Second row for the Rizla Suzuki racers RIZLA SUZUKI’S James Haydon will start from fifth and John Reynolds from eighth as they bookend the second row of the grid for tomorrow’s double-header eighth round of the British Superbike Championship at Snetterton in Norfolk. James set a stunning lap time during the morning qualifying session that placed him provisionally third on the grid. In the afternoon he crashed on his first out-lap on a qualifying tyre after spending much of the session fine-tuning the handling of his Rizla Suzuki. He rushed back to the garage and remounted his spare bike but failed to improve his lap time in the dying minutes. JR was fifth in the morning session and spent the afternoon pushing the limits of his bike in race trim. He improved his lap time fractionally in the session but was baulked by traffic every time he went for a new personal best. He is confident he will be in the reckoning tomorrow. Ducati’s Leon Haslam took pole position. Superbike racing starts at 1:15pm on Sunday, July 10th, at the 1.95-mile long Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk. The action will be covered live by Sky Sports. Channel 4 will broadcast a highlights package of the race action one week later. James: “My Rizla Suzuki was great this morning and this afternoon we made small changes that improved it even further. I am devastated that I lost the front end on my out lap at the Coram Curve. After that I wasn’t able to attack using a qualifying tyre. “We think the front tyre may not have been up to temperature and I was pushing pretty hard for my out lap. It’s unfortunate but I’ll take the positives from today – I’m on the front of the second row, have a bike setting that is strong and on race rubber can match just about anyone. I’m a bit battered and bruised but that’s not going to stop me going for it tomorrow.” JR: “We made significant improvements to my GSX-R today and in the second session I was putting in lap times on race rubber as quick as anything I could do on qualifiers in the morning. I couldn’t believe it when every time I went out on a qualifier this afternoon I was hampered by slower riders pulling out in front of me. “I am on the second row and I am confident of getting a good start tomorrow as that is something I have been working on. I’m angry at being denied the chance to have a clear qualifying lap and I’ll hone that anger tonight and focus it into my race effort tomorrow.” Niall Mackenzie, Team Performance Co-Ordinator: “I am happy that both guys are on the second row and particularly pleased with JR’s pace on race tyres – I think he will be fighting for the podium tomorrow. “James has shown a great turn of speed all weekend but is gutted he crashed on his out lap with his first qualifier this afternoon. He’s sore now but he’s a determined racer and tomorrow you can expect the adrenaline to kick in and he’ll be going for two podium finishes.” Qualification: 1: Leon Haslam (Ducati) 1:05.403, 2: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +0.032, 3: Michael Rutter (Honda) +0.178, 4: Michael Laverty (Honda) +0.315, 5: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) +0.386, 6: Steve Plater (Honda) +0.414, 7: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +0.537, 8: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) +0.602, 9: Dean Thomas (Kawasaki) +0.661, 10: Karl Harris (Honda) +0.772.

Graves Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo claimed his fifth consecutive AMA Superstock pole position of 2005 with a new, class lap record time of 1:26.294 around the 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca road course, in Monterey, California. The old lap record of 1:26.382 was set in 2004 by Tommy Hayden, who qualified third Saturday morning with a time of 1:27.005. Aaron Yates held the top spot late into the session with a time of 1:26.398 on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, until DiSalvo mounted his second Dunlop qualifying tire and eclipsed the Georgian’s mark. The final spot on the front row goes to DiSalvo’s teammate, defending AMA Superstock Champion Aaron Gobert (1:27.245). The 17-lap AMA Superstock final is scheduled to take place at 11:30 a.m. local time Sunday. Provisional AMA Superstock Qualifying Results: 1. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:26.294 2. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:26.398 3. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:27.005 4. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:27.245 5. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:27.260 6. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:27.321 7. Roger Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:27.404 8. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:27.441 9. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 1:27.694 10. John Haner, Suzuki, 1:27.779 11. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 1:27.833 12. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:27.951 13. Brent George, Suzuki, 1:28.974 14. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, 1:29.056 15. Eric Wood, Suzuki, 1:29.352 16. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 1:29.408 17. Jason Perez, Yamaha, 1:29.927 18. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:30.338 19. Corey Eaton, Suzuki, 1:30.586 20. Blake Young, Suzuki, 1:30.771 21. Mark Miller, Suzuki, 1:30.907 22. Akira Tamitsuji, Suzuki, 1:31.097 23. Cory Call, Kawasaki, 1:31.307 24. Eli Edwards, Suzuki, 1:31.556 25. Brian Boyd, Suzuki, 1:32.221 26. Lee Acree, Suzuki, 1:32.291 27. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, 1:32.656 28. James Kerker, Honda, 1:32.671 29. Christopher Ancien, Suzuki, 1:33.117 30. Montez Stewart, Suzuki, 1:33.231 31. Sean Wray, Yamaha, 1:33.770 32. Skye Girard, Yamaha, 1:34.136 33. Johnny Rock Page, Yamaha, 1:34.226 34. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 1:34.461 35. Jeremy Haiduk, Yamaha, 1:34.494 36. Brad Puetz, Suzuki, 1:34.522 37. Eric Haugo, Suzuki, 1:34.707 38. Reno Karimian, Suzuki, 1:34.707 39. M. Ivan Garza, Suzuki, 1:37.002 More, from a press release issued by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki: MAY QUALIFIES ON SECOND ROW AT LAGUNA SECA Team M4 EMGO Suzuki enjoyed a productive day in front of Saturday’s huge crowd at Laguna Seca. Riders Geoff May and Michael Barnes put in solid performances during the day’s practice and qualifying sessions while continuing to make progress in preparation of Sunday’s 17-lap Superstock and Supersport finals. May in particular had some strong moments during the day. First, the Georgian qualified his Pirelli-shod GSX-R1000 Superstock racer on the second row with a fast lap of 1:27.321, sixth fastest in the session. He then recorded a 1:30.473 during the Supersport free practice, sixth quickest overall and fastest among the Suzuki-mounted rider in the field. May then went on to fight in the top ten for much of the 28-lap Superbike final’s opening half. Unfortunately, he ultimately ran off-course and was forced back into the pits. Barnes fought through the pain of a nagging wrist injury to secure a third row grid position for tomorrow’s Superstock final. His best lap, a 1:27.833, was eleventh fastest overall. Not wanting to risk aggravating his injury, the Floridian elected not to start the Superbike race. “It was a little bit of an up and down day,” Crew Chief Keith Perry remarked. “We feel good about our race pace on the big bike. Things didn’t go quite as planned in the Superbike race. Geoff ran off in the last corner and we thought we may have damaged the radiator or had some other issue because he had the problem going into the corner and then it seemed like it was running hot afterwards also. So he played it safe and just wanted to check the bike out. I wish we could have finished that race, but he told us a few things for tomorrow and I think with a couple little adjustments we’ll be good to go.” Perry continued, commenting on Barnes’ condition. “Mike’s wrist has been bothering him for several weeks. It bothered him a good bit at the Mid-Ohio test. It’s been an on-and-off issue, but we feel like with the amount of time on the bike tomorrow, he should be fine.” Perry was encouraged by May’s form on the 600cc Supersport bike. “We found a couple little things in practice today that should help tomorrow. Anytime we’re top five or six in that class, that’s pretty good.” Both the Supersport and Superstock races will be held on Sunday.

