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De Puniet Wins 250cc GP, West Second In KTM Debut Race At Donington Park

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250cc Grand Prix Results From Donington Park: 1. Randy DE PUNIET, Aprilia, 27 laps, 49:11.337 2. Anthony WEST, KTM, -1.236 seconds 3. Casey STONER, Aprilia, -16.740 seconds 4. Daniel PEDROSA, Honda, -47.825 seconds 5. Sebastian PORTO, Aprilia, -63.449 seconds 6. Simone CORSI, Aprilia, -92.437 seconds 7. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, honda, -94.560 seconds 8. Jorge LORENZO, Honda, -105.964 seconds 9. Sylvain GUINTOLI, Aprilia, -1 lap 10. Andrea BALLERINI, Aprilia, -1 lap 11. Mirko GIANSANTI, Aprilia, -1 lap 12. Roberto LOCATELLI, Aprilia, -1 lap 13. Alex BALDOLINI, Aprilia, -1 lap 14. Gregory LEBLANC, Aprilia, -2 laps 15. Radomil ROUS, Honda, -2 laps More, from a press release issued by KTM: WEST FINISHES SECOND ON DEBUT WITH RED BULL KTM Australia rider Anthony West gave the new Red Bull KTM 250 machine a dream debut with a storming second place in today’s rain soaked British Grand Prix at Donington Park. West was a master of the water-logged track as he staged a breathtaking battle against Frenchman Randy de Puniet and fellow Australian Casey Stoner. In a dramatic final two laps, West fought out a tough duel against De Puniet who won the race by just 1.2 seconds with Stoner in third place. The result was the perfect debut for the new KTM 250 GP bike developed in Austria by Harald Bartol and his team. Second place on the podium for West came just over an hour after Julian Simon had won the 125cc British GP, also on a KTM. In pouring rain West rode a spectacular and very brave first lap and charged from 15th on the grid to be second at the end of lap one. By lap three West had passed world champion Dani Pedrosa (Honda) to be in third place behind Hiroshi Aoyama and Randy de Puniet. When Aoyama crashed out on lap 13 the race became a titanic three-way battle between De Puniet, West and Stoner. The trio swapped positions many times with their bikes sliding wildly in the treacherous conditions. On the final lap West pushed hard to try and pass De Puniet and just saved a huge slide on his way to a brilliant second place. The Red Bull KTM team is now motivated for the next race, the German GP, at the Sachsenring this coming Sunday (July 31). Anthony West #14 – Second – Championship : 16th/ 20 points “I’ve waited so long to race the Red Bull KTM and today made the wait worthwhile, the bike is very good and will only get better from here. The track was unbelievably slippery and at the end of every lap I just thought : “That’s a relief, I’ve finished another lap.” I was just hoping to get some points today so second place is a big bonus for both me and the KTM team. The KTM chassis is so predictable, with the handling and on the brakes, and this was a big help in these conditions. And I like riding in the rain, the bike slides around a lot which is like dirt track and motocross where you learn throttle control. A couple of times I thought about slowing down to make sure I finished but decided to keep racing with De Puniet and Casey.” Harald Bartol – Technical and Managing Director “That was an unbelievable race and perfect result by Anthony. I knew in these very wet conditions that Anthony would be up the front so I was just hoping that the bike had no problems. This result is a reward for all the hard work by everyone in the Red Bull KTM team and a big motivation for the future. It is the best thing that could have happened.”

Holden Quickest In AMA Superstock Practice Before Rain Comes To Mid-Ohio

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Note: It started raining at the start of the AMA Superstock practice session, got heavier in the middle and ended at the conclusion of the 30-minute session. Few riders stayed out for more than just a few laps. Provisional Sunday Morning AMA Superstock Practice Times: 1. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 1:33.963 2. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:35.079 3. Blake Young, Suzuki, 1:35.732 4. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:36.110 5. Lee Acree, Suzuki, 1:36.822 6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:37.295 7. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, 1:38.705 8. Jason Perez, Yamaha, 1:38.705 9. David Loikits, Suzuki, 1:43.332 10. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 1:43.357 11. Myron Bell, Kawasaki, 1:43.765 12. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:44.623 13. R. Kienast, Suzuki, 1:45.359 14. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 1:48.181 15. M. Ivan Garza, Suzuki, 1:48.685

KTM’s Simon Wins Wet, Re-started 125cc Grand Prix In England

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Provisional 125cc GP Race Results: 1. Julian SIMON, KTM, 9 laps, 17:35.523 2. Mike DI MEGLIO, Honda, -2.406 seconds 3. Fabrizio LAI, Honda, -8.896 seconds 4. Marco SIMONCELLI, Aprilia, -9.169 seconds 5. Pablo NIETO, Derbi, -13.837 seconds 6. Thomas LUTHI, Honda, -18.323 seconds 7. Mika KALLIO, KTM, -23.453 seconds 8. Joan OLIVE, Aprilia, -31.424 seconds 9. Dan LINFOOT, Honda, -33.865 seconds 10. Toshihisa KUZUHARA, Honda, -40.094 seconds 30. Gabor TALMACSI, KTM, -5 laps, DNF, crash 38. Angel RODRIGUEZ, Honda, DNF, mechanical 39. Hector FAUBEL, Aprilia, DNF, crash 40. Tomoyoshi KOYAMA, Honda, DNF, crash 41. Mattia PASINI, Aprilia, DNF, crash More, from a press release issued by KTM: SIMON SCORES CAREER FIRST WIN WITH RED BULL KTM Red Bull KTM rider Julian Simon scored a career first grand prix victory with a courageous wet weather ride in today’s British Grand Prix at Donington Park. The 18 year-old Spaniard took control of the water-logged race over the final two laps to win by 2.4s ahead of Italian rider Mike di Meglio. Another Italian Fabrizio Lai was third. The race was run over a shortened distance of nine laps after heavy rain forced the first part to be red-flagged after seven laps. In the second race Simon started ninth but quickly charged into second place on lap three as heavy rain made conditions very slippery with poor visibility. With two laps remaining Simon took the lead and went on to win his first GP at one of his favourite tracks. The race was a dramatic affair for Simon’s Red Bull KTM teammates Mika Kallio and Gabor Talmacsi. Kallio finished seventh after being forced to start the second race from the pit lane when his bike developed an engine problem that was quickly fixed by KTM technicians. Kallio had switched to his spare bike after the race stoppage. Kallio was 13th at the end of lap one and picked up valuable championship points for seventh position. World championship leader Talmacsi had a torrid day with two crashes. Talmacsi was leading the race when he crashed on the final corner on lap three in the very slippery conditions. Earlier Talmacsi had crashed while in fourth place of the first part that was stopped when rain began to fall. Red Bull KTM riders have now won four of the eight races held so far in the 125cc world championship. JULIAN SIMON #60 – First – Championship: 6th/ 80 points “I have dreamt all my life for this moment and now it has come true, it is difficult to believe. All season I have expected to be on the podium and to win here at Donington, which is one of my favourite tracks, is an incredible feeling. The track was very slippery and I tried to make sure that I finished the race without crashing. At the end I was able to pull out a small gap over Di Meglio.” MIKA KALLIO #36 – Seventh – Championship: =4th/ 91 points “The conditions were crazy, there was hardly any grip and even with a just a little throttle the rear tyre would start sliding. At the start of the second race there was a problem with the spark plug on my spare bike and I had to start from pit lane. In this situation seventh is not a bad result and OK for me in the championship.” GABOR TALMACSI #1- DNF – Championship: =1st/ 100 points “In my first crash I lost the front, it was raining heavily and I had a lot of gravel everywhere and I couldn’t see very well. I picked up the bike and started to push to make up positions but just had too much throttle at the final corner and crashed again. It was a very difficult race and I’m not happy, I had a good chance to win today.” HARALD BARTOL – Technical and Managing Director “A great win by Julian, he rode very well and deserved this victory. Mika also rode very well after we fixed a small problem with his bike just before the start. The conditions were very difficult, it was pity for Gabor that he crashed from the lead.”

