From a press release issued by PR firm Vreeke & Associates on behalf of Dunlop:

Honda’s Ben Bostrom reemerges on the podium; Kawasaki’s Hayden brothers maintain winning pace

Monterey, CA –Honda Racing’s Ben Bostrom took center stage on Sunday, July 11 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the American Motorcyclist Association’s (AMA) 2004 Superbike series, winning his first Superbike race of the season on his CBR1000RR after taking a support class victory in the Formula Xtreme series on Saturday on a CBR600RR. With a dominating performance by Kawasaki Road Racing’s Tommy Hayden on a ZX-10R in the Superstock race and a equally-convincing victory by Hayden’s brother and teammate Roger Lee on a ZX-6RR in the Supersport class, it was another AMA weekend dominated by Dunlop-shod motorcycles.

Dunlop’s performance was punctuated by the comparatively slower lap times of the visiting World Superbike (WSB) teams, whose highly-modified 1000cc machines must compete on mandated Pirelli tires. In fact, Bostrom’s qualifying time of 1:24.906, a new AMA lap record, was more than two seconds faster than the WSB’s pole sitter. Even Hayden’s Superstock pole time of 1:26.382 bested the WSB machines by more than a half-second.

The eighth stop on AMA’s 2004 tour, Laguna Seca is noted for its consistent surface and relatively short straights between turns. With an emphasis on cornering traction, teams often opt for tire compounds that are relatively softer than those used at other AMA venues. Track temperatures, however, rise rapidly under the full sun and add heat to the tires, causing some riders to choose harder compounds for durability. The result is the widest range of tire compounds selected at any of the AMA’s 11 venues. Dunlop brought more than 2000 tires to support the factory teams and support riders in the tour’s four series, and provided the factory-supported Superbike and Superstock teams with five compound choices for both front and rear tires.

The race weekend began on Saturday with Tommy Hayden leading 14 laps of the 17-lap Superstock main event en route to his second victory of the season. In so doing, he pulled him to within five points of series-leader Jamie Hacking, who valiantly rode his Graves Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R1 to a sixth-place finish after breaking his collarbone last week. “I came here really confident straight away in practice, and it always makes it easier when you start out on a bike that’s pretty decent,” said Hayden. Hayden’s teammate and brother, Roger Lee, finished less than a second behind, with third place going to Yamaha’s Aaron Gobert. Attack Kawasaki’s Josh Hayes took fourth, Yamaha’s Jason Disalvo was fifth and Yoshimura’s Ben Spies collected seventh on his GSX-R1000. With Erion Racing’s Alex Gobert finishing tenth on a CBR1000RR, Dunlop-shod bikes took nine of the top 10 positions. Hacking maintains the championship lead with 243 points to Tommy Hayden’s 238; Aaron Gobert is close behind in third with 233.

Ben Bostrom returned to winning form with a convincing victory in Saturday’s Formula Xtreme race. Marred by a red flag caused by oil leaking from Jake Zemke’s Erion Racing CBR600RR, Bostrom never relinquished the lead after the restart. “It always feels good to win here,” said Bostrom. “It’s been a long time and it feels pretty unusual to be up here, but it feels good.” Series-leader Miguel Duhamel rode to a solid second-place finish after losing a shift lever on the same lap that was red-flagged. Zemke rode an inspired race to finish third after restarting from the back of the pack. Erion Racing’s Alex Gobert was fourth, Doug Chandler took sixth and Jason Pridmore finished seventh as Dunlop-supported riders took six of the top 10 positions. Duhamel holds a 17-point lead over Zemke in the points race, 282 to 265, with three races to go. Alex Gobert is third with 220 points.

Sunday’s AMA Superbike competition was the fastest motorcycle race this side of the Atlantic. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Matt Mladin, the series leader, took over the lead on his GSX-R1000 after just one lap and looked to be headed to victory, despite the pursuit of Ben Bostrom and then Zemke. But it was not to be, as the race was red-flagged on the 16th lap. On the restart, Bostrom jumped into the lead and the 1998 AMA Superbike champion was never headed, despite a strong challenge from Mladin in the last two laps. “Today was one of the most fun I’ve had,” said Bostrom. “We got lucky on the restart, jumped out there and I tried to put on as much time as I could because I knew they would be coming after me. I was so tense on those last two laps, I couldn’t remember what it was like to win a Superbike race.” The Superbike win was Bostrom’s fourth at Laguna Seca, owing to his three previous WSB victories here. Honda’s Miguel Duhamel fought an intense battle with Suzuki’s Aaron Yates for third place, eventually passing Yates in the waning laps to hold on for the third podium spot. Kawasaki’s Josh Hayes took sixth and a disappointed Zemke soldiered home to seventh on his ailing CBR1000RR as Dunlop’s riders took six of the top ten positions. Mladin’s second-place finish extended his series points lead over Duhamel, 391 to 381. Zemke maintains third with 372 points and six races remaining.

The weekend’s action concluded with Roger Lee Hayden capturing his second victory the Supersport series on his ZX-6RR. Hayden and Yamaha’s Aaron Gobert had a spirited battle for the lead after the race was restarted after only one lap. But on lap 10 of the 17-lap event, Gobert crashed his YZF-R6 out of the lead entering turn one and Hayden cruised home with a 6.6-second victory over runner-up Jason Disalvo. “He (Gobert) crashed and I came around and I saw plus eight (seconds) on my board and I kind of got nervous and thought, ‘what do I do now’,” said Hayden. “I took my time, had fun and brought it in.” Hayden’s teammate and brother, series-leader Tommy Hayden, finished third. Suzuki’s Spies and Ben Attard finished fourth, Kawasaki’s Tony Meiring was seventh and Yamaha’s Jason Perez was tenth as Dunlop-shod machines took seven of the top 10 positions. Tommy Hayden’s lead is now 22 points over brother Roger, 266 to 244 and Disalvo holds third with 207.

Next stop for Dunlop and the AMA road racing tour will be the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, July 23-25, featuring a doubleheader round of Superbike action.


More, from a press release issued by Buell:

CICCOTTO SCORES TOP TEN FINISH AT LAGUNA SECA

Barnes Crashes Out after First Lap Mishap in Corkscrew

MONTEREY, Calif. (July 10, 2004) – Hal’s Performance Advantage rider Michael Ciccotto finished 10th aboard his Buell Firebolt in the AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme race held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Unfortunately Kosco Buell/Innovative Motorcycle Research rider Michael Barnes crashed out on the first lap. The race was later interrupted by a red flag for track inspection and clean up after Jake Zemke’s Honda started trailing smoke.


