Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Steve Rapp won his second straight AMA Superstock race, and Josh Hayes survived a 170-mph Turn One collision with a seagull and a resultant off-track excursion to finish second for the second straight race. And points leader Vincent Haskovec was again third.

Hayes showed up on the podium with a bird bone sticking straight out of the hump of his leathers, and the front of Haskovec’s bike was splattered with blood and guts.

Rapp said he ducked his head to miss the bird, which was one in a group of four or five which had landed on the track. Haskovec said after the post-race press conference that he wished cornerworkers had scared the birds away before the lead group arrived in the corner.

“Don’t even think about a triple,” said Haskovec, referring to Rapp’s two-race win streak. “The next one is mine.”

Chris Ulrich started last, pitting after he lost his right knee puck–critical to save front-end slides in Turn One–on the warm-up lap, then rolling back out onto the track moments before the start, stopping well behind the grid, and finished 11th, almost side-by-side with 10th-place Brian Stokes. Local hero Robert Jensen ran fourth early-on but DNF with a transmission failure.

Results
AMA Superstock
Brainerd International Raceway
Brainerd, Minnesota
June 29
13 laps

1. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, Michelin
2. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, Dunlop, -0.143 second
3. Vicent Haskovec, Suzuki, Pirelli, -2.537
4. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki, Pirelli, -15.260
5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, Dunlop, -15.929
6. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, Dunlop, -16.292
7. Opie Caylor, Suzuki, Pirelli, -17.064
8. John Dugan, Suzuki, Dunlop, -19.560
9. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, Dunlop, -21.470
10. Brian Stokes, Suzuki, Pirelli, -28.208
11. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, Michelin, -28.292
12. Jake Holden, Suzuki, Dunlop, -31.995
13. Steve Atlas, Suzuki, Michelin, -37.376
14. JJ Roetlin, Suzuki, Dunlop, -37.505
15. Alex Gobert, Honda, Dunlop, -38.898
16. Tom Wertman, Suzuki, -54.635
17. Kevin Gordon, Suzuki, -58.827
18. Jeff Bostrom, Suzuki, -58.958
19. Hawk Mazzotta, Suzuki, -59.311
20. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki, -74.600
21. David Bell, Suzuki, -90.907
22. Matt Malterer, Suzuki, -90.926
23. Eric Dooyema, Suzuki, -107.213
24. James Kerker, Honda, -129.683
25. Jessica Zalusky, Suzuki, -1 lap
26. Michael Kosta, Suzuki, -1 lap
27. Chris Peris, Honda, -5 laps
28. Robert Jensen, Suzuki, -9 laps, DNF, mechanical
29. Matt Furtek, Suzuki, -10 laps, DNF, crash

Superstock Series Point Standings
After 7 of 11 races
1. Haskovec, 204 points
2. Tommy Hayden, 195
3. Josh Hayes, 190
4. Adam Fergusson, 177
5. Tony Meiring, 169
6. Jason DiSalvo, 169
7. Opie Caylor, 162
8. Mike Ciccotto, 145
9. Jimmy Moore, 142
10. Steve Rapp, 125
11. John Haner, 119
12. Chris Ulrich, 113
13. JJ Roetlin, 85
14. Brian Stokes, 80
15. Jordan Szoke, 76
16. Matt Furtek, 72
17. Jake Holden, 62
18. John Dugan, 59
19. Tom Wertman, 56
20. Hawk Mazzotta, 55

Note: The Superstock race was moved to after the Live TV window for the Superbike race, due to a rain delay earlier in the day.

More, from a press release issued by Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki:

RAPP VICTORIOUS AGAIN IN BRAINERD SUPERSTOCK

Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp won his second consecutive Suzuki Genuine Parts Superstock race on Sunday, emerging victorious after a race-long battle on the 3.0 mile Minnesota circuit. Rapp, a former series runner-up, won the 13 lap final by a scant 0.143 seconds. It was quite a follow-up to his Elkhart Lake win just two weeks ago.

“That’s like almost my whole entire AMA win total in two weekends!” laughed Rapp, who has in fact doubled his Superstock win total in the past month. “It was awesome. I knew it would be a tough race, and I was prepared for a battle every lap, every single corner. And it turned out that way.” Rapp not only had to race the competition, he also was forced to fight the local wildlife. A heard of seagulls obstructed the lead pack at the end of the race, nearly causing several of the lead riders to crash.

After being at the top of the time sheets most of the weekend, Rapp used his Michelin tires to make a late charge. “The team is really fantastic, and I think working with them has really helped my riding. The results are proving that.”

Chris Ulrich finished eleventh in the Superstock final despite being the last man to leave the grid after an equipment problem caused some pre-race drama. “I lost my knee puck,” Ulrich said. “I didn’t really know what to do, since I use my knee for feel more than most riders. By the time we had everything sorted out, the field had gotten the green light. I feel great for the team because Steve won again, but I wish my race had gone differently because of all the progress we’ve made lately.

“I guess the only thing you can do is chalk it up to bad luck. If I had to do it all over again, I would have just raced,” commented the second generation competitor. “Despite all that, I built a lot of confidence over the weekend. Passing guys in the race, making a few set-up changes on the bike, getting my shoulder a little healthier, it all helped me become a confident rider again. I’m ready to go to Laguna Seca, a race I won two years ago. I wish it was tomorrow.”

The team’s third rider, Matt Furtek, crashed out of Sunday’s Superstock final.

A rain delay early Sunday afternoon caused the Superstock race to be rescheduled to accommodate TV schedules, and Rapp elected to concentrate on the Superstock feature.

The team will race next at Laguna Seca, July 10-13.