had the operation on, is fine, but my left arm is really sore because I’ve been compensating with it. But the team have been awesome all weekend. They have experience of helping rookie riders and they are doing a great job for me. And they’ve adjusted the bike to help me feel more comfortable with the arm problems. It is a shame I couldn’t quite beat Aoyama at the end. Earlier in the race I felt really comfortable and kept some really fast and experienced guys behind me. If I keep doing what I’m doing at the moment then there is no reason why on tracks that I know that I can’t be even further up.”

NICKY HAYDEN, MARLBORO DUCATI

Race Position: 9^th                        Championship Position: 5^th

“SPIES HIT ME PRETTY GOOD AND STOOD ME UP...”

Starting from the fifth row Nicky Hayden had a very strong launch off the line, and the American was seventh after the first lap. A small shifting problem affected him a little, but it was mainly the contact with Spies that caused him to lose time to the Aoyama and Crutchlow battle.

“Starting from thirteenth, it was always going to be difficult for us, but the bike was good off the line and I got a good start. I made some early mistakes, but I was also recovering a few positions. I got into seventh, but was having difficulty back-shifting. Already on the sighting lap, I knew it was an issue. On the grid, we talked about getting on the other bike, but we decided together that it was better to stick with our bike and not start from pit road. It caused some difficulty, especially on corner entry, and some guys came past. Then Spies hit me pretty good and stood me up going into Turn 3, so I lost the bridge to Aoyama and Crutchlow.”

Hiroshi Aoyama put his Team San Carlo Honda Gresini machine over the line in seventh place; he lies seventh overall in the title chase. Czech rider and MotoGP rookie Karel Abraham had an unfortunate DNF on his Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati ­– he is 11^th in the championship standings

Round 4 of MotoGP is at Le Mans, Sunday May 15.

For more information on Arai helmets please visit www.whyarai.co.uk

For more information on the photographer supplying the photos please visit www.petercallisterttphotos.co.uk

BSB 2011

BSB 2011, a set on Flickr.

Some superb pics from our friends at www.mnjphotography.co.uk. Thought you might like to see them!!

ARAI RELEASE DETAILS OF TWO VERY SPECIAL RX-7 GP HELMETS

Doohan/TT and Haga Monza White will be available in the UK later this year.

News of two very special limited edition Arai RX-7 GP helmets has just been announced; the Doohan/TT and Haga Monza White will be complete one-offs appealing to fans and collectors alike.

Every year a very special guest is invited to the Isle of Man TT to ride the legendary lap of honour and for 2011 Arai has invited no one less than Mick Doohan. Doohan is best known around the world as five times MotoGP World Champion (1994-1998) and during his outstanding career he always wore and trusted Arai. Several MotoGP riders will join Doohan during the ‘Arai Lap of Honor’, offering a truly unique spectacle.

His famous red, blue and white striped helmet with Koala bear cartoon on the back has become iconic – and Aldo Drudi has designed a limited edition helmet for this special occasion in white, black and red incorporating the TT logo, plus ‘Three Legs of Man’ details and the essence of Doohan’s original paintwork.

The black, limited edition Haga Monza was a tremendous success in 2009. Noriyuki wore this design at the Italian World Superbike race and interest was immediately overwhelming; all of the original Monzas sold very rapidly and thus inspired the brand new RX-7 GP Haga Monza ‘White’. This stunning version is also designed by Aldo Drudi and draws inspiration from its black predecessor; it features the circuit layout, its latitude and longitude as well as his NKI 41 motif. Haga, racing his PATA Aprilia RSV4 will wear the new design during the Italian World Superbike round at Monza, which takes place on May 8.

The Arai Doohan/TT and Haga Monza White RX-7 GP’s will be available in sizes XS-XL with an RRP of £639.99.

Both of the above helmets will be available on an order only basis directly from any Arai Five Star dealer and deadline to place orders will be 14th May, 2011.  Delivery dates will be advised shortly.

Arai’s RX-7 GP: the racer’s benchmark
The RX-7 GP was developed in conjunction with Arai’s MotoGP riders and features a peripherally belted Structural Net Composite (SNC) shell, with hyper ridge strengthening in its lower section and wider aperture (plus larger visor) for better vision. The RX-7 GP is the most technologically advanced motorcycle helmet Arai has ever produced; it exceeds ECE Regulation 22-05 and the new SNELL M2010 standard. ECE 22-05 represents the legal minimums for helmets in road use throughout the European Union while Snell M2010, introduced in October 2009, demands protective standards well beyond these legal minimums. The RX-7 GP easily surpasses ECE 22-05 and is the first helmet to meet Snell M2010, offering far superior head protection for motorcyclists.

