Norick Abe dies in road accident.....

[bryan30]

Damn sad man...........

Norick Abe dies in road accident.

Sunday, 7th October 2007

 

Sources both inside and outside Japan have confirmed the sad news that former MotoGP star Norick Abe has been killed in a road accident.

 

 

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Abe is reported to have collided with a truck, while riding a motorcycle near the city of Kawasaki, after it made an 'illegal' U-turn in front of him.

 

Abe was one of Japan's most celebrated racing heroes, having burst on the scene by battling for victory as a Hondawild-card in the 1994 500cc Japanese Grand Prix. Abe fell three corners from the finish, but had done enough to earn a full time ride with Kenny Roberts' factory Yamaha team for the following season.

 

A 19-year-old Abe took his first 500GP podium at Suzuka in 1995, but it was at Suzuka '96 that Abe etched his name firmly in the record books - by becoming the first home rider to win the 500cc Japanese GP, turning him into a national hero overnight.

 

"I can remember everything about that race," recalled Abe, speaking in 2005. "It was my second season with Yamaha and I had been very fast in pre-season. The first two races of the year were in Malaysia and Indonesia, but they both went very badly for me, worse than they had done in my debut season in '95. The third round was my home grand prix at Suzuka and there was so much pressure on me to do well, it was unbelievable.

 

"In practice and qualifying I was no good and by the time the race came around the pressure had built up so much that I couldn't even think about what I was doing. In the end it worked in my favour because I just went out and raced as hard as I could. Everything came really easily and I was so fast, it was a bit of a surprise! I finished over six-seconds ahead of [future world champion] Alex Criville... I couldn't believe it really.

 

"I remember the next day the interest from the press, television stations and the fans was amazing. More importantly, people within the sport started taking me seriously. Some people weren't so sure that I had the talent to win races but after Suzuka '96 they started to look at me differently and trust in my ability. That race changed my life," declared Norick, who took two further 500cc victories, at Rio in 1999 and Suzuka again in 2000.

 

Abe - who switched to Wayne Rainey's Yamaha team for 1997 and 1998, before becoming a d'Antin Yamaha rider from 1999 to 2002 - claimed 17 podium finishes during his grand prix career, with a best championship position of fifth (1996), but struggled to adapt his raw 500cc pace to the new 990cc four-strokes that arrived in 2002.

 

After spending 2003 as a test and wild-card rider for the YZR-M1 project, Abe returned for one final MotoGPattack - with Tech 3 Yamaha - but finished 2004 just 13th overall and moved to World Superbike, with Yamaha France, for the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

 

Although close on several occasions, Abe never climbed the WSBK podium and retired from international competition at the end of last year.

 

Norick remained contracted to Yamaha - his employer since 1995 - and had returned home to compete in the Japanese Superbike Championship, where he held third position with one round remaining. The 32-year-old was present in the MotoGP paddock, as a spectator, during the recent Japanese Grand Prixat Motegi.

 

One of the many people amazed by Abe's explosive 1994 Suzuka ride was a young Valentino Rossi, who later adopted the nickname 'Rossifumi' ('Norifumi' was Abe's official first name) in tribute.

 

"I was struck immediately by this wild-card named Norifumi Abe," Rossi, watching the race on TV, wrote in his official autobiography What if I had never tried it. "Abe had long straight hair and even when he was standing still, he looked like a great character. But most of all, he rode like a madman. He was absolutely fearless. I think that that day was the fastest race of his life.

 

"His racing style made me think he was an absolute nutter. He took turns with his steering locked, and often had to keep himself up with his knee. His suit was usually smoking, and he overtook in the most outrageous spots. His steering finally gave out and he fell... But to me, Abe was a hero."

 

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~6~id~155570.htm

 

http://www.motogp.com/en/motogp/motogp_news.htm?menu=news&news_id=21168&championship_id=3&section=1

[PUNK]

..... Condolence to his family ..May he R.I.P.. 1 of the great racer...

[Andromeda]

god speed to a great racer....loss to the racing community

[fruitcakepablohoney]

His riding style very upright. RIP!

[kingpet47]

he's one of the jap racer dat i look up too.....

 

may u rest in peace norick.....! Amen......

[asidsoul]

Always my favorite racer.

[Lass]

sigh...this is sad

[chrislayer]

shocking news to racing world...Colin mcrae, now Abe

[edmundino]

Japan had lost 2 great riders died in tragic ways. 1st, Daijiro Katoh. Now Norick Abe......sigh...sigh..

