Home Blog Page 5802

HRC Celebrates 25 Years Of Racing

newspaper
-
0
HRC Celebrates 25 Years Of Racing

A QUARTER CENTURY OF ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE Racing has always been at the heart of Honda, indeed racing is Honda’s very DNA. From the very beginning company founder Soichiro Honda insisted that his engineers prove the company’s engineering capabilities and accelerate development by testing their creations in the white heat of competition. It has always been thus, from Honda’s very first Model A to the current RC212V MotoGP weapon. As current HRC president Masumi Hamane says: “A racing motorcycle is a rolling laboratory that provides us with live information and the racetrack is the stage where our dreams come true.” Initially, Honda’s racing efforts were run from within the Honda Motor Company, but in the early 1970s RSC (Racing Service Center) was established as a separate company to look after the company’s racing programme. On September 1 1982 the Honda Racing Corporation was founded, its mission the development, manufacture and sales of motorcycles and parts for racing. Since then HRC has become a byword for high-performance engineering excellence and winning performance. HRC: YEAR BY YEAR 1982 Honda Racing Corporation founded on September 1, replacing RSC (which was established as a separate entity from Honda Motor Co. Ltd in 1973) and the NR technology group. Legendary engineer Shoichiro Irimajiri is first HRC president. NS500 triple unleashed. Freddie Spencer wins Honda’s first two-stroke Grand Prix victory aboard the NS at July’s Belgium GP. Cyril Nevue wins Honda’s first Paris-Dakar victory. Eddy Lejeune wins first World Trials Championship with Honda RTL360. Shigeo Ijima, Shinji Hagiwara and CB900F win Suzuka Eight Hours (shortened to six hour due to typhoon) Pro-link rear suspension and cartridge fork developed in motocross. 1983 The wondrously talented Freddie Spencer wins Honda’s first 500 World Championship with the NS500, a beautifully balanced motorcycle that encapsulates HRC’s philosophy of creating machines that deliver all-round performance. ATAC exhaust system developed on NS500. King of the Roads Joey Dunlop wins Honda’s fourth title in the road-based TTF1 World Championship with the RS850R V4 four-stroke. Honda begins sales of RS500 GP production racer, based on NS500. Hiroyuki Yoshino replaces Irimajiri as HRC president. 1984 Honda debuts the awesomely fast single-crank V4 NSR500, with experimental underslung fuel tank, which an injury-hit Freddie Spencer takes to fourth place in the 500 World Championship. RS750R rams home Honda’s four-stroke genius with Gerard Coudray and Patrick Igoa winning World Endurance crown, Mike Baldwin and Fred Merkel taking Suzuka Eight Hours victory and Joey Dunlop the TTF1 crown. Andre Malherbe wins second 500 Motocross World Championship. Eddy Lejeune completes hat-trick of World Trials Championships. Ricky Graham wins Honda’s first US Grand National dirt track title. 1985 Freddie Spencer and Honda enjoy their greatest year together, taking a unique 250/500 World Championship double with the NSR500 and the new NSR250 V-twin. For good measure, Spencer wins Daytona 200 aboard a VF750F superbike. Stunning new RVF750 wins endurance crown with Gerard Coudray and Patrick Igoa, TTF1 title with Joey Dunlop and Suzuka Eight Hours with Wayne Gardner and Masaki Tokuno. Mike Baldwin and Honda win fourth US F1 title in a row. Britain’s Prince Charles and Princess Diana inspect HRC race bikes during official visit to newly built Honda Motor HQ in Aoyama, Tokyo. Isamu Goto appointed HRC president. 1986 The RVF750, now with single-sided swingarm, wins endurance world title with Patrick Igoa and Suzuka Eight Hours with Gardner and Dominique Sarron. VFR750 rider Fred Merkel completes hat-trick of US Superbike crowns. Briton David Thorpe wins his second consecutive 500 MX title, Honda monopolise championship top three. Tough Aussie Wayne Gardner takes the baton from injured Freddie Spencer and takes second place in the 500 World Championship with the NSR500. 1987 Honda two-stroke technology dominates GP racing, Wayne Gardner winning seven 500 GPs to take 500 title, German veteran Toni Mang winning the 250 crown with his NSR250. Computer-controlled variable exhaust valve developed. Hi-tech NR750 racer with oval pistons contests Le Mans 24 hours, scoring pole position. Up-and-coming Californian talent Wayne Rainey wins US Superbike crown and Daytona 200 with VFR750. Eric Geboers scores Honda’s first 250 MX world success. Dirt track legend Bubba Shobert completes hat-trick of US Grand National dirt track crowns, riding an RS750D. Takeo Fukui is new president of HRC. 1988 Honda returns to 125 GP racing with RS125, a low-cost two-stroke. Ezio Gianola wins two GPs on the RS and finishes second in 125 World Championship. Spanish hero Sito Pons wins the first of two successive 250 world titles with NSR250. HRC begins development of electronically controlled two-stroke fuel injection system. Big-talking American Fred Merkel takes inaugural World Superbike title aboard RC30, Honda’s hugely acclaimed V4 superbike. British privateer Carl Fogarty wins TTF1 crown on RC30. Wayne Gardner finishes a close runner-up in 500 GPs. Eric Geboers and Jean-Michel Bayle win MX title double with 500 and 125 successes. Katsumi Ichida appointed president. 1989 Master of smoothness Eddie Lawson joins Honda and carries off the 500 World Championship with his NSR500. Honda wins tenth 250 Constructors’ World Championship. Merkel, Fogarty and their RC30s repeat their World Superbike and TTF1 titles. Privateer John Ashmead wins Daytona 200 aboard an RC30. Frenchmen Dominique Sarron, Alex Vieira and RVF750 win Suzuka Eight Hours. Gilles Lalay proves Honda power in the most gruelling of conditions by winning Honda’s fourth consecutive Paris-Dakar race aboard his NXR750. Jean-Michel Bayle and David Thorpe win 250 and 500 MX titles. Takeo Fukui begins second term as HRC president. 1990 Seventeen-year-old debutant Loris Capirossi wins Honda’s first two-stroke 125 World Championship on an RS125R, the first of two back-to-back title successes for the little Italian. Alex Vieira, Jean-Michel Mattioli, Stephane Mertens and RVF750 win Honda’s sixth consecutive victory in the hugely popular Bol d’Or 24 hours. Eric Geboers wins his second 500 MX title with Honda. Jeff Stanton and CR250 win the second of their three US Supercross championships. Aussie veteran Malcolm Campbell wins his second consecutive Australian Superbike title aboard RC30. 1991 Luca Cadalora joins Honda and wins 250 world title on NSR250, Honda’s tenth 250 riders’ crown. Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan win Suzuka Eight Hours aboard RVF750. Honda two-stroke technology dominates the world of motocross and Supercross, George Jobe wins the 500 MX world title, American Trampas Parker wins the world 250 crown, Jean-Michel Bayle moves to the US and wins Supercross title with CR250 and US Motocross Championship with CR500. Miguel DuHamel and RC30 win Daytona 200. NR750 streetbike in production. 1992 HRC’s newest star Mick Doohan dominates 500 World Championship with new ‘big bang’ configuration NSR500 but loses title due to injury. Nevertheless Honda wins 500 Constructors’ World Championship. Italian Luca Cadalora wins second consecutive 250 World Championship. Australian GP riders Daryl Beattie, Wayne Gardner and RVF750 win Suzuka Eight Hours. Greg Albertyn takes the laurels in 125 MX with CR125. Takashi Shinozaki becomes president. 1993 Shinichi Itoh and fuel-injected NSR500 break the 200mph barrier at the German GP at Hockenheim. Diminutive German Dirk Raudies takes the 125 World Championship aboard his Honda RS125R. Ricky Graham wins US Grand National crown, 11 years after his first title success. CR250 dominates the motocross word with Greg Albertyn winning the 250 MX title, Doug Henry scoring the first of back-to-back US 250 MX championships and Jeremy McGrath taking out the 250 US Supercross series. 1994 Mick Doohan wins the first of five consecutive 500 World Championship with his NSR500, Honda also wins constructors’ title for seventh time. New Zealander Aaron Slight and American Doug Polen score Honda’s tenth Suzuka Eight Hours success, riding the new RC45 Superbike, the latest product of HRC V4 technology. Honda wins its tenth 125 Constructors’ World Championship. Swede Marcus Hansson wins 500 MX World Championship. Jeremy McGrath continues his domination of 250 US Supercross. Suguru Kanazawa appointed managing director of HRC. 1995 RC45 four-stroke scores more major international successes with Belgian Stephane Mertens and Frenchman Jean-Michel Mattioli winning the World Endurance Championship, Miguel Duhamel taking the US Superbike title and Aaron Slight and Tadayuki Okada winning the Suzuka Eight Hours race. Haruchika Aoki scores the first of back-to-back 125 World Championships aboard Honda RS125. Alessandro Puzar wins 125 MX crown. 1996 Mick Doohan, Alex Criville, Luca Cadalora, Alex Barros and the NSR500 take the top four places in 500 World Championship, the NSR500 wins 13 of 15 GPs. Haruchika Aoki scores second 125 title. Miguel Duhamel wins Daytona 200 on RC45. NSR500V twin, ridden by Tadayuki Okada, scores pole position on GP debut. Stefan Everts wins the first of two back-to-back 250 MX world prizes aboard CR250. Jeremy McGrath and CR250 win fourth US Supercross title in a row, taking Honda’s unique run of success to nine consecutive crowns. 1997 Mick Doohan wins fourth 500 title riding NSR500 with ‘screamer’ firing order. Honda machines monopolise top five places in series, Doohan, Tadayuki Okada, Nobuatsu Aoki and Alex Criville on NSR500s, Takuma Aoki is fifth on NSR500V twin. The NSR500 wins all 15 GPs, Honda wins tenth premier-class constructors’ World Championship. Max Biaggi joins Honda and wins 250 title on NSR250. Production version of NSR500V goes on sale. RC45 continues to dominate four-stroke racing, John Kocinski wins World Superbike crown, while Japanese stars Shinichi Itoh and Toru Ukawa win Suzuka Eight Hours. Stefan Everts retains 250 MX crown. 1998 Led once again by the mighty Mick Doohan, NSR500 riders dominate the 500 World Championship, taking the top five places in the points chase. HRC introduces new twin-crank NSR250 which Toru Ukawa rides to fourth place in 250 World Championship. More success for the RC45: Doug Polen and Christian Laveille win the world endurance prize, Shinichi Itoh and Toru Ukawa score second successive Suzuka Eight Hours and Ben Bostrom takes US Superbike crown. Yasuo Ikenoya takes over as new president of HRC. 1999 Quietly spoken Spaniard Alex Criville and his NSR500 wrap up Honda’s tenth riders’ 500 World Championship, following Mick Doohan’s exit from the sport due to injury. Emilio Alzamora and RS125R win 125 World Championship, Honda’s tenth 125 riders’ prize. Tadayuki Okada and Alex Barros win the Suzuka Eight Hours, Miguel Duhamel wins the Daytona on 200, all on the hugely successful RC45. 2000 Honda launches its first big twin supersport bike, the VTR1000, which Colin Edwards takes to a debut victory in the World Superbike Championship. The VTR1000SPW also wins the Suzuka Eight Hours with Toru Ukawa and Daijiro Kato. Premier-class debutant Valentino Rossi joins Honda and finishes second in the 500 World Championship aboard his NSR500. Frederic Bolley wins second consecutive 250 MX world title on CR250R. Dougie Lampkin wins the first of four back-to-back Trials World Championships. 2001 Valentino Rossi closes GP racing’s 500 era by winning the final 500 World Championship aboard his NSR500. The Italian superstar also wins Honda’s 500th GP victory at the Japanese Grand Prix and wins the Suzuka Eight Hours riding a VTR1000SPW with partner Colin Edwards. Major Japanese talent Daijiro Kato wins the 250 World Championship aboard a Honda NSR250. RC211V MotoGP machine seen in public for the first time at Motegi, ridden by Honda legends Mick Doohan and Freddie Spencer. 2002 Valentino Rossi wins inaugural MotoGP title aboard HRC’s acclaimed RC211V. Honda also takes Constructors’ World Championship by a large margin. The V5 – which takes motorcycle racing technology to a whole new level – wins all but two of the 16 GPs. Colin Edwards wins his second World Superbike Championship aboard the VTR1000SPW and backs that up with another Suzuka Eight Hours success, riding a VTR with Daijiro Kato. In the United States up-and-coming talent Nicky Hayden takes the US Superbike crown and Daytona 200 victory on a VTR. Frenchman Fabien Foret scores Honda’s first World Supersport title riding a CBR600R. Suguru Kanazawa appointed HRC president. 2003 The RC211V once again dominates the MotoGP World Championship, winning 15 of 16 races. Valentino Rossi wins the riders’ title ahead of fellow RC211V riders Sete Gibernau and Max Biaggi. RC211V equipped with rotary steering damper. Dani Pedrosa wins his first world title in the 125 class, aboard RS125R. The new CBR600RR, packed with HRC-derived MotoGP technology, wins the World Supersport title with Chris Vermeulen. Miguel Duhamel wins Daytona 200. Yukio Nukumi and Manabu Kamada give the VTR1000SPW its fourth consecutive Suzuka Eight Hours victory. Ricky Carmichael wins second consecutive US Supercross crown on CR250. 2004 Honda completes hat-trick of MotoGP Constructors World Championship with the RC211V, now equipped with Intelligent Throttle Control system. Dani Pedrosa wins 250 World Championship at his first attempt, with RS250RW. Italian youngster Andrea Dovizioso takes 125 crown on RS125R. Toru Ukawa/Hitoyasu Izutsu give the inline four CBR1000RR Fireblade its first Suzuka Eight Hours success. Aussie Karl Muggeridge wins Supersport world title on CBR600RR. Takahisa Fujinami wins Trials World Championships. Satoru Horiike appointed managing director of HRC. 2005 Dani Pedrosa wins second consecutive 250 World Championship, which gives Honda its 15th 250 riders’ crown and 19th 250 constructors’ title. Swiss Thomas Luthi takes 125 World Championship aboard RS125R. Toru Ukawa and Ryuichi Kiyonari win Honda’s 20th Suzuka Eight Hours victory on a CBR1000RR. CBR600RR continues to dominate middleweight supersport racing, Sebastien Charpentier taking the Supersport world title and Miguel Duhamel winning Honda’s tenth Daytona 200 success. 2006 Nicky Hayden wins the final 990cc MotoGP title, riding new generation RC211V using lighter, more powerful V5 engine. The Kentucky Kid also wins Honda’s 200th premier-class victory at the Dutch TT. This is Honda’s 14th premier-class riders’ title and 17th constructors’ crown. During MotoGP’s four-year 990cc era the V5 won an astonishing 58 per cent of the races. At the Sachsenring Yukio Takahashi secures double century 250cc class victories. Another great year for the CBR600RR, Sebastien Charpentier takes second successive Supersport world title and Jake Zemke wins Daytona 200. Takeshi Tsujimura and Shinichi Itoh win Honda’s tenth Suzuka Eight Hours win in a row, riding CBR1000RR. 2007 New MotoGP technical rules reduce engine capacity to 800cc. HRC introduce the RC212V 800cc four-stroke V4. Masumi Hamane appointed president of HRC.