Sunday’s AMA Race Schedule At Mid-Ohio Could Be Altered Due To Weather

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Sunday’s AMA racing schedule at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course could be altered to avoid racing in the rain or racing in severe weather. AMA Pro Racing Superbike Series Manager Ron Barrick is scheduled to meet with Mid-Ohio’s management and SPEED television producers to discuss the matter this morning. In the meantime, rain sprinkles are already being reported at points of the 2.4-mile, 15-turn road course, just as the Superstock class takes to the track for practice. The weather forecast for Sunday has improved with the chance of rain decreasing and the approaching storm system breaking up somewhat. As recently as Saturday night, The Weather Channel forecast a 60% chance of scattered thunderstorms with a potential for severe storms, including damaging winds and hail. The National Weather Service’s forecast Sunday morning called for a 40% chance for scattered thunderstorms. Officially, AMA Pro Racing races in the rain at Mid-Ohio, but there would be no racing in a severe thunderstorm that includes hail and lightning. Early in the weekend, five-time and reigning AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin said he would not race in the rain at Mid-Ohio, and former World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson said it would be crazy to race in the rain at Mid-Ohio. Both riders pointed to the inconsistent traction caused by concrete patches in the corners of the asphalt racing surface, among other things. Postponing the races until Monday may not be a viable alternative as rain is also forecast for that day.

Roberts Fastest In Wet MotoGP Warm-up Sunday Morning At Donington Park

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Sunday Morning MotoGP Practice Times: 1. Kenny ROBERTS, Suzuki, 1:43.948 2. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, 1:44.204 3. Marco MELANDRI, Honda, 1:44.270 4. Carlos CHECA, Ducati, 1:44.299 5. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 1:44.822 6. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 1:45.159 7. Troy BAYLISS, Honda, 1:45.469 8. Alex BARROS, Honda, 1:45.589 9. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 1:45.807 10. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 1:45.863 11. Alex HOFMANN, Kawasaki, 1:45.908 12. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 1:46.056 13. Colin EDWARDS, Yamaha, 1:46.300 14. Toni ELIAS, Yamaha, 1:46.753 15. Shinya NAKANO, Kawasaki, 1:46.867 16. Shane BYRNE, Proton, 1:47.171 17. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 1:47.679 18. Ruben XAUS, Yamaha, 1:47.694 19. Franco BATTAINI, Blata, 1:48.074 20. James ELLISON, Blata, 1:52.094 21. Roberto ROLFO, Ducati, 1:53.604

