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.”

From a press release issued by series organizers:

TROMBINO TAKES POLE

SHUBENACADIE, NS – Frank Trombino claimed pole position for round 6 of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS Saturday.

Riding the Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1 the Kleinburg, ON rider set a time of 1:08.411 to claim his first MPM/Array Pole Award of the 2003 season. The award is worth $500.

Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC qualified second fastest at 1:08.567 on the Diablo Suzuki GSX-R1000 and St-Cecile de Milton, QC rider Pascal Picotte was third with a 1:08.660 riding his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1.

Harrowsmith, ON’s Jeff Williams completes the front row for Sunday’s Superbike feature after recording the fourth best time, a 1:09.000 on his Diablo Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Trombino set his time with just over 15 minutes remaining in the 45-minute qualifying session, and moments before rain hit the Atlantic Motorsport Park facility, ending the chance for anyone to challenge him.

“This is one of my favorite tracks,” said Trombino, who has finished third twice in the Superbike race at AMP. “We put a new tire on with about 20 minutes to go and managed to get a good time just before it starting sprinkling.”

In addition to the MPM/Array Pole Award, Trombino also earned four points toward the Parts Canada Superbike Championship standings.

Crevier set his time just over 20 minutes into the session and was the first rider to get below 1:09.

“Trombino surprised me,” admitted the six-time Canadian Superbike champion. “I think we have the faster bike but the R1 seems to be handling the track better. But Frank caught me sleeping. I need to push harder.”

Picotte jumped up to third in the order moments before the rain hit and crashed his Yamaha in turn 1 just after setting his best lap time.

In other AMP action, Picotte took pole for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike feature with a record time of 1:08.840 on his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Trombino was second quickest at 1:08.898 on the Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R6 and Crevier placed third with a time of 1:09.252 aboard the Diablo Suzuki GSX-R600.

Jeremy Leduc of Keremeos, BC extended his lead in the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike standings by taking pole for Sunday’s race with a time of 1:11.804 on his Yamaha YZF-R6. Halifax rider Eric Stanley was second at 1:12.501 on a Kawasaki ZX-6RR and Greenwood, NS’s Fred Silver, also on a Kawasaki was third fastest at 1:13.022.

Races in all three national classes will take place Sunday. Practice starts at 9:00 a.m. with the first race set to go at 12:15 p.m.

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 Saturday from qualifying for the sixth round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS,
showing qualifying position, rider name, hometown, type of motorcycle and qualifying time:

1.Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:08.411; 2. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 3. Pascal Picotte, St-Cecile de Milton, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:08.660; 4. Jeff Williams, Harrowsmith, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:09.000; 5. Francis Martin, Rock Forest, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:09.157; 6. Tom Kipp, Chardon, OH, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:09.368; 7. Clint
McBain, Calgary, AB, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:09.501; 8. Andrew Nelson, Kars, ON, Honda CBR954RR, 1:09.648; 9. Michael Taylor, Toronto, ON, Honda CBR954RR, 1:09.796; 10. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, QC, Honda CBR600RR, 1:09.803; 11. Benoit Pilon, St-Jerome, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:09.939; 12. Jean-Francois Cyr, Joliette, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:09.959; 13. Robbie Baird, Queensland, Australia, Honda CBR600RR, 1:10.543; 14. Darryn Wilbur, Maple, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:10.685; 15. Matthew McBride, Toronto, ON, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:11.018; 16. James Fraser, Hammonds Plains, NS, Honda CBR600RR, 1:11.233; 17. Michael Leon, Montreal, QC, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:11.998; 18. Matt Binns, Uxbridge, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:12.049; 19. Terry MacPhee, Upper Rawdon, NS, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:13.983; 20. Dan Durkovic, Ottawa, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:14.665;
NS. Barry French, Brampton, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6; NS. Denis Richard, Notre-Dame, NS, Honda CBR600RR

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.