MOTOR SPORTS

Superbike World Championship 2007 - 2010

Team Alstare Suzuki & DARK DOG

For the fourth year in a row, DARK DOG sponsored Team Alstare Suzuki in the 2010 Superbike World Championship. The new season seemed to be very promising for the team and DARK DOG featuring races in all five continents, including the most popular circuits of 12 different countries.

After an unlucky season in 2009, the Team Suzuki Alstare was totally new lined up with two new riders: Leon Haslam (GB) and Sylvain Guintoli (France) have already proved recently to be ready for the World Championship 2010 - Leon recorded two fantastic victories during the debut race in Australia and Sylvain finished both races under Top 10.

Being one of the world’s top motorsport events, the Superbike World Championship presents the world’s main manufacturers competing in high-tech and highly-tuned versions of powerful street bikes. Held since 1988, this championship is currently recognized as a premier competition in close-to-production motorbikes' world.

In 2007, DARK DOG sponsored Max Neukirchner for the first time, and he showed his potential with a brilliant performance throughout the year: In the end of October, he finished the season on the famous track of Magny Cours (France), reaching a 9th position overall, proving his high potential, as well as confirming his presence in the Suzuki Factory Team in 2008.

In 2008, DARK DOG was sponsoring already 3 motorcycle riders: again the German Max Neukirchner, the Japanese Yukio Kagayama and the Spanish Fonsi Nieto.

In 2009, DARK DOG continued the sponsorship with Team Alstare Suzuki, not only because it is one of the most prestigious teams, but also due to its several victories at the World Superbike: an excellent record of 6 world titles and over 200 podiums in 3 different series (Superbike, Supersport and Superstock!).

Also in 2010 DAR DOG was sponsoring Team Alstare Suzuki, and finished an excellent and successful season together. 14 podiums and 2nd position overall for Leon Haslam, and a good 7th position overall for Sylvain Guintoli.

Team Alstare Suzuki riders 2010:

Leon Haslam

The young motorsport talent was born in1983 in England and ever since he was six weeks old, he travelled the world with his parents as his father was racing in GP's at the time. Leon participated in his first road race in 1997 in Brands Hatch and won his first race one year later in Silverstone. His most successful season was during the British Superbike 2006 finishing as second overall. The best moments ever so far in his career were the fantastic five wins from seven races during the British Superbike 2008. Last year, he competed for the first time ever during the Superbike World Championship and ended the season 2009 with a superb 6th position overall.

Sylvain Guintoli

The French motorbike rider was born in 1982 in Montélimar, but currently lives in England. He spent most of his career in the 250cc World Championship on private bikes. In 2002 he made a single MotoGP start during his run in the 250cc class, where he stayed until moving up to Moto GP in 2007. The next year, Guintoli had an average finishing 13th in the championship, with his best finish being a 6th in the German Grand Prix. In 2009 he took a step back to the British Superbike Championship where he recorded 4 sensational podiums. Due to the leaving of Max Neukirchner of Team Alstare Suzuki, Gunitoli was drafted in as his replacement for the 2010 season.

Team Alstare Suzuki riders 2008 - 2009:

Max Neukirchner (2007 – 2009)

The young motorsport talent Max Neukirchner (born in 1983) started his career in 1997. Since 2005, Neukirchner has shown his great potential at the World Superbike. After closing 2008΄s season with a superb 5th position, Neukirchner was determined to take his ambitions further and fight for his victory at the 2009 World Championship. Unfortunately, the young German rider Max Neukirchner suffered a heavy accident during the 5th race of the Superbike series in Monza, Italy and another one in Imola, Italy and could not really recover from his injuries till the end of the season 2009.

Yukio Kagayama

Born in 1974, Yukio Kagayama started racing in 1990, having achieved several victories in the Japanese and the British Superbike Championships. Since 2005, he has been racing successfully in the World Superbike Championship. In his debut year, Kagayama finished fifth. After a difficult season due to several injuries in 2008, Kagayama was back in 2009 trying to prove that his motivation and thirst for success are greater than ever! After 5 years riding for Team Alstare Suzuki, Kagayama called the season 2009 his last one and finished the races with a 12th position overall!

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