WSB Donington Race 2 Drama (Spoiler)

[Silverbird]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUDV6rbxruU&feature=relmfu

Haven't seen a dick move like this in a long time.

[miles]

It wasn't even Johnny Rea's first bumper car action of the race.  

[Kneescrubber]

Do you think he'll get fined for that bonehead move?

[Silverbird]

It was kinda sorta a race incident and pure bad luck the second BMW was off line like that and got taken out. What infuriates me is the way Rea was gloating and giving the camera a #1 finger like he deserved the win. What a turd.  

[DogBoy]

Holy Sh*t. That was awesome racing flag to flag in both races. And Johnny Rea picks up the 7 - 10 split.  

[st2sam]

Holy Sh*t. That was awesome racing flag to flag in both races. And Johnny Rea picks up the 7 - 10 split.  

   How true.

Awesome awesome race!  (both were good)
I can only hope The Miller race is as good.

I gotta go watch that last lap again...

[jfusaro]

I would love to see the onboard view from Rea's point of view. He must have thought Haslam was going to run wide as well but anyway it was exciting to watch.

[veefer800canuck]

If I were Rea, I don't think I'd be celebrating that.  

Gloating over the win after taking out two riders? Even if it were purely a "racing incident" and if we assume for a moment that Rea is 100% innocent, I STILL would not be partying it up.

I'd mention in the press conference some feelings of regret for the incident, and relief that neither of the two riders were hurt, and leave it at that.

[garry]

If I were Rea, I don't think I'd be celebrating that.  

Gloating over the win after taking out two riders? Even if it were purely a "racing incident" and if we assume for a moment that Rea is 100% innocent, I STILL would not be partying it up.

I'd mention in the press conference some feelings of regret for the incident, and relief that neither of the two riders were hurt, and leave it at that.

+1 for sure. I think I would chalk it up as a racing incident, but would be quite contrite in the post-race stuff if I was Johnny.

[veefer800canuck]

This just In:

Johnny Rea not signing with BMW for 2013.

[R Doug]

This just In:

Johnny Rea not signing with BMW for 2013.

 

[nater]

Both races were nail biters!  It looked like an AMA Supersport race.

[squeezer]

And Johnny Rea picks up the 7 - 10 split. 

I just finished watching it. What an incredible race. Both of them were great, but that second one was especially a scorcher. What a bummer for Beemer. It seemed like a racing incident to me, but I think I'll need to watch it again. Steve Martin sounded a bit twisted about it, didn't he?

Oh yeah...  of course I had Haslam on my fantasy team.

[tomek]

This just In:

Johnny Rea not signing with BMW for 2013.

 

The word on the street is several NASCAR teams are interested in Rea`s services .

[veefer800canuck]

Rubbin' is racin'

[Ralf]

Simoncelli reincarnated?

[R Doug]

This pretty much sums up race 2...

[davenay67]

I'm a big LH fan, so needless to say, Mr Rea just went onto my list of racers for whom there simply cannot be enough engine failures..!! BMW are coming good and they have good riders, I see more success in their future.

I remember watching Ron Haslam at the TT, so seeing his son racing makes me feel old....

[crashtech]

The racing was awesome along with all the lead changes ......both races!!!!!

Rae is a prick that should not be in anything at a world level........A racing incident but a dick move on his part for sure...cemented as a dick move by his reaction in winners area......I just knew that was going to happen when he was in the lead 5 battling......it did.....

[Orson]

wait...

we're supposed to be rooting for BMW?  

 

[davenay67]

wait...

we're supposed to be rooting for BMW?  

 

Funny old world, eh..??  

The variety is good for the sport. It gets too boring if certain makes dominate. BMW deserves some success.

Now, if only Triumph could/would make a competitive Superbike. They are having a good run in AMA Sportbike categories.

[nnjhawk02]

The racing was awesome along with all the lead changes ......both races!!!!!

Rae is a prick that should not be in anything at a world level........A racing incident but a dick move on his part for sure...cemented as a dick move by his reaction in winners area......I just knew that was going to happen when he was in the lead 5 battling......it did.....

1st its REA

As stated by many GREAT Races.  I just watched em both on DVR.

But that Rea incident was a racing incident & I'm not a Rea fan.  Bad luck for BMW in race 2.  I just re-watched it, RACING Incident, pure & simply.  Haslam & Marco should have held their racing lines & this would never had happened, period.

