Table of contents
- Pro Superbike revival at the ADAC Sachsenring Classic 2014 Meeting of the racing legends
- State of siege in the box from morning to night
- Clear finish lines for the demonstration runs … so what?
- P. Rubatto on the Bimota YB4
- M. Galinski on the Yamaha OW-01
- J. Schmid on the Kawasaki ZXR 750 RR
- E. Weibel on the Schnyder-Ducati 851
- E. Gschwender on the Suzuki GSX-R 750
- T. Franz on the Honda RC30
- Interview with F. Rau and B. Poensgen
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Pro Superbike revival at the ADAC Sachsenring Classic 2014
Pro Superbike revival at the ADAC Sachsenring Classic 2014
Meeting of the racing legends
You can be a bit older to feel young again among these racing legends. The heroes of the Pro Superbike met at the ADAC Sachsenring Classic 2014.
Anke Wieczorek, Stefan Kaschel
06/06/2014
The drivers: Ernst Gschwender, Udo Mark, Jochen Schmid, Christer Lindholm, Andy Meklau, Edwin Weibel, Rob Phillis, Michael Galinski, Thomas Franz, Roger Kellenberger – and 284 others. The brands: Bimota, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha. The time: between 1991 and 1999, nine fat years. The races: 130 events in eight countries on 17 racetracks. The framework: drivers from 23 nations, broadcasts from up to 46 TV channels. The makers: Moto Motion – that’s Franz Rau and the former US superbiker Steve McLaughlin. Two active minds behind one of the most successful national motorcycle racing series that ever existed. The name: Pro Superbike. Died in 1999, resurrected at the ADAC Sachsenring Classic from May 16 to 18, 2014.
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How does it come about, 15 years after the end of a series that was born in 1991 out of the great unity of the industrial partners involved and then failed eight years later because of too great a dissension between the makers of Moto Motion and the national sports authorities, i.e. the DMSB? The frame definitely plays a role. The ADAC Sachsenring Classic 2014, a mega event of historic racing with no fewer than twelve motorcycle and six automobile classes, with around 760 participants and an expectation of spectators that goes far beyond the scope of a normal racing event. The fact that there will be “only” around 15,000 visitors in the end is certainly due to the totally rainy Sunday. It’s not because of the show that Pro Superbike puts on on the largely dry Saturday. Because not all, but many of those who were there around 20 years ago, came. And they are enthusiastic about it.
State of siege in the box from morning to night
An infectious enthusiasm, both on and off the track. The boxes of the “old men” alone: state of siege, from early in the morning to late in the evening. Drivers, visitors and motorcycles crowd close together, there is hardly any space to screw, let alone to maneuver the cars. On the benches and humps, the heroes from back then sign autographs on cards specially printed for the ADAC Sachsenring Classic, while the others unheroically tighten chains, mount panels and put on tire warmers. They didn’t have to do that before – but they do it with a smile on their face. Enjoy the encouragement, the prospect of driving again in front of a large audience. But more than that, to meet and remember yesterday’s opponents again.
Because that’s also true: Most of them are no longer in the spotlight in everyday life, many no longer even have anything to do with racing. Like Edwin Weibel, Pro Superbike Champion ’92 and ’93, who ended his active career in 1995 and has never seen a circuit from afar since then. Or Ernst Gschwender, champion and Suzuki icon before the Pro Superbike era: After his motorcycle career, he drove car races in the FIA GT Cup before contracting Parkinson’s. “Ernie” nevertheless came to the ADAC Sachsenring Classic to do a few laps with his old buddies.
Clear finish lines for the demonstration runs … so what?
There are touching moments when the legendary mechanic Kurt Stuckle pushes his GSX-R 750 in front of the pit at the Sachsenring Classic. It is from the 80s, from DM times, and actually has the wrong colors for Kawa-Mann Stuckle. But in Gschwender’s DM times, Stuckle already put his performance-enhancing hands on the Bayern GSX-R before they both switched to the Greens together. Later, Stuckle was also responsible for Jochen Schmid’s lightning-fast ZXR 750 RR. “Paul” was the name of the green (master) racer with the big boom – and it conveniently parks right next to Gschwender’s Suzi, so that Stuckle just needs to turn around to change not only the tools, but also brands and decades.
Speaking of decades: Moto Motion boss Rau knows his Pappenheimers and given the different materials for the demonstration runs at the driver’s briefing, he specified clear finish lines. The result: In the first run, Jochen Schmid rode on “Paul” against all agreements, which Peter Rubatto made to attack on the much older Bimota-Yamaha. That, in turn, leaves Michael Galinski in no time at all on the OW-01 – and then everything is almost as it was before. They’re still racing drivers, the pro-superbikers. You couldn’t help it before – and you can’t do it today either.