Crevier Wins Race, Szoke Wins Parts Canada Superbike Championship At Shannonville

newspaper
-
0
Crevier Wins Race, Szoke Wins Parts Canada Superbike Championship At Shannonville

SHANNONVILLE, Ont. – Brantford, Ont.’s Jordan Szoke clinched his second straight Parts Canada Superbike Championship with a fourth place finish on his Kawasaki ZX-10R in the final round at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday. Although his closest challenger for the title, Steve Crevier scored his third straight victory of the season, the Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory rider still ended the season with 298 points compared to Crevier’s 290. Crevier led all 20 laps of the season finale on his Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Yamaha YZF-R1 to claim his all-time leading 26th career national Superbike victory. He finished 3.510 seconds ahead of Szoke’s rookie teammate Brett McCormick on another Kawasaki ZX-10R. Kevin Lacombe completed the podium riding the Team Toyota Yamaha / Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1. “The past two years have been phenomenal,” said the 28-year-old Szoke, who became just the second rider to win four Canadian Superbike championships. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world to defend a number one plate. Winning it is nice, but defending it is even better.” Szoke picked up $15,000 from the $75,000 Parts Canada prize fund and was presented with the Canada Cup on the podium. From third on the grid Crevier launched into the lead off the line and initially led a four-rider scrap at the front consisting of Lacombe, Matt McBride on the Riders Choice Suzuki GSX-R1000 and McCormick. Lacombe started dropping back just after half distance, however, as he battled handling problems and Crevier was able to ease away. The Maple Ridge, B.C. rider set the race’s fastest lap at one minute, 5.002 seconds around the 2.45km track. “Jordan had a really good year, he rode like a veteran today,” said the 42-year-old Crevier, who was bidding for a record seventh Canadian Superbike title. “We learned a lot this year and we got faster and faster as the season went along.” Szoke entered the race needing to finish seventh or better to be assured of the championship. He settled into fifth place in the early laps and then moved up to fourth when McBride crashed out three laps from the end. After qualifying second McCormick made a poor start and was fifth at the end of the first lap. But the 16-year-old Saskatoon native worked his way up to battle Lacombe for second in the final 10 laps of the race. Lacombe passed McCormick on the penultimate lap but the Kawasaki rider got back around the Granby, Que. racer on the final tour. “I wish I could have had a better start and given Steve a run for his money,” McCormick said. “But I worked my way through, conserved a little in the last few laps then laid down a quick last lap.” McCormick was presented with a $5,000 cheque from Parts Canada for winning the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year Award. Cochrane, Alta.’s Clint McBain finished fifth on the Suzuki Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 after running right behind Szoke all the way. McBain had a shot at the championship but instead settled for third with 254 points. Lacombe ended the season fourth with 247 points. Francis Martin of Sherbrooke, Que. placed sixth in the race on the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Performance Suzuki GSX-R1000, right behind McBain and just in front of the ProStar Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Vaughan, Ont.’s Frank Trombino. In other action at Shannonville, Szoke won his second straight Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship in impressive style by outduelling Crevier for the win in the 18-lap race. As in the Superbike class, Crevier was Szoke’s closest title challenger and started from pole position on his Yamaha YZF-R6. Szoke beat him off the line but Crevier took the lead on lap 2 and stayed in front until two laps from the end, when Szoke regained the lead in turn 2. The Kawasaki ZX-6R finished 0.119 secs. ahead of Crevier, with McCormick a close third on another Kawasaki. “Steve got by me earlier than I expected but I just glued myself to him,” Szoke said. “It was tough to stay back there and not go for it, but he left the door open near the end there and I thought I should go for it in case things got crazy behind me.” Szoke ended the season with 311 points to Crevier’s 287.Crevier’s Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company crew, led by Scott Miller, was named winner of the Inside Motorcycle Team of the Year Award. Paul Glenn of Keene, Ont. won the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike title at Shannonville with a third place finish on his Suzuki GSX-R600. Pedro Sousa of Mississauga, Ont. earned his first career national victory in the 14-lap race after taking the lead from Glenn two laps from the finish. Riding a Yamaha YZF-R6, Sousa finished 0.830 secs. ahead of Lachine, Que.’s Catherine Nadeau, who was also on a Yamaha. Glenn’s closest championship challenger, Oak Lake, Man.’s Israel Johnas placed ninth on a Kawasaki ZX-6R and settled for second in the final standings with 207 points to Glenn’s 239. Toronto’s Michael Taylor won the Thunder twins title with his fourth victory of the year aboard the BMW Motorrad Canada BMW R1200S. The former two-time Superbike champion took the lead from New Smyrna, Fla.’s Dave Estok on lap 10 of the 14-lap race and led home the Ruthless Racing Buell rider by 0.888 secs. Calgary’s Chad Pasowisty was third on a Ducati Canada Ducati PS1000LE. Michael Leon of Beaconsfield, Que. entered the race leading Taylor by one point in the standings but could only manage a sixth place race finish on his Laval Harley-Davidson Buell XB12R. Taylor ended the season with 293 points to Leon’s 269. Montreal rider Martin Grande won the Suzuki SV650 National Cup Championship with a runner-up finish at Shannonville. Brantford, Ont.’s Robert Busby took the race win, 6.179 secs. ahead of Grande, while Derek Vammus of Orangeville, Ont. finished third in the 14-lap race. Grande ended the season with 323 points to Vammus’s 285. Action from this weekend can be seen on TSN HD and TSN in two one-hour programs later this year. Coverage from the Pro 600 Sport Bike and Thunder classes will air on Tuesday, Oct. 23 starting at 12:30pm, and Superbike and Amateur 600 Sport Bike racing will be shown a week later on Oct. 30 beginning at 2:00pm. The 2007 Parts Canada Superbike Championship will make its debut on TSN HD and TSN with coverage of round 1 from Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant on Tuesday, Sept. 11 starting at 2:30pm. The series will also be available on RDS. Please check local listings for broadcast details. For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com Results of Sunday’s seventh round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park in Shannonville, Ont., showing finishing position, rider name, hometown, type of motorcycle and laps completed: 1. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, B.C., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 2. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20; 3. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, Que., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 4. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20; 5. Clint McBain, Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 6. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 7. Frank Trombino, Vaughan, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 8. Andrew Nelson, Nepean, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 9. Pascal Picotte, Granby, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 10. Jean-Paul Tache, North Bay, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 11. Csaba Werner, North York, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 12. Larry Orde, Peterborough, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 13. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 14. Zenon Nelson, Bowmanville, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R600, 20; 15. Dave Young, Woodstock, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 16. Sean Heydorn, Stouffville, Ont., Honda CBR600RR, 19; 17. Junior Dallaire, Drummondville, Que., Suzuki GSX-R600, 19; 18. Mark MacDonald, Sydney, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 18; 19. Terry Steeves, Dartmouth, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 18 Did Not Finish Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 17; Yoshi Hamaguchi, Toronto, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6, 12 Did Not Start Karl Daigle, Granby, Que., Honda CBR600RR; Alain Campagna, Mascouche, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6; Jeremy Stepper, Calgary, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000; Craig Atkinson, Toronto, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6; Louie Raffa, St-Marthe, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6; Andrew Dunlap, Truro, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-6RR; Alain Larouche, St-Bruno, Que. Honda CBR600RR; Stephane Chabot, Oshawa, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6; Tony Kasper, Becker, Minn., Suzuki GSX-R600 Average Speed: 82.03 mph Margin of Victory: 3.510 secs. Fastest Lap: 1:05.002 by Steve Crevier Parts Canada Superbike Championship final point standings following the final round at Shannonville Motorsport Park in Shannonville, Ont. Sunday, showing position, rider name and point total: 1. Jordan Szoke, 298; 2. Steve Crevier, 290; 3. Clint McBain, 254; 4. Kevin Lacombe, 247; 5. Brett McCormick, 224; 6. Francis Martin, 164; 7. Andrew Nelson, 161; 8. Pascal Picotte, 148; 9. Jean-Paul Tache, 133; 10. Frank Trombino, 125; 11. Ross Millson, 81; 12. Erick Beausejour, 63; 13. Sean Heydorn, 60; 14. Matthew McBride, 53; 15. Csaba Werner, 50; 16. Dave Young, 45; 17. Terry Steeves, 41; 18. Dany Jourdain, 37; 19. Dave Stokowski, 30; 20. tie Larry Orde, 25; 20. tie Adam Roberts, 25; 20. tie Andrew Dunlap, 25; 23. Jeremy Burgess, 23; 24. tie Franklyn Dominguez, 20; 24. tie Zeon Nelson, 20; 26. Yoshi Hamaguchi, 17; 27. Matthew Cooper, 15; 28. tie Jeremy Stepper, 13; 28. tie Bill Clark, 13; 30. Chris Murray-Audain, 12; 31 tie. Steve Bourdeau, 8; 31 tie. Karl Meema, 8; 31 tie. Alain Campagna, 8; 34. tie Rick Langille, 6; 34. tie Junior Dallaire, 6; 36. tie Cory Canfield, 4; 36. tie Mark MacDonald, 4; 38. Gene McKay, 2

Mladin-autographed Cover Enlargements Being Auctioned On eBay To Benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund

newspaper
-
0
Mladin-autographed Cover Enlargements Being Auctioned On eBay To Benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund

Four posterboard enlargements/reproductions of Roadracing World magazine’s July 2007 cover prominently autographed by six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin, who is pictured on the cover, are being auctioned off individually on eBay (www.ebay.com) to benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund (~http://actionfund.roadracingworld.com/~). The covers (eBay item number: 120156685872) measure 30 x 24 inches and are approximately 3/8 inch thick. In baseball card grading terms, the covers are in “Excellent” condition due to some of their corners being slightly dinged. All four are in equal condition. Posterboard enlargements/reproductions like these are normally used by Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. for promotional displays or gifts, but these four are being auctioned off to benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization with a mission of preventing racetrack injuries by promoting motorcycle safety and advocating the use of soft barrier technology. Since its start in April 2001, the Roadracing World Action Fund has raised over $523,000, through private and corporate donations and through auctions such as these, to deploy dozens of soft barriers to racetracks and racing organizations around the country, saving numerous racers and trackday riders from serious injuries or worse. The auction (~http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120156685872&ssPageName=STRK:MESC:IT&ih=002~) is set to run from 1:00 p.m. Eastern/10:00 a.m. Pacific Time Sunday, September 2 and end at the same time Sunday, September 9. Questions should be submitted through the auction itself and not through the Roadracing World offices.

Recent Birth

newspaper
-
0
Recent Birth

CCS/ASRA official Samantha Sberna (daughter of ASRA Road Race Referee Philip Sberna) and Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki engine builder Jesse Daugherty had a daughter, Lainey May Daugherty, August 31 in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Ducati North America Announces Winners Of Round Four Of Superbike Concorso, At Road Atlanta

newspaper
-
0
Ducati North America Announces Winners Of Round Four Of Superbike Concorso, At Road Atlanta

The Ducati Superbike Concorso concluded its regional rounds at Road Atlanta. Braselton, Georgia (September 2, 2007) Ducati North America announces today the winners of the fourth round of the Superbike Concorso, a celebration of Ducati Superbikes, which was held during the AMA Superbike race weekend at Road Atlanta. Road Atlanta made for the most difficult judging yet. Some true rarities competed in this round of the competition, and visitors to the Concorso display were not disappointed. In the closest race yet, the People’s Choice award went to Mike Cecchini by a 2 vote margin. Fred Jennings was awarded Best Original Superbike for his 1999 748 Monoposto, which looks as if it left the showroom yesterday. The award for the “Best Modified” category went to Jack Newell’s 2005 999R, a true “sleeper” with serious modifications under its factory red paint. As racecaster Ralph Sheheen wrapped up the awards ceremony, the “Best in Show” award went to Mr. Bill Swenson, who brought his exceptionally prepared 1975 900 Super Sport – a model so rare that few of the esteemed Concorso judges had ever seen one in person. The competition was so stiff at Road Atlanta that after a “run off” where each bike was started for the judges, the last two wildcard entries for the grand finale were awarded. Mike Checchini’s 750 Sport Desmo- a heavily modified Café Racer- was too good to let go, and will be at Laguna Seca. Peter Calles will also be there, with his immaculate 1973 750 Sport- the bike that inspired the new Ducati Sport 1000. The next round of the Superbike Concorso will be the grand finale, where all the regional winners will go head to head against each other for a new 1098 The Grand Finale will take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, September 16, 2007. Full contest details and additional information can be found at www.ducatisuperbikeconcorso.com.

