Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Ray Irwin, the new owner of Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas, wants to make several improvements to the worn and bumpy race surface at the 14-year-old road course but getting the venue back in the black financially must come first.

“It’ll take a good stream of revenue, as you might imagine,” said Irwin, who also owns Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, Illinois. “We made a pretty big expenditure on March 31 to buy the place. We’re not Texas oil men where we have unlimited funds. We’re going to do this in a good, business-like manner. We’re going to be profitable.”

Irwin, who has moved to Topeka to serve as the track’s full-time manager, and members of the Heartland Park staff he has kept on have made several improvements to the facility in the few short months since the change of ownership. “There were over 100 cracks on the road race portion alone in addition to what was on the big end of the drag strip,” said Irwin. “We didn’t just fill them in with tar. We cut them out and put in a wedge of asphalt in two different layers in there. Most people don’t know how bad it really was.

“We knew we couldn’t time-wise or money-wise re-surface it right now until we get the revenue stream for next year, but we went ahead and did that right away because it was just unsafe. We wouldn’t have even invited the bikes over here if we hadn’t done at least that portion of it.”

Irwin would like to incorporate some course changes into the re-surfacing project. “We’re taking the road course off the drag strip. Pit lane will become the front straightaway and re-join the course at the big end of the drag strip where you’re away from the VHT and the chemicals,” said Irwin. “It isn’t really terrible when it’s warm and dry, but when it rains it’s treacherous. Having had that experience myself as a racer at IRP (Indy Raceway Park) and Brainerd, I know how treacherous that can be and I don’t want racers to have to undergo that.”

Another change will be to reconfigure the turn 1-2 chicane for the 2.5-mile Grand Prix course to make it less severe. “It’s not any fun to stop the bike and have to walk it around the corner. It’s no fun as a rider or in a car racer. I think it’ll make the course more fun. Plus, the big banked corner down there at the far end, it’ll make that corner a lot of fun,” said Irwin.

Irwin has already repaved the drag strip staging area, which made NHRA officials happy. Heartland Park’s NHRA Nationals have been the track’s constant money-makers since the facility was built in 1989. The track has also hosted the Winston Cup Craftsman truck series on its 1.7-mile road course and some major sports car races.

But according to Irwin, trying to make those other large events work led to the previous owners accumulating over $1 million in debt and the resulting sale of the facility to him. “They were always going for the long ball,” said Irwin. “No business can work that way. If you run a hardware store, you can’t assume you’re going to sell lawnmowers all day long. You’ve gotta assume you’re gonna sell some nuts and bolts. So we’re going to sell a few bags of ice and a few days on the course – whether it’s the drag course or the dirt track over here. Every little piece of that is part of the puzzle. Then at the end of the year you’re in the black. Control your costs and maximize your income, just like with any other business. That’s what you have to do.”

Irwin says he would like to bring back large spectator events, like the AMA Superbike series which ran at Heartland Park in 1989 and 1990, “but we need to get this place back up on its feet again. It’s not going to happen today or tomorrow. It’s going to take a while to build up to that.

“I think anything is possible in this facility. There’s nothing (no type of racing discipline) that we can’t do on the (750-acre) property. It just has to make good fiscal sense.”

Irwin also plans to investigate why K-rail concrete barriers are placed where they are in run-off areas that have more, unused room behind them.

Most of the top racers who came to Heartland Park with the Formula USA National series this past weekend enjoyed the layout, the track’s facilities and nearby Topeka but not the extremely bumpy road course. “Yeah, it’s rough,” agreed Irwin, who has run the Heartland Park road course in his own 800-horsepower Trans-Am racecar. “Like (CCS official) Larry Miner said, ‘Give these new owners a chance. They’ve only been on the property 131 days.’ Those that have been to Blackhawk Farms over the years know what my attitude is. I try to put on a safe racetrack and a fast racetrack, because I’m a racer myself.”

From a press release issued by Trackside Racers Supply:

Trackside Racers Supply launches www.tracksideracerssupply.com as their official website. Yep it’s Moose, but online!

In a joint effort with C.R. Gittere and Jennifer Livingston, the site offers a catalog of the basic necessities for a race weekend or a track day, such as Pirelli race tires, Vesrah brake pads, Vortex sprockets, Fuel gloves, Pit Bull stands, and Motul Products. The catalog also includes Pirelli and Metzeler street tires, leather suits and jackets by Alpinestars, and textile jackets by Alpinestars, all at great prices. New products and categories will be added in the days to come.

Other added features of the website include a Supported Racers section. This section features various Pirelli-shod racers and their latest news. The Visit Us At A Track section includes the dates and locations that Track Side Racers Supply will be trackside.

Visit www.tracksideracerssupply.com!

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Czech Grand Prix, Brno
August 15/16/17 2003

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN FEELING CONFIDENT FOR BRNO

The Ducati Marlboro Team is back in action this weekend after the briefest of summer breaks, during which the hard-working squad entertained huge crowds at the Zandvoort Marlboro Masters event in the Netherlands.

Relaxed and refreshed after a precious few days rest, the team is ready to launch into the final seven races of the 2003 MotoGP World Championship, beginning with Sunday’s Czech Grand Prix at Brno. Riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss both tested at Brno last month and are confident that they can once again run up front. Three weeks ago the pair stormed to superb results at the tight and twisty Sachsenring, confirming once more that the awesome Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici is fast, whatever the racetrack. Catalan GP winner Capirossi currently lies fourth in the 2003 points chase, one place ahead of German GP podium-finisher Bayliss, a remarkable achievement considering this is the Ducati Marlboro Team’s debut season in MotoGP.

After Sunday’s racing the GP circus heads to Estoril for the Marlboro Portuguese Grand Prix and then overseas for the Rio, Pacific, Malaysian and Australian rounds before returning to Europe for the season-ending Marlboro Valencia GP.

PRE-RACE TESTS UNDERLINE DESMOSEDICI’S SPEED
The recent German GP illustrated the unerring strength of the Ducati Marlboro Team. Although the squad had never before been to the awkward, slow-speed Sachsenring circuit, Troy Bayliss finished a brilliant third, one place ahead of team-mate Loris Capirossi, who was suffering after a heavy practice fall. Those results give the team great confidence for Brno, since Bayliss, Capirossi and the Desmosedici are already acquainted with the challenging Czech venue.

The pair attended last month’s pre-event tests at Brno, honing machine set-up for the GP and testing Michelin’s latest MotoGP tyres. Capirossi was lightning fast, lapping at 1:59.54, a fraction inside last year’s Czech GP pole-position pace, even though he never used soft tyres. Bayliss, making his Brno debut, was only half a second down at 2:00.98. And while the Ducati Marlboro Team toiled at Brno, Ducati’s MotoGP test team ran at Mugello, evaluating new software and suspension parts for 2004, suggesting that Ducati’s stunning introduction to MotoGP is just the beginning.

“During testing at Brno Loris was very fast and Troy managed to accumulate precious experience for the race” says Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. “The German GP was good for us and we confirmed once again that we are the strongest factory after Honda but we still have work to do to reach their level. Looking at our first nine GPs, the glass is half full or half empty, depending on which way you look at it. We are reasonably happy but we can never be 100 percent happy until we’re on top. The machine is so new that we learn new things at every event. Finding the final few tenths of a second is always the toughest job, but big challenges motivate us, and the greater the challenge, the greater the motivation!”

Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli was also delighted with the team’s Sachsenring performance, especially since some people had predicted that the 220-plus horsepower Desmosedici would be difficult to handle around the tortuous circuit. “The German GP showed that our bike is good everywhere, so there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ tracks for us,” says Cecchinelli. “Anyway, we go to Brno in more confident mood than we went to the Sachsenring, for sure we’ll be fighting for the podium. Both our riders already know Brno and we have a good base set-up – gearbox, suspension and so on. To me, Brno is a real racetrack where a good bike and rider can be really fast. It’s a flowing circuit, though completely different from Assen. We had no problem going fast in the tests – we didn’t even use soft tyres. “

LIGHTNING-QUICK CAPIROSSI READY FOR BRNO
Loris Capirossi comes to Brno aiming to improve on his remarkable fourth-place finish at last month’s German GP. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider, who made history when he won Ducati’s first MotoGP victory at June’s Marlboro Catalan GP, raced in Germany just hours after a high-speed tumble that left his number-one machine badly damaged by fire. Battered and bruised by the 200kmh fall, the Italian needed the two-week midseason break more than most!

“I was only 80 percent for the race in Germany, but I should be fine for Brno,” he says. “I think we can have a good race there. Last month’s tests went very well. We didn’t really test any new parts, we just focused on trying some new Michelins and evaluating settings for this track. It’s quite a difficult circuit for set-up – you need a sweet-handling machine to maintain your speed.”

Capirossi has been racing at Brno since his World Championship debut in 1990 but he’s yet to win a race there. Second in the 1991 Czech 125 GP and ’98 250 GP, his best premier-class result at the track is third in the 2001 Czech 500 GP. “Can I win this time?” wonders the former 125 and 250 World Champion who has scored seven front-row starts from the first nine races of 2003. “It’s difficult to say but I think our bike does suit the circuit, though it now seems to work not so bad everywhere. Overall the bike is good. Sometimes we have to work carefully to find the right set-up, and this gives us ideas for the future, so we already have plenty of ideas to improve the machine for next year.”

BRNO FIRST-TIMER BAYLISS BACK IN ACTION
Three weeks after scoring his second MotoGP podium finish, former World Superbike champ Troy Bayliss aims to be in the thick of the action once again at Brno. Third in May’s Marlboro Spanish GP and third again at the Sachsenring, he’s hoping the awesome power of his Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici can take him to even greater heights on August 17.

“Being part of the action up front is what racing is all about, so I want more of that,” says the affable Aussie. “This is my first season in MotoGP and we’re doing okay, apart from a few hiccups. I’m feeling quite confident in myself for Brno. It’s good to go to a track I kind of know and hopefully I’ll click with it even better than I did during the tests. It’s quite a tricky circuit – very flowing and wide. I suppose you could say it’s a bit like Mugello, though not as bumpy. And I think it should be good for our bike.”

Bayliss is as happy as Capirossi with the performance of his Desmosedici, though he’s always looking for more. “I think we caught everyone by surprise to start with,” he says. “There’ve been some downs as well, but I’ve had a good set-up at the last few races, so I’m feeling better on the bike. We made great progress at the start of this project, making quite a few changes and trying a few dramatic adjustments. Now we’ve got quite a good base set-up, so we’re making little steps forward and we need more of that to get to the next level. We’re always trying to make the bike easier to ride, hopefully that will come at the next few races.”


THE TRACK
Brno is a masterpiece of a motorcycle circuit. Constructed in the mid-eighties it eschews the modern fashion of tight turns and hairpins for a mighty mix of fast sweepers and undulating corners that test rider talent and machine performance to the limit. Most riders love the place because it’s challenging and also because it’s pretty fast.

But Brno’s most significant characteristic is its constant changes of elevation – the circuit weaves its way across forested hillsides – which means that many of the turns are steeply cambered. Dealing with negative-camber corners requires a perfectly set-up machine, deft riding skills and especially crucial input from Michelin’s tyre engineers. Horsepower is also a major consideration at Brno because this is one racetrack where MotoGP bikes, usually caged in by slower venues, really get moving.

BRNO: 5.403km/3.357miles
Lap record: Daijiro Kato (Honda), 2m 00.605s
2002 pole position: Max Biaggi (Marlboro Yamaha Team), 1m 59.646s

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM DATA LOGS

TROY BAYLISS
Age: 34
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici
First GP: Australia, 1997 (250)
GP starts: 10 (9xMotoGP, 1×250)
World Superbike victories: 22
World Championships: 1 (Superbike: 2001)
Brno 2002 results: DNS

LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 30
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici
GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
GP starts: 193 (23xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125)
Pole positions: 35 (2xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)
Brno 2002 results: Grid 5th. Race 6th


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

FORTUNA YAMAHA TEAM PREVIEW

Czech Grand Prix
Brno
August 15/16/17 2003

MOTOGP REAWAKENS FOR CZECH CHALLENGE
Fortuna Yamaha Team men Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri will be heading to this weekend’s Galoises Grand Prix of the Czech Republic looking for strong performances. Brno was the track where Yamaha’s YZR-M1 four-stroke machine collected its maiden victory last year in the hands of Max Biaggi. Following a string of improved performances in qualifying and races, the current pair of Yamaha riders in the factory-owned squad will arrive in Brno aiming to emulate that feat after a tough start to the year. The whole Fortuna Yamaha Team arrives refreshed from a two-and-a-half week Summer break from Championship action after a grueling, almost non-stop timetable since pre-season testing began back in January.

The Brno circuit challenges a rider to the maximum of his faculties. Its extensive turns, up- and downhill sections and adverse-camber esses demand the utmost riding skill. And, with a good “old-fashioned” layout (in the best sense of the term) it is all tackled at high-speeds with very few slow corners. The circuit is well suited to the powerful 990cc four-stroke bikes that make up the 24-rider MotoGP grid. The wide and smooth track leaves a variety of lines open to riders and that generally assures some exciting racing. With temperatures in Europe currently reaching record highs, the Fortuna Yamaha Team can expect a hot weekend!

“We had a great result at Brno last year and I would like to think we can do it again,” comments Team Director Davide Brivio.

“Marco has been riding very well and was on course for an excellent finish at the Sachsenring so I really hope he can claim his reward, and a late birthday present, this weekend. He has impressed me with the progress he’s been making and the effort he is putting in and it would be great for him and the team if he can make it onto the podium.

“Carlos, I know, will arrive in Brno aiming for a podium at the very least. He has had a frustrating season and we had really hoped to build from a couple of good results in Catalunya and Assen. He has been consistent at the last couple of races, but I know he wants more than that. If we can give him a bike with which he feels comfortable all weekend I know he likes the track and I know he can build to a good result on Sunday.

“The break has been slightly shorter than in the last few years, but I think it was welcome anyway for the team. The riders have a slightly different outlook and they just want to get on and ride, but it’s important to have a short break. We’re expecting very hot weather in the Czech Republic this weekend so we know it will be hard work for us on and off the track.”

DETERMINED CHECA AT “HOME” AGAIN!

Going to Brno always produces a smile on Carlos Checa’s face for a couple of reasons. In Spanish the Czech Republic is “Republica Checa” so it is a regular joke that it’s yet another “home” race for the British-resident Spaniard who can already count Jerez, Barcelona, Donington and Valencia as “home”. Add to that the fact that he enjoys the fast sweeping nature of the track and that it was the scene of an early test of the new M1 during the 2001 season when Checa’s reported lap times announced that the four-strokes were coming and they were going to be fast! This year Checa is wearing a smile of grim determination as he aims to put himself and his Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1 back where he belongs in the top group of MotoGP riders.

