From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing and posted here just the way we got it:

Duhamel could tie AMA Formula Xtreme record at VIR

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 5, 2004) — A victory in the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series finale at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, Oct. 9, could tie Miguel Duhamel with Eric Bostrom for the single-season record number of wins in the Formula Xtreme class. Bostrom won eight Formula Xtreme races en route to the 1998 championship. Duhamel has won seven races so far in the series and has already clinched the 2004 title on his Honda CBR600RR-based machine. It could also mark Duhamel’s 80th-career AMA road racing victory.

Additionally, a win at VIR would push Duhamel into a tie for third on the all-time AMA Formula Xtreme wins list after only one season of competing in the series. The 2004 Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme season finale is part of the Suzuki Lightning Nationals on Oct. 9 and 10.

Duhamel rode in Formula Xtreme for the first time this year and stormed to his seventh AMA road racing championship; his first in seven years. With the title now secure Duhamel can concentrate on tying the single-season win mark.

While Duhamel looks at the VIR finale to add his name to another section of the AMA record books, others such as Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke hope to end the season on a high note. Zemke challenged Duhamel most of the year for the championship until a crash at Mid-Ohio in July gave the upper hand top Duhamel.

Others hoping to break into the Formula Xtreme win column at VIR are riders such as Alex Gobert, Vincent Haskovec, Larry Pegram, Jason Pridmore and Doug Chandler. All have shown signs of being able to run up front in the revamped series and each would like to add their name to those being considered possible winners of Daytona.


Repsol Superstock Series goes down to the wire

The 2004 Repsol Superstock Series will go down as one of the most competitive AMA road racing series in years. Coming into the last race at VIR this weekend a total of six riders still have a shot to win the Superstock title. Further indication of the competitiveness of the series is the fact that five of those riders have earned victories in the series this year.

Graves Yamaha’s Aaron Gobert leads the series coming into Virginia. Gobert, the 23-year-old middle brother of the three racing Goberts of Australia, won the season opener at Daytona and scored five additional podium finishes in the 10 rounds leading up to this weekend’s race. Gobert would love to bookend the season with a second victory, which would guarantee his first AMA championship. Gobert is in his fourth season of racing in America.

Just five points behind Gobert are AMA racing veterans Jamie Hacking and Tommy Hayden.

Hacking, Yamaha teammate to Gobert, is bravely staying in the title hunt after injuring his shoulder in a July test at Mid-Ohio and re-injuring the same shoulder in a race at Mid-Ohio a few weeks later. Hacking is trying to win his second straight AMA title, following up on his Supersport championship last year.

Tommy Hayden will have a full plate at VIR. The Kentuckian is in contention to win two championships at VIR. In addition to being tied for second in the Superstock class, Hayden also leads the AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship. Hayden might be considered the pre-race favorite at VIR since he’s the defending and two-time VIR Superstock winner.

Should the top three slip up at VIR another trio of riders are poised to take advantage. Jason DiSalvo, Roger Hayden and Ben Spies are still in a position to steal the title in the last race. Spies, the top Suzuki rider in Superstock, is the hottest rider in the series. The Texan was runner-up at Mid-Ohio in July and followed that up with a victory over the Labor Day weekend at Road Atlanta.

For additional information on the Suzuki Lightning Nationals call (434) 822-7700 or visit the website www.virclub.com