Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Via e-mail:

Just to clarify the traffic situation. The land that needs to be paved is actually owned by the Bureau of Land Management and the strip to connect it belongs to Monterey County. So, the bureaucratic part is getting BLM to deed the property to the County – out of our hands entirely. Plus there are other entities involved including the transit folks and whomever controls the stop light!

Gill Campbell
General Manager
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, California


Note: Campbell is responding to an earlier post,

7/12/2003 Laguna Seca Traffic Bottleneck Fix Is Years Away

From a press release issued by VIR:

Suzuki to Sponsor VIR Lightning Nationals

Alton, Va. – VIRginia International Raceway is proud to announce that American Suzuki Motor Corporation will be the title sponsor of this year’s Suzuki Lightning Nationals, the penultimate event of the 2003 season for the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship.

The Suzuki Lightning Nationals will take place over Labor Day weekend, August 29-31, featuring a double-header round of the Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, as well as the Pro Honda Oils Supersport, Lockhart-Phillips Formula Extreme, Suzuki Genuine Accessories Superstock and MBNA 250 Grand Prix series.

Suzuki has come a very long way in the U.S. market since the firm began selling a small line of inexpensive, lightweight motorcycles here in 1963.

Now Suzuki is one of the world’s “Big Four” motorcycle makers, offering a complete range of advanced street, off-road and race-winning machines. Globally, Suzuki is among the dozen top automakers, and sells more models than ever stateside. Inventor of the four-wheel ATV, Suzuki is dramatically expanding its QuadRunner lineup, with a new factory in Georgia to manufacture them in the U.S. For boating enthusiasts, Suzuki serves up a wide array of outboard motors, many of them featuring electronic fuel injection and four-stroke power.

American Suzuki Motor Corporation is everywhere, on two wheels, four wheels and on the water. To help serve millions of customers nationwide, there are six corporate offices, staffed by hundreds of sales, technical, accessory and distribution staff. Across the country, there are more than 1,600 independently owned Suzuki dealerships.

Mel Harris, vice president of the Motorcycle and Marine Division for the American Suzuki Motor Corporation, said that the partnership between Suzuki and VIR was a natural.

“Suzuki is involved in sponsorships at elite tracks around the country to showcase our products and provide a place for our fans to watch motorcycle racing,” he said. “We like VIR, and we think it’s a first-class track. We have a lot of customers in the area of the track that we feel will be looking for some activities on Labor Day.”

Suzuki is having a very good year in the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, with the potent Team Yoshimura Suzuki tandem of Mat Mladin and Aaron Yates combining to score eight wins out of the 11 races run so far this season. Mladin and Yates currently lie second and third, respectively, in the championship standings.

A new Superbike rules package for 2003 has played right into Suzuki’s hands, according to Harris.

“Suzuki was able to take advantage of the new rules with our GSX-R1000,” he said, “and our two top team Superbike riders, Mat Mladin and Aaron Yates, have demonstrated that the bike has the ability to win with good riders.”

VIR co-owner Connie Nyholm noted that Suzuki is the ideal partner for the multi-faceted motorsports facility outside Danville.

“We couldn’t be more pleased that American Suzuki Motor Corporation has agreed to sponsor the Suzuki Lightning Nationals,” she said. “They are a perfect fit with us, because their product lines match up so well with all the things we do here at VIR, both on the racetrack and at the VIR Euro Rally School and Corporate Motorsports Experience. They are an aggressive, dynamic company, and we look forward to a long and productive relationship with them in the years to come.”

Advance three-day Super Tickets for the Suzuki Lightning Nationals sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing are priced at $45, with single-day tickets priced at $25 (Saturday) and $30 (Sunday). Tickets will be available online through August 14 or at ticket outlets until the day of the event. For online ticket sales or ticket outlets, visit the track’s website at www.virclub.com. At the gate, three-day Super Tickets are priced at $55, with one-day tickets selling for $10 (Friday), $35 (Saturday) and $40 (Sunday). Preferred infield parking is available for $10 payable at the gate, no advance reservations. VIR is a family-friendly facility, where children 12 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. Spectator camping is available.

VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River 12 miles east of Danville, Va., and just north of historic Milton, N.C. In addition to its 3.27-mile natural-terrain road racing circuit (which is designed to be operated as two autonomous, full-service courses), VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America’s first motorsports country club, the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park, and the VIR Euro Rally School and Corporate Motorsport Experience, which features four rally stages plus a kart track, motocross track, ATV and SUV training grounds and a Tuff Terrain” course. Future plans include the VIR Gallery, a showroom for high-end collector and racing cars, and resort lodging.

VIR made history from 1957 to 1974 and is doing so again. The renovated original circuit has 17 challenging turns and 130 feet of elevation change. In addition to spectator events, the track is also available to rent for testing, driving schools and club days.

For more information, visit the track’s website at www.virclub.com or contact VIR toll-free at 888-RACE099. For more information on the VIR Euro Rally School and Corporate Motorsport Experience, call toll-free 877-RALLY66 or visit their website at www.vireurorally.com.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Kawasaki Supersport and Superstock pilot Tommy Hayden turns 25 years old today.

Tommy, the oldest of Earl and Rose Hayden’s racing children, still lives where he was born and raised – Owensboro, Kentucky.

Tommy Hayden is in his 10th year of AMA professional racing, has finished fourth or better in the AMA Supersport Championship four times (including second twice), has six career Supersport race wins and has seven career 750cc Supersport/Superstock race wins — all on less-than-750cc machines.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

By John Joss

Rich Oliver will hang up his racing leathers after the 2003 season and park the TZ250 Yamaha that has brought him such success over the years. The Pacific Grove, California native has enjoyed some of his greatest successes at Laguna Seca over a racing career now spanning almost a quarter century, but he has won pretty much everywhere else, too. He started the Laguna Seca 250cc race on the pole by a few hundredths of a second from his old teammate and protégée Chuck Sorensen, the 2002 #1 plate holder, and went on to take the race by a huge margin from Sorenson in one of his typical focused efforts.

Interviewed in his race pit at Laguna Seca on Thursday, during a break from rebuilding his motors after the Brainerd races two weeks earlier, the intense and perfectionist Oliver discussed the stresses of his racing life, the multiplication of challenges he has faced in 2003 as he has tried to integrate three separate careers, and the choices he’s making for the future.

“For many years I’ve organized my life around the AMA race program, considering where I have to be and when, and how I have to assign my energies to meet that specific schedule.

“This year, with my 250 racing over [with the AMA’s class changes for 2004] I’ve had to balance and prioritize three different activities—my racing, my Mystery School and my art. I’ve already spoken out strongly against the AMA’s discontinuing the 250 class, and I stand by what I have already said. The class is ideal for beginning racers. The bikes are responsive, excellent for learning. And they allow racing within a reasonable budget. It takes $200,000-$300,000 to mount a competitive 600 effort, and that sort of money is out of reach for many young racers.

“I’m a private person. After years of keeping my methods secret, I’m revealing what I believe is the key to success in road racing. I have to go into [this teaching] with a record of achievement that makes my students realize that I’ve been there and come out on top.”

Oliver has paid a physical price for his intensity and determination, as have many racers. Anyone who watched him get off his Yamaha Superbike at Road Atlanta a couple of years ago, and suffer a severe arm injury, would understand. The wrist-to-elbow scar from that experience is, ahem, not trivial. Many racers carry equivalent memories and evidence.

Art? Yes. Visit Oliver’s website (www.richoliver.net) and see how his creative side works. Simply beautiful. Racers are supposedly focused into macho. Rich Oliver breaks the mold.

***

Laguna’s flat, seemingly simple Turn 3 caught out dozens of riders throughout the weekend. It looks easy but it isn’t. Some of the best riders in the world tossed it away mid-corner, low-siding into the gravel (all without serious injury). Turn 4 has its own special little trap for the unwary or inexperienced, a little like Turn 4 at Willow but subtler: A slight off-camber low spot on the exit, right where it looks like fistfuls of throttle will do the job, that once nailed Carl Fogarty, who never liked Laguna anyway. Turn 5 has a lip just after mid corner. The high-G ‘tunnels’ of Turn 6 and Turn 10, which can cause a bike to ground in mid corner, also get respect from riders. As Jamie Hacking put it: “Laguna is very technical. You can’t lose focus or attention for an instant.”
***

SPEED’s TV coverage at Laguna reverses many, but not all, of my recent critical comments of past TV coverage (Roadracing World, May and June 2003). Doug Polen’s presence in the booth added depth and insight, and he displayed good microphone skills and judgment on what needed to be said and when. He and David Sadowski made an excellent team. Coverage of the Turn 2 brouhaha in WSB Race 1 was particularly impressive, from all the critical angles. They edited and showed the tape quickly, before the restart. It became immediately obvious that Aaron Yates tried to stuff his bike inside, into too tight a space—he touched the painted strip on the inside, lost the front and was down instantly, taking others with him. SPEED, with good timing, caught Chili talking to Yates before the restart, admonishing him without rancor (Chili is a class act). Chili went down in the melee, and hurt his wrist, but went on to win the first race anyway.

