Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel wrapped up the Lockhart-Phillips USA AMA Formula Xtreme Championship with a win over top rival Jake Zemke in round 10 of 11 in the series Saturday at Road Atlanta.

The Championship was Duhamel’s first in the reconfigured-for-600cc Formula Xtreme class, but it was the seventh AMA Championship in his long career.

The race was a duel between Duhamel and Zemke from the start and the re-start. After Zemke led the first five laps, Duhamel led the next seven laps, but Zemke re-took the lead from Duhamel into turn one to start lap 13 of 15.

After sizing the Erion Honda rider up, Duhamel made his move coming off the back straightaway on the final lap. Zemke didn’t give up without a fight, but Duhamel was able to get his CBR600RR across the line one-half-bikelength in front of Zemke.

Second place clinched second in the Championship for Zemke.

HMC Milwaukee Ducati’s Doug Chandler made a last-lap pass to take third from Star School Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore. Triangle Cycles Yamaha’s Larry Pegram finished third on a Pirelli-shod YZF-R6.

After running third in the aborted first start, Kosco Buell’s Michael Barnes did not finish (DNF) the re-started race. The first start was stopped for a crash involving Hal’s Performance Buell’s Mike Ciccotto, who did not continue. Zemke’s teammate Alex Gobert was racing Chandler and Pridmore for third when his CBR600RR suffered a mechanical problem, forcing him to retire. Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Vincent Haskovec was fifth with less than two laps to go but ran out of fuel due to his engine control unit suffering a malfunction and making his fuel-injection system run rich.

Provisional AMA Formula Xtreme Race Results:

1. Miguel Duhamel, Hon CBR600RR, 15 laps
2. Jake Zemke, Hon CBR600RR, -0.210 second
3. Doug Chandler, Duc 749R, -25.033 seconds
4. Jason Pridmore, Suz GSX-R600, -25.148 seconds
5. Larry Pegram, Yam YZF-R6, -48.315 seconds
6. Mike Smith, Yam YZF-R6, -51.704 seconds
7. Chris Caylor, Suz GSX-R600, -51.795 seconds
8. Blake Young, Suz GSX-R600, -63.175 seconds
9. Heath Small, Yam YZF-R6, -63.298 seconds
10. Logan Young, Suz GSX-R600, -74.110 seconds
11. Nathan Hester, Yam YZF-R6, -75.765 seconds
12. Nicky Moore, Hon CBR600RR, -76.140 seconds
13. Darin Eli Edwards, Suz GSX-R600, -80.797 seconds
14. Perry Melneciuc, Yam YZF-R6, -84.356 seconds
15. Joseph Arico, Yam YZF-R6, -84.665 seconds
16. Tom Montano, Hon CBR600RR, -84.835 seconds
17. Vincent Haskovec, Suz GSX-R600, -1 lap, DNF, mechanical
18. Eric Pinson, Suz GSX-R600, -1 lap
19. Tim Knutson, Yam YZF-R6, -1 lap
20. Jeremiah Johnson, Suz GSX-R600, -1 lap
21. Alex Gobert, Hon CBR600RR, -7 laps, DNF, mechanical
22. John Waters, Suz GSX-R600, -8 laps, DNF
23. Jason Farrell, Kaw ZX-6RR, -14 laps, DNF, crash
24. Carlo Gagliardo, Yam YZF-R6, -14 laps, DNF
25. Mike Ciccotto, Buell XB12R, -15 laps, DNF, crash
26. Michael Barnes, Buell XB12R, -15 laps, DNF
27. Chris Peris, Suz GSX-R600, DNS


Provisional AMA Formula Xtreme Championship Point Standings (After 10 of 11 races):

1. Duhamel, 358 points
2. Zemke, 307 points
3. Gobert, 254 points
4. Haskovec, 231 points
5. Pegram, 215 points
6. Pridmore, 189 points
7. Small, 173 points
8. Hester, 165 points
9. Melneciuc, 152 points
10. Chandler, 137 points


More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

PRIDMORE FINISHES FOURTH IN FORMULA XTREME AT ROAD ATLANTA

Jason Pridmore finished fourth in today’s Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme final after running in third place and being shadowed by Doug Chandler for most of the race. Chandler passed Jason down Road Atlanta’s long back back straight on the last lap, and held off a last turn charge by Jason to finish third.

Saturday’s Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Final – 4th Place

“Considering we weren’t even going to be at these next two races, without the support of Jordan Motorsports, Jim Davis and all of our sponsors, we battled for a podium today,” said Jason. “Doug rode awesome. It’s always fun riding with Doug, because you always know where he’s gonna be, you always know you can trust him. It was a great race, but we finished fourth.”


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

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki suffered through a trying Formula Xtreme race at Road Atlanta on Saturday, but remain optimistic about their Sunday prospects.

Following an impressive third-place qualifying performance on Friday in a return to the scene of Vincent Haskovec’s first career AMA roadracing victory, hopes were high for another stellar performance from the charismatic rider. Not content with a mere podium finish racing in a class with one full factory team, Haskovec has stated, “I won’t be truly happy until I win a race this year.”

Unfortunately for Vincent, he will have to wait until the final round at Virginia to give it another shot after he failed to achieve his goal in Saturday’s race, held in warm conditions at Road Atlanta. Haskovec worked his way into a solid top-five position in the race and looked certain to finish no worse than fifth until a stock reprogrammed ECU malfunctioned. The problem made his GSX-R run rich and eventually out of fuel as he slowed to a stop before reaching the checkered flag.

Despite the disappointing finish, he remains fourth in the championship with just one race left on the calendar.

The squad enjoyed a more favorable day qualifying for Sunday’s 60K Supersport race. Steve Rapp earned a second row grid position on his Michelin-shod GSX-R600 by circulating the 2.54-mile racetrack with a fast time of 1:28.044.

The Californian hopes to make a similar showing in Sunday’s race, starting from the eighth spot on the grid. “Today went pretty well for us on the 600. It’s nice to be on the front two rows, and I think even with a really deep field of fast riders in the class, we should be able to finish about the same.”

His teammate Chris Peris will start a couple rows further back in 13th. The Canadian posted a 1:29.735 during the abbreviated session, just fractions off a third row starting position.

Meanwhile in Superstock, the team expect the strengths of their Suzuki GSX-R750s to allow Rapp and Haskovec to improve upon their starting spots in the race. While the powerful 1000s have a significant edge around a track like Road Atlanta on fresh, sticky rubber, the Michelin-shod GSX-R750s could surprise tomorrow when the laps start adding up in the hot Georgian conditions.

Haskovec qualified twelfth with a best time of 1:26.348 while Rapp will start in fifteenth with a 1:27.948 qualifying performance.