From a press release issued by series organizers:

Picotte is champion

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Pascal Picotte of St-Cecile de Milton, QC won one of the most spectacular title battles in Canadian motor racing history with a sixth place finish in the final round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park Sunday.

The Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 rider came back from an early race fall to claim the Parts Canada crown by just five points over Steve Crevier, 308-303. Crevier, from Maple Ridge, BC placed second in Sunday’s race riding a Diablo Performance Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC took third in the final standings with 299 points after winning the race on his Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000.

“This is pretty emotional,” the 33-year-old Picotte said of his first Canadian Superbike crown. “When I stopped in the infield and the marshal told me I won the championship there were some tears.”

Picotte came into the race with a 20-point lead on Crevier in the standings. But the complexion of the title battle changed completely when Picotte fell from second on lap 2 of the 14-lap race. He rejoined in 22nd spot and charged through the pack, setting the fastest lap of the race, a 1:45.194 on lap 8.

Crevier led the race from the start, which would have given him the Superbike title after Picotte’s fall. But Martin passed him on lap 7, putting Picotte back in control of the championship chase.

Martin could have also won the championship if Crevier had finished out of the top three and Picotte failed to climb higher than 12th after his crash.

“My start was not very good,” Martin admitted. “I was stuck behind [Tom] Kipp in third for a while but once I got past him I just put my head down and go.”

Crevier led a tight group of four riders across the line at the finish. Calgary’s Clint McBain took third on his Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000 with Joliette, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr fourth on the CyRacing/Michelin Yamaha YZF-R1 and Frank Trombino of Kleinburg, ON fifth riding his Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1.

In other action at Shannonville Jeremy Leduc of Keremeos, BC rode to a cautious 12th place finish on his Kelowna Yamaha-sponsored Yamaha YZF-R6 to clinch the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike title.

Leduc finished the season just 12 points, 233-221 ahead of Bill Card of Wellesley, ON, who won the race on his McBride Cycle Riders’ Club Honda CBR600RR. Derek Bowker of Nepean, ON, who came into the race with a shot at the title finished 11th on his Motor Sports World Yamaha YZF-R6 after a fall and dropped to third in the final standings.

Picotte, the newly-crowned Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike champion completed his 2003 season in style by winning the final round at Shannonville on his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. He edged the Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R6 of Trombino by 0.910 secs. in the 12-lap race. McBain was third on the Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R600.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1:00 p.m. and on the Outdoor Life Network on Sunday, Oct. 26, also at 1:00 p.m. Action from Shannonville will also be shown later this year on Quebec’s RDS.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

After morning practice finished at VIR, a steady rain began falling.

Yesterday’s on-track activities were followed by a fierce thunderstorm that shredded canopies and flooded the paddock.

This just in:

AMA Pro Racing just announced that the Supersport field will be sent out for a 10-minute wet practice session at 12:15 p.m. local time, followed by two warm-up laps, then the race start.

The event has been declared a “wet” race.

The Supersport race was originally scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m.

At 12:12 p.m. local time, it stopped raining.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

2003 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship

Round 5 (FINAL) – Sunday Report – Eastern Creek – August 31, 2003

By Trevor Hedge (www.mcnews.com.au)

Australian Superbike racing experienced both dramatic highs, and lows, as the five-round 2003 Shell Advance Australian Championships concluded at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway today.

The high came when 20-year-old Shepparton rider Craig Coxhell won his first Australian Superbike Championship. The Team Suzuki rider took both race wins today to earn enough points to win the crown and give the Sydney crowd a popular victory.

Coxhell had to get the better of his three-time, and reigning, Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles to take the win.

Giles was gracious in defeat. “I think that a youngster like Craig winning the title is good for the sport. And of course the main thing is that a Suzuki still won the title, and with myself coming home behind Craig, we gave Team Suzuki a fantastic 1-2 result for the year, which is exactly what we set out to do.”

