Repsol Lubricants AMA Superstock Championship Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin June 2 Practice Results (current lap record: Jason DiSalvo – 2:15.048): 1. Jason DiSalvo (Yam YZF-R1 LE), 2:14.955 2. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:15.025 3. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:15.375 4. Eric Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1 LE), 2:15.470 5. Jamie Hacking (Yam YZF-R1 LE), 2:15.985 6. Steve Rapp (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:16.069 7. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:16.590 8. Jason Pridmore (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:16.703 9. Aaron Gobert (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:16.837 10. Damon Buckmaster (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:16.956 11. Marty Craggill (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:17.284 12. Josh Hayes (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:17.452 13. Matt Lynn (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:18.112 14. Akira Tamitsuji (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:18.263 15. Cory West (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:18.482 16. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:18.785 17. Ben Attard (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:19.110 18. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:19.993 19. Fernando Amantini (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:20.007 20. C.R. Gittere (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:22.484 More, from a press release issued on behalf of Pirelli: It’s a trend. Once again Pirelli riders were at the top of the time sheets as soon as rubber hit the pavement for practice at the Road America, Wisconsin round of the AMA Superbike series. During Friday’s practice, in all three classes of Pirelli’s highest commitment (Supersport, Superstock, and Formula Xtreme), Pirelli set top-three times. Friday’s first official Supersport practice had M4 EMGO Suzuki riders Michael Barnes and Geoff May peeling off front-row times of third and fourth fastest on their Pirelli SuperCorsa Pros, leaving a number of full-factory riders struggling for times behind them. In Friday morning’s Formula Xtreme practice Michael Barnes rocketed his M4 EMGO Suzuki sponsored GSX-R600 to the front of the pack with the third fastest time. Barnes’ 2:19.624 put him less then a second behind the fastest time and less than half a second behind second; all a matter of little pieces of seconds. Friday’s FX qualifying was rescheduled to Saturday due to rain. In Fridays’ first Superstock practice, Barnes’ teammate Geoff May showed Pirelli’s diverse consistency by setting the second fastest time on his Suzuki GSX-R1000. May took his 175-plus hp GSX-R1000 to a time of 2:15.025, putting the power down with Pirelli’s World Superbike record-setting Diablo Superbike Slicks. May’s time gave notice to the factory teams and competing brands by being a mere seven hundredths of a second from the fastest time, heading a field of 34 racers. Privateer Matt Lynn was the fastest rider on Pirelli’s Diablo Superbike Slicks in the Superbike class, putting in the 13th fastest time during Friday practice. This put Lynn into the “fast group” for Superbike qualifying. In Friday’s qualifying, Lynn trimmed his times to maintain 13th, the 5th fastest privateer in the Superbike field, all within the 2:16s. Lynn rode his Team KWS prepared Suzuki to a qualifying time of 2:16.933, on Road America’s four-mile road course. More, from a press release issued by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki: MAY SECOND IN ROAD AMERICA SUPERSTOCK PRACTICE Team M4 EMGO Suzuki gave their rivals something to think about on Friday at Road America, registering four top-four practice performances on the day. Based on their tremendous showing at the four-mile long circuit in 2005 and the impressive gains already displayed in 2006, the squad came into the weekend with high hopes. Following the opening day of action, those lofty expectations have only intensified. Geoff May has had the Road America round circled on his calendar for the past year. The Georgian narrowly missed scoring his first AMA win here last year in the Superstock final, leading much of the race before ultimately finishing a close second. May hopes to put his Pirelli-shod GSX-R1000 on the top of the box this time around and snap his four-race streak of fourth-place finishes in the process. He got off to a fantastic start on Friday, posting the second fastest time in the class at 2: 15.025. After practice May said, “We were second today, less than one tenth behind first, so we’re right there. The pace has definitely stepped up from last year — I think we’re already over a second faster than we were last year. There are a lot more guys closer at the top this year, too. The race should be a barnburner. “We’re looking for payback,” he continued. “I’ve been waiting a year for this. We’re going to do everything in our power to win it this time. I’ve been riding a lot better this year, the Pirelli tires are a lot better this year, and we’ve made refinements to the GSX-R1000 and it’s a lot better this year too.” Michael Barnes also enjoyed a memorable trip to Elkhart Lake last season, finishing third in the Formula Xtreme final. The Floridian looks more than capable of finishing on the podium again this weekend, posting the third fastest time in both the Formula Xtreme (2: 19.625) and Supersport (2:20.682) practices today. Barnes will have to wait until Saturday morning to qualifying in FX after the scheduled qualifying session was postponed due to heavy rain that hit the area at the end of the day. May was right on Barnes’ heels in Supersport, notching up the fourth best time of the practice aboard his GSX-R600 at 2:20.937. The team’s developmental rider, Shea Fouchek, was 31st in Supersport at 2:28.671. On Saturday Team M4 EMGO Suzuki will qualify in Formula Xtreme, Superstock, and Supersport, and Barnes will look to add to the team’s trophy haul in the Formula Xtreme race. More, from a press release issued by Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki: ROBERTINO PIETRI TO RACE AT ROAD AMERICA DESPITE INJURY Roadracingworld.com Suzuki pilot Robertino Pietri will race at Road America despite a promoter practice crash on Thursday. “I fell at Canada Corner and hurt my leg yesterday, but I will race this weekend,” said the young Venezuelan, who was still the fastest South American in Superstock on Friday. “My lower leg is quite sore, but the doctor gave me the okay and we managed to do well. On Friday, I had a little problem hanging off in some of the corners or I might have been able to achieve my goal, which was to be up there with my teammate Chris Ulrich in the top 15.” Pietri had planned to race his Suzuki GSX-R1000 in Superbike as well at Road America, but the PDV-backed rider will instead concentrate on Superstock. “This is the class that has our focus, so we will concentrate on Superstock this weekend.” Robertino was 18th in the competitive class with a lap of 2:19.993 on the four-mile circuit.
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