Updated Post: Zemke Beats Duhamel In AMA Formula Xtreme Duel At Mid-Ohio

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Provisional AMA Formula Xtreme Race Results: 1. Jake Zemke, Honda, 16 laps 2. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -0.374 second 3. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -14.661 seconds 4. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, -16.487 seconds 5. Ben Attard, Kawasaki, -25.037 seconds 6. Ty Howard, Yamaha, -27.664 seconds 7. Robert Jensen, Yamaha, -30.626 seconds 8. Chris Peris, Yamaha, -33.310 seconds 9. Danny Eslick, Suzuki, -40.050 seconds 10. Chris “Opie” Caylor, Suzuki, -43.719 seconds 11. Ryan Andrews, Ducati, -44.044 seconds 12. Mike Hale, Honda, -51.019 seconds 13. Nicky Moore, Yamaha, -68.068 seconds 14. Taylor Knapp, Yamaha, -69.269 seconds 15. Heath Small, Yamaha, -69.556 seconds 16. Ryan Elleby, Suzuki, -69.822 seconds 17. Armando Ferrer, Yamaha, -83.258 seconds 18. Derek Keyes, Suzuki, -84.019 seconds 19. Nathan Hester, Yamaha, -84.838 seconds 20. Jason McCluskey, Yamaha, -85.386 seconds 21. Shea Fouchek, Suzuki, -85.568 seconds 22. Daniel Doty, Yamaha, -89.573 seconds 23. Myron Bell, Suzuki, -90.357 seconds 24. Kevin Pate, Suzuki, -92.403 seconds 25. Roger Bell, Suzuki, -92.841 seconds 26. Victor Chirinos, Yamaha, -1 lap 27. M. Ivan Garza, Suzuki, -1 lap 28. Lance Yeager, Kawasaki, -1 lap 29. Mark Hatten, Ducati, -2 laps 30. Alex Gobert, Honda, -3 laps, mechanical 31. Scotty Vanscoik, Kawasaki, -6 laps 32. Tim Knutson, Yamaha, -10 laps, DNF, crash 33. Robert Deily, Honda, -10 laps, DNF 34. Justin Filice, Honda, -12 laps, DNF, crash 35. Matt Furtek, Kawasaki, -12 laps, DNF, crash AMA Formula Xtreme Championship Point Standings (after 7 of 9 races): 1. Zemke, 249 points 2. Duhamel, 238 points 3. Eslick, 171 points 4. Attard, 138 points 5. Gobert, 136 points 6. Peris, 135 points 7. Nicky Moore, 124 points 8. Barnes, 105 points 9. Knapp, 102 points 10. Ferrer, 98 points More, from a press release issued by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki: BARNES QUICK AT MID-OHIO Team M4 EMGO Suzuki built upon their spectacular Friday showing at Mid-Ohio with another memorable performance on Saturday. Michael Barnes continued his impressive form at the 2.4-mile race course, notching up high-ranking results in both the Formula Xtreme race and Superstock qualifying. Barnes, who qualified second for the day’s 16-lap Formula Xtreme contest, got away in third and fought to stick with the leading factory bikes. Unfortunately, the set-up on the team’s trick GSX-R600 FX machine was just off enough to spoil his hopes for a podium finish. On lap five he fell to fourth, the position he would ultimately go on to finish. Team Crew Chief Keith Perry said, “I think we had a little bit of a set-up issue with the heat. We had a lot more sun on the track this afternoon than we had seen all weekend. We just missed the combination a little bit. Barney rode it as hard as he could ride it. It wasn’t a bad result, but we always want a little bit more.” Barnes enjoyed more success aboard the team’s big-bore Superstock-spec GSX-R. The Floridian ripped off a 1:27.661 to qualify his Pirelli-shod 1000cc racer third fastest despite being challenged by an incredibly deep field of competitors. His time was well inside the old track record and less than a tenth of a second behind pole. Barnes credited his front row qualifying position to a combination of his mastery of Mid-Ohio and the team’s top-flight machinery. “I’m definitely happy. I’ve been racing at Mid-Ohio since 1989, my first year in the Nationals, so I’ve been here quite a few times. I think my experience on this track has finally paid off because I finally have the equipment to prove what I can do. I’ve been struggling for seventeen years trying to get a ride like this and it has finally come to fruition.” He continued, “I was gaining more and more confidence, but on my fast lap I had a big front-end push. I’m confident that I would have had pole position had we had one more session after this because we really found something during this qualifying session. I’m extremely confident about the race coming up. It’s all about getting a good start, staying out of trouble on the first few laps, and going from there.” Geoff May put in a fine ride during Superstock qualifying as well. The Georgian circulated Mid-Ohio with a best time of 1:28.773 during the session, strong enough to earn a spot on the second row. He’ll start tomorrow’s 60k Superstock final from eighth. May also put in a top-ten performance in Supersport qualifying. His fastest lap aboard his GSX-R600 on Saturday (1:31.366) was tenth fastest overall, earning him a spot on the third row. More, from a press release issued by Team EMGO Taiwan: After Missing 3 Rounds, Caylor Back With Another Top 10 Lexington, OH ( 23 July, 05) – Chris “Opie” Caylor and Team EMGO Taiwan returned to Formula Extreme with a solid 10th place finish at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Caylor had missed the previous three rounds due to the birth of his son, Matthew Evan, and Laguna not having an FX event. The weekend started off on the right foot with Caylor quickly getting back up to speed aboard his Suzuki GSX-R 600 and qualifying onto the second row. “I haven’t been at home sitting on my butt and watching TV.” said Caylor while he helped load the team trailer. “I’ve been training on my bicycle harder than I ever have and I went to a few of the closer club level races just to stay in practice. Most people would enjoy a few weeks off from their job but being away from the track and the team has just made me more ‘hungry’.” Caylor thanks Emil Gomez and the rest of the crew at his sponsor EMGO Taiwan. “As usual, they’ve been awesome, especially during these past few months. Emil has been very supportive and understanding with the time I’ve taken. He understands and supports my family values and knows that I have and will give my all to get the team to the podium these last rounds. Even last week when their office flooded in the heavy rain in Atlanta, Emil was checking that I was ready and had every thing I needed to get back on the bike. No one could ask for a better sponsor than I have with EMGO Taiwan.” Even after qualifying so high on the grid and running consistently quick lap times, Caylor wasn’t completely satisfied with his finish. “I completely blew the start. We’d put a new motor in for this race and it, of course, has a new clutch in it. I didn’t take that into account and practice my starts as I should of. I was running the same pace as the guys in front of me but was already behind because of my start. You can bet I won’t make that mistake at the next round!” Caylor finished by giving his view on a common myth that racers get slower after having a child: “There’s no way that’s true. I definitely have more drive. I got diapers to buy!”

Buckmaster To Leave Yamaha

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Damon Buckmaster, rider for Yamaha/Graves Yamaha, will not be with Yamaha in 2006 even though the company has not officially announced its 2006 road racing plans. “Yamaha knows what they are doing next season, and they said that it would be best for me to start looking for a new job,” Buckmaster told Roadracingworld.com. “It was all formal and official and gentleman-like. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do now and look for a new job.” Buckmaster has been with Graves Yamaha since 2001.

