Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Anna Johnston announced at VIR that her team, Annandale Racing, would not be back for 2004.

“My heart’s in it. We love racing and the world of motorcyclists and Honda and Michelin and all of our sponsors could not have been better to work with, but it was a decision that Dale (Lemaster) and I made, that we couldn’t meet our internal goals and we didn’t feel confident that we could play catch-up next year. Finances were part of it; we wanted to make it a self-sustaining organization.

“We’re going to take some time off with the change in the economy and see how things work out and maybe come back in the future,” Johnson said.

“We’re going to spend some time in the next few months wrapping the team up and trying to help everyone on the team find out where they want to be. They want to continue in racing, and they’re out looking for jobs. I can certainly highly recommend everyone on the team.”

See related post:

7/29/2003 Analysis: Number Of AMA Teams And Rides Will Decrease In 2004

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Final AMA Supersport Qualifying Results:

1. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:27.506
2. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:27.526
3. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:28.099
4. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 1:28.149
5. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:28.258
6. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 1:28.507
7. Lee Acree, Yamaha, 1:28.557
8. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:28.584
9. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 1:28.811
10. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:29.060
11. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 1:29.293
12. Ty Howard, Honda, 1:29.328
13. Marty Craggill, Honda, 1:29.765
14. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:29.859
15. Chris Peris, Honda, 1:29.921
16. Chris Rankin (of Texas), 1:30.154
17. Darren Luck, Suzuki, 1:30.488
18. Mike Hale, Yamaha, 1:30.623
19. Giovanni Rojas, Yamaha, 1:31.746
20. Dirk Sanchez, Kawasaki, 1:31.958
21. Jason Curtis, Honda, 1:31.998
22. Heath Small, Yamaha, 1:33.260
23. Michael Garofalo, Suzuki, 1:33.456
24. Nathan Dressman, Yamaha, 1:34.012
25. Chad Klock, Kawasaki, 1:35.401
26. Marcus Winfree, Suzuki, 1:35.485
27. Adrian Jones, Suzuki, 1:35.796
28. Darby Brauning, Yamaha, 1:35.882
29. Chris Siebenhaar, Honda, 1:36.229
30. Jeremy Haiduk, Yamaha, 1:36.333
31. Hector Romero, Yamaha, 1:36.387
32. Crash Lowe, Suzuki, 1:36.963
33. Williams Johnson, Suzuki, 1:37.931
34. Caesar Gonzales, Kawasaki, 1:38.206
35. David Sanchez, Kawasaki, 1:43.615

112 percent of fast time: 1:38.007

From a press release issued by series organizers:

Picotte makes his point

August 30, 2003

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Pascal Picotte edged closer to his first Parts Canada Superbike Championship with a convincing display in qualifying for the final round at Shannonville Motorsport Park Saturday.

The St-Cecile de Milton, QC rider set a new outright record for the 2.5-mile track of 1:44.079 on his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 to claim pole position for Sunday’s season finale. The previous record of 1:44.386 set by Jordan Szoke had stood since Sept. 2, 2000.

With the performance Picotte earned the $500 MPM/Array Pole Award and four points toward the Parts Canada Superbike standings. He now leads the rankings with 281 points to the 261 of Steve Crevier with 52 points available in Sunday’s race.

Crevier, from Maple Ridge, BC was fourth in qualifying on his Diablo Performance Suzuki GSX-R1000 and received one championship point.

“This is definitely a boost,” said Picotte after claiming his third MPM/Array Pole Award of the season. “Yesterday the bike was not quite the way I wanted but today it was getting better and better.”

Picotte’s time was 1.489 secs. faster than the second place rider, Calgary’s Clint McBain. McBain set a time of 1:45.568 on his Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000. His teammate Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC was third with a lap at 1:46.076.

Martin received two points toward the Superbike standings and remains in contention for the title in third place with 247 points.

Kleinburg, ON’s Frank Trombino, Jean-Francois Cyr of Joliette, QC and Harrowsmith, ON rider Jeff Williams make up the second row of Sunday’s race grid. Cyr came into the weekend fourth in points and with a mathematical shot at the Parts Canada crown. But the CyRacing/Michelin Yamaha YZF-R1 rider failed to add to his point total in qualifying Saturday and dropped from title contention.

In other Shannonville action, Picotte claimed pole position for Sunday’s Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike race with a class record time of 1:45.850 on the Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Picotte has already clinched the 2003 title.

McBain placed second at 1:46.196 on the Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R600 and Trombino was third at 1:46.600 riding the Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R6. The top four qualifiers all broke the previous track record of 1:47.24 set by Owen Weichel in 2000.

Derek Bowker edged four points closer to the lead of the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike standings by grabbing pole with a lap of 1:50.755 on his Motor Sports World Yamaha YZF-R6.

Bowker now has 194 points to the 218 of Keremeos, BC’s Jeremy Leduc, who came back from a fall to qualify 10th for Sunday’s race on the Kelowna Yamaha-backed Yamaha YZF-R6.

Feature races in all three national classes will run Sunday. Practice starts at 8:30 a.m. with the first race, the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike feature set to go at 12:30 p.m.

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.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates came back from a crash in Friday’s AMA Superbike qualifying session to snatch the pole position from Mat Mladin Saturday morning at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). Yates’ time of 1:25.071 came on the final lap of the final qualifying session, beating Mladin’s best time of 1:25.304.

Mladin’s time was good enough for the second slot on the grid.

Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts retained a spot on the front row by improving his time from Friday (1:26.486) with a 1:25.702 Saturday morning.

American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel took over one second off his time from Friday (1:27.099) with a 1:25.925 in the final qualifying session, good for the last front-row starting spot.

Giovanni Bussei, Jason Pridmore, Ben Bostrom and Jordan Szoke also improved their qualifying times in Saturday’s session, and will start from the second row of the grid.

Unofficial AMA Superbike Qualifying Results:

1. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.071
2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.304
3. Kurtis Roberts, Honda RC51, 1:25.702
4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda RC51, 1:25.925
5. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati 998RS, 1:26.644
6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.650
7. Ben Bostrom, Honda RC51, 1:26.758
8. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.836
9. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.945
10. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.992
11. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:28.203
12. Michael Barnes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.212
13. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.052
14. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.236
15. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.377
16. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.440
17. Matt Furtek, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.782
18. Chris Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.838
19. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.913
20. Jeremy Toye, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.121
21. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.233
22. Scott Harwell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.489
23. Andy Deatherage, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.771
24. Chris Voelker, Ducati 996, 1:30.786
25. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.888
26. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.286
27. Brian Stokes, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.304
28. Doug Duane, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.425
29. Marco Martinez, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.487
30. Byron Barbour, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.618
31. Monte Nichols, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.675
32. Scott Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.744
33. Tom Wertman, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.931
34. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.958
35. David Duprey, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.041
36. Robert Christman, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.068
37. Anthony Fania, Jr., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.120
38. Rick Narup, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.447
39. Kevin Hanson, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.462
40. Chris Greer, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.646
41. Chuck Allen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.673
42. Kevin Lehman, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:32.847
43. James Kerker, Honda CBR929RR, 1:33.094
44. Mickey Lane, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.928
45. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.189
46. Jeremiah Johnson, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.421
47. Shane Gonyea, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.815
48. James Bonner, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:35.073

112 percent of fastest time: 1:35.280


Fastest trap speed: Kurtis Roberts, Honda RC51, 173.933 mph

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Provisional AMA Formula Xtreme Qualifying Results:

1. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.955
2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:26.248
3. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.901
4. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR954RR, 1:26.989
5. Adam Fergusson, Suzki GSX-R1000, 1:27.066
6. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.145
7. Marty Craggill, Honda CBR954RR, 1:27.346
8. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR954RR, 1:27.396
9. Ty Howard, Honda CBR954RR, 1:28.001
10. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:28.059
11. James Ellison, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.173
12. Corey Eaton, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.615
13. Jason Curtis, Honda CBR954RR, 1:32.355
14. Nathan Kern, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.756
15. Doug Duane, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.927
16. Danny Eslick, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.087
17. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.617
18. Heath Small, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:33.655
19. Rick Narup, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.415
20. Bob Siebenhaar, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.419
21. Shane Gonyea, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.592
22. James Bonner, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:35.678
23. Anthony Fania, Jr., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:49.372

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday Morning AMA Supersport Practice Times;

1. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:28.227
2. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:28.465
3. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:28.504
4. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:28.620
5. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:28.678
6. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 1:29.152
7. Jeke Zemke, Honda, 1:29.285
8. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 1:29.428
9. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 1:29.714
10. Ty Howard, Honda, 1:29.719
11. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 1:29.946
12. Marty Craggill, Honda, 1:29.957
13. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:30.376
14. Mike Hale, Yamaha, 1:30.590
15. Jeff Wood, Yamaha, 1:30.725
16. Lee Acree, Yamaha, 1:31.079
17. Chris Rankin (of Texas), Honda, 1:31.665
18. Darren Luck, Suzuki, 1:32.381
19. Jason Curtis, Honda, 1:32.435
20. Dirk Sanchez, Kawasaki, 1:33.002
21. Giovanni Rojas, Yamaha, 1:33.238
22. Heath Small, Yamaha, 1:33.858
23. Nathan Dressman, Yamaha, 1:34.942
24. Jeremy Haiduk, Yamaha, 1:35.985
25. Chad Klock, Kawasaki, 1:36.009
26. Marcus Winfree, Suzuki, 1:36.258
27. Chris Siebenhaar, Honda, 1:36.771
28. Hector Romero, Yamaha, 1:37.648
29. Crash Lowe, Suzuki, 1:37.975
30. Caesar Gonzales, Kawasaki, 1:38.783
31. Darby Brauning, Yamaha, 1:39.172
32. Adrian Jones, Suzuki, 1:39.779
33. David Sanchez, Kawasaki, 1:46.224
34. William Johnson, Suzuki, 1:58.174

Fastest trap speed: Jeff Wood, Yamaha, 154.288 mph

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday Morning AMA Formula Xtreme Practice Times:

1. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.862
2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:26.633
3. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.821
4. Marty Craggill, Honda CBR954RR, 1:27.605
5. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:27.605
6. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR954RR, 1:27.683
7. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR954RR, 1:27.701
8. Ty Howard, Honda CBR954RR, 1:28.011
9. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.320
10. James Ellison, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.128
11. Jason Curtis, Honda CBR954RR, 1:30.330
12. Danny Eslick, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.296
13. Corey Eaton, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.474
14. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.815
15. Heath Small, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:33.933
16. Doug Duane, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.154
17. Kevin Hanson, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.427
18. Bob Siebenhaar, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.758
19. James Bonner, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:37.700

The current Formula Xtreme lap record at VIR is a 1:26.632 by Adam Fergusson.