Suzuka 8 hour 2008

[Cleve]

As I am based in Japan right now I am going to go and see the Suzuka 8 Hour.
Went about 8 years ago and it was awesome. Look forward to this years very much.
Any other Japan based KB'ers going?
PM me if you are.

[Cajun]

something like that be awsome to go watch

[MIXONE]

A report with pics would go down well.

[Cleve]

A report with pics would go down well.

will see what I can do

[Maido]

Haven't been to the actual 8 hour race but have been to suzuka, if you have even the faintest interest in racing and motorcycle stuff it is well worth it. the amount of stuff around that area is astonishing to say the least, it is a town built round the circuit, amazing. also within a stones throw of great shops like battle factory, TSR, moriwaki etc etc etc
I would love to go back, you lucky sod!

[fatzx10r]

lucky bugger, that would be so cool to go watch. have fun and some pics will be great

[lostinflyz]

when is the 8 hour. often in japan and wouldnt mind "accidentally" being there at the right time.

[Cleve]

when is the 8 hour. often in japan and wouldnt mind "accidentally" being there at the right time.

Weekend of 26/27th July. The big race is on the 27th (my birthday as well so the trip is kind of a little present for myself... :banana: )

[Cleve]

http://www.motoracing-japan.com/result/spl/088h_e.html

is the entry list for this years race. Am in Osaka now and it is BLOODY HOT! About 40 degrees. Hope it cools down a bit at Suzuka nearby by Sunday...

[Teambwr47]

Very jealous mate...... plan to get to the 8hr one day.

I've done MotoGP in Europe and now OZ since living here but Japan and the 8hr has been on the list of things to tick off for years.

I was signed to ride for an established World Endurance team in 2002 that planned to do the whole series including the Suzuka 8hr but it all fell through when the major UK bike clothing retailer who was the sponsor went bust.

Maybe next year I'll get there...........

[gav]

Any online coverage this year? Anyone found a site?

[Cr1MiNaL]

their Hayabusa gives people blisters and I hear the riders can't even open up the throttle completely anywhere on the track as the tires cant cope... makes todays Moto GP bikes look like scooters ! (except the M1 of cause)!

[Brian d marge]

http://www.motoracing-japan.com/result/spl/088h_e.html

is the entry list for this years race. Am in Osaka now and it is BLOODY HOT! About 40 degrees. Hope it cools down a bit at Suzuka nearby by Sunday...

Tell me about it , I am hiding inside , till my practice ... and I heard it may rain tomorrow ...but its not looking good

Stephen

[xwhatsit]

...and with the Suzuka 8hr comes the inevitable discussion about viewing it online. Have they finally sorted out their shit with the streaming video, or do we need to hunt down post-race torrents again?

their Hayabusa gives people blisters and I hear the riders can't even open up the throttle completely anywhere on the track as the tires cant cope!
Can't see any mention of that particular whale on the entry list. Wouldn't have thought something like that would be much chop around a circuit? That said, probably more of a chance at endurance racing than anything else. All the usual suspects on the entry list, CBR1000RR, GSX-R1000RR, YZF-R1, ZX-10R, 999R, 1098R...

[Cleve]

Just back from Saturday's event. Am exhausted just watching in the heat! Not sure how the riders will survive racing in it...
Quite a few of the Brit boys doing very well (Rea, Haslam, Crutchlaw...)
Will try to give a bigger report after Sunday.
There were no Haybusas, the usual CBR's, R1's, ZXR's, GSXR's and one (?) 1098. There was one HUGE crash into turn one. Saw the end of it. Bike on fire and rider looking pretty bad... hope he is OK...
Turn one is an awesome turn live!

[Cleve]

An AWESOME event. Will write a longer report when I get a chance at home.

[Cleve]

Suzuka report

The race started at 11.30am in searing hot sunshine. The first 10 laps were inspiring with the top 3 Honda's and top 2 Suzuki's gapping the rest and battling amongst themselves and swopping positions.
By the 9th lap they were already lapping back markers. Unbelieveable on a track that takes the fast guys 2.08 minutes to circulate!
After running through back markers the front 5 started to space out a bit and the race settled down.
Kiynari's pace into the first corner was awe inspiring and regularly left large black lines as he powered out and up into the S's.
About nearly 4 hours into the race large ominous clouds appeared overhead.
This had the effect cooling things down a bit. A welcome relief to all of us baking in the hot sun. A spectacular lightening show with loud thunder then suddenly turned into a tropical downpour. Huge drops of rain pounded down and the track turned from baking hot to steaming wet. The speed differential then coming into turn one was immense. The fast guys so much more faster in the much more trickier and unpredictable conditions.
This period of the race allowed for quite a bit of entertainment. As most of the other parts of the track were dry (the heavy rain just affecting the front straight turn 1 and S's area (as far as I could see) and with some riders over compensating and some under compensating for the sudden change a number of riders ran wide, fell off or exited turn 1 with rear wheel spinning wildly.
The most spectucular being the unfortunate SBK rider Kagayama. He was at that stage winning the 8 hour and was by far the fastest into turn one while it was wet. I watched him once more come into the wet turn one thinking, shit he is going even faster than before. Then the rear wheel let go in a long and slow motion slide before flicking him off and into the deep run off area. Huge cheers erupted from the grandstand as he immediately picked up his GSXR and powered out of the sand, rear wheel spinning and sand flying all over the place.
After 1/2 an hour of that kind of entertainment the sun was out and had dried things up pretty quick and it all returned back to normal.
By then unfortunately the sole Ducati had fried its brains and was not longer circulating. For a few laps I saw the Duke blowing smoke and then I saw it no more. Perhaps some solace can come from the fact that a couple of Honda's blew up as well...
Pole setter (for the 7th time?) and home town favourite Shinichi Ito crashed while chasing for the lead and after that the race stayed pretty stable with Kiyonari (still spectacular out of turn one) with Carlos Checa (very smooth and fast) staying out in front of the other Yoshimura Suzuki (despite Checa having to come in for a stop go penalty - I think for passing under yellow flags).
They gave it to Checa to bring the bike home. Honda back to its winning ways at the 8 hour.
One should not only talk about the racing when reporting on the 8 hour. There is the scene behind it all. It is Japans biggest motorcycling day, so there is a huge number of distributor and merchandise stands, with lots of displays and shows and other stuff going on. A lovely amount of eye candy as scantily clad ladies try to promote; spark plugs, mobile phones, Coca Cola etc to you.
If you are ever in Japan in late July. Go to it.
If you ever get the chance to race in it. Do it! (So where were the Kiwis this year anyway??!!)