Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Tommy Hayden won the Superstock race at VIR, passing early leader Josh Hayes when Hayes was balked by traffic on lap 12. Hayes finished second, 2.046 seconds behind.

Tony Meiring was third, 10.5 seconds behind Hayes, and Steve Rapp came from the third row of the grid to finish fourth, passing Adam Fergusson on the run to the white flag. Fergusson had run second early-on, but lost the position to Hayden and started fading after a heart-stopping near-highside.

Unofficial Results:

1. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, Dunlop
2. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R750, Dunlop
3. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, Dunlop
4. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R750, Michelin
5. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki GSX-R750, Dunlop
6. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R6, Dunlop
7. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, Pirelli
8. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R750, Pirelli
9. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R750, Dunlop
10. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R750, Dunlop
11. Opie Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R750, Pirelli
12. James Ellison, Suzuki GSX-R750, Dunlop
13. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki GSX-R750, Pirelli
14. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, Michelin
15. Lee Acree, Yamaha YZF-R6, Pirelli
16. Jeremy Toye, Suzuki GSX-R750, Dunlop
17. Darren Luck, Suzuki GSX-R750
18. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R750
19. Scott Harwell, Suzuki GSX-R750, Pirelli
20. Corey Eaton, Suzuki GSX-R750
21. Matt Furtek, Suzuki GSX-R750, Michelin
22. Jason Peters, Suzuki GSX-R750
23. Dirk Sanchez, Kawasaki ZX-6
24. Nathan Dressman, Yamaha YZF-R6, -1 lap
25. Mickey Lane, Suzuki GSX-R750, -1 lap
26. Jeremiah Johnson, Suzuki GSX-R750, -1 lap
27. Giovanni Rojas, Triumph Daytona 600, -1 lap
28. Crash Lowe, Suzuki GSX-R750, -1 lap
29. Danny Eslick, Suzuki GSX-R750, -2 laps
30. Brian Stokes, Suzuki GSX-R750, -3 laps
31. Tom Wertman, Suzuki GSX-R750, -4 laps, DNF, crash
32. Steve Atlas, Suzuki GSX-R750, -6 laps
33. Adrian Jones, Suzuki GSX-R600, -7 laps
34. Chris Peris, Honda CBR600RR, -17 laps, DNF, crash


Superstock Point Standings:

1. Hayes, 298 points
2. Tommy Hayden, 290 points
3. Haskovec, 279 points
4. Fergusson, 259 points
5. Meiring, 247 points
6. Rapp, 211 points
7. Ciccotto, 200 points
8. DiSalvo, 196 points
9. Caylor, 195 points
10. Haner, 185 points
11. Ulrich, 172 points
12. Jimmy Moore, 142 points
13. Roetlin, 136 points
14. Stokes, 116 points
15. Holden, 107 points
16. Toye, 93 points
17. Furtek, 93 points
18. Wertman, 86 points
19. Eric Wood/Jordan Szoke/Peris, TIE, 76 points


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

RAPP CHARGES TO FOURTH IN VIRGINIA

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp scored another top five finish at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, charging to fourth place in the Superstock event. For Rapp, it was the five top five finishes in a row in a hot streak that includes two victories for the likeable Californian, who fought to the position from the third row of the grid. His teammates, Chris Ulrich and Matt Furtek, also completed the 17 lap event, finishing in 14th and 21st positions,
respectively.

“I was disappointing to have qualified eleventh for this race after usually being on or near the front row most of the year. I have to give credit to the team because they really fixed the bike for today after we struggled a bit on Friday,” Steve said.

One of the characteristics of Rapp’s career has been his never-say-die attitude, a trait that served him well on Saturday. “Off the line, I was twelfth or 13th. After that, I slowly worked my way up to the front, picking off one guy at a time, slowly working my way up towards the front. The Michelin tires worked fine. Despite the hot weather, I had enough grip.” Steve was the fastest Superstock rider through the final split time in the race. “Still, it would have been much better if we had finished on the podium.”

Ulrich and Furtek, two riders who have struggled with injuries this season, showed grit in finishing one of the hottest Nationals of the year.

