Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yamaha’s Anthony Gobert barely held off Suzuki’s Aaron Yates to win the first of two AMA Superbike Nationals scheduled for this weekend at California Speedway in Fontana, California.

Results follow:

1. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha
2. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -0.014 second
3. Nicky Hayden, Honda, -6.531
4. Doug Chandler, Ducati, -10.484
5. Pascal Picotte, Ducati, -44.788
6. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, -68.613
7. Lee Acree, Suzuki, -1 lap
8. Brian Parriott, Suzuki, -1 lap
9. Brian Livengood, Suzuki, -1 lap
10. Andy Deatherage, Suzuki, -1 lap
11. Owen Richey, Suzuki, -1 lap
12. Kim Nakashima, Suzuki, -1 lap
13. Alan Schmidt, Suzuki, -1 lap
14. Marco Martinez, Suzuki, -1 lap
15. Shawn Conrad, Suzuki, -1 lap
16. Mike Sullivan, Honda, -1 lap
17. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki, -1 lap
18. John Dugan, Suzuki, -2 laps
19. Robert Mesa, Suzuki, -2 laps
20. Robert Underwood, Suzuki, -2 laps


Eric Bostrom DNF, mechanical, clutch

Jamie Hacking, DNF, crash

Miguel Duhamel, DNF, crash

Robert Jensen, DNF, crash

Fastest lap, Gobert, 1:26.542


Official Superbike Point Standings:
1. TIE, Gobert/Hayden, 67 points
3. Yates, 59 points
4. TIE, Livengood/Deatherage, 45 points
6. Martinez, 36 points
7. Hacking, 35 points
8. Schmidt, 33 points
9. TIE, Dugan/Conicelli, 30 points
Medical updates:

Vince Haskovec crashed in Superstock practice, but X-rays in the California Speedway Care Center were negative; Haskovec suffered a bruised upper left arm.

Josh Hayes crashed in Supersport practice and was transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center for treatment of an injury to the little finger on his left hand. Update: Reports from Loma Linda are that he will have surgery tonight to the fifth finger by a hand specialist. There was no word as to whether he will race on Sunday.

Kurtis Roberts was released from the hospital Friday night with soft tissue damage to his right knee and left ankle, and may have torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Greg Esser is still hospitalized following surgery on his left ankle and resetting of his dislocated right shoulder.

Matt Hartlieb was released from San Antonio Community Hospital Friday after his broken left wrist was set.

Jeff Tigert was released from California Speedway Care Center Friday after treatment for abrasions and shoulder pain.


More, from Mat Mladin’s publicist, Steve Reeves:

MAT MLADIN Racing – MEDIA INFORMATION
For immediate release
Saturday, 6 April 2002

Rounds 2 & 3, 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship
California Speedway, Fontana, California, USA
Round 2, Race Report

TYRE PROBLEMS FORCE MLADIN FROM RACE LEAD AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY – GOBERT WINS

Fontana, California, USA – A chunked rear tyre forced three times American AMA Superbike champion Mat Mladin from the race lead of the second round of the 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship before finishing sixth overall at the California Speedway, Fontana, today.

The race win went to fellow Australian Anthony Gobert (Team Yamaha) who held out Mladin’s Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates by 0.014 of a second at the conclusion of the 28-lap race. Third place went to current championship points leader Nicky Hayden (American Honda) followed by the Ducatis of Doug Chandler and Pascal Picotte.

Mladin took the race lead from Yates, but by lap seven his rear tyre began to chunk and deteriorate rapidly, forcing him to drop his lap times by over three seconds a lap to preserve the tyre to the race end.

“We aren’t exactly sure of the reasons why, but all that we do know at the moment is that the tyre has spun 180 degrees on the rear wheel rim and basically destroyed itself,” a frustrated Mladin said after the race. “We are looking a few things, but it is possible that some new wheels that we have for this year may not be the right sizes and the tyre has not beaded correctly to them. For tomorrow’s race we’ll go to last year’s wheels and hopefully the problem won’t be there.”

“The Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki ran well today, but it’s hard to win races when you have something like that happen,” added Mladin. “As for my fitness, there was nothing wrong with it today. This isn’t a physical track, so there were no real problems.”

Today’s race was delayed due to rain showers that hit the circuit earlier in the day which saw the cancellation of the second qualifying session for
the Superbikes. As a result, grid positions for today’s and tomorrow’s Superbike races were determined from the results of the opening qualifying session held on Friday afternoon, where Gobert had set the fastest time, with Mladin fourth.

There were a number of casualties from today’s race. American Honda’s Miguel DuHamel and Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki’s Jamie Hacking both crashed out of contention, while Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki) was forced out with mechanical problems. Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts did not take part in today’s race after injuring his leg during Friday’s qualifying session.


More from a press release issued by HMC Ducati:

Race Report
AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Round 2
DateApril 6, 2002
CircuitFontana International Speedway, California

Chandler fourth in Fontana

The cold front that moved into Fontana yesterday worsened, ceasing all racing activities until late into the afternoon. Rider Doug Chandler had no opportunity to better his eighth place position from first qualifying as the AMA altered today’s program eliminating the second qualifying session, opting for a 20 minute warm-up – which Chandler ran fastest – followed by the first race. Despite the second row start, Chandler finished in fourth place, a position he grasped early in the race and held firm till the end.

Racing was fast and furious up front and Chandler stayed right there, fighting for a podium finish, until the remaining few laps.

“I was thinking we could get on the podium, a tall order considering this is my first time on this track”, said Chandler. It was also his first race on the Ducati, competing against riders with additional testing time. “I really feel we’ll do better tomorrow after we make a few small changes. I felt comfortable with the pace early in the race, but the front guys got me in the slower traffic, eventually getting away. I really enjoyed the battle with Jamie [Hacking] for the fourth place until he crashed.

“Today was a good start, but tomorrow will be better.”