Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The hottest topic of conversation at Barber Motorsports Park during the 2003 AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike series finale wasn’t the lush landscaping of the perfectly manicured facility but rather the fact that as the season was ending there was confusion over how new rules and class structures will affect the paddock during the 2004 AMA season. Teams, riders and fans left the final race of the 2003 without any clear idea of what they would be doing in 2004.

Suzuki was probably the least happy manufacturer in the AMA paddock. The company wants to run Mat Mladin, Aaron Yates and Ben Spies in Superbike but does not like the announced 2004 Superbike rules, which will restrict its GSX-R1000 (and all 1000cc Fours) by forcing it to run with a stock airbox and throttle bodies while 1000cc V-Twins will be allowed to run homologated throttle bodies in 2004.

“They’re restricting us [1000cc Fours] versus what we had this year to race with, but they’re not restricting the V-Twin. And our question is we’re not the fastest bike there is out there right now. The V-Twin Honda has had faster trap speeds than we do, so why would we be restricted and the V-Twins not be restricted and be able to dominate. All we want to do is add some parity in there. That’s all we’re asking them to do,” American Suzuki vice-president, motorcycle division Mel Harris told Roadracingworld.com on Sunday, September 28 at Barber.

“Mat Mladin says if he doesn’t have a bike that’s competitive, he’s not going to go through what he went through last year. He’s going to stay home. He’s not going to take my money and race. If you have a rider with that kind of feeling, it kind of makes you step back and look at the whole situation.

“We’re not saying we have the fastest bike. We’ve won a lot of races this year, but Honda’s won races, Kawasaki’s won races. So it’s not that bad. Why do we want to change it again? To be honest with you, if Nicky [Hayden] would have been over here it would have been a lot closer on many weekends. Mat is a world class-leading rider. He’s here, and that’s why he’s dominating things. Not the bike. It’s the rider.”

Harris suggested the 2004 AMA Superbike rules should be similar to the technical rules used in the 2003 World Superbike series, where 1000cc three- and four-cylinder machines used air restrictors in an attempt to even things out with 1000cc V-Twins. Every race of the 2003 World Superbike series to date has been won by a rider on a 1000cc V-Twin, but there are few riders on 1000cc Threes and Fours competing in the series.

Suzuki is also not happy with the AMA’s proposed regulation which would restrict factory Superbike riders from participating in the new-for-2004 1000cc Superstock class because it wants to enter Yates in Superstock in 2004.

“This is Pro racing,” said Harris. “They should be able to race more than one class if they want to do that. But they want to restrict that. So we have some major concerns. We’ve been writing the AMA. We sent them letters. We got no response, no respect for what we want to do. So we now are in a position where we have to make a decision on what we’re going to do next year. Are we going to race anything or are we going to go away?”

Like it did last season, Yamaha Motor Corporation is going to stay out of the premier AMA class again in 2004 and race its brand-new YZF-R1 in Superstock, if the rules allow.

“Right now, I guess everyone’s waiting for a rulebook to get finalized, but I’d say there’s a strong chance we’re just going to be in the Superstock class and [Supersport] again. We’ll see what develops, but that’s what we’re looking at right now,” said Yamaha Racing Manager Keith McCarty.

Asked what the decision to race in Superstock instead of Superbike was based on, McCarty said, “I think it’s more of what we can or can’t do for Superbike (technical rules). There’s a lot of issues, I think, overall that leads you to those decision, but not really one thing or the other. Like I said, I think we’re looking at everything that we think is relevant to making a good decision and if everything was aligned we would go with the Superbike. If not, we go with Superstock.”

McCarty’s plan is for his four returning riders (Damon Buckmaster, Jamie Hacking, Aaron Gobert and Jason DiSalvo) to race in Supersport and in the 1000cc Superstock class (under the Graves Motorsports tent), which is risky considering AMA Pro Racing’s proposed entry restrictions for that class.

“I think what they’re trying to do is keep guys who are racing Superbike from going down and into Superstock,” said McCarty. “I’m not sure there’s a real purpose for that. I’m not really sure what their motivation is to do that, but in the end run I don’t think that’s going to be the issue.”

Kawasaki Racing Team Manager Michael Preston wouldn’t discuss any specifics of his plans for 2004, saying that the lack of rules made it impossible for him to make any plans.

“I can’t say,” said Preston. “We’re waiting to make sure we see a rulebook that’s finalized. A lot of other teams and officials are bantering. They’re unhappy because they haven’t been treated well by the rules. The biggest problem here is not having rules. We can accept that we don’t like something, but we want rules with some longevity so we can plan. The problem we have now, the rules, we have to make sure what they are and that they’re in writing. Until we do that, we can’t announce our team and where our guys will go.

“We just need some rules in writing. We need to think as a group, all of the team managers and all of the management of the manufacturers need to start thinking as a group and of the big picture and not just beyond their own team and what’s good for them. We need rules and some longevity. We need to quit badgering about ‘it doesn’t work for me’ and the ‘I, I, I.’

“The reason we [Kawasaki] don’t have an announcement is because we don’t have any rules. Once the rules come up, our company can decide where it best suits our needs to showcase our product. Until we see the rules we don’t really know.”

Preston said he would definitely field a team in Supersport on the 2004 ZX-6RR, but beyond that he only had several possible scenarios, which he would not discuss. He did say Kawasaki had interest in all four of the proposed 2004 AMA classes and wants to set up a Kawasaki satellite team.

American Honda’s racing teams manager Chuck Miller does not appear to be overly concerned about any of the 2004 AMA rules or class structures and said his plans mainly hinge on his yet-to-be-determined budget and on which riders he signs.

Currently, Miller has Ben Bostrom and Jake Zemke under contract and expects Miguel Duhamel to return to the team, with all three expected to at least ride in AMA Superbike in 2004. Although Miller expects his riders to be on the new CBR1000RR next season, he did not rule out the possibility of that his team would race the RC51 in 2004.

“We’re producing RC51s,” said Miller. “There’s a Nicky Hayden replica, and there has certainly been some interest in sales to continue to race that bike, because racing drives sales. We’re in a bit of a unique situation, having two machines that are two complete different configurations that could participate in the series. But I know we will be participating for sure on the new one, because it’s the new bike, it’s got all the new technology and we feel stronger capabilities to be competitive in the series here.”

Miller said it was possible that both the RC51 and CBR1000RR would race side-by-side or that his teams would start the season on the RC51 and transition over to the CBR1000RR mid-season. “Both are correct,” said Miller. “Depending on when production is and also we have to meet the homologation rules of the AMA. We have to make sure we have enough bikes in the USA by, I believe, it’s by June 1, to participate. That shouldn’t be a problem…We’re looking at a lot of different options right now.”

Saying it was possible Honda would field factory and/or support-level riders in all four proposed 2004 AMA classes, Miller seemed particularly fond of the re-structured Formula Xtreme class. “It’s going to be an exciting class because it’s going to be like the mini-Superbike class,” said Miller. “Being able to exercise your engineering potential is something that Honda’s always been happy about and happy to do. I’m confident we’ll be racing that class with multiple riders and definitely go after that Championship. Certainly support-level, but factory-level will be determined by what riders we have.”

Ducati Austin’s Vic Fasola said the team expected to return to the 2004 AMA Superbike series with increased support from Ducati Corse and possibly two riders, but added that team owner Terry Gregoricka was meeting with Ducati in Italy this week to discuss 2004 racing plans.

There are also rumors that Ducati Corse will bring its factory Superbike team from the World Superbike series to the AMA series with Michelin’s full support and possibly top-level International riders for 2004.