From MMP: 

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (August 22, 2007) – Miller Motorsports Park is very pleased to announce that it has reached a multi-year agreement to host the FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP beginning in 2008.
 
It has been three years since the FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP raced in America, and having the series at Miller Motorsports Park will represent the most significant racing event in the history of the State of Utah. The race will be part of the Honda Summit of Speed, scheduled for June 1, 2008.
 
“We are thrilled to bring the FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP to Miller Motorsports Park,” said track owner Larry H. Miller. “This will be the biggest international sporting event in this state since the Olympic Winter Games in 2002. We look forward to welcoming the international motorcycle racing community to Utah, as well as thousands of new fans from across the United States and the world, who will be visiting Utah and our facility for the first time.”
 
“This announcement marks a significant achievement for Miller Motorsports Park,” said MMP General Manager and CEO Alan Wilson. “The FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP is a very prestigious event, and I would like to thank Maurizio Flammini of FGSPORT for his help in crafting this agreement.”
 
Maurizio Flammini, President of the FGSPORT Group that has organized the FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP since 1989, said that Miller Motorsports Park is the ideal venue for the series’ return to the North American market.
 
“We consider Miller Motorsports Park a very interesting circuit, with top facilities compared with the American standard,” he said. “I am sure that the riders, teams, sponsors and media representatives who currently participate in our events – a community exceeding 2,000 people – will very much enjoy this circuit and the State of Utah. I was particularly impressed with the commitment and enthusiasm of Governor Huntsman, and with the professionalism of Larry Miller and his staff. I am sure that the FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP event that will take place in Utah next year will be one of the best-promoted and -organized ever.”
 
The FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP® will share the Honda Summit of Speed weekend at Miller Motorsports Park with the AMA Superbike Championship and its support series. The weekend will be an action-packed celebration of two-wheeled competition for fans, with double-header races for both the FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP and the AMA Superbike Championship. The AMA Superbike Championship has been a fixture on the annual schedule at Miller Motorsports Park since its opening in 2006.
 
“We are very excited to once again share the stage with the FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP and look forward to bringing the American fans a Superbike weekend they will cherish forever,” said AMA Road Race Director Keith Kizer.
 
The tentative schedule has practice sessions for the AMA Superbike Championship on Thursday, May 29, with practice and qualifying sessions for both the FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP and AMA Superbike Championship on Friday, May 30. The FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Superpole session plus the first of two AMA Superbike races and the AMA Superstock and Formula Xtreme races are scheduled for Saturday, May 31, and both FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP races plus the second AMA Superbike race and the AMA Supersport races will take place on Sunday, June 1.

FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Series Overview



The FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (SBK) is one of the top three professional road racing series in the world (along with Formula 1 and MotoGP).

Whereas MotoGP utilizes purpose-built, prototype motorcycles (much as Formula 1 utilizes purpose-built cars), Superbike racing utilizes modified production motorcycles. Superbike racing is very popular with manufacturers, since it helps promote and sell their product. “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” is very relevant in Superbike racing.

While many countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States (AMA Superbike) operate national Superbike championships, SBK is the next level up the professional ladder.



History

SBK (www.worldsbk.com) was founded in 1988. It runs to regulations set forth by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), which is located in Mies, Switzerland (near Geneva). It is managed and promoted by FGSport, based in Rome, Italy, which is headed by brothers Maurizio and Paolo Flammini.

The champions crowned over the years in SBK are household names among motorcycle racing enthusiasts. The United States has been well represented throughout the series’ history, with titles claimed by Fred Merkel (1988-89), Doug Polen (1991-92), Scott Russell (1993), John Kocinski (1997) and Colin Edwards (2000, 2002). The most successful rider in SBK history is England’s Carl Fogarty, who won the championship four times (1994-95, 1998-99).

Ducati has been the most successful manufacturer in the series over the years, with the Italian manufacturer winning 12 times. Honda has won five times, with Kawasaki and Suzuki each claiming one championship.


SBK in America

SBK first came to the United States in 1989, the second year of the series’ existence, at Minnesota’s Brainerd International Raceway. Brainerd remained a fixture on the calendar through the 1991 season. The series did not return to the U.S. until 1995, when it went to Laguna Seca Raceway, near Monterey, California, where it remained through the 2004 season. Miller Motorsports Park will mark the return of SBK to America for the first time since 2004.