“I didn’t get the best start, then I got caught up back in the pack and the result we earned didn’t really show the progress we’ve made this weekend,” Ulrich said. “Yes, my shoulder bothered me at the end, but that’s part of racing. At the next one at Barber, I need to do a better job in qualifying so we can go to the front and get the kind of result I think the team and I deserve for our hard work this year.”

Furtek, who underwent more surgery on his troublesome wrist a month ago, faded with fitness problems related to being unable to train while recovering from surgery.

Rapp is hopeful to add to his season’s victory total at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama — just a short drive from the team’s home base — next month. “It would have been great to get on the podium but unfortunately we were one position short. I can’t wait ’til we get to Alabama, let’s put it that way.”


More, from a press release issued by Marietta Motorsports:

1-888-FASTLAP’S CAYLOR FINISHES 11TH IN SUPERSTOCK AT VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY; SUPERMOTO RAINED OUT FOR WRIGHT

ALTON, Va.- Opie Caylor put the 1-888-FASTLAP/Team EMGO Taiwan Suzuki GSX-R600 on the front row for the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock race at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, August 30, eventually finishing 11th after his tires wore out early.

Caylor qualified fourth with a time of 1:28.037. His time was quicker than the pole time set in 2002 for the Superstock class, and allowed him to get a front row start.

As the race progressed, Caylor dropped back to 11th as his tires began to degrade and slide. He finished the race in that position.

“We tested some different tires this weekend, and I went with something that was a bit harder than the softest compound,” said Caylor. “We tried them in practice and they seemed to be the best choice. But in the race I started sliding around after only the third lap. I feel like we had a legitimate shot at the win, so I’m disappointed.”

1-888-FASTLAP’s Brian Stokes qualified 16th with a time of 1:29.623 on the Team Embry/FREEWEBTOWN.com Suzuki GSX-R600. His best lap time at VIR before the weekend was a 1:31.0.

Stokes was forced to retire early from the Superstock race when his fuel pump broke. “I got a good start and got up to 11th or so,” commented Stokes. “On the third lap the bike wasn’t driving well out of the corners and I couldn’t get it to rev out on the straights. The problem got a lot worse at the end of the race and I had to pull in with only one lap to go.”

Paul Wright, owner of 1-888-FASTLAP, brought his KTM 520 to compete in the Red Bull Supermoto race at South Boston Speedway, a nearby track that had been converted into combined dirt and road course for the Supermoto event. Practice, qualifying and the race were to be held on Saturday.

Wright rode in the first heat race, a 3-lap event, and then proceeded to the semi-finals. He was ready to ride when rain began to fall and the semi-finals had to be postponed. The rain continued and the race had to be rescheduled for Monday, September 1.

Wright has been winning numerous races on his motard in CCS and WERA events, and he is looking forward to racing on the professional level in the Supermoto Series.

More information about 1-888-FASTLAP can be found on the web at 1888FASTLAP.com.


More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

HANER FIGHTS TO EIGHTH PLACE IN AMA SUPERSTOCK AT VIRGINIA

HAS/Shogun Racing rider John Haner finished eighth yesterday in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock race at Virginia International Raceway at round ten of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship. Haner had qualified seventh on Friday afternoon, putting him on the second row of the grid.

“I got a good start and had a plan of going down to turn one in third gear so I didn’t have to make extra downshifts, and that went well,” said John.

“About the fourth lap, my tires didn’t seem to hold up like I originally planned for them to. I almost crashed on the fast downhill and (Steve) Rapp got around me. I stayed behind him, and then I lost the front and the tires were going away pretty bad. Then Jason (Disalvo) got by, and he got a little gap and got up to Vincent (Haskovec), and I just didn’t have the tires to get by Vincent. Considering everything, we finished where we did and I can’t really complain too much.”

John’s teammate Heath Small elected not to race in Sunday’s Pro Honda Oils Supersport race after the tendons in his hand became too painful to ride. Small is still recovering from surgery to his left hand after crashing at Pikes Peak Raceway in June. Heath rode throughout practice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.