KTM RC8R riders celebrate win and third place in IDM Superbike Championship

2010-06-23 10:27
KTM Superbike Team Germany celebrated a win by RC8R rider Martin Bauer and a third place by teammate Stefan Nebel on Germany's Sachsenring this weekend at the International German Superbike Championships (IDM).

The Austrian Bauer registered the team's second victory of the season in the second race after he had a DNF in the first. German teammate Nebel registered a third and a fourth place on a weekend that also saw KTM vault to the front of the leader board in the Manufacturer's Standings, 12 points ahead of Honda.

The two riders tackled the challenging 3.7 km, extremely curvy circuit that is both a challenge for riding skills and tires. KTM's approx. 190 hp RC8R Superbike reached a top speed of 257 km/h on the 480 m start-finish straight. Stefan Nebel registered the third best training time to start in the front row while teammate Bauer, even though he was sixth fastest had to start in tenth place on the grid because he overlooked the requirement to use marked tires.

The first race, won by the Australian Muggeridge saw multiple changes in leadership by a group of 10 riders at the front of the pack. Nebel was sitting in fourth place going into the final lap and slipped into third for his podium position. Bauer was forced to retire because of technical difficulties while KTM RC8 R privateer Vesa Kallio of Finland finished eleventh

The second race was turbulent and punctuated by a number of crashes, including among some of the most prominent riders in the competition. Bauer started from the third row overtook one opponent after the next until he hit the front in the middle of the race and brought the KTM Superbike home in first place. Stefan Nebel looked like finishing in fourth place but was overtaken in the final lap by Werner Daemen (BMW) while Vesa Kallio had a DNF.

Bauer's victory was the team's second this season and his and Nebel's points have secured KTM 222 points to lead the Manufacturer's Standing. Half way through the season Bauer is in second place in the championship standings and Nebel is fourth.

Martin Bauer: DNF/ first place: "I really wanted this victory. The Sachsenring is my favorite circuit as I was very disappointed not to finish the first race. We had some problems with the setup and the tires in training and I really had to go for it to fight for the sixth place on the grid. Then I was penalized four places because the tires weren't marked correctly. That made it an even bigger challenge because this circuit is an orgy of corners and it's very hard to overtake. I was already up to fourth place in the first race before I had to retire.

I had a good start in the second race and the RC8 R and the Dunlop tires worked perfectly. I could go at a good pace and work my way up through the order. I followed Dario Giuseppetti for a while then took the lead about half way through the race. I wasn't really able to break away from him and when I turned to take a look in the last lap IO saw his teeth flash under his visor. So I took the precaution blocking the line so I could stay in front till the finish line. It's great that we got the win because this circuit is really unique as is the enthusiasm of the crowd."

Stefan Nebel (3./4.): "I really enjoyed this weekend. We had made some advancement in testing and we were able to build on this here this weekend. I was already satisfied after training. I was in from for a lot of the time in the first race but Muggeridge always came back at me. Veneman and the others were also fast. It was a great battle and I don't believe there have ever been so many changes at the front of the pack or so much overtaking. I felt great and I tried to ride with feeling and take good care of the tires.

Konrad Hefele, KTM Team Boss: Martin's victory and Stefan's podium in the first race and fourth place in the second race showed that the team put in a great performance. We had a tough time in training to try to figure out a good setup for the tires - a compliment to the team for the hard work and for coming up with a good solution. Now we look forward to the next race at the Salzburgring.

IDM 125, Race 1 Podium for KTM Youngster Finsterbusch
The first 125 race on Saturday ended with a third place for KTM youngster Toni Finsterbusch who fought his way into the front of the pack after an earlier mistake only to slip by Mathew Scholz in the last lap to steal the final podium place. Damien Raemy, who led the field in the first lap had to settle for fifth while his HP Moto KTM teammate Philipp Oettl finished tenth and Daniel Kartheininger (Team Freidenberg KTM) was seventh.

IDM 125, Race 2: A lot of orange in the top ten
While KTM youngsters missed the podiums in race two they did feature heavily in the top ten. Finsterbusch was fourth after holding Raemy at bay while Kartheininger and Oettl finished sixth and seventh.

Results:
Superbike Race 1
1. Karl Muggeridge (AUS), Honda
2. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW
3. Stefan Nebel (GER), KTM
4. Dario Giuseppetti (D), Ducati
5. Joerg Teuchert (D), Xamaha
Other KTM
11. Vesa Kallio (FIN), KTM
DNF: Martin Bauer (A), KTM

Superbike Race 2:
1. Martin Bauer, (AT), KTM
2. Dario Giuseppetti (D), Ducati
3. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW
4. Stefan Nebel (GER), KTM
5. Didier van Keymeulen (Bel), Yamaha
Other KTM
DNF: Vesa Kallio (FIN), KTM

Standings after 8 of 16 races
1. Karl Muggeridge (AUS), Honda, 148 points
2. Martin Bauer (AT), KTM, 112
3. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW, 109
4. Stefan Nebel (GER), KTM, 100
5. Barry Veneman (NL), BMW, 90
15. Vesa Kallio, (FIN), KTM, 26


IDM 125 Race 1
1. Luca Amato (Aprilia)
2. Luca Gruenwald (Seel)
3. Toni Finsterbusch (KTM)
5. Damien Raemy (KTM)
7. Daniel Kartheininger (KTM)
10. Philipp Oettl (KTM)

IDM 125 Race 2
1. Mathew Scholz (Aprilia)
2. Luca Amato (Aprilia)
3. Luca Gruenwald (Seel)
4. Toni Finsterbusch (KTM)
5. Damien Raemy (KTM)
6. Daniel Kartheininger (KTM)
7. Philipp Oettl (KTM)

IDM 125 Standings
1. Luca Gruenwald, (GER), Seel, 147
2. Matthew Scholtz (RSA), Aprilia, 111
3. Toni Finsterbusch (GER), KTM, 94
4. Damien Raemy, (SUI), KTM, 77
5. Daniel Kartheininger (GER), KTM, 73
6. Philipp Oettl, (GER), KTM, 69

Source: KTM-Sportmotorcycle AG

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