Ciccotto qualified ninth for the 17-lap race and finished 10th after running as high as eighth position early in the race. Barnes qualified 10th but failed to score any points after he crashed in the corkscrew on the first lap. He was unharmed in the incident. The race was won by American Honda factory rider Ben Bostrom, with Honda riders Miguel Duhamel and Zemke benefiting from the red flag to make repairs to their bikes and finish on the podium.

“The combined AMA and World Superbike event at Laguna Seca is always a high-profile race, and it was exciting to see our Buell dealer teams out there turning lap times that would have earned them a qualifying spot on the World Superbike grid,” said Erik Buell, chairman and chief technical officer at Buell Motorcycle Company.

AMA Formula Xtreme is a class open to highly-modified motorcycles with 600cc four-cylinder engines or larger-displacement V-Twin engines. The next stop on the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship schedule is July 23-25 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington, Ohio.


More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

VERMEULEN TAKES A DOUBLE WIN AT LAGUNA

World Superbike Races

A sweltering Laguna Seca circuit, with track temperatures peaking at 51’C, provided the perfect backdrop for the latest round of the World Superbike series, with one clear double race winner coming to the fore.

Chris Vermeulen used the speed and sweet handling package of his Ten Kate prepared Honda CBR1000RR to take a well-deserved race one win at Laguna, leading for the last 21 laps of the 28. Pierfrancesco Chili (Ducati) went second, four seconds down on Vermeulen, and Ducati privateer Steve Martin took the final podium place in third, to add to his second Superpole win of the year in qualifying.

In the second 28-lap race third fastest qualifier Vermeulen had to work hard to hold off the attentions of factory Ducati rider and new championship leader James Toseland. Third, himself embroiled in a holding action against Noriyuki Haga, was Regis Laconi, who now trails Toseland by three points.

Said 22-year-old Vermeulen, winner of the last three SBK races in succession, “This is the first time at Laguna for me the bike and team and we won the race. I think there is still a lot more to come as well so hopefully we can win a lot more. Coming here for the first time I would have been happy with top five or six, to be honest. The team worked hard and we have made a lot of progress with the bike recently. Everyone told me this track would be difficult to learn, and it has proved to be that way, but I really liked it and the team did a great job with the bike. I like the elevation changes here but Turn One was a bit scary at first. I got over it because I passed James Toseland a couple of times there!”

Toseland is the first rider to break through the 200 point barrier, with his new total of 201 comparing to Laconi’s 198. Vermeulen sits only 14 points from the lead, on 187. Haga and Chili are separated by only two points; 162 to 160.

Round eight of World Superbike and round seven of the World Supersport championships take place in the UK, at Brands Hatch on August 1.

Race One: 1 Vermeulen; 2 Chili +4.127; 3 Martin +5.707; 4 Toseland +8.347; 5 Laconi +8.390; 6 Haga +18.560; 7 McCoy +21.290; 8 Sanchini +31.795; 9 Haslam +34.166; 10 Corser +38.175; 11 Borciani +43.554; 12 Pedercini +57.948; 13 Bontempi +1.18.252; 14 Saiger +1:22.532

Race Two: 1 Vermeulen; 2 Toseland +0.465; 3 Laconi +13.520; 4 Haga +13.742; 5 Chili +21.770; 6 Martin +27.964; 7 McCoy +43.631; 8 Borciani +48.268; 9 Sanchini +49.327; 10 Clementi +54.021; 11 Pedercini +1:09.618; 12 Bontempi +1:24.444; 13 Nowland 1 lap; 14 Saiger 1 lap.

Championship Standings: 1. Toseland 201; 2. Laconi 198; 3. Vermeulen 187; 4. Haga 162 ; 5. Chili 160 ; 6. McCoy 146


More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

Hondas Dominate Honda Superbike Classic

American Honda’s Ben Bostrom returned to form at the scene of one his greatest triumphs, winning both the Superbike and Formula Xtreme races on a bright and sunny weekend in the Honda Superbike Classic at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. Bostrom’s wins came on the same weekend that Chris Vermeulen won both World Superbike races on his Honda Fireblade, the first double of the young Australian’s career.

Joining Bostrom on the red-flag interrupted Superbike podium was American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel, who came third. Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke led the opening lap and was second for much of the race, but suffered electrical gremlins that dropped him to seventh.

Hondas swept the top four spots in Formula Xtreme, Bostrom leading Duhamel, Zemke, and Alex Gobert in another race that was red-flag interrupted.

Bostrom’s win was his first in America in nearly five years, though he had a string of five World Superbike wins that began here at Laguna Seca in 2001. In a season that’s been hampered by various physical problems, a healthy and focused Bostrom began his return to form in the previous race at Brainerd International Raceway. It continued here on the Monterey Peninsula when he took the pole position with a new AMA lap record.

When the race was red-flagged on the 17th of 28 laps, Hondas were a charging two-three-four. The race would be a 13 lap sprint and Bostrom led every one of them, never seriously challenged for the win, Honda’s sixth of the year. Duhamel took third from Aaron Yates with two laps to go after a racelong battle. Zemke came seventh. The electrical problems that cropped up in the first segment of the race never abated, despite the best efforts of the team during the red flag break. It was only the second time this season that Zemke’s been off the podium and it was his first mechanical problem.

By taking the point for pole position and finishing in front of championship leader Mat Mladin, third today, Bostrom denied the Suzuki rider maximum points. The series heads to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in two weeks with Mladin holding a 10-point lead, 391 to 381, over Duhamel, with Zemke at 372. There are three double-header rounds, six races remaining.

Hondas stand first through third in Formula Xtreme, Duhamel with a 17 point cushion on Zemke with Alex Gobert third at 220.

Ben Bostrom, First Place
This place has been pretty good to me. Today was one of the funner days I’ve had. We got a great start and jumped out there. I tried to put as much time on them as I could and I had short gap and I knew they’d be coming after me. He [Mladin] kept me real honest. It’s really fun when you’re out there racing and you have to push hard every lap and you’re nervous. I was so tense the last few laps, I couldn’t remember what it was like to win a Superbike race. I saw everybody leaning over the wall and cheering me on and I said, ‘We can actually do this.’ And here we are.

