Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp took his first AMA Superstock victory of the season on his Michelin-shod GSX-R750 at Road America.

It was Rapp’s third career AMA Superstock/750cc Supersport race win and his first AMA win since 1998.

Attack Suzuki’s Josh Hayes and Hooters Suzuki’s Vincent Haskovec, both on GSX-R750s, were close behind Rapp but were unable to pass the veteran as the race wore on.

On the last lap, Hayes went wide in the final corner, and Haskovec was able to pass Hayes at the exit and take second place.

Corona Extra Suzuki’s Jimmy Moore started from the last row after problems in qualifying but managed to come through to finish fourth.

Provisional AMA Superstock Race Results:

1. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R750, 10 laps
2. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, -0.578 second
3. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R750, -0.665 second
4. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki GSX-R750, -13.790 seconds
5. Chris Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R750, -14.760 seconds
6. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, -18.365 seconds
7. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki GSX-R750, -19.179 seconds
8. John Jacobi, Suzuki GSX-R750, -22.370 seconds
9. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki GSX-R750, -32.170 seconds
10. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R750, -34.600 seconds
11. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R6, -38.933 seconds
12. Jamie Stauffer, Suzuki GSX-R600, -39.009 seconds
13. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, -44.061 seconds
14. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R750, -50.182 seconds
15. Matt Furtek, Suzuki GSX-R750, -51.297 seconds
16. Jeremy Toye, Suzuki GSX-R750, -52.106 seconds
17. Steve Atlas, Suzuki GSX-R750, -52.237 seconds
18. Jason Peters, Suzuki GSX-R750, -65.763 seconds
19. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, -78.498 seconds*
20. Reuben Frankenfield, Suzuki GSX-R750, -78.753 seconds
21. Hawk Mazzotta, Suzuki GSX-R750, -80.965 seconds
22. Tom Wertman, Suzuki GSX-R750, -81.297 seconds
23. Jeff Bostrom, Suzuki GSX-R750, -86.209 seconds
24. Dr. Jeffrey Purk, Suzuki GSX-R750, -97.459 seconds
25. Matt Malterer, Suzuki GSX-R750, -111.117 seconds
26. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R750, -132.554 seconds
27. Eric Dooyema, Suzuki GSX-R750, -134.661 seconds
28. James Kerker, Honda CBR600F4, -1 lap
29. Mark Junge, Suzuki GSX-R750, -7 laps, DNF, mechanical

*served stop-and-go penalty

AMA Superstock Point Standings:

1. Haskovec, 175 points
2. Hayden, 169 points
3. Fergusson, 166 points
4. Hayes, 157 points
5. Meiring, 147 points
6. Moore, 142 points
7. DiSalvo, 141 points
8. Caylor, 138 points
9. Haner, 119 points
10. Ciccotto, 138 points
11. Ulrich, 93 points
12. Rapp, 88 points
13. Szoke, 76 points
14. Furtek, 72 points
15. Roetlin, 68 points
16. Brian Stokes, 59 points
17. Eric Wood, 54 points
18. Toye, 53 points
19. Lee Acree, 52 points
20. Peters, 46 points

More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

JOHN HANER FINISHES TENTH IN SUPERSTOCK AT ROAD AMERICA

HAS/Shogun Racing rider John Haner finished tenth today in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock event at Road America after battling with a variety of issues over the last three days. Haner was happy with the finish, gaining points on two riders ahead of him in the Superstock championship points.

“I got a pretty good start,” said John, “but Chris Ulrich jumped the start, then backed off and I had to back off to miss him. Jimmy (Moore) got by me, then we split (Tony) Meiring going into the new chicane. I was gonna try to stay with Jimmy, but he had a little more legs on me motor-wise. We were running Tommy (Hayden) down, Jimmy got past Tommy, but Tommy caught Jimmy’s draft. Considering everything this weekend, I’ve never been so happy for a tenth place.”

Haner’s weekend started with a number of bike problems that the HAS/Shogun crew eventually solved, then a crash in the wet qualifying session banged up John’s hand and elbow as well as the bike. The crew worked hard on the repairs and eventually found a set-up that allowed John to run his fastest laps of the weekend in the Superstock race.

John finished 22nd in the Chevy Trucks Superbike race that preceded the Superstock event, using it as an extended practice session to make up for track time lost during the rain on Friday. John is also planning on running the Superbike event on Sunday.

