Muggeridge sweeps German round

From KTM Racing

The KTM Superbike Team Germany was impressive in the third race weekend of the IDM at the Nurburgring with the official RC8R rider Stefan Nebel on the podium and two fourth places for teammate Martin Bauer on Sunday.

The first race started on a dry track but with just two laps to go in the regular race distance it started to rain. Until then, both of the official KTM riders had worked their way forward from their second row grid positions. Nebel, who went into the first corner in fourth place profited when championship leader Joerg Teuchert crashed in front of him in the middle of the race and was therefore able to celebrate his podium place in his home race.

Bauer also delivered a good race. The double IDM Superbike champion did not take any risks going into a treacherously tight corner after the start but then the Austrian pulled out all the stops to hunt down the lead only to finish behind his RC8R colleague Nebel.

Victory went to the Australian Karl Muggeridge, who finished in front of Werner Daemen.

The second race on the 3.61 km circuit was stopped after a mass pile-up in the first corner. Bauer found the best way through the first corner when the race was restarted. The Austrian speedily worked his way up behind the leaders on his two-cylinder Superbike but despite his efforts, he still didn't quite manage the third place on the podium.

Bauer, who two weeks ago at Oschersleben delivered KTM's first ever Superbike victory in the IDM, battled with a loss of grip in the latter part of the race and finished six seconds behind the winner Muggeridge.

Nebel got hemmed into the first corner and lost a lot of places in the 28-rider field. Riding with a rear tire that was too hard, his efforts to chase down the leaders meant he finished in eighth place.

Race 1 Results
1. Karl Muggeridge (AUS), Honda
2. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW
3. Stefan Nebel (GER), KTM
4. Martin Bauer, (AUT), KTM
5. Matej Smrz (CZE), Honda

Race Two Results
1. Karl Muggeridge (AUS), Honda
2. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW
3. Barry Veneman (NL), BMW
4. Martin Bauer, (AUT), KTM
5. Joerg Teuchert (GER), Yamaha

IDM standings (after 6 of 16 races)
1. Karl Muggeridge (AUS), Honda, 123 points
2. Martin Bauer (AUT), KTM, 87
3. Barry Veneman (NL), BMW, 81
4. Joerg Teuchert (GER), Yamaha 76
5. Werner Daemen (BEL), BMW, 73
6. Stefan Nebel (GER), KTM, 71