[scottzilla]

Not sure what the big deal is.  Both races had more contact than usual (Melandri especially).  Rea went for it.  What's the problem?  He didn't intentionally take anyone out.

[veefer800canuck]

Neil Hodgson says he would have went for it as well:

http://superbikeplanet.com/2012/May/120514d.htm

[ZuluHour]

this isn't MotoGP fella's, these guys gotta shove their shit in any way they can.  Was it a super-aggressive, last lap, last corner bid for the win by Rea?  Hell f'n yeah!  I'd much rather watch 5 contenders slug it out over the entire race, than 1 guy keep trying to improve his lap record each time around.  Sure, Rea can be accused for riding above his head, but that at least means he's hungry for the win, which is more than can be said for several other riders out there.

Like it or not, this is what makes racing interesting.  I can't wait for Miller!

[Silverbird]

It's more of how he handled himself after the race.  Good manners will get you a long way in this sport. Ask Nicky Hayden.

I'm glad BMW is doing well, onlu  because they are actually producing a bike that is pushing the limits of modern sportbike technology. Unlike Honda, Yam ans Suz who have seemed to just stop trying.  

[DogBoy]

If it was a racing incident, what does it matter how he handled himself after the race? Rea just won an extremely hard fought World Championship race on his home soil. I think he acted like any other racer would.

[tomek]

Had it been Pedrosa the discussion here would have been entirely different   .

[R Doug]

Had it been Pedrosa the discussion here would have been entirely different   .

There's a big difference when you're near the end of the season and your teammate is fighting for the championship.  

I found Rea's move aggressive but not stupid.  I loved race 2!

[scottzilla]

If it was a racing incident, what does it matter how he handled himself after the race? Rea just won an extremely hard fought World Championship race on his home soil. I think he acted like any other racer would.

Americans like their heroes humble.  That's why the villians in wrestling are hated.

[dietDrThunder]

For Leon Haslam’s and BMW’s sake, I hope that Melandri got a stern talking-to after race 2. Yes, it was Rea’s move that knocked LH down, but the entire situation was brought about by Melandri’s absurd impossi-lunge in that corner when the race was for all intents and purposes, over.

If he just kept it in his pants, he would have had a 1-2, and BMW would have had two historic wins in a breakthrough weekend. Instead, he attempted a ridiculous never-successful-in-100-tries lunge from waaaay too far back, and punched a hole that Rea rightfully went for. The fact that Melandri did this against his team mate makes it completely unforgivable.

Wow, what a couple of amazing races though…plus the F1 race was great too (I know, hard to believe). What’s next…a compelling MotoGP race? I know, I know…but I dare to dream.

(don't think it matters, but I cross-posted this from my response on motorcycledaily.com)

[DogBoy]

Had it been Pedrosa the discussion here would have been entirely different   .

   Entirely different situation and its been nearly SIX YEARS. Let it go.

[miles]

For Leon Haslam’s and BMW’s sake, I hope that Melandri got a stern talking-to after race 2. Yes, it was Rea’s move that knocked LH down, but the entire situation was brought about by Melandri’s absurd impossi-lunge in that corner when the race was for all intents and purposes, over.

If he just kept it in his pants, he would have had a 1-2, and BMW would have had two historic wins in a breakthrough weekend. Instead, he attempted a ridiculous never-successful-in-100-tries lunge from waaaay too far back, and punched a hole that Rea rightfully went for. The fact that Melandri did this against his team mate makes it completely unforgivable.

I agree with that.  Melandri shouldn't have tried to pass his teammate at that point.  That said, his move didn't crash anybody out- if Rea hadn't been there, the results would have been Haslam, Melandri and whoever was behind them, either Rea or Biaggi.  

As it was, Rea shouldn't have jumped into a gap that was already closing fast.  

[motodog650]

As far as 'the pass', If someone has to take blame I'd say it should be Melandri. After winning race one just in front of Haslam he dive bombs him in the last corner instead of tucking in behind him for a BMW double win & 2nd. I sure can't fault Rea especially after the door was opened for him to get a win at a home race. Don't think Leon was upset at Rea but I'm thinking he probably isn't just real pleased with Marco.

I'm just glad the racing was that close that the scenerio existed. Don't have to worry about it happening in MotoGP...

[JonS]

Rea can be counted on to crash every third race or so. He is fast, but very undisciplined. He was very optimistic and too had too much speed to put himself on the inside at the last moment. he moved up, after getting his wheel in there.
Last race, in the rain, I told my wife that Rea would crash, and he did. I must have mystical powers. I used to root for him, but soon realized he was a lost cause. Maybe when he grows up.