Mladin Wins Saturday Superbike Race At Mid-Ohio

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1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki, -11.805 seconds 3. Eric Bostrom, Ducati, -14.282 seconds 4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -27.337 seconds 5. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, 27.368 seconds 6. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki, -39.054 seconds 7. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -51.744 seconds 8. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, -55.262 seconds 9. Jake Holden, Suzuki, -60.406 seconds 10. Marty Craggill, Suzuki, -67.035 seconds 11. Larry Pegram, Honda, -74.703 seconds 12. Jeremy Toye, Honda, -81.159 seconds 13. Scott Jensen, Suzuki, -81.525 seconds 14. Lee Acree, Suzuki, -82.856 seconds 15. Jason Perez, Yamaha, -1 lap 16. Brent George, Suzuki, -1 lap 17. Eric Wood, Suzuki, -1 lap 18. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, -1 lap, crash 19. Cory West, Suzuki, -1 lap 20. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, -1 lap 21. Jason Curtis, Suzuki, -1 lap 22. Heath Small, Yamaha, -1 lap 23. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki, -1 lap 24. Brian Stokes, Yamaha, -1 lap 25. James Kerker, Honda, -1 lap 26. Doug Duane, Suzuki, -1 lap 27. David Weber, Suzuki, -1 lap 28. David Bell, Suzuki, -1 lap 29. Steve Scott, Yamaha, -2 laps 30. C.R. Gittere, Suzuki, -2 laps 31. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki, -2 laps 32. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -6 laps, DNF, crash 33. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, -8 laps, DNF, crash 34. Anthony Fania, Suzuki, -10 laps, DNF 35. Jake Zemke, Honda, -13 laps, DNF, mechanical 36. John Haner, Suzuki, -20 laps, DNF 37. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, -21 laps, DNF 38. Roger Bell, Suzuki, -26 laps, DNF AMA Superbike Championship Point Standings (after 12 of 17 races): 1. Mladin, 396 points 2. Spies, 359 points 3. Bostrom, 297 points 4. Yates, 294 points 5. Hodgson, 275 points 6. Duhamel, 256 points 7. Craggill, 227 points 8. Zemke, 212 points 9. Acree, 209 points 10. Hayes, 203 points More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin raced to his 40th career AMA Superbike victory and Suzuki’s 75th AMA Superbike win at Mid-Ohio today as the GSX-R 1000s dominated the race. Mladin and team mate Ben Spies provided the large Lexington crowd with an awesome finish to the first of the weekend’s two AMA Superbike races as third team rider Aaron Yates crashed, unhurt, and failed to finish. “The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 felt amazing,” said Mladin, who got the holeshot and led all the laps of the race. “I knew we had a good bike and, as I said earlier, this is the best this bike has ever felt on this track. Getting a good start was important and then I just tried to get a good gap.” In Saturday afternoon’s extremely warm qualifying session, Mladin, Yates and Spies qualified first, second and third respectively and Mladin – who set his eighth pole of the season – also set a track record-breaking lap time of 1:26.058. Yates posted an impressive 1:26.541 and Spies came in with a close 1:26.603. “It was a good session for us,” said Mladin. “I didn’t make any changes last night after taking provisional pole on Friday. We just got into a groove and the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 feels awesome.” In the 26-lap Superbike race, Mladin got away on the first lap and didn’t look back. Likewise, Spies was right up front after getting away in fifth position. For a few laps, he diced for fourth position and then soon after, he moved into third. After Yates was out of the running, Spies moved into second and held on until the flag. “We’ve been struggling with the front end all year,” said Spies, who with this race carded his ninth podium of the season. “But we’re going in a better direction with the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. We chose the wrong front tyre and it was only good for the first 10 laps or so. But my crew is working hard and the bike is just getting better and better.” Yates also got a good start and had worked his way up into second position fairly quickly. But with just several laps to go, he tucked the front end and low-sided and was unable to rejoin the race. “There were a couple of places where I noticed that it was feeling pretty greasy,” said Yates after his get-off. “And then I was coming around a turn and without any warning, it went. It was real quick; I didn’t have any time to save it or anything. But I’ll definitely be back out there tomorrow for a better day.” More, from a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin: BOSTROM’S PODIUM FINISH AT MID-OHIO MOVES HIM INTO THIRD IN SUPERBIKE POINTS Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin’s Eric Bostrom earned his third podium finish in five races on Saturday at Mid-Ohio. In the hot Ohio conditions, Bostrom put his Ducati 999 “on the box” once again as he continued his run of recent competitiveness. Neil Hodgson was fifth as he made a run at fourth place as the checkered flag fell, ending up just 0.041 behind a rival. Bostrom stayed out of trouble, unlike several of the other riders in the race held on the notoriously difficult surface. He kept his Dunlop-shod Ducati 999 on two wheels and was consistent to the end. “I’m happy to be here and I’ll take it any way I can get it. The race pace was impressive, especially considering the heat of the track,” said Bostrom. “I didn’t quite have the setup I thought I’d have today, but it was still a very good bike. I got a good start. Ben (Spies) came around me and we moved up some positions. I just followed right by when he made the pass for third. I tried to stay on his tail to make it a better race but I lost him in traffic.” Eric climbed to third place in AMA Superbike points with the result. Neil Hodgson had a difficult race to fifth place on Saturday, and after falling to ninth, fought for fourth with a late charge in his first race at the difficult circuit. “I had a good start off the line, but I backshifted all the way down to first gear for turn one. That dropped me back. The first couple of laps, I was cursing myself for changing the setup for the race. But I caught a couple of riders and my strategy was to stay consistent and keep my head down. I looked at my pit board one time the whole race because I hoped I was riding hard and pulling away from people behind me. I’m learning the circuit and it’s slowly coming to me. No excuses, but it’s different than any track I’ve ever been.” “Both riders can feel good about the race today,” said team owner Terry Gregoricka. “While Neil and Eric both are used to winning races and never truly satisfied unless they finish first, today was a tough day. Eric was able to start strong and finish on the podium again and Neil really rode hard at a circuit he had never raced on before. The team can build on these results for tomorrow.” Sunday’s 26-lap AMA Superbike race is scheduled for 3PM local time.

DiSalvo Also Takes Pole Position In AMA Supersport In Ohio

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Provisional AMA Supersport Qualifying Results: 1. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:29.343 2. Roger Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:29.419 3. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:29.946 4. Ben Attard, Kawasaki, 1:30.200 5. Robert Jensen, Yamaha, 1:30.220 6. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:30.278 7. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:30.336 8. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:30.357 9. Chris Peris, Yamaha, 1:30.502 10. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:31.368 11. Danny Eslick, Suzuki, 1:31.543 12. Blake Young, Suzuki, 1:31.603 13. Matt Furtek, Kawasaki, 1:32.305 14. Justin Filice, Honda, 1:32.433 15. Brandon Parrish, Suzuki, 1:33.066

DiSalvo Takes Sixth Straight AMA Superstock Pole Position, At Mid-Ohio

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Provisional AMA Superstock Qualifying Results: 1. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:27.578 2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:27.607 3. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 1:27.661 4. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:27.663 5. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:28.157 6. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 1:28.288 7. John Haner, Suzuki, 1:28.440 8. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:28.774 9. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:28.852 10. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:28.976 11. Blake Young, Suzuki, 1:29.233 12. Roger Lee Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:29.488 13. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, 1:29.887 14. Brent George, Suzuki, 1:29.918 15. Eric Wood, Suzuki, 1:30.227 16. Lee Acree, Suzuki, 1:30.290 17. Jason Perez, Yamaha, 1:30.291 18. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:30.613 19. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 1:30.813 20. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, 1:31.563 21. James Kerker, Honda, 1:32.261 22. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 1:32.284 23. Jeremy Haiduk, Yamaha, 1:33.239 24. Logan Young, Suzuki, 1:33.326 25. Myron Bell, Kawasaki, 1:33.555 26. Randall Kienast, Suzuki, 1:34.140 27. Montez Stewart, Suzuki, 1:34.253 28. M. Ivan Garza, Suzuki, 1:36.177 29. Darby Brauning, Yamaha, 1:36.808 30. David Loikits, Suzuki, 1:37.767