The perfect performances from the Team Suzuki riders, along with some important contributions from Suzuki privateers Robert Bugden, David Butler and Luke Wicks, also helped Suzuki to surpass Honda in the race for the Manufacturers Cup. With that win, and their unprecedented fourth consecutive Australian Superbike Championship, the weekend could not have gone any better for Suzuki Australia.

Nikon Yamaha’s Kevin Curtain and Daniel Stauffer also put in great rides and took the Suzuki pairing to the wire in each race. But the Newcastle-based riders had to settle for hard earned third and fourth places respectively in the championship. However, Stauffer did leave Eastern Creek with the new Production Superbike lap record after setting a new benchmark of 1:32.982 around the 3.93-kilometer Eastern Creek layout.

But Curtain didn’t have to settle for third best in the Australian Supersport Championship. The long-time Yamaha stalwart did earn the #1 plate in the Supersport Championship. Curtain has now won five Australian Road Race Championships across three different classes. The Newcastle based rider won his first Supersport Championship in 1996 before winning the title again in 2000. Curtain also won the 250cc Production Championship in 1995, and the Australian Production Superbike Title in 1998.

But Queensland teenager Brendan Clarke did not make things easy for his vastly more experienced teammate–the youngster pushed hard throughout the whole year and the race for the title went down to the wire. The diminutive pairing gave the Nikon Yamaha squad a 1-2 finish in the Championship and also helped to earn Yamaha the honour of being named the leading constructor in the Supersport class.

Honda’s Joshua Brookes was also a major factor in the Supersport class this weekend, as was Kawasaki’s Russell Holland. Brookes took the win in the opening Supersport race for the weekend and was fighting hard with Holland for the win in the second race before the duo fell on the entry to the main straight. Their demise left Brendan Clarke to take both the race win and the outright round win. Glenn Allerton also put in a great performance this weekend and his excellent fifth outright and healthy swag of points certainly helped Yamaha to the constructors win.

Western Australia’s Peter Taplin had wrapped up the Australian 250cc Grand Prix Championship at the previous round. But the Honda rider did not back off this weekend as he took another clean sweep to continue his perfect winning record to a record-breaking 14 consecutive wins.

The 125cc Grand Prix Title had also been decided prior to this round with 16-year-old Mildura rider Joshua Waters winning the title in Queensland. Waters managed to take all the wins at this round but did come under heavy attack from a rider even younger than himself. Jason O’Halloran, 15, put in a great performance at his home track to come within 0.02 second of breaking the lap record to earn second overall in 125cc Grand Prix points.

Multiple Australian Champion Shane Soutar had dusted off his 500cc World Championship sidecar for this event. Under 2003 rules two-strokes are no longer allowed in Australian Sidecar events but Motorcycling Australia afforded Soutar special dispensation for this race meeting for Soutar to make a guest appearance on his two-stroke screamer. The Victorian rider showed that he has not lost the competitive spirit by winning the opening race at Eastern Creek yesterday. He didn’t have it all his own way though as he came under heavy attack from the Victorian pairing of Vince Messina and Alison Scoullar, themselves multiple time Australian Champions. Messina and Scoullar took the win in the final race for the round but the South Australian duo of Neville Lush and Martin Scott earned enough points to take out the Australian F1 Sidecar Championship. South Australia also took home the F2 Sidecar Title, David Jones and John Cutting earning the F2 crown on their Honda powered machine.

The battle for the Australian Superstock Title for ‘C’ and ‘D’ graded newcomers has been hectic. Ballarat’s Leigh McKenzie and Taree’s Alex Cudlin have been hard at it all year. McKenzie took the title, but it was Cudlin who dominated the Eastern Creek meeting.

