STRIJBOS 5TH IN SUGO QUALIFYING
 Kevin
Strijbos guided his customised RM-Z450 to the fifth fastest
lap-time today at a cloudy and very humid Sugo circuit for
the Grand Prix of Japan, the fifth round of 15 in the 2006
FIM MX1 World Championship.
The 20 year old, who has had his name etched into Japanese
on both his Shoei helmet and number plate, was 1.5 seconds
away from Stefan Everts in pole position after making some
suspension adjustments in the two free practice periods. The
Belgian is racing in Japan for the first time this weekend.
The Sugo circuit was again meticulously prepared with the
soft turf providing several lines and becoming rutted and
rough. The terrain had been mixed with wood chippings and
other elements that, coupled with the rainfall Friday night,
made for a supple surface.
With only 30 entries the Timed Practice session was more
about determining the gate order rather than a qualification
process. The top 10 riders were split by more than three seconds
on a technical course. Both Suzuki riders had been within
the leading group in the earlier practice periods and Steve
Ramon was only two tenths of a second slower than his team-mate
to take sixth position.
Shinichi Kaga was riding an RM-Z450 as part of the works
team and using a new fuel injection system. The Japanese rider
managed a lap-time that placed him 23rd.
The weather forecast for tomorrow is positive with sunny
conditions predicted.
Kevin Strijbos:
“The track is pretty cool and it is getting rough with
a lot of ruts. We had some problems with the suspension so
we changed everything after first practice but we could not
find a good set-up. In qualifying we switched the shock and
it was a lot better. It is hard out there because of the humidity
and I am feeling the jetlag. I think another podium is possible
tomorrow. Ken De Dycker has some good speed but I don’t
think anyone will be running that pace over two 40 minute
motos. Watching the lines will be important.”
Steve Ramon:
“We changed the front suspension a little bit today
after the first practice but otherwise my riding was going
well. I kept sixth which is ok for the start gate. The track
is really rough and deeper than last year so it will be hard
tomorrow. It is hot and humid but the conditions are the same
for everyone. A good start will be important but there are
a lot of lines for passing.”
MX1 Timed Practice: 1 Stefan Everts, BEL
(Yamaha) 1:45.281, 2 Tanel Leok, EST (Kawasaki) 1:46.587,
3 Brian Jorgensen, DEN (Honda) 1:46.883, 4 Ken De Dycker,
BEL (Honda)1:46.987, 5 Kevin Strijbos, BEL (Suzuki) 1:47.381,
6 Steve Ramon, BEL (Suzuki) 1:47.515, 7 James Noble, GBR (Honda)
1:47.567, 8 Cedric Melotte, BEL (Yamaha) 1:48.222, 9 Jonathan
Barragan, SPA (KTM) 1:48.441, 10 Javier Garcia Vico, SPA (Honda)
1:48.463. 23 Shinichi Kaga, JPN (Suzuki) 1:52.460.
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