2003 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship
Round 4
Queensland Raceway
Saturday Report
August 9, 2003

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

Constantly changing weather conditions dogged Friday’s opening practice sessions for this weekend’s penultimate round of the Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship at Queensland Raceway. But today beautiful blue skies combined with a light breeze to provide near perfect conditions for qualifying and the opening races at the three-kilometre circuit.

It was three-time and reigning Shell Advance Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles (Team Suzuki) that took advantage of the environment to lay down a 1:10.84 lap to earn pole position for tomorrow’s three Superbike races. Incredibly, only 0.1-second covers the front row of the Superbike grid with Daniel Stauffer (Nikon Yamaha), Craig Coxhell (Team Suzuki) and Kevin Curtain (Nikon Yamaha) rounding out the front row. The scene is set for a titanic showdown on Sunday as every point counts in the race for the 2003 title.

In the tightly fought Supersport class Russell Holland gave the all new ZX-6RR Kawasaki its first pole position for the year after recording a blistering 1:13.2 lap around the flat but challenging Willowbank layout.

But Holland succumbed to the increasingly dominant Nikon Yamaha duo of Kevin Curtain and Brendan Clarke in the opening Supersport race of the weekend. A thrilling war for the win waged between Clarke and his vastly more experienced teammate Kevin Curtain, but it was the young Clarke who won the opening battle and took the chequered flag at his home circuit. Holland figured well in the early battle for the lead but had to settle for a well earned podium finish ahead of Team Honda’s Joshua Brookes.

Western Australia’s Peter Taplin continued his run of form in the 250cc Grand Prix class and extended his championship lead to 112 points. If Taplin continues his unbeaten form on Sunday he will have a clear enough margin to be crowned champion with a round still remaining.

Taree’s Caleb Stalder took out the 250cc Production opener to extend his Championship lead over Troy Elliott. The initial 125cc Grand Prix race for the weekend was a battle between two Mildura riders with 16-year-old Joshua Waters taking victory over the more experienced Mick Kelly. The sidecar pairing of Michael Alton and Wendy Grice won their first bout from South Australia’s Neville Lush and Martin Scott.

The remainder of the race program including the Shell Advance Superbikes wraps up on Sunday with three Superbike races and two races for each of the supporting classes.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Eric Wood will not race his Kosco Harley-Davidson/Buell Firebolt XB9R in the Formula USA Sportbike race this weekend at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas due to lingering injuries left over from his crash during the last round of the series at Virginia International Raceway June 29

“After riding hard for 12 laps yesterday (Friday) in that GTO race, they had to carry me off the bike and into the trailer,” said Wood, who finished third after leading and fading from the pain.

While racing in the Sportbike race at VIR, Wood crashed in a series of high-speed corners. The result was several broken bones in both feet and ankles. Most of the fractures, including a broken heel and toes, have healed, but Wood is still hindered by a broken “big toe socket” on his shifting foot and another fracture in his right ankle.

Wood will, however, try to race his Suzuki GSX-R750 in Unlimited Grand Prix at Heartland Park. “The only reason I’m trying this is because I want to win the Unlimited Grand Prix Championship for (sponsor) Barden Bearings, but there’s no way I’m going to be able to go hard for 15 laps. I’m just going to survive. I don’t want to re-injure the thing.”

Wood said his Kosco H-D/Buell team was behind his decision to not run in the 31-lap Sportbike race and will not replace him.

From a press release issued by series organizers:

KIPP QUICKEST IN WET

SHUBENACADIE, NS – Chardon, OH’s Tom Kipp set the pace on the opening day of practice for round 6 of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS on Friday.

Despite making his first visit to the twisty 1.6-mile road course Kipp took his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-7RR around in 1:14.940 during the final, 45-minute practice session of the day.

Toronto’s Michael Taylor placed second aboard the Orion Motorsports Honda CBR954RR with a time of 1:15.044 and St-Cecile de Milton, QC rider Pascal Picotte was third fastest at 1:15.453 riding his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1.

The AMP course was hit by rain most of the day although the track was drying slightly during the final Superbike practice.

“It’s been wet but not overwhelming and I think that’s helped me pick up the track,” said Kipp, who comes into this weekend’s event ninth in the Parts Canada Superbike point standings. “I’m happy. I know the bike can be better. We’ll put our heads together and come up with something for tomorrow.”