P. Rubatto on the Bimota YB4
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Rubatto won the legendary Macau road race in 1991 and has now appeared at Classic events.
He is tightly heading towards his 60th birthday, is a grandfather of two, but still fits into the leather of yesteryear. Peter Rubatto got his nickname in 1984 when he won eleven of twelve races in the German championship. Three years later, the Swabian had to bow to the young, ambitious Ernst Gschwender in a duel for the title. In 1991 he was the only one to win the Pro Superbike against Udo Mark, whose team boss he became in 1995. Mark won the Thunderbike Trophy at the Motorcycle World Championship under Rubatto.
Racing successes
1984: German Superbike champion
1990: Eternal lap record with an average of 189.22 km / h on the old Sachsenring
M. Galinski on the Yamaha OW-01
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Team boss Galinski led Jorg Teuchert to the IDM Superbike title in 2009 – and is still very fast.
At 55, “Galle”, single, childless, but gray, is still pulling the cable – as it was recently with the 1000 kilometers from Hockenheim. He hasn’t lost the speed to this day. The head of the Superbike * IDM team at Yamaha Motor Germany, at home in Sievern, Lower Saxony, has been building motorcycles for sporty customers for twelve years. Completely crazy: During his active time as a racing driver, Galinski didn’t give nearly as many autographs as he did at the ADAC Sachsenring Classic 2014.
Racing successes
1981: German champion in the 500 cc four-stroke class
1986: German Superbike champion
1998: German Champion BoT and Sound of Thunder
J. Schmid on the Kawasaki ZXR 750 RR
Little man, big: Schmid is still in contact with tuner Kurt Stuckle to this day.
After leaving Pro Superbike in 1999, Jochen Schmid had nothing to do with motorcycles for over seven years. And Kawasaki no longer plays a role in the life of the 50-year-old Swabian. Rather, tuner Roland Eckert gave him a taste for Honda a few years ago, and since then Schmid has been driving an RC30 and a BMW R 1200 ST. He plans to do a few race training courses soon, but he has not forgotten how to drive. At the ADAC Sachsenring Classic 2014, the ex-Grand Prix driver sat on his Kawasaki from Pro Superbike times and slammed down times as if he hadn’t done anything else in the past. He and his wife Dagmar have been running the family’s bus business for a long time.
Racing successes
1992: Motorcycle World Championship Sieber in the class up to 250 cm³
1995: Two podium places at the Superbike World Championship in Hockenheim
1995: Pro Superbike champion
E. Weibel on the Schnyder-Ducati 851
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At the Sachsenring, Weibel drove on a racetrack for the first time since 1995.
The Swiss Edwin Weibel was always the quiet, modest type. And yet so successful. Practically incidentally, his motorcycle workshop with Ducati agency was set up in his home town in 1994, and Husquarna joined in 1996. However, he was not happy with it. When the ultra-modern Duc stores found their way into the big cities, Weibel had to give up. Today the 58-year-old is employed as a motorcycle mechanic again. His marriage, which resulted in two daughters (eight and 13 years old), broke up.
Racing successes
1989: Swiss champion in the four-stroke class
1992: Pro Superbike champion
1993: Pro Superbike champion
E. Gschwender on the Suzuki GSX-R 750
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Five years ago Gschwender fell ill with Parkinson’s, but he is still drawn to the racetrack.
Ernst Gschwender was always the jack of all trades. Brisk sayings, dashing girls – and he was super fast too. After the end of his active racing career in 1993, he had a garage and drove in the Porsche in the FIA GT series. The Bavarian from Neufahrn is so far the only man who has had success with a motorcycle and a car in Daytona. Five years ago Gschwender fell ill with Parkinson’s and swallows tablets several times a day. The right side of the body is affected. He is still drawn to the racetrack, just screwing it himself is no longer possible. Gschwender, now 58 years old, enjoys the time he can spend on his “old man’s motorcycle” if his health allows it. I beg your pardon? Yes, Ernst actually drives a Harley.
Racing successes
1983: German champion in the class up to 500cm³
1987: German Superbike champion
1988: German Superbike champion
T. Franz on the Honda RC30
fact
The big successes as a driver did not materialize, as a tuner Franz is more effective.