Updated: Mladin Takes AMA Superbike Championship Lead With Win Sunday At Road Atlanta

newspaper
-
0
Updated: Mladin Takes AMA Superbike Championship Lead With Win Sunday At Road Atlanta

Six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin won his sixth straight AMA Superbike race, his 12th race of the season and the 63rd race (the most all-time) of his career Sunday at Road Atlanta. More importantly, however, Mladin’s convincing victory over his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate and rival Ben Spies allowed the Australian to retake the AMA Superbike Championship point lead heading into the final round of the season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Spies’ lonely second-place finish Sunday dropped him to second in the point standings, only three points behind Mladin, turning the season finale into essentially a winner-take-all affair between Mladin and Spies for the 2007 Championship. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking repeated his third-place finish from Saturday and took his fourth podium finish in his last five races Sunday at Road Atlanta. Sunday’s AMA Superbike race at Road Atlanta was shortened from 25 to 20 laps at the request of Dunlop (the tire supplier for the majority of riders in the class) over concerns with the safety of their tires. 2007 AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia September 2, 2007 Provisional Race Results: 1. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 20 laps 2. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -6.794 seconds 3. Jamie Hacking (Kaw ZX-10R), Dunlop, -20.134 seconds 4. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -30.119 seconds 5. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), Dunlop, -31.690 seconds 6. Jake Zemke (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, -31.807 seconds 7. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -38.730 seconds 8. James Ellison (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, -42.819 seconds 9. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -53.084 seconds* 10. Eric Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -58.975 seconds 11. Matt Lynn (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), Dunlop, -63.186 seconds 12. Luca Scassa (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), Dunlop, -73.275 seconds 13. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -1 lap* 14. Ben Thompson (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, 0.337 second 15. David Weber (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, 20.524 seconds* 16. Dean Mizdal (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, 28.356 seconds 17. Keith Marshall (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -1 lap, 28.485 seconds 18. Scott Carpenter (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -1 lap, 52.682 seconds 19. Dominic Jones (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 55.056 seconds 20. Jason DiSalvo (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -7 laps, DNF 21. Ivan Garza (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -11 laps, DNF 22. John Haner (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -17 laps, DNF* * known to be on a Superstock-spec motorcycle Provisional 2007 AMA Superbike Championship Point Standings (after 17 of 19 races): 1. Mladin, 618 points 2. Spies, 615 3. Zemke, 441 4. Yates, 436 5. Tommy Hayden, 429 6. Hacking, 403 7. Miguel Duhamel, 360 8. Roger Hayden, 344 9. Bostrom, 336 10. DiSalvo, 335 11. Ellison, 300 12. Jensen, 274 13. Scassa, 262 14. Holden, 245 15. Lynn, 241 16. Weber, 233 17. Jones, 219 18. Mizdal, 216 19. John Haner, 166 20. Doug Chandler, 93 More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin broke his own record for the most AMA Superbike wins in a single season by picking up his 12th victory at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia on Sunday. It was Mladin’s sixth AMA Superbike race win in a row as well as his 63rd career victory in the class which gave the six-time AMA Superbike Champion command of the AMA Superbike points chase going into the series’ final round at Laguna Seca later this month. Team mate and defending AMA Superbike Champion Ben Spies followed Mladin home in second place while Tommy Hayden finished in seventh place. Sunday’s 20-lap race was the second of two AMA Superbike races in this weekend’s double-header event. Mat Mladin: “Our goal this year was to try and win as many races on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 as possible. With some bad starts and a couple of crashes we’ve given away a few. But we’re in a good position and it’s nice to win and it’s nice to get the Suzuki working so well that we can pull away a little bit when we need to. Laguna Seca is going to be a good race and we’re looking forward to it.” Ben Spies: “We had a pretty good race; I rode as hard as I could the whole time. We ran into a few tyre problems and I figured that I would just ride as hard as I could and, with the pace Mat was going, maybe he’d run into a problem. I couldn’t see him going that fast and not having a problem, but he didn’t. We didn’t make any big mistakes – we just didn’t have the speed today – but I rode as hard as I could and that’s all I could do. The Suzuki worked pretty good and we’re just going to go to Laguna now and go for the win. Laguna’s been a good track to us in the past so hopefully we’ll get it done there. It should be a good last race.” Tommy Hayden: “I felt all right today but not as good as yesterday. We made some changes to the Suzuki from yesterday and we went the wrong way. We had a good bike yesterday but just a small problem. We tried to fix that – and we did – but we also created some other issues in doing that. It wasn’t what I’d hoped for. Now I’m just working with my crew to get ready for Laguna Seca and finish the season on a positive note.” All of Suzuki’s road race teams will return for the final round of the AMA Superbike Series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, the weekend of Sept. 15 – 16, 2007. AMA Superbike Top 10 Finishers: 1. Mat Mladin (Yoshimura Suzuki) 2. Ben Spies (Yoshimura Suzuki) 3. Jamie Hacking (Kawasaki) 4. Aaron Yates (Jordan Suzuki) 5. Roger Hayden (Kawasaki) 6. Jake Zemke (Honda) 7. Tommy Hayden (Yoshimura Suzuki) 8. James Ellison (Honda) 9. Jake Holden (Jordan Suzuki) 10. Eric Bostrom (Yamaha) AMA Superbike Points Standings: 1. Mladin 618, 2. Spies 615, 3. Zemke 441, 4. Yates 436, 5. Hayden 429, 6. Hacking 403, 7. Duhamel 360, 8. R. Hayden, 344, 9. Bostrom 336, 10. Disalvo 335. More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki: MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS SUZUKI FOURTH IN CHAMPIONSHIP Yates Earns Two Fourth Place Finishes at Road Atlanta Braselton, GA (September 2, 2007) Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Aaron Yates earns a pair of fourth place finishes in the Suzuki Superbike Showdown doubleheader at Road Atlanta. In the weekend’s abbreviated qualifying session, Yates qualified his Suzuki GSX-R1000 with a time of 1:22.520 earning a second row start from seventh place. In Saturday’s Superbike race, Yates ran solidly in third place for 12 of the 22 laps before being passed on lap 21. In Sunday’s 20 lap Superbike event, Yates made a strong charge to the front decreasing his times for six consecutive laps earning a fast time of 1:22.001. Yates who earned valuable points this weekend moves into fourth in the overall AMA Superbike championship points and is only five points from third place. Friday’s qualifying session, yielded Jake Holden an eleventh place start from the third row for both Superbike races. The ‘young gun,’ who competes in the Superbike class on a Superstock spec motorcycle, made a powerful showing this weekend earning two-ninth place finishes. Holden is 14th in the championship. Teammates Yates and Holden who also competed in Sunday’s Superstock event started side-by-side from the second row in sixth and seventh places respectively. Holden earned a fourth place finish in the 15 lap event solidifying ninth place in the Superstock championship points. Yates who got an excellent start quickly moved into third place on lap two, took second position on lap nine. And on lap 11 it appeared that Yates was gaining ground on the leader and fellow Suzuki rider Ben Spies, but Yates encountered lap traffic which he was unable to get around. Yates quickly gathered up his motorcycle and finished the event in 14th place. “He [Spies] was right there, right in front of me and I didn’t want him to get away…I guess I should have waited, but we’re racing out here not waiting,” said Yates. Yates remains third in the overall championship points. Jordan Suzuki riders and crew will visit Monterey, California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca September 14-16 for the 2007 AMA Championship season finale. For more information on the Jordan Suzuki team, visit the race team website at www.23race.com More, from a press release issued on the behalf of Dunlop: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires Race Report: 2007 AMA Superbike Series, Round 10, Road Atlanta Braselton, Ga.–Road Atlanta was the setting for the penultimate round of the 2007 AMA Superbike Series, August 31-September 2, and high drama played out in each of the weekend’s five races. Yoshimura Suzuki’s six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin swept both Superbike competitions to notch his 62nd and 63rd career victories and, most importantly, take over the series lead from teammate and defending champion Ben Spies. Spies, meanwhile, earned his third AMA championship with his Superstock class win. Not to be outdone, Erion Racing Honda’s Josh Hayes won the Formula Xtreme race and in so doing took his second consecutive class title and third AMA ring. Then Hayes went out and won the Supersport race, giving him his second double-race win performance in as many weeks. Road Atlanta’s famed 12-turn, 2.54-mile racing surface was completely repaved early in the year. After a number of two- and four-wheeled racing events, the well-seasoned surface supplied substantial grip for the AMA’s racers and their Superbike, Superstock, Supersport and Formula Xtreme machines. Already known as a “right-hand” circuit that generates significant heat in the right side of the rear tire, the new surface places tremendous demands on tires. To offer the factory teams and support riders as many options as possible, Dunlop brought approximately 2100 tires for the weekend, including the latest generation of N-Tec multi-compound rear tires and a next-generation multi-compound front tire design with improved feel. When the last bike of the last race had crossed the finish line, Dunlop riders had collected 13 of the 15 available podium positions and 76 percent (38 of 50) of the top-10 finishing positions. All weekend long lap records fell. Spies’ Superbike qualifying time of 1: 20.454 was more than 1.2 seconds quicker than the previous record set by Mladin in 2005. Hayes qualifying time of 1:24.278 in Formula Xtreme bettered his own record set last year and Roger Hayden knocked more than a half-second off his 2005 Supersport qualifying record, 1:25.248 versus 1:25.775–then turned an even faster race lap of 1:24.976. Though Jason Disalvo’s 2005 Superstock qualifying record of 1:22.923 was safe for another year, Spies unofficially topped it in Sunday’s morning’s 70-degree practice session when he clocked a 1:22.482. Superbike Race One A rainy Friday night left the track damp on Saturday morning with water pumping up through cracks in the surface of infamous turn 12. The revised AMA schedule combined practice and qualifying for Superstock and Supersport and eliminated the second Superbike qualifying round, cementing Spies provisional pole position set on Friday. When the race flagged off, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Spies took the lead going into turn one and held it for two laps before teammate Mladin slipped by on lap three. The duo were already well ahead of the rest of the pack when Spies, hot on Mladin’s heals, clipped the turn-four curb on lap six and tumbled. With the rider and bike down on the edge of the track, a red flag stopped the race. Spies recovered but AMA rules required that he restart from the back row. The second start saw Mladin rocket away on his GSX-R1000. Spies marched through the field and moved into second place after just four laps but the outcome was sealed as Mladin pulled away en route to his 11th win of the season, tying his own record set in 2005. “I told Ben we’re not good for each other’s health,” joked Mladin from the podium. “Both of us have had our fair share of falling down. With a couple more races to go, hopefully we can keep it together.” In the press conference he added, “It was a good race for us today, it was good to get the win and have 11 wins for the year. It’s been a pretty good season so far.” The victory allowed Mladin to close to within two points of Spies in the championship hunt. Following Spies across the line was Kawasaki Road Racing’s Jamie Hacking, his fourth podium in Kawasaki’s first season back in Superbike competition. Dunlop notched every one of the top 10 finishing positions. AMA Superbike 22 Laps (shortened from 28 by a red flag) Superbike Race One results, Saturday, September 1: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Mat Mladin – Suzuki 2. Ben Spies – Suzuki 3. Jamie Hacking – Kawasaki 4. Aaron Yates – Suzuki 5. Jake Zemke – Honda 6. Roger Hayden – Kawasaki 7. Matt Lynn – MV 9. Luca Scassa – MV 8. Jake Holden – Suzuki 10. Tommy Hayden – Suzuki Formula Xtreme Race After dominating the Formula Xtreme Series all year, Erion Racing Honda’s Hayes came to the starting line of the ninth round needing only to finish 20thth or better (after taking the point for pole) to seal his second consecutive class title. But in typical fashion, he charged to the front of the pack on his CBR600RR and led from flag-to-flag (including a second-lap red flag and restart), collecting his seventh victory of the season and the AMA’s first series title in 2007. “I figure I want to keep it as long as I can,” said Hayes. “Dunlop’s does an awesome job for us”¦ I am excited for the crew, who worked hard all year.” In the post-race press conference he added, “It’s a testament to the motorcycle. My team made my job extremely hard because they gave me such a good motorcycle that if we don’t win, it’s 100 percent my fault”¦ I rode with all my heart in every race.” Finishing second was Attack Kawasaki’s Ben Attard, followed by Boulder Motorsports Ducati’s Marty Craggill with his second consecutive podium. Hayes third AMA championship follows his Formula Xtreme title last year and a Superstock championship in 2003. In all, Dunlop placed six riders in the top 10. AMA Formula Xtreme 13 Laps (shortened from 15 by a red flag) Formula Xtreme results, Saturday, September 1: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Josh Hayes – Honda 3. Marty Craggill – Ducati 6. Chaz Davies – Yamaha 7. Larry Pegram – Ducati 8. Ryan Andrews – Honda 9. Ryan Elleby – Honda Formula Xtreme Championship Points after 9 of 10 races: Top three riders 1. Hayes 324 (Champion) 2. Rapp – 250 3. Pegram 212 Superstock Race Yoshimura Suzuki’s Spies ran a masterful race on Sunday aboard his GSX-R1000 to wrap up the Superstock championship with one race to go. From the pole position he led every lap, though he was kept honest by Graves Motorsports Yamaha’s Ben Bostrom and then by Jordan Suzuki’s Aaron Yates. Yates’ crash on the last lap handed second place back to Bostrom, who trailed Spies over the line by just over three seconds. M4 Emgo Suzuki’s Geoff May was third. “I wanted the title but I wanted the win pretty bad too,” said Spies, who only needed to finish sixth to take the championship. “We just tried to make no mistakes and get it done today and it was good enough to get it today.” Spies’ latest title gives him three career AMA rings, the first coming in the 2003 Formula Xtreme Series and the second being his 2006 Superbike crown. Six of the top 10 finishers were on Dunlop tires. AMA Superstock 15 Laps Superstock results, Sunday, September 2: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Ben Spies – Suzuki 2. Ben Bostrom – Yamaha 4. Jake Holden – Suzuki 5. Jamie Stauffer – Yamaha 6. Blake Young – Suzuki 9. David Weber – Suzuki Superstock Championship Points after 8 of 9 races: Top three riders 1. Spies 292 (Champion) 2. Bostrom -235 3. Yates – 219 Supersport Race The most exciting action of the weekend took place in the 600-class Supersport race as Erion Racing Honda’s Josh Hayes, winner of three races this season, swapped places lap-after-lap with Kawasaki Road Racing’s Jamie Hacking, the series’ defending champ. Never more than a second back was M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas, who was closely trailed by the current series leader, Kawasaki’s Roger Hayden. Though the lap chart showed Hayes leading all but four of the 15 laps on his CBR600RR, Hacking challenged Hayes all the way to the next-to-last lap. Then Hayes built a small gap in lapped traffic and was able to take the win by just over a second. Hacking was next and then teammate Roger Hayden snuck ahead of Cardenas to nab the final podium slot. “There were some pretty dodgy passes in there from time to time but my Honda was so good,” said Hayes on the podium. “I was really having a good time racing Jamie,” he added in the press conference. “The tires were fantastic, we did a good race prep this morning and we knew what we could do”¦ This was so much fun, another double.” Dunlop riders were six out of 10 in the finishing order. As the series heads to Laguna Seca for the final race, only 11 points separate Hayden, Hacking and Hayes. AMA Supersport 15 Laps Supersport results, Sunday, September 2: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Josh Hayes – Honda 2. Jamie Hacking – Kawasaki 3. Roger Hayden – Kawasaki 5. Josh Herrin – Yamaha 6. Blake Young – Suzuki 8. Chris Peris – Yamaha Supersport Championship Points after 9 of 10 races: Top three riders 1. R. Hayden – 271 2. J. Hacking – 262 3. Hayes – 260 Superbike Race Two Following the first Superbike race on Saturday, concern for tire wear and rider safety led Dunlop to request the AMA to shorten the race distance of Superbike race two from 25 to 20 laps. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin rode an exemplary race, leading from the beginning and building a substantial lead over teammate Spies. By the time Mladin had crossed the finish line on his GSX-R1000 with a 6.794 second winning margin, he had established more records: the most Superbike wins in a season (12) and the most Superbike wins ever (63). His sixth win in a row also tied Spies and Honda Racing’s Miguel Duhamel for most consecutive Superbike wins. Most significantly it gave him a three point lead over Spies in the series and set up a showdown at the final round at Laguna Seca. “It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure,” said Mladin from the podium. “I decided if we were going to have some issues in the race, I wanted at least to have some type of lead and I could maybe manage it. So we pushed as hard as we could and brought it all the way home.” In the press conference he told the media, “It’s nice to get the bike working so well that we can pull away a little bit when we need to. Laguna Seca is going to be a good race and I’m looking forward to it.” As on Saturday, Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking was third, his fifth podium off the season and fourth in the last five races. The first 12 riders across the finish line rode on Dunlops. AMA Superbike 20 Laps (shortened from 25) Superbike Race Two results, Sunday, September 2: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Mat Mladin – Suzuki 2. Ben Spies – Suzuki 3. Jamie Hacking – Kawasaki 4. Aaron Yates – Suzuki 5. Roger Hayden – Kawasaki 6. Jake Zemke – Honda 7. Tommy Hayden – Suzuki 8. James Ellison – Honda 9. Jake Holden – Suzuki 10. Eric Bostrom – Yamaha Superbike Championship Points after 18 of 19 races: Top three riders 1. Mladin – 618 2. Spies – 615 3. Zemke – 441 The next stop for Dunlop and the final round of the 2007 AMA Superbike Series is Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, Ca., September 15-16.