The Championship - Classes

There are four classes that compete under the SBK banner: World Superbike Championship, World Supersport Championship, the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup and the European Superstock 600 Championship. At Miller Motorsports Park, we will host only the World Superbike Championship in 2008, and will add the World Supersport Championship from 2009 onward.

For 2008, SBK motorcycles must have four-stroke engines of between 850-1200cc for two-cylinder engines, and between 750-1000cc for three- and four-cylinder engines. Since 2004, to balance out the performance of the various engine configurations, differentiated levels of preparation have been permitted. Two- and three-cylinder engines up to 900cc are allowed to change all the rotating parts in the engine (only the crankcase, cylinder heads, cylinder blocks and the number of cylinders must remain the same as on the standard bikes). Four-cylinder engines are required to use a larger number of road-going components (including the crankshaft, valvegear, etc.). Minimum weight is set at 357.15 lb (370.38 for two-cylinders starting in 2008, with a 50mm restrictor), as measured at the end of the race, with a tolerance of only 1%. Refueling or adding oil is not permitted. SBK racing uses standard lead-free fuel.

World Supersport Championship bikes must have four-stroke engines of between 400-600cc for four-cylinder engines, and between 600-750cc for two-cylinder engines. Minimum weight is 357.15 lb for four-cylinder machines, and 374.79 lb for two-cylinder machines.



The Championship – Points

Both riders and constructors compete for championship points. Riders finishing in the top 15 positions earn points in each race, and constructors earn points for the highest-placed bike of their brand finishing the race.

Points are awarded as follows:

1st    25    6th    10    11th    5
2nd    20    7th    9    12th    4
3rd    16    8th    8    13th    3
4th    13    9th    7    14th    2
5th    11    10th    6    15th    1



The Championship – Schedule

In 2007, SBK is conducting races in 10 countries on four continents:

Feb. 24    Doha/Losail, Qatar
Mar. 4    Phillip Island, Australia
Apr. 1    Donington Park, England (Europe)
Apr. 15    Valencia, Spain
Apr. 29    Assen, The Netherlands
May 13    Monza, Italy
May 27    Silverstone, England
Jun. 17    Misano, Italy (San Marino)
Jul. 22    Brno, Czech Republic
Aug. 5    Brands Hatch, England
Sep. 9    Eurospeedway Lausitz, Germany
Sep. 30    Vallelunga, Italy
Oct. 8    Magny-Cours, France

The 2008 calendar has not yet been released. SBK is scheduled to race at Miller Motorsports Park on June 1, 2008.



The Championship – Event Format

An SBK weekend includes two feature races, both held on Sunday (or the final day of the event). Customarily, Friday will include a one-hour practice session and a one-hour qualifying session. Saturday includes a second one-hour qualifying session, a one-hour practice session, and then the Superpole qualifying session, a single-lap timed shootout among the fastest 16 riders in qualifying to determine the starting grid. On Sunday morning there is a 20-minute warm-up session, then two feature races, one at noon and one at 3:30 pm.




The Championship – 2007 Teams and Riders

No.    Rider    Nationality    Team    Bike

3    Max Biaggi    Italy    Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra    Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7
10    Fonsi Nieto    Spain    Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse    Kawasaki ZX-10R
11    Troy Corser    Australia    Yamaha Motor Italia    Yamaha YZF-R1
21    Troy Bayliss    Australia    Ducati Xerox Team    Ducati 998 F07
22    Luca Morelli    Italy    DFX Corse    Honda CBR1000RR
25    Joshua Brookes    Australia    Alto Evolution Honda    Honda CBR1000RR
31    Karl Muggeridge    Australia    Alto Evolution Honda    Honda CBR1000RR
36    Jiri Drazdak    Czech    Yamaha Jr. Pro SBK Racing    Yamaha YZF-R1
38    Shinichi Nakatomi    Japan    Yamaha YZF    YamahaYZF-R1
41    Noriyuki Haga    Japan    Yamaha Motor Italia    Yamaha YZF-R1
42    Dean Ellison    England    Team Pedercini    Ducati 999RS
44    Roberto Rolfo    Italy    Hannspree Ten Kate Honda    Honda CBR1000RR
52    James Toseland    England    Hannspree Ten Kate Honda    Honda CBR1000RR
53    Alessandro Polita    Italy    Celani Team Suzuki Italia    Suzuki GSX-R1000
55    Regis Laconi    France    Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse    Kawasaki ZX-10R
57    Lorenzo Lanzi    Italy    Ducati Xerox Team    Ducati 999 F07
71    Yukio Kagayama    Japan    Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra    Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7
73    Christian Zaiser    Austrira    LBR Racing Team    MG Agusta F4 312R
76    Max Neukirchner    Germany    Suzuki Germany    Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6
84    Michel Fabrizio    Italy    DFX Corse    Honda CBR1000RR
85    Marek Svoboda    Czech    Yamaha Jr. Pro SBK Racing    Yamaha YZF-R1
96    Jakub Smrz    Czech    Team Caracchi Ducati SC    Ducati 999 F05
99    Steve Martin    Australia    DFX Corse    Honda CBR1000RR
111    Ruben Xaus    Spain    Team Sterilgarda    Ducati 999 F06
112    Stefano Cruciani    Italy    Celani Team Suzuki Italia    Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6
200    Giovanni Bussei    Italy    Team Sterilgarda    Ducati 999 F06