[dietDrThunder]

It is true that Rea touched the BMW and it went bowling for dollars. But, the move was not at all egregious, the gap was enough, and would have been occupied by any number of others in that race had such an opportunity presented itself. Melandri's sin there is creating chaos where the result was already decided. That move was absurd, doubly so that it was on his team mate. It had 0 possibility of success, introduced about 27 different ways that something could now go terribly wrong, and well...more than one of those came to pass.

On a side note, if you watch carefully, the real reason that Rea and Haslam touched was that Haslam was sort of diving inside a bit extra as part of his reaction to just having been dive-bombed. This made him try to tighten up more quickly (either to get back on line, or try to protect the inside, or both) and that's why they touched. If he had just kept on the slightly wide line that he was on when Rea went up the inside, there would have been no contact at all.

Is that debatable? Sure it is...and that's why it's a "racing incident" as opposed to the not-debatable silliness of the Melandri Kamikaze lunge.

[crashtech]

I agree 100% with most of you guys...Melandri opened the door, yes...I am not a Rea fan since he dive bombed Haga in Germany and took him out of the championship that year. Had he not Ben would have had a nice rookie year instead of a championship. I have seen him (Rea) crash and crash others so many times it is just a given when he is anywhere close to try it...Look at the race earlier, he just about took out melandri earlier and almost crashed several times.....he has no place on a world level, it happens every other race.....

[JonS]

On a side note, if you watch carefully, the real reason that Rea and Haslam touched was that Haslam was sort of diving inside a bit extra as part of his reaction to just having been dive-bombed. This made him try to tighten up more quickly (either to get back on line, or try to protect the inside, or both) and that's why they touched. If he had just kept on the slightly wide line that he was on when Rea went up the inside, there would have been no contact at all.

Is that debatable? Sure it is...and that's why it's a "racing incident" as opposed to the not-debatable silliness of the Melandri Kamikaze lunge.

I slow moed it a couple of times. Rea moved up and into the BMW.

[DogBoy]

IMO, Haslam was off line made a big correction but lost a bunch of speed and attempted to park anyone behind him. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

[Silverbird]

I still think if you have to knock someone off to win the race, you deserve to be called a dick.  

[R Doug]

It's fun the play couch critic.  

Looking at the following two screen captures, I'm beleive Rea was being a tad bit aggressive.  Look at Haslam's and Rea's lines before the touch in the two images below.  Before he knew Rea was even there or coming, Haslam was taking an earlier apex and Rea's line was going right into the BMW.  



Here are the two lines before the contact.  Haslam was clearly exiting the corner while Rea was taking a late apex.  Haslam was looking through the corner and Rea was saying "oh shit," and looking directly at Haslam, not the exit.  Target fixation?  

[DogBoy]

I guess nearly everyone who has ever had success in road racing, MX or flat track is a dick.

[R Doug]

 

[tomek]

Mario Andretti : " If everyone likes you , you are probably slow " .

Oh , the drama , Halsam wanted to get good  , early drive on Melandri but that left the door open for Rea . End of story .

[Orson]

same thing happened in Sweden in '83 when some young punk took out King Kenny  

actually, Roberts left the door open

[Hotbrakes]

Little slow on getting to this on the DVR, but what the cameras didn't show was Leon's line going out following his charging teammate, then as he got the bike under control he cut back in to the space Johnny was rapidly occupying on the correct line.  Johnny is my hero for not crashing too.

Some of this crashing would probably stop if they would get off those crappy tires that can't even last an entire race.  The rain races were painful to watch.  Were they using DOT rears and rain fronts?  Perhaps my opinion is just biased though...cough...Dunlop...cough.

[Kneescrubber]

...The rain races were painful to watch.  Were they using DOT rears and rain fronts?  Perhaps my opinion is just biased though...cough...Dunlop...cough.

Yeah, WSB uses DOT tires.  

Dunlop was invited to bid for the spec tire of WSB. They declined. But they still sell a lot of tires. Just like Metzler and Michelin.

[Hotbrakes]

Yeah, WSB uses DOT tires.  

Dunlop was invited to bid for the spec tire of WSB. They declined. But they still sell a lot of tires. Just like Metzler and Michelin.


WSS uses DOT's.  WSBK uses slicks.  Both use wets and rains.  The performance shown by their rear rains in the rain resembled a DOT more than a rain.