Parts Canada Superbike points leader Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC could only manage the 11th best time, a 1:19.826 on his Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000. Martin comes into this weekend’s event, the sixth round in the eight-race series, with a slim 11-point lead over Picotte in the standings, 190-179.

Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC is just a point back of Picotte in third. The Diablo Suzuki GSX-R1000 rider was fifth on Friday with a time of 1:16.218.

In other action at AMP, James Fraser of Hammonds Plains, NS was quickest in practice for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike class with a time of 1:17.931 on his Honda CBR600RR.

Kipp was second quickest, recording a lap at 1:19.086 aboard the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-6RR. Taylor was third at 1:20.053 riding the Orion Motorsport Honda CBR600RR.

Greenwood, NS’s Fred Silver led a local sweep of the top three positions in practice for the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike division with a time of 1:19.864 on his Kawasaki ZX-6RR. Eric Stanley of Halifax was second at 1:19.903 and Bedford, NS rider Andrew Murray placed third with a 1:21.299. Stanley and Murray were also Kawasaki-mounted.

In other Parts Canada Superbike series news Friday, Joliette, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr received 27 points for the previous round at Mosport International Raceway. Series officials deemed that the CyRacing/Michelin Yamaha rider was unfairly prevented from restarting that race following a red flag interruption. Cyr was running sixth at the time of the red flag, which is worth 27 points.

The additional points boost Cyr to fourth in the standings with 165.

Qualifying for all three national classes will take place Saturday afternoon with feature races set to go on Sunday.

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 across Canada on the Outdoor Life Network.

From a press release issued by F-USA:

PARITY IN DIRT TRACK

Fort Worth, Texas–The K&N Filters Pro Series sanctioned by Formula USA has put parity back into dirt track motorcycle racing. After 3 of the 9 race series there have been three different winners with four different brands of motorcycles in the top four K&N Filters point standings.

Formula USA developed the Pro Single National Championship as the premiere class of the K&N Filters Pro Series. The rules have been developed around production-based motorcycles making the series more attractive for sponsorship support from manufactures, aftermarket companies and motorcycle dealers. The variety of brands, bright colors and sounds of the single cylinder 4-stroke engines has also appealed to spectators.

“We are on target with our dirt track program,” says Mike Kidd a V.P. of Clear Channel Motor Sports. “After top-level professional dirt track racing this season on Pro Single motorcycles, even the critics have been amazed at the speed and competitiveness of the riders and motorcycles.”

The bikes of choice have been the Honda CR450F, Yamaha YZ450F, KTM 450SX, Suzuki 400 DRZ and Harley-Davidson/Buell Blast. Aftermarket companies are developing dirt track kits, making it easy and cost effective to build and maintain a competitive dirt track motorcycle.

2003 WINNERS
Kenny Coolbeth Plymouth, Wisconsin KTM
Bryan Smith Rochester, New Hampshire HON
Joe Kopp Houston, Texas KTM

1-4 CURRENT POINT STANDINGS
1. Bryan Smith 92 pts HON
2. Kenny Coolbeth 82 pts KTM
3. Glen Schnabel Jr 70 pts YAM
4. Rich King 54 pts H-D

REMAINING EVENTS
August 9 Topeka, KS ½ Mile
August 23 Oklahoma City, OK ½ Mile
August 30 Beaver Dam, WI ½ Mile
September 13 Sacramento, CA Mile
October 4 Del Mar, CA ¼ Mile
October 5 Del Mar, CA Mile

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The raffle of a fallen soldier’s streetbike to benefit his family was a success.

Earl Small’s Harley-Davidson, in Marietta, Georgia, raffled off Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith’s 1984 FXRT Harley-Davidson to raise money for his wife and two children.

Smith, 33, was killed in Baghdad April 4, while leading his squad in battle.

The raffle, held on July 19, was won by Brian Stewart from Hilton, New York.

According to www.sfcpaulsmith.com, the raffle was a big success, with over 1000 people entering or sending donations.

Raffle tickets were $25 each.

