VODAFONE PARKALGAR HONDA ace Eugene Laverty utterly decimated the field to take a dominant victory at the 14th and final round of the World Supersport Championship at the team’s home Parkalgar circuit at Portimao in Portugal – securing the manufacturer’s Championship for Honda in the process.
After securing the team’s first pole position yesterday, Laverty led from the start to finish and was never under any threat during the 20-lap race. It caps a brilliant season for the Irishman who has taken four wins and five second places to finish second in the World Championship.

Popular Portuguese Vodafone Parkalgar Honda racer Miguel Praia secured his best ever qualification yesterday with seventh and backed it up with a hard-fought 10th place in the race. It further secures an excellent season for the Parkalgar circuit local who is now in place as a top 10 runner in the Championship and finished 15th in the table this year.

Eugene: “This is the race I wanted to win most all year, it is the home circuit of the team and the dream of Paulo Pinheiro and to take victory here in such dominant style is my way of saying a big thank you to the circuit and him for having faith in the team. The Portuguese fans have adopted me this year and I could hear them cheering me from the grandstands – thank you very much, I am proud to be able to win for you all. My Vodafone Parkalgar Honda was great and I want to thank Simon, Brains and all the team for their support; they are a great team and deserve this win. Well done to Cal Crutchlow on winning the Championship, he is a worthy Champion.”
Miguel: “It took me so long to overtake Fujiwara that by the time I did there was too much of a gap to the riders in front. My Parkalgar Honda was good but the riders around me were very strong. I was trying my hardest and overtaking where I could but they came back at me. At the start I lost a couple of places so this result is not as I would have expected but it is good for the team. I am delighted for Eugene to win here for Parkalgar and it shows just how strong this team is. Thank you to the crowd who cheered me every lap – I hope you will come back next year when I want to make an even better result. It is great to see a Portuguese team win and fight for the World Championship.”
Simon Buckmaster, Vodafone Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “That was a dominant win by Eugene and I cannot praise every single member of the Vodafone Parkalgar Honda team for the amount of effort they have put in to make this happen. We have taken the Manufacturer’s title for Honda in the process which is excellent and shows exactly what the best Supersport bike is – the CBR600RR. Well done to Miguel for taking another top 10 finish, he is rightly a genuine contender for the top 10 and we will take that and build on it for next season. Well done to all the Parkalgar Honda team, we are a privateer squad and we took the Championship to the last race and did all we could – we will come back stronger next year and the title is our clear aim. Thank you to the Parkalgar circuit and all the fans for their support; it’s been a great year for us all. Congratulations to Cal Crutchlow for taking the World Championship.”

Race Result
1 Laverty E. (IRL) VODAFONE PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 35′17.044 (156,173 kph)
2 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 3.443
3 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 13.874
4 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 15.144
5 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 16.608
6 Pirro M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 20.008
7 Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 22.007
8 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 22.034
9 Veneman B. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 23.031
10 Praia M. (POR) VODAFONE PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 24.002

Final Championship Positions (after 14 rounds)
1: Crutchlow 243
2: Laverty, VODAFONE PARKALGAR HONDA 236
3: Sofuoglu 189
4: Lascorz 163
5: Foret 123
6: Pitt 119
7: West 117
8: McCoy 98
9: Aitchison 93
10: Fujiwara 73
15: Praia VODAFONE PARKALGAR HONDA 40.

VODAFONE PARKALGAR HONDA and Eugene Laverty celebrated their first ever pole position today at the team’s home track of Portimao in Portugal – and a great day was made even better by home favourite Miguel Praia qualifying in a best ever seventh position for the first second row start of his career.

In blistering sunshine at the 14th and final round of the World Supersport Championship, Eugene and Miguel worked and rode together on track to set their fastest lap times and secure the team’s best ever qualifying results. Eugene still has a chance to win the World Championship, he is trailing title rival Cal Crutchlow by 19-points with just 25-points left for a win tomorrow.