Miguel Duhamel, Third Place
It was just a good battle, but I looked at the board and saw that the race was pretty short. I said, ‘I gotta get by (Yates).’ I got by him, he got back by me and I got back by him. We were swapping back and forth, nice and clean, and it was just hard racing. He was going everything he could to put it on the podium and hat’s off to him for putting it together there at the end. I was hoping to get in front of him earlier to make a run at Mat [Mladin] and Ben [Bostrom]. My bike was working pretty good, but I ran out of time. I’m very happy. Laguna has always been tough on me and I always do decent here. Third is very decent again.

Jake Zemke, Seventh Place
It was good for a little while until the problem arose. It was either electrical or fuel. The bike was cutting out pretty badly. They changed a bunch of stuff when we came in for the red flag and I was hoping we would have something, but on the warm-up lap it was still doing it. We just limped home and that’s all she wrote. It began right after I passed Mat (Mladin). The next lap it started. I passed him and he passed me back. I instantly lost touch. It did it once and I thought maybe it was just something weird. But it kept getting worse and worse. I just waved Ben (Bostrom) by in case he had a shot at Mat. I didn’t want to hold him up.

Superbike:
1. Ben Bostrom (Honda)
2. Mat Mladin (Suzuki)
3. Miguel Duhamel (Honda)
4. Aaron Yates (Suzuki)
5. Eric Bostrom (Ducati)
6. Josh Hayes (Kawasaki)
7. Jake Zemke (Honda)
8. Jacob Holden (Suzuki)
9. Larry Pegram (Yamaha)
10. Geoff May (Suzuki)

Superbike Points:
1. Mat Mladin (Suzuki) 391
2. Miguel Duhamel (Honda) 381
3. Jake Zemke (Honda) 372
4. Eric Bostrom (Ducati) 288
5. Geoff May (Suzuki) 262
6. Ben Bostrom (Honda) 247
7. John Haner (Suzuki) 219
8. Aaron Yates (Suzuki) 216
9. Eric Wood (Suzuki) 199
10. Josh Hayes (Kawasaki) 186

Formula Xtreme:
1. Ben Bostrom (Honda)
2. Miguel Duhamel (Honda)
3. Jake Zemke (Honda)
4. Alex Gobert (Honda)
5. Vincent Haskovec (Suzuki)
6. Doug Chandler (Ducati)
7. Jason Pridmore (Suzuki)
8. Larry Pegram (Yamaha)
9. Nicky Moore (Suzuki)
10. Mike Ciccotto (Buell)


More, from a press release issued by American Honda:

Honda Red Rider Weekend Report
July 9-11, 2004
AMA Chevrolet Superbike Series
Round 8: Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey CA


Ben Bostrom Wins Formula Xtreme and Superbike Races at Laguna Seca

The undulating oak-studded hills of Steinbeck country formed the perfect backdrop for nonstop human drama-of the road racing, not literary variety-as the Honda Red Riders reaped hard-earned victories in three premier classes at Monterey, California’s Laguna Seca Raceway. Ten Kate’s Chris Vermeulen won both legs of the WSC Superbike doubleheader aboard his CBR1000RR and the home-grown Honda contingent rode to victory in the AMA Formula Xtreme and Superbike classes as well. To bring even more human interest to this thrilling accomplishment, the sun-drenched summer weekend saw the resurgence of Team Honda’s Ben Bostrom, who staged two dramatic performances to win the FX race on Saturday, as well as a red-flag-delayed Superbike event on Sunday.

Round 8 of the AMA Formula Xtreme race series kicked off with Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke grabbing the pole with a lap time of 1:27.388-a posting that would have been quite competitive in the WSC Superbike ranks! Team Honda’s Miguel Duhamel and Ben Bostrom posted the next-fastest times, and Erion Honda’s Alex Gobert qualified fifth.

What many thought would be just another winning day at the races for Honda turned into two races in one, thanks to a red flag. The first nine laps had Zemke taking his CBR600RR to a quick lead over the field and pulling away from the pack, gaining ground at about a second a lap. Bostrom followed closely behind after passing the veteran Duhamel, who was having a shifter problem. “The shifter was falling down and moving around,” said Duhamel. “I was glad to see the red flag because I thought I was going to have to run the whole race in second gear.” The three Red Riders were far outpacing the field when blue smoke suddenly began billowing out of the #98 Erion machine. With the two top riders in the championship having mechanical problems, the dynamics of the race took on entirely new proportions. Bostrom seized the lead as Zemke nursed his bike to the pits. “A little piece cracked and caused a pretty good oil leak,” said Zemke. “I could see the oil coming out of the fairing.” Shortly thereafter, the red flag came out and sent all riders to pit row.

On the restart, Bostrom gridded on the pole and took his CBR600RR right to the front, followed by teammate Duhamel. Zemke was forced to grid in 28th place due to his mechanical problem, but that scarcely slowed his charge forward. While Bostrom and Duhamel led the field, Zemke demonstrated some keen maneuvers while carving his way through the field. He would ultimately claim third. Meanwhile, Bostrom took control of the race, leading the last eight laps and taking the checked flag followed by Duhamel. With Zemke in third and Alex Gobert in fourth, the Honda Red Riders swept the top four spots.

The victory marked Bostrom’s first AMA win since returning to the States and reuniting with American Honda, and it was his first career Formula Xtreme win as well. “It’s great to be up here,” said Bostrom. “It gives me a lot of motivation for tomorrow’s Superbike race.” Bostrom wasn’t kidding, as Sunday’s Superbike race would soon prove.

Ben had already issued a challenge to the entire paddock when he set a Laguna Seca AMA Superbike record lap time of 1:24.9-just a tick off the track record of 1:24.88 set by Colin Edwards aboard a WSC-spec RC51 Superbike in 2002.

So when Sunday brought the warmest track temperatures of the weekend, the stage was set for a world-class race experience for competitors and spectators alike. And the thousands of Honda race fans in attendance enjoyed watching the Red Riders crowd the front of the pack as the AMA Superbike race waved off.

Jake Zemke and his Erion CBR1000RR led the race the first time past the start/finish stripe, but the deck shuffled and Mat Mladin gained the upper hand by the next lap, followed closely by Ben Bostrom, Zemke and Miguel Duhamel, in that order. On lap 6 Zemke squeezed by Bostrom, but a mere 0.7 of a second separated the top three riders. Zemke soon began probing for a way past Mladin, and on lap 11 Zemke and Mladin passed and re-passed each other, with Mladin hanging onto the lead-barely. The tight racing continued as the leaders got into lappers on the next go-around, but then the race was red-flagged on lap 16 when a rider went down.