They still should talk more about that vital element: Tires. And they still need to get Brian Drebber off the ceiling. Or bring in Dave Despain, please!

***

Jamie Hacking’s early-apex inside moves out of the Corkscrew into Rainey Curve (Turn 9) in the 600cc Supersport race, to make daring passes, had old Laguna hands shaking their heads. It’s easy to run wide on the exit—even Eddie Lawson once fell here, breaking his collarbone. Asked about it after the race, Hacking said: “I like a tight entry line. I watched some of the WSB racers doing just that, right there, and decided to try it. It worked, didn’t it!”

***

James Toseland was a huge beneficiary of the Race 1 restart. Forced to get off late, long after the field, when his bike wouldn’t start, he was still in Turn 10 when the race started, and had a lot of catching up to do. He was late enough to miss the Turn 2 carnage but got his correct grid spot in the restart. He never looked back. He acknowledged his luck on camera to SPEED’s Greg White.

***

Frankie Chili, emotionally overwhelmed by his WSB Race 1 victory and his first-ever win at Laguna, spoke eloquently to SPEED interviewer Greg White (who is improving with every race): “I am very ‘appy. I see Reuben and Gregorio fall, and I think I can win. ‘Ere it is often a good idea to let the leaders make the mistakes.” Yes, indeed.

***

SPEED’s ‘inside’ treatment of the 600cc Supersport bikes enlived the coverage, using the team riders to explain the bikes (and very well they did it). Best of the bunch: Miguel DuHamel, as usual generous in introducing his guys by name, on camera, ended up with Crew Chief Al Luddington. Smiled Miguel to the camera: “Al will tell you that the rider is the most important part of the bike.” Al, deadpan: “And the easiest part to replace, Miguel.” Ouch!

***

Track announcer Ralph Shaheen, on a busman’s holiday from SPEED, did a masterful job, light years ahead of 2002’s dismal performances. He also managed the pre-race Press conference with aplomb. This man does it all, now—four wheels, two wheels, and almost everything in between. When not on SPEED, he’s getting gigs on network TV (CBS, NBC) and has earned them through exemplary homework and a delivery style that has calmed down effectively. Motorsports TV is giving us better stuff with talent like this.

***

Nick Ienatsch’s publisher David Bull (see Sport Riding Techniques book review in the September issue of Roadracing World, and the forthcoming review of his Superbikes Of The ‘70s by Roland Brown) was at Laguna. The hope is that he’ll continue to create new two-wheel titles, with his exemplary attention to great photography and high production values. He’s a former executive at Robert Bentley, one of America’s foremost motorsports publishers.



More Laguna Seca FIRST PERSON/OPINION, from a reader, via e-mail:

Hope all is well…thanks for the continuing awesome coverage.

I wanted to make a few comments concerning the World Superbike weekend, that may or may not have been caught or experienced by all. I, however, am one, who fanatically catches all within my view down to the small details that shape a race weekend. Of course, often, we are all surprised.

Firstly, camping at Laguna’s priority sites, for the first time, was an expensive and bogus set up, in which, upon buying tickets for reservations on the phone, one is told that the campsites will be there…reserved for you. It seems solid enough, only to arrive on Thursday night and be told “It’s really crowded up there in turn ten, I don’t know if you’ll find anything, but you might be able to squeeze in.” No, we couldn’t squeeze in, but moved up the hill, because we had no choice. Fine, $245 for our reserved, in advance, sites (2) that we didn’t have reserved. So we weathered the obnoxiously drunken neighbors and dynamite-like explosions every night, and hung out with the few respectful, true motorcycle-enthusiast neighbors.