Hayes Keeps AMA Supersport Championship Hopes Alive With Win Over Hacking, Roger Hayden At Road Atlanta

newspaper
-
0
Hayes Keeps AMA Supersport Championship Hopes Alive With Win Over Hacking, Roger Hayden At Road Atlanta

Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes tightened the Pro Honda Oils AMA Supersport Championship with a win on his Dunlop-shod CBR600RR Sunday at Road Atlanta. Hayes exchanged the lead with Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking, the defending Champion, for most of the race, while Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas pursued closely in third. Roger Hayden, Hacking’s teammate and the Championship point leader coming into the race, got off to a slow start but caught up to the lead trio in time for a wild last lap through lapped traffic. Hayes held on to take the win (his fourth of the season) over Hacking, while Hayden was able to sneak by Cardenas to score third. Hayes’ victory pulls him to eight points behind Hacking, who is second in the Championship standings, and 11 points behind Hayden. There is one race left in the Championship with a maximum of 38 points up for grabs. 2007 Pro Honda Oils AMA Supersport Championship Presented by Shoei Helmets Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia September 2, 2007 Provisional Race Results: 1. Josh Hayes (Hon CBR600RR), Dunlop, 15 laps 2. Jamie Hacking (Kaw ZX-6R), Dunlop, -1.020 seconds 3. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-6R), Dunlop, -1.164 seconds 4. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli, -1.297 seconds 5. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -8.015 seconds 6. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -8.158 seconds 7. Steve Rapp (Kaw ZX-6R), Pirelli, -8.330 seconds 8. Chris Peris (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -8.868 seconds 9. Cory West (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -11.971 seconds 10. Michael Beck (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli, -14.144 seconds 11. Ben Attard (Kaw ZX-6R), Pirelli, -20.003 seconds 12. Garrett Carter (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -21.612 seconds 13. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -24.105 seconds 14. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli, -24.195 seconds 15. Ryan Andrews (Hon CBR600RR), Dunlop, -26.627 seconds 16. Bobby Fong (Suz GSX-R600), Michelin, -28.669 seconds 17. David Anthony (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -34.537 seconds 18. Shea Fouchek (Hon CBR600RR), Dunlop, -37.344 seconds 19. Taylor Knapp (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -37.448 seconds 20. Fernando Amantini (Kaw ZX-6R), Dunlop, -48.658 seconds 21. Barrett Long (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -55.902 seconds 22. Hawk Mazzotta (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -56.947 seconds 23. Chris Siebenahaar (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -57.029 seconds 24. Scott Ryan (Suz GSX-R600), Michelin 25. Skip Salenius (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli 26. Jonathan Lawrence (Suz GSX-R600) 27. Danny Elsick (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -1 lap 28. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli, -1 lap 29. Eric Pinson (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 30. C.R. Gittere (Suz GSX-R600), Michelin, -1 lap 31. Reno Karimian (Suz GSX-R600), -1 lap 32. Chaz Davies (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -4 laps 33. Daniel Parkerson (Yam YZF-R6), -5 laps 34. Brian Gibbs (Suz GSX-R600), -6 laps 35. Chris Siglin (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -7 laps 36. Josh Day (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -8 laps 37. Ben Thompson (Hon CBR600RR), Dunlop, -9 laps 38. Ryan Clay (Yam YZF-R6), -9 laps 39. Aaron Bell (Suz GSX-R600), -11 laps 40. Nicky Moore (Kaw ZX-6R), Pirelli, -15 laps, DNF 41. Aaron Gobert (Hon CBR600RR), DNS 42. J.B. Layman (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, DNS Provisional 2007 AMA Supersport Championship Point Standings (after 10 of 11 events): 1. Roger Hayden, 271 points 2. Hacking, 262 points 3. Hayes, 260 points 4. Rapp, 226 points 5. Tommy Hayden, 193 points 6. Young, 187 points 7. May, 179 points 8. Herrin, 171 points 9. Attard, 151 points 10. Gobert, 150 points 11. Davies, 145 points 12. Eslick, 137 points 13. Andrews, 136 points 14. Cardenas, 131 points 15. West, 123 points 16. Elleby, 96 points 17. TIE, Beck/Fong, 90 points 19. Siglin, 87 points 20. Fouchek, 78 points

Updated: Spies Wins AMA Superstock Race, Championship As Mis-thrown Red Flag Creates Chaos At Road Atlanta

newspaper
-
0
Updated: Spies Wins AMA Superstock Race, Championship As Mis-thrown Red Flag Creates Chaos At Road Atlanta

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies won an action-packed AMA Superstock race at Road Atlanta, earning him the 2007 AMA Superstock Championship with one round still remaining. The race included Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Aaron Yates hitting a lapper and crashing while running second in the closing laps, an incident that was complicated when a cornerworker threw a red flag at the site of the crash. At least two riders, Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki’s Robertino Pietri and Evan Steel Performance’s Ben Thompson, pitted after seeing the red flag, then were forced to ride through pit lane at 50 mph before rejoining the race. Other riders slowed when they saw the red flag at the corner, then got back on the gas and continued after seeing that no red flag was displayed at the next corner. Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki’s Chris Ulrich lost three places in the final two laps when his GSX-R1000 slowed with a suspected fuel pump problem. 2007 AMA Superstock Championship Presented by Dynojet Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia September 2, 2007 Provisional Race Results: 1. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 15 laps 2. Ben Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -3.192 seconds 3. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -5.079 seconds 4. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -8.525 seconds 5. Jamie Stauffer (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -15.327 seconds 6. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -21.618 seconds 7. Gary Mason (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -30.239 seconds 8. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -38.639 seconds 9. David Weber (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -38.836 seconds 10. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -39.240 seconds 11. Andy Feuersthaler (suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -68.131 seconds 12. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -75.337 seconds, pitted 13. Ben Thompson (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -80.252 seconds, pitted 14. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, crash, pitted 15. Chad Lewin (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -1 lap, 6.142 seconds 16. Johnny Rock Page (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -1 lap, 16.050 seconds 17. Ivan Garza (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, 16.489 seconds 18. Joseph Dawson (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 16.595 seconds 19. Davie Stone (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 38.436 seconds 20. Santiago Villa (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -3 laps, DNF, crash 21. Danny Eslick (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -10 laps, DNF, crash 22. John Haner (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -14 laps, DNF, mechanical 2007 AMA Superstock Championship Point Standings (after 10 of 11 events): 1. Spies, 292 points* 2. Bostrom, 235 3. Yates, 219 4. May, 203 5. Jensen, 189 6. Ulrich, 181 7. Eslick, 175 8. Young, 169 9. Holden, 145 10. Pietri, 134 11. Weber, 117 12. Page, 107 13. Garza, 105 14. Chad Rolland, 67 15. Jason Curtis, 57 16. TIE, Haner/Villa, 55 18. Corey Sarros, 50 19. TIE, Martin Cardenas/David Loikits, 46 * Clinches Championship by virtue of having a 57-point lead with only a maximum of 38 points available to any single rider at the final round. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Yoshimura Suzuki’s Spies Wins AMA Superstock Title & Race at Road Atlanta M4 EMGO Suzuki’s May podiums at Road Atlanta Round 10 AMA Superstock Series Braselton, GA Road Atlanta Aug. 31 Sept. 2, 2007 Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies clinched the 2007 AMA Superstock Championship after winning the penultimate race of the season at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., on Sunday afternoon. With one round of AMA Superstock remaining, Spies and his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 went for the win even though he only had to finish in sixth place or better to take the title. With this win, Spies lays claim to seven of eight races so far this year. Additionally, defending AMA Superbike Champion Spies won pole position for this race, his sixth of the season. Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May finished in an impressive third place in the 15-lap AMA Superstock race. This is May’s fourth podium of the season in AMA Superstock. Ben Spies: “It was a good race for us today. I wanted to win the championship but I wanted to win the race pretty bad too. So I just tried to put in consistent lap times on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSXR1000. It’s great to win the Superstock championship for Suzuki. The Yoshimura Suzuki GSXR1000 is an amazing bike and has worked great at every track we’ve raced at this year. I want to thank Suzuki and my crew for working so hard for me all season long.” Geoff May: “The whole M4 EMGO Suzuki crew was great this weekend. They gave me a good bike to race in the Suzuki GSX-R1000 and the Pirelli tires held up great in the heat. We had a good, solid race but the guys in front were a little quicker than we were. Then Aaron (Yates) had some trouble with some lappers and gave me the podium spot. I’d rather not have gotten it that way, but we’ll take it and hopefully end the season strong at Laguna Seca.” All of Suzuki’s road race teams will return for the final round of the AMA Superbike Series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, the weekend of Sept. 15 – 16, 2007. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: Sunday’s Superstock race of the AMA Superbike series at Road Atlanta had M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May transform his fourth-place starting position into a podium finish, earning third on a set of Diablo Superbike Slicks controlling the power of his GSX-R1000. Brit racer Gary Mason rode his Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a seventh-place finish, despite the race’s unusual, temporary, regional red flag. Manson’s Teammate Chris Ulrich finished tenth after battling for seventh, due to a late-race fuel delivery problem. Pink was the color of Scott Jensen’s Team HALOF Suzuki, fashioned to promote the charity, Locks of Love (www.locksoflove.org). Team owner Rodney Rayborne took the initiative to contact this charity that provides hair pieces for children under the age of 18 who have suffered long-term medical hair loss, to ask if his team could help promote their cause. Jensen did Locks of Love and his team proud with an eighth-place finish in Superstock. The Supersport race was a mighty match of machines from flag to flag with M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas battling for the win with Josh Hayes and Jamie Hacking up to the last couple laps. In a last-lap, turn-ten pass for second place, Cardenas and Hacking bumped, causing Cardenas to lose speed and be overtaken by a charging Roger Hayden at the flag, missing the podium at the last moment. Cardenas set his fastest race lap on lap 14 of the 15-lap event, showing the consistency of Pirelli’s Diablo Supercorsa Dot racing tires. His fourth-place finish was .278 seconds from second place. Other Pirelli riders in the top fifteen in Supersport include Attack Kawasaki’s Steve Rapp who finished seventh on his ZX-6R, Cory West on his Chuck Giacchetto tuned Team Hunter Yamaha in ninth, and the ever-faster Michael Beck in tenth on his M4 EMGO Suzuki. Always Front-running Ben Attard, on the other Attack Kawasaki, was run off track early in the race and came back to finish 11th, while Vesrah Suzuki’s Lee Acree took 14th. Geoff May’s Superstock podium finish at Road Atlanta is Pirelli’s record-setting 19th podium for the 2007 AMA Superbike racing season. All of these podiums were won in Supersport, Superstock and Formula Xtreme, beginning with Pirelli’s podium sweep of the Daytona 200.

Roadracingworld.com Suzuki Two-seater Ride Featured In Atlanta Constitution Journal Online Video

newspaper
-
0
Roadracingworld.com Suzuki Two-seater Ride Featured In Atlanta Constitution Journal Online Video

On Thursday, August 30, Chris Ulrich gave Atlanta Journal Constitution Photo Editor David Tulis a 160-mph ride around Road Atlanta on his Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R1000 two-seat AMA Superstock racebike. Tulis turned his once-in-a-lifetime experience into a video segment, which he posted to his company’s website. The video can be viewed here: ~http://www.ajc.com/multimedia/content/multimedia/video/index.html?clip=28967~

Jacobsen Beats Turner, Iso In USGPRU 125cc Grand Prix At Road Atlanta

newspaper
-
0
Jacobsen Beats Turner, Iso In USGPRU 125cc Grand Prix At Road Atlanta

USGPRU 125cc Grand Prix Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia September 2, 2007 Provisional Race Results:

1. Patrick P.J. Jacobsen (Hon RS125), 8 laps 2. Kris Turner (Hon RS125), -0.930 second 3. Nobi Iso (Apr RS125R), -1.721 seconds 4. Royce McLean (Yam TZ125), -17.338 seconds 5. Lloyd Worrell (Hon RS125), -17.348 seconds 6. Melissa Paris (Hon RS125), -18.487 seconds 7. Toriano Wilson (Hon RS125), -18.695 seconds 8. Tyler Odom (Hon RS125), -19.533 seconds 9. Chase Vivion (Hon RS125), -32.526 seconds 10. Cassidy Heiser (Hon RS125), -32.586 seconds 11. Shannon Caisey (Hon RS125), -32.879 seconds 12. Hayden Gillim (Hon RS125), -33.115 seconds 13. Leon Cortes (Hon RS125), -33.263 seconds 14. John Hjelm (Hon RS125), -34.012 seconds 15. Kevin Murray (Yam TZ125), -52.220 seconds 16. Steve Scott (Yam TZ125), -53.037 seconds 17. Corey Rech (Hon RS125), -54.841 seconds 18. Merle Eschman (Hon RS125), -54.928 seconds 19. Brandon Warren (Hon RS125), -55.122 seconds 20. Conner Lafrance (Hon RS125), -55.409 seconds 21. Jake Morman (Hon RS125), -55.698 seconds 22. Tony Wang (Hon RS125), -68.143 seconds 23. Allen Campbell (Hon RS125), -68.826 seconds 24. Miles Thornton (Hon RS125), -81.281 seconds 25. Scott Thompson (Hon RS125), -81.875 seconds 26. Corey Alexander (Hon RS125), -88.003 seconds 27. Robert Terando (Hon RS125), -88.888 seconds 28. John Long (Yam TZ125), -88.977 seconds 29. Justin Long (Yam TZ125), -1 lap 30. Marcus Matthews (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 0.526 second 31. Scotty VanHatten (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 7.032 seconds 32. Duane Hixon (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 13.515 seconds 33. Adam Neese (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 46.036 seconds 34. Chris Terheyden (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 53.814 seconds 35. Antoine Richards (Hon RS125), -4 laps 36. Elena Myers (Hon RS125), -5 laps, DNF, mechanical, pitted 37. Steve Wenner (Hon RS125), -8 laps, DNF, crash 38. Barrett Long (Yam TZ125), -8 laps, DNF, mechanical 39. Steve Thompson (Hon RS125), DNF 40. Paul Hoyt Nelson (Hon RS125), DNS

