Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads

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Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads
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Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads

Conti Superduke Battle – the cup on public roads
Conti Superduke Battle: The PS Cup Checker in Frohburg

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A bad twin, a tall handlebar and the Frohburg street circuit: the PS-Cup-Checker was back in action and did well.

Rene robbery

11/20/2012


Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads


Racepixx.de

A bad twin, a tall handlebar and the Frohburg street circuit: the PS Cup Checker was back in action.

Another cup on public roads? Damn! The last date of the Conti Superduke Battle left me no choice, although I like run-off areas so much and always feel terribly unsafe when arcing past houses at ultra-fast speeds. Doesn’t help, as a cup checker you have to accelerate wherever they send you.

The paddock in Frohburg is located in an industrial area and is accordingly spacious. But while looking for the KTM battle warriors, a Superduke with the at least magical start number 61 caught my eye. Isn’t that my racing machine, which Conti Superduke Battle technology boss Konrad Schittko has already covered with my favorite starting number? It is almost standard equipment KTM 990 Superduke, only with a racing exhaust and Conti-Slicks, ready for the racetrack. Cool – the tension rises.


Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads


Racepixx.de

Racing on public roads, Frohburg makes it possible.

The well-known Ottmar Bange, who seems to be omnipresent in the paddock, helps me with the registration. Nothing stands in the way of my start. That the battle has good personal contacts is not only evident here. For the first time in my racing career I don’t have to go to the technical inspection, the technical inspection comes in person in the form of the cheerful DMSB commissioner Sabine Hammer. The Conti Superduke Battle is a big family – and Sabine is one of them.

When grilling on the large shared grate, interesting conversations quickly start and I can find out a little bit about the equipment I am using. The mood of the Conti Superduke Battle troop is great, and on the same evening I am officially accepted into the battle community. They don’t want to lull me, do they? From the boom box I get to hear the official song of the Superduke Battle 2012. Hoppa, which cup already has its own soundtrack? But on Saturday morning it’s our turn for free practice at eight o’clock, and so this fun evening ends far too early.

The workout


Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads


Racepixx.de

Brothers among themselves, there is a great atmosphere in the battle.

The next morning it is wet. But the Conti rain tires give me a great feeling and great feedback right from the start. And I also get on really well with the KTM right from the start. Bingo! So after this first wet training session, I’m quite unexpectedly, but not without pride, at the top of the timesheet. Admittedly, only nine out of 30 Conti Superduke Battle brothers and one Battle sister were even on the road with me. Nevertheless: For now I am reassured because I can obviously get on with the KTM immediately and the Frohburg route is nice to drive.

I’m much more relaxed for the two qualifying sessions that follow that day. In the meantime it has dried up and it has become warmer. In the first “Qualy” I am still busy with the route and the faster line in the dry. After a 90-degree left curve at the end of the start and finish, the first section of the route is, as it were, a straight line that appears to be endless with slight curves. I have never been at full throttle for so long on any other racetrack. According to the speedometer, the Superduke can then reach almost 240 km / h. Because of the missing fairing, I have to hold on really tight so that the wind doesn’t blow me off the bike.


Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads


Racepixx.de

All years of construction of the Superduke are admitted to the Cup, the conversion is relatively uncomplicated, the entry fee for early bookers is 1999 or 2199 euros per season.

In the next section you drive through an artificially created chicane, the high curbs of which you should avoid as much as possible, as I know from my own experience. When I drove over such a part in 2001, I already threw myself powerfully elsewhere. So keep a respectful distance. Then, after accelerating again, you brake down another left-hand bend – with the corner of the house directly on the inside of the piste. It’s a blind corner, and somehow I always have the feeling “not too far to the left, otherwise you’ll be a head shorter”. A quick left turn and an even quicker right turn later, the start / finish entry curve is braked again.

That may not sound very interesting and spectacular, but at least you are walking on otherwise public roads, which gives you extra adrenaline. It’s a lot of fun with the KTM. In addition, the sticky ContiRaceAttack slicks give me the necessary security for my back room. The rubbers have an extremely good-natured border area. During the whole weekend at the Conti Superduke Battle, I never had a slide. In addition, there was hardly any wear and tear even in the soft mix in Frohburg.

The course in Frohburg


Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads


Bursed

The road course in Frohburg

The Frohburgers also put a lot of effort into their route. The asphalt is perfect, dangerous areas are secured and even the curb along the start / finish straight was bevelled with bitumen especially for the event.