After all the excitement from the thrilling racing action, the tight-knit Australian Superbike fraternity was left in shock after a horrific fall during the final Supersport leg for the day. A number of riders went down after a fierce collision at Eastern Creek’s turn one. The incident was treated as extremely serious and the organisers chose to abandon the remainder of the meeting as ambulances carried the injured riders away for treatment.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Sunday Morning AMA Supersport Practice Times:

1. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:28.309
2. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:28.777
3. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:28.781
4. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 1:28.901
5. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:28.904
6. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:29.225
7. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:29.311
8. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:29.619
9. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 1:29.842
10. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 1:29.997
11. Marty Craggill, Honda, 1:30.045
12. Ty Howard, Honda, 1:30.472
13. Lee Acree, Yamaha, 1:30.610
14. Mike Hale, Yamaha, 1:30.670
15. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 1:30.702
16. Chris Rankin (of Texas), Honda, 1:32.252
17. Chris Peris, Honda, 1:32.265
18. Darren Luck, Suzuki, 1:32.476
19. Jason Curtis, Honda, 1:32.926
20. Dirk Sanchez, Kawasaki, 1:32.946
21. Giovanni Rojas, Yamaha, 1:35.193
22. Crash Lowe, Suzuki, 1:35.768
23. Marcus Winfree, Suzuki, 1:36.172
24. Heath Small, Yamaha, 1:36.542
25. Chris Siebenhaar, Honda, 1:36.737
26. Nathan Dressman, Yamaha, 1:37.448
27. William Johnson, Suzuki, 1:37.615
28. Darby Brauning, Yamaha, 1:38.525
29. Hector Romero, Yamaha, 1:40.050
30. Adrian Jones, Suzuki, 1:42.703
31. Michael Garofalo, Suzuki, 1:44.267
32. Chad Klock, Kawasakim 1:47.010

The session was stopped near its halfway point for a crash involving Giovanni Rojas. The practice was resumed after debris from the incident was cleaned up.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Sunday Morning AMA Formula Xtreme Practice Times:

1. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:25.799
2. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.200
3. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:26.566
4. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR954RR, 1:26.693
5. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.189
6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.286
7. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR954RR, 1:27.461
8. Marty Craggill, Honda CBR954RR, 1:27.731
9. Ty Howard, Honda CBR954RR, 1:28.633
10. Jason Curtis, Honda CBR954RR, 1:31.057
11. Corey Eaton, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.630
12. Nate Kern, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.127
13. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:37.040
14. Shane Gonyea, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:37.954
15. Bob Siebenhaar, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:38.053
16. James Bonner, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:40.842

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Moments after the conclusion of the AMA Supersport race and with calls going out to the Superbike competitors to grid up, it began raining again at Virginia International Raceway.

The rain was not as severe as many expected, but all activities were put on hold to inspect the portion of the track surface that had been affected earlier in the day by an oil spill.

With the rain bringing up oil in the turn three-four-five area, AMA officials and the promoters decided to cancel the rest of the day’s activities and to start again with practice at 8:00 a.m.

“The water (rain) brought the oil right back up on the track and made it too slick through turns three, four and five,” said AMA Pro Racing Road Race Series Manager Ron Barrick. “If it weren’t for that we would have sent the Superbikes out on wets for a warm-up and at least got their race in before it got dark.”

“It was pretty bad. All that oil and whatever stuff they put on it just came right back up to the surface,” said Mat Mladin. “The lady from the AMA I went out there with ran along and jumped into it and skated like she was on ice.

“I just wanted to go out and see it because we didn’t know if we were going in or out at the time. I just wanted to go see it with my own eyes in case we did go out. You could see it. The whole track’s white with water and oil mixed, just all coming out.

“That was the best call, because the first guy who went in there was just going to go down. Very slick. It was just a mess, full stop.

“I don’t know what they’re going to do tonight. I guess they’re just going to hope it’s dry in the morning.”

The Superbike race is scheduled to start at 9:15 a.m. and to run for 20 laps.

The Formula Xtreme and 250cc Grand Prix races will run 12 laps and will start after the Superbike race.

Barrick said that AMA officials hope to finish racing in the morning so they don’t use up the whole day; Keith Code’s California Superbike School has the course rented on Monday.

Stay tuned.