Mechanics all along the pit wall raced around at full speed, changing tires and twirling wrenches in a carefully orchestrated ballet that would resemble full-on chaos to the uninitiated. Hurried conferences between riders and crew chiefs saw some bikes undergo major changes in suspension settings, while others sat untouched save for new rubber, a quick wipe-down and a splash of fuel.

Ben Bostrom and his crew chief Merlyn Plumlee were one team taking the minimalist approach. “We didn’t touch any settings,” Plumlee said as the #155 CBR1000RR sat awaiting the restart. “However, we did put on a harder rear tire. The track is a lot warmer this afternoon than it was in practice earlier today. Ben said he needed a little more grip, so strange as it may sound, we’re going with a harder tire.”

Their decision proved to be good as gold. At the second start Ben quickly charged to the front and he would never relinquish the lead. “The harder tire was so much better,” Bostrom said after the race. “I had so much more grip than I had before the red flag. In fact, in a way my bike became harder to ride because I had so much rear tire traction it was overdriving the front. One time I made a mistake and pushed wide, and it really got my heart going. I know I lost about a second there.”

Behind him, Mat Mladin had been trailing by about 2 seconds, with Duhamel claiming third after getting the better of a hard-fought duel with Aaron Yates. And the view Duhamel had from the #17 CBR1000RR worried him as he saw Mladin gaining ground on his teammate. After the race Duhamel recounted, “I saw Mat closing on Ben, and I said, ‘Come on, Ben, don’t fool around. Go for it.'”

There was no need to worry; Bostrom held fast to a half-second gap for the last two laps to cinch the win, with Mladin second and Duhamel third. Jake Zemke nursed an ailing bike to a 7th-place finish despite being hampered by electrical problems that caused the rev limiter to cut in early.

After the race, a jubilant Bostrom said, “We’re back and we’re racing again, racing for the win. I had problems beginning back at Daytona when I had an ear infection. It really affected my balance for a long time. But now it’s all better, and it came back fast since I began training with the Carmichael Training Systems people. I’ve changed my diet, and I’ve been doing a lot of bicycle training. The bicycle work not only pushes you hard physically but it also helped me build better balance. It feels so good to get back on the top of the podium again.”


More, from a press release issued by Ben Bostrom’s management firm OMS Sports:

Honda’s Ben Bostrom Is Back On Track – Winning Big @ Laguna

Balance & sight problems no longer an issue as Bostrom doubles up with Superbike/Formula Xtreme wins at legendary Laguna Seca course

ANAHEIM, Calif., (July 12, 2004) – Ben Bostrom (Las Vegas) broke out of what he considered a series-long slump this past weekend, capturing wins for American Honda in both the AMA’s Superbike and Formula Xtreme classes on Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s highly challenging road course.

Bostrom, who’s been suffering from some balance and sight problems the entire year due to an inner ear infection, piloted his Honda CBR1000RR better than he had all season, en-route to the double victory. The fan-favorite rider said that his successful effort was long overdue for his main sponsor, American Honda.

“Lately I’ve been bummed, feeling that I was letting Honda down and my teammates that surround me,” said Bostrom. “I’ve felt this way all season, but wasn’t able to do anything about it because of what I was dealing with.”

Bostrom explained that several weeks before Daytona he developed an ear infection. Though he kept it quiet, this led to some physical problems that didn’t at all mesh well with racing high speed motorcycles on some of the more demanding tracks on the planet.

“I just wasn’t the same guy all year,” said Bostrom. “My balance was off and my depth perception wasn’t right, which forced me to be stiff and tentative on the bike. We tested some at Brainerd and Mid Ohio recently and I was starting to feel a bit better. I pedaled my butt off on my road bike and things slowly started coming around. I got my balance back, then my eyesight cleared up. And I knew right there that’d we’d be on it for Laguna.”

The win at Laguna Seca is Bostrom’s second Laguna win of his career. In 1999, Bostrom scored the first win of his career at Laguna. He the followed that up with a double win in 2001, returning back to the States while racing the World GP circuit.

“The bike was awesome, so was the team,” said Bostrom. “And this time the rider performed well!”

In front of an estimated 90,000-plus fans, Bostrom, who also won the pole position, held off a late race charge from rival Mat Mladin to win by a half second. The win was Bostrom’s first AMA Superbike win since August of 1999 (Brainerd). Bostrom’s currently in sixth place overall in this year’s AMA Superbike class standings – easily within striking distance of the top five.

“It feels good to be up there on top of the podium and I plan on staying there,” he added.

The next round for Bostrom will be July 23-25 at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.


More, from a series of press releases issued by Proforma:

PAINFUL WEEKEND FOR HANER AT LAGUNA SECA

Hooters Suzuki’s John Haner had a rough weekend at round eight of the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. In his first crash of the year, John had a vicious highside in Friday’s Superbike practice session, causing soft tissue damage to his right knee. John crashed again in Saturday’s Superstock race, but did not aggravate the original injury. John visited Dr. Arthur Ting, the event medical doctor, throughout the rest of the weekend to have his knee drained of fluids that would accumulate and restrict his movements on the bike.

Saturday’s Repsol Superstock Final – DNF
John had his first race DNF of the season in the Superstock final, dropping Haner to 13th in the season point standings. “Steve Rapp, Vincent Haskovec and those guys were doing well,” said John. “I think their bikes were a little slower than ours, they’re running 750s, so we were able to come up the hill on them a little bit. I actually got close to passing them, but I was just kind of sitting back. The lap I fell down, I don’t know if I really got on the gas any different than I had all race, but it just kind of spun out from underneath me, it just slid off to the right. I saved it from flipping, I held onto the bike the whole way. I picked it back up and took off, and that’s when I noticed that the shifter was broken, so I couldn’t continue. My guys, Mike (Godin) and John (Ross), they’ve been working so hard. We haven’t had a lot of practice time, and we’ve had a couple of problems.”

Sunday’s Chevrolet Superbike Final – 12th Place
“The Superbike race was actually really difficult,” said John. “The first half of the race, before the red flag, my right leg was pretty sore at that point. Even my left leg was sore, from supporting my weight all weekend. I got a break with the red flag, was able to rest my leg for five minutes or whatever it was. I went back out and it worked a little bit better. Twelfth place is not where we wanted to be, we wanted to be that first non-Superbike, but we soldiered on and got more points.” John continues to hold down seventh place in Chevrolet Superbike points, scoring points at all twelve races thus far this season.