Repsol Honda’s Nicky Hayden came away from the first day of MotoGP practice at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with the fastest practice time, a 1:24.228 on his Michelin-equipped RC211V. Camel Honda’s Troy Bayliss, who was fastest in the split and extended morning practice session, was second-fastest Friday afternoon with a 1:24.451 on his RC211V. Bayliss walked away from a crash in turn five 39 minutes into the one-hour afternoon practice. Hayden’s teammate Max Biaggi, who has raced at Laguna Seca in the past, jumped up in the standings late with a third-fastest time of 1:24.542 in spite of suffering a mechanical problem with one of his factory RC211Vs during the session. Marco Melandri, who had crashed after 18 laps of practice Friday morning, returned to action Friday afternoon and posted the eighth-quickest lap. Blata WCM’s Franco Battaini crashed Friday afternoon and was seen limping away from the scene. MotoGP riders will return to the track for another 60 minutes of practice at 10:00 a.m. local time Saturday. Friday Afternoon MotoGP Practice Times: 1. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:24.228 2. Troy Bayliss, Honda, 1:24.451 3. Max Biaggi, Honda, 1:24.542 4. Alex Barros, Honda, 1:24.564 5. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 1:24.679 6. Colin Edwards, Yamaha, 1:24.696 7. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 1:24.802 8. Marco Melandri, Honda, 1:24.938 9. Carlos Checa, Ducati, 1:25.042 10. Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, 1:25.098 11. Shinya Nakano, Kawasaki, 1:25.309 12. Kenny Lee Roberts, Suzuki, 1:25.352 13. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 1:25.457 14. Toni Elias, Yamaha, 1:25.574 15. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki, 1:25.882 16. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:26.150 17. Ruben Xaus, Yamaha, 1:26.441, crash 18. Roberto Rolfo, Ducati, 1:27.060 19. James Ellison, Blata, 1:27.904 20. Shane Byrne, Proton, 1:28.117 21. Franco Battaini, Blata, 1:30.282 Friday’s Combined MotoGP Practice Times: 1. HAYDEN, 1:24.228 2. BAYLISS, 1:24.451 3. BIAGGI, 1:24.542 4. BARROS, 1:24.564 5. HOPKINS, 1:24.679 6. EDWARDS, 1:24.696 7. GIBERNAU, 1:24.802 8. MELANDRI, 1:24.938 9. ROSSI, 1:25.098 10. CHECA, 1:25.042 11. ROBERTS, 1:25.352 12. NAKANO, 1:25.309 13. TAMADA, 1:25.457 14. ELIAS, 1:25.574 15. HOFMANN, 1:25.882 16. CAPIROSSI, 1:26.150 17. XAUS, 1:26.441 18. ROLFO, 1:27.060 19. BYRNE, 1:28.117 20. ELLISON, 1:27.904 21. BATTAINI, 1:30.207 More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda: U.S. GRAND PRIX – MOTOGP FREE PRACTICE The MotoGP World Championship returned to the legendary Laguna Seca circuit today, eleven years on from its last visit back in 1994. The riders had three hours of free practice on the first day as the team worked as hard as possible to gather data at a track that is completely different to anything in Europe. Sete Gibernau took things calmly from the start and, little by little, increased both his pace and his feeling for the bike. Marco Melandri crashed during the morning in the ‘Corkscrew’ corner, the most famous and difficult section of the Laguna Seca layout. The Italian rider, who was already lapping amongst the top five riders on his first visit to the track, opened the throttle too early from the exit of the first double ‘S’ bend and lost the rear wheel of his Honda. With only 20 minutes remaining to the morning break he was taken to the Clinica Mobile, where doctors confirmed he had not broken any bones. Marco suffered a heavy blow to his right knee and wrist, which underwent surgery last December, but was back on track in the afternoon. SETE GIBERNAU: “My first impression of Laguna Seca is that it is completely different to anything we have in Europe. The objective today was simply to complete as many laps as possible in order to gather data and get references for what is a tricky circuit. The extra hour was important to adjust the gearbox, tyres and suspension for this circuit. We worked in two different directions and by the end I felt much better. We knew we were coming to a difficult circuit and it really is, but we have to be positive because we’re working in the right direction.” MARCO MELANDRI: “I felt good on the bike this morning and wanted to push a little more before the time was up but it was a mistake. I lost the rear, the bike spat me off and then dragged me down the hill through the Corkscrew. I got stuck between the rear wheel and the tail and bashed my wrist, knee and head. I was lucky because I could have really hurt myself. I couldn’t ride much today but I hope to get a decent night’s rest and make up for it tomorrow.” More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team: KAWASAKI RIDERS BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE USA MotoGP returned to America after an eleven-year absence today, with Kawasaki riders Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann on track for three hours of free practice. And they needed every minute of track time during day one of preparations for Sunday’s 32-lap USGP at Laguna Seca. Both Nakano and Hofmann are newcomers to the hillside circuit near Monterey, with its 11-turns and compact, rollercoaster layout. Track knowledge is critical at this demanding track, a track that is completely different in character to traditional European Grand Prix circuits. Both Kawasaki riders say they are still to unravel the secrets of the infamous Corkscrew section and the fast-flowing, downhill curves that follow. Sixth gear is not required at all, and the full throttle potential of the 990cc Ninja ZX-RR is only briefly explored. At 255 kph the track has the lowest top speed on the MotoGP calendar with the Ninja ZX-RR using fifth gear just once per lap, along the pit straight on the approach to turn one. An 85 kph first gear is used three times: at turns two and eleven, plus turn eight, which is the breathtaking downhill entry to the infamous Corkscrew. Today track conditions were dusty with a lack of grip in the opening morning practice session of two hours. Grip levels improved slightly in the afternoon as Kawasaki technicians worked through a busy programme of chassis, suspension, gearbox and tyre combinations. There is still a lot of work to be done with a further selection of Bridgestone rear tyres to be evaluated, in parallel with engine management tuning and suspension, to help control wheelspin. Shinya Nakano: #56 – Twelfth – 1’25.309 “It’s exciting to be here for the