From a press release issued by Mat Mladin’s publicist:

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship
Rounds 4 & 5 – Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California, USA
Event preview

MLADIN AIMS TO CONSOLIDATE AMERICAN SUPERBIKE POINTS LEAD

The early rounds of the 2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship are beginning to accumulate, with Australia’s Mat Mladin hoping to extend his current points lead in this year’s championship following this weekend’s (May 3 & 4) ‘Double Header’ round at the revised Infineon Raceway (formerly known as Sears Point).

A former race winner at the track in 1999, Mladin and his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 have been in dominating form this season and will head into this weekend’s fourth and fifth round of the championship holding a seven point lead over Honda’s Miguel DuHamel.

Since taking a double race win at the last round at Fontana, Mladin and his team have been busy undertaking further testing to their new Superbike-spec GSX-R1000s and arrive at Infineon full of confidence.

“The team has been busy since the last round at Fontana as we have been able to complete two separate test sessions, so I’m looking forward to heading to Infineon and having a good weekend, where hopefully we can come away with an extended points lead,” said three-times American Superbike champion Mladin.

“It’s a crucial stage of the championship where there are still 15 races to go, but we need to push on as hard as we can for the next six or eight races and then see where we are at that point in time.”

Since last year’s corresponding round, the 12-turn circuit has undergone minor changes, which has shortened its overall length from 2.32 miles (3.73km) to its new length of 2.2 miles (3.54km)

“I don’t mind the circuit layout that they have there,” added Mladin. “I haven’t been there since they made the minor circuit changes, but I don’t think that will be a big deal for us. The changes have supposedly made the track safer, so that’s what counts.

“The track bothers me less, knowing that I’ve got a good motorcycle under me and that it’s working well. It steers how I want it to steer and we’ve made some further improvements with set up as a result of our testing, so as long as the bike feels comfortable, which way the track goes doesn’t really matter.”

Qualifying for round begins on Friday (May 2), before final qualifying and the first of the two 28-lap Superbike races are held on Saturday, followed by the second on Sunday afternoon.