From a press release issued by Michelin North America:

MICHELIN STEPS UP AMA ROAD RACING PROGRAM FOR 2004

The 2004 AMA racing season will launch a new era for Michelin North America’s Two Wheel Department. While the French tire maker has all but monopolized 500GP, MotoGP and World Superbike racing for the past decade or more, it has played a less prominent role in American racing. That’s about to change.

Thanks in part to changes in the World Superbike and World Supersport rules, Michelin will mount its most ambitious effort ever in AMA road racing, beginning with Daytona Bike Week on March 3-6, 2004. The Ducati Austin team, with Eric Bostrom, and the Valvoline EMGO Suzuki team, with Steve Rapp and Vincent Haskovec, will enjoy the full backing of a team of French and American technicians led by Superbike racing manager Jean Hérissé. For the first time ever, a dedicated Michelin tractor-trailer rig will be on site at all 11 AMA Superbike weekends, supporting both teams on an equal basis.

The Michelin effort will spread across several categories. Bostrom will be aboard a factory-supported Ducati 999 in the bike’s maiden season of AMA Superbike racing; Rapp will ride a Suzuki GSX-R600 in Supersport and Haskovec will race in the revamped Formula Xtreme, with each rider also competing in a to-be-determined second class.
This increased level of participation was, to a certain extent, made possible by a rule change limiting World Superbike and World Supersport participants to a single tire brand. That decision excluded Michelin, which before the change was announced, had already committed to re-entering World Supersport in 2004 after a three-year absence. Michelin, of course, has won 10 consecutive World Superbike Championships, including the 2003 crown won by Ducati Fila’s Neil Hodgson.

“Michelin’s racing philosophy is different,” remarked Pierre Dupasquier, Michelin motorsports director. “When the most successful tire manufacturer in the history of the World Superbike Championship goes racing, it is to show the quality of its products by pitting them against other brands.” This philosophy, combined with resources freed up by the WSB rule change, and longstanding Michelin partner Ducati’s desire to enter a factory team in AMA Superbike, led to the aggressive expansion of Michelin’s U.S. road racing program.

The role of longtime Michelin loyalists Valvoline EMGO Suzuki has also gained added significance. Now that the World Supersport series is no longer available to Michelin as a proving ground, the team will play a key part in developing the next generation of Michelin DOT race tires.

The teams began their on-track preparations for 2004 at a Michelin test on December 4-6 at the famed Daytona International Speedway. The testing aimed at determining the best possible tire solution for unique demands posed by Daytona’s steep banking and sustained high speeds.

“First we focus on safety and stability,” commented Jim Rhodes, Michelin North America’s road racing manager. “Then we concentrate on speed and endurance. During the test, we were able to consistently turn laps at what we consider to be competitive speeds. And even though the tires we brought here are a number of development stages away from what we will bring next March, our riders seem very pleased with the stability and feedback of these tires. In short, we had no dramas.”

Rhodes cautioned that lap times in December testing are of little value in predicting the outcome of the Daytona races. “It’s not always the fastest lap time that wins,” he observed. “Often it’s the guy who can set consistent lap times over the course of the entire race.” When asked whether Michelin will provide its teams with special qualifying tires in 2004, Rhodes was noncommittal. “We’ll have to assess that. Obviously it’s not a problem for us to turn a quick lap,” pointing out that Bostrom, Rapp and Haskovec rode on race-spec rubber throughout all three days at Daytona.

Bostrom in particular was impressed with the Michelin tires, after spending his entire professional career on another brand. “The tires were easy to step onto right away,” he said. “There’s just a lot of grip. The thing that hit me straight away was the mid-corner speed. It feels like you’re riding in a rut on a dirt bike. I can’t wait to get to some real racetracks with some curves.”

Rhodes said that prior to the season-opening Daytona races, Michelin will participate in a Ducati test at Laguna Seca in January, followed by another test with both teams at California Speedway in Fontana.