Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Attack Suzuki’s Josh Hayes took his second consecutive AMA Superstock race win Saturday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Hayes narrowly beat Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp and Hooters Suzuki’s Vincent Hakovec in a twice-red-flagged, three-way battle to the flag.

Corona Extra Suzuki’s Adam Fergusson came from behind to score fourth. Championship contender Tommy Hayden (Kawasaki ZX-6R) was fifth after fending off a late-race charge by John Haner.

Pascal Picotte finished seventh on his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. AMA Horizon Award winner Brian Stokes beat Kawasaki’s Tony Meiring and Rapp’s teammate Chris Ulrich for eighth.

Team EMGO Taiwan’s Chris Caylor crashed out on lap five while running fourth, and Jake Holden fell off on lap six while racing for sixth. Jason DiSalvo retired on lap 12 and rode into the pits; he was 11th at the time.

The race was stopped twice. The first stoppage came on lap four when Greg Moore highsided between turns seven and eight and No Limit Motorsports Honda’s Lance Isaacs hit Moore and also crashed.

Isaacs was transported to Mansfield Medical Center with a broken leg, and Moore was transported to the same facility with a broken arm, according to a medical update issued by AMA Pro Racing. The race was flagged off again as a complete 16-lap restart.

The second red flag was thrown when Dr. Jeffrey Purk crashed and slid into the inflatable barriers outside of turn seven and needed medical attention. Dr. Purk’s condition was not known at post time. The race was restarted for eight laps.

Early leader Hayes passed Rapp, who had charged through from third to lead, at the end of the back straight on the last lap and held it in the run to the finish line.

AMA Superstock Race Results (all on Suzuki GSX-R750 unless noted):

1. Josh Hayes, 16 laps
2. Steve Rapp, -0.116 second
3. Vincent Haskovec, -0.362 second
4. Adam Fergusson, -3.186 seconds
5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, -9.264 seconds
6. John Haner, -9.430 seconds
7. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha YZF-R6, -10.531 seconds
8. Brian Stokes, -14.567 seconds
9. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, -14.643 seconds
10. Chris Ulrich, -15.782 seconds
11. Mike Ciccotto, -17.835 seconds
12. J.J. Roetlin, -28.245 seconds
13. Chris Peris, Honda CBR600RR, -30.921 seconds
14. Kevin Pate, -34.384 seconds
15. Jeff Muskopf, -36.026 seconds
16. Travis King
17. Tom Wertman
18. Darren Luck
19. Jake Johnson
20. David Bell
21. James Kerker, Honda CBR600
22. Daniel Doty, Yamaha YZF-R6
23. Joseph Ford
24. Jeff Bostrom, 15 laps, crashed
25. Matt Malterer, 15 laps
26. Jason DiSalvo, 12 laps, Yamaha YZF-R6, DNF, retired
27. Jason Peters, 11 laps, DNF, crashed
28. Danny Eslick, 9 laps, DNF, crashed
29. Corey Eaton, 9 laps, DNF
30. Dr. Jeff Purk, Yamaha YZF-R6, DNF, crashed
31. Jake Holden, 6 laps, DNF, crashed
32. Chris “Opie” Caylor, 4 laps, DNF, crashed
33. Mike Scruggs, 1 laps, DNF
34. Steve Atlas, 0 laps, DNF, mechanical



Provisional Superstock Point Standings:

1. Hayes, 265 points
2. Haskovec, 255 points
3. Tommy Hayden, 253 points
4. Fergusson, 233 points
5. Meiring, 218 points
6. Rapp, 184 points
7. Ciccotto, 182 points
8. Chris Caylor, 175 points
9. Jason DiSalvo, 171 points
10. Haner, 162 points


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

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp fell just 0.116-second short of claiming his third Superstock victory of the season Saturday at Mid-Ohio. Starting from the pole, Rapp found himself in the middle of — and at times leading — an intense three-man battle in the twice-restarted final that saw him leading at the start of the last lap.

The Californian was rejuvenated after the second restart when his crew elected to fit a new Michelin front and rear to his GSX-R750, providing grip he lacked after the first restart. Rapp was particularly impressive in the 2.4-mile circuit’s back section, routinely reeling in several bike lengths in the Carousel turn at Mid-Ohio.

The runner-up placing was his third podium finish in four races. “It was a good fun race — close but safe.