The Arai Difference
Without exception all Arai helmets offer a peerless fit; the Japanese brand’s reputation for quality, comfort and safety has recently been further reinforced as, for the 12th consecutive year, Arai came out top of the JD Power and Associates Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study.

For more information on the Arai Doohan/TT or Haga Monza White, or the rest of the Arai range, call 2724UK on 01782 569800, or visit www.whyarai.co.uk 

ARAI RELEASE NEWS OF LIMITED EDITION ‘FLAG JAPAN’ QUANTUM

Proceeds from unique Drudi-designed helmet to go in aid of Tsunami victims

The incredible power of the Tsunami that enveloped the north of Japan and the resulting scenes of devastation have shocked and dismayed the world in equal measure. It has left deep sorrow and suffering in its wake, and at Arai thoughts and hearts go out to the victims of this disaster.

To offer support to the rescue and welfare organisations helping those in need, Arai is introducing the Quantum ‘Flag Japan’ design. A significant amount of the proceeds from the sale of the ‘Flag Japan’ Quantum will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Welfare Organisation. 

This special limited edition Quantum helmet is based on the popular ‘Flag’ design series, but legendary designer Aldo Drudi has made a special version with the Japanese flag as the centre of attention. The result is quite simply stunning.

Utilizing many of the Arai RX-7 GP’s race-developed design and safety features with added road-focussed civility, the Quantum is perhaps the most accomplished all-round helmet available. It features Super Complex Laminate Construction (SCLC), with enhanced hyper ridge strengthening in the lower shell, a triple density inner shell, improved peripheral vision and fully removable/washable interior with emergency release cheek pads.

The Quantum ‘Flag Japan’ will be available in the UK as a special order only, placed through the Arai Five Star dealer network by May 14, 2011. It will have an RRP of £469.99 with a size range of XS-XXL.

For information on the Arai Quantum ‘Flag Japan’, Arai Five star dealer network or the rest of the Arai range call  01782 569800 or visit www.whyarai.co.uk

WSBK ROUND 3, ASSEN, SUNDAY APRIL 17

LEON HASLAM, BMW MOTORRAD MOTORSPORT
Race One: 12th           Race Two: 5th       Championship Position: 3rd

“IT’S BEEN A TOUGH WEEKEND…”

Leon Haslam had a torrid weekend at Assen, but battled hard for points that could prove crucial later in the season. Starting race one on the third row he fought his way up to seventh before crashing out, remounting in second to last place; by the end he’d made it up to 12th, collecting four valuable points (Jonathan Rea nosed his Castrol Honda ahead of Max Biaggi to take the win) on the way. Race two was a different story – Haslam made a much better start into seventh place, and as the leading seven riders broke away, Haslam stayed with them. He got past Eugene Laverty on the start of the fourth lap, then managed to get in front of Noriyuki Haga later that same lap. On lap eight, Leon Camier forced his way past Haslam and began to chase down the leaders; for the remainder of the 22-lap race, Haslam had to work hard to try and defend his track position, fighting off constant attention from Laverty, Michel Fabrizio and Haga for the majority of the race to eventually finish in fifth place. Carlos Checa took victory at the flag, from Biaggi.

 
“It’s been a tough weekend. We’ve been encountering a few minor issues that made lap-by-lap consistency difficult. The situation obviously wasn’t helped by my crash in race one, the back of the bike came round on me unexpectedly and I was unable to stop myself from crashing. I also got clipped by one of the other riders when I was on the floor, which meant I was a little sore for race two. Still I got a good start in the second race and managed to get up with the leaders but sadly I was unable to progress through the pack. But we still managed to secure another top five finish and I know that we will go away from here, work hard back at the workshop and prepare well for Monza.”

JONATHAN REA, CASTROL HONDA
Race One: 1st           Race Two: 3rd      Championship Position: 4th

“I’M HAPPY TO BE BACK WHERE I BELONG, IN THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE!”
Jonathan Rea won race one and followed it up with a podium in race two to kick start his season in style; Assen marks the home race for Rea’s team and the victory was his first of the season and the first for the newly branded Castrol Honda squad, which is based just 50km to the south of the historic 4.452km circuit. After qualifying in fifth place on the grid, Rea made a good start in the opener and passed Checa for the lead on lap four, before powering to victory from second placed Max Biaggi. In race two, the 24-year-old had a slower start and, as he tried to get by fellow Ulsterman, Eugene Laverty, Checa and Biaggi were able to open a gap which Rea was unable to bridge after his tyres went off.