USGP, but my first laps of the circuit this morning were a big surprise, especially the Corkscrew and the steep downhill section that follows. However I still have some learning to do through this section. I followed a couple of American riders and they have a better understanding of the track from turns 8 to 11. It has been difficult to find rear grip, the track surface is different from Europe, but if we can find a chassis and tyre set-up I think the ZX-RR could suit this track with our strong acceleration. On safety, I would like to see some more protection on the walls that are close to the track, but otherwise I’m enjoying riding here.” Alex Hofmann: #66 – Fifteenth – 1’25.882 “In Europe we have never seen a track like this, so it is a little bit shocking when you first ride a MotoGP bike here. The walls are close and there is not the run-off areas we are used to at some corners. But I’m enjoying the layout, it is physical and demanding, although quite bumpy. I could do with more rear grip, but overall this track has the potential to suit the ZX-RR. And I still haven’t found my rhythm on the bike, the Corkscrew and I and not good friends at the moment and I’ve got a lot of thinking to do about the direction to take with set-up and learning he track.” Ichiro Yoda: Technical Director “We are in search of traction and will continue our work with Bridgestone tomorrow with another three rear tyres to evaluate. This track surface is new to us, so we mainly have to look at rear spring and shock set-up, weight transfer and engine tuning, to control wheelspin. And both Shinya and Alex are still learning to fully understand the special nature of this circuit, it is quite slow overall, we barely need fifth gear; fourth is okay.” More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse: CAPIROSSI SICK, CHECA TENTH AT LAGUNA Ducati Team Carlos Checa placed tenth quickest in today’s opening two practices sessions at Laguna Seca. Team-mate Loris Capirossi ended the day receiving medical attention for a bad attack of gastroenteritis after he’d been 12th in this morning’s two-hour session, designed to allow riders to familiarise themselves with this notoriously difficult racetrack. “Loris was very unlucky today, because he missed most of this afternoon’s session,” said Ducati MotoGP project manager Livio Suppo. “Hopefully he will feel better tomorrow and be able to ride 100 per cent. Carlos is growing step by step, gradually adjusting his bike for the track. This circuit isn’t so easy, but today’s experience will help us improve tomorrow.” CHECA WORKING FOR A COMPROMISE Carlos Checa ended the day tenth quickest, eight tenths off ‘pole position’ and just a fraction behind reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi. “We’ve changed the balance of the bike, just adjusting small things,” he said. “We’ve had some front-end push and we’re trying to make the rear more stable. But it’s very difficult to find a good compromise at this track, it’s so uphill and downhill that you’ll never get the bike to be perfect. We also changed the gearbox after this morning, because, of course, it wasn’t right for our very first session here. We’ve also tried a lot of Bridgestone tyres. Everything is going okay and getting better, even though we’re not in the right position so far. The track doesn’t seem dangerous, just quite difficult at a few points.” CAPIROSSI SUFFERS GASTROENTERITIS Loris Capirossi only rode a few laps of this afternoon’s practice session before retiring to the Clinica Mobile, where he received treatment for a bad attack of gastroenteritis, with nausea, headache and fever. The Italian fell sick between today’s two sessions but did his best to ride his Ducati Desmosedici in the second session. Clinica doctors aren’t sure whether the sickness was caused by cold or bad food. After this morning’s session Capirossi said: “In general the whole package is working okay here. This track is really nice but it’s not very suitable for MotoGP bikes, there are too many dangerous areas.” More, from a press release issued by Team D’Antin Pramac: Roberto Rolfo (18th 1:27.060): “I like this track very much, it gives you a lot of emotions. The hardest part isn’t the ‘Corkscrew,’ as I thought, but the fast part coming next, until the arrival. I’m happy because we did a good job today; unfortunately I already didn’t feel really good this morning, and during the second practice session, after the first quarter, I wasn’t able to ride as I wanted to anymore. Actually, I fell a little bit sick and giddy, maybe for something I ate this morning.” Andre Laugier D’Antin Pramac Team Technical Chief: “Of course we still have a lot of work to do, but the situation is quite positive considering the fact we had absolutely no experience on this track.” More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda: Troy and Alex instantly quick at Laguna Seca The two Camel Honda team riders Troy Bayliss and Alex Barros confirmed their positive start to the first day of practice in Laguna Seca with the second and fourth fastest combined times respectively. Nonetheless Bayliss had a minor slide off the track halfway through the second free practice session, but continued to ride at an extraordinary pace. The Australian was always amongst the first two positions but in the double morning session and also in the afternoon, demonstrating his capabilities on the difficult and challenging Californian track. Alex Barros, seventh in the morning, made constant progress and eventually improved his lap time by half a second and took fourth place at the end of the first day. Troy Bayliss Camel Honda 1’24.547 2nd fastest Alex Barros Camel Honda 1’24.564 4th fastest More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: Hopkins fifth but more to come from Red Bull Suzuki Red Bull Suzuki racers Kenny Roberts Jr and John Hopkins are convinced they can improve on their positions after the first day’s practice for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. Hopkins (P5, 1’24.679, 65 laps) and Roberts Jr (P11, 1’25.265, 61 laps) both had an exhausting day at the Laguna Seca Raceway in California. The usual one hour morning practice session was increased to two hours to give all riders the chance to familiarise themselves with the spectacular circuit – it has been 11 years since the last MotoGP race on the Monterey Peninsular. The morning practice was split into two periods of an hour each. Both Red Bull Suzuki racers were quickly on the pace with Hopkins topping the