Since his fourth place at the Catalunya Grand Prix in June, 30-year-old Checa had been making steady progress up the World Championship standings until a disappointing eighth place finish at the German GP stalled him in the seventh spot. He is still the leading Yamaha rider, but that fact will not be of interest to the determined Spaniard who will be looking for a podium finish on Sunday.

“We took a risk in Germany and it didn’t pay off,” explains Checa. “We made too many changes during the weekend and the reality is that when we came to the race we just weren’t ready and that’s why I couldn’t do any better. For Brno we just have to make sure that we stay totally focused and keep it very simple. It might mean that in the end we have some limitations with the bike, but so be it. The best thing is to work with what we have and build up steadily to Sunday rather than trying too many different things to try and make the bike perfect.

“I’ve had a good break in the mountains where I’ve been cycling, trekking and climbing so I’m feeling refreshed and confident. I hope we’ll be able to surprise a few people at Brno. I’m under no illusion that it will be easy, however. The Hondas and Ducatis were fast when we tested at Brno last month. And I’m still suffering from the same problem of not being able to flick the bike in as I want or open the throttle. But if we can find front traction and find a bit of the feeling I have had before at Brno with the M1 then we can get a good result.”

MELANDRI AIMS TO “COME OF AGE” ON THE M1
In Great Britain, where Marco Melandri is also resident, 21st birthdays are still widely celebrated as “the coming of age”. Melandri celebrated his 21st birthday in style on Thursday, 7th August but will be aiming to come of age this Sunday on his four-stroke YZR-M1. The reigning 250cc World Champion has been threatening to hit the front of the MotoGP elite for the past couple of races. At the British Grand Prix he qualified on the front row and was running up in fourth place when he crashed out. Two weeks later in Germany Melandri climbed to third place after a superb start before eventually falling from fourth due to a gearbox problem with only six laps to go.

The Ravenna-born Italian can’t wait to be back in action after a couple of weeks off and a birthday party with 500 of his “closest friends”. The spectacular party, organized by his fan club, took place at the Mirabilandia Beach, an amusement and water park in Ravenna. The guest list was actually made up of members of the club, sponsors, journalists and, of course, his many friends. After pretending to have driven a stunt-car in a show for the guests (luckily it was actually piloted by a professional), Marco hit the decks as DJ while everyone made use of the artificial beach, pool and slides.

However, despite having enjoyed his birthday, the winner of last year’s 250cc Czech GP admitted that his mind had never been off Brno. “To be honest I think the shorter the summer break the better,” he explains. “I think my performances and the bike have been improving race by race and I don’t want to break the momentum. I have been totally focused on Brno since the German race and I haven’t stopped working during the break – well, apart from the night of my birthday when I did have some fun!

“In Donington I made a mistake when I fell from a good position. Now that I am 21 I hope I’ll also be more mature and won’t make any more mistakes! We’ve tested with the M1 at Brno which is good. It’s a good track that I like and you can really push there. You need to ride with a nice fluid style and I can’t wait to see if I can improve my performance again. I’m feeling physically very good and I have a lot of confidence so let’s see what the race brings.”

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
Visually Brno appears challenging with many long radius medium-speed turns and medium-length straights, but it’s this very feature, this repetitive layout, which lends the Brno Automotodrom to being one of the easiest circuits, technically speaking, on the 16 round MotoGP calendar. Combined with the wide, smooth, track surface, it’s a venue which also allows a wide variety of competitive racing lines. The circuit has some big elevation changes as it winds its way around a forested hillside and this does create some steep and negative cambers. The Brno tarmac also offers a surprising amount of grip, without the reputation for tearing up tyres.

Due its nature Brno is not overly demanding on any specific area of chassis set-up, other than the need to concentrate on the overall balance. The main target is a good, stable, turn-in character and a set-up that offers easy changes in direction; supported by a high level of feel from both the front and rear. To do this Yamaha engineers will ensure that the weight bias is as neutral as possible to prevent overloading the front Michelin in the midpoint of the turn while also ensuring good drive off the sides of the rear. This will build the rider’s confidence therefore encouraging him to keep a high rolling speed – the key area in making up time at this particular venue. And since the track surface is relatively smooth and the top speeds only just nudge 300kmh, straight-line stability can be sacrificed to some degree in order to support this.

The M1 will run a slightly lower center of gravity in an effort to improve the rate of pitching and the bike’s ability to change direction quickly. It will also reduce the risk of the front folding under the rider while entering the downhill sweepers – caused when excess weight transfers onto the front tyre under deceleration, in turn causing the front to understeer.

With no real specific hard braking anywhere on the five kilometer layout, fork springs will be chosen to maximise rider feedback, although biased slightly towards the softer side. It will also be a similar case on the rear with the monoshock’s spring rate. This is possible due to the circuit’s design, which allows the rider to keep up his corner speed, and is therefore unlikely to load the rear shock under power to the same extent as riding the stop-and-go Le Mans layout.

The long radius corners, and consistent, progressive, throttle action needed to ride them quickly has proven a much simpler task on the four-strokes, which is why the race times have dropped so dramatically since the introduction of the new MotoGP regulations last year. Although power is always a must have, throttle connection and a linear power delivery play a prime part in any successful Brno story.


CARLOS CHECA : INFORMATION
Age: 30
Lives: Great Ayton, England
Bike: Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1
GP victories: 2 (500)
First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500)
First GP: Europe, 1993 (125)
GP starts: 144 (24 x MotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125)
Pole positions: 2 (1 x MotoGP, 1 x 500)
First pole: Spain, 1998 (500)
Brno 2002 results. Grid: 6th, Race: 5th

MARCO MELANDRI : INFORMATION
Age: 20
Lives: Derby, England
Bike: Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1
GP victories: 17 (10 x 250, 7 x 125)
First GP victory: Assen, 1998 (125)
First GP: Brno, 1997 (125)
GP starts: 82 (6 x MotoGP, 42 x 250, 34 x 125)
Pole positions: 8
First pole: Sachsenring, 1998 (125)

Brno MotoGP lap record
2:00.605 (Daijiro Kato (Honda) 2002)

Circuit best lap
1:59.646 (Max Biaggi (Yamaha) 2002)



More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda:

BRNO, CZECH REPUBLIC:
TENTH ROUND OF 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

The first motorcycling competitions in Brno took place way back in 1930. At that time, the races were held along the city streets, but in the early 1980s construction work started on the present-day facilities. In 1987, after it had been off the World Championship programme for some years, the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic returned to Brno. The circuit, which is located in the rolling hills in the south of the Czech Republic, is a long and safe track with a number of ups and downs and some tough changes of direction that make it extremely technical. These are characteristics that put both technicians and riders to the test.

In the middle of August, the Czech Republic Grand Prix is the penultimate meeting in the European section of the championship: it will be followed by the race in Portugal, on 7 September, and then by the four races outside Europe: Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, and Australia. The final curtain will come down, once again in the Old World, on the grand finale in Valencia, Spain, on 2 November.

The circuit:
5,403 metres
6 left-handers
8 right-handers
Longest straight: 636 metres
Maximum width: 15 metres
Built in 1987
Modified in June 1996.

Winners in 2002
125cc class: Cecchinello (ITA) Aprilia
250cc class: Melandri (ITA) Aprilia
MotoGP: Biaggi (ITA) Yamaha

Circuit records
125cc: 2:08.903 Lucio Cecchinello (2002)
250cc: 2:03.836 Melandri (2001)
MotoGP: 2:00.605 Kato (2002)

MAX BIAGGI AND CAMEL PRAMAC PONS TEAM HOPING FOR COMEBACK

Max Biaggi’s unfortunate race came to an end on the 14th lap of the Sachsenring with a slide that put him out of the points zone. Even so, the four-times world champion of the Camel Pramac Pons Team maintains his third place in the overall standings, although the gap separating him from the leader has increased considerably: 57 points – a lot but not too worrying, especially for a tough-skinned competitor like him. A fine sixth place in the race by Max Biaggi’s team-mate Tohru Ukawa did much to defend the colours of the Camel Pramac Pons Team in Germany. With this result, the fine Japanese rider also maintains his sixth place in the overall world championship ratings, with 66 points.

