From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

Suzuki Lightning Nationals doubleheader at VIR to close 2004 AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship

Mladin poised to win his fifth championship

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 1, 2004) — Virginia International Raceway will host the final two rounds of the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship on Oct. 9-10 in Alton, Va. The event, originally scheduled for Sept. 17-19, was postponed due to complications from Hurricane Ivan. The 2004 AMA Superbike Championship is up for grabs and four-time champ Mat Mladin, the Yoshimura Suzuki ace, is hoping to once again take home the championship trophy.

Three riders, Mladin along with Honda riders Jake Zemke and Miguel Duhamel, are still in the hunt for this year’s AMA Superbike Championship, but it is Mladin who is clearly in control. A win in race one of the weekend’s doubleheader would clinch the title for Mladin and give him an unprecedented fifth AMA Superbike Championship. Mladin can already lay claim to being the only rider in the history of the series to win four championships and is also the all-times wins leader.

Mladin has praised his Yoshimura Suzuki team for making late-season improvements on his GSX-R1000 that gave him the edge over the newer-generation Hondas of Zemke and Duhamel. Those improvements added up to a Mladin sweep at the last event; the doubleheader at Road Atlanta in September. Those victories boosted his series lead from 19 points to a solid 42 coming into the final event of the year. Mladin was also reportedly happy with the results of a recent test session at VIR and is confident coming in the event.

Mladin has one more incentive at VIR. A pair of wins would give him 10 victories on the season. That would tie the long-standing record held by Motorcycle Hall of Famer Fred Merkel, who won 10 rounds in 1984 while riding for Honda.

Zemke comes into Virginia happy about his performance in his first full year of AMA Superbike racing.

“Things probably have gone about like I expected,” said the former flat track racer. “Of course, I would have been a little happier if I were leading the series, but realistically it’s been a good first season and I’ll give it everything I have at VIR. The chances [of winning the championship] are slim, but unexpected things are known to happen in racing so I’m going in with a positive outlook.”

1995 AMA Superbike Champion Miguel Duhamel was squarely in the title chase until a crash at Mid-Ohio in July dropped him to third. Duhamel would still like to put a couple of victories in the books at VIR so he could end the season tied with Mladin on the all-time AMA Superbike wins list. Mladin has 32-career AMA Superbike victories to Duhamel’s 30.

Ducati will add a taste of international flare to VIR by entering World Superbike Series leader Regis Laconi and Lorenzo Lanzi to race alongside Eric Bostrom in the season finale. Had the race been run as originally scheduled, Bostrom would have been absent due to injury. The postponement gave him extra time to recuperate. With three bikes entered, Ducati is obviously looking to make a statement at VIR.

Last year’s AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Geoff May is on track to earn the highest year-end ranking in AMA Superbike by a privateer rider since Dale Quarterley finished fifth in 1995. May has tallied 13 top-10 finishes this year on his Team Prieto Racing Suzuki, including a season best fifth at California Speedway in April.

VIR’s Suzuki Lightning Nationals doubleheader AMA Superbike races will be shown back-to-back on SPEED Channel starting at 12 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Oct. 19, as part of the network’s Two Wheel Tuesday lineup. For additional information on the event contact VIR at (434) 822-7700 of visit the website www.virclub.com .

Schedule of Events

AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship

Presented by Parts Unlimited

Suzuki Lightning Nationals

Virginia International Raceway – October 9-10, 2004



Friday, Oct. 8

3:00 – 7:00 – Registration: Riders, Crew, Sponsors & Guests

6:30 – Post-entry Closed for all Classes

3:00 – 7:00 – Tech Inspection

Saturday, Oct. 9

7:30 – 3:00 – Registration: Crew, Sponsors & Guests

8:00 – 5:00 – Tech Inspection

8:00 – 8:30 – AMA Repsol Superstock Practice

8:35 – 9:05 – Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Helmets Practice

9:10 – 9:40 – Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Practice

9:45 – 10:15 – Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Practice

10:20 – 10:50 – AMA Repsol Superstock Practice

10:55 – 11:25 – Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Helmets Practice

11:30 – 12:00 – Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Practice

12:05 – 12:35 – Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Practice

12:35 – 1:25 – Lunch Break

12:45 – Rider Briefing

1:25 – 1:50 – AMA Repsol Superstock Qualifying Group 1

1:55 – 2:20 – AMA Repsol Superstock Qualifying Group 2

2:25 – 2:50 – Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Helmets Qualifying Group 1

2:55 – 3:20 – Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Helmets Qualifying Group 2

3:25 – 3:50 – Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Qualifying Group 1

3:55 – 4:20 – Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Qualifying Group 2

4:35 – AMA Repsol Superstock Race (60k – 17 laps)

Sunday, Oct. 10

8:30 – 12:00 – Registration: Crew, Sponsors & Guests

9:00 – Tech Inspection Opens

9:00 – 9:20 – Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Practice

9:25 – 9:45 – Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Helmets Practice

9:55 – 10:25 – Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Qualifying Group 1

10:30 – 11:00 – Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Qualifying Group 2

11:00 – 12:00 – Lunch Break

11:20 – Nondenominational Chapel Service

12:00 – Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Race 1 (100K – 28 laps)

1:15 – Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Helmets (60k – 17 laps)

2:30 – Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Race 2 (100k – 28 laps)

3:45 – Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Race (60k – 17 laps)