“I’m proud of this one. We spent all weekend developing the bike for the races, and that strategy paid off. I got a good start but couldn’t decide whether to let Max past and let him dictate the pace. In the end I made the right decision to stay in front and take the win. We had to dig deep in race two because I got held up for a while and the front guys got away. I was matching their lap times but we ran into some tyre problems later in the race. I’m really happy with the weekend though – it’s been a long hard winter coming back from injury. The team has worked really well and that’s exactly the right sort of confidence and momentum that we need to take to the next races. I’m happy to be back where I belong, in the winners’ circle.”

Noriyuki Haga and his PATA Aprilia had a superb superpole and qualified fourth on the grid; a DNF after a poor start in race one did not go down well but he wound up race two in eighth, scrapping hard all the way.

Jakub Smrz (Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati) qualified brilliantly and put himself second on the grid. He had to fight through the pack though, then crashed at Assen’s famous last corner chicane taking his teammate Guintoli out in the process. In race two he made it home in ninth; “The first race I was always in close contact with the front group, though I had to avoid a falling Haslam and got off line. But then I made my mistake in the chicane and inadvertently caused the crash for my teammate Guintoliho. I suffered an elbow injury that did not affect my performance in race two. I had a bad start though and during the first laps I got into contact with Camier; I finally finished in ninth place, only a few tenths from fifth place...”
After a race that was re-started twice World Supersport campaigner Broc Parkes eventually took his second podium of the year and is now only three points from the top, in second place overall, as points leader Luca Scassa crashed out; “I was a little bit fortunate that some other riders went out but I was unlucky to be bumped wide in the first turn, so it was just luck coming back my way. We have learned some things to take from this weekend to Monza and the team is always working on new things, so we can look forward to that.”

In the Superstock 1000, Arai supported rider Davide Guiglioni took a superb first place and further success followed in the European Championship Superstock 600 with Michael van de Mark also taking the win.

The next Word Superbike championship round is at Monza, with racing taking place on May 8.

For more information and news on Arai helmets please visit www.whyarai.co.uk

NICKY HAYDEN CONFIRMED TO VISIT ISLE OF MAN FOR 2011 TT RACES

MotoGP star to Experience Mountain Course with Arai Parade Lap

Arai sponsored Nicky Hayden, the 2006 MotoGP World Champion, has confirmed that he will attend the 2011 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy as part of the event's Mountain Course Centenary celebrations.

His scheduled visit, on Wednesday 8th June, will include an Arai Parade lap with five-time 2010 TT champion Ian Hutchinson and five-time Australian 500cc World Champion Mick Doohan. He will also start and present the trophy for the Monster Energy Supersport Race 2, before he begins his preparation for the British MotoGP round at Silverstone on Sunday 12th June.

The charismatic American, known as the 'Kentucky Kid', currently races for the Ducati Marlboro Team in the 2011 MotoGP championship with team-mate Valentino Rossi and finished on the podium in the second race of the season at Jerez following his 9th place at the opening round at Qatar.

Hayden is the youngest AMA Superbike champion in history, winning the title at the age of 21 in 2002, a year that also included victory in the Daytona 200. He moved to MotoGP in 2003, winning the Rookie of the Year title in his debut season and ending the season fifth overall.

He finished 3rd in the 2005 Championship, the year he also won his first race at Laguna Seca in the USA. He won the MotoGP Championship in 2006, clinching the title in the last race of the season at Valencia.
"I'm really looking forward to going to the Isle of Man. I've been to pretty much every kind of motorcycle race you can imagine-the Daytona 200, the Jerez MotoGP, the Anaheim Supercross, the Namur World Motocross-but I've never been to the Isle of Man or any other real street race. The TT is just one of those events that every race fan wants to see eventually."

Commenting on his visit to the Isle of Man he said:
"I'm really looking forward to going to the Isle of Man. I've been to pretty much every kind of motorcycle race you can imagine-the Daytona 200, the Jerez MotoGP, the Anaheim Supercross, the Namur World Motocross-but I've never been to the Isle of Man or any other real street race. The TT is just one of those events that every race fan wants to see eventually."

You'll love it Nicky! 

Photo courtesy of www.petercallisterttphotos.co.uk for more information and news on Arai Helmets please visit www.whyarai.co.uk