leader-board no fewer than nine times in the first period. Today’s practice sessions were held under clear Californian skies and bright sunshine. Track surface temperatures reached 46 degrees centigrade and a strong wing caused a lot of dust from the surrounding run-off areas to blow onto the racing line and reducing adhesion. The fastest time of the day was set by Nicky Hayden on a Honda. Red Bull Suzuki will have another hour long practice session on Saturday morning followed by qualifying in the afternoon. The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix will begin at 14.00hrs local time (23.00hrs CET) on Sunday 10th July. John Hopkins “I’m really excited to be racing at home and to show all my fans and American motorcycle enthusiasts what MotoGP is all about. I’ve got a lot of supporters out there and right now I want to do the best for them. “The sessions have been going great. We haven’t been outside of the top five all day and we were in first place for a lot of the morning session. That was alright, but we are really working towards getting better. I would like to think I had an advantage from riding here before so after the first session we were already working on what we were going to use for the race, rather than learning the track. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow and trying some more Bridgestone race tyres to get the right compound for Sunday. I’m going for that top five or better – that’s it. I’m working hard and I’m motivated.” Kenny Roberts Jr “It’s great to be back at Laguna to see the American fans. There’s been a lot of interest already and it’s only going to get bigger as the weekend goes on – this is what America needs as far as MotoGP goes. I have a lot of family and friends here and I am very happy to be racing back here. “We still have to make some improvements to the bike. We don’t have enough grip to run with the front guys and everything contributes to that. The engine seemed to be working a little better but we will have to wait and see what happens tomorrow – but I’ll be going for it.” Paul Denning – Team Manager “It’s been a real busy day today for Red Bull Suzuki. With an extra hours practice and various delays it has seemed non-stop. All the team has worked really hard throughout the sessions. We’ve got through a fair bit of work but neither of the guys is totally happy with their Suzuki GSV-R which is a good sign, as they are both going quite well. We are still searching for more grip and will be working with Bridgestone this evening to find a solution. “From what I have seen Laguna Seca is a fantastic and exciting place to stage a MotoGP. The fans are very knowledgeable and are extremely supportive of Red Bull Suzuki, especially both riders. I know that Kenny and John are determined to put on a good display for all their fans and family and I am confident that neither of them will disappoint.” More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: Hayden on top as MotoGP returns to Laguna Seca The MotoGP World Championship returned to the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the first time in over a decade today as the first free practice sessions signalled the start of the Red Bull US Grand Prix in front of a bumper crowd. With tickets for tomorrow’s qualifying practice and Sunday’s race already sold out, today provided a unique chance for thousands of fans to see the world’s premier motorcycles and riders perform at the legendary venue. Local enthusiasts were certainly not disappointed as home favourite Nicky Hayden set the fastest time of the day in the hour-long afternoon session after conceding superiority to compatriot John Hopkins in a split morning practice totalling one hour and 50 minutes. Hayden’s time of 1’24.228 was enough to drop Troy Bayliss to second place by 0.223 seconds after the Australian had dominated for much of the session, with Max Biaggi and Alex Barros completing an all-Honda top four. “It’s nice to be fastest here at home a real good feeling,” said Hayden. “The weekend has started out great. The bike is working well and we have made a pretty good guess with the settings. Laguna is about how I remember it although I haven’t been here for three years. It does seem a little smaller on a MotoGP bike though; I seem to remember the straight being really long but it feels pretty short now! I’m really enjoying myself here with my brothers and my friends, so hopefully the weekend can continue like this.” Hopkins built on his scorching early pace with an improved lap time in the afternoon but eventually dropped to fifth on the combined time sheets, with fellow American Colin Edwards also on the pace with the sixth quickest time. Sete Gibernau was the fastest of the ten riders in the current MotoGP field to have no previous race experience of Laguna Seca, lapping just 0.574 seconds slower than Hayden in seventh place overall. However, it was a tough first day for the Spaniard’s team-mate Marco Melandri, who suffered a spectacular crash in the notorious ‘Corkscrew’ section and was lucky to escape with only bruising to his ankle and wrist. The Italian’s fall came at the end of the morning’s first outing and, even though he missed the next 50 minutes of available track time as he underwent checks in the Clinica Mobile, he bounced back in the afternoon to set the eighth fastest time. Melandri’s brave efforts eclipsed a disappointing first day for his compatriot Valentino Rossi, whom he trails in the championship by 63 points. Rossi, who has won six out of seven races so far this season, clocked the ninth fastest time on his first visit to the track riding in the black and yellow colours of Yamaha USA, also sported by his factory team-mate Edwards. Whilst Ducati rider Carlos Checa completed the top ten, his team-mate Loris Capirossi ended the day 16th fastest after suffering a bout of nausea, headache and fever after just a few laps of this afternoon’s practice. The Italian was treated in the Clinica Mobile for gastroenteritis, although doctors are not sure whether the sickness was caused by cold or bad food. MotoGP’s medical clinic also gave brief checks to Ruben Xaus and Franco Battaini, who both escaped unhurt after crashing. More, from a press release issued by Gauloises Yamaha: EDWARDS AND ROSSI GET TO GRIPS WITH LAGUNA SECA Yamaha Factory Racing riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards began their preparations for the eighth round of the MotoGP World Championship in front of a bumper crowd today as the series returned