The Championship – Current Standings

With three races remaining, James Toseland leads the championship handily over Noriyuki Haga. Toseland is leaving to go to MotoGP in 2008.

Riders Top 10:

1.    James Toseland    355
2.    Noriyuki Haga    289
3.    Max Biaggi    286
4.    Troy Bayliss    258
5.    Troy Corser    227
6.    Ruben Xaus    163
7.    Lorenzo Lanzi    161
8.    Roberto Rolfo    146
9.    Max Neukirchner    123
10.    Yukio Kagayama    116




The Championship – Former Champions

Year    Rider    Nation    Bike    Second    Third
1988    Fred Merkel    USA    Honda RC30    Fabrizio Pirovano    Davide Tardozzi
1989    Fred Merkel    USA    Honda RC30    Stephane Mertens    Raymond Roche
1990    Raymond Roche    France    Ducati 851    Fabrizio Pirovano    Stephane Mertens
1991    Doug Polen    USA    Ducati 888    Raymond Roche    Rob Phillis
1992    Doug Polen    USA    Ducati 888    Raymond Roche    Rob Phillis
1993    Scott Russell    USA    Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7RR    Carl Fogarty    Aaron Slight
1994    Carl Fogarty    England    Ducati 916    Scott Russell    Aaron Slight
1995    Carl Fogarty    England    Ducati 916    Troy Corser    Aaron Slight
1996    Troy Corser    Australia    Ducati 916    Aaron Slight    John Kocinski
1997    John Kocinski    USA    Honda RC45    Carl Fogarty    Aaron Slight
1998    Carl Fogarty    England    Ducati 916    Aaron Slight    Troy Corser
1999    Carl Fogarty    England    Ducati 916    Colin Edwards    Troy Corser
2000    Colin Edwards    USA    Honda VTR-1000 SP1/RC51    Noriyuki Haga    Troy Corser
2001    Troy Bayliss    England    Ducati 998    Colin Edwards    Ben Bostrom
2002    Colin Edwards    USA    Honda VTR-1000 SP1/RC51    Troy Bayliss    Neil Hodgson
2003    Neil Hodgson    England    Ducati 999    Ruben Xaus    James Toseland
2004    James Toseland    England    Ducati 999    Regis Laconi    Noriyuki Haga
2005    Troy Corser    Australia    Suzuki GSX-R1000    Chris Vermeulen    Noriyuki Haga
2006    Troy Bayliss    Australia    Ducati 999    James Toseland    Noriyuki Haga


The Championship – The Audience

According to materials provided by FGSport, SBK hosted 1 million onsite spectators during 2006 (an increase of 12.3% over 2005), with 2 billion television viewers enjoying more than 2800 broadcast hours on 95 TV networks in 173 countries.

The series averages 80 journalists in attendance at each event, representing 150 magazines, plus newspapers, local TV, websites, etc.

The series also hosts two websites, www.worldsbk.com and www.worldsbk.tv. The sites contain results, reports, news, interviews, and a historical database with race video highlights dating back to 1994 and results and rider profiles dating back to 1988. They are accessible in three languages (English, Italian and Japanese) and offer broadband access to extensive film and multimedia archives, live video, online timing and commentary, official merchandise and content on demand. For 2006, the websites recorded over 3.7 million unique visitors.