Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Provisional F-USA Formula Sportbike Qualifying Results:

1. Blake Young, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:24.055
2. Shawn Conrad, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:24.611
3. Scott Greenwood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:25.302
4. Scott Harwell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:25.367
5. Brian Stokes, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:26.025
6. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:26.763
7. Robert Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:26.998
8. Brian Hall, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:28.752
9. Kane Lasky, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:28.980
10. Matt Malterer, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:32.144
11. Kevin Gordon, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:32.999
12. John McGarity, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:33.846
13. Dave Rosno, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:34.143
14. Joe Riberio, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:34.763
15. David Tullier, 2:34.932
16. Montez Stewart, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:34.971
17. Ivan Garza, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:35.543
18. Morgan Broadhead, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:36.133
19. Eddie Bingham, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:41.005
20. Calvin Martinez, 2:43.544
21. Michael Casey, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:47.804

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Provisional Formula USA Unlimited Grand Prix Qualifying Results:

1. Mark Junge, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:23.017
2. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:25.868
3. Scott Greenwood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:26.707
4. Dave Ebben, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:29.420
5. Kane Lasky, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:29.628
6. Brian Hall, 2:30.798
7. Brian Boyd, 2:31.797
8. Jason Swan, Suzuki, 2:32.249
9. Matt Malterer, 2:32.589
10. Shane Stoyko, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:33.080
11. H. Locum, 2:34.747
12. Roger Hendricks, Suzuki, 2:37.420
13. Morgan Broadhead, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:38.572
14. A. Conner, 2:38.959
15. J. Knupp, 2:39.086
16. Ivan Garza, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:39.151
17. Geoff Maloney, 2:42.374
18. Calvin Martinez, Suzuki, 2:44.089
19. J. Bentz, 2:45.008
20. M. Williams, 2:57.842

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Two Buell factory-supported teams are making their 2004 AMA debut in the AMA Formula Xtreme class at Infineon Raceway on XB9R Firebolts.

Hal’s Performance Buell, with rider Mike Ciccotto and Crew Chief Terry Galagan, and Kosco Buell, with rider Michael Barnes and Crew Chief Rich Cronrath, will both be fielding Firebolts this weekend at the Sonoma, California racetrack.

Barnes and Cronrath won a Formula USA Buell Lightning Series Championship together, and Galagan and Ciccotto won the last-ever AMA Pro Thunder race at Laguna Seca in 2002 on a Firebolt Superbike.

“This bike is making more power, it’s more dialed-in suspension-wise but it’s more stock,” said Ciccotto, when asked how his 2004 bike differs from his 2002 race winner. Ciccotto pointed out the stock 17-inch wheels, Showa forks and single-perimeter-rotor Zero Torsional Load (ZTL) brake on his new bike.

The bike Ciccotto ran in 2002 had 16.5-inch Marchesinis, dual front brakes rotors and factory-spec Nissin six-piston brake calipers.

“We’re trying to make the stock bike work, and it seems to be working pretty good so far,” said Galagan, when asked why leave the bike relatively unmodified in a class that allows many modifications.

Galagan admitted that he is probably giving a weight advantage to some of the Japanese 600cc inline four-cylinder bikes in the class, but said he has improved on the 135 horsepower his bike produced in 2002.

“It’s doing everything I want it to do,” said Ciccotto. “It turns, it stops and it’s making awesome power. I haven’t really been trying yet, and I’m having a blast. I expect to be in the top five, maybe on the podium.”

“We weren’t ready,” Galagan said as to why his team didn’t join the AMA series until Infineon Raceway. “We weren’t sure we were going to get the factory technical support we needed until too late. We didn’t want to come out and get in the way or oil the track down. We have more respect for the teams in the semi-trucks than that. We didn’t want to come out until we were ready.”

Asked about the appearance of the factory-supported Buells in Formula Xtreme, American Honda’s Al Ludington, Crew Chief for FX Championship-leading Miguel Duhamel, said, “The more the merrier.”

From a press release issued by MSS Discovery Kawasaki Team:

British Supersport/National Superstock Championships
Round three ­
Snetterton, April 25 2004

MSS DISCOVERY ACES CHASE GLORY IN NORFOLK

The MSS Discovery Kawasaki team is looking to its trio of Pere Riba, Rob Frost and Steve Allan to secure success in Sunday’s third round of the British Supersport and National Superstock Championships at the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk.