De Puniet Wins 250cc GP, West Second In KTM Debut Race At Donington Park

250cc Grand Prix Results From Donington Park: 1. Randy DE PUNIET, Aprilia, 27 laps, 49:11.337 2. Anthony WEST, KTM, -1.236 seconds 3. Casey STONER, Aprilia, -16.740 seconds 4. Daniel PEDROSA, Honda, -47.825 seconds 5. Sebastian PORTO, Aprilia, -63.449 seconds 6. Simone CORSI, Aprilia, -92.437 seconds 7. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, honda, -94.560 seconds 8. Jorge LORENZO, Honda, -105.964 seconds 9. Sylvain GUINTOLI, Aprilia, -1 lap 10. Andrea BALLERINI, Aprilia, -1 lap 11. Mirko GIANSANTI, Aprilia, -1 lap 12. Roberto LOCATELLI, Aprilia, -1 lap 13. Alex BALDOLINI, Aprilia, -1 lap 14. Gregory LEBLANC, Aprilia, -2 laps 15. Radomil ROUS, Honda, -2 laps More, from a press release issued by KTM: WEST FINISHES SECOND ON DEBUT WITH RED BULL KTM Australia rider Anthony West gave the new Red Bull KTM 250 machine a dream debut with a storming second place in today’s rain soaked British Grand Prix at Donington Park. West was a master of the water-logged track as he staged a breathtaking battle against Frenchman Randy de Puniet and fellow Australian Casey Stoner. In a dramatic final two laps, West fought out a tough duel against De Puniet who won the race by just 1.2 seconds with Stoner in third place. The result was the perfect debut for the new KTM 250 GP bike developed in Austria by Harald Bartol and his team. Second place on the podium for West came just over an hour after Julian Simon had won the 125cc British GP, also on a KTM. In pouring rain West rode a spectacular and very brave first lap and charged from 15th on the grid to be second at the end of lap one. By lap three West had passed world champion Dani Pedrosa (Honda) to be in third place behind Hiroshi Aoyama and Randy de Puniet. When Aoyama crashed out on lap 13 the race became a titanic three-way battle between De Puniet, West and Stoner. The trio swapped positions many times with their bikes sliding wildly in the treacherous conditions. On the final lap West pushed hard to try and pass De Puniet and just saved a huge slide on his way to a brilliant second place. The Red Bull KTM team is now motivated for the next race, the German GP, at the Sachsenring this coming Sunday (July 31). Anthony West #14 – Second – Championship : 16th/ 20 points “I’ve waited so long to race the Red Bull KTM and today made the wait worthwhile, the bike is very good and will only get better from here. The track was unbelievably slippery and at the end of every lap I just thought : “That’s a relief, I’ve finished another lap.” I was just hoping to get some points today so second place is a big bonus for both me and the KTM team. The KTM chassis is so predictable, with the handling and on the brakes, and this was a big help in these conditions. And I like riding in the rain, the bike slides around a lot which is like dirt track and motocross where you learn throttle control. A couple of times I thought about slowing down to make sure I finished but decided to keep racing with De Puniet and Casey.” Harald Bartol – Technical and Managing Director “That was an unbelievable race and perfect result by Anthony. I knew in these very wet conditions that Anthony would be up the front so I was just hoping that the bike had no problems. This result is a reward for all the hard work by everyone in the Red Bull KTM team and a big motivation for the future. It is the best thing that could have happened.”

Holden Quickest In AMA Superstock Practice Before Rain Comes To Mid-Ohio

Note: It started raining at the start of the AMA Superstock practice session, got heavier in the middle and ended at the conclusion of the 30-minute session. Few riders stayed out for more than just a few laps. Provisional Sunday Morning AMA Superstock Practice Times: 1. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 1:33.963 2. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:35.079 3. Blake Young, Suzuki, 1:35.732 4. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:36.110 5. Lee Acree, Suzuki, 1:36.822 6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:37.295 7. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, 1:38.705 8. Jason Perez, Yamaha, 1:38.705 9. David Loikits, Suzuki, 1:43.332 10. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 1:43.357 11. Myron Bell, Kawasaki, 1:43.765 12. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:44.623 13. R. Kienast, Suzuki, 1:45.359 14. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 1:48.181 15. M. Ivan Garza, Suzuki, 1:48.685

KTM’s Simon Wins Wet, Re-started 125cc Grand Prix In England

Provisional 125cc GP Race Results: 1. Julian SIMON, KTM, 9 laps, 17:35.523 2. Mike DI MEGLIO, Honda, -2.406 seconds 3. Fabrizio LAI, Honda, -8.896 seconds 4. Marco SIMONCELLI, Aprilia, -9.169 seconds 5. Pablo NIETO, Derbi, -13.837 seconds 6. Thomas LUTHI, Honda, -18.323 seconds 7. Mika KALLIO, KTM, -23.453 seconds 8. Joan OLIVE, Aprilia, -31.424 seconds 9. Dan LINFOOT, Honda, -33.865 seconds 10. Toshihisa KUZUHARA, Honda, -40.094 seconds 30. Gabor TALMACSI, KTM, -5 laps, DNF, crash 38. Angel RODRIGUEZ, Honda, DNF, mechanical 39. Hector FAUBEL, Aprilia, DNF, crash 40. Tomoyoshi KOYAMA, Honda, DNF, crash 41. Mattia PASINI, Aprilia, DNF, crash More, from a press release issued by KTM: SIMON SCORES CAREER FIRST WIN WITH RED BULL KTM Red Bull KTM rider Julian Simon scored a career first grand prix victory with a courageous wet weather ride in today’s British Grand Prix at Donington Park. The 18 year-old Spaniard took control of the water-logged race over the final two laps to win by 2.4s ahead of Italian rider Mike di Meglio. Another Italian Fabrizio Lai was third. The race was run over a shortened distance of nine laps after heavy rain forced the first part to be red-flagged after seven laps. In the second race Simon started ninth but quickly charged into second place on lap three as heavy rain made conditions very slippery with poor visibility. With two laps remaining Simon took the lead and went on to win his first GP at one of his favourite tracks. The race was a dramatic affair for Simon’s Red Bull KTM teammates Mika Kallio and Gabor Talmacsi. Kallio finished seventh after being forced to start the second race from the pit lane when his bike developed an engine problem that was quickly fixed by KTM technicians. Kallio had switched to his spare bike after the race stoppage. Kallio was 13th at the end of lap one and picked up valuable championship points for seventh position. World championship leader Talmacsi had a torrid day with two crashes. Talmacsi was leading the race when he crashed on the final corner on lap three in the very slippery conditions. Earlier Talmacsi had crashed while in fourth place of the first part that was stopped when rain began to fall. Red Bull KTM riders have now won four of the eight races held so far in the 125cc world championship. JULIAN SIMON #60 – First – Championship: 6th/ 80 points “I have dreamt all my life for this moment and now it has come true, it is difficult to believe. All season I have expected to be on the podium and to win here at Donington, which is one of my favourite tracks, is an incredible feeling. The track was very slippery and I tried to make sure that I finished the race without crashing. At the end I was able to pull out a small gap over Di Meglio.” MIKA KALLIO #36 – Seventh – Championship: =4th/ 91 points “The conditions were crazy, there was hardly any grip and even with a just a little throttle the rear tyre would start sliding. At the start of the second race there was a problem with the spark plug on my spare bike and I had to start from pit lane. In this situation seventh is not a bad result and OK for me in the championship.” GABOR TALMACSI #1- DNF – Championship: =1st/ 100 points “In my first crash I lost the front, it was raining heavily and I had a lot of gravel everywhere and I couldn’t see very well. I picked up the bike and started to push to make up positions but just had too much throttle at the final corner and crashed again. It was a very difficult race and I’m not happy, I had a good chance to win today.” HARALD BARTOL – Technical and Managing Director “A great win by Julian, he rode very well and deserved this victory. Mika also rode very well after we fixed a small problem with his bike just before the start. The conditions were very difficult, it was pity for Gabor that he crashed from the lead.”