The World Supersport and World Superbike Championships will be decided this Sunday, October 25th. Tickets are available on the gate and for more information, visit: http://www.autodromodoalgarve.com/.
Vodafone has joined the Parkalgar Honda team for the final round of the World Championship at the Parkalgar circuit in Portugal – for more details see www.vodafone.pt.
Eugene: “My Vodafone Parkalgar Honda felt good and then when I pushed really hard it still felt good. On my last fast laps I had a little bit of patter coming through the front but my race pace is very good and I am looking forward to the race. It is great to get my first ever pole position here at the team’s home circuit and in front of the Portuguese fans, they are really getting behind us and I want to reward them with a win tomorrow.”
Miguel: “Thank you to Eugene for letting me follow him, it was not easy to stay behind him as he set pole position and it helped a lot. My Vodafone Parkalgar Honda is fantastic and I am comfortable, I think I can run low 1m46secs or even high 1m45secs laps tomorrow and will do my best to follow the riders in front and compete as high up as possible. I am receiving really big support from the Portuguese fans and to secure my best ever qualifying here is simply brilliant.”

Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “What a brilliant team effort from every single member of Vodafone Parkalgar Honda. From the riders to the technicians to the support and circuit staff everyone has played their part helping us achieve our best ever qualifying as a team and first ever pole position. I am proud of the team and what it is achieving in the face of big-budget Factory-supported opposition and there is a genuine belief that Eugene can win the race. Whether he can win the title is out of his hands but so far he is doing all he can to put the pressure on and we will see what happens in the race. Miguel rode his best ever laps today and we are delighted for him and the effort he is putting in, he will secure his best ever result tomorrow for sure if he keeps that level of performance.”

Qualifying Times
1 Laverty E. (IRL) VODAFONE PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′44.836
2 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1′44.909
3 Pirro M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1′45.087
4 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1′45.157
5 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1′45.161
6 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 1′45.366
7 Praia M. (POR) VODAFONE PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′45.436
8 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1′45.742
9 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′45.886
10 Veneman B. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 1′46.052.

Miguel Praia finished a superb eighth in today’s opening practice for the 14^th and final round of the World Supersport Championship at his home Parkalgar circuit in Portugal, posting his intentions to secure a career best result in Sunday’s race.

Vodafone Parkalgar Honda title contender Eugene Laverty took third in the session as he continues to put pressure on Cal Crutchlow who leads him by 19-points in the Championship standings. Brilliant sunshine welcomed the riders to the Parkalgar circuit near Portimao in Portugal where the World Supersport and World Superbike Championships will be decided this Sunday, October 25th. Tickets are available on the gate and for more information, visit: http://www.autodromodoalgarve.com/.
Vodafone has joined the Parkalgar Honda team for the final round of the World Championship at the Parkalgar circuit in Portugal – for more details see www.vodafone.pt.
Miguel: “We are working on bike set-up and need more side-grip. When I am on maximum lean angle, the bike is sliding predictably but I need just a little more side grip for driving out. The shock is also pumping a bit. I am at about the pace I expected and my Parkalgar Honda team will work to solve these issues – ideally I want another second off my lap times and I am sure it is possible to get into the 1m45sec tomorrow. I am having a lot of fun here at my home track and hope that the Portuguese will come to support me on Sunday.”
Eugene: “I am getting my head back into gear after testing here last week. My Parkalgar Honda felt a little different from the test so we worked on chassis balance and it got a lot better towards the end of the session. I have tried both bikes and they feel similar which is good and we tried a new front tyre that was not available in the test – it is good but we need to test it for race distance and endurance now. We got through our whole test plan today which is a great start and I am happy.”

Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “We are right in the ball-park with Eugene and fighting with the riders we expected. There is room for improvement and we will be working on that for tomorrow. Miguel had a very strong session and we will do all we can to keep him on the second row in eighth or even higher. Being at the team’s home circuit is a big motivation for us and we are completely focussed on building our effort to win the race – I call on all the Portuguese race fans to get here on Sunday to support us, we still have a chance of brining the World Championship title to Portimao and the circuit and every cheer in the crowd will help lift us.”

Practice Times
1 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1′45.355
2 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1′45.652
3 Laverty E. (IRL) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′45.727
4 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′45.863
5 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1′46.069
6 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 1′46.464
7 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1′46.473
8 Praia M. (POR) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′46.597
9 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1′46.686
10 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′46.894.

PARKALGAR HONDA is focussed on wining the 14th and final round of the World Supersport Championship at its home Parkalgar circuit near Portimao in Portugal and has not given up on claiming the World Championship title either.

Eugene Laverty is 19-points behind World Championship leader Cal Crutchlow and has a chance at taking the title for Parkalgar Honda if his rival suffers any misfortune. To do so at the team’s home track would be the perfect end to the season for rider, team and the circuit.