During each day, we found that our special, all access passes, provided by Yoshimura friends, thankfully, were not special enough in certain areas, like the bleachers, where an additional $10 per day was required. At least, I got a break on the entry this year, but last year, I found it ridiculously expensive, and prohibitive, in a way that one only experiences in the U.S. For instance, at a Le Mans GP, I could basically go anywhere and camp anywhere (I camped in the middle of the track) for a basic entry fee, without someone asking for more money at every gate, or treating me like a disobedient child.

Traffic and traffic related problems are always obvious at Laguna Seca…and I love the place, otherwise.

Secondly, during WSBK qualifying on Friday, I noticed the obvious head games going on, but more abrasive action coming from two riders that I do have a lot of respect for…the American wild card entries of Aaron Yates and Mat Mladin. The first thing that blew my mind was Aaron Yates coming out right after Neil Hodgson, and just razzing him from behind. Not in a totally professional way. Kind of messing up his rhythm and getting in his way, and finally passing him in a hairy kind of slip-sliding way…then riding, rather raggedly in front of him, while he (Hodgson) was trying to get a rhythm and feel on the track, with the new 999. It seemed to me that Hodgson was getting pretty annoyed. Then, a bit later in the session, Mladin came out and slowed on the track, waiting for Hodgson, and then followed him for a while, eventually blasting by, maybe in a less ragged way, but definitely proving some sort of point. Mladin then let him by again, and procede to do the same thing again. I understand psyching out and all, but it seemed more of an ego trip to me…trying to show up the World Superbiker. It just seemed a bit stupid, especially for someone of Mladin’s demeanor. And, I do want to stress, again, that I love all of these riders, however I hate that ego shit.

I would say that to witness the start of the first WSBK race, Yates ate some crow…getting in really hot, on the white line, on the inside and knocking down Bostrom, Chili, Hodgson, Corser. It was interesting and funny to see Chili holding his wrist, smarting and limping, until realizing race one would be restarted, then shrugging it off and running, at 39, all the way to the pits. Hodgson’s face and gesturing in the pits, after the incident, did not look positive…you could almost see and hear the words. By the looks of Yates face on the camera, at the restart, he seemed to be in very deep contemplation. I’m not blaming it all on him, but perhaps there is something about karma. You might also see it in the way that Chili went over to Yates and looked to be saying, don’t worry about it it’s cool, I’m not pissed. Only to go and win the race, right after. And Chili was a true gentleman in the pits.

Lastly, hats off to Xaus for ruling, and not falling in the second race, proving to all, just how much he is improving. And did anyone notice that he, number 11, fell on turn 11, on the 11th lap of race 1?

Thanks again, for the reporting, and I hope my observances, as a true fanatic are interesting.

Andrew Victor Nabagiez
Los Angeles, California

From a press release issued by Mid-Ohio:

MOTORCYCLE HISTORY VISITS MID-OHIO

DUBLIN, Ohio – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio has hosted an AMA Superbike event since 1983. Many of the same bikes that raced during the early years of that event will return for Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 18-20.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is a one-of-a-kind event in the United States, celebrating the people and machines that make up motorcycling’s rich heritage. First held in 1992, the event has grown into a complete weekend hosting hundreds of competitors, more than 900 vendors at the Will Stoner Swap Meet, and vintage motorcyclists of all ages.

Harley-Davidson will be the Featured Marque at AMA Vintage Motorcyle Days 2003, celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and featuring an exhibit of classic motorcycles and
memorabilia.

Harley riders will be able to park their bikes in a Harley-Davidson only parking area located in Mid-Ohio’s infield. The AMA Museum will have a traveling history of Harley-Davidson on-display at Mid-Ohio, and Harley-Davidson (along with Buell, BMW, Triumph, and Moto-Guzzi) will have new models available in the Demo Ride compound located in the paddock.

The Will Stoner Swap Meet has grown from what was originally a 150′ by 400′ space into this year’s 35-acre area with over 900 vendors hawking everything from fully running bikes to pieces and parts for those classic machines and everything in between.

Seminars, shows, live music, and Rhett Rotten’s Wall of Death will provide entertainment off the track, and two motorcycles – a 1941 FL “Knucklehead” and a 2003 100th Anniversary Heritage Softail autographed by Willie G. Davidson – will be raffled off throughout the weekend.