Sunday’s AMA Race Schedule At Mid-Ohio Could Be Altered Due To Weather

Sunday’s AMA racing schedule at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course could be altered to avoid racing in the rain or racing in severe weather. AMA Pro Racing Superbike Series Manager Ron Barrick is scheduled to meet with Mid-Ohio’s management and SPEED television producers to discuss the matter this morning. In the meantime, rain sprinkles are already being reported at points of the 2.4-mile, 15-turn road course, just as the Superstock class takes to the track for practice. The weather forecast for Sunday has improved with the chance of rain decreasing and the approaching storm system breaking up somewhat. As recently as Saturday night, The Weather Channel forecast a 60% chance of scattered thunderstorms with a potential for severe storms, including damaging winds and hail. The National Weather Service’s forecast Sunday morning called for a 40% chance for scattered thunderstorms. Officially, AMA Pro Racing races in the rain at Mid-Ohio, but there would be no racing in a severe thunderstorm that includes hail and lightning. Early in the weekend, five-time and reigning AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin said he would not race in the rain at Mid-Ohio, and former World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson said it would be crazy to race in the rain at Mid-Ohio. Both riders pointed to the inconsistent traction caused by concrete patches in the corners of the asphalt racing surface, among other things. Postponing the races until Monday may not be a viable alternative as rain is also forecast for that day.

Roberts Fastest In Wet MotoGP Warm-up Sunday Morning At Donington Park

Sunday Morning MotoGP Practice Times: 1. Kenny ROBERTS, Suzuki, 1:43.948 2. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, 1:44.204 3. Marco MELANDRI, Honda, 1:44.270 4. Carlos CHECA, Ducati, 1:44.299 5. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 1:44.822 6. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 1:45.159 7. Troy BAYLISS, Honda, 1:45.469 8. Alex BARROS, Honda, 1:45.589 9. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 1:45.807 10. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 1:45.863 11. Alex HOFMANN, Kawasaki, 1:45.908 12. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 1:46.056 13. Colin EDWARDS, Yamaha, 1:46.300 14. Toni ELIAS, Yamaha, 1:46.753 15. Shinya NAKANO, Kawasaki, 1:46.867 16. Shane BYRNE, Proton, 1:47.171 17. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 1:47.679 18. Ruben XAUS, Yamaha, 1:47.694 19. Franco BATTAINI, Blata, 1:48.074 20. James ELLISON, Blata, 1:52.094 21. Roberto ROLFO, Ducati, 1:53.604

