Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Although he led by as much as 7.6 seconds earlier in the race, Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom barely held off American Honda’s Nicky Hayden late in the 26-lap AMA Superbike contest to win at Mid-Ohio.

Bostrom took the lead from the start and pulled out a lead that grew to 7.6 seconds by lap 13 of 26. Meanwhile, Hayden shook off Team Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates and ran Bostrom down through late-race traffic.

Hayden drew close enough to show Bostrom his front wheel on several occassions, but Bostrom had just enough tire left to hold on to take his seventh career AMA Superbike win and close Hayden’s Championship lead from 36 to 32 points.

Yates came under pressure from Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati’s Pascal Picotte in the closing stages of the final but upped his pace to keep his podium finish.

Provisional AMA Superbike Race Results:

1. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 26 laps
2. Nicky Hayden, Honda, -0.034 second
3. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -16.083 seconds
4. Pascal Picotte, Ducati, -20.224 seconds
5. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, -28.623 seconds
6. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -38.739 seconds
7. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -53.499 seconds
8. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, -60.283 seconds
9. Brian Livengood, Suzuki, -1 lap
10. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha, -1 lap
11. Jason DiSalvo, Suzuki, -1 lap
12. Robert Jensen, Suzuki, -1 lap
13. Andy Deatherage, Suzuki, -1 lap
14. John Jacobi, Suzuki, -1 lap
15. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, -1 lap
16. Brian Parriott, Suzuki, -1 lap
17. John Haner, Suzuki, -1 lap

DNF. Doug Chandler, Ducati, DNF, -20 laps


Provisional AMA Superbike Point Standings:

1. Hayden, 414 points
2. Bostrom, 382 points
3. Duhamel, 322 points
4. Yates, 316 points
5. Picotte, 304 points
6. Parriott, 250 points
7. Mladin, 233 points
8. Hacking, 231 points
9. Livengood, 223 points
10. Chandler, 209 points
11. Deatherage, 192 points
12. TIE, Haskovec/Rich Conicelli, 162 points
14. DiSalvo, 126 points
15. Dean Mizdal, 122 points