Massimiliano Biaggi could be making his comeback right here in Brno, a track where the great champion of the Camel Pramac Pons Team dominated last year and where he posted a terrific time in recent tests: 1:58.8. Almost one second better than the 2002 pole, the record set by Max Biaggi: 1:59.646.


The Camel Pramac Pons Team has a firm hold on second place in the special team ratings of the MotoGP with 196 points, while the leading Repsol Honda team is ahead with 244 points.

PRAMAC HONDA TEAM

BRNO: A CIRCUIT MAKOTO TAMADA LIKES
Recent tests on the Brno circuit had Makoto Tamada and the technicians of the Pramac Honda Team working flat out. Many new technical solutions from Bridgestone were tried out and a number of comparative tests were made on the two frames of the Honda RC211V. Two days of tests enabled Makoto to perfect his knowledge of the Czech Republic circuit. So for once – just one of the very few times – the Pramac Honda Team’s Japanese rider will be entering a world championship race on a track he already knows a bit, and one he says he likes a lot. A small advantage, or rather a less penalising situation than usual, that promises well for a good result by Makoto. Most of the settings on his Honda should already have been established, so the two days of practice before this Sunday’s race can be used to work out the final details for the race. Meanwhile, two weeks’ holiday in Japan should have given the Casole d’Elsa-based Japanese the rest he needed after working non-stop during the first part of the championship.

Some facts and figures about all the test sessions that Tamada and the team’s official test rider, Shinichi Itoh, have been through since the beginning of the year:

11 TEST SESSIONS

9,710 KM COVERED

1,750 LITRES OF RACING FUEL CONSUMED

170 COMBINATIONS COMPOUNDS AND PROFILES: MATERIALS AND PROTOTYPES PRODUCED BY BRIDGESTONE.

In the recent tests in the Czech Republic, Makoto Tamada’s best lap time was: 2:00.2

From a press release issued by MonsterMob Ducati:

MONSTERMOB DUCATI BRITISH SUPERBIKE TEAM

Round 9 – 2003 British Superbike Championship powered by HALLS, Oulton Park

TITLE ON HOLD FOR SHAKEY

MonsterMob Ducati rider Shane Byrne had to settle for his first race meeting without a podium as his title aspirations were placed on hold at Oulton Park, Cheshire today.

The 26 year old Kent rider slid out of the first race when he hit a damp patch on the track when well placed before settling for fourth place in race two to go into the final three rounds with a reduced 128 point advantage.

Starting from row two for the first time this season, Byrne was set to take over the lead in the opening race after flash storms had unexpectedly hit the track during the morning, when he was pushed wide and slid off at Lodge on lap 11 before the race was stopped early. And any hopes of a decent result in race two were thwarted when he got a bad start and was held up in traffic, eventually finishing in fourth.

“I was unlucky in race one when Kagayama ran me wide and I hit a stream of water and then in race two I got a poor start and by the time I’d got into a rhythm, fourth was the best I could manage. I’ve never ridden so hard for such a crap result.” said Shakey.

Rostrum honour was upheld by Supersport rider Stuart Easton who managed a fine second place aboard his 748 Ducati.

The pole position setter gave chase to winner Karl Harris but had to settle for second place to maintain his runner up spot in the championship.

“I’m never happy with second place but I’ll have to settle for it on this occasion. I really wanted to win today to dedicate it to Hizzy but maybe next time.” said the 19 year old Hawick racer who earlier in the day opened the new Hizzy chicane in memory of his former team mate.

Team owner Paul Bird commented “We’ve had some good weekends lately but this hasn’t been one of them. Hopefully Cadwell will be kinder to us and we can get back to winning ways again.”

Meanwhile Shane Byrne and Stuart Easton will be taking part in a NYRRSC chat show at Elders in Northallerton on Tuesday 12th August at 8pm. Also appearing will be Michael Rutter, Dennis Hobbs and Scott Smart.

Superbike Result

Race One
1, Steve Plater (Honda) 20:26.439
2, Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) +0.164s
3, Sean Emmett (Ducati) +0.964s
4, Michael Rutter (Ducati) +2.090s
5, Glen Richards (Kawasaki) +4.157s
6, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +5.751s
7, Mark Heckles (Honda) +15.363
8, Leon Haslam (Ducati) +17.044
9, Dave Wood (Suzuki) +19.356
10, Dean Ellison (Ducati) +19.432s.

Race Two
1, Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) 29:29.099
2, John Reynolds (Suzuki) +2.469
3, Sean Emmett (Ducati) +8,267
4, Shane Byrne (MonsterMob Ducati) +10.112
5, Steve Plater (Honda) +10.206
6, Michael Rutter (Ducati) +14.849
7, Leon Haslam (Ducati) +18.904s
8, Glen Richards (Kawasaki) +21.240
9, Mark Heckles (Honda) +27.598
10, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +36.589s.

Superbike Standings after Round 9
1: Shane Byrne (MonsterMob Ducati) 365pts
2: John Reynolds (Suzuki) 237pts
3: Michael Rutter (Ducati) 226pts
4: Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) 214pts
5: Steve Plater (Honda) 202pts
6: Glen Richards (Kawasaki) 189pts
7: Gary Mason (Yamaha) 148pts
7: Sean Emmett (Ducati) 148pts
9: Steve Hislop (Yamaha) 122pts
10: Scott Smart (Kawasaki) 116pts


Supersport Result
1, Karl Harris (Honda) 28:16.418
2, Stuart Easton (MonsterMob Ducati) +2.727
3, Simon Andrews (Yamaha) +7.161
4, Rob Frost (Kawasaki) +7.616
5, John Crockford (Honda) +8.593
6, Tom Sykes (Yamaha) +8.650
7, Michael Laverty (Honda) +8.896
8, Dean Thomas (Honda) +9.113
9, Craig Jones (Triumph) +13.049
10, Tom Tunstall (Yamaha) +13.082

Supersport Championship Standings after Round 9

1: Karl Harris 190pts
2: Stuart Easton 145pts
3: Simon Andrews 99pts
4: Michael Laverty 82pts
4: John Crockford 82pts
6: Dean Thomas 79pts
7: Adrian Coates 69pts
7: Tom Sykes 69pts
7: Rob Frost 69pts
10: Craig Jones 64pts


More, from a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki:

BSB Round 9, Oulton Park

Sunday August 10
Track length: 2.692 miles
Weather: cloudy, overcast, 23°C
Track: damp/drying, 28°C

RICHARDS TURNS UP HEAT TO BEAT COLD AND TAKE FIFTH

Glen Richards and Scott Smart ignored illness and injury at Oulton Park this weekend, during the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship, to both score a brace of impressive top 10 finishes, despite the Cheshire track being possibly the team’s least favourable on the calendar.

Richards, who suffered the effects of a virus and energy-sapping humidity all weekend, sped away with the leading pack of Plater, Emmett, Kagayama and Rutter in the first race, only to relinquish his position to team mate Scott Smart on lap five when he ran straight on at the newly named Hizzy’s chicane. Despite his rare mistake, the popular Aussie battled his way back past his fellow Hawk rider and up to a superb fifth at the flag in a race that was red flagged after 13 laps due to oil on the track. He later added to his points haul with eighth in the second outing.