CLOSE CALL FOR FOR HEATH SMALL AT LAGUNA SECA

Heath Small of HAS/Shogun Racing had a good weekend going at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca until the start of Sunday’s Supersport race. Heath made it to the crest of turn one at the start, when his front brake lever hit another rider, causing him to fall at speed and bringing out a red flag. Heath had the wind knocked out of him temporarily, but was otherwise unhurt in the crash. His bike suffered damage that would not allow him to re-start the race.

Saturday’s Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Final – 13th Place “I didn’t get great starts,” said Heath, referring to the red flag that came out on lap eight. “On the second one, I had a problem with the clutch. Once I got going, I had a couple of moments, had the back end step out. Ty (Howard) got around me out of turn three, and then he went off the track. I don’t know how he stayed up, he just kept it pinned and still stayed in front. I passed Blake (Young) there on the last lap to move up a spot.”

Sunday’s Pro Honda Oils Supersport Final – DNF
“I got a good start, a guy stuck it up inside of me, I stood it up to give him some room, and just as I did there was somebody right there on the outside,” said Small. “Just as I stood it up, we made contact and that was it. The bike was on top of me and all I remember was sliding and my ass just being really, really hot. I got the wind knocked out of me at first, I was just laying there, I was trying to lay as still as possible. I was gonna try and stand up, and the cornerworkers were yelling ‘Stay down, stay down!’. I was like, ‘Yeah, cool, whatever’.”


LAGUNA SECA GOOD EVENT FOR ESLICK AND HIGBEE

Millennium Technologies Suzuki teammates Danny Eslick and Shawn Higbee made the most of the minimal track time they got at round eight of the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. With no practice on Thursday, both riders worked hard to find bike set-ups for their final events, while also trying to qualify well enough for good grid positions.

Danny Eslick
Saturday’s Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Final – 12th Place
“I got a great first start,” said Danny, who continues to ride his Supersport-spec GSX-R600 against more powerful bikes in the class. “The tire went off a little in the first part before the red flag. Nicky (Moore) and I were running together. One lap Nicky and I went through the corkscrew two-wide, that was pretty sketchy there. We had some close moments, there may have been a little bit of contact. Then we had the red flag for whatever reason that was. On the re-start, we changed the rear, I think we should have changed the front, too. I went three seconds faster than I qualified, so the bike changed and some different problems cropped up. Ty (Howard) got me on the last lap, he’s been doing this for a lot of years.” Danny moves back into ninth in the point standings after skipping the last round at Road America.

Sunday’s Pro Honda Oils Supersport Final – 13th Place
Danny finished 13th after yet another race-long battle with fello

From a press release issued by NORTH YORKSHIRE ROAD RACING SUPPORTERS CLUB:

EDWARDS AND TOSELAND ROAR INTO TOWN

NYRRSC Night with the Stars, Club Amadeus, Northallerton, Tuesday 20th July 2004

Former World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards makes his annual visit to the quaint market town of Northallerton to take part in a chat show organised by the North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club next Tuesday evening (July 20th) at Club Amadeus.

Edwards, known to his legions of fans as ‘The Texas Tornado’ switched to the prestigious Repsol Honda Team in the Moto GP class for 2004 and prior to him heading off to Donington Park for the sell-out British Grand Prix, the American will be meeting and chatting with fans during the evening.

Joining Edwards on stage will be the leader of the World Superbike Championship leader James Toseland who makes the trip up from his Sheffield home after the recent round the USA at Laguna Seca whereby he claimed a second place aboard his Fila Ducati.

Eurosport Moto GP commentator Toby Moody will be taking part also in the aspects of the show which will include the informal chat show, an auction as well as a raffle and the ever popular “Question Time” where fans pose any manner of questions to the stars!

Aprilia Moto GP star Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne is hoping to come along also but has yet to finalise his schedule whereas double BSB winner Scott Smart will be taking part in proceedings.

There will be the usual raffle, auction of memorabilia and trade stands as well as a late bar.

Doors open at 7.30pm with the first of the chat shows starting at 8.00pm and admission costs just £8.00 for adults with accompanied children £2.00.

Club Amadeus is located in Elder Road near to the town centre with ample free parking nearby and further details are available from NYRRSC Secretary Sue Symons on 01904 339647.

From a press release issued by Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha:

GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA RIDERS GEAR UP FOR LATEST CHALLENGE

With seven races now completed this season by the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team both riders, championship leader Valentino Rossi and currently fifth-placed Carlos Checa, have experienced some memorable highs and the occasional reversal of fortune. Newcomer to Yamaha for the 2004 season, Rossi has scored a superb quartet of race wins while Checa has tasted champagne on the Le Mans podium thanks to a fine second place finish.

Five times World Champion Rossi is now tied in the championship standings with his main rival Sete Gibernau on 126 points. Rossi, who is credited with the championship lead thanks to his total of four wins to Gibernau’s two, fell at the recent Rio Grand Prix while showing the same desire to win that has marked his seven race Yamaha career from the very outset. The 25-year-old Italian’s championship challenge was unaffected by his tumble thanks to a similar misfortune befalling Gibernau. The bumpy Rio track claimed two high profile victims, each of whom escaped without injury.

Having made an uncharacteristic misjudgement at last year’s Sachsenring MotoGP race, inadvertently allowing Gibernau to pass him on the last lap, this year Rossi is out to make forceful amends on two fronts. Memories of his 2002 MotoGP Sachsenring win will be foremost in his mind come the first qualifying session on 16 July in Germany.

Checa’s recent form has not quite matched his earlier Le Mans excellence, as set-up concerns from qualifying have continued into races, but with several good races behind him at the Sachsenring venue, the gritty Spaniard is in the mood to get back to the top steps of the podium as soon as possible. Having taken second place at Sachsenring in 2001, Checa’s affection for the track is already proven, and his desire to retake the fourth place status in the championship he lost at the recent Rio race underpins his approach to the German round.

ROSSI PREVIEWS SACHSEN SCENE

London-based Valentino Rossi will fight all out this weekend to further secure his championship lead ahead of Sete Gibernau, which currently relies on the number of race wins rather than a points gap. The young Italian will need his wits about him to deal with the twisty eastern German circuit, especially since it’s not one of his favourites;

“I’ve never really liked the Sachsenring track that much,” comments Rossi, “but the Yamahas generally go very well there so I hope I can be competitive. It’s a circuit that relies on manoeuvrability as opposed to flat out horse power. This will be my first time at Sachsenring with the M1 and I hope we get off to a better start than we did in Rio, another circuit where we had not previously tested before the race. That was a tough weekend and we never really got to grips with the M1 on the Rio track.