Home-circuit hero Miguel Praia is riding better than ever and his fans will be cheering him every lap of the race in the hope he can challenge the front runners and signal his intentions for 2010.

The World Superbike Championship is also set to be decided on race day at the 4.445km Portimao track in Portugal on October 25th so a day of high drama and excitement is assured - to book tickets in advance, visit http://www.autodromodoalgarve.com/.

Eugene: “We had a good test last week at Portimao and are full of confidence. I have now gone so many races without a win and it would be perfect if I could end the season on a high and win it at our home circuit. I can only win the Championship if I finish first or second; that is what I must do and Cal knows what he has to do as well. I’m all for good sportsmanship and will ride my own race and may the best man win. The circuit at Portimao is one that you could never get bored of, it is pure class. You can work with the technicians to set-up the bike but so much still depends on the rider because of the nature of the turns and elevations. It was made for a Supersports bike and is great fun.”

Miguel: “This is the biggest race for me this year. The Parkalgar circuit is more than a sponsor to me, it is my second home as I live nearby and I have great friends here. I also have super support from all of the Portuguese fans and I want to do my best for them all and score my highest result ever. The pressure is very high but my team is backing me and I have a fantastic race bike, it is going to be a brilliant race and the more fans that can come and support me the better – it really does make a difference.”

Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “We had a positive test at Portimao and the pressure is off us and Eugene in the Championship stakes – but he will be going all out to win the race at our home track. If we win the race we’ll see what happens with Cal - he starts as favourite for the World Championship but there is a lot of pressure on him it is not over yet. Miguel is consistent and can improve for the race. In front of his home crowd and at a track he knows like the back of his hand I would be very surprised if he did not record his best ever finish in World Supersport. It’s going to be an exciting race meeting with the Superbike title decided on the same day so if you haven’t booked already, get your tickets and come to Portugal this weekend.”

PARKALGAR HONDA racers Miguel Praia and Eugene Laverty completed a positive two-day test at their home circuit at Portimao in Portugal with both riders showing considerable pace ahead of the final round of the World Supersport Championship at the circuit on October 25th.

Miguel, riding at his home venue, was consistently quick at 1m46.0secs a lap – half a second faster than his qualifying time in 2008. Eugene completed 27-laps in the 1m45secs, with his quickest of 1m45.2secs right on last year’s pole position pace.

Parkalgar Honda Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “It has been a very promising test. Miguel is riding well and consistently and while he is quite happy with his bike there are things that we will work on to help him go faster for his home round – he is incredibly popular here and we want to help him improve on his best ever result of ninth.

“Eugene on his first outing here on a Supersports bike has been very impressive. He is consistently in the 1m45secs per lap and going against last year’s times that is very quick. He is looking good and sharp and we will be going all out to win the race for our team and the track – which is the team’s main backer. It would really make our day on Sunday if we could repay the circuit by winning here for them and the Portuguese fans – and we still have a chance at the world title and haven’t given up on that either.”

The World Superbike Championship is also set to be decided on race day at the 4.445km Portimao track in Portugal on October 25th so a day of high drama and excitement is assured - to book tickets in advance, visit http://www.autodromodoalgarve.com/

Eugene speaks with Jim Race of MotoGPod on latest episode #198 “Fantastic Finales Formulating”. listen to the in-depth interview  http://www.motogpod.com/episode/episode-198-fantastic-finales-formulating

A month has passed in what seemed like a fortnight. I wrote my last installment the week after the Nurburgring and it’s fair to say a lot has changed since then. The championship was blown wide open at Imola but just one week later at Magny Cours things took a turn for the worse as I slid up the road on my arse! 19 points is now the advantage Crutchlow has on me at the top of the table so with just 25 points left on the board it’s Cal’s championship to lose. All I can do is go to Portimao and try to win the race, I’m not interested in messing around as I believe in good sportsmanship. If Cal wins the championship I’ll be the first to congratulate him as he’s put together a fantastic season. If I win the championship on the other hand I’ll not stop smiling til my jaw locks up and a doctor prescribes a frown as the remedy!

