From a press release issued by the FIM:

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix
Czech Grand Prix: wild-card riders

The wild-card riders who will race in the Czech Grand Prix, scheduled on the circuit of Brno on August 22 next, are the following:

Start number, Rider/Pilote, Team, Nominating organization:
125cc class –

20, Georg Fröhlich (GER-Honda) ADAC Honda Team, FIM

35, Vaclav Bittman (CZE-Honda) Elit Grand Prix, ACCR

87, Patrik Vostarek (CZE-Honda) OMV Team Hanusch, ACCR

88, Michael Ranseder (AUT-KTM) Red Bull KTM Junior Team, FIM

89, Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN-Yamaha) SP Tadao Racing Team, ACCR


250cc class –

42, Gregory Leblanc (FRA-Aprilia) Leblanc Racing Team, FIM

68, Michal Filla (CZE-Yamaha) Sramec Racing Promotion, ACCR

69, Jiri Mrkyvka (CZE-Aprilia) Mrkyvka Racing Team, ACCR

70, Valerio Anghetti (ITA-Aprilia) Team Campetella, ACCR

71, Henk van de Lagemaat (NED-Aprilia) De Arend – Filard Racing, FIM


MotoGP class –

32, Gregorio Lavilla (SPA-Suzuki) Suzuki MotoGP, MSMA

88, Andrew Pitt (AUS-Moriwaki) Moriwaki Racing, FIM-Dorna

From a press release issued by Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha:

GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA TEAM PREVIEW

Gauloises Czech Grand Prix

Brno, Czech Republic

August 20, 21, 22 2004

CZECH DATE FOR GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA RIDERS

The 16-round MotoGP World Championship prepares to recommence after a three week summer interval, reconvening in Brno on August 22. The Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team approaches its latest challenge in far better shape than the majority of its rivals, after some outstanding individual and team performances since the start of the season in April.

World number one Valentino Rossi has displayed dazzling winning form in his first Yamaha year. His five 2004 victories thus far are as impressive as they were somewhat unexpected at this early stage of the new partnership. The upshot of the 25-year-old’s points gathering performances, and the ever increasing capabilities of the Yamaha YZR-M1, is a 22-point lead over their closest competitors in the Riders’ Championship.

Carlos Checa, the Fortuna-branded rider in Yamaha’s cosmopolitan factory squad, has experienced an up and down season so far, his pinnacle performance was second at Le Mans in round three. He, like Rossi, is a big fan of the high-speed turns and committed downhill corner entries of the Brno track, a point which gives all involved a high degree of confidence at what is a Gauloises sponsored event.

Rossi’s blue M1, as well as an on-track points gatherer, scooped an award from a spectator survey conducted at the Donington MotoGP weekend from British biking weekly Motor Cycle News (MCN). The bike was voted best designed machine of 2004, while the factory team was blessed with the accolade of favourite team in the paddock, proof of the overall prowess and high profile of the Yamaha factory effort.

Surfing high on the wave of Rossi’s latest crushing triumph at the Donington Grand Prix three weeks ago, the team nonetheless continued its relentless pace of development by staying in situ to test one day later. The aim to solve some set-up issues which had appeared on occasion this year was achieved. After this successful one-day test the team has enjoyed its longest break since the start of 2004, recharging batteries in readiness for the final gruelling segment of the season.

ROSSI REFRESHED AND DETERMINED

Out to repeat his perfect performance of race victory, fastest qualifying time and lap record in last year’s Brno event, Rossi knows he will have to labour hard in qualifying to repeat his 2003 success story.

“I made a beautiful race in Brno last year,” said the Italian. “It’s not necessarily my favourite circuit and I really don’t know how the M1 will go there as it’s so diverse; high speed but still with many turns, up and downhill sections, adverse cambers, et cetera. Anyway, Checa was good there last year and Yamaha is very fast there traditionally.”

Rossi knows he has to keep the pressure on his opponents at this vital part of the season. “Although I’m leading the championship it’s not by enough points to feel safe yet, every point from now on is crucial if we are to think about being in a position to win the championship. The win in Donington before the summer break was magic but there were still some problems and room for improvement. We made some good progress in the one-day test after Donington, where we tested new front fork settings and engine mapping. The stability felt better and it was a worthwhile day – but we still have a way to go.”