The team’s British Supersport title hopes are firmly with Pere Riba presently after two solid fourth place finishes have left the Spaniard second in the series and just seven points from the lead.

Riba believes: “Snetterton could well be a circuit for us to at least climb the podium for the first time. It’s not that much of a technical circuit and I’m really hoping to take a victory.

“We’ve got two rounds out of the way and scored about the amount of points we may have accepted to get our season under way. Now it’s time to get the ZX-6RR dialled in and go for the win.”

Rob Frost, Riba’s team-mate in the MSS Discovery Supersport side of the team, is looking for his first finish of the year after twice becoming entangled with other riders and crashing out, in the Silverstone and Brands Hatch races.

“I’ve had a nightmare start to the year,” admits Frost. “But I’ve had a lot of success at Snetterton before and I’m looking to be up with the leaders on Sunday. Staying out of trouble is important but I know this weekend provides a really good chance for me.”

The MSS Discovery team’s Superstock rider Steve Allan is out to make amends. Allan crashed out of the last round at Brands Hatch, all after a fantastic pole position and third place finish at the opening Silverstone round four weeks ago.

“The Brands Hatch crash was a major blow,” recalls Allan. “I needed points but I’m still very confident about the ability of the ZX-10R ­ especially at high speed circuits like Snetterton.”

Allan adds: “We’re definitely improving the machine every time I’m out on it and there’s an awful long way to go in the championship so we’re well aware that getting back into contention for the title is easily possible.”

Team owners Stuart Simmonds and Nick Morgan continue their quest for a British Championship victory and are optimistic about their Snetterton prospects.

Simmonds believes: “We’ve put an immense effort into the 2004 season and we¹ve already seen the result of that ­ coupled with the experience and ability of Pere. Now we need to move up another gear and ensure our prominence becomes more evident in both classes ­ Nick and myself are confident of achieving that with the ZX-6RR and ZX-10R Kawasakis.”



British Supersport Championship points after two of 13 rounds: 1 Jay Vincent, Honda 33, 2 Pere Riba, Kawasaki and Michael Laverty, Ducati 26, 4 Karl Harris, Honda and Luke Quigley, Suzuki 25, 6 Craig Jones, Triumph 20, 7 Kieran Murphy, Honda 19, 8 Simon Andrews, Yamaha 16, 9 Tom Tunstall, Honda 14, 10 Leon Camier, Honda 11.

National Superstock Championship points after two of 13 rounds: 1 Andy Tinsley, Suzuki 45, 2 Ben Wilson, Suzuki 38, 3 Tristan Palmer, Suzuki and Danny Beaumont, Yamaha 29, 5 Les Shand, Yamaha 20, 6 Steve Allan, Kawasaki and Mark Heckles, Yamaha 16, 8 Kelvin Reilly, Ducati 15, 9 Craig Fitzpatrick, Suzuki 14, 10 Darren Mitchell, Suzuki 11.



2004 British Supersport / National Superstock Championship calendars


1 March 28 Silverstone, Northants.

2 April 12 Brands Hatch, Kent

3 April 25 Snetterton, Norfolk

4 May 3 Oulton Park, Cheshire

5 May 23 Mondello Park, Ireland*

6 June 6 Thruxton, Hants.

7 June 20 Brands Hatch, Kent

8 July 4 Knockhill, Fife

9 July 18 Mallory Park, Leics**

10 August 15 Croft, North Yorks

11 August 30 Cadwell Park, Lincs.

12 September 12 Oulton Park, Cheshire

13 September 19 Donington Park, Derbys.


* No Superstock round
** Two Superstock races

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

Hayden heads Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship Presented by Shoei for the first time

Oldest of the racing Hayden brothers likes his chances at Infineon Raceway

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (April 23, 2004) — Tommy Hayden is in his ninth year of racing in the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei. The oldest of the famous trio of Hayden brothers, Tommy has finished in the top five in the AMA Supersport Championship a total of five times and was runner-up twice. Hayden is ranked sixth on the all-time AMA Supersport wins list and he has the distinction of winning an AMA Supersport race by one of the largest margins in the history of the series when he smoked the rest of the field by over 16 seconds in the rain at Laguna Seca in 1999. In spite of his impressive accomplishments, the one thing Hayden has never done is lead the series point standings – until now. Hayden finds himself atop the championship as it moves to round three on April 30-May 2, as part of the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Hayden is coming off a victory on his Kawasaki ZX-6RR at California Speedway earlier this month. That win moved him past Daytona winner Jason DiSalvo into the championship lead. His younger brother Roger Lee Hayden is third in the series, also riding a Kawasaki. While the elder Hayden is happy with his position at this point in the year, he’s not thinking too far ahead.