On the trip from Imola to Magny Cours we endured a torrid time. Phil Marron, Pippa and I joined my brother Michael for a 10,000 km road trip in his American motorhome. First off we lost a wing mirror going through the tightest toll booth in the world; half the paddock were down a wing mirror come Magny Cours as it was impossible to fit through! We pulled over to try to knock-up a makeshift mirror but it was useless so we parked up for the night. At 07.30 the next morning we got the mother of all wake up calls as the trucker next to us set off taking the front right side of the motorhome with him! He’d turned the steering wheel thinking he was clear but he was five foot premature. The windscreen was shattered and there wasn’t a wing mirror in sight but somehow we managed the final few hours to the circuit as well as the trip back home to England after the race! Poor Michael has to be the unluckiest man in the world in 2009. Back at Daytona someone stole his wallet then he had a pair of leathers pinched at a later round of the AMA. As if that wasn’t enough he had two helmets nicked at Imola shortly followed by his motorhome being trashed in France then to top it all off his paddock bike was stolen a few days later at Magny Cours. Last I spoke to Michael he was investing in bubble-wrapped clothing and considering getting an elevator installed so as not to have to use the stairs.

This week I’ve been in England with Pippa. On Thursday we went to a place called ‘Go Ape’ which is full of arial slides and stuff. I’d recommend going for sure, it’s great fun and some of it is pretty ballsy. I got a fright on one of the Tarzan Swings as I free-fell for a few metres before the harness finally grabbed me around the crotch and my stomach returned from my mouth! On Friday we travelled to Oulton to watch some BSB action before returning up north on Saturday night. I’m all set to watch the races on TV- who’s going to lift the British Supersport title? By the time you read this the champion will be crowned so I’m not even gonna bother guessing the victor!

Righto, I’ll stop by again before Portimao.

See ya,

Eugene

PARKALGAR HONDA’S Eugene Laverty crashed, remounted and bravely finished 13th at today’s 13th round of the World Supersport Championship at Magny Cours in France to keep his title hopes alive - he is 19-points behind Championship leader Cal Crutchlow with only one round remaining and a maximum of 25-points for the win still up for grabs.

Eugene had been challenging eventual winner Juan Lascorz on a Kawasaki for the lead of the race and was in second place at mid-race distance when he crashed.

Miguel Praia finished 12th on his Parkalgar Honda. He will be going for a better result in the final round of the Championship at his and the team’s home state-of-the-art track at Portimao in Portugal on 23rd – 25th October (to book tickets in advance, visit http://www.autodromodoalgarve.com/).

Eugene: “That was not what we wanted from today. I had been cruising behind Cal and when I passed him I was leading the Championship on track. Overnight the team had made changes and improved the bike significantly so we knew we would be in with a chance. I wanted to put Lascorz between us but the fuel load had dropped and it caught me out. Usually I have a few warnings and put more weight on the front but this time I had none and down I went. I got back on but the right lower fairing was dragging through the corners and slowing me down on the straights. I am not hurt but I am disappointed, however, it is not over yet and now we will go to our home track at Portimao and we have got to win either-way - who knows what will happen. We still have a shot at the title and want to win at our home circuit in Portugal.”

Miguel: “My start was not so bad but I was blocked at the last hairpin by another rider out-braking himself and then lost four places on the opening lap. In the beginning I couldn’t do the lap times I expected but after half distance I was comfortable and able to go faster. We are 15th in the Championship now which was our start of season goal which is good. I have higher hopes for the final round at my home track and have a big expectation for that race at Portimao; it is going to be great and I would encourage everyone to book their tickets now.”

Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “That was turning into a great race and everyone was pushing hard when Eugene slid off. Last weekend it was Cal, this weekend it was us. It isn’t over yet though and while we are disappointed not to win today we will go to our home track at Portimao with the clear intention of winning the race and seeing what happens – Eugene was down today but he is not out of the running. Miguel didn’t get going quick enough but his lap times at the end were good – 12th is still a strong result for him and solid points. Well done to the whole Parkalgar Honda team, everyone gave their all this weekend and I am proud of them.”

Race Result

1 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 32′21.660 (155,389 kph)
2 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 0.937
3 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 5.910
4 West A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 20.797
5 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 20.992
6 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 21.232
7 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 21.441
8 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 23.539
9 Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 24.654
10 Pirro M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 35.848
12 Praia M. (POR) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 36.803
13 Laverty E. (IRL) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 52.022

Championship Positions (after 13 of 14 rounds)

1: Crutchlow 230

2: LAVERTY, PARKALGAR HONDA 211

3: Sofuoglu 169

4: Lascorz 163

5: West 117

6: Foret 115

7: Pitt 114

8: Aitchison 82

9: McCoy 82

10: Roccoli 70

15: PRAIA, PARKALGAR HONDA 34.