If you’re a race fan, there’s plenty to see and do. On the track, the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association’s (AHRMA) vintage motorcycles will power through thunder valley and dance through the “esses”. Vintage Motocross will once again take place over Mid-Ohio’s rolling hills. The Vintage Time Trials snake over and around Mid-Ohio’s terrain in an off-road adventure.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is located approximately halfway between Columbus
and Cleveland, off Interstate 71. Commonly referred to as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.”, Mid-Ohio hosts six motorsports events throughout the summer, beginning with the Sprint Vintage Grand Prix and including the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire, July 25-27, and the Valvoline Runoffs®, September 15-21. For event information and tickets, call 1-800-MID-OHIO or visit www.midohio.com.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Lance Isaacs has reached an agreement that will see the South African finish the season racing for the No Limit Motorsports Honda team in AMA Supersport and Formula Xtreme. Isaacs fills the seat left vacant by the departure of Doug Chandler from the team.

Isaacs raced in AMA Supersport this weekend at Laguna Seca and finished 13th despite riding with broken bones in his right wrist.

Meanwhile, Bruce Transportation Group Honda’s Marty Craggill has signed a management deal with OMS Sports. Craggill said he has negotiated his own deals throughout his career and joked “maybe that’s been the problem.”

From a press release issued by Frank Angel:

BARNES FINISHES NINTH IN LAGUNA SUPERBIKE ROUND

Monterey, CA – Michael Barnes rode the Prieto Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a ninth place finish at the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. From twelfth place on the grid, Barnes immediately moved up to tenth position on the start, maintaining that position through the first half of the race. On lap fifteen, Barnes moved up to ninth, his eventual finishing position.

Barnes had been dragging his shift lever most of the race, and on lap twenty-three the lever gave up the fight, breaking off and falling into the belly pan. With some effort Michael was able to shift into fourth gear, and rode the last six laps of the race without a gear change.

Michael was once again the top Superbike finisher on Pirelli tires. “As I said before, the Pirellis have been absolutely fantastic all season. I can’t say enough good things about the confidence that they’ve been providing, they were so consistent from the start of the race to the finish that I couldn’t ask for more”, said Barnes.

Michael and Prieto Racing look forward to the next AMA Superbike round at Mid-Ohio.


More, from a press release issued by American Honda:

AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Series
Round 12: Monterey, California
July 12, 2003

Red Riders experience rough seas in Monterey

With over half of the 28-lap Laguna Seca Raceway Honda Superbike Classic in the books, it appeared that Erion Racing Honda’s Kurtis Roberts was a shoe-in for at least a runner-up finish in the premier AMA event. Starting from the second position on the front row, Roberts spent the opening laps in fifth place challenging Honda’s Ben Bostrom. The battle amongst teammates was classic, and Roberts eventually came out on top of the all-Honda RC51 scuffle for fourth place. After overtaking Bostrom, Roberts went on a charge that didn’t stop until the young Northern Californian reached second place. From there he spent several laps trying to minimize the lead of eventual race winner Mat Mladin, but on lap 24 Roberts was forced to pit row after his rear tire spun on the rim, causing a severe vibration.

“The rear tire started spinning on the rim,” explained a disappointed Roberts, who up until that point was bidding for his seventh podium finish in 12 Superbike rounds. After the tire change Roberts mitigated his damages by re-entering the racetrack and completing the final few laps to finish 11th. The disappointing result was still good enough for Roberts to maintain his fourth place standing in the points race.

Roberts wasn’t the only Honda rider to have tire difficulties. Bostrom, who has enjoyed much success at Laguna Seca Raceway in the past, qualified for the Superbike Final on the second row and admitted to a struggle in finding his form during practice and qualifying. When it came time to race, Bostrom finally found his form, but he also found out that his rear tire did not hold up to the temperature of the extremely warm California racetrack.

“The bike was working great during the race, the best that I had ridden all weekend,” said Bostrom, who maintained fifth place for a majority of the event. “Unfortunately the tire went bad and it was causing the bike to hop around a lot. There wasn’t much we could do. The positive thing that came out of it is that we ended up with a good motorcycle. So good that I feel I could have been up front.”

With Roberts out of contention, Bostrom advanced one spot to fourth, where he eventually finished. Meanwhile, Honda Road Racing’s Miguel Duhamel, himself a past Superbike winner at Laguna Seca, was trying to advance the #17 RC51 ahead of its sixth place qualifying position.

“I struggled with my set up over the weekend,