to Laguna Seca after an exile of more than a decade. It was a day of contrasting experiences for the Yamaha pair, with the reigning World Champion paying his first visit to the legendary Californian circuit whilst his American team-mate made an exciting homecoming to a track he grew up on in the national AMA series. Whilst Rossi tentatively found his bearings at the rollercoaster track, Edwards benefited from his previous knowledge of its intricate layout to immediately begin set-up work in this morning’s first free practice, which was split into two extended sessions of 55 minutes. The Texan lapped consistently amongst the fastest riders as he ran through a series of suspension and tyre tests, clocking the sixth quickest time of the day in the afternoon’s hour-long second free practice. Rossi, one of ten riders in the MotoGP class to have no previous race experience at Laguna Seca, set his best time in the morning and lies ninth fastest on the combined time sheets. Nicky Hayden (Honda) clocked the fastest time of the day with a lap of 1’24.228 after overturning Troy Bayliss (Honda) in the afternoon session. COLIN EDWARDS (6th; 1’24.696 55 laps) “It’s great to be back here at Laguna Seca and the support I’ve had even today has been awesome. With this being my home Grand Prix and having Valentino as my team-mate, the backing for the whole team has been incredible. As far as the bike is concerned, we’ve already got the rear end working probably better than anything I’ve ever ridden around this circuit and generally it feels great. The only thing I’m having a little trouble with is keeping the front on the ground and turning into the corners, so we have a few areas that we need to strengthen. I’m really happy with my pace and my lap time because I know there is a lot more to come from us tomorrow.” VALENTINO ROSSI (9th; 1’24.969 72 laps) “This is an ‘old style’ track and to be honest I think maybe our bike is a little too fast for it, so today I haven’t been able to push to the limit. It is hard to find the right set-up in these circumstances and at the moment we still have a lot work to do. We need more time on the track and more kilometres with the bike to find out where we can push harder, make up some time and be stronger. I am a little concerned about the safety of the track and today we will have a meeting with the other riders to discuss it. Anyway, I have enjoyed riding at Laguna Seca, especially the Corkscrew, because in the past I have only seen it on the television. The big crowds here show that MotoGP should be in America, but we also need to make sure it is safe.” DANIELE ROMAGNOLI COLIN EDWARDS’ CREW CHIEF “It has been quite a challenge for us to find a set-up for the bike at this track but thankfully we have the perfect rider to give us the feedback we need because there are not many people who know this circuit like Colin does. The first step for us this morning was to find the gearbox setting, which we were able to do quite quickly, and then start to work on the front and rear suspension. We have got the rear working quite well but we have some more work to do adjusting the front spring settings which should give Colin more confidence in the bike and push for a much better time tomorrow.” More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha: First day / ELIAS MAKES CONFIDENT RETURN, XAUS STILL SEARCHING FOR CRUCIAL EDGE First day of practice at the US Grand Prix. MotoGP returns to the United States 11 years after its last visit, at a circuit with the same track as before, but with significant modifications to run-off areas to improve safety, with standards now much higher thanks mainly to the riders’ input. Rubén Xaus and Toni Elías, teammates at Fortuna Yamaha MotoGP, have now both ridden the track, the former attempting to revive his fortunes here on a superbike, and the latter riding at a circuit he has dreamt about since a young age. The first of the two sessions was extended to two hours with a ten-minute break in the middle, so that the ‘rookies’ at the track could learn its difficult lines. TONI ELIAS Free 1: 16th, 1’27’263, +2.716 from pole Free 2: 14th, 1’25’574, +1.346 from pole Combined: 14th position Toni Elías’ position speaks for itself. Between the first and second session he improved his time by 1.370 seconds, and taking into account that he is returning from a long injury which he is still not fully recovered from, “I’m happy. the track is technical and complicated and my left wrist is still not at 100%, and is hurting. The track is mainly left handers and you can imagine the effort needed. We have done some good work, calmly and making small steps forward. In the near two months I have been absent, I obviously haven’t stopped my physical training, but I can feel the pain in braking and on the banking. The radius isn’t what hurts me, just the scaphoid. I am also happy because this track is legendary for me. i saw my childhood heroes ride here, and I always dreamt about emulating them. With respect to the bike’s set-up, we still need to improve, even if the progress from morning to afternoon was big. With regards to safety I have to say that in coming years, things need to be changed.” RUBEN XAUS Free 1: 15th, 1’26’392, +1.845 from pole Free 2: 17th, 1’26,441, +2.164 from pole Combined: 17th position The Barcelona rider set similar times in both sessions, losing some ground in the afternoon time sheets even though his general pace improved. “The first session was long so that several riders who hadn’t been to the track could get used to it. We have worked on set-up and at the same time I tried to remember my reference points, because I haven’t raced here since 2003 when I won one of the rounds of Superbikes. However with the Yamaha everything is different; i’m not at all comfortable. I’m looking, but can’t find the sensations I want to have on the bike and which will let me go faster. I’m going out in every session to find these sensations and also to enjoy myself, but I still don’t have it. I like the track and I know how to go quick; I’ll keep on trying.” Antonio Jiménez, Toni Elias’s Chief Mechanic “To be honest, after two months out it’s difficult to return. But we know that Toni is very brave and wants to give his best always. Although he is in pain, he is working hard to be as high up as possible. This is a complicated track, taking into account that he is coming back from injury. There is a lot of work ahead of us to get a stable bike which will allow Toni to keep a good rhythm up.”

Provisional Friday Afternoon AMA Superstock Practice: 1. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:27.398 2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:28.088 3. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:28.412 4. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 1:28.424 5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:28.457 6. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:28.556 7. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:28.778 8. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:28.788 9. Roger Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:28.913 10. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 1:29.093 11. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:29.212 12. John Haner, Suzuki, 1:29.395 13. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, 1:29.592 14. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 1:29.717 15. Brent George, Suzuki, 1:30.581 16. Jason Perez, Yamaha, 1:31.011 17. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:31.012 18. Eric Wood, Suzuki, 1:31.173 19. Mark Miller, Suzuki, 1:31.929 20. Cory Call, Suzuki, 1:32.006 21. Corey Eaton, Suzuki, 1:32.181 22. Blake Young, Suzuki, 1:32.771 23. Eli Edwards, Suzuki, 1:32.888 24. Lee Acree, Suzuki, 1:32.976 25. Akira Tamitsuji, Suzuki, 1:33.130 26. Montez Stewart, Suzuki, 1:33.773 27. Christopher Ancien, Suzuki, 1:33.812 28. Brian Boyd, Suzuki, 1:34.063 29. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 1:35.002 30. James Kerker, Honda, 1:35.037 31. Sean Wray, Yamaha, 1:35.317 32. Brad Puetz, Suzuki, 1:35.641 33. Skye Girard, Yamaha, 1:36.159 34. Jeremy Haiduk, Yamaha, 1:36.200 35. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, 1:36.239 36. Reno Karimian, Suzuki, 1:36.322 37. Eric Haugo, Suzuki, 1:36.449 38. Johnny Rock Page, Yamaha, 1:38.306 39. Michael Beck, Yamaha, 1:39.521 40. M. Ivan Garza, Suzuki, 1:40.640 More, from a press release issued by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki: BARNES AND MAY SOLID IN LAGUNA SECA PRACTICE Team M4 EMGO Suzuki opened the Laguna Seca weekend in front of a massive Friday crowd that flocked to Monterey to attend the highly anticipated combined AMA/MotoGP event. With a three-day attendance figure expected to be in the neighborhood of 150,000 spectators, this weekend provides a fantastic opportunity for the team to make a big impression. Believing the best way to accomplish that goal is to come through big in the races, Geoff May and Michael Barnes focused throughout the day on Friday on fine-tuning their race set-ups and doing endurance tests on their tires rather than attempting to pull off single fast laps. The strategy appears to be paying dividends, with both riders posting impressive times during marathon runs on their Pirelli-shod Suzuki GSX-Rs. May, who appears to be 100% healthy again after having to cut a test session at Mid-Ohio short due to a shoulder injury last month, was the fastest Suzuki-mounted rider in the day’s Supersport session. The Georgian posted a fast lap of 1:32.068 around the undulating 2.2-mile circuit to end Friday seventh overall in the class. May also performed well aboard his GSX-R1000 Superstock race machine. On the heels of his first career AMA podium finish he earned at the season’s previous race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, he expects to be a contender again this weekend. Geoff ranked eighth fastest today at 1:28.788, despite concentrating on his bike’s race set-up. Meanwhile, Barnes continued to make strides with the team as he further adjusts to the equipment and his crew learns how to make the bikes work best for the Floridian. With the Formula Xtreme class taking the weekend off due to the packed schedule, Barnes is spending all of Laguna Seca track time aboard his GSX-R1000. He rounded out the top ten in the Superstock session, circulating the Northern Californian with a best lap of 1:29.093. The two also rode their Superstock-spec machines in the day’s Superbike session. May was eleventh fastest at 1:29.339, one spot ahead of Barnes at 1:29.494. Team Crew Chief Keith Perry summed up the day for Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, commenting, “I thought things went well — no big dramas. We’re just working through some settings and some tires, and we found a really good tire we think. Actually one of our fastest laps was set on the 17th or 18th lap of a tire. Geoff ran one out for 23 laps. We’re working towards the race set-up more so than we did at Elkhart, trying to overcome some of the issues we’ve run into before. So far so good.” Saturday’s schedule features qualifying in Superstock and Superbike along with the 28-lap Superbike final.

Several times over the first two days of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca the discussion between reporters and MotoGP racers has turned to safety at the Monterey, California track, and the issue of safety has been raised by riders more than by the reporters. “I remember it being a lot bigger, a lot wider and everything,” Repsol Honda’s Nicky Hayden said in the pre-event press conference Thursday. “I used to come here and think how big Laguna was, a lot of run-off, but after being in Europe for a couple of years, I realize the track’s a little tighter than it was on my 600 going up that hill in the back. Yeah, on a MotoGP bike it’s going to be pretty gnarly, no doubt.” “When you go to Europe you get spoiled,” Gauloises Yamaha’s Colin Edwards said Thursday. “You can push everywhere. Every corner is perfectly safe and fine. When you’re in Europe long enough and then you come back to a racetrack like this and you look at it like, Nicky said, ‘Wow! It used to be huge.’ But because everything is so much bigger in Europe, this one feels tight and narrow.” After the first, nearly-two-hour MotoGP Practice Friday morning, more opinions about the track started to come out. “Compared to 11 years ago this track is much safer,” said Camel Honda’s Alex Barros, who raced in previous Grands Prix at Laguna Seca. “They’ve done a good job in improving the safety,” said Camel Honda’s Troy Bayliss. “They’ve moved several walls and the impression it gives is that overall it is much safer. It’s still a hard track though, where you have to be very aware, but it’s a track I really like, also.” “This circuit isn’t so easy with all this horsepower, but it’s a lot of fun,” said Marlboro Ducati’s Carlos Checa. “So it doesn’t seem dangerous, just quite difficult at a few points.” “This track is really nice, but it’s not suitable for MotoGP bike,” said Checa’s teammate Loris Capirossi, a member of the MotoGP Safety Commission. “There are too many dangerous areas.” “This track is pretty dangerous in many points, but there are some places where it’s very, very dangerous it’s an ‘old style’ track,” Valentino Rossi was quoted as saying. “When you’re walking around it or going around it on a scooter, it’s actually even more dangerous than when you’re on the motorbike, when it feels safer! The level of security is not very good, it’s not as good as the other tracks we race at. If we don’t make some changes to this track for the future we might not be able to race here again. However, today we will have a meeting with all the riders to speak about the problems. I never saw this track before, but Kenny Roberts saw it and obviously thought it was safe enough.”

AMA TESTIFIES FOR OHV RIDERS IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced its support of off-highway-vehicle enthusiasts in Riverside County, California, voicing its opposition to a proposal to severely curb off-highway riding on private property. The proposal, brought forward by a small number of local residents, would limit OHV riding to three days a week in unincorporated areas, and would restrict the number of OHVs on private property — arguably the harshest such rules in the nation. Edward Moreland, AMA Vice President for Government Relations, testified at a July 6 meeting of the Riverside County Planning Commission. “A dispute between neighbors sparked a brush fire that now threatens to consume responsible off-highway riding in all of Riverside County,” said Moreland. “What this fire needs is more light and less heat — the discussion needs to focus on the facts. The AMA believes that those facts clearly demonstrate that off-highway-vehicle enthusiasts should keep the right to ride on their own private property.” Jeremy McGrath, an eight-time AMA champion, two-time world champion, and member of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, is one of the riders who could be affected by the proposed rules. “I know that this issue is important to off-highway riders not only in California, but all across America,” said McGrath, who rides on his Riverside County property. “I’m glad we have the AMA standing beside us, helping us protect our right to ride.” A number of other OHV enthusiasts, as well as the California-based Off-Road Business Association and property-rights advocates, also testified at the meeting. After hearing hours of testimony, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to postpone its decision until August 31, 2005, and declined to consider proposals that included day-of-week restrictions. The AMA’s written comments to the Riverside County Planning Commission are available online in the AMA Rapid Response Center at ~http://www.amadirectlink.com/legisltn/downloads/riverside_comments.pdf.~

Friday Morning MotoGP Practice Results: 1. Troy Bayliss, Honda, 1:24.547 2. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:24.639 3. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 1:24.785 4. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 1:24.889 5. Colin Edwards, Yamaha, 1:24.922 6. Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, 1:24.969 7. Alex Barros, Honda, 1:25.048 8. Max Biaggi, Honda, 1:25.193 9. Kenny Lee Roberts, Suzuki, 1:25.265 10. Carlos Checa, Ducati, 1:25.763 11. Shinya Nakano, Kawasaki, 1:25.779 12. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:25.967 13. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki, 1:26.203 14. Marco Melandri, Honda, 1:26.344 15. Ruben Xaus, Yamaha, 1:26.392 16. Toni Elias, Yamaha, 1:27.263, crash 17. Roberto Rolfo, Ducati, 1:27.323 18. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 1:27.511 19. Shane Byrne, Proton KR, 1:27.857 20. James Ellison, Blata, 1:28.809 21. Franco Battaini, Blata, 1:30.207 More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse: DUCATI MEN GET TO KNOW LAGUNA SECA Ducati Team riders Carlos Checa and Loris Capirossi reacquainted themselves with the rollercoaster Laguna circuit this morning. Both riders took part in an extra-long first Friday session of almost two hours, to allow themselves time to relearn the complex, undulating venue. CHECA TENTH Carlos Checa rounded out the top ten. “This circuit isn’t so easy with all this horsepower, but it’s a lot of fun,” he said. “So far it doesn’t seem dangerous, just quite difficult at a few points. Things are okay so far, and once I feel better on the bike, so I’ve got more confidence and can keep rolling into the corners faster, they’ll be even better.” CAPIROSSI 12TH Loris Capirossi was a cautious 12th quickest in his first outing on his Ducati Team Desmosedici. “I’m not as quick as I want to be, but we are only getting used to the track at the moment,” he said Capirossi. “We still need to work on the gearing and set-up, and we are trying some different tyres which so far are a little hard, so I’m not getting a great feeling from them. In general, however, the whole package is working okay. This track is really nice but it’s not very suitable for MotoGP bikes, there are too many dangerous areas.” More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda: TROY BAYLISS START WELL AT LAGUNA SECA Getting away twenty minutes later than scheduled (several stewards still had to take their positions along the track and the entry to pit-lane had to be extended and a concrete guard-rail moved), MotoGP restarted their engines at the Laguna Seca circuit, eleven years after the last United States Grand Prix. There was a great deal of interest in finding out the riders’ first impressions of the Californian track and the modifications it has undergone, above all from those riders who have already raced at the track like the two Camel Honda team riders. Both Barros and Bayliss consider the track to be safer than in the past, even if several areas will still need further improvements. However both of them were quick from the off, above all Troy Bayliss, who rode fastest at a track which requires confident and aggressive riding, which the Australian evidently has in abundance. Sito Pons Camel Honda “I have done a lap of the track and I can see that a lot of important things have been done to improve safety, even though there are still things to be done. Also in terms of organisation we’re paying for over ten years of absence of Laguna Seca from the world championships: I mean for things like internet and intranet connections, the signals to the monitor and those kinds of things that help the day to day running of the team. I hope however that things will be sorted out over the coming hours. As for the rest I’m happy that such a great amount of interest has been awoken in America for MotoGP, in all my experience I’ve never seen it like this, and it’s evident not only from ticket sales but also from the coverage the national press is giving the event. It is so important for the world championship to race here and I’m satisfied that we can see both our riders amongst the quickest from the beginning. Both Troy and Alex have raced at Laguna before, and gone well, and I hope that they can keep their level of competitiveness throughout the weekend.” Alex Barros Camel Honda 1’25.048 – 7° tempo “Compared to eleven years ago this track is much safer. Although the asphalt seems the same, so it’s even more bumpy and undulating than before. Coming into the straight there’s a particularly big dip. In any case, this track requires you to ride very aggressively and be very physical, especially with the MotoGP bike compared to the 500cc. It’s not a circuit where you can get away with not riding a clean line. At the moment it’s hard to work out how to set the gearbox and the suspension; it’s dirty out there and there’s not a lot of grip but gradually as it cleans up things will become clearer and we can begin to think about tyres too. The times are sure to come down accordingly.” Troy Bayliss Camel Honda 1’24.547 – 1° tempo “I haven’t been to this track for three or four years now. The track is practically the same just with a few more bumps which seem to appear more every year. They’ve done a good job in improving the safety, they’ve moved several walls and the impression it gives is that overall it is much safer. It’s still a hard track though, where you have to be very aware, but it’s a track I really like, also because the last time I was here I got a good result. I’m feeling good on the bike, but it will be a long weekend and this is just a good start, my best so far this year. So, concentration, determination and hard work are what we need now.”

American John Hopkins turned the fastest lap time in the first half of the split and extended first MotoGP practice Friday at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Hopkins’ 1:25.265 on his Bridgestone-equipped Red Bull Suzuki GSV-R was just better than Troy Bayliss’ 1:25.336, turned on his Michelin-shod Camel Honda RC211V. In pre-event P.R. material, Bayliss predicted that the lap record for Laguna Seca (Colin Edwards’ 1:24.888 from 2002 World Superbike qualifying) would not last 15 minutes into the first MotoGP practice, but the overall lap record has held up, thanks in part to what riders have described as slippery, or “green,” track conditions. Telefonica Movistar Honda’s Marco Melandri was in the top five of the session when he crashed in the Corkscrew on his 19th lap. Melandri was seen on video feeds limping away from the accident with assistance, before lying down trackside. He did not go back out in the session. MotoGP Free Practice One Lap Times: 1. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 1:25.265 2. Troy Bayliss, Honda, 1:25.336 3. Kenny Lee Roberts, Suzuki, 1:25.635 4. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:25.965 5. Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, 1:25.966 6. Max Biaggi, Honda, 1:26.030 7. Alex Barros, Honda, 1:26.204 8. Marco Melandri, Honda, 1:26.344, crash 9. Colin Edwards, Yamaha, 1:26.376 10. Ruben Xaus, Yamaha, 1:26.648 11. Carlos Checa, Ducati, 1:26.658 12. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:26.728 13. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki, 1:26.933 14. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 1:27.080 15. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 1:27.608 16. Shinya Nakano, Kawasaki, 1:27.652 17. Roberto Rolfo, Ducati, 1:28.721 18. Shane Byrne, Proton KR, 1:28.764 19. Toni Elias, Yamaha, 1:28.933

RIZLA SUZUKI’S John Reynolds spent today’s practice sessions for the eighth round of the British Superbike Championship at Snetterton in Norfolk testing new Ohlins gas forks on his GSX-R1000. Today was the first time the reigning British Champion tried the latest specification forks and he adapted quickly, setting the seventh fastest lap time just over a second behind quickest man on the day, Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari. Rizla Suzuki’s James Haydon was fifth fastest and threatening to climb further up the timesheets with five minutes to go when he suffered a high-side crash coming out of Russells chicane. He is receiving treatment for muscle damage to his right shoulder and will undergo a medical examination tomorrow morning to assess his fitness to continue racing this weekend. Superbike racing starts at 1:15pm on Sunday, July 10th, at the 1.95-mile long Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk. The action will be covered live by Sky Sports. Channel 4 will broadcast a highlights package of the race action one week later. JR: “When James went more than a second faster than me at the recent Croft test using new Ohlins gas forks I knew I was going to try the same suspension here at Snetterton. We have worked hard and I think the gas forks are a step forward in performance. “Using new forks means that we are having to revisit the overall set-up of my Rizla Suzuki. I am still not completely comfortable but we are making progress every time we go out on track and there is quite a bit more to come tomorrow.” James: “Russells corner is the only left hand corner on the track that you are on the gas and pushing the rear tyre to its limits. Right at the end of the session I asked too much of the tyre when I was on a very fast lap and I high-sided. “I have hurt muscles in my right shoulder and it is now under an ice-pack to control the swelling. I am resting and preparing for a medical examination in the morning. If I can get through that, I know that my Rizla Suzuki is pretty well sorted and capable of running at the front for the rest of the weekend.” Practice Times: 1: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 1:05.696, 2: Michael Rutter (Honda) +0.119, 3: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +0.407, 4: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +0.835, 5: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) +0.888, 6: Dean Thomas (Kawasaki) +1.009, 7: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) +1.126, 8: Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +1.128, 9: Gary Mason (Honda) +1.231, 10: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +1.314.

Provisional Friday Morning AMA Superbike Practice Times: 1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, 1:25.981 2. Eric Bostrom, Ducati, 1:26.219 3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 1:26.593 4. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:26.657 5. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:26.865 6. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, 1:27.008 7. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:27.474 8. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki, 1:27.823 9. Larry Pegram, Honda, 1:28.573 10. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, 1:28.629 11. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:29.338 12. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 1:29.494 13. Marty Craggill, Suzuki, 1:29.625 14. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:29.858 15. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:29.901 16. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 1:30.192 17. Jeff Tigert, Honda, 1:30.202 18. John Haner, Suzuki, 1:30.657 19. Jeremy Toye, Honda, 1:30.707 20. Clint McBain, Suzuki, 1:30.838 21. Mark Ledesma, Honda, 1:30.893 22. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 1:31.324 23. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, 1:31.596 24. Brent George, Suzuki, 1:32.168 25. Lee Acree, Suzuki, 1:32.244 26. Mike Sullivan, Yamaha, 1:32.288 27. Kevin Lacombe, Suzuki, 1:32.382 28. Scott Jensen, Suzuki, 1:32.733 29. Cory West, Suzuki, 1:32.771 30. Eric Wood, Suzuki, 1:32.797 31. Cory Call, Kawasaki, 1:32.806 32. Shane Turpin, Suzuki, 1:33.271 33. David Bell, Suzuki, 1:33.673 34. Nicky Moore, Yamaha, 1:33.753 35. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki, 1:34.150 36. Brian Boyd, Suzuki, 1:34.965 37. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki, 1:36.221 38. Akira Tamisuji, Suzuki, 1:36.579 39. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 1:36.809 40. C.R. Gittere, Suzuki, 1:36.972 41. Matt Lynn, Suzuki, 1:40.930 42. James Kerker, Honda, 1:56.063 More, from a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin: BOSTROM SECOND QUICKEST IN OPENING LAGUNA SECA SESSION Monterey, CA (July 8) – Eric Bostrom of the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team was second fastest at Laguna Seca on Friday in AMA Superbike practice. The two-time race winner at the track put his 999 near the top of the charts in the day’s sole 50 minute session as the US Superbike series supports MotoGP this weekend. Bostrom’s lap time was 1:26.218, set in cool but sunny weather. His teammate, Neil Hodgson, was sixth. “I was really happy with the lap times because I feel we have even more in the motorcycle,” said Eric, the winner at Pikes Peak earlier this season. “The lap times being as good as they were at the start means there’s a lot of room for improvement with our settings on the 999. We have some good ideas to make it even better for tomorrow and the team is working hard to get it done. We expect to go faster.” Bostrom affirmed that the 11-turn Monterey circuit is his favorite track. “It feels like home,” said Eric. “It’s a special place to me. When I show up at the track, I just feel comfortable. In the past, we’ve really had some good races at Laguna Seca and a few wins.” Neil Hodgson, Elkhart Lake race winner, was sixth with a lap time of 1:27.008, but held fourth spot until being bumped at the end of the session. “It wasn’t the best practice session I’d ever had,” said Hodgson, the 2003 World Superbike champion. “We spent half an hour changing some things around and that did cost us some track time. I’ll be okay tomorrow. I get on with this track really well and was ready to ride. It really doesn’t bother us having very little practice time because it’s here at Laguna Seca, a track I’ve been to a bunch. I think I can probably get around here with my eyes closed if I had to. I’m really looking forward to riding tomorrow.” Saturday will see AMA Superbike qualifying at 11:50 AM and the race begins at 4:35 PM local time.