888 Racebike Project - Race Results and Video

Hatman

Here's an update on my 888 racebike project build for AHRMA's new NextGen Superbike Class. It's maiden outing was at NOLA in New Orleans, followed the next weekend with a race in Alabama. Won all four of those (AHRMA events are Sat/Sun races, with the same schedule each day), although the grids were thin to non-existant.

We just returned from an 11-day racing road trip/vacation that saw us racing with AHRMA at Road America in Wisconsin June 8-9, and Grattan in Michigan June 15-16. I was really looking forward to this trip as Road America is the most "European" track in the U.S., and Grattan is a fun, challenging layout.

Road America: Won on Saturday against a Muzzy-built ZX7RR and an ex-AMA HRC-kitted RC30 in a really fun race. Both bikes had motor on me, but the RC30 was exceptionally quick. My bike is currently at 113 hp, and the HRC-kitted customer bikes were reportedly in the 130 hp range. The fact that the rider is 5'7" 150 lbs. didn't hurt, either.

Here's an on-bike video from the RC30 (I'm in the neon yellow/blue leathers on the 888, naturally):

http://vimeo.com/68081161

Finished second to the RC30 on Sunday. I led the first half of the race, but he blitzed by me on the front straight and all I could do is try to make up the distance he put on me on each straight by braking later. Unfortunately, he figured out his slow spots from Saturday and didn't leave me any openings on Sunday.

Only two bikes on the NextGen grid the next weekend at Grattan (the ZX7RR from Road America). I often run in Battle of the Twins F1 against the modern bikes for more track time, and unfortunately on Saturday my clutch started to slip in that race. There wasn't time between races to change it, so rather than risk not making the the grid, I rode around for one lap to secure second-place points.

New plates had me back in action on Sunday, and this time a GSXR750 joined the grid to make three bikes in our class. Heavy rain on Saturday night left several corners on the track with water running across it, so racing was a bit dicey, but I followed the GSXR around to see how hard he wanted to push it, then passed him on the last lap.

The next AHRMA race is August 2-4 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, so you east coast guys should plan to attend. Better yet, bring out those racebikes!

wgsvintage

Yeah baby - that was fun! Thanks Mark.
Bill

Hatman

You gonna have your beast ready for NJMP?

Pompey

Cheers Mark, that cheered me up no end. Now where is that race license? 😄

wgsvintage

Hatman wroteYou gonna have your beast ready for NJMP?

Not a chance. I had to put the 851 aside and concentrate on the F1B based bike. My new must finish date is the Oct. LRRS round, which is going to have an Adamo celebration. Old Adamo bikes are coming from all over, as well as Leoni, so it HAS to be ready for that. I am hoping to combine a long over due visit to my sister in Philly and a spectating day at NJMP. You're going, right?
Bill

scottieducati

wgsvintage wroteNot a chance. I had to put the 851 aside and concentrate on the F1B based bike. My new must finish date is the Oct. LRRS round, which is going to have an Adamo celebration. Old Adamo bikes are coming from all over, as well as Leoni, so it HAS to be ready for that. I am hoping to combine a long over due visit to my sister in Philly and a spectating day at NJMP. You're going, right? Bill

Where are the details on the Adamo celebration!?? Man my head's been in the sand.

Had so much fun riding mine at a track day that the thoughts of racing her are hard to ignore...

scottieducati

BTWs, great job Hatman and thanks for the video. So cool.

Hatman

Hey Scottie:

You can take AHRMA's race school on Friday, then race on Saturday and Sunday. Or, if you have a current license from another race organization, then you're good to go. Bring that 851 out -- we'd love to have another bike on the NextGen Superbike grid!

scottieducati

Hatman wroteHey Scottie: You can take AHRMA's race school on Friday, then race on Saturday and Sunday. Or, if you have a current license from another race organization, then you're good to go. Bring that 851 out -- we'd love to have another bike on the NextGen Superbike grid!

I'm a current LRRS racer... although my NC30 spun a bearing during practice before it's debut race weekend 🙁 Going to be tough to get the 851 sorted with that and buying a house, but hopefully I'll have some time in August.

MarkT

wgsvintage wroteNot a chance. I had to put the 851 aside and concentrate on the F1B based bike. My new must finish date is the Oct. LRRS round, which is going to have an Adamo celebration. Old Adamo bikes are coming from all over, as well as Leoni, so it HAS to be ready for that. I am hoping to combine a long over due visit to my sister in Philly and a spectating day at NJMP. You're going, right? Bill

Bill-

Perhaps you will find this tank interesting-- it is the last Adamo piece I have left- The picture does not capture the bright- almost florescent- bright red/orange he used on this tank. There were many of his bike parts floating around in the late 90's- mostly his crashed bodywork.

Personally I prefer the spatter paint version of one of his 851's-arty but not over the top.

wgsvintage

Scottie - I don't believe anything has been officially announced yet, but it's going to happen. Steve Aspland and Mike Weber are arranging things. Stay tuned.

MarkT - Yes, very nice! The paint scheme of his that sticks in my head is that off green one. One time I was corner working a CCS race at Loudon (NHIS) just on the outside of turn 7 back when there were trees up there, and Jimmy was running his 888 for practice or set up. It was wearing that green, and was very impressive from that perspective. His bikes were also that green at the Mosport WSBK. It always puzzled me because it sort of had overtones of Kawasaki in it.

And here's my portion of that crashed bodywork. Definitely post Leoni with those FBF stickers.
Bill

molamphy

Thinking seriously about getting to an AHMRA round this year if the travel schedule permits. The round I'm thinking of is June 7-8 at Elkhart Lake. I'm going to assume (maybe a bad choice) that my WMRRA license will qualify me to race AHMRA.
Who's the Next Gen SBK rep for them, if anyone knows? I have a few questions or maybe you guys that have been racing the class last year can help out. Still just a 'dream' but seems like it would be a blast.
John

Hatman

Hi John:

Definitely come to Road America if you can make it. There's really no other track like it in the U.S. But also, don't forget that AHRMA is also racing at Sonoma (Sears Point) in early May, and that would be a *lot* closer to you (and also a really great track).

A valid WMRRA license will qualify you for an AHRMA license. The AHRMA rulebook is online at www.ahrma.org. The 2013 rulebook is on there now, and the 2014 version should be up within a week or so.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

outtacontrolla

Hi Guys ,
My 888 corsa was in the Daytona 200 race in 93 that Adamo died in . had heard his name in the ducati world but did'nt realise he had died till i watched the video of the race recently when researching my bikes history .... very sad loss of a great ducati rider .
(my bike Steve Hislop / oxford products 888)
Steve .🙁

wgsvintage

Yes it was.

Just watched Marks' Road America video again. That is quite the race track - especially if you're mostly used to Loudon.