Updated Post: Zemke Beats Duhamel In AMA Formula Xtreme Duel At Mid-Ohio

Provisional AMA Formula Xtreme Race Results: 1. Jake Zemke, Honda, 16 laps 2. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -0.374 second 3. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -14.661 seconds 4. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, -16.487 seconds 5. Ben Attard, Kawasaki, -25.037 seconds 6. Ty Howard, Yamaha, -27.664 seconds 7. Robert Jensen, Yamaha, -30.626 seconds 8. Chris Peris, Yamaha, -33.310 seconds 9. Danny Eslick, Suzuki, -40.050 seconds 10. Chris “Opie” Caylor, Suzuki, -43.719 seconds 11. Ryan Andrews, Ducati, -44.044 seconds 12. Mike Hale, Honda, -51.019 seconds 13. Nicky Moore, Yamaha, -68.068 seconds 14. Taylor Knapp, Yamaha, -69.269 seconds 15. Heath Small, Yamaha, -69.556 seconds 16. Ryan Elleby, Suzuki, -69.822 seconds 17. Armando Ferrer, Yamaha, -83.258 seconds 18. Derek Keyes, Suzuki, -84.019 seconds 19. Nathan Hester, Yamaha, -84.838 seconds 20. Jason McCluskey, Yamaha, -85.386 seconds 21. Shea Fouchek, Suzuki, -85.568 seconds 22. Daniel Doty, Yamaha, -89.573 seconds 23. Myron Bell, Suzuki, -90.357 seconds 24. Kevin Pate, Suzuki, -92.403 seconds 25. Roger Bell, Suzuki, -92.841 seconds 26. Victor Chirinos, Yamaha, -1 lap 27. M. Ivan Garza, Suzuki, -1 lap 28. Lance Yeager, Kawasaki, -1 lap 29. Mark Hatten, Ducati, -2 laps 30. Alex Gobert, Honda, -3 laps, mechanical 31. Scotty Vanscoik, Kawasaki, -6 laps 32. Tim Knutson, Yamaha, -10 laps, DNF, crash 33. Robert Deily, Honda, -10 laps, DNF 34. Justin Filice, Honda, -12 laps, DNF, crash 35. Matt Furtek, Kawasaki, -12 laps, DNF, crash AMA Formula Xtreme Championship Point Standings (after 7 of 9 races): 1. Zemke, 249 points 2. Duhamel, 238 points 3. Eslick, 171 points 4. Attard, 138 points 5. Gobert, 136 points 6. Peris, 135 points 7. Nicky Moore, 124 points 8. Barnes, 105 points 9. Knapp, 102 points 10. Ferrer, 98 points More, from a press release issued by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki: BARNES QUICK AT MID-OHIO Team M4 EMGO Suzuki built upon their spectacular Friday showing at Mid-Ohio with another memorable performance on Saturday. Michael Barnes continued his impressive form at the 2.4-mile race course, notching up high-ranking results in both the Formula Xtreme race and Superstock qualifying. Barnes, who qualified second for the day’s 16-lap Formula Xtreme contest, got away in third and fought to stick with the leading factory bikes. Unfortunately, the set-up on the team’s trick GSX-R600 FX machine was just off enough to spoil his hopes for a podium finish. On lap five he fell to fourth, the position he would ultimately go on to finish. Team Crew Chief Keith Perry said, “I think we had a little bit of a set-up issue with the heat. We had a lot more sun on the track this afternoon than we had seen all weekend. We just missed the combination a little bit. Barney rode it as hard as he could ride it. It wasn’t a bad result, but we always want a little bit more.” Barnes enjoyed more success aboard the team’s big-bore Superstock-spec GSX-R. The Floridian ripped off a 1:27.661 to qualify his Pirelli-shod 1000cc racer third fastest despite being challenged by an incredibly deep field of competitors. His time was well inside the old track record and less than a tenth of a second behind pole. Barnes credited his front row qualifying position to a combination of his mastery of Mid-Ohio and the team’s top-flight machinery. “I’m definitely happy. I’ve been racing at Mid-Ohio since 1989, my first year in the Nationals, so I’ve been here quite a few times. I think my experience on this track has finally paid off because I finally have the equipment to prove what I can do. I’ve been struggling for seventeen years trying to get a ride like this and it has finally come to fruition.” He continued, “I was gaining more and more confidence, but on my fast lap I had a big front-end push. I’m confident that I would have had pole position had we had one more session after this because we really found something during this qualifying session. I’m extremely confident about the race coming up. It’s all about getting a good start, staying out of trouble on the first few laps, and going from there.” Geoff May put in a fine ride during Superstock qualifying as well. The Georgian circulated Mid-Ohio with a best time of 1:28.773 during the session, strong enough to earn a spot on the second row. He’ll start tomorrow’s 60k Superstock final from eighth. May also put in a top-ten performance in Supersport qualifying. His fastest lap aboard his GSX-R600 on Saturday (1:31.366) was tenth fastest overall, earning him a spot on the third row. More, from a press release issued by Team EMGO Taiwan: After Missing 3 Rounds, Caylor Back With Another Top 10 Lexington, OH ( 23 July, 05) – Chris “Opie” Caylor and Team EMGO Taiwan returned to Formula Extreme with a solid 10th place finish at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Caylor had missed the previous three rounds due to the birth of his son, Matthew Evan, and Laguna not having an FX event. The weekend started off on the right foot with Caylor quickly getting back up to speed aboard his Suzuki GSX-R 600 and qualifying onto the second row. “I haven’t been at home sitting on my butt and watching TV.” said Caylor while he helped load the team trailer. “I’ve been training on my bicycle harder than I ever have and I went to a few of the closer club level races just to stay in practice. Most people would enjoy a few weeks off from their job but being away from the track and the team has just made me more ‘hungry’.” Caylor thanks Emil Gomez and the rest of the crew at his sponsor EMGO Taiwan. “As usual, they’ve been awesome, especially during these past few months. Emil has been very supportive and understanding with the time I’ve taken. He understands and supports my family values and knows that I have and will give my all to get the team to the podium these last rounds. Even last week when their office flooded in the heavy rain in Atlanta, Emil was checking that I was ready and had every thing I needed to get back on the bike. No one could ask for a better sponsor than I have with EMGO Taiwan.” Even after qualifying so high on the grid and running consistently quick lap times, Caylor wasn’t completely satisfied with his finish. “I completely blew the start. We’d put a new motor in for this race and it, of course, has a new clutch in it. I didn’t take that into account and practice my starts as I should of. I was running the same pace as the guys in front of me but was already behind because of my start. You can bet I won’t make that mistake at the next round!” Caylor finished by giving his view on a common myth that racers get slower after having a child: “There’s no way that’s true. I definitely have more drive. I got diapers to buy!”

Buckmaster To Leave Yamaha

Damon Buckmaster, rider for Yamaha/Graves Yamaha, will not be with Yamaha in 2006 even though the company has not officially announced its 2006 road racing plans. “Yamaha knows what they are doing next season, and they said that it would be best for me to start looking for a new job,” Buckmaster told Roadracingworld.com. “It was all formal and official and gentleman-like. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do now and look for a new job.” Buckmaster has been with Graves Yamaha since 2001.