‘I think the result in the first race could have been even better because I ran off the track, which was a little bit annoying,’ joked Richards after the race. ‘I nearly hit Gary Mason’s rear wheel, so I had to run on at the chicane. That lost me a lot of time. If I hadn’t done that I’d have been right up the front. It was a shame, but fifth and eighth after qualifying tenth isn’t too bad.’

Scott Smart worked hard all meeting to overcome the discomfort of a bruised back, and his gritty performance rewarded him with a well deserved sixth in the first outing. ‘I got a good start, which was nice, but then about two thirds of the way through I was getting tired because of my back,’ said Scott of the race. ‘Because of that I wasn’t moving around the bike as much and my lap times were gradually getting worse, but we were hauling in the front guys again and I thought if I’d had that bit more energy like I do normally I might have been able to snatch another place.’

He rode the wheels off his ZX-7RR again in the second race, but the strain of riding injured took its toll on the former Supersport race winner and he was forced to settle for tenth. ‘It actually wasn’t too painful because I think adrenaline from the race disguised the pain, but I was just really tired out,’ he said. ‘All the muscles in my back are weak, so I was using my legs to cling on for dear life. My shoulders took a bit of a pummelling too, but even if I’d stayed fit for the whole race I don’t think I’d have done much better because Glen was only two places ahead. Obviously it’s disappointing going from Mondello and then to here, which is our bogey track. I’m just glad that we’re done and dusted at Oulton to be honest.’

Lee Jackson took advantage of his recent upturn in form to post two worthy points scoring finishes and beat respected Grand Prix campaigner Jason Vincent in race one, despite the slippery conditions. ‘To be honest, I was quite nervous about the wet and dry track,’ said Lee. ‘I was happy with the way I rode once I got going though, but the new chicane and the top over Clay hill were quite damp. I feel like I’ve been riding better as the weekend has gone on and I’m happier in myself. My lap times were really good when I got into the race, but getting baulked by John Reynolds at the start didn’t help. It’s not like I’m riding around with nuggets either, because in that race I was battling with Jay Vincent, who has finished eleventh at a GP this year, and Youngy who’s been British and Australian champion in all sorts of things, so I feel I’ve ridden well. Perhaps I could have got a bit of a better position, but the racing was good and I was being a damn sight more aggressively than I have all year.’

Hawk Kawasaki team boss Stuart Hicken was delighted with his riders’ performances, especially at a track that is so challenging for the ZX-7RR. ‘I’m over the moon with the results because it’s a real hard circuit for us,’ he said. ‘It was a brilliant result in the first race and solid finishes in the second. Again, the reliability of the bikes proves that good spannering pays off. For 750s it’s absolutely awesome, because if all the other guys were on 750s we would have won.’

BSB Race 1 result
1) Steve Plater, Honda. 2) Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki. 3) Sean Emmett, Ducati. 4) Michael Rutter, Ducati. 5) Glen Richards, Hawk Kawasaki. 6) Scott Smart, Hawk Kawasaki. 7) Mark Heckles, Honda. 8) Leon Haslam, Ducati. 9) Dave Wood, Suzuki (P). 10) Dean Ellison, Ducati. 11) Paul Young, Yamaha. 12) Lee Jackson, Hawk Kawasaki. 13) Dennis Hobbs, Suzuki (P). 14) Jason Vincent, Yamaha. 15) Sam Corke, Suzuki (P). 16) Nick Medd, Ducati. 17) Jeremy Goodall, Yamaha (P). 18) James Buckingham, Suzuki (P). 19) Jason Davis, Honda (P). 20) Mike Walker, Yamaha (P)

P=Privateer

Fastest Lap: John Reynolds, Suzuki: 1:39.059, 97.83mph

BSB Race 2 result
1) Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki. 2) John Reynolds, Suzuki. 3) Sean Emmett, Ducati. 4) Shane Byrne, Ducati. 5) Steve Plater, Honda. 6) Michael Rutter, Ducati. 7) Leon Haslam, Ducati. 8) Glen Richards, Hawk Kawasaki. 9) Mark Heckles, Honda. 10) Scott Smart, Hawk Kawasaki. 11) Dave Wood, Suzuki (P). 12) Dean Ellison, Ducati. 13) Paul Young, Yamaha. 14) Jason Vincent, Yamaha. 15) Lee Jackson, Hawk Kawasaki. 16) Dennis Hobbs, Suzuki (P). 17) Sam Corke, Suzuki (P). 18) James Buckingham, Suzuki (P). 19) Jeremy Goodall, Yamaha (P). 20) Mike Walker, Yamaha (P)

Fastest Lap: John Reynolds, Suzuki: 1:37.449, 99.44mph

BSB Riders’ Championship, after 9 rounds
1) Shane Byrne, Ducati: 365. 2) John Reynolds, Suzuki: 237. 3) Michael Rutter, Ducati: 226. 4) Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki: 214. 5) Steve Plater, Honda: 202. 6) Glen Richards, Hawk Kawasaki: 189. 7) Gary Mason, Yamaha: 148. 7=) Sean Emmett, Ducati: 148. 9) Steve Hislop, Yamaha: 122. 10) Scott Smart, Hawk Kawasaki: 116. 11) Lee Jackson, Hawk Kawasaki: 78. 12) Mark Heckles, Honda: 75. 13) John Crawford, Ducati: 74. 13=) Paul Young, Yamaha: 74. 15) Leon Haslam, Ducati: 47

BSB Premier Team Championship, after 9 rounds
1) Monstermob/ETI Ducati: 1434. 2) Rizla Suzuki: 1353. 3) Renegade Ducati: 1340. 4) Hawk Kawasaki: 1304. 5) Virgin Mobile Yamaha: 1238. 6) Honda Racing: 1080. 7) TDB Recruit Yamaha: 1026. 8) Hawk Kawasaki/TCD Suzuki: 1014. 9) D&B/Renegade Ducati: 772


More, from a press release issued by Scott Smart’s publicist:

FACTORY KAWASAKI British Superbike rider Scott Smart earned some useful championship points at Oulton Park this afternoon scoring sixth and 10th places during a sombre meeting at the Cheshire track.

The weekend was overshadowed by the untimely death of reigning BSB champ Steve Hislop, who was recently killed in a helicopter crash near his home town of Hawick, Scotland. A new chicane was named Hizzy’s in Steve’s honour this morning.

Smart got off to what was his best start of the season in race one and was fourth into the first corner. Conditions were dubious as there had been a thunderstorm earlier in the day and parts of the track were still damp. Most of the front runners opted for slicks even though it had been declared a wet race.

“I got a fantastic start but the track was really patchy. I came out of Old Hall in fourth but got a bit boxed in through Cascades, ended up in sixth then settled down and got into a good flow. The pace car coming out helped a bit and I went past Glen after he made a mistake. He came back past me again, so I settled again and brought it home in sixth.” Race two was run as a dry race but Scott was, by then, suffering from back problems that have been dogging him all week.

“I got off the line OK, but then the bike bogged down and I ended up 11th into Cascades. Then Dave Wood came past me and his privateer GSX-R was so fast it took me a bit of time to work my was past him. I was watching Glen and Mark Heckles in front of me, and tried to reel them in. About half-race distance, I got so tired because I had to ride around my back troubles, so I decided to opt for the points.