HRC Celebrates 25 Years Of Racing

A QUARTER CENTURY OF ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE Racing has always been at the heart of Honda, indeed racing is Honda’s very DNA. From the very beginning company founder Soichiro Honda insisted that his engineers prove the company’s engineering capabilities and accelerate development by testing their creations in the white heat of competition. It has always been thus, from Honda’s very first Model A to the current RC212V MotoGP weapon. As current HRC president Masumi Hamane says: “A racing motorcycle is a rolling laboratory that provides us with live information and the racetrack is the stage where our dreams come true.” Initially, Honda’s racing efforts were run from within the Honda Motor Company, but in the early 1970s RSC (Racing Service Center) was established as a separate company to look after the company’s racing programme. On September 1 1982 the Honda Racing Corporation was founded, its mission the development, manufacture and sales of motorcycles and parts for racing. Since then HRC has become a byword for high-performance engineering excellence and winning performance. HRC: YEAR BY YEAR 1982 Honda Racing Corporation founded on September 1, replacing RSC (which was established as a separate entity from Honda Motor Co. Ltd in 1973) and the NR technology group. Legendary engineer Shoichiro Irimajiri is first HRC president. NS500 triple unleashed. Freddie Spencer wins Honda’s first two-stroke Grand Prix victory aboard the NS at July’s Belgium GP. Cyril Nevue wins Honda’s first Paris-Dakar victory. Eddy Lejeune wins first World Trials Championship with Honda RTL360. Shigeo Ijima, Shinji Hagiwara and CB900F win Suzuka Eight Hours (shortened to six hour due to typhoon) Pro-link rear suspension and cartridge fork developed in motocross. 1983 The wondrously talented Freddie Spencer wins Honda’s first 500 World Championship with the NS500, a beautifully balanced motorcycle that encapsulates HRC’s philosophy of creating machines that deliver all-round performance. ATAC exhaust system developed on NS500. King of the Roads Joey Dunlop wins Honda’s fourth title in the road-based TTF1 World Championship with the RS850R V4 four-stroke. Honda begins sales of RS500 GP production racer, based on NS500. Hiroyuki Yoshino replaces Irimajiri as HRC president. 1984 Honda debuts the awesomely fast single-crank V4 NSR500, with experimental underslung fuel tank, which an injury-hit Freddie Spencer takes to fourth place in the 500 World Championship. RS750R rams home Honda’s four-stroke genius with Gerard Coudray and Patrick Igoa winning World Endurance crown, Mike Baldwin and Fred Merkel taking Suzuka Eight Hours victory and Joey Dunlop the TTF1 crown. Andre Malherbe wins second 500 Motocross World Championship. Eddy Lejeune completes hat-trick of World Trials Championships. Ricky Graham wins Honda’s first US Grand National dirt track title. 1985 Freddie Spencer and Honda enjoy their greatest year together, taking a unique 250/500 World Championship double with the NSR500 and the new NSR250 V-twin. For good measure, Spencer wins Daytona 200 aboard a VF750F superbike. Stunning new RVF750 wins endurance crown with Gerard Coudray and Patrick Igoa, TTF1 title with Joey Dunlop and Suzuka Eight Hours with Wayne Gardner and Masaki Tokuno. Mike Baldwin and Honda win fourth US F1 title in a row. Britain’s Prince Charles and Princess Diana inspect HRC race bikes during official visit to newly built Honda Motor HQ in Aoyama, Tokyo. Isamu Goto appointed HRC president. 1986 The RVF750, now with single-sided swingarm, wins endurance world title with Patrick Igoa and Suzuka Eight Hours with Gardner and Dominique Sarron. VFR750 rider Fred Merkel completes hat-trick of US Superbike crowns. Briton David Thorpe wins his second consecutive 500 MX title, Honda monopolise championship top three. Tough Aussie Wayne Gardner takes the baton from injured Freddie Spencer and takes second place in the 500 World Championship with the NSR500. 1987 Honda two-stroke technology dominates GP racing, Wayne Gardner winning seven 500 GPs to take 500 title, German veteran Toni Mang winning the 250 crown with his NSR250. Computer-controlled variable exhaust valve developed. Hi-tech NR750 racer with oval pistons contests Le Mans 24 hours, scoring pole position. Up-and-coming Californian talent Wayne Rainey wins US Superbike crown and Daytona 200 with VFR750. Eric Geboers scores Honda’s first 250 MX world success. Dirt track legend Bubba Shobert completes hat-trick of US Grand National dirt track crowns, riding an RS750D. Takeo Fukui is new president of HRC. 1988 Honda returns to 125 GP racing with RS125, a low-cost two-stroke. Ezio Gianola wins two GPs on the RS and finishes second in 125 World Championship. Spanish hero Sito Pons wins the first of two successive 250 world titles with NSR250. HRC begins development of electronically controlled two-stroke fuel injection system. Big-talking American Fred Merkel takes inaugural World Superbike title aboard RC30, Honda’s hugely acclaimed V4 superbike. British privateer Carl Fogarty wins TTF1 crown on RC30. Wayne Gardner finishes a close runner-up in 500 GPs. Eric Geboers and Jean-Michel Bayle win MX title double with 500 and 125 successes. Katsumi Ichida appointed president. 1989 Master of smoothness Eddie Lawson joins Honda and carries off the 500 World Championship with his NSR500. Honda wins tenth 250 Constructors’ World Championship. Merkel, Fogarty and their RC30s repeat their World Superbike and TTF1 titles. Privateer John Ashmead wins Daytona 200 aboard an RC30. Frenchmen Dominique Sarron, Alex Vieira and RVF750 win Suzuka Eight Hours. Gilles Lalay proves Honda power in the most gruelling of conditions by winning Honda’s fourth consecutive Paris-Dakar race aboard his NXR750. Jean-Michel Bayle and David Thorpe win 250 and 500 MX titles. Takeo Fukui begins second term as HRC president. 1990 Seventeen-year-old debutant Loris Capirossi wins Honda’s first two-stroke 125 World Championship on an RS125R, the first of two back-to-back title successes for the little Italian. Alex Vieira, Jean-Michel Mattioli, Stephane Mertens and RVF750 win Honda’s sixth consecutive victory in the hugely popular Bol d’Or 24 hours. Eric Geboers wins his second 500 MX title with Honda. Jeff Stanton and CR250 win the second of their three US Supercross championships. Aussie veteran Malcolm Campbell wins his second consecutive Australian Superbike title aboard RC30. 1991 Luca Cadalora joins Honda and wins 250 world title on NSR250, Honda’s tenth 250 riders’ crown. Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan win Suzuka Eight Hours aboard RVF750. Honda two-stroke technology dominates the world of motocross and Supercross, George Jobe wins the 500 MX world title, American Trampas Parker wins the world 250 crown, Jean-Michel Bayle moves to the US and wins Supercross title with CR250 and US Motocross Championship with CR500. Miguel DuHamel and RC30 win Daytona 200. NR750 streetbike in production. 1992 HRC’s newest star Mick Doohan dominates 500 World Championship with new ‘big bang’ configuration NSR500 but loses title due to injury. Nevertheless Honda wins 500 Constructors’ World Championship. Italian Luca Cadalora wins second consecutive 250 World Championship. Australian GP riders Daryl Beattie, Wayne Gardner and RVF750 win Suzuka Eight Hours. Greg Albertyn takes the laurels in 125 MX with CR125. Takashi Shinozaki becomes president. 1993 Shinichi Itoh and fuel-injected NSR500 break the 200mph barrier at the German GP at Hockenheim. Diminutive German Dirk Raudies takes the 125 World Championship aboard his Honda RS125R. Ricky Graham wins US Grand National crown, 11 years after his first title success. CR250 dominates the motocross word with Greg Albertyn winning the 250 MX title, Doug Henry scoring the first of back-to-back US 250 MX championships and Jeremy McGrath taking out the 250 US Supercross series. 1994 Mick Doohan wins the first of five consecutive 500 World Championship with his NSR500, Honda also wins constructors’ title for seventh time. New Zealander Aaron Slight and American Doug Polen score Honda’s tenth Suzuka Eight Hours success, riding the new RC45 Superbike, the latest product of HRC V4 technology. Honda wins its tenth 125 Constructors’ World Championship. Swede Marcus Hansson wins 500 MX World Championship. Jeremy McGrath continues his domination of 250 US Supercross. Suguru Kanazawa appointed managing director of HRC. 1995 RC45 four-stroke scores more major international successes with Belgian Stephane Mertens and Frenchman Jean-Michel Mattioli winning the World Endurance Championship, Miguel Duhamel taking the US Superbike title and Aaron Slight and Tadayuki Okada winning the Suzuka Eight Hours race. Haruchika Aoki scores the first of back-to-back 125 World Championships aboard Honda RS125. Alessandro Puzar wins 125 MX crown. 1996 Mick Doohan, Alex Criville, Luca Cadalora, Alex Barros and the NSR500 take the top four places in 500 World Championship, the NSR500 wins 13 of 15 GPs. Haruchika Aoki scores second 125 title. Miguel Duhamel wins Daytona 200 on RC45. NSR500V twin, ridden by Tadayuki Okada, scores pole position on GP debut. Stefan Everts wins the first of two back-to-back 250 MX world prizes aboard CR250. Jeremy McGrath and CR250 win fourth US Supercross title in a row, taking Honda’s unique run of success to nine consecutive crowns. 1997 Mick Doohan wins fourth 500 title riding NSR500 with ‘screamer’ firing order. Honda machines monopolise top five places in series, Doohan, Tadayuki Okada, Nobuatsu Aoki and Alex Criville on NSR500s, Takuma Aoki is fifth on NSR500V twin. The NSR500 wins all 15 GPs, Honda wins tenth premier-class constructors’ World Championship. Max Biaggi joins Honda and wins 250 title on NSR250. Production version of NSR500V goes on sale. RC45 continues to dominate four-stroke racing, John Kocinski wins World Superbike crown, while Japanese stars Shinichi Itoh and Toru Ukawa win Suzuka Eight Hours. Stefan Everts retains 250 MX crown. 1998 Led once again by the mighty Mick Doohan, NSR500 riders dominate the 500 World Championship, taking the top five places in the points chase. HRC introduces new twin-crank NSR250 which Toru Ukawa rides to fourth place in 250 World Championship. More success for the RC45: Doug Polen and Christian Laveille win the world endurance prize, Shinichi Itoh and Toru Ukawa score second successive Suzuka Eight Hours and Ben Bostrom takes US Superbike crown. Yasuo Ikenoya takes over as new president of HRC. 1999 Quietly spoken Spaniard Alex Criville and his NSR500 wrap up Honda’s tenth riders’ 500 World Championship, following Mick Doohan’s exit from the sport due to injury. Emilio Alzamora and RS125R win 125 World Championship, Honda’s tenth 125 riders’ prize. Tadayuki Okada and Alex Barros win the Suzuka Eight Hours, Miguel Duhamel wins the Daytona on 200, all on the hugely successful RC45. 2000 Honda launches its first big twin supersport bike, the VTR1000, which Colin Edwards takes to a debut victory in the World Superbike Championship. The VTR1000SPW also wins the Suzuka Eight Hours with Toru Ukawa and Daijiro Kato. Premier-class debutant Valentino Rossi joins Honda and finishes second in the 500 World Championship aboard his NSR500. Frederic Bolley wins second consecutive 250 MX world title on CR250R. Dougie Lampkin wins the first of four back-to-back Trials World Championships. 2001 Valentino Rossi closes GP racing’s 500 era by winning the final 500 World Championship aboard his NSR500. The Italian superstar also wins Honda’s 500th GP victory at the Japanese Grand Prix and wins the Suzuka Eight Hours riding a VTR1000SPW with partner Colin Edwards. Major Japanese talent Daijiro Kato wins the 250 World Championship aboard a Honda NSR250. RC211V MotoGP machine seen in public for the first time at Motegi, ridden by Honda legends Mick Doohan and Freddie Spencer. 2002 Valentino Rossi wins inaugural MotoGP title aboard HRC’s acclaimed RC211V. Honda also takes Constructors’ World Championship by a large margin. The V5 – which takes motorcycle racing technology to a whole new level – wins all but two of the 16 GPs. Colin Edwards wins his second World Superbike Championship aboard the VTR1000SPW and backs that up with another Suzuka Eight Hours success, riding a VTR with Daijiro Kato. In the United States up-and-coming talent Nicky Hayden takes the US Superbike crown and Daytona 200 victory on a VTR. Frenchman Fabien Foret scores Honda’s first World Supersport title riding a CBR600R. Suguru Kanazawa appointed HRC president. 2003 The RC211V once again dominates the MotoGP World Championship, winning 15 of 16 races. Valentino Rossi wins the riders’ title ahead of fellow RC211V riders Sete Gibernau and Max Biaggi. RC211V equipped with rotary steering damper. Dani Pedrosa wins his first world title in the 125 class, aboard RS125R. The new CBR600RR, packed with HRC-derived MotoGP technology, wins the World Supersport title with Chris Vermeulen. Miguel Duhamel wins Daytona 200. Yukio Nukumi and Manabu Kamada give the VTR1000SPW its fourth consecutive Suzuka Eight Hours victory. Ricky Carmichael wins second consecutive US Supercross crown on CR250. 2004 Honda completes hat-trick of MotoGP Constructors World Championship with the RC211V, now equipped with Intelligent Throttle Control system. Dani Pedrosa wins 250 World Championship at his first attempt, with RS250RW. Italian youngster Andrea Dovizioso takes 125 crown on RS125R. Toru Ukawa/Hitoyasu Izutsu give the inline four CBR1000RR Fireblade its first Suzuka Eight Hours success. Aussie Karl Muggeridge wins Supersport world title on CBR600RR. Takahisa Fujinami wins Trials World Championships. Satoru Horiike appointed managing director of HRC. 2005 Dani Pedrosa wins second consecutive 250 World Championship, which gives Honda its 15th 250 riders’ crown and 19th 250 constructors’ title. Swiss Thomas Luthi takes 125 World Championship aboard RS125R. Toru Ukawa and Ryuichi Kiyonari win Honda’s 20th Suzuka Eight Hours victory on a CBR1000RR. CBR600RR continues to dominate middleweight supersport racing, Sebastien Charpentier taking the Supersport world title and Miguel Duhamel winning Honda’s tenth Daytona 200 success. 2006 Nicky Hayden wins the final 990cc MotoGP title, riding new generation RC211V using lighter, more powerful V5 engine. The Kentucky Kid also wins Honda’s 200th premier-class victory at the Dutch TT. This is Honda’s 14th premier-class riders’ title and 17th constructors’ crown. During MotoGP’s four-year 990cc era the V5 won an astonishing 58 per cent of the races. At the Sachsenring Yukio Takahashi secures double century 250cc class victories. Another great year for the CBR600RR, Sebastien Charpentier takes second successive Supersport world title and Jake Zemke wins Daytona 200. Takeshi Tsujimura and Shinichi Itoh win Honda’s tenth Suzuka Eight Hours win in a row, riding CBR1000RR. 2007 New MotoGP technical rules reduce engine capacity to 800cc. HRC introduce the RC212V 800cc four-stroke V4. Masumi Hamane appointed president of HRC.