More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

JIMMY MOORE FINISHES FOURTH IN SUPERSTOCK AT ROAD AMERICA

Jimmy Moore finished fourth today in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock event at Road America on his Corona Extra Suzuki GSX-R750. Jimmy had to start from the last position on the last row of the grid after a mechanical problem on his motorcycle prevented him from completing a lap in qualifying on Friday. Jimmy was able to use a provisional start for the final today.

Jimmy felt like he got a bad start, but actually was up to 14th place by the end of lap one of the ten lap race on the four mile circuit. “No, I got a crappy start,” said Moore, “I tried to pass as many people as I could with horsepower, until I got up in a group of people that had horsepower. I tried to out-brake a few more people in turn one, then there was one more person I wanted to get that I hadn’t quite got yet, and I had to pass him on the inside curbing, me up on the inside curbing, that was kinda hairy! But it stuck, it didn’t slide or anything.”

After moving up to tenth place by the second lap, Jimmy worked his way through the six riders that were fighting for fourth place. Moore was in fouth place by the sixth lap, but could not make significant ground on the three riders fighting over first, even though he was turning equivalent lap times to the leaders. “Opie (Caylor) hung with me for a couple of laps,” said Jimmy, “I put my head down and pulled a gap on him.”

Jimmy’s fourth place finish moves him up to sixth in Superstock class points. Jimmy also qualified eighth today on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 for tomorrow’s Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme race.

More, from a press release issued by Marietta Motorsports:

1-888-FASTLAP’S CAYLOR FINISHES FIFTH IN SUPERSTOCK AT ROAD AMERICA

ELKHART LAKE, Wis.- 1-888-FASTLAP rider Opie Caylor finished fifth in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock race at Road America, despite the knee injury he suffered in a crash a day before during a qualifying session at the AMA Pro Racing event.

Caylor started the race from the 11th spot on his 1-888-FASLTAP/Team EMGO Taiwan Suzuki GSX-R750. He worked his way up through the field to fourth, where he ran for most of the 10-lap race.

In the closing laps of the race, Caylor fell back to fifth. He ran off the track in turn five on the final lap, but was able to turn around and re-enter the track without losing any positions.

“On the last lap, I blew turn five. I got in there too deep,” explained Caylor. “I ran completely off the track, turned around on an access road off of turn five, and got back on the track. As I was doing that, I noticed that a group that included of Adam (Fergusson) and Tommy (Hayden) was just coming into five. I got back on the gas and put a good last lap back together so we could hold onto what we had.”

Brian Stokes represented 1-888-FASTLAP in the first Superbike race of the double-header weekend. Stokes finished 19th on the Team Embry Suzuki GSX-R750. He was one of the top riders among those who were racing on Superstock-spec 750s.

“Three laps from the end my fuel light came on solid,” commented Stokes. “I had plenty of tire but no fuel, so I had to back off. I’m happy with a top-20, at this track and on a Superstock bike.

The next event for Caylor and Stokes will be round seven of the AMA Pro Racing season, which will be held at Brainerd International Raceway in three weeks.

1-888-FASTLAP has been providing high-quality parts and gear at affordable prices to racers for the past fifteen years. More information about 1-888-FASTLAP, Caylor and Stokes can be found on the Internet at www.1888FASTLAP.com.

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

Rapp Victorious at Road America

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp rode his GSX-R750 to victory on Saturday at Road America, winning the AMA Superstock race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Rapp quickly moved to the front of the field in the 10-lap Superstock final and withstood a determined pursuit by the eventual second and third place finishers to take the checkered flag over the duo by less than second.

“It was a close race,” Rapp said after his brilliant charge. “I could see my board and every time I went by it was ‘plus zero.’ It was tough, but it was kind of easy in a way, too, because my bike was working so great. It was easy to be where I wanted to be.”

The easy-going Californian gave high marks to his Michelin tires and finely tuned race machine for allowing him to ride up to his potential today. “My tires were so good. I’ve never had a tire like that — it got better as they got older. It let me ride aggressively, which is more my style. The bike was really fast, too. When you have a fast bike and good tires, you expect results like this.”

Rapp’s younger teammates, Matt Furtek and Chris Ulrich, didn’t have as memorable a day. Furtek rode a steady race to claim a top 15 finish in his return to action, while Ulrich fought his way back up to 19th after being forced to come in for a “stop-and-go” penalty after race officials claimed he jumped the start, a charge the team vehemently denies, pointing out that one race official said Ulrich jumped and another was certain that he did not jump.

Rapp will look to add to his Road America success in Sunday’s Formula Xtreme final.