2000 WSBK championship

[MotorToad]

So it came up again, the 2000 season where WSBK allegedly ripped the title out of Haga's hands by banning him for two races (one round) at the end of the season. I remember saying then (and I'm saying now) that Haga wasn't a shoe-in even if he'd won those two races, as he lost the title by 65 points.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Superbike_World_Championship_season more specifically https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Superbike_World_Championship_season#Riders.27_standings

But then I see that he got a DQ early in the season and I can't find out why. Does anyone recall why Haga was DQ'd from the second race at Kayalami?

 

[El Toro]

I think it was drug screening where ephedrine was found in his system. Ephedrine is a decongestant, but it is also a stimulant. Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is related to it and used for the same purpose (decongestant for allergy or cold symptoms).

That's a long time ago.... another era in WSBK.

I agree with you .... I don't think he would have won even without the punishments/penalties.

 

[MotorToad]

Yeah, I remembered that, but that was the last two races... The second race of the first round lists him as "DQ" with no other information. I can't see that they'd have DQ'd him from that one particular race and not the other Kayalami race. Or was it X amount of points (so that race was just math) and the two races?

 

[El Toro]

Maybe I'm not remembering it correctly, but I thought that the race he'd won at Kyalami was DQ'd because of the ephedrine, and then he was banned from two races for the same issue. His punishment/penalty was 3 races (max penalty would have been 3 years).

I'm thinking that he was not intentionally using ephedrine, but the ephedrine was included as one of the components of his off season weight control regime.

Whatever it was, Edwards was the beneficiary.

Last year in MotoGP Casey Stoner was repeatedly asked during interviews to identify the pivotal moment of his championship season. Stoner refused to identify a single event. He observed that its a stream of events, and every one is important in its own time. I really don't think Haga would have won in 2000, but it is sort of humorous that folks are still debating it. Must've made a big impression.

 

[wfooshee]

I can't remember 2000. I work in computers, I was probably still recovering from the Y2K debacle.

And I was in the second year of what at the time was a happy and successful marriage. With fun games and stuff. A crystal ball would have sure been handy . . . . :glare:

 

[2wheeldrift]

Maybe I'm not remembering it correctly, but I thought that the race he'd won at Kyalami was DQ'd because of the ephedrine, and then he was banned from two races for the same issue. His punishment/penalty was 3 races (max penalty would have been 3 years).

I'm thinking that he was not intentionally using ephedrine, but the ephedrine was included as one of the components of his off season weight control regime.

Whatever it was, Edwards was the beneficiary.

Last year in MotoGP Casey Stoner was repeatedly asked during interviews to identify the pivotal moment of his championship season. Stoner refused to identify a single event. He observed that its a stream of events, and every one is important in its own time. I really don't think Haga would have won in 2000, but it is sort of humorous that folks are still debating it. Must've made a big impression.

ET, there's nothing wrong with your memory. Haga probably would have won the superbike title had Honda not pushed the ephedrine incident to the max. The usual tactics from the biggest player in the game.......win at any cost.