“This has been my best year by far in a long time,” said Rapp, who now sits sixth in the points race despite not participating in three rounds early in the year. “The Valvoline team has been in Superstock for so long that I don’t have to worry about telling them what to do. They do it and I just ride it as hard as I can.”

Teammate Chris Ulrich made it two Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R750s in the top ten. Ulrich moved up to tenth place on lap 14 of 16 and held the position to the race’s conclusion. The result saw Chris leap back into the top ten in points as well. He is now currently tied for ninth.

“The day was looking like it wasn’t going to be all that great until the last eight laps. We didn’t put a new tire on it after the first restart and that might not have been the best move,” the Lake Elsinore, California resident said.

Ulrich persevered until the second red flag when things suddenly got better with more grip. “I was in eleventh at the second red flag. Then we made a tire change at the rear and a suspension change at the front. It ended up paying off in a big way.”

The second generation rider who has suffered with injuries the past two seasons said he made great strides dicing with other riders in the race. “I rode a lot better today and I think I got some of my mojo back,” he said afterward.

Rapp will be back in action at Mid-Ohio on Sunday, competing in the Formula Xtreme final aboard the team’s potent GSX-R1000. He will start from the third row after qualifying tenth today.


More, from a press release issued by Marietta Motorsports:

1-888-FASTLAP’S STOKES 8TH IN SUPERSTOCK AT MID-OHIO, CAYLOR CRASHES OUT OF
4TH PLACE

LEXINGTON, Oh.- The dramatic Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock race at Mid-Ohio brought mixed results for the 1-888-FASTLAP riders as Brian Stokes finished eighth and Opie Caylor crashed while running in fourth.

The 16-lap race was red flagged early because of a crash, and the race was completely restarted. On the restart, Caylor was second on the 1-888-FASTLAP/Team EMGO Taiwan Suzuki GSX-R750. He was running in fourth when he crashed on lap five. Caylor was attempting to run a tighter line through a corner so he would not be easy to pass, but his front tire hit the seam between the track surface and a concrete patch.

Just three laps later, the race was red flagged again. Caylor was not able to restart the race.

The race was restarted from lap eight, and Stokes was able to start on the Team Embry/FREEWEBTOWN.COM Suzuki GSX-R750 from the second row. He got a strong launch and was fifth on the first lap.

Stokes moved into eighth in the first two laps, and he stayed there to earn a career best AMA Pro Racing finish.

“I didn’t change the front tire after running in the Superbike race,” said Stokes. “It was starting to go a little bit, but I was still able to run competitively. After winning the Horizon Award earlier this week, and now getting my best AMA finish ever, I feel like I’ve gained a lot of confidence and I look forward to improving even more.”

Earlier in the day, Stokes rode in the first round of the AMA Superbike race that is being held at Mid-Ohio. He finished 13th.

The next race for Caylor and Stokes will be at Virginia International Raceway, the penultimate round of the Superstock season, August 29-31.

More information about Caylor, Stokes and 1-888-FASTLAP can be found on the Internet at www.1888FASTLAP.com.



More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

HANER FINISHES A FINE SIXTH AT MID-OHIO

HAS/Shogun Racing rider John Haner finished sixth in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, site of round nine of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship. Haner closed on fifth place rider Tommy Hayden late in the race, but could not get around the Kawasaki factory rider on the last lap. Haner started the Superstock event on his back-up bike after a clutch problem on his primary bike in the earlier Superbike event.

Haner had qualified seventh, which had given him a good grid position on the second row. He made the most of it with what ended up being three good starts in the twice-red-flagged event. “The last start, which was the most important, I got pinched off a little bit in turn one, I think I came around in ninth place,” said John. “I got around Ciccotto, Stokes and Picotte. Two laps from the end, I was starting to reel in Tommy (Hayden). On the last lap, I was right on him. We were just even down the back straightaway, I reeled him in on the brakes, and got right up on him going into Thunder Valley. I thought I was going to be able to stuff it up underneath him, a clean pass, but I almost hit the curb because I couldn’t see where it was at, I was so close. That was pretty much my last chance (to pass him).”

“I’m looking forward to the last couple of rounds,” said John. “I’m hoping we can get a different clutch and a quick shifter, that would help a lot.”

Haner moves up to tenth in the Superstock points standings, with only 22 points separating fifth through tenth in points. Haner has scored points in every round he has competed in, missing only the Brainerd, MN round to have surgery to correct carpal tunnel syndrome in his right wrist.