“I have no doubts though that we can start afresh this weekend with the confidence we have enjoyed at many races already this year. We are only half way through the season and anything could happen. I think that we can be as competitive during the second half that we have been during the first.”

CHECA SEEKS PROMOTION

After a high point of second at Le Mans, Carlos Checa has shown his current prowess to good effect this year, despite less success in the last couple of races. Checa’s good showings in the past in Germany are another reason for him to feel confident about his Sachsenring chances.

“I’ve had some good results at Sachsenring in the past, including a second place in 2001,” remembers Checa. “It’s quite a technical circuit but, with the improvements we’ve made, I think that the Yamaha should run well there this year, hopefully for all of us.

“I like the track, although the short downhill parts and uphill climbs in the first section can be very difficult! The fans are always great there, really keen bikers and there are always lots of them at the race, so this makes for a good atmosphere.

“I am really looking forward to the Sachsenring. I obviously had a disappointing race in Rio and a difficult weekend in general, however I hope that I can forget this and move on quickly in Germany. I will be aiming for a really good finish in order to collect some points and move back up the Championship standings to the fourth place I held before Rio.”

DAVIDE BRIVIO – TEAM DIRECTOR

After a particularly tough weekend in Rio, when Rossi fell while trying to get back on terms with the leading trio and Checa finished just inside the top ten, Davide Brivio knows that Sachsenring could be just the venue to restart the upward spiral of results for Rossi and Checa.

“Last year Melandri was doing well in the race before he unfortunately fell, and there have been other good Yamaha results here in the past, including for Carlos,” said the Team Director. “This shows that our bike is okay at this circuit so we are looking forward to getting back into the top positions there.

“I think that if we can create a good package again for this race, then Valentino can get himself back to a position where he can fight for the win. He has moved on quickly after what happened in Rio and he will be putting in all his effort to forget this and get back to the top again.

“Carlos also had a disappointing weekend in Rio but he likes the Sachsenring circuit so he too is feeling more confident. I think he can recover quickly from his latest result and hopefully he can have a good race in Germany. As a team we are much more confident about this race. This is a much better circuit for us than Rio so hopefully we can have a successful weekend.”

With unpredictable meteorological conditions expected in Germany, there could be a lot of factors to take into consideration. “Unfortunately, there is already a question mark about the weather; we’ve heard that there is a chance of rain in Germany this week,” said Brivio on closing. “We will obviously have to evaluate this aspect and make sure we are prepared if it does rain.”

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Located in the heartland of the former East Germany’s once glorious motorcycle racing industry the Sachsenring is built right next to the old road course, a characteristic the track shares with Brno in the nearby Czech Republic. The current circuit could not be more different, its ultra-modern nature showing in its relatively slow lap time, with a surfeit of slow corners juxtaposed with some dazzlingly fast corners.

The 3.671km circuit has already changed its layout since it was first used for MotoGP in 1998, with the addition of a super fast downhill right hander in 2003, an awesome challenge which has already proved to sort out the best from the rest. With a relatively short 780m pit straight, running sharply uphill from the long Queckenberg hairpin, and the throttle only fully open for 10% of the lap, outright power is not the key at Sachsenring. Some riders use only four of the possible six gear ratios on a flying lap. The ability to set-up the machine to deal with the disparity between fast and slow corners is one main goal and as the track is relatively new, bumps are not that much of a concern in relation to other circuits.

The main consideration in preparation for Sachsenring is the fact that the track features only four right handers, but has no less than ten lefts, meaning that the machine is heeled over to that side for half of the entire lap distance. Premature wear on one side of the rubber can be minimised by the use of dual compound tyres, but the section from Omega corner onwards has no less than seven left hand corners, one after the other, the next right being the dramatic downhill right hander of the new section.

One of the main overtaking possibilities follows immediately after the aforementioned fast right, the Sachsen corner being a favourite place to put in a pass. After the tropical heat and extreme bumpiness of the most recent Rio race, Sachsen is about as different a track as could be imagined. The first sessions should therefore be as busy as any of the year, as the latest Yamaha YZR-M1 will be put through an intense period of adjustment to find a good set-up for both qualifying and race.

VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION

Age: 25

Lives: London, UK

Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1

GP victories: 63 (24 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: 131 (39 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)

Pole positions: 33

Sachsenring 2003 results (Honda): Grid: 4th, Race: 2nd



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: 159 (39 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)

Sachsenring 2003 results (Yamaha): Grid: 7th, Race: 8th



Sachsenring MotoGP lap record – Max Biaggi (Honda): 1:24.630 (2003)

Circuit best lap – Max Biaggi (Honda): 1:23.734 (2003)

From a press release issued by Camel Honda Racing Information:

Camel Honda team tightens around Makoto

Ten days after the spectacular Camel Honda one-two in Rio de Janeiro, which saw Makoto Tamada taking his first Grand Prix victory and Max Biaggi back on the podium for 20 points on his birthday, the team is now more than ready for any challenge thrown up by the twisty Sachsenring circuit in Germany. Most importantly the team is sharing the burden of the sad loss of Mrs. Sakae Tamada, Makoto’s mother, after she passed away on the Tuesday after the Brazilian GP. Luca Montiron, Tamada’s team manager, flew to Japan last weekend to attend the funeral, and team-mate Max Biaggi as well as the entire Camel Honda team, led by Sito Pons, sympathise with the Japanese rider. Due to these circumstances, it was decided not to contact Tamada in Japan for his statement regarding the German GP. Makoto will of course be at the media’s disposal, as always, on the Thursday before the race.

Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)
“After the great joy of the Brazilian GP, where our team achieved its main goals with Tamada’s fantastic victory and an extremely important second place for Biaggi, we go to Germany a little saddened by Makoto’s loss. We are all so sorry that after such a brilliant victory, Makoto has had to undergo this kind of grief. The team will do everything to help to him at this difficult time. The next race is going to be a massive challenge for us, but we are hopeful that our riders can express themselves in the same way as in Brazil. Last year Max was quickest both in practice and in the race, where he paid the price trying to recover from a bad start with a crash. He has the official lap record however, which just shows he will be competitive there. Makoto will have to find the strength within himself to endure this difficult time, and as I have already said, we will do all we can to get him in the right shape for the race.”

