Zemke Fastest At Lunch Break At Daytona Tire Test

Zemke Fastest At Lunch Break At Daytona Tire Test

© 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke turned the fastest lap time Sunday morning during the first day of a two-day AMA team tire test at Daytona International Speedway.

Zemke turned a lap of 1:48.91 on his CBR1000RR Superbike during one of his many short riding stints.

American Honda’s Ben Bostrom was second-fastest with a time of 1:49.29, turned while also riding several short stints on his CBR1000RR Superbike, but Bostrom said he slowed his pace after turning his best time early. “I did that and I was like, it’s way too early to be going that fast,” said Bostrom, before adding he was only going as fast as he needed to test the tires.

Bostrom also bypassed the infield section of the track and did one complete lap of the 2.5-mile tri-oval, including the chicane on the back straight. That unplanned lap was 1:08.70. “I missed turn one,” laughed Bostrom.

Miguel Duhamel will ride Bostrom’s bike Sunday afternoon.

Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin’s Eric Bostrom turned a 1:51.20 on his Ducati 999 Superbike, but Eric Bostrom’s team said he was still working on his set-up and hadn’t started testing his Michelin tires.

Jason DiSalvo was fourth quickest overall and the fastest Superstock rider Sunday morning with a 1:51.93 on his Graves Yamaha YZF-R1. DiSalvo, the last rider to suffer a crash due to a high-speed tire failure at Daytona last December, admitted he was hesitant to hold his bike wide open around the banking on his first lap but later got up to full speed.

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp was the next-fastest Superstock rider with a 1:52.40 on his Michelin-shod GSX-R1000. Rapp’s new teammate Vincent Haskovec was the first crash victim of the test, falling in the West Horseshoe when his glove got caught on his brake lever. Haskovec was uninjured in the crash and at lunch time had recorded a 1:53.30 within his first three laps.

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden was right behind Rapp with a 1:52.51 on his ZX-10R Superstock bike. According to Hayden’s Crew Chief Joey Lombardo, they only have one new 17-inch slick to test, so they are continuing to work on their Daytona race set-up. Roger Lee Hayden said he would take brother Tommy’s bike out for one set of tires Sunday afternoon.

Riding on brand new Suzuki GSX-R1000s, the three Pirelli riders present at the test were off the pace of the other Superstock racers Sunday morning. Michael Barnes did a 1:54.96 while “short shifting” around “to break in the engine” for only two flying laps. Lee Acree turned a 1:55.33 on a bike that had never had its tank lifted. Geoff May turned a 1:58.35 on a bike he uncrated on Wednesday of the previous week.

The one significant note in Pirelli’s test was that Acree did a 20-lap stint on what Pirelli tire technicians called a “standard soft” without any problem.

No tire problems had been reported or observed when the track was closed at 12:00 p.m. local time for a lunch break.

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