See related post, 7/2/3002 Help A Fallen Soldier’s Family, Maybe Win A Harley

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. Via e-mail: With a heavy heart we inform you of the death of a young, promising road racer. Aaron Mohr, age 20, was killed in a traffic accident in Tucson, Arizona on August 5th, 2003. Aaron raced last year at Arroyo Seco Motorplex in Deming, New Mexico. He won many amateur races there, and was extremely well liked by everyone in the ASMA racing organization. We will miss his spirit and friendship. Jon Klein Motorcycles Unlimited Tucson, Arizona

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The family and close friends of Dr. Jim Adams are so moved by the submissions to Roadracing World from readers of his articles who will miss him, too.

To think of the lives he has touched through his writing and through his association with the community of this sport deepens our pride in his life’s accomplishments, and reminds us that we are joined by many in our grief.

My brother was a man with passion, enthusiasm, and sharp intellect, who gave freely of these gifts to everyone he met. His life was greatly enriched by his love of this sport, and his commitment to its athletes.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts through this website, and know that we are reading them and taking comfort in them.

Kristi Adams Marsella
Modesto, California

From a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki:

BSB Round 9
Oulton Park
PRACTICE
Friday August 8

Track length: 2.692 miles
Weather: dry, hazy sunshine, 25°C
Track: dry, 44°C

HAWK’S UPHILL STRUGGLE AT CHESHIRE TRACK

Oulton Park once again proved to be one of the toughest circuits on the British Superbike calendar for Hawk Kawasaki, as the team’s three riders pushed hard during today’s practice sessions for round nine of the championship. Despite having arguably the nimblest chassis in the series, Hawk’s 750cc ZX-7RRs couldn’t match the drive of the 1000s up many of the Cheshire track’s uphill straights.

Glen Richards, who ended the day ninth quickest, explained: ‘We’ve got a lot of revs and power, but it’s the hills that really work against the Kawasaki here. When you’ve got a bike with less torque, because you’ve got a smaller engine, it’s going to struggle to make it up the hills as well, but that’s just the way it goes I guess. You try to pinch a bit back on some of the corners and you end up pushing a bit too hard. Then, when you push a bit too hard, you end up going slower.’

Mondello front-row qualifier Scott Smart was unable to recapture his superb form from three weeks ago due to back pain, but is hoping to settle the injury before tomorrow’s important qualifying sessions. ‘I’ve strained my back and I can’t move around the bike enough because I find it too uncomfortable,’ confessed Scott. ‘I don’t know what I’ve done to it, but I’ll get it looked at before I go out tomorrow. As far as the bike goes, we’re just missing out on horsepower here. It’s a shame because you’d think this was a riders’ circuit, but there’s only so fast you can go around the corners here.’

Lee Jackson was encouraged to be back on comparable times with his Hawk Kawasaki team mates, after struggling to get comfortable with his bike during qualifying for the last few meetings. ‘I’m much happier today because I’m a lot closer to the pace of Scott and Glen, so I can’t grumble really,’ said the Lincoln rider. ‘We struggled the first time we came here, because you need the grunt out of the corners to do a fast lap. Because we’ve not got as much grunt as the 1000s, but a good handling chassis, we’re tending to over-ride in the fast corners and we’re making mistakes. Even so, I definitely feel a lot further forward than when I was here last time. Hopefully we can build on that over the weekend.’

PRACTICE TIMES
1) Shane Byrne, Ducati: 1:37.152
2) Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki: 1:37.354
3) Michael Rutter, Ducati: 1:37.559
4) Sean Emmett, Ducati: 1:37.572
5) John Reynolds, Suzuki: 1:37.707
6) Steve Plater, Honda: 1:38.554
7) Gary Mason, Yamaha: 1:38.562
8) Mark Heckles, Honda: 1:39.075
9) Glen Richards, Hawk Kawasaki: 1:39.106
10) Dean Ellison, Ducati: 1:39.297
11) Leon Haslam, Ducati: 1:39.499
12) Dave Wood, Suzuki (P): 1:39.925
13) Scott Smart, Hawk Kawasaki: 1:40.339
14) Jason Vincent, Yamaha: 1:40.425
15) Lee Jackson, Hawk Kawasaki: 1:40.538
16) Francis Williamson (P): 1:41.440
17) Paul Young, Yamaha: 1:41.489
18) Sam Corke, Suzuki (P): 1:41.635
19) Nick Medd, Ducati: 1:42.030
20) James Buckingham, Suzuki: 1:42.166