[-PeNsKe-]

Rest in peace..

[KISS]

Japan had lost 2 great riders died in tragic ways. 1st, Daijiro Katoh. Now Norick Abe......sigh...sigh..

 

Not 2 riders but 4.

Nagai

Aoki

Katoh

Abe

[rastyblade]

Abe used to be my fav rider, a true GP Legend !

 

R.I.P. Norifumi San !!!

 

http://www.japannewsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/norickabe.jpg

[jerkeel]

may all share a minute of condolences for the rider....Norick.....and oso the rest....they are the best

[prodigalson316]

Favorite jap racer. A sad day for racing fans.

[NoLogicOne]

Rest In Peace. May he be happy racing up there.

[Raptor]

Somehow this sad story drives home the point again that the track is still very much safer than public roads.

 

A very sad loss to the racing community. RIP.

[bryan30]

News 08/10/2007

About the Passing Away of Norifumi (Norick) Abe

 

Norick Abe

 

 

On Behalf of Yamaha Motor Corporation Co. LTD

Oct. 9, 2007

 

About the Passing Away of Norifumi (Norick) Abe

 

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Norifumi (Norick) Abe (32) on October 7, 2007, following a traffic accident. Norick Abe, as he is fondly known by motorcycle race fans around the world, was competing this season in the JSB1000 class of the All-Japan Championships from the “Y'S GEAR Racing” team. Norick was riding a motorcycle in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Pref. when he met with an accident at about 6:20 pm and he was pronounced dead at 8:50 pm at the hospital where he was taken for treatment.

 

In 1993, Norifumi Abe became the youngest rider ever to win the pinnacle 500cc class of the All Japan Road Race Championships. The following year he was competing in the All Japan Superbike Championship when he joined the Yamaha camp and started competing in the World GP500cc class. From 1995 he began competing full-time in the World GP500cc class, where he eventually compiled a record of three wins, four 2nd places and 10 3rd places in his GP career. This year he returned to the All Japan Championships and also competed in the Suzuka 8 hours World Endurance Championship race in July. During his career Abe was widely known and loved by the fans as a leading figure in the domestic race scene as well as abroad.

 

Comment from Takashi Kajikawa, President, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. “I am deeply saddened to hear this tragic news. Loved by fans in Japan, Europe and the Americas and throughout Asia, Norifumi Abe was an irreplaceable ambassador of motor sports worldwide. Here in Japan the fans were especially excited to see Abe return to the All Japan circuit after 14 years of international competition, and certainly their sense of loss at his passing is great. We pray that his soul rests in peace and we send our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”

 

Norifumi Abe Profile

Place of birth: Tokyo, Japan

Born on Sept. 7, 1975

2007 team: Y'S GEAR Racing

 

Career:

1993: Champion of All Japan GP500 class

1994: World Road Race Championships GP500 class debut

1995: 9th in World GP500 class

1996: 5th in World GP500 class (won Japan GP)

1997: 7th in World GP500 class

1998: 6th in World GP500 class

1999: 6th in World GP500 class (won Rio GP)

2000: 8th in World GP500 class (won Japan GP)

2001: 7th in World GP500 class

2002: 6th in MotoGP

2003: 16th in MotoGP (spot participation)

2004: 13th in MotoGP

2005: 13th in World Superbike Championship

2006: 13th in World Superbike Championship

2007: Ranking 3rd in All Japan JSB1000 class (at the end of round 6)

 

 

 

 

 

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Yamaha Racing Communications

Hoogte Kadijk 61 / 1018 BE Amsterdam / The Netherlands

T. +31 (0) 20 625 6539 / F. +31 (0) 20 420 9470

E. [email protected] W. http://www.yamaha-racing.com

[GuiNNeSS]

http://www.picturesky.com/albums/userpics/12078/normal_Norick%20Abe%20No17%20Tribute.bmp

RIP. Why do truck drivers like to take shortcuts.

[Lass]

motogp.com is collating a book of condolences in honor of Abe's life and anyone wishing to contribute may send their messages to [email protected]

[stroker]

Very sad. RIP. Made me really wonder why do peeps stop racing when they still can.. Whereas some just can't do it no more.

[honam24]

My condolence.

[NoLogicOne]

http://superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/abefuneral07/4.jpg

[NoLogicOne]

http://superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/abefuneral07/6.jpg

[NoLogicOne]

http://superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/abefuneral07/1.jpg

[NoLogicOne]

GodSpeed.....full throttle for the last journey.

 

http://superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/abefuneral07/