“Oulton is a bit of a bogey track for us and I don’t think Cadwell will be much different, so Glen and I are looking forward to Brands and Donington where I think we can surprise a few people.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

2003 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship
Round 4, Queensland Raceway
August 10, 2003

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

Nikon Yamaha’s Kevin Curtain won the first of three Australian Superbike races under perfect skies at Queensland Raceway today. The race had to be restarted after a crash on the opening lap. Curtain took advantage of a good run off the line at the restart to ensure he was never headed. Suzuki’s Shawn Giles and Craig Coxhell finished second and third, respectively.

But the tables turned in the second race when Curtain had a fall at the fast turn one while dicing for the lead with Coxhell. The drama didn’t end there as Coxhell lost a lot of places in the incident with Curtain, which left Giles to take the advantage and a clear lead. In the closing laps Giles started to suffer from rear tire grip problems, which allowed his young teammate to close and pass the three-time Shell Advance Australian Superbike Champion. Coxhell took the win from Giles as Honda’s Kirk McCarthy battled with Daniel Stauffer for the final podium position, McCarthy getting the nod.

Giles was incredulous after the race, “At first I thought it was my clutch slipping as the bike was revving hard but I was getting no drive, but the next lap around I noticed the huge black marks I had left the lap before, which made me realise that it was in fact my rear tire that was spinning rather than any clutch slip!”

In Australian Superbike the riders are allowed only two sets of tires for the three races so the final encounter came down to who had the most grip and could preserve that grip the best. Due to Curtain’s early fall in race two this left the Newcastle rider with perhaps the freshest rubber for the final showdown for the day. Curtain did take the win in that final Superbike race for the weekend but it was Giles who took the overall victory from teammate Coxhell.

Coxhell retains his lead in the Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship with 195 points, followd by Giles with 180 points and Curtain third overall with 176 points. This means the 2003 Championship is still wide open with a single round remaining in the series. The final round will be played out at Sydney’s Eastern Creek on the weekend of August 31.

Nikon Yamaha’s 19-year-old Brendan Clarke upstaged teammate (and points leader) Curtain to take a clean sweep of the 600cc Supersport races. Clarke repeatedly smashed his own lap record around the bumpy 3.0-kilometer Queensland track in a dominant display. Curtain had a fall in the final Supersport race which cost him plenty of points and allowed Clarke to narrow the gap to only 17 points from the Championship leader. This sets the scene for a thrilling finale at Eastern Creek late this month. Second overall for this round was Kawasaki’s Russell Holland who battled all day with Honda’s Josh Brookes which made for a young podium at this level of racing, with the top three finishers all 19 and 20 years old.

The supporting classes of racing ensured the large crowd entertained all day. Western Australia’s Peter Taplin left this round with an Australian Championship under his belt after dominating the 250cc Grand Prix class all year.

Mildura youngster Joshua Waters took the 125cc GP round win from fellow Mildura rider Mick Kelly. Sydney’s 15-year-old Jason O’Halloran also scored a podium finish at this round. The round win earned 16-year-old Josh Waters the Australian 125cc GP Championship crown with an insurmountable 91-point lead over O’Halloran.

Local rider Gareth Jones took out the 250cc Production class to close the points gap to Taree’s Caleb Stalder while the South Australian pairing of Neville Lush and Martin Scott extended their lead in the F1 Sidecar Championship. Western Australia’s Lindsay Fagan and Ash Voice put in a great performance to move up to second overall in the F1 Sidecar Championship.

Exciting battles were played out between Taree’s Alex Cudlin and Ballarat’s Leigh McKenzie in the Superstock class with Cudlin taking two wins to McKenzie’s one. McKenzie still has a healthy 30-point lead with three races remaining in the 2003 series.

The Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship finale takes place at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway on August 29-31.


More, from a press release issued by Nikon Yamaha:

Wins and Crashes for Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team in Queensland

It was a weekend of success and disappointment for the Gold-Coast based Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team during the fourth round of the Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship held at Queensland Raceway Willowbank.

The team won five of the six races contested for the premier Superbike and 600cc Supersport classes to maintain its remarkable win rate but, the mixed fortunes came with lead rider Kevin Curtain having two crashes to put a dent in his championship aspirations while Brisbane teenager Brendan Clarke made a clean sweep of the middleweight Supersport class and broke his own lap record of his “home track” in the process.

The weekend started off in fine form for Curtain. From the green light in the first leg (that was re-started due to a crash) Curtain was never headed taking out the opening Superbike race by nearly three seconds from the Suzuki’s of Shawn Giles and Craig Coxhell, while the second Nikon Yamaha rider Daniel Stauffer was fourth.

The win closed Curtain to within just six points of the title lead but it was all brought undone soon after the start of leg two.

The Novocastrian grabbed another flyer off the start with his nemesis Coxhell close behind. Coxhell used the extra speed of the Suzuki to grab the lead on the straight but from there the championship took another wrong turn for Curtain.

Heading into Turn One, Coxhell had a big moment losing the front and unfortunately, due to the sudden decrease of Coxhell’s speed Curtain hit him. This in turn forced Coxhell upright and out of harm’s way as Curtain went down sliding into the sand trap and out of the race. Coxhell regained his composure to take the win and push his title lead out to 31 points with Stauffer again fourth.

“I couldn’t believe it but there was nothing I could do,” bemoaned Curtain. “In that situation if you back off you lose the front and go down. I’m pretty sure Craig lost the front and talking to him after the race he said that he was crashing but when I hit him, it stood his bike up and saved him while I went down. That’s the second time this year I have crashed with another rider in the first turn and neither one has been my fault! It’s pretty hard to take.”

Curtain was forced to his spare bike for the final leg after his preferred steed was not repaired in time but this – and his earlier accident – made him more resolute for victory. Stauffer and Coxhell led away for the opening laps as Curtain made a cautious start to proceedings becoming accustomed to the different bike but within a couple of laps had accounted for the Suzuki’s and set after his teammate but Stauffer was equally determined to add some joy to his weekend and the pair swapped the lead in some desperate but clean racing over the next few laps.

Curtain finally managed to make a slight break with some consistent near-lap record times that none of his adversaries were able to match enabling him to graft out nearly a three second win over Stauffer with Giles third, the result good enough to secure Curtain third overall on the day.

“That was a good way to finish the day after what had happened and I’m still in the hunt with a chance but that second leg was disappointing as if I had finished I could now be back leading the title.”

With the final round at Sydney’s Eastern Creek in three weeks time, Curtain trails the title leader by 19 points.

After dominating the Supersport class this year it was a different story at Willowbank as his teammate Clarke and a few of the other youngsters had no respect for the reputation of the wily veteran.

The Supersports are renown for producing some of the closest racing in the world and the three legs at Willowbank reinforced the reputation.

Clarke forecast before the meeting it would take lap record pace to win and he was right on the money.

Clarke and Curtain had a great duel in the opening leg before Clarke gained the lead at half distance and managed to hold off Curtain to the line. “The times were really fast as Kev and I were really pushing hard,” Clarke said. “I just put my head down and went for it. I had a couple of moments out there but there were just rear end slides. ”

The second leg was a carbon copy of the first with a few of the other youngster having a dig in the opening laps. The Nikon Yamaha lads showed their superiority to clear out from the rest as Curtain led his ever-improving teammate until the closing stages with Clarke muscling his way past to take out a double.

Such was their stoush, the pair continually broke the lap record with Clarke lowering his benchmark set in June to an amazingly record lap of 1:12.7!

Curtain had followed his younger rival home in the first two races but was keen to not let him have three, blasting off the line in the final leg to set up an impressive lead as the rest had a brawl over the minor places.

