Max Neukirchner
Max Neukirchner
Nationality		German
Current team		Ten Kate Racing Honda
Bike number		76
Website		max-neukirchner.de
Career Statistics

Max Neukirchner born April 20, 1983 (1983-04-20) (age 26) from Stollberg, Germany is a professional motorcycle racer currently competing in the Superbike World Championship.

Contents 1 World Supersport and Superbike 2 Career highlights 3 References 4 External links

[edit] World Supersport and Superbike

In 2004 he competed in the Supersport World Championship riding for Klaffi Honda, finishing the season ranked 9th with 63 points.

For 2005, Neukirchner, along with the Klaffi Honda team, moved to the Superbike World Championship. He got a 3rd place podium finish at Phillip Island (but broke his hand at the next round in Valencia [1]) and finished the season 12th with 123 points.

He looked set to remain with Klaffi Honda in 2006 but the ride eventually went to Alex Barros. Klaffi wasn't able to find the money to run a second bike for Neukirchner and he was left without a ride.^[1] He joined Pedercini Ducati but after a poor first half of the season Neukirchner and Pedercini announced their spilt.^[2] Neukirchner went on to replace Fabien Foret at Alstare Eng. Corona Extra. He finished the season 18th with 28 points.^[3]

For 2007 Neukirchner rode for Suzuki Germany and finished the season ranked ninth overall. The team used the 2006-spec works Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6.

For 2008 he rides a 2007-spec Suzuki GSX-R1000 motorcycle for Team Alstare Suzuki. At Valencia he took his first career pole[2], and lead until the final corner, where he was hit by Carlos Checa, Neukirchner breaking his collarbone. On 27 April 2008 at Assen he achieved his second World Superbike podium finish, finishing behind Troy Bayliss and Checa in the first race [3].

Neukirchner took his maiden victory (and the first for a German rider) in the first race at Monza, his 70th race in SBK. He won by just 0.058 seconds from Noriyuki Haga[4]. In race 2, he achieved another podium, finishing 2nd to Haga, missing out on victory by 0.009 seconds in a three-way blanket finish. At Miller Motorsport Park he was helped to learn the fastest line through the early part of the track by video of Suzuki's AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies [5]. He did not score another podium that season, but consistent points finishes including four further fourth places allowed him to finish as the top Suzuki in 5th overall.

At Monza he suffered a broken femur in a first-corner crash for which he was blameless.^[4]

Although Suzuki Alstare announced in May that he will remain with the team for 2009 and 2010 [6], doubts later surfaced over his future with the team. On October 12 2009, Suzuki Alstare announced that they would not be offering Neukirchner a contract extension for the 2010 championship after he failed to provide medical evidence that he was fit to race. ^[5]

On October 14 2009, it was confirmed that Neukirchner would race for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team for the 2010 season.^[6]

[edit] Career highlights

• 2004 Supersport World Championship season- Klaffi Honda 9th 63pts
• 2005 Superbike World Championship season- Klaffi Honda 12th 123pts
• 2006 Superbike World Championship season- Pedercini Ducati/Suzuki Alstare Corona Extra 18th 28pts

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• max-neukirchner.de Official Website (German)