Round 9 , Assen (NL), Friday 2nd September 2005, Friday Qualifying
Circuit: 5.997 kms. Weather: Dry, sunny/cloudy 20-22 C.

TROY READY TO ROCK AT THE NEW ASSEN!

Troy finished the first day of Assen qualifying with the second quickest time
and is ready to rock tomorrow. His time of 2:04.835, was less then a tenth of a
second behind provisional pole man James Toseland (Ducati), but that was
achieved on a bike that was suffering a bit of wheelspin in the afternoon
qualifying session. Third fastest today was Karl Muggeridge (Honda) with Chris
Vermeulen (Honda) fourth.

TROY - 2nd, 2:04.835

Well it’s been pretty much OK today and I wasn’t pushing hard at all. We made
some good improvements to the gearing and suspension in the afternoon, but I
felt we were suffering a bit of wheelspin throughout the day and it was the same
on race or qualifying rubber. I think the grip level is going to improve over
the weekend, so I am not too concerned. Having said that, the tyre were pretty
consistent throughout the day.

Assen had always been one to the tracks I really look forward to and it is a
real ‘riders’ track. But the new changes to the circuit have ruined the flowing
nature of the track and that’s a real shame. The chicane after the back straight
has made the track less fun to ride - for me anyway - and it especially affects
the final part of the lap. I had a real ’moment’ this afternoon when I went
straight on at the chicane instead of through it. I had to take to the gravel
and I nearly crashed because the ripples in the gravel are so high! There is no
need for them to be be like that, so I am hoping that they will rake the gravel
and flatten it out a bit. Then, most riders would be able to keep upright and
rejoin the track. I have never won at Assen before, so I am hoping to change
that this weekend.

Friday qualifying:

 1 Toseland (GB-Ducati)                          2:04.742
 2 TROY CORSER (Aus-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 2:04.835
 3 Muggeridge (Aus-Honda)                        2:05.136
 4 Vermeulen (Aus-Honda)                         2:05.445
 5 Lanzi (I-Ducati)                              2:05.594
 6 Martin (Aus-Petronas)                         2:05.793
 7 Neukirchner (D-Honda)                         2:05.822
 8 Pitt (Aus-Yamaha)                             2:05.908
 9 Kagayama (J-Suzuki)                           2:05.921
10 Vizziello (I-Yamaha)                          2:05.968

TROY CORSER WEBSITE - http://www.troycorser.com