Curtain seemed to have the race wrapt up for all money but as the title leader explained later, “everything was going well and I had backed it off a bit as I knew I had a handy lead but then as I was tipping it into Turn Two with a couple of laps to go the front just went on me. It just started skating away and that was it. There must’ve been something on the track as there was no real warning.

“I came here with what I thought was a good game plan this weekend but somehow things went wrong. I’m glad there is one more round left.”

Clarke prevailed to take his third win to close with 17 points of Curtain heading into the final round. “That was a great weekend. It’s pretty satisfying to win the overall against a rider like Kev but the team has been working really hard and we’ve got the Yamaha R6 really dialled in,” said a delighted Clarke.

Superbike points score after four (of five rounds) 1 C Coxhell (Suzuki), 195pts; 2 S Giles, (Suzuki) 190; 3 K Curtain (Nikon Yamaha YZF-R1), 176; 4 D Stauffer (Nikon Yamaha YZF-R1) 147; 5 S Charlton (Suzuki) 97.

Supersport points after four (of five rounds): 1 K Curtain (Nikon Yamaha YZF-R6) 212pts; 2 B Clarke (Nikon Yamaha YZF-R6) 195; 3 S Johnson (Honda) 157; 4 J Brookes (Honda) 141; 5 G Allerton (Yamaha) 125.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Formula USA racer Arthur Wagner, Jr. was listed in “guarded critical” condition Saturday night in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, according to friend and teammate Ray Bowman.

Wagner crashed his Suzuki GSX-R750 into a concrete wall outside of Heartland Park’s turn eight, a third-gear left-hander at the end of the back straight during the Formula USA 250K Team Challenge endurance race Friday, August 8.

According to cornerworker accounts, Wagner got into a speed wobble coming down the back straightaway, got into turn eight too hot, ran off the track and hit the wall at relatively high speed. After the impact with the wall, Wagner was seen by other racers lying motionless and on fire, but he was conscious and answering questions before he was airlifted to the hospital.

Bowman reported that Wagner broke his left hip, his lower right femur and knee, both shoulder blades, an undetermined number of vertebrae, damaged his kidneys, lacerated his liver, received second- and third-degree burns over 25 percent of his body and had internal bleeding.

“He must have hit the wall hard with his back,” said Bowman. “It looks like somebody went at him with a baseball bat.”

After talking with hospital staff, Bowman said Wagner’s kidney function improved Saturday, his lacerated liver looked as if it would heal on its own, he has suffered no paralysis and may not require surgery on his vertebrae.

“They’re going to keep him pretty heavily sedated for a while to let the swelling go down and treat the burns before they can see how many vertebrae he broke,” said Bowman Sunday at Heartland Park.

The wall Wagner hit is a 30-inch-high series of K-rail concrete barriers which sit approximately 50 feet from the racing surface. The wall section in the main impact zone is fronted by a loose, one-layer tire wall. It is unclear whether Wagner hit a completely unprotected section of wall or the tire-fronted section.

The new owner of Heartland Park, Ray Irwin, told Roadracingworld.com Saturday he had already began to question his staff about the location of the K-rail walls when it appears as if more run-off room is available behind them. The Formula USA event was the first motorcycle road race at Heartland Park since the ownership changed earlier this year and the first sanctioned motorcycle race at the facility since 2001.

Wagner is the co-owner of a high-performance motorcycle shop near Bloomingburg, New York called Performance Cycle.

Anyone wishing to send get-well messages to Arthur Wagner can do so through Ray Bowman at (914) 443-0344.


More, from Ray Bowman, via e-mail:

It’s August 11, What a day. Life is amazing with growth. I return from Topeka, ominous skies ahead, I’ve been flooded with responses, no–wishes–for Artie’s well being. This test of life makes me realize how special and gifted it is. I am blessed with you, my circle of family, friends and fellow racers. We need to join hands to empower Artie. He has the heart, we need to give him the strength. This test of the human race, I hope we do not fail. Thank you for your help.

Feel free to contact Bowman Cycles www.performancecycle.cc

From a press release issued by series organizers:

PICOTTE BACK ON TOP

SHUBENACADIE, NS – Pascal Picotte regained the Parts Canada Superbike Championship points lead and became the first repeat victor of the 2003 season in a dramatic race at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS Sunday.

Riding the Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1, the St-Cecile de Milton, QC rider edged the Diablo Performance Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Maple Ridge, BC’s Steve Crevier by 0.495 secs. after a spectacular duel for the lead. Joliette, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr completed the podium aboard the CyRacing/Michelin Yamaha YZF-R1.

“I had a crash yesterday and my guys had to totally rebuild the bike last night,” said Picotte, who now has an eight-point lead over Crevier in the Superbike standings with two races remaining. “I didn’t have the best bike out there so I just tried to get out front and keep the guys behind me.”

Picotte now has 231 points in the Parts Canada Superbike standings to the 223 of Crevier. Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC, the points leader coming into this race, dropped to third with 220 points after a fifth place finish Sunday on his Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000.

The series continues next weekend at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Mont-Tremblant, QC before wrapping up at Shannonville Motorsport Park Aug. 29-31.

Picotte, Crevier and Frank Trombino all took turns leading the thrilling 22-lap race at AMP, and 10 motorcycles made up the lead train at half distance. But with four laps to go Picotte and Crevier pulled away from Trombino’s Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1 to settle the outcome themselves.

Despite battling a loose front fairing, Crevier surged past Picotte on the backstraight on lap 19, only to have the Yamaha rider muscle back in front for good in the last turn with two laps to go.

“It just wasn’t my day,” said Crevier, who battled back from fourth place on lap 10 to challenge Picotte. “The fairing bracket broke and I had to use up my tires to work back to the front.”

Despite suffering a broken gear shift lever in the early going, Cyr charged from 10th on lap 1 to finish on the podium. He passed Tom Kipp, Martin and Trombino on lap 20 to move from sixth to third.

Kleinburg, ON’s Trombino settled for fourth, right behind Cyr. Two seconds behind came Martin, who edged the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-7RR of Chardon, OH’s Kipp for fifth.

In other action at AMP, Picotte moved a step closer to clinching the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike title with his second victory of the season. The Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 rider beat the Diablo Performance Suzuki GSX-R600 of Crevier by 2.884 secs. in the 16-lap race. Picotte’s closest challenger in the standings, Trombino placed third on a Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R6.

Greenwood, NS’s Fred Silver won the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike feature on his Kawasaki ZX-6RR. Mike MacCluskey of Terrence Bay, NS was second aboard a Yamaha YZF-R6 and Nepean, ON rider Derek Bowker took third on another Yamaha.

Jeremy Leduc of Keremeos, BC, the points leader coming into this race, crashed early on, allowing Bowker to close to within 11 points, 162-151 in the standings.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 11:30 a.m. Action from AMP will also be shown later this year on Quebec’s RDS and on the Outdoor Life Network.

Results Sunday from the sixth round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park, showing finishing position, rider name, hometown and type of motorcycle:

1.Pascal Picotte, St-Cecile de Milton, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1; 2. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 3. Jean-Francois Cyr, Joliette, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1; 4.Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1; 5. Francis Martin, Rock Forest, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 6. Tom Kipp, Chardon, OH, Kawasaki ZX-7RR; 7. Clint McBain, Calgary, AB, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 8. Jeff Williams, Harrowsmith, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 9. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, QC, Honda RC51; 10. Michael Taylor, Toronto, ON, Honda CBR954RR; 11. Benoit Pilon, St-Jerome, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1; 12. Andrew Nelson, Kars, ON, Honda CBR954RR; 13. Matthew McBride, Toronto, ON, Kawasaki ZX-6R; 14. Darryn Wilbur, Maple, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6; 15. Dan Durkovic, Ottawa, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1; 16. Barry French, Brampton, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6; NF. Michael Leon, Montreal, QC, Suzuki GSX-R600 NS. Robbie Baird, Queensland, Australia, Honda CBR600RR; NS. James Fraser, Hammonds Plains, NS, Honda CBR600RR; NS. Matt Binns, Uxbridge, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6; NS. Terry MacPhee, Upper Rawdon, NS, Honda CBR600F4i; NS. Denis Richard, Notre-Dame, NS, Honda CBR600RR

Fastest Lap: Steve Crevier, 1:09.480 on lap 2
Margin of Victory: 0.495 secs.