Luca Montiron – Camel Honda (Makoto Tamada Team Manager)
“Last Thursday I left for Japan because I wanted to be with Makoto in what is a truly distressing time for him, and he was as humble as ever, as is his nature, although he remained upbeat and positive. We hardly had time to savour the joy of his marvellous triumph in Rio, because that very evening Makoto flew to Japan, where he had time to embrace his mother. There’s not much we can say other than we will try to do everything we can for Makoto during the upcoming German Grand Prix, because we know that for him to get a good result and do his best in his work as a rider is the perfect way to honour his mother, who has always been there to support him throughout his career.”

Max Biaggi #3: (Michelin Tyres)
“The Rio race was really important, but it’s just as important now to back up the positive comeback we made in Brazil. Sachsenring is a very unique track, which requires a bike to be very agile in the steering department, so that will be our aim to achieve by the end of Friday’s practices. Last year we managed to do it, even though in the race I made a mistake whilst I was pushing hard to catch up to the front runners. It would be ideal to be set up by Saturday afternoon because the battle for the front row will be hard-fought, given that starting from the front here is more important than normal. The track is winding, there’s no real straight and above all in the first part it’s difficult to overtake because the track is also quite narrow. In the last section, it gets a bit wider so there’s space to overtake, but it’s always best to be in a position whereby you don’t have to make up positions. I’m convinced that we can do well, because in the Rio race my bike was going particularly well.”

Makoto Tamada #6: (Bridgestone Tyres)
Makoto Tamada returned to Japan, where last Saturday at ten o´clock in Matuyama-Shi, in the Osaka region, he attended the funeral of his mother, Sakae Tamada. Tamada lost his father several years ago.

Sachsenring Circuit


2003 Podium

1. S. Gibernau (Honda)
2. V. Rossi (Honda)
3. T. Bayliss (Ducati)


Pole Position
M. Biaggi (Honda – 2003)
1’23.734

Ofiicial Lap Record
M. Biaggi (Honda – 2003)
1’24.630

Nº of Laps
30 (110.13km)

MotoGP timetable:
14.00 (GMT +2)
*One hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time


Characteristics
Length: 3,671 m
Width: 10m
Right Corners: 4
Left Corners: 10
Constructed in: 1996
Last modified: 2003

From a press release issued by the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation:

Indianapolis Ride for Kids(r) “stars” with Tony and Jennifer Certa at the 2nd Annual Indianapolis Ride for Kids(r)

America’s farmland played host to the 2nd Annual Indianapolis Ride for Kids(r) on Sunday, July, 11, 2004. Since 1984, the Ride for Kids(r) program has raised funds to support the research and family support programs of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. On this particular Sunday, the motorcyclists raised $14,117 for pediatric brain tumor research.

With the warm summer sun shining brightly on them, the 150 motorcyclists, fundraisers, volunteers and patient families set out on a scenic, police-escorted ride through beautiful rolling pastureland and corn fields. Once arriving at their destination, the riders gathered under the festive red and white striped “Big Top Tent” for the Celebration of Life ceremony. There, they listened closely as National Ride for Kids(r) Manager Kyle Clack visited with the five Ride for Kids(r) “stars” in attendance. Joe, a young brain tumor survivor, told the motorcyclists, “Thank you all so much. You really make a big difference in our lives.”

Tony and Jennifer Certa were the Top Individual Fundraisers with a total of $3,076. The Top Club was GWRRA IN Chapter A whose members raised $4,376. Lake Cycle, of Merrillville, IN, customers raised $3,726 making them the Top Dealer. The winners of the grand prize Honda motorcycle donated by the American Honda Motor Company were Tony and Jennifer Certa of Valparaiso, IN.

Thanks to Indianapolis Ride for Kids(r) Task Force Leaders Donna and Eddie Cross and Betty and Jack Critchlow and their team of volunteers for organizing the Ride.

The next Ride for Kids(r) events are on Sunday, July 18 in Chicago, Illinois and Utica, New York.

For more information about the Ride for Kids(r) and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, please visit www.rideforkids.org or www.pbtfus.org or call (800) 253-6530.

From a press release issued by Clear Channel Communications:

MOUNTAIN DEW NAMED TITLE SPONSOR OF NBC & CLEAR CHANNEL’S NEW ACTION SPORTS FRANCHISE

Dew Action Sports Tour Set for 2005 Launch; Dew’s National Free Flow Tour Becomes Official Amateur Series

NEW YORK – July 12, 2004 – Mountain Dew, a brand synonymous with the phenomenal growth of action sports, has agreed to a long-term agreement to become the title sponsor of the Dew Action Sports Tour. The first-ever, season-long, nationally televised — network and cable — professional Tour for skateboarding, BMX, and freestyle motocross, the Tour was announced last March and is owned and operated by NBC Sports and Clear Channel Entertainment’s Motor Sports division.

The Dew Tour debuts in May 2005 and boasts five major, multi-sport Tour events, the biggest competitive purse in action sports, a Million-Dollar Bonus Pool based upon year-end standings, and the largest network and cable television broadcasting commitment ever. John Galloway, Director of Sports for Pepsi-Cola North America, and Wade Martin, General Manager for the Dew Action Sports Tour, made the joint announcement.

“We are thrilled that we’re partnering with NBC and Clear Channel to be the title sponsor of the Dew Tour,” said Galloway. “This will help grow action sports across America, and that’s great for the sports, the athletes and all the brands involved.”

As part of Pepsi’s agreement with NBC and Clear Channel, the Dew Free Flow Tour, a 16-city, amateur grassroots skateboarding event that began in 2002, will become an integral part of the Dew Action Sports Tour as the official amateur and development tour, designed to foster the growth and grassroots infrastructure of these sports.

Mountain Dew has been aligned with action sports since the early 1990s and has become the leading non-endemic brand in this space. A long-standing sponsorship commitment to ESPN’s X Games franchise and the Vans Triple Crown Series since their inception represents Mountain Dew’s ongoing dedication to action sports athletes and fans. Mountain Dew sponsors many of today’s top action sports athletes, including Shaun White (Snowboarding / Skateboarding), Hannah Teter (Snowboarding), Luke Mitrani (Snowboarding) and Allan Cooke (BMX).

“Attracting Pepsi’s powerful Mountain Dew brand as the title sponsor of the pro tour is the greatest testament to the Tour’s credibility,” said Martin. “Mountain Dew passionately shares our commitment to help grow these sports, and has long been considered a pioneer in action sports and ‘best in class’ in terms of sponsorship activation. With Mountain Dew’s support, marketing power, and rich action sports heritage, NBC and Clear Channel have partnered with the ideal brand to launch and build the Dew Action Sports Tour for the growing legion of competitors, fans and TV viewers,” said Martin.