“Yeah, it’s great to be on top of the series, but it’s not like I’m going to celebrate yet,” Hayden said. “It’s really early and there’s a lot of racing to be done. I am happy because it seems in the past I’ve always started the year slow in Supersport and have had to charge back to get into the championship race. This year I’ve gotten off to a good start so I need to keep my momentum going.”

Hayden tested a couple of times at Infineon and feels he has as much of an opportunity as anyone to win.

“I comfortable with the bike,” Hayden added. “The handling is great and we now have the power we didn’t have last year. Now I can just concentrate on riding the bike and not worry about anything else. My ZX-6RR is dialed in and it seems to work well on any type of track so I like my chances at Sears (Infineon Raceway).”

The one thing working against Hayden at Infineon is history. In the years he’s raced Supersport there Hayden has never finished better than fifth, plus a Kawasaki rider has not won at the track in Supersport since 1996 when Thomas Stevens rode a Kawasaki to victory. Then again, history was against Jamie Hacking last year. He’d suffered a miserable past at Infineon only to finally break through and earn a victory last year. He went on to win the AMA Supersport title.

Hacking will be one of the favorites again this year. The No. 1 Yamaha rider comes into this weekend tied for fourth in the standings, but is only 12 points out of first. It’s a tight race overall in Supersport with the top seven riders separated by only 20 points.

Local hero Steve Rapp of Valvoline EMGO Suzuki leads Suzuki in the points. Rapp, an Oakland native, is seventh in the series after scoring a pair of top-10 finishes in the first two rounds. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies also figures to make a big leap from his current 11th-place in the point standings this week. After blowing out a shock and not scoring a single point at Daytona, Spies charged back to finish second at California Speedway. Look for the talented Texan to be a serious contender.

Privateer Michael Barnes is experiencing resurgence this year. The Floridian veteran has raced AMA Supersport since its inception and finds himself in a solid sixth in the standings. Those who like to root for the underdog need to look no further than Barnes to find a favorite.

Call 800-870-RACE, or visit www.infineonraceway.com or www.ticketmaster.com for additional information on the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown. The Infineon Supersport race will shown live at 4 p.m. Eastern on SPEED Channel on Sunday, May 2.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A Renton, Washington motorcycle dealership has moved into a 120,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by a HomeBase store and has built an indoor track run by former AMA short track great Mickey Fay.

The new home of Renton Motorcycles, (which sells Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Polaris, Indian and Swift products) also includes a cafe and bar and meeting rooms available for use by local clubs.

The indoor track can be configured for either short track or motocross racing and has seating for 1000 spectators. The track is open seven days a week for practice, and which configuration will be in use at any given time is posted on a website, www.wideopensportsarena.com.

The dealership and its service department are also open seven days a week, and an area above the service department features a display of Vintage motorcycles.

Renton Motorcycles is celebrating its grand opening through April 25th.

More information is available at www.rmcmotorsports.com or by calling (503) 572-6635.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.


Total purse for the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship Presented By Parts Unlimited, AMA Kawasaki Showdown, Presented by Cycle Gear, featuring Sunday’s Supercuts Superbike Challenge, April 30-May 2 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California is $105,000.

Individual class payouts follow:

Superbike
$70,500 purse
Half paid for each of two races
1. $6500
2. $5400
3. $4300
4. $3700
5. $3300
6. $3000
7. $2800
8. $2700
9. $2600
10. $2500
11. $2400
12. $2300
13. $2200
14. $2100
15. $2050
16. $2000
17. $1950
18. $1900
19. $1850
20. $1750
21. $1650
22. $1550
23. $1450
24. $1350
25. $1250
26. $1000
27. $900
28. $800
29. $650
30. $600
31. $500
32. $450
33. $400
34. $350
35. $300


Formula Xtreme, Supersport, Superstock
$11,500 purse per class
1. $1600
2. $1400
3. $1100
4. $900
5. $775
6. $700
7. $650
8. $600
9. $550
10. $500
11. $450
12. $375
13. $325
14. $300
15. $275
16. $250
17. $225
18. $200
19. $175
20. $150