Point standings for the Parts Canada Superbike Championship following Sunday’s sixth round at Atlantic Motorsport Park, showing position, rider name and point total:

1.Pascal Picotte, 231; 2. Steve Crevier, 223; 3. Francis Martin, 220; 4. Jean-Francois Cyr, 202; 5. Clint McBain, 181; 6. Frank Trombino, 167; 7. Michael Taylor, 153; 8. Tom Kipp, 136; 9. Jeff Williams, 136; 10. Benoit Pilon, 118; 11. Andrew Nelson, 86; 12. Michael Leon, 67; 13. Kevin Lacombe, 66; 14. Robbie Baird, 62; 15. Darryn Wilbur, 60; 16. Matthew McBride, 49; 17. Bruce McDonald, 44; 18. Chris Peris, 29; 19. Joel McDonald, 29; 20. Brian Nielsen, 23; 21. Larry Orde, 16; 22. Barry French, 10; 23. Dan Durkovic, 10; 24. John Brundl, 8; 25. Dale Yamada, 8; 26. Steve Dufresne 8; 27. Brent Strong, 6; 28. Guy Tomlinson, 6; 29. Chris Murray-Audain, 4; 30. Jim Proulx, 2; 31. Alan Schmidt, 2; 32. Shane LeGros, 1; 33. Brad Gavey, 1; 34. Darren Womack, 1

From a press release issued by MonsterMob Ducati:

Round 9 – 2003 British Superbike Championship powered by HALLS, Oulton Park

Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th August 2003

POLE FOR EASTON AS BYRNE TAKES FIFTH

MonsterMob Ducati rider Stuart Easton romped to his fourth pole position with a stunning display in glorious conditions at Oulton Park, Cheshire today when he posted fastest time in the Supersport final qualifying aboard his 748cc Ducati.

Fastest in the first session, Easton blotted his copybook with a crash late in the session but still emerged top of the pile.

“I got pole position by a decent margin so the job is done there. I was a bit disappointed with the second session when I lost the front end and tipped off but I got the job done anyway.” said Stuart.

Meanwhile, Superbike rider Shane Byrne’s hopes of his ninth successive front row start were scuppered after his strategy for the Dunlop Super 12 ran out of time.

The series leader ended up fifth on the grid despite a low speed spill in the previous qualifying session but wasn’t too despondent about his performance.

“I planned three stints and when I came in for the last one the team told me I would run out of time which I hadn’t realised but row two isn’t a disaster, I can still win from there.” declared ‘Shakey’.

Superbike Qualifying
1. Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) 1:36.738
2. Michael Rutter (Ducati) 1:36.955
3. Sean Emmett (Ducati) 1:37.158
4. John Reynolds (Suzuki) 1:37.180
5. Shane Byrne (MonsterMob Ducati) 1:37.334
6. Gary Mason (Yamaha) 1:37.815
7. Steve Plater (Honda) 1:37.832
8. Leon Haslam (Ducati) 1:38.010
9. Mark Heckles (Honda) 1:38.817
10. Glen Richards (Kawasaki) 1:38.826
11. Scott Smart (Kawasaki) 1:39.137
12. Dave Wood (Suzuki) 1:39.375

Supersport Qualifying
1. Stuart Easton (MonsterMob Ducati) 1:39.836
2. Karl Harris (Honda) 1:40.570
3. Tom Sykes (Yamaha) 1:40.755
4. Dean Thomas (Honda) 1:41.091
5. Simon Andrews (Yamaha) 1:41.098
6. John Crockford (Honda) 1:41.265
7. Adrian Coates (Honda) 1:41.387
8. Michael Laverty (Honda) 1:41.732
9. Craig Jones (Triumph) 1:41.773
10. Rob Frost (Kawasaki) 1:41.848


More, from a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki:

BSB Round 9, Oulton Park

QUALIFYING/DUNLOP SUPER 12
Saturday August 9
Track length: 2.692 miles
Weather: dry, bright sunshine, 36 C
Track: dry, 48 C

Cracked pipe cools Richards’ challenge in sizzling Super 12

Hawk Kawasaki’s Glen Richards and Scott Smart made it through to the Dunlop Super 12 qualifying session at Oulton Park today, despite incredible heat and humidity from what has to rank as one of the hottest days of the year.

Track temperature soured to almost 50 C and sticky humid conditions made qualifying an extremely draining experience for all three Hawk Kawasaki riders. Richards qualified a strong seventh in the afternoon’s 45 minute session, just nine tenths of a second off pole, but his efforts during the Super 12 were thwarted by what a suspected cracked exhaust.

“My bike didn’t feel quite right through the Super 12, so the boys are going to check it over to see if anything’s gone wrong,” explained Glen, who will start from tenth lace on the grid for tomorrow’s two races. “It might have cracked an exhaust or something like that, but it definitely didn’t feel quite its best. I’m a bit disappointed because I feel I could have gone a fair bit quicker than that. The weather’s a bit uncomfortable and it’s going to be real hard work around here in this kind of heat if it’s like this tomorrow, but at least it’s better than when it rains. It used to get real hot when I raced in Australia, but that was a different kind of heat – a dry heat. This is humid heat, which is harder to race in.”

Scott Smart ignored the pain and discomfort of a back injury and gave a gritty performance to make it into the Super 12, which decides the first three rows of the BSB grid. Despite struggling to move about his ZX-7RR all weekend, Smart will start round nine from eleventh and may even, he believes, be able to use the humid conditions to his advantage: “My lower back is swollen and solid and there’s not a lot I can do about it other than three or four days rest,” said Scott of his injury. “It was quite a relief to make it through to the Super 12 because of the way my back has been restricting me. It was really hard work too. I still wish we could have done better, but I haven’t been able to push all weekend. Tomorrow I’m just going to try and be as smooth as possible, but you also need a really good start here. I’m normally really good in the heat though, so I’m not that fussed if it stays as hot as today.”

Lee Jackson missed out on the Super 12 by just 0.8 of a second, but his growing confidence with the Hawk Kawasaki, plus his ability to turn in consistently fast laps despite the heat, made up for the disappointment. “The bike’s feeling really good, but I think I’m going to make a small front end adjustment in the morning,” said Lee, who shaved a second from his fastest morning lap to qualify fourteenth. “The harder I go the more it seems to push the front, so maybe we’ll go a bit harder on compression. When I was following Glen in qualifying and went to deep into Cascades I couldn’t get it to turn because the front was so loaded up, so if we can stop it doing that it’ll be better.”

“Super 12 didn’t quite work for us that time,” said Hawk Kawasaki team boss Stuart Hicken, of his riders’ qualifying performances at the tough Cheshire track. “But it’s hard work around here as always. We know we’ve got a good pace on race rubber though, so that will help us tomorrow. The good thing is that Lee’s in the grove again and that’s excellent. Hopefully we’ll have a good race from all three guys and see them all in the top 10.”