Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
Mystery School Yamaha’s Rich Oliver won his 71st career AMA 250cc Grand Prix race Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park on his Robert Ward-tuned Yamaha TZ250, Oliver clinched the 2003 AMA 250cc Grand Prix Championship, his fifth, at the previous round of the series.
Stargel Aprilia’s Chuck Sorensen, who was very close to Oliver’s pace in practice, got a good start but ended up second, seven seconds behind Oliver.
Priority Racing/Irish Bike’s Simon Turner scored a lonely third on his TSR-framed Honda 250, good enough to secure second in the season Championship.
If proposed AMA Pro Racing plans are carried out, Sunday’s race will be the last AMA 250cc Grand Prix ever.
Unofficial AMA 250cc Grand Prix Results:
1. Rich Oliver, Yamaha, 17 laps
2. Chuck Sorensen, Aprilia, -7.667 seconds
3. Simon Turner, TSR Honda, -33.101 seconds
4. Colin Jensen, Aprilia, -45.665 seconds
5. Michael Montoya, Yamaha, -46.949 seconds
6. Perry Melneciuc, Yamaha, -52.228 seconds
7. Ed Marchini, Yamaha, -71.011 seconds
8. Barrett Long, Yamaha, -71.051 seconds
9. Ed Sorbo, Yamaha, -83.310 seconds
10. Sandy Noce, Yamaha, -88.778 seconds
11. Chris Pyles, Honda, -88.821 seconds
12. John France, Honda, -1 lap
13. Sean Wray, Yamaha, -1 lap
14. John Ulrich, Yamaha, -1 lap
15. Geoffrey Maloney, Yamaha, -1 lap
16. Shawn Murray, Honda, -1 lap
17. Keith Floyd, Yamaha, -1 lap
18. Mark Stiles, Yamaha, -1 lap
19. Bruce Lind, Yamaha, -1 lap
20. Bill Himmelsbach, Yamaha, -1 lap
21. Glen Christianson, Yamaha, -1 lap
22. Joji Tokumoto, Yamaha, -1 lap
23. Michael Rentschler, Yamaha, -1 lap
24. Jeremy Bonnett, Yamaha, -1 lap
25. James Bonner, Yamaha, -1 lap
26. Justin Long, Yamaha, -2 laps
27. Craig Secosan, Honda, -2 laps
28. Bryan Hoelzer, Honda, -2 laps
29. Paul Hoyt Nelson, Honda, -2 laps
30. Richard Merhar, Yamaha, -3 laps, crash
31. David Matthews, Yamaha, -3 laps
32. Steve Scott, Yamaha, -13 laps, DNF
33. Zachry Lee, Honda, -15 laps, DNF
34. Billy Dalu, Yamaha, -16 laps, DNF
35. Stephen Bowline, Honda, -17 laps, DNF, crash
Final AMA 250cc Grand Prix Point Standings:
1. Oliver, 415
2. Turner, 294
3. Melneciuc, 291
4. Sorensen, 284
5. Pyles, 269
6. Marchini, 230
7. Noce, 221
8. Sorbo, 209
9. Jensen, 193
10. France, 167
11. Wray, 162
12. Greg Esser, 160
13. Barrett Long, 151
14. Bowline, 139
15. Murray, 131
16. Darren Fulce, 110
17. Sean McNew, 108
18. Scott, 104
19. Bonner, 98
20. Christianson, 79