Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
By David Swarts
Attack Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore was fastest in Toyota 200 practice Saturday afternoon at Willow Springs International Raceway, held after the day’s racing activities concluded.
Pridmore’s fastest time, a 1:22.042, came during a string of low-1:22 lap times. Using the session to test tires, Pridmore said he felt his bike set-up was complete and that he could turn 1:22 and 1:23 lap times “all day.”
Vincent Haskovec split his time during Saturday afternoon practice acclimating himself to his new Hyper Cycle Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike. The Corona Extra Suzuki crew performed several pit stops with one practice stop registering just over 17 seconds.
The Tony Romo-led Graves Yamaha crew practiced several pit stops in between Chuck Graves’ practice laps with a best two-wheel-and-refueling stop of 7.95 seconds.
Graves calls the WSMC Toyota 200 “the hardest race in the world” and said “I want to win the thing more than I want to win the money.”
After practice Saturday afternoon, a meeting of team crew chiefs and WSMC officials to go over pit stop rules led to many teams working late Saturday evening on revised pit stop choreography. The main point that led to teams’ plan revisions was a rule requiring teams to not have personnel or equipment waiting on the far side of the bike. Personnel and pit equipment can only pass over to the “hot” side of pit wall as their bike enters pit lane.
Fourth-fastest in practice, Jeremy Toye and his Lee’s Cycles’ crew practiced pit stops Saturday changing both wheels and refueling in approximately 40 seconds.
WSMC veteran racer Curtis Adams recorded unusually slow lap times in Saturday practice, but explained that he was simply scrubbing in race tires. Adams also pointed out that he was taking a very cautious and conservative approach to the WSMC Toyota 200.
Only 16 of the 40 riders who qualified for the WSMC Toyota 200 took part in Saturday afternoon practice. Some racers opted to use the 20-lap WSMC solo endurance races at the end of Saturday’s schedule for practice and tire testing.
Saturday Afternoon WSMC Toyota 200 Practice Times:
1. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:22.042
2. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:22.405
3. Chuck Graves, Yamaha YZF-R7/R1, 1:22.970
4. Jeremy Toye, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:23.629
5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:23.739
6. Jack Pfeifer, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.499
7. James Randolph, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.513
8. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.670
9. Ed Sorbo, Yamaha TZ250, 1:25.847
10. Phil Herrin, Suzuki, 1:26.551
11. John Pearson, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:26.853
12. Dale Kieffer, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:28.041
13. John Chen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:28.910
14. Tyler Paulson, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.002
15. Dave Emde, 1:36.178
16. Curtis Adams, Suzuki GSX-R1100, 1:39.680