From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

UNPRECEDENTED FOURTH AMERICAN SUPERBIKE TITLE AWAITS MLADIN AT ALABAMA

An unprecedented fourth American Superbike Championship title lies in waiting for Australian Mat Mladin, with this year’s AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship winding down this weekend with the final double-header round of the series taking place at Barber Motorsports Park, near Birmingham, Alabama.

Having won three consecutive AMA Superbike titles from 1999 to 2001, the 31-year-old currently holds that distinction with three legends of the sport, Reg Pridmore, Fred Merkel and Doug Chandler.

The Australian and his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 have been the dominant force in this year’s championship, having won ten of the sixteen races held to date, but his season has not been without it’s problems as the increasing performance levels of modern Superbikes push the boundaries of components and more specifically tyres. A number of tyre failures during the season have cost Mladin valuable championship points while holding down a strong on-track position, but his experience and determination have seen his team overcome a number of these hurdles to place themselves in a strong position as they head into the final round of the championship.

Mladin will arrive at Alabama holding a 37-point lead in the championship over his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates, with the pair a further 24-points clear of American Honda’s Ben Bostrom. Given the importance of the weekend, Mladin will have a number of race and championship scenarios on his mind as he takes to the new 16-turn 3.70km (2.3 miles) circuit which makes its first appearance on the AMA Superbike calendar.

“It’s going to be one of those weekends, where I’ve got a good points lead heading into the round and will only need to bring it home to wrap up the championship and then there’s a chance to go out and break some records as well,” said Mladin. “Having won ten races this year, I’ve been able to equal the all-time wins in a season record, so there’s a chance to come away with a record there and then there’s the all-time career win record where I’m two races short of that mark. So there’s a bit of pressure from those people interested in record books, but for me, it’s like I’ve said all year, the championship title is the one thing that we all want, not only from a personal level, but also from a team and Suzuki point of view.”

“I would love to win a couple more races, but it will be difficult to put all of the hard work that the team has done all year on the line just to win a race while a championship is there for us. At the end it will be a case of playing it smart and doing what it takes to win the championship.”

“We found that the Alabama circuit was tough on tyres when we tested there, so given the problems that we have had this year with tyres, we will need to come up with a race plan that gets us through. It’s a nice facility, but I honestly feel that it’s a bit tight for Superbike racing.”

Mladin’s on-track performances this season have seen him close in on, equal and extend a number of AMA records. His 30 career pole positions sees him well clear as the fastest qualifier in AMA Superbike, while his tally of 24 career race wins has him just two short of Miguel DuHamel’s all-time record of 26, ten of which were won this year, equally the all-time season win record held by former AMA and World Superbike champion Fred Merkel.

Qualifying for this weekend’s final round commences on Friday, with the final grid positions being determined during Saturday mornings second and final qualifying session prior to the opening 28-lap race which takes place later in the afternoon. The eighteenth and final AMA Superbike race of the season will then take place on Sunday afternoon.

BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK, – FAST FACTS

Circuit length: 3.70km / 2.3 miles

First time appearance on the AMA Superbike Championship calendar

16 turns, most of which are flowing

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (points after 16 of 18 rounds):

1. M. Mladin (493); 2. A. Yates (456); 3. B. Bostrom (432); 4. K. Roberts (405); 5. M. DuHamel (393); 6. E. Bostrom (350); 7. S. Higbee (346); 8. J. Pridmore (339); 9. J. Szoke (260); 10. V. Haskovec (241).