Crevier Wins Race, Szoke Wins Parts Canada Superbike Championship At Shannonville

SHANNONVILLE, Ont. – Brantford, Ont.’s Jordan Szoke clinched his second straight Parts Canada Superbike Championship with a fourth place finish on his Kawasaki ZX-10R in the final round at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday. Although his closest challenger for the title, Steve Crevier scored his third straight victory of the season, the Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory rider still ended the season with 298 points compared to Crevier’s 290. Crevier led all 20 laps of the season finale on his Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Yamaha YZF-R1 to claim his all-time leading 26th career national Superbike victory. He finished 3.510 seconds ahead of Szoke’s rookie teammate Brett McCormick on another Kawasaki ZX-10R. Kevin Lacombe completed the podium riding the Team Toyota Yamaha / Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1. “The past two years have been phenomenal,” said the 28-year-old Szoke, who became just the second rider to win four Canadian Superbike championships. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world to defend a number one plate. Winning it is nice, but defending it is even better.” Szoke picked up $15,000 from the $75,000 Parts Canada prize fund and was presented with the Canada Cup on the podium. From third on the grid Crevier launched into the lead off the line and initially led a four-rider scrap at the front consisting of Lacombe, Matt McBride on the Riders Choice Suzuki GSX-R1000 and McCormick. Lacombe started dropping back just after half distance, however, as he battled handling problems and Crevier was able to ease away. The Maple Ridge, B.C. rider set the race’s fastest lap at one minute, 5.002 seconds around the 2.45km track. “Jordan had a really good year, he rode like a veteran today,” said the 42-year-old Crevier, who was bidding for a record seventh Canadian Superbike title. “We learned a lot this year and we got faster and faster as the season went along.” Szoke entered the race needing to finish seventh or better to be assured of the championship. He settled into fifth place in the early laps and then moved up to fourth when McBride crashed out three laps from the end. After qualifying second McCormick made a poor start and was fifth at the end of the first lap. But the 16-year-old Saskatoon native worked his way up to battle Lacombe for second in the final 10 laps of the race. Lacombe passed McCormick on the penultimate lap but the Kawasaki rider got back around the Granby, Que. racer on the final tour. “I wish I could have had a better start and given Steve a run for his money,” McCormick said. “But I worked my way through, conserved a little in the last few laps then laid down a quick last lap.” McCormick was presented with a $5,000 cheque from Parts Canada for winning the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year Award. Cochrane, Alta.’s Clint McBain finished fifth on the Suzuki Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 after running right behind Szoke all the way. McBain had a shot at the championship but instead settled for third with 254 points. Lacombe ended the season fourth with 247 points. Francis Martin of Sherbrooke, Que. placed sixth in the race on the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Performance Suzuki GSX-R1000, right behind McBain and just in front of the ProStar Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Vaughan, Ont.’s Frank Trombino. In other action at Shannonville, Szoke won his second straight Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship in impressive style by outduelling Crevier for the win in the 18-lap race. As in the Superbike class, Crevier was Szoke’s closest title challenger and started from pole position on his Yamaha YZF-R6. Szoke beat him off the line but Crevier took the lead on lap 2 and stayed in front until two laps from the end, when Szoke regained the lead in turn 2. The Kawasaki ZX-6R finished 0.119 secs. ahead of Crevier, with McCormick a close third on another Kawasaki. “Steve got by me earlier than I expected but I just glued myself to him,” Szoke said. “It was tough to stay back there and not go for it, but he left the door open near the end there and I thought I should go for it in case things got crazy behind me.” Szoke ended the season with 311 points to Crevier’s 287.Crevier’s Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company crew, led by Scott Miller, was named winner of the Inside Motorcycle Team of the Year Award. Paul Glenn of Keene, Ont. won the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike title at Shannonville with a third place finish on his Suzuki GSX-R600. Pedro Sousa of Mississauga, Ont. earned his first career national victory in the 14-lap race after taking the lead from Glenn two laps from the finish. Riding a Yamaha YZF-R6, Sousa finished 0.830 secs. ahead of Lachine, Que.’s Catherine Nadeau, who was also on a Yamaha. Glenn’s closest championship challenger, Oak Lake, Man.’s Israel Johnas placed ninth on a Kawasaki ZX-6R and settled for second in the final standings with 207 points to Glenn’s 239. Toronto’s Michael Taylor won the Thunder twins title with his fourth victory of the year aboard the BMW Motorrad Canada BMW R1200S. The former two-time Superbike champion took the lead from New Smyrna, Fla.’s Dave Estok on lap 10 of the 14-lap race and led home the Ruthless Racing Buell rider by 0.888 secs. Calgary’s Chad Pasowisty was third on a Ducati Canada Ducati PS1000LE. Michael Leon of Beaconsfield, Que. entered the race leading Taylor by one point in the standings but could only manage a sixth place race finish on his Laval Harley-Davidson Buell XB12R. Taylor ended the season with 293 points to Leon’s 269. Montreal rider Martin Grande won the Suzuki SV650 National Cup Championship with a runner-up finish at Shannonville. Brantford, Ont.’s Robert Busby took the race win, 6.179 secs. ahead of Grande, while Derek Vammus of Orangeville, Ont. finished third in the 14-lap race. Grande ended the season with 323 points to Vammus’s 285. Action from this weekend can be seen on TSN HD and TSN in two one-hour programs later this year. Coverage from the Pro 600 Sport Bike and Thunder classes will air on Tuesday, Oct. 23 starting at 12:30pm, and Superbike and Amateur 600 Sport Bike racing will be shown a week later on Oct. 30 beginning at 2:00pm. The 2007 Parts Canada Superbike Championship will make its debut on TSN HD and TSN with coverage of round 1 from Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant on Tuesday, Sept. 11 starting at 2:30pm. The series will also be available on RDS. Please check local listings for broadcast details. For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com Results of Sunday’s seventh round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park in Shannonville, Ont., showing finishing position, rider name, hometown, type of motorcycle and laps completed: 1. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, B.C., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 2. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20; 3. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, Que., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 4. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20; 5. Clint McBain, Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 6. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 7. Frank Trombino, Vaughan, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 8. Andrew Nelson, Nepean, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 9. Pascal Picotte, Granby, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 10. Jean-Paul Tache, North Bay, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 11. Csaba Werner, North York, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 12. Larry Orde, Peterborough, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20; 13. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 14. Zenon Nelson, Bowmanville, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R600, 20; 15. Dave Young, Woodstock, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20; 16. Sean Heydorn, Stouffville, Ont., Honda CBR600RR, 19; 17. Junior Dallaire, Drummondville, Que., Suzuki GSX-R600, 19; 18. Mark MacDonald, Sydney, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 18; 19. Terry Steeves, Dartmouth, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 18 Did Not Finish Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 17; Yoshi Hamaguchi, Toronto, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6, 12 Did Not Start Karl Daigle, Granby, Que., Honda CBR600RR; Alain Campagna, Mascouche, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6; Jeremy Stepper, Calgary, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000; Craig Atkinson, Toronto, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6; Louie Raffa, St-Marthe, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6; Andrew Dunlap, Truro, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-6RR; Alain Larouche, St-Bruno, Que. Honda CBR600RR; Stephane Chabot, Oshawa, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6; Tony Kasper, Becker, Minn., Suzuki GSX-R600 Average Speed: 82.03 mph Margin of Victory: 3.510 secs. Fastest Lap: 1:05.002 by Steve Crevier Parts Canada Superbike Championship final point standings following the final round at Shannonville Motorsport Park in Shannonville, Ont. Sunday, showing position, rider name and point total: 1. Jordan Szoke, 298; 2. Steve Crevier, 290; 3. Clint McBain, 254; 4. Kevin Lacombe, 247; 5. Brett McCormick, 224; 6. Francis Martin, 164; 7. Andrew Nelson, 161; 8. Pascal Picotte, 148; 9. Jean-Paul Tache, 133; 10. Frank Trombino, 125; 11. Ross Millson, 81; 12. Erick Beausejour, 63; 13. Sean Heydorn, 60; 14. Matthew McBride, 53; 15. Csaba Werner, 50; 16. Dave Young, 45; 17. Terry Steeves, 41; 18. Dany Jourdain, 37; 19. Dave Stokowski, 30; 20. tie Larry Orde, 25; 20. tie Adam Roberts, 25; 20. tie Andrew Dunlap, 25; 23. Jeremy Burgess, 23; 24. tie Franklyn Dominguez, 20; 24. tie Zeon Nelson, 20; 26. Yoshi Hamaguchi, 17; 27. Matthew Cooper, 15; 28. tie Jeremy Stepper, 13; 28. tie Bill Clark, 13; 30. Chris Murray-Audain, 12; 31 tie. Steve Bourdeau, 8; 31 tie. Karl Meema, 8; 31 tie. Alain Campagna, 8; 34. tie Rick Langille, 6; 34. tie Junior Dallaire, 6; 36. tie Cory Canfield, 4; 36. tie Mark MacDonald, 4; 38. Gene McKay, 2

Mladin-autographed Cover Enlargements Being Auctioned On eBay To Benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund

Four posterboard enlargements/reproductions of Roadracing World magazine’s July 2007 cover prominently autographed by six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin, who is pictured on the cover, are being auctioned off individually on eBay (www.ebay.com) to benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund (~http://actionfund.roadracingworld.com/~). The covers (eBay item number: 120156685872) measure 30 x 24 inches and are approximately 3/8 inch thick. In baseball card grading terms, the covers are in “Excellent” condition due to some of their corners being slightly dinged. All four are in equal condition. Posterboard enlargements/reproductions like these are normally used by Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. for promotional displays or gifts, but these four are being auctioned off to benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization with a mission of preventing racetrack injuries by promoting motorcycle safety and advocating the use of soft barrier technology. Since its start in April 2001, the Roadracing World Action Fund has raised over $523,000, through private and corporate donations and through auctions such as these, to deploy dozens of soft barriers to racetracks and racing organizations around the country, saving numerous racers and trackday riders from serious injuries or worse. The auction (~http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120156685872&ssPageName=STRK:MESC:IT&ih=002~) is set to run from 1:00 p.m. Eastern/10:00 a.m. Pacific Time Sunday, September 2 and end at the same time Sunday, September 9. Questions should be submitted through the auction itself and not through the Roadracing World offices.

Recent Birth

CCS/ASRA official Samantha Sberna (daughter of ASRA Road Race Referee Philip Sberna) and Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki engine builder Jesse Daugherty had a daughter, Lainey May Daugherty, August 31 in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Ducati North America Announces Winners Of Round Four Of Superbike Concorso, At Road Atlanta

The Ducati Superbike Concorso concluded its regional rounds at Road Atlanta. Braselton, Georgia (September 2, 2007) Ducati North America announces today the winners of the fourth round of the Superbike Concorso, a celebration of Ducati Superbikes, which was held during the AMA Superbike race weekend at Road Atlanta. Road Atlanta made for the most difficult judging yet. Some true rarities competed in this round of the competition, and visitors to the Concorso display were not disappointed. In the closest race yet, the People’s Choice award went to Mike Cecchini by a 2 vote margin. Fred Jennings was awarded Best Original Superbike for his 1999 748 Monoposto, which looks as if it left the showroom yesterday. The award for the “Best Modified” category went to Jack Newell’s 2005 999R, a true “sleeper” with serious modifications under its factory red paint. As racecaster Ralph Sheheen wrapped up the awards ceremony, the “Best in Show” award went to Mr. Bill Swenson, who brought his exceptionally prepared 1975 900 Super Sport – a model so rare that few of the esteemed Concorso judges had ever seen one in person. The competition was so stiff at Road Atlanta that after a “run off” where each bike was started for the judges, the last two wildcard entries for the grand finale were awarded. Mike Checchini’s 750 Sport Desmo- a heavily modified Café Racer- was too good to let go, and will be at Laguna Seca. Peter Calles will also be there, with his immaculate 1973 750 Sport- the bike that inspired the new Ducati Sport 1000. The next round of the Superbike Concorso will be the grand finale, where all the regional winners will go head to head against each other for a new 1098 The Grand Finale will take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, September 16, 2007. Full contest details and additional information can be found at www.ducatisuperbikeconcorso.com.