PARKALGAR HONDA’S Eugene Laverty will be fighting for the win in tomorrow’s 13th round of the World Supersport Championship at Magny Cours in France after taking fourth on the front row of the grid and posting lap times similar to all the top riders.

Miguel Praia will start from 13th on the fourth row, matching his qualification position from Imola one week ago when he scored his best ever result of ninth. Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow took pole position right at the end of the session. The racing starts at 1325CET on Sunday, October 4th and can be viewed on Eurosport or www.worldsbk.com.

Eugene: “That was a good session ending in a front row – it was another step forward in lap times. I have a strange sensation with the front of my Parkalgar Honda when braking and entering corners which I have never felt before, so Brains (Mark Woodage – Chief Technician) is looking at the data now to see if we can sort that - but overall I am happy to be honest. We found a big step forward by softening the front end and I think we can run in the 1min41secs barrier. We are looking for another step forward to run at low 1min41secs in the race. I am not feeling much pressure, that was last weekend when I needed to peg Cal. Now I think there is a lot of pressure on Cal not to lose the Championship.”

Miguel: “My qualifying lap time was done early in the session and at the time was good for eighth or ninth. It wasn’t nice to drop to 13th but we are only 0.4secs from the second row which shows how close everything is, there is really nothing in it. I am a little disappointed for my crew, they deserved better than this after all the hard work they put in sorting my set-up problems from yesterday. We need a good start in the race – the same as Imola and see how far up the results we can climb.”

Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “It took a little while for Eugene to get going but when he did he made rapid progress and at the end was right on the pace. He can build on this and has the speed to run at the front and keep the pressure on Cal – we can’t be beaten for second in the Championship but have the title to gain while Cal has it all to lose. It was a good qualifying session from Miguel and he was helped by Eugene towing him round a bit. He has a good chance of another top 10 finish given his lap times and he wants to improve on his result from last week.”

Qualifying

1 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1′40.980
2 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1′41.146
3 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1′41.253
4 Laverty E. (IRL) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′41.562
5 Pirro M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1′41.720
6 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1′41.943
7 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1′41.956
8 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′42.136
9 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′42.176
10 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 1′42.265
13 Praia M. (POR) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′42.580.

PARKALGAR HONDA’S Eugene Laverty finished seventh just in front of his title rival Cal Crutchlow who was ninth in today’s first practice for Sunday’s 13th and penultimate round of the World Supersport Championship at Magny Cours in France.

Parkalgar Honda racer Miguel Praia was 17th and will be looking to improve tomorrow as he goes for another personal best result after finishing ninth last weekend at Imola in Italy. Further practice and qualifying sessions take place tomorrow before the race at 1325CET on Sunday, October 4th – which can be viewed on Eurosport or www.worldsbk.com.

Eugene: “I felt good from the word go and learnt the track quickly. I got a good feeling for the track and could attack it straight away. We know the changes we need to make to our Parkalgar Honda to go faster – what the track needs from our bike. I want a better front end feeling in the slow tight corners where I am losing some time. It’s all good though, we are on the same pace as Cal and I am happy.”

Miguel: “I was slower than expected as I struggled to change direction in the fast corners – that is my main problem. We tried different positions on the bike but I think we will go back to the settings from Imola and start from there. We did some good distance tyre testing which was useful and tomorrow I will go for a faster lap time.”

Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “The Championship is now between Eugene and Cal and while we want to win the race it is more important that we beat Cal. The pressure is high and Cal crashed again today. Eugene learnt the track and got steadily faster and was consistent – he’s in a good frame of mind and had a controlled positive session. Miguel disappointed in 17th as we expect him to be higher but we will work with him and he should be inside the top 15 tomorrow.”

Practice

1 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1′41.885
2 26 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1′41.903
3 99 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1′42.604
4 1 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′42.851
5 55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1′42.927
6 77 Veneman B. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 1′42.931
7 50 Laverty E. (IRL) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′43.022
8 21 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1′43.032
9 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1′43.138
10 24 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 1′43.228
17 Praia M. (POR) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′44.438.