A series of five major events, the 2005 Dew Action Sports Tour will consist of multi-sport and entertainment festivals covering over one million square feet in both indoor and outdoor venues. In addition to the primary sports of skateboarding, BMX, and freestyle motocross, each tour stop will feature a “specialty comp” such as super moto, surfing, inline vert, or wakeboarding, depending upon local interest. Overall Tour winners in skateboarding (street and vert), BMX (street, dirt & vert) and freestyle motocross will be awarded each year with a Dew Cup. Key lifestyle elements will include live cutting-edge music, video gaming, and interactive events (skateparks, dirt courses). The Dew Action Sports Tour is in active discussions with over 20 major markets, and 2005 Tour cities and dates will be announced at a later time.

NBC, which had announced 16 hours of network coverage, has increased its 2005 Dew Action Sports Tour coverage plans to 19 hours of primarily live coverage. A cable broadcast partner, and programming plans will be announced at a later date.

Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports will be an integral partner on the Dew Action Sports Tour, lending its considerable expertise in live event touring and promotion, including a wide range of off-channel assets including Clear Channel’s Radio, Outdoor and Music divisions.

The Dew Free Flow Tour, a grassroots amateur skateboarding series, will bring jam-style contests to U.S. skate parks this summer. New for this year’s tour is the first-ever Free Flow finals event at California’s Encinitas YMCA Skatepark, bringing together all 39 winners from this year’s tour.

NBC Sports Ventures

NBC Sports Ventures, the business development arm of NBC Sports, produces 80 hours of programming annually for the NBC Television Network including the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship, The National Dog Show Presented by Purina, Jeep World of Adventure Sports, AVP Tour, The ADT Golf Skills Challenge, Office Depot Father/Son Challenge & the Budweiser Boxing Series.

Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports

Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports owns, produces and promotes specialized, motor sports events primarily staged in stadiums and arenas. The company stages over 600 events per year and produces over 250 hours of television programming, featuring such premier properties such as THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series; USHRA Monster Jam Presented by Ford Trucks & Advance Auto Parts; Hooter’s IHRA Drag Racing Series & IFMA Freestyle Motocross. Clear Channel Entertainment-Motor Sports, a division of Clear Channel Entertainment, is a subsidiary of Clear Channel Worldwide (NYSE: CCU), a global leader in the out-of-home, advertising industry.

Pepsi-Cola North America

Pepsi-Cola North America (www.pepsi.com), headquartered in Purchase, N.Y., is the $4 billion beverage division of PepsiCo, Inc. (www.pepsico.com) in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. brands include Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Twist, Pepsi ONE, Pepsi Edge, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Pepsi Vanilla, Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Code Red, Mug, Sierra Mist, Slice, Aquafina, SoBe and Dole single-serve juices. The company also makes and markets North America’s #1 ready-to-drink iced teas and coffees, respectively, via joint ventures with Lipton and Starbucks.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The AMA Superbike race at Laguna Seca was red-flagged after 15 of 28 laps due to Jeff Tigert’s crashed Honda CBR1000RR lying in the track at the entrance to turn 11.

In a remarkable coincidence, the red flag will allow Jake Zemke’s crew to make repairs to his ailing Honda.

The highlight of the race prior to the red flag was an amazing lap-two, turn-two pass Mat Mladin made on Ben Bostrom and Zemke to take the lead. Bostrom ran it in very deep underneath Zemke, running them both wide, and Mladin drove underneath both of them; Bostrom had to pick it up as Mladin carved underneath him.

At the time of the red flag, the running order was:

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki
2. Ben Bostrom, Honda, -0.868 second
3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -4.142 seconds
4. Jake Zemke, Honda, -5.896
5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -8.576
6. Eric Bostrom, Ducati, -26.392
7. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki, -35.313
8. Jake Holden, Suzuki, -44.794
9. Geoff May, Suzuki, -47.948
10. Larry Pegram, Yamaha, -48.245
11. Jeremy Toye, Yamaha, -58.280
12. Marty Craggill, Suzuki, -58.801
13. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki, -59.073
14. Ken Hill, Suzuki, -65.782
15. Eric Wood, Suzuki -66.366
16. John Haner, Suzuki
17. Chris Siglin, Yamaha
18. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki
19. Mark Ledesma, Honda
20. Mike Sullivan, Yamaha

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Two-time AMA Superstock Champion Jimmy Moore is planning on returning to the AMA series at the Road Atlanta event in September and riding with Corona Extra Suzuki, the team he won his Championships with.

That’s the word from Moore, who was at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Sunday spectating and having meetings.

Moore said he felt physically strong enough to race at Mid-Ohio, the AMA event, but said, “I don’t want to come back until I’m 100 percent. If I wait until Road Atlanta, it’ll give me almost two months of lifting weights and riding my dirt bike so I can be as normal as I’ve ever been. I want to build up my strength before trying to wrestle these beasts around.”

Among several other injuries, Moore badly broke his left upper arm when he crashed in Brainerd International Raceway’s turn one at over 160 mph and slid into a tree in 2003. Moore aggravated the injury in a near-crash during the 2004 AMA event at California Speedway and has been out of action since.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Renegade Ducati’s Leon Haslam broke both bones in his left forearm when he crashed his 999RS during the second World Superbike race Sunday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

“We had an electrical problem with the bike. It kept cutting out and it highsided me,” Haslam told Roadracingworld.com.

Haslam said the fractures were immediately set and cast by Dr. Arthur Ting, who was the Chief Medical Officer of the event. Haslam plans to seek follow-up X-rays when he returns to his home in England.

The young Brit said he hopes to be fit enough to ride in the next round of the World Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch in three weeks.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Provisional Sunday Morning AMA Superbike Practice Times:

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.314
2. Ben Bostrom, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:25.765
3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:26.128
4. Eric Bostrom, Ducati 999F04, 1:26.239
5. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:26.259
6. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.412
7. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:27.347
8. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.572
9. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.047
10. Jeremy Toye, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:29.892
11. Larry Pegram, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:29.989
12. Marty Craggill, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.200
13. Chris Siglin, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:30.300
14. Jeff Tigert, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:30.495
15. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.515
16. Tom Montano, Ducati 999R, 1:30.553
17. Chris Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.097
18. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.102
19. Ken Hill, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.111
20. Lee Acree, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.152