Updated: Mladin Takes AMA Superbike Championship Lead With Win Sunday At Road Atlanta

Six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin won his sixth straight AMA Superbike race, his 12th race of the season and the 63rd race (the most all-time) of his career Sunday at Road Atlanta. More importantly, however, Mladin’s convincing victory over his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate and rival Ben Spies allowed the Australian to retake the AMA Superbike Championship point lead heading into the final round of the season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Spies’ lonely second-place finish Sunday dropped him to second in the point standings, only three points behind Mladin, turning the season finale into essentially a winner-take-all affair between Mladin and Spies for the 2007 Championship. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking repeated his third-place finish from Saturday and took his fourth podium finish in his last five races Sunday at Road Atlanta. Sunday’s AMA Superbike race at Road Atlanta was shortened from 25 to 20 laps at the request of Dunlop (the tire supplier for the majority of riders in the class) over concerns with the safety of their tires. 2007 AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia September 2, 2007 Provisional Race Results: 1. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 20 laps 2. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -6.794 seconds 3. Jamie Hacking (Kaw ZX-10R), Dunlop, -20.134 seconds 4. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -30.119 seconds 5. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), Dunlop, -31.690 seconds 6. Jake Zemke (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, -31.807 seconds 7. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -38.730 seconds 8. James Ellison (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, -42.819 seconds 9. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -53.084 seconds* 10. Eric Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -58.975 seconds 11. Matt Lynn (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), Dunlop, -63.186 seconds 12. Luca Scassa (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), Dunlop, -73.275 seconds 13. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -1 lap* 14. Ben Thompson (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, 0.337 second 15. David Weber (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, 20.524 seconds* 16. Dean Mizdal (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, 28.356 seconds 17. Keith Marshall (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -1 lap, 28.485 seconds 18. Scott Carpenter (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -1 lap, 52.682 seconds 19. Dominic Jones (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 55.056 seconds 20. Jason DiSalvo (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -7 laps, DNF 21. Ivan Garza (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -11 laps, DNF 22. John Haner (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -17 laps, DNF* * known to be on a Superstock-spec motorcycle Provisional 2007 AMA Superbike Championship Point Standings (after 17 of 19 races): 1. Mladin, 618 points 2. Spies, 615 3. Zemke, 441 4. Yates, 436 5. Tommy Hayden, 429 6. Hacking, 403 7. Miguel Duhamel, 360 8. Roger Hayden, 344 9. Bostrom, 336 10. DiSalvo, 335 11. Ellison, 300 12. Jensen, 274 13. Scassa, 262 14. Holden, 245 15. Lynn, 241 16. Weber, 233 17. Jones, 219 18. Mizdal, 216 19. John Haner, 166 20. Doug Chandler, 93 More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin broke his own record for the most AMA Superbike wins in a single season by picking up his 12th victory at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia on Sunday. It was Mladin’s sixth AMA Superbike race win in a row as well as his 63rd career victory in the class which gave the six-time AMA Superbike Champion command of the AMA Superbike points chase going into the series’ final round at Laguna Seca later this month. Team mate and defending AMA Superbike Champion Ben Spies followed Mladin home in second place while Tommy Hayden finished in seventh place. Sunday’s 20-lap race was the second of two AMA Superbike races in this weekend’s double-header event. Mat Mladin: “Our goal this year was to try and win as many races on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 as possible. With some bad starts and a couple of crashes we’ve given away a few. But we’re in a good position and it’s nice to win and it’s nice to get the Suzuki working so well that we can pull away a little bit when we need to. Laguna Seca is going to be a good race and we’re looking forward to it.” Ben Spies: “We had a pretty good race; I rode as hard as I could the whole time. We ran into a few tyre problems and I figured that I would just ride as hard as I could and, with the pace Mat was going, maybe he’d run into a problem. I couldn’t see him going that fast and not having a problem, but he didn’t. We didn’t make any big mistakes – we just didn’t have the speed today – but I rode as hard as I could and that’s all I could do. The Suzuki worked pretty good and we’re just going to go to Laguna now and go for the win. Laguna’s been a good track to us in the past so hopefully we’ll get it done there. It should be a good last race.” Tommy Hayden: “I felt all right today but not as good as yesterday. We made some changes to the Suzuki from yesterday and we went the wrong way. We had a good bike yesterday but just a small problem. We tried to fix that – and we did – but we also created some other issues in doing that. It wasn’t what I’d hoped for. Now I’m just working with my crew to get ready for Laguna Seca and finish the season on a positive note.” All of Suzuki’s road race teams will return for the final round of the AMA Superbike Series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, the weekend of Sept. 15 – 16, 2007. AMA Superbike Top 10 Finishers: 1. Mat Mladin (Yoshimura Suzuki) 2. Ben Spies (Yoshimura Suzuki) 3. Jamie Hacking (Kawasaki) 4. Aaron Yates (Jordan Suzuki) 5. Roger Hayden (Kawasaki) 6. Jake Zemke (Honda) 7. Tommy Hayden (Yoshimura Suzuki) 8. James Ellison (Honda) 9. Jake Holden (Jordan Suzuki) 10. Eric Bostrom (Yamaha) AMA Superbike Points Standings: 1. Mladin 618, 2. Spies 615, 3. Zemke 441, 4. Yates 436, 5. Hayden 429, 6. Hacking 403, 7. Duhamel 360, 8. R. Hayden, 344, 9. Bostrom 336, 10. Disalvo 335. More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki: MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS SUZUKI FOURTH IN CHAMPIONSHIP Yates Earns Two Fourth Place Finishes at Road Atlanta Braselton, GA (September 2, 2007) Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Aaron Yates earns a pair of fourth place finishes in the Suzuki Superbike Showdown doubleheader at Road Atlanta. In the weekend’s abbreviated qualifying session, Yates qualified his Suzuki GSX-R1000 with a time of 1:22.520 earning a second row start from seventh place. In Saturday’s Superbike race, Yates ran solidly in third place for 12 of the 22 laps before being passed on lap 21. In Sunday’s 20 lap Superbike event, Yates made a strong charge to the front decreasing his times for six consecutive laps earning a fast time of 1:22.001. Yates who earned valuable points this weekend moves into fourth in the overall AMA Superbike championship points and is only five points from third place. Friday’s qualifying session, yielded Jake Holden an eleventh place start from the third row for both Superbike races. The ‘young gun,’ who competes in the Superbike class on a Superstock spec motorcycle, made a powerful showing this weekend earning two-ninth place finishes. Holden is 14th in the championship. Teammates Yates and Holden who also competed in Sunday’s Superstock event started side-by-side from the second row in sixth and seventh places respectively. Holden earned a fourth place finish in the 15 lap event solidifying ninth place in the Superstock championship points. Yates who got an excellent start quickly moved into third place on lap two, took second position on lap nine. And on lap 11 it appeared that Yates was gaining ground on the leader and fellow Suzuki rider Ben Spies, but Yates encountered lap traffic which he was unable to get around. Yates quickly gathered up his motorcycle and finished the event in 14th place. “He [Spies] was right there, right in front of me and I didn’t want him to get away…I guess I should have waited, but we’re racing out here not waiting,” said Yates. Yates remains third in the overall championship points. Jordan Suzuki riders and crew will visit Monterey, California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca September 14-16 for the 2007 AMA Championship season finale. For more information on the Jordan Suzuki team, visit the race team website at www.23race.com More, from a press release issued on the behalf of Dunlop: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires Race Report: 2007 AMA Superbike Series, Round 10, Road Atlanta Braselton, Ga.–Road Atlanta was the setting for the penultimate round of the 2007 AMA Superbike Series, August 31-September 2, and high drama played out in each of the weekend’s five races. Yoshimura Suzuki’s six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin swept both Superbike competitions to notch his 62nd and 63rd career victories and, most importantly, take over the series lead from teammate and defending champion Ben Spies. Spies, meanwhile, earned his third AMA championship with his Superstock class win. Not to be outdone, Erion Racing Honda’s Josh Hayes won the Formula Xtreme race and in so doing took his second consecutive class title and third AMA ring. Then Hayes went out and won the Supersport race, giving him his second double-race win performance in as many weeks. Road Atlanta’s famed 12-turn, 2.54-mile racing surface was completely repaved early in the year. After a number of two- and four-wheeled racing events, the well-seasoned surface supplied substantial grip for the AMA’s racers and their Superbike, Superstock, Supersport and Formula Xtreme machines. Already known as a “right-hand” circuit that generates significant heat in the right side of the rear tire, the new surface places tremendous demands on tires. To offer the factory teams and support riders as many options as possible, Dunlop brought approximately 2100 tires for the weekend, including the latest generation of N-Tec multi-compound rear tires and a next-generation multi-compound front tire design with improved feel. When the last bike of the last race had crossed the finish line, Dunlop riders had collected 13 of the 15 available podium positions and 76 percent (38 of 50) of the top-10 finishing positions. All weekend long lap records fell. Spies’ Superbike qualifying time of 1: 20.454 was more than 1.2 seconds quicker than the previous record set by Mladin in 2005. Hayes qualifying time of 1:24.278 in Formula Xtreme bettered his own record set last year and Roger Hayden knocked more than a half-second off his 2005 Supersport qualifying record, 1:25.248 versus 1:25.775–then turned an even faster race lap of 1:24.976. Though Jason Disalvo’s 2005 Superstock qualifying record of 1:22.923 was safe for another year, Spies unofficially topped it in Sunday’s morning’s 70-degree practice session when he clocked a 1:22.482. Superbike Race One A rainy Friday night left the track damp on Saturday morning with water pumping up through cracks in the surface of infamous turn 12. The revised AMA schedule combined practice and qualifying for Superstock and Supersport and eliminated the second Superbike qualifying round, cementing Spies provisional pole position set on Friday. When the race flagged off, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Spies took the lead going into turn one and held it for two laps before teammate Mladin slipped by on lap three. The duo were already well ahead of the rest of the pack when Spies, hot on Mladin’s heals, clipped the turn-four curb on lap six and tumbled. With the rider and bike down on the edge of the track, a red flag stopped the race. Spies recovered but AMA rules required that he restart from the back row. The second start saw Mladin rocket away on his GSX-R1000. Spies marched through the field and moved into second place after just four laps but the outcome was sealed as Mladin pulled away en route to his 11th win of the season, tying his own record set in 2005. “I told Ben we’re not good for each other’s health,” joked Mladin from the podium. “Both of us have had our fair share of falling down. With a couple more races to go, hopefully we can keep it together.” In the press conference he added, “It was a good race for us today, it was good to get the win and have 11 wins for the year. It’s been a pretty good season so far.” The victory allowed Mladin to close to within two points of Spies in the championship hunt. Following Spies across the line was Kawasaki Road Racing’s Jamie Hacking, his fourth podium in Kawasaki’s first season back in Superbike competition. Dunlop notched every one of the top 10 finishing positions. AMA Superbike 22 Laps (shortened from 28 by a red flag) Superbike Race One results, Saturday, September 1: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Mat Mladin – Suzuki 2. Ben Spies – Suzuki 3. Jamie Hacking – Kawasaki 4. Aaron Yates – Suzuki 5. Jake Zemke – Honda 6. Roger Hayden – Kawasaki 7. Matt Lynn – MV 9. Luca Scassa – MV 8. Jake Holden – Suzuki 10. Tommy Hayden – Suzuki Formula Xtreme Race After dominating the Formula Xtreme Series all year, Erion Racing Honda’s Hayes came to the starting line of the ninth round needing only to finish 20thth or better (after taking the point for pole) to seal his second consecutive class title. But in typical fashion, he charged to the front of the pack on his CBR600RR and led from flag-to-flag (including a second-lap red flag and restart), collecting his seventh victory of the season and the AMA’s first series title in 2007. “I figure I want to keep it as long as I can,” said Hayes. “Dunlop’s does an awesome job for us”¦ I am excited for the crew, who worked hard all year.” In the post-race press conference he added, “It’s a testament to the motorcycle. My team made my job extremely hard because they gave me such a good motorcycle that if we don’t win, it’s 100 percent my fault”¦ I rode with all my heart in every race.” Finishing second was Attack Kawasaki’s Ben Attard, followed by Boulder Motorsports Ducati’s Marty Craggill with his second consecutive podium. Hayes third AMA championship follows his Formula Xtreme title last year and a Superstock championship in 2003. In all, Dunlop placed six riders in the top 10. AMA Formula Xtreme 13 Laps (shortened from 15 by a red flag) Formula Xtreme results, Saturday, September 1: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Josh Hayes – Honda 3. Marty Craggill – Ducati 6. Chaz Davies – Yamaha 7. Larry Pegram – Ducati 8. Ryan Andrews – Honda 9. Ryan Elleby – Honda Formula Xtreme Championship Points after 9 of 10 races: Top three riders 1. Hayes 324 (Champion) 2. Rapp – 250 3. Pegram 212 Superstock Race Yoshimura Suzuki’s Spies ran a masterful race on Sunday aboard his GSX-R1000 to wrap up the Superstock championship with one race to go. From the pole position he led every lap, though he was kept honest by Graves Motorsports Yamaha’s Ben Bostrom and then by Jordan Suzuki’s Aaron Yates. Yates’ crash on the last lap handed second place back to Bostrom, who trailed Spies over the line by just over three seconds. M4 Emgo Suzuki’s Geoff May was third. “I wanted the title but I wanted the win pretty bad too,” said Spies, who only needed to finish sixth to take the championship. “We just tried to make no mistakes and get it done today and it was good enough to get it today.” Spies’ latest title gives him three career AMA rings, the first coming in the 2003 Formula Xtreme Series and the second being his 2006 Superbike crown. Six of the top 10 finishers were on Dunlop tires. AMA Superstock 15 Laps Superstock results, Sunday, September 2: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Ben Spies – Suzuki 2. Ben Bostrom – Yamaha 4. Jake Holden – Suzuki 5. Jamie Stauffer – Yamaha 6. Blake Young – Suzuki 9. David Weber – Suzuki Superstock Championship Points after 8 of 9 races: Top three riders 1. Spies 292 (Champion) 2. Bostrom -235 3. Yates – 219 Supersport Race The most exciting action of the weekend took place in the 600-class Supersport race as Erion Racing Honda’s Josh Hayes, winner of three races this season, swapped places lap-after-lap with Kawasaki Road Racing’s Jamie Hacking, the series’ defending champ. Never more than a second back was M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas, who was closely trailed by the current series leader, Kawasaki’s Roger Hayden. Though the lap chart showed Hayes leading all but four of the 15 laps on his CBR600RR, Hacking challenged Hayes all the way to the next-to-last lap. Then Hayes built a small gap in lapped traffic and was able to take the win by just over a second. Hacking was next and then teammate Roger Hayden snuck ahead of Cardenas to nab the final podium slot. “There were some pretty dodgy passes in there from time to time but my Honda was so good,” said Hayes on the podium. “I was really having a good time racing Jamie,” he added in the press conference. “The tires were fantastic, we did a good race prep this morning and we knew what we could do”¦ This was so much fun, another double.” Dunlop riders were six out of 10 in the finishing order. As the series heads to Laguna Seca for the final race, only 11 points separate Hayden, Hacking and Hayes. AMA Supersport 15 Laps Supersport results, Sunday, September 2: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Josh Hayes – Honda 2. Jamie Hacking – Kawasaki 3. Roger Hayden – Kawasaki 5. Josh Herrin – Yamaha 6. Blake Young – Suzuki 8. Chris Peris – Yamaha Supersport Championship Points after 9 of 10 races: Top three riders 1. R. Hayden – 271 2. J. Hacking – 262 3. Hayes – 260 Superbike Race Two Following the first Superbike race on Saturday, concern for tire wear and rider safety led Dunlop to request the AMA to shorten the race distance of Superbike race two from 25 to 20 laps. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin rode an exemplary race, leading from the beginning and building a substantial lead over teammate Spies. By the time Mladin had crossed the finish line on his GSX-R1000 with a 6.794 second winning margin, he had established more records: the most Superbike wins in a season (12) and the most Superbike wins ever (63). His sixth win in a row also tied Spies and Honda Racing’s Miguel Duhamel for most consecutive Superbike wins. Most significantly it gave him a three point lead over Spies in the series and set up a showdown at the final round at Laguna Seca. “It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure,” said Mladin from the podium. “I decided if we were going to have some issues in the race, I wanted at least to have some type of lead and I could maybe manage it. So we pushed as hard as we could and brought it all the way home.” In the press conference he told the media, “It’s nice to get the bike working so well that we can pull away a little bit when we need to. Laguna Seca is going to be a good race and I’m looking forward to it.” As on Saturday, Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking was third, his fifth podium off the season and fourth in the last five races. The first 12 riders across the finish line rode on Dunlops. AMA Superbike 20 Laps (shortened from 25) Superbike Race Two results, Sunday, September 2: Dunlop finishers in the Top 10 1. Mat Mladin – Suzuki 2. Ben Spies – Suzuki 3. Jamie Hacking – Kawasaki 4. Aaron Yates – Suzuki 5. Roger Hayden – Kawasaki 6. Jake Zemke – Honda 7. Tommy Hayden – Suzuki 8. James Ellison – Honda 9. Jake Holden – Suzuki 10. Eric Bostrom – Yamaha Superbike Championship Points after 18 of 19 races: Top three riders 1. Mladin – 618 2. Spies – 615 3. Zemke – 441 The next stop for Dunlop and the final round of the 2007 AMA Superbike Series is Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, Ca., September 15-16.