Rossi acknowledges that it is not only himself he has to consider at Brno. “This year has so far been a real surprise and we have made remarkable progress. But Honda have made a lot of progress at the same time, and Sete and Max are stronger now than ever. I know that Yamaha will have been working non-stop through the summer break to make even more improvements, so let’s see what happens in Brno. The riders have had three weeks off so everyone should be revitalized. It’s certainly going to be a great second half of the season, perhaps with even better battles than there have been in the first half.”

CHECA SETS TOP FIVE CZECH TARGET

A positive feeling from the previous Donington race has made the mid-season break a simplified affair for Checa.

“After Donington I asked my mechanics not to change too much on the bike for Brno,” explained Checa, who finished sixth at the British Grand Prix three weeks ago. “I was really happy with the package we had in Donington and the bike was working well. The set-up and tyres felt good and I was able to ride the bike on the limit; hopefully this will continue in Brno. For the second half of the season I want to be consistently in the top five; this is my target and the target of the whole team, and we believe we can do it. I would like us to start like this in Brno.”

“Every year we joke about this race being another ‘home’ Grand Prix for me after the Spanish and British races because it is in the ‘Republica Checa!’ It’s a fantastic track, definitely one of the best we race at. It’s safe, fast, wide and long with a good racing line, plus the facilities in the paddock are excellent. Although we may need a little bit more power there I think that it could be one of the best tracks for Yamaha this season. It’s always a pleasure to race in Brno and I am looking forward to getting back into the action after the summer break.”

DAVIDE BRIVIO – TEAM DIRECTOR

The man charged with overseeing all aspects of the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha team’s progress, Davide Brivio, realises that nothing can be taken for granted in the Czech race, despite some excellent showings for his bikes and riders recently.

“In the past, especially in the two-stroke times, Brno was very good for Yamaha,” said Brivio. “We also won the race with Max and the four-stroke M1 in 2002, while last year Carlos was running in the top group. The bike suits Brno but this year we have never been very good at circuits where Yamahas are supposed to be good! Having said that, of course it seems like both riders like the track and we can go there looking forward to some good results.”

Given the closer than ever high levels of competition of riders and manufacturers in the 2004 MotoGP class, Brivio is glad that the most recent Donington one-day test delivered such favourable results.

“Our recent Donington session was very useful; something we had to undertake to make order out of some of the machine’s settings. Really, to make more options available. It was almost a full day making experiments and checks. It could be particularly useful if we find ourselves at some circuits with set-up problems and have to make a decision quickly.”

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Few circuit locations are as historic as that of Brno. The ‘new’ circuit is encircled by the tendrils of the various ‘real’ road layouts that made up the various Czech Grand Prix venues of yesteryear. Only closed in 1982, the old track was replaced in 1987 by what is basically the current incarnation, subtly altered in 1996 to measure 5.403km in length.

The Brno circuit no longer boasts cobblestone sections, but as contemporary MotoGP circuits go, it is one of the best and most atmospheric, wending its way first down a hillside, dropping 73 metres from the highest point, before providing a power-sapping climb back up to the start/finish line.

Rossi was the first rider under the two-minute barrier in a Brno race situation last year, making the most of the undulating nature of the track on his Honda. Brno has nonetheless been a good circuit for Yamaha riders in the past, and priority number one will be to dial the YZR-M1 in for the seemingly never ending succession of fast chicanes, interspersed with similar radius medium speed corners.

Ultra-slow chicanes and their need for heavy braking loads are conspicuously absent at Brno. However there is still a heavier use of front tyre side grip than usual, due to all the downhill corner entries, with the bike on its side while negotiating negative cambers many times per lap.

One of the less technically demanding tracks on the calendar, the one crucial feature of the chassis set-up at the Czech venue is to have a good turn-in performance to make light work of the propensity of relatively high speed chicanes.

Falling within the traditional Italian August holiday period, local support from the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany is generally boosted in Brno by the legion of travelling Rossi, Melandri, Biaggi and Capirossi fans that colour the hillsides. Invariably, the most numerous and raucous will be those in the blue and yellow of Valentino Rossi.

VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION

Age: 25

Lives: London, UK

Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1

GP victories: 64 (25 X MotoGP, 13 X 500cc, 14 X 250cc, 12 X 125cc)

First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)

First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)

GP starts: 133 (41 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)

Pole positions: 34

Brno 2003 results (Honda): Grid: 1st, Race: 1st



CARLOS CHECA: INFORMATION

Age: 31

Lives: London, UK

Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1

GP victories: 2 (500cc)

First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500cc)

First GP: Europe, 1993 (125cc)

GP starts: 161 (41 x MotoGP, 92 x 500cc, 27 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc)

Pole positions: 2 (1 x MotoGP, 1 x 500cc)

First pole: Spain, 1998 (500cc)

Brno 2003 results (Yamaha): Grid: 5th, Race: 4th



Brno MotoGP lap record – Valentino Rossi (Honda): 1:59.966 (2003)

Circuit best lap – Valentino Rossi (Honda): 1:58.740 (2003)

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

KAGAYAMA SETS POLE AT CROFT
Team Suzuki Press Office – August 14, 2004.

Yukio Kagayama set a blisteringly quick lap time on race rubber to take pole position for tomorrow’s 10th round of the British Superbike Championship at Croft while his team mate John Reynolds will start from the second row in sixth place.

Croft is new to the BSB calendar for 2004 and Kagayama used his experience of learning tracks quickly along with his immense riding talent to dominate the practice and qualifying sessions, finishing up with pole position on his Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Series leader Reynolds was second on the time sheets until the closing seconds of qualification when he was edged back to sixth on the grid. On the pace using race rubber, JR left the pit-garage vowing to be fighting for the podium.

He leads the Championship by 73 points from Honda’s Michael Rutter going into this round.

Yukio Kagayama:

“Thank you my team staff for helping me take pole position. This morning I ride hard and my Rizla Suzuki feels very fast – I set pole position lap time using race tyre. This afternoon I try many small changes and make same lap time and learn more about this circuit.

“I think over race distance we have a fast bike and I think maybe a good chance to get satisfactory result. I want to win races for my fans and Rizla Suzuki. This is my main aim for rest of season.”

John Reynolds:

“We have made good progress with my Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 and it is handling, driving and braking extremely well. On race rubber that is great, but I just couldn’t get it together on a qualifying tyre.

“Sixth on the grid is less than ideal, but my team is keeping me grounded in reality – we have the race set-up to challenge at the front and that is what is important. There are no points for qualifying and I know I will start the racing tomorrow with the most competitive bike possible.”

Stewart Johnstone – Chief Technician for Kagayama:

“Yuki has clicked well with Croft and been really strong every time he’s gone out on track. We started with a reasonable base setting on his GSX-R1000 and have spent most of the time refining it for race distance. The fact he set pole position during an endurance test on race rubber is very impressive and with a bit of luck tomorrow we could score some good results.

“JR has been closest to Yuki using race rubber and his qualifying position doesn’t reflect his competitiveness here. He is determined to extend his points advantage in the title chase and if he gets his trade-mark good start, will be right up the front in both races.”

Qualifying positions:

1: YUKIO KAGAYAMA (RIZLA SUZUKI) 1:20.904
2: Michael Rutter (Honda) +0.046
3: James Haydon (Yamaha) +0.176
4: Dean Thomas (Ducati) +0.285
5: Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +0.324
6: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) +0.425
7: Gary Mason (Yamaha) +0.522
8: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +0.879
9: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +0.914
10: John McGuinness (Kawasaki) +0.936.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yamaha GMT94’s David Checa, Sebastien Gimbert and William Costes won round five of the six-round FIM Endurance World Championship, a 24-hour event August 14-15 at Oschersleben in Germany.

The win in the double-point race combined with the DNF of Castrol Suzuki (Vincent Philippe/Olivier Four/Matthieu Lagrive) allows Yamaha GMT94 to clinch the Endurance World Championship with one round remaining.

Yamaha GMT94 and Castrol Suzuki swapped the lead back and forth with each pit stop through the first half of the race.

Thanks to a longer range on each load of fuel, Castrol Suzuki was set up to do two less pit stops than Yamaha GMT94, but Castrol Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 blew its engine shortly after midnight forcing the team to retire.

From there, Yamaha GMT94 continued its trouble-free race and cruised home to win by a large margin.

Yamaha Austria’s Horst Saiger, Thomas Hinterreiter and Igor Jerman finished second, and Yamaha Endurance Moto 38’s Gwen Giabbani, Sebastien Scarnato and Stephane Duterne completed the Yamaha YZF-R1 sweep of the podium in third.

Defending Endurance World Champions Yamaha Phase One’s trouble year continued with a mechanical problem 15 minutes into the event and a race-ending crash within the first six hours.

America Randy Rega rode with Hannover Buell’s Dirk Scheffer and Holger Aue on a XB12R Firebolt and finished 33rd in the 43-team field.