He couldn’t shine with height, but he could with speed. Thomas Franz on his RC30 was by far the smallest superbiker. Unforgotten: In 1997, at the end of his active career, he ventured again into the supersport class. Results: three races, three hospital stays. The native Swabian from Haslach did a lot for posterity, fathered five children. The oldest is 25 years old, the youngest just four months old. The 50-year-old Franz has been working for Alpha Technik for 15 years, where he acted as technical manager when partner BMW entered the 2009 Superbike World Championship and is also at home in the Bavarian company headquarters in Stephanskirchen. Franz enjoys an excellent reputation as an engine tuner.
Racing successes
1988: Superbike DM victory on the A1 ring
1989: Fifth overall Superbike European Championship
1991: fourth overall Pro Superbike
Interview with F. Rau and B. Poensgen
fact
Old companions: the long-time Suzuki man and today’s IDM promoter Bert Poensgen (left) and Pro Superbike boss Franz Rau.
Mr. Rau, Mr. Poensgen, you experienced the beginnings of Pro Superbike together. Tell.
Poensgen: Well, the starting point was that the then DM, organized by the German Motorsport Federation, was a complete mess. Nothing organized, nothing marketed, constantly changing regulations – it was just crap.
Rau: Exactly, Bert can tell that as well as I can. He was there, was part of the whole. This is very important: Franz Rau and his company Moto Motion did not go it alone, Pro Superbike was an initiative of everyone. In long discussions we had brought the entire industry under one roof. And that’s where the budget came from, you shouldn’t forget that. We then decided together what to do with it.
But those were already different budgets than before for the DM runs?
Poensgen: Which budgets? We didn’t have a budget. We wouldn’t have known at all where to transfer the money. And what for? Of course, the DM existed before that. But back then nobody really wanted to take part. Because nobody really knew what it was about. It was Franz Rau’s great achievement that he brought everyone to one table and was able to convince everyone in long one-on-one discussions.
But this approval also largely depended on the new products that could be marketed in this way, right? Super sporty four-stroke engines haven’t been around that long.
Poensgen: Of course, they came in the mid-eighties, of course that was an incentive to start a series like this. But that was only one aspect. Please don’t forget: the fall of the Berlin Wall then, the sales figures literally exploded. Franz and his partner Steve McLaughlin were very pleased that the budget was simply there. It wasn’t just the will to do something. That may be the case today too. But there was also the money to do something there.
Is that the main difference to the Superbike IDM today?
Poensgen: For me, that’s the main difference.
Rau: I can only confirm that.
Today there is simply no money?
Poensgen: Yes! Pro Superbike cost a lot of money back then. Not just at Franz’s. Motorcycles also cost a lot of money back then. I can remember when we ordered the first machines for the Pro Superbike. A motorcycle cost 150,000 marks. A 750. And I wanted three motorcycles. My Japanese boss at the time didn’t even flinch, I got the three machines.
Rau: And not to forget the driver’s fees, which no longer exist today. There weren’t that many good drivers back then. Schmid, Lindholm, Udo Mark, Gschwender – they made real money.
Right from the start?
Rau: Well, not yet in 1991. But that then developed.
Poensgen: Ernst Gschwender earned good money with us right from the start. An old woman had to knit for a long time.
Rau: But of course that has evolved solely through the media presentation. We had good audience numbers, good foreign drivers came and so on.
Speaking of television: what proportion did the transmissions account for??
That, of course, was what cost the most money. This item took up approximately 70 percent of the total budget.
Mr. Poensgen, how does it look today?
Poensgen: That was difficult back then and only worked because Franz and Steve had such good contacts. But today, in a completely changed television world, in my experience that has unfortunately become much more difficult. If you want to do today what we did then: that would require so much money, I don’t even want to dream of that.
So: the money was there, the drivers were there, the interest was there, the television was there – and yet it didn’t work out at some point. When did it start? And what was it?
Rau: Basically, the difficulties started in 1996, practically at their peak. That was the year we started making money. We had already had the plan that we would need three to four years to become profitable. You have to know: We have disclosed our books, and the DMSB could see what money was going where. And of course what we deserve. And then one or the other probably thought that he could earn the money himself well.
Poensgen: Incidentally, that is the same situation as today, only that we are not yet in the profit zone with the Superbike IDM. But I guarantee you one hundred percent: If it happens that we earn 5.50 euros, it will be the same as it was back then. Then there will be desires again, then someone will say: Yes, we can do that too. But they just can’t.
Mr. Poensgen, when you look back on the Pro Superbike, you feel saddened by your current situation?
I’m not looking back, but looking to the future. And I take with me what I’ve learned over the years.
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