After the first qualifying, I’m eighth. I can be satisfied with that at the premiere in such a field of regular drivers. In the second qualifying session, I can even cut off more than a second and a half per lap. Unfortunately, many of my new family ties also manage to do this. That leaves eighth place on the grid for both races of the Conti Superduke Battle on Sunday.

The race

The evening before, however, belongs entirely to the community among like-minded people. KTM Pope Konrad “Wuschel” Schittko and Carsten “Casi” Lehnig give me a few tips for tomorrow’s race day at the Conti Superduke Battle. Ruhrpott pearl Hubertus “Huby” Mannshausen puts on the battlesong again, and again a funny evening unfortunately comes to an end too early.

On the morning of race day it is freezing cold, but dry. Many spectators have gathered along the route. Finally the starting grid and the introductory lap are on. My first start with the Superduke is rather mediocre. With too much speed, the front wheel immediately goes up with the fat twin. If only I had taken Konrad’s tip to heart. The field sorts itself. A larger gap opens up in front of me pretty quickly. But I can prevent Konrad Schittko and Christoph “Mutze” Musznai, who are jostling behind me, from overtaking for a while. Brother Konrad comes by and I try to keep up with him. With moderate success, he can steadily increase his lead.

Then I get help from drivers to be lapped, which Konrad is more difficult to get past than me. I take my chance: On the last groove, when braking on the penultimate lap, I stab Konrad and a driver to be lapped to get as wide as possible on the final lap. I brake on the inside of the last corner, Konrad just shouldn’t be able to break into it. On the other hand, I come out of the curve with very little speed on a worse line. Konrad can almost accelerate me again. But at the finish I managed to finish seventh with a very tight 68 thousandths ahead of “Wuschel”. What an exciting and fun race!

I received a reprimand later for my delicate overtaking maneuver on the penultimate lap. You shouldn’t drive each other off your motorcycle in the Conti Superduke Battle – especially not on a street circuit. Accepted and sorry! Dirk Schnieders, the champion of the last three years, won the first run ahead of Hendrik Ladiges and Stefan Helldobler. In the second race, which is also the last of the Conti Superduke Battle 2012, everything is at the top of the overall standings because “Stevie” Helldobler is only a few points ahead of Schnieders.

I’m trying to get my second start a little better. Only this time I give so little gas that the KTM almost drowns me. Then I fill the combustion chambers so vehemently that the bike climbs even higher than in the first run. When braking into the first corner, it is therefore important to make up lost ground. I’m in sixth place. Brother Konrad slams past me after a few meters. I really can’t follow him this time. At the end of the long straight, I at least slow down Christoph Musznai, who from now on has been sitting on my neck.

I competed against Christoph in the Suzuki Cup back in 2002. Today we are again racing at eye level. He can overtake me after a few laps, but he can’t get away. With three laps to go, I pull past the start and finish again at the end of the race and then try to get wide open. At the beginning of the last lap, Christoph managed to get through anyway and I tried everything over the last few kilometers to find a way past his KTM. But the good guy closes all the doors. That leaves eighth place.

The bottom line

To drive two such close races in one day is simply gigantic! At the top, no drama was spared. Tragic hero: Dirk Schnieders, who had to give up while in the lead due to a defect. His hopes for the fourth championship in a row were thus buried. Hendrik Ladiges won the last battle victory in 2012 ahead of Manuel “Tutti” da Silva and the acclaimed champion Stefan Helldobler.

After a truly emotional award ceremony and the farewell group photo with all the battle participants, a really moving and exciting weekend with the Conti Superduke Battle and her family comes to an end for me in Frohburg. In 2013 the battle goes into the next round. I can only say: Shout again Huby – “Hoppaa …”

Cup checker facts

Pros All years of construction, including R models, are permitted.Not typical racing machine that takes a bit of getting used to. The Battle enjoys the DMSB rating and chooses official champions Only one person can win Schittko goes with him himself and offers extensive on-site service in a relaxed, familiar atmosphere

The cup checker


Superduke Battle: the cup on public roads


Racepixx.de

The PS Cup Checker did well.

Rene Raub started in the Suzuki SV 650 Cup in 2001, and a year later he took second place in the Oschersleben 24 Hours. In series sport, the 36-year-old won the small twin class several times and in 2004 the 750 class. In 2006, the Heiligenstadt native came third in the World Endurance Championship / Superproduction and won the Oschersleben 24 Hours with his team. There he won two more open classes. With the PS-LSL-X-Lite 61 team, Rene took third place in the 2011 24-hour classic in Le Mans.

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