Hayes Keeps AMA Supersport Championship Hopes Alive With Win Over Hacking, Roger Hayden At Road Atlanta

Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes tightened the Pro Honda Oils AMA Supersport Championship with a win on his Dunlop-shod CBR600RR Sunday at Road Atlanta. Hayes exchanged the lead with Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking, the defending Champion, for most of the race, while Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas pursued closely in third. Roger Hayden, Hacking’s teammate and the Championship point leader coming into the race, got off to a slow start but caught up to the lead trio in time for a wild last lap through lapped traffic. Hayes held on to take the win (his fourth of the season) over Hacking, while Hayden was able to sneak by Cardenas to score third. Hayes’ victory pulls him to eight points behind Hacking, who is second in the Championship standings, and 11 points behind Hayden. There is one race left in the Championship with a maximum of 38 points up for grabs. 2007 Pro Honda Oils AMA Supersport Championship Presented by Shoei Helmets Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia September 2, 2007 Provisional Race Results: 1. Josh Hayes (Hon CBR600RR), Dunlop, 15 laps 2. Jamie Hacking (Kaw ZX-6R), Dunlop, -1.020 seconds 3. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-6R), Dunlop, -1.164 seconds 4. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli, -1.297 seconds 5. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -8.015 seconds 6. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -8.158 seconds 7. Steve Rapp (Kaw ZX-6R), Pirelli, -8.330 seconds 8. Chris Peris (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -8.868 seconds 9. Cory West (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -11.971 seconds 10. Michael Beck (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli, -14.144 seconds 11. Ben Attard (Kaw ZX-6R), Pirelli, -20.003 seconds 12. Garrett Carter (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -21.612 seconds 13. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -24.105 seconds 14. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli, -24.195 seconds 15. Ryan Andrews (Hon CBR600RR), Dunlop, -26.627 seconds 16. Bobby Fong (Suz GSX-R600), Michelin, -28.669 seconds 17. David Anthony (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -34.537 seconds 18. Shea Fouchek (Hon CBR600RR), Dunlop, -37.344 seconds 19. Taylor Knapp (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -37.448 seconds 20. Fernando Amantini (Kaw ZX-6R), Dunlop, -48.658 seconds 21. Barrett Long (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -55.902 seconds 22. Hawk Mazzotta (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -56.947 seconds 23. Chris Siebenahaar (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -57.029 seconds 24. Scott Ryan (Suz GSX-R600), Michelin 25. Skip Salenius (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli 26. Jonathan Lawrence (Suz GSX-R600) 27. Danny Elsick (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -1 lap 28. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R600), Pirelli, -1 lap 29. Eric Pinson (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 30. C.R. Gittere (Suz GSX-R600), Michelin, -1 lap 31. Reno Karimian (Suz GSX-R600), -1 lap 32. Chaz Davies (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, -4 laps 33. Daniel Parkerson (Yam YZF-R6), -5 laps 34. Brian Gibbs (Suz GSX-R600), -6 laps 35. Chris Siglin (Suz GSX-R600), Dunlop, -7 laps 36. Josh Day (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, -8 laps 37. Ben Thompson (Hon CBR600RR), Dunlop, -9 laps 38. Ryan Clay (Yam YZF-R6), -9 laps 39. Aaron Bell (Suz GSX-R600), -11 laps 40. Nicky Moore (Kaw ZX-6R), Pirelli, -15 laps, DNF 41. Aaron Gobert (Hon CBR600RR), DNS 42. J.B. Layman (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, DNS Provisional 2007 AMA Supersport Championship Point Standings (after 10 of 11 events): 1. Roger Hayden, 271 points 2. Hacking, 262 points 3. Hayes, 260 points 4. Rapp, 226 points 5. Tommy Hayden, 193 points 6. Young, 187 points 7. May, 179 points 8. Herrin, 171 points 9. Attard, 151 points 10. Gobert, 150 points 11. Davies, 145 points 12. Eslick, 137 points 13. Andrews, 136 points 14. Cardenas, 131 points 15. West, 123 points 16. Elleby, 96 points 17. TIE, Beck/Fong, 90 points 19. Siglin, 87 points 20. Fouchek, 78 points

Updated: Spies Wins AMA Superstock Race, Championship As Mis-thrown Red Flag Creates Chaos At Road Atlanta

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies won an action-packed AMA Superstock race at Road Atlanta, earning him the 2007 AMA Superstock Championship with one round still remaining. The race included Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Aaron Yates hitting a lapper and crashing while running second in the closing laps, an incident that was complicated when a cornerworker threw a red flag at the site of the crash. At least two riders, Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki’s Robertino Pietri and Evan Steel Performance’s Ben Thompson, pitted after seeing the red flag, then were forced to ride through pit lane at 50 mph before rejoining the race. Other riders slowed when they saw the red flag at the corner, then got back on the gas and continued after seeing that no red flag was displayed at the next corner. Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki’s Chris Ulrich lost three places in the final two laps when his GSX-R1000 slowed with a suspected fuel pump problem. 2007 AMA Superstock Championship Presented by Dynojet Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia September 2, 2007 Provisional Race Results: 1. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 15 laps 2. Ben Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -3.192 seconds 3. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -5.079 seconds 4. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -8.525 seconds 5. Jamie Stauffer (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -15.327 seconds 6. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -21.618 seconds 7. Gary Mason (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -30.239 seconds 8. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -38.639 seconds 9. David Weber (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -38.836 seconds 10. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -39.240 seconds 11. Andy Feuersthaler (suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -68.131 seconds 12. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -75.337 seconds, pitted 13. Ben Thompson (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -80.252 seconds, pitted 14. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, crash, pitted 15. Chad Lewin (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, -1 lap, 6.142 seconds 16. Johnny Rock Page (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, -1 lap, 16.050 seconds 17. Ivan Garza (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -1 lap, 16.489 seconds 18. Joseph Dawson (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 16.595 seconds 19. Davie Stone (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 38.436 seconds 20. Santiago Villa (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -3 laps, DNF, crash 21. Danny Eslick (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -10 laps, DNF, crash 22. John Haner (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, -14 laps, DNF, mechanical 2007 AMA Superstock Championship Point Standings (after 10 of 11 events): 1. Spies, 292 points* 2. Bostrom, 235 3. Yates, 219 4. May, 203 5. Jensen, 189 6. Ulrich, 181 7. Eslick, 175 8. Young, 169 9. Holden, 145 10. Pietri, 134 11. Weber, 117 12. Page, 107 13. Garza, 105 14. Chad Rolland, 67 15. Jason Curtis, 57 16. TIE, Haner/Villa, 55 18. Corey Sarros, 50 19. TIE, Martin Cardenas/David Loikits, 46 * Clinches Championship by virtue of having a 57-point lead with only a maximum of 38 points available to any single rider at the final round. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Yoshimura Suzuki’s Spies Wins AMA Superstock Title & Race at Road Atlanta M4 EMGO Suzuki’s May podiums at Road Atlanta Round 10 AMA Superstock Series Braselton, GA Road Atlanta Aug. 31 Sept. 2, 2007 Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies clinched the 2007 AMA Superstock Championship after winning the penultimate race of the season at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., on Sunday afternoon. With one round of AMA Superstock remaining, Spies and his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 went for the win even though he only had to finish in sixth place or better to take the title. With this win, Spies lays claim to seven of eight races so far this year. Additionally, defending AMA Superbike Champion Spies won pole position for this race, his sixth of the season. Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May finished in an impressive third place in the 15-lap AMA Superstock race. This is May’s fourth podium of the season in AMA Superstock. Ben Spies: “It was a good race for us today. I wanted to win the championship but I wanted to win the race pretty bad too. So I just tried to put in consistent lap times on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSXR1000. It’s great to win the Superstock championship for Suzuki. The Yoshimura Suzuki GSXR1000 is an amazing bike and has worked great at every track we’ve raced at this year. I want to thank Suzuki and my crew for working so hard for me all season long.” Geoff May: “The whole M4 EMGO Suzuki crew was great this weekend. They gave me a good bike to race in the Suzuki GSX-R1000 and the Pirelli tires held up great in the heat. We had a good, solid race but the guys in front were a little quicker than we were. Then Aaron (Yates) had some trouble with some lappers and gave me the podium spot. I’d rather not have gotten it that way, but we’ll take it and hopefully end the season strong at Laguna Seca.” All of Suzuki’s road race teams will return for the final round of the AMA Superbike Series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, the weekend of Sept. 15 – 16, 2007. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: Sunday’s Superstock race of the AMA Superbike series at Road Atlanta had M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May transform his fourth-place starting position into a podium finish, earning third on a set of Diablo Superbike Slicks controlling the power of his GSX-R1000. Brit racer Gary Mason rode his Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a seventh-place finish, despite the race’s unusual, temporary, regional red flag. Manson’s Teammate Chris Ulrich finished tenth after battling for seventh, due to a late-race fuel delivery problem. Pink was the color of Scott Jensen’s Team HALOF Suzuki, fashioned to promote the charity, Locks of Love (www.locksoflove.org). Team owner Rodney Rayborne took the initiative to contact this charity that provides hair pieces for children under the age of 18 who have suffered long-term medical hair loss, to ask if his team could help promote their cause. Jensen did Locks of Love and his team proud with an eighth-place finish in Superstock. The Supersport race was a mighty match of machines from flag to flag with M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas battling for the win with Josh Hayes and Jamie Hacking up to the last couple laps. In a last-lap, turn-ten pass for second place, Cardenas and Hacking bumped, causing Cardenas to lose speed and be overtaken by a charging Roger Hayden at the flag, missing the podium at the last moment. Cardenas set his fastest race lap on lap 14 of the 15-lap event, showing the consistency of Pirelli’s Diablo Supercorsa Dot racing tires. His fourth-place finish was .278 seconds from second place. Other Pirelli riders in the top fifteen in Supersport include Attack Kawasaki’s Steve Rapp who finished seventh on his ZX-6R, Cory West on his Chuck Giacchetto tuned Team Hunter Yamaha in ninth, and the ever-faster Michael Beck in tenth on his M4 EMGO Suzuki. Always Front-running Ben Attard, on the other Attack Kawasaki, was run off track early in the race and came back to finish 11th, while Vesrah Suzuki’s Lee Acree took 14th. Geoff May’s Superstock podium finish at Road Atlanta is Pirelli’s record-setting 19th podium for the 2007 AMA Superbike racing season. All of these podiums were won in Supersport, Superstock and Formula Xtreme, beginning with Pirelli’s podium sweep of the Daytona 200.

Roadracingworld.com Suzuki Two-seater Ride Featured In Atlanta Constitution Journal Online Video

On Thursday, August 30, Chris Ulrich gave Atlanta Journal Constitution Photo Editor David Tulis a 160-mph ride around Road Atlanta on his Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R1000 two-seat AMA Superstock racebike. Tulis turned his once-in-a-lifetime experience into a video segment, which he posted to his company’s website. The video can be viewed here: ~http://www.ajc.com/multimedia/content/multimedia/video/index.html?clip=28967~

Jacobsen Beats Turner, Iso In USGPRU 125cc Grand Prix At Road Atlanta

USGPRU 125cc Grand Prix Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia September 2, 2007 Provisional Race Results:

1. Patrick P.J. Jacobsen (Hon RS125), 8 laps 2. Kris Turner (Hon RS125), -0.930 second 3. Nobi Iso (Apr RS125R), -1.721 seconds 4. Royce McLean (Yam TZ125), -17.338 seconds 5. Lloyd Worrell (Hon RS125), -17.348 seconds 6. Melissa Paris (Hon RS125), -18.487 seconds 7. Toriano Wilson (Hon RS125), -18.695 seconds 8. Tyler Odom (Hon RS125), -19.533 seconds 9. Chase Vivion (Hon RS125), -32.526 seconds 10. Cassidy Heiser (Hon RS125), -32.586 seconds 11. Shannon Caisey (Hon RS125), -32.879 seconds 12. Hayden Gillim (Hon RS125), -33.115 seconds 13. Leon Cortes (Hon RS125), -33.263 seconds 14. John Hjelm (Hon RS125), -34.012 seconds 15. Kevin Murray (Yam TZ125), -52.220 seconds 16. Steve Scott (Yam TZ125), -53.037 seconds 17. Corey Rech (Hon RS125), -54.841 seconds 18. Merle Eschman (Hon RS125), -54.928 seconds 19. Brandon Warren (Hon RS125), -55.122 seconds 20. Conner Lafrance (Hon RS125), -55.409 seconds 21. Jake Morman (Hon RS125), -55.698 seconds 22. Tony Wang (Hon RS125), -68.143 seconds 23. Allen Campbell (Hon RS125), -68.826 seconds 24. Miles Thornton (Hon RS125), -81.281 seconds 25. Scott Thompson (Hon RS125), -81.875 seconds 26. Corey Alexander (Hon RS125), -88.003 seconds 27. Robert Terando (Hon RS125), -88.888 seconds 28. John Long (Yam TZ125), -88.977 seconds 29. Justin Long (Yam TZ125), -1 lap 30. Marcus Matthews (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 0.526 second 31. Scotty VanHatten (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 7.032 seconds 32. Duane Hixon (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 13.515 seconds 33. Adam Neese (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 46.036 seconds 34. Chris Terheyden (Hon RS125), -1 lap, 53.814 seconds 35. Antoine Richards (Hon RS125), -4 laps 36. Elena Myers (Hon RS125), -5 laps, DNF, mechanical, pitted 37. Steve Wenner (Hon RS125), -8 laps, DNF, crash 38. Barrett Long (Yam TZ125), -8 laps, DNF, mechanical 39. Steve Thompson (Hon RS125), DNF 40. Paul Hoyt Nelson (Hon RS125), DNS

1...5,8015,8025,803...7,721Page 5,802 of 7,721

Follow us

43,094FansLike
19,223FollowersFollow
16,430FollowersFollow
1,200SubscribersSubscribe

Menu

Information

© , Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AUTHOR LOGIN