Mladin Wins Saturday Superbike Race At Mid-Ohio

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki, -11.805 seconds 3. Eric Bostrom, Ducati, -14.282 seconds 4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -27.337 seconds 5. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, 27.368 seconds 6. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki, -39.054 seconds 7. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -51.744 seconds 8. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, -55.262 seconds 9. Jake Holden, Suzuki, -60.406 seconds 10. Marty Craggill, Suzuki, -67.035 seconds 11. Larry Pegram, Honda, -74.703 seconds 12. Jeremy Toye, Honda, -81.159 seconds 13. Scott Jensen, Suzuki, -81.525 seconds 14. Lee Acree, Suzuki, -82.856 seconds 15. Jason Perez, Yamaha, -1 lap 16. Brent George, Suzuki, -1 lap 17. Eric Wood, Suzuki, -1 lap 18. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, -1 lap, crash 19. Cory West, Suzuki, -1 lap 20. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, -1 lap 21. Jason Curtis, Suzuki, -1 lap 22. Heath Small, Yamaha, -1 lap 23. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki, -1 lap 24. Brian Stokes, Yamaha, -1 lap 25. James Kerker, Honda, -1 lap 26. Doug Duane, Suzuki, -1 lap 27. David Weber, Suzuki, -1 lap 28. David Bell, Suzuki, -1 lap 29. Steve Scott, Yamaha, -2 laps 30. C.R. Gittere, Suzuki, -2 laps 31. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki, -2 laps 32. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -6 laps, DNF, crash 33. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, -8 laps, DNF, crash 34. Anthony Fania, Suzuki, -10 laps, DNF 35. Jake Zemke, Honda, -13 laps, DNF, mechanical 36. John Haner, Suzuki, -20 laps, DNF 37. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, -21 laps, DNF 38. Roger Bell, Suzuki, -26 laps, DNF AMA Superbike Championship Point Standings (after 12 of 17 races): 1. Mladin, 396 points 2. Spies, 359 points 3. Bostrom, 297 points 4. Yates, 294 points 5. Hodgson, 275 points 6. Duhamel, 256 points 7. Craggill, 227 points 8. Zemke, 212 points 9. Acree, 209 points 10. Hayes, 203 points More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin raced to his 40th career AMA Superbike victory and Suzuki’s 75th AMA Superbike win at Mid-Ohio today as the GSX-R 1000s dominated the race. Mladin and team mate Ben Spies provided the large Lexington crowd with an awesome finish to the first of the weekend’s two AMA Superbike races as third team rider Aaron Yates crashed, unhurt, and failed to finish. “The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 felt amazing,” said Mladin, who got the holeshot and led all the laps of the race. “I knew we had a good bike and, as I said earlier, this is the best this bike has ever felt on this track. Getting a good start was important and then I just tried to get a good gap.” In Saturday afternoon’s extremely warm qualifying session, Mladin, Yates and Spies qualified first, second and third respectively and Mladin – who set his eighth pole of the season – also set a track record-breaking lap time of 1:26.058. Yates posted an impressive 1:26.541 and Spies came in with a close 1:26.603. “It was a good session for us,” said Mladin. “I didn’t make any changes last night after taking provisional pole on Friday. We just got into a groove and the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 feels awesome.” In the 26-lap Superbike race, Mladin got away on the first lap and didn’t look back. Likewise, Spies was right up front after getting away in fifth position. For a few laps, he diced for fourth position and then soon after, he moved into third. After Yates was out of the running, Spies moved into second and held on until the flag. “We’ve been struggling with the front end all year,” said Spies, who with this race carded his ninth podium of the season. “But we’re going in a better direction with the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. We chose the wrong front tyre and it was only good for the first 10 laps or so. But my crew is working hard and the bike is just getting better and better.” Yates also got a good start and had worked his way up into second position fairly quickly. But with just several laps to go, he tucked the front end and low-sided and was unable to rejoin the race. “There were a couple of places where I noticed that it was feeling pretty greasy,” said Yates after his get-off. “And then I was coming around a turn and without any warning, it went. It was real quick; I didn’t have any time to save it or anything. But I’ll definitely be back out there tomorrow for a better day.” More, from a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin: BOSTROM’S PODIUM FINISH AT MID-OHIO MOVES HIM INTO THIRD IN SUPERBIKE POINTS Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin’s Eric Bostrom earned his third podium finish in five races on Saturday at Mid-Ohio. In the hot Ohio conditions, Bostrom put his Ducati 999 “on the box” once again as he continued his run of recent competitiveness. Neil Hodgson was fifth as he made a run at fourth place as the checkered flag fell, ending up just 0.041 behind a rival. Bostrom stayed out of trouble, unlike several of the other riders in the race held on the notoriously difficult surface. He kept his Dunlop-shod Ducati 999 on two wheels and was consistent to the end. “I’m happy to be here and I’ll take it any way I can get it. The race pace was impressive, especially considering the heat of the track,” said Bostrom. “I didn’t quite have the setup I thought I’d have today, but it was still a very good bike. I got a good start. Ben (Spies) came around me and we moved up some positions. I just followed right by when he made the pass for third. I tried to stay on his tail to make it a better race but I lost him in traffic.” Eric climbed to third place in AMA Superbike points with the result. Neil Hodgson had a difficult race to fifth place on Saturday, and after falling to ninth, fought for fourth with a late charge in his first race at the difficult circuit. “I had a good start off the line, but I backshifted all the way down to first gear for turn one. That dropped me back. The first couple of laps, I was cursing myself for changing the setup for the race. But I caught a couple of riders and my strategy was to stay consistent and keep my head down. I looked at my pit board one time the whole race because I hoped I was riding hard and pulling away from people behind me. I’m learning the circuit and it’s slowly coming to me. No excuses, but it’s different than any track I’ve ever been.” “Both riders can feel good about the race today,” said team owner Terry Gregoricka. “While Neil and Eric both are used to winning races and never truly satisfied unless they finish first, today was a tough day. Eric was able to start strong and finish on the podium again and Neil really rode hard at a circuit he had never raced on before. The team can build on these results for tomorrow.” Sunday’s 26-lap AMA Superbike race is scheduled for 3PM local time.

DiSalvo Also Takes Pole Position In AMA Supersport In Ohio

Provisional AMA Supersport Qualifying Results: 1. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:29.343 2. Roger Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:29.419 3. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:29.946 4. Ben Attard, Kawasaki, 1:30.200 5. Robert Jensen, Yamaha, 1:30.220 6. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:30.278 7. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:30.336 8. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:30.357 9. Chris Peris, Yamaha, 1:30.502 10. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:31.368 11. Danny Eslick, Suzuki, 1:31.543 12. Blake Young, Suzuki, 1:31.603 13. Matt Furtek, Kawasaki, 1:32.305 14. Justin Filice, Honda, 1:32.433 15. Brandon Parrish, Suzuki, 1:33.066

DiSalvo Takes Sixth Straight AMA Superstock Pole Position, At Mid-Ohio

Provisional AMA Superstock Qualifying Results: 1. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:27.578 2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:27.607 3. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 1:27.661 4. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:27.663 5. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:28.157 6. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 1:28.288 7. John Haner, Suzuki, 1:28.440 8. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:28.774 9. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:28.852 10. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:28.976 11. Blake Young, Suzuki, 1:29.233 12. Roger Lee Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:29.488 13. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, 1:29.887 14. Brent George, Suzuki, 1:29.918 15. Eric Wood, Suzuki, 1:30.227 16. Lee Acree, Suzuki, 1:30.290 17. Jason Perez, Yamaha, 1:30.291 18. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:30.613 19. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 1:30.813 20. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, 1:31.563 21. James Kerker, Honda, 1:32.261 22. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 1:32.284 23. Jeremy Haiduk, Yamaha, 1:33.239 24. Logan Young, Suzuki, 1:33.326 25. Myron Bell, Kawasaki, 1:33.555 26. Randall Kienast, Suzuki, 1:34.140 27. Montez Stewart, Suzuki, 1:34.253 28. M. Ivan Garza, Suzuki, 1:36.177 29. Darby Brauning, Yamaha, 1:36.808 30. David Loikits, Suzuki, 1:37.767