More, from a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

RAIN FORCES POSTPONEMENT OF SECOND AMERICAN SUPERBIKE RACE AT VIRGINIA – WILL NOW RUN ON MONDAY MORNING

Alton, Virginia, USA (Sunday, 31 August) – Continual rain showers throughout the day at Virginia International Raceway have forced race to reschedule today’s round of the AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship to tomorrow morning

Officials tried desperately to complete the day’s program, but yet another rain shower hit the circuit moments before the scheduled start of the Superbike race. The wet surface, along with remnants of an oil spill left after an incident during the preceding Supersport event prompted officials to make their decision.

The Superbike national, round 16 of the championship, has now been rescheduled to run tomorrow morning and will run over 20 laps instead of the original 28. The remaining Formula Xtreme and 250cc Grand Prix races will run after the Superbike race.

Earlier in the weekend Australian Mat Mladin won his tenth Superbike national of the year after winning yesterday’s 28-lap race by 2.093 seconds from American Honda’s Miguel DuHamel.

Mladin’s win, his 24th career victory in the championship, has seen him extend his points advantage at the top of the table to 43 as second placed Aaron Yates completed yesterday’s race in sixth position.

There is one double-header round of the championship remaining after tomorrow’s rain delayed race is held, with the series heading to Alabama for the first time to take on the new Barber Motorsports Park course on September 20 – 21.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Sunday Morning AMA Superbike Practice Times:

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.019
2. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.202
3. Kurtis Roberts, Honda RC51, 1:26.476
4. Ben Bostrom, Honda RC51, 1:26.493
5. Miguel Duhamel, Honda RC51, 1:26.622
6. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati 998RS, 1:27.047
7. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.052
8. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.991
9. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.360
10. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:28.562
11. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.188
12. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.526
13. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.053
14. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.220
15. Jeremy Toye, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.074
16. Michael Barnes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.436
17. Brian Stokes, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.636
18. Chris Voelker, Ducati 996, 1:32.523
19. Byron Barbour, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.603
20. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.725

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Just before 4:00 p.m., a special 10-minute 600cc Supersport practice sessions at VIR had concluded.

The session was called to allow the riders to assess track conditions prior to the start of the race.

The track is obviously in decent condition, seeing as Jason DiSalvo turned a lap in 1:29.780.

The 3-minute horn blew for the race at 4:00 p.m.

Times from the special 10-minute practice session follow:

1. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:29.780
2. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:29.931
3. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:30.090
4. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:30.207
5. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 1:30.437
6. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 1:30.439
7. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 1:30.451
8. Marty Craggill, Honda, 1:31.046
9. Ty Howard, Honda, 1:31.533
10. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:32.359
11. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:32.923
12. Chris Rankin, Honda, 1:32.959
13. Darren Luck, Suzuki, 1:33.676
14. Mike Hale, Yamaha, 1:33.908
15. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:34.387


Update:

The Supersport race has been shortened from 17 to 12 laps, and the final Superbike race has been shortened from 28 to 20 laps in an attempt to beat darkness and another rainstorm approaching the track.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Pro Racing Assistant Manager of Sponsorship Implementation Gary Beggrow married Jennifer McBrayer on Saturday, August 30 in Canal Winchester, Ohio.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The Supersport race at VIR, originally scheduled to start at noon and postponed until 12:30 p.m. to allow for a wet practice session, was further delayed by oil on the track.

Young Canadian Chris Peris crashed during the wet practice session after the drain plug fell out of his Honda CBR600RR. The incident extensively oiled turns three, four and five.

A crew member later said that Fernando Peris, Chris’ father, had forgotten to tighten and wire the drain plug.

Just before the rescheduled 2:00 p.m. start, riders took a warm-up lap and then reported to officials that the track was still too slippery from a slurry-like combination of oil-dry, oil and water to proceed. Riders have been sent back into the pits while crews head out to clean the track again, using a fire hose.


This just in:

Oil was apparently spilled on other parts of the track as the crash truck carried Peris’ leaking Honda back to the pits, and the clean-up has spread. But the major concern remained in the area of turns three, four and five.