More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group:

Yamaha GMT94 have won the Oschersleben 24 Hour round of the World Endurance Championship and taken an unbeatable lead in the championship standings to claim the 2004 World Endurance Championship with one race still to run.

Yamaha GMT94 were first away and led the opening laps, but Suzuki Castrol caught and passed them to take the lead at the end of the first hour. These two teams continued to trade places for several hours as each in turn made pit stops for fuel and tyres. Behind them a three way fight for third place developed between Yamaha Endurance Moto 38, Kawasaki Bolliger Team and Yamaha Austria.

The Oschersleben circuit is notoriously tough on man and machine, and this year’s race proved to be tougher than most; every hour saw mechanical failure or rider error bring yet another team into the pits for repairs. Yamaha Phase One’s run of bad luck continued with first an electrical problem and then a crash which forced them to retire, WRT Honda Austria were stopped by engine problems, as were Bolliger Kawasaki and X-One Benelli.

After eight hours of racing the leading pair of Suzuki Castrol and Yamaha GMT94 were still swapping first and second places with each pit stop, while Yamaha Austria held third place and Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 worked their way back up through the field.

Suzuki Castrol’s race was over soon after one third distance had been covered. A terminal engine failure forced them to retire, with the resulting oil spill bringing down several other bikes. As dawn broke over the Oschersleben circuit, Yamaha GMT94 held a comfortable lead over Yamaha Austria, with Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 having regained third place. With GMT94 more than ten laps ahead of the Austrian team, and Endurance Moto 38 a similar distance behind them in third, the leading positions settled down despite the best efforts of Moto 38 to close the gap.

The war of attrition continued lower down the order however, with Kawasaki Deutschland, Kawasaki Diablo Bolliger, Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se and Shell Endurance Academy all being forced to pit in the closing hours. Yamaha Austria had a scare during the mid morning period when their bike seemed to be overheating, but by managing the gap between them and Moto 38 and making good use of pace-car periods to make unscheduled stops they were able to hold onto second place despite a failing gear box.

Fourth place went to Swiss long-distance experts Suzuki Jet Endurance, fifth to German team Suzuki Bridgestone Bikers Profi, and sixth to another German squad, Hepelmann Racing Team. The story of this race, though, is the toll taken on some of the most experienced endurance teams in the world. Suzuki Castrol, Kawasaki Bolliger, Yamaha Phase One Endurance and Honda Austria are all capable of running with the best, but the Oschersleben 24 Hours got the better of them.

The Oschersleben race has left GMT94 with an unassailable fifty eight point lead in the championship – the title is theirs. Yamaha Austria have moved up to second place and Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 to third, just three points ahead of Suzuki Castrol.



Press Conference Quotes:

Christophe Guyot, team manager, Yamaha GMT94: “For sure I am very happy, but the reason I am very happy is because five years ago I said it was possible to be a world champion, and it in endurance it is so difficult – not because we must be better than the others, but because endurance always involves a little but of chance. I have always said everything is possible if you want it, but now I understand how difficult it is. Now, I can do anything.”

David Checa, Yamaha GMT94: “It’s hard to explain how I feel. I just tried to do my best here for Christophe and my team mates. We didn’t expect to win here, and not to win the championship.”

William Costes, Yamaha GMT94: “This is my first world championship, I’m very happy for my team manager because he has been working for this for many, many years. We are champions today because Pirelli, Yamaha France, Yamaha Europe and everyone in the team worked very hard for us.”

Igor Jerman, Yamaha Austria Racing Team: “The race was good; we tried to do some fast laps but we had some problems with the gear shift and then the radiator. In the last hour the gearbox broke so we have finished the race with just one gear – it’s very good to be on the podium.”

Gwen Giabbani, Yamaha Endurance Moto 38: “The start was not so bad but then we had a problem with the throttle cable – we broke it twice, so it was impossible to get back in touch with Yamaha Austria.”

Provisional Top Ten (All Classes)

1st 94 – Yamaha GMT94 – FRA – Yamaha YZF-R1 – Checa, Costes, Gimbert 883 laps

2nd 7 – Yamaha Austria – AUT – Yamaha YZF-R1 – Saiger, Hinterreiter, Jerman 865

3rd 38 – Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 – FRA – Yamaha YZF-R1 – Giabbani, Scarnato, Duterne 859

4th 4 – Suzuki Jet Team – SUI – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – Jaggi, Monot, Waldmeier 851

5th 47 – Suzuki Bridgestone Bikers Profi – GER – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – Strauch, Roethig, Czyborra 841

6th 92 – Yamaha Racing Team Hepelmann – GER – Yamaha YZF-R1 – Hepelmann, Kraechter, Wrede 833

7th 52 – Suzuki Engel Racing Team – GER – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – Kraft, Koenig, Steinbach 833

8th 57 – Suzuki Ingenys Racing – GER – Suzuki GSX-R750 – Apel, Moeckel, Raub 830

9th 76 – Yamaha Team Motorrad Klein – Yamaha YZF-R1 – Klein, Malec 829

10th 21 – Kawasaki Endurance Deutschland – Kawasaki ZX10R – Roth, Daehler, Wehran 827


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

SERT LOSES RACE TO WORLD TITLE
Team Suzuki Press Office – August 15, 2004.

Suzuki Castrol has lost hopes of clinching the 2004 World Endurance Championship after mechanical problems forced them out of the Oschersleben 24 Hour race in Germany today when they were in the lead.

The SERT Team’s GSX-R1000, ridden by Frenchmen Vincent Philippe, Olivier Four, Matthieu Lagrive and Christophe Cogan, threw out oil and stopped just over 10 hours into the event that they had dominated from the front with arch rivals Yamaha GMT 94.

It was a cruel blow for the former World Champions who had a strategic advantage on the Yamaha team on the number of laps they could complete on a single tank of petrol; Team Manager Dominic Meliand reckoned on two less stops, although Yamaha’s actual pit stops were slightly quicker. This, he calculated, could have given them up to a minute advantage over 24 hours of racing.

But just after midnight, the Suzuki ran into mechanical problems and the split engine oil brought down several riders, forcing a pace car onto the circuit for 22 laps.

Said Meliand: “We don’t know what actually happened to the engine, but for us now, we will concentrate on winning the Bol d’Or and Vallelunga. We will have two bikes at the Bol but I don’t know who will ride. After this weekend, we have some big meetings in Paris.”

Suzuki rider Philippe took the lead on lap ten ahead of Yamaha GMT – who clinched the World title with victory as they now have an unassailable 58 point lead in the series – then after two hours, Yamaha had moved ahead thanks to some blistering laps and the fastest circuit of the event by team rider David Checa.

Four hours in, Suzuki had moved ahead again and after six hours, the gap between the leading teams was just 22 seconds. Suzuki’s advantage continued and after eight hours, the leading pair had pulled out a six lap lead on third-placed Yamaha Austria.

But their race ended very soon after.

The war of attrition continued lower down the order with Kawasaki Deutschland, Kawasaki Diablo Bolliger, Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se and Shell Endurance Academy all being forced to pit in the closing hours.

Yamaha Austria had a scare during the mid morning period when their bike seemed to be overheating but by managing the gap between them and Moto 38, and making good use of pace-car periods to make unscheduled stops, they were able to hold onto second place despite a failing gearbox.

Fourth place overall went to Swiss long-distance experts Suzuki Jet Endurance, fifth to Suzuki Bridgestone Bikers Profi and sixth to Hepelmann Racing Team. Suzuki Engel Racing Team claimed seventh and Suzuki Ingenys Racing Team steered their GSX-R750 to eighth position.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Provisional USGPRU 125cc GP Qualifying Results:

1. Brian Kcraget (Hon), 1:35.786
2. Will Gruy (Hon), 1:35.919
3. Garrett Carter (Hon), 1:37.127
4. Scott Moxey (Hon), 1:37.529
5. J.D. Schendel, 1:37.576
6. Ryan Clay (Apr), 1:38.054
7. John Hjelm (Hon), 1:38.538
8. Scott McNew (Hon), 1:38.594
9. Todd Puckett, 1:38.787
10. G. Halenda, 1:38.915
11. Josh Herrin, 1:39.135
12. S. Wenner, 1:39.154
13. A. Brown, 1:39.255
14. Stewart Aitken-Cade (Hon), 1:40.084
15. M. Santella, 1:40.930
16. J. Boudreau, 1:41.113
17. C. Cosentino, 1:41.153
18. Ryan Ferris, 1:41.382
19. Tyler McDonald (Hon), 1:42.128
20. Dale Greenwood, Jr. (Hon), 1:42.181
21. Tyler Reiswig, 1:42.210
22. D. Woods, 1:42.262
23. S. Smallwood, 1:42.322
24. T. Swager, 1:42.948
25. J. Klaras, 1:43.230
26. J. Giddens, 1:43.563
27. D. Celetino, 1:43.962
28. J. Lovejoy, 1:44.489
29. T. Illgen, 1:44.667
30. Finbar Gilsenan (Hon), 1:44.973
31. C. Doktor, 1:45.742
32. M. Johnson, 1:45.889
33. R. Henn, 1:46.461
34. M. Chirino, 1:47.157
35. J. Sawyer, 1:47.499
36. M. Dennis, 1:48.907
37. A. Arwood, 1:49.430
38. F. Pate, 1:49.839
39. L. Hollimen, 1:51.526
40. P. Bangle, 1:53.812
41. H. St. John, 1:59.346

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Imports:

ADAM FERGUSSON TAKES AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE & SUPERSPORT TITLES FOR JOE ROCKET

It was a red letter day for Joe Rocket’s Adam ‘Krusty’ Fergusson at the penultimate round of the Australian Superbike Championship with the Victorian piloting his Castrol Hondas to a string of consistent results that earned him sufficient points to claim the two most prestigious titles, the Australian Superbike and Supersport Championships.

After a mid-season string of victories, Fergusson was in a strong position when he arrived at Queensland Raceway and consistency was all that was needed and that’s exactly what he achieved.

Krusty qualified second fastest in Superbike and then produced a pair of thirds and a seventh, to give him a 76-point margin over Yamaha’s Shannon Johnson at the top of the table, with one round remaining. Even if Johnson was to scoop the pool at the final round, Fergusson would take the title on a count back of wins, having amassed seven this season.

By contrast, an unassailable advantage of 106 points gives the likable Victorian his first Supersport title. Qualifying third, he was in the thick of a hard days racing, finishing with a second, fourth and fifth.

“It’s been a great day, that’s for sure,” said Fergusson. “I hadn’t won an Australian title before and today I picked up two. It was twelve years in the making, but it’s fantastic.

“It was a bit of an up and down weekend for us. I jumped off the Supersport bike a couple of times during qualifying and had some other problems that never quite got fixed, primarily with the front end, but I brought that home where I had to in each of the races and did what was needed to wrap up the title.

“The Superbike was going really well, but I’ve never quite nailed this circuit. I’ve never gelled with the track, but did what I had to in the end.

“It’s good to have wrapped both titles up before the final round at Phillip Island, so I can go there with no stress and get back to doing what we’ve done for most of the year.”

While there was elation for Fergusson, his fellow Rocket Racers also had a very strong day at the office, scoring an impressive string of results and for some, it was a welcomed return to form.

Damian Cudlin rode strongly in the Superbike class all weekend, putting his Team Suzuki entry on the front row with the fourth fastest time. A sixth in the opening race was followed by a crash in the second when he was battling for the race lead and rounded his day off with a sixth in the third.

Nikon Yamaha’s Brendan Clarke showed signs that he his nearing his best again in the highly competitive Supersport class. Qualifying ninth, he improved on race day, taking a pair of fourths and a seventh.

Honda Financial Services teenager Jason O’Halloran had his strongest weekend since being injured at the second round of the championship. He continues to have problems with the ankle he broke and will be undergoing corrective surgery later this week to remove some floating bone fragments. His weekend was highlighted with two top ten finishes, a ninth in race one and tenth in the third.

The Australian Superbike Championship heads to Victoria’s Phillip Island on September 11 & 12, for the seventh and final round of this years series. The competitors will then return a month later to take part in the support class program of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix on the weekend of October 15 – 17.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Provisional Sunday Morning Formula USA Group Five Practice Times:

1. Dave Estok (Buell), 1:36.155
2. David Yaakov (Suzuki), 1:37.033
3. Jeff Johnson (Buell), 1:37.634
4. Dan Bilansky (Buell), 1:38.396
5. Josh Guyer (Buell), 1:39.365
6. Joseph Rozynski (Buell), 1:39.432
7. Walt Sipp (Buell), 1:40.402
8. Sam Rozynski (Buell), 1:40.435
9. Kurt Miller (Buell), 1:40.863
10. B. Stark, 1:41.837
11. Brian Lacy (Suzuki), 1:43.095
12. J. Hillis, 1:42.427
13. Paul James (Buell), 1:42.493
14. A. Surber, 1:42.648
15. D. McEnery, 1:43.254
16. David White (Suzuki), 1:43.333
17. J. Thomas, 1:43.524
18. Jeff Harding (Buell), 1:43.891
19. A. Quinn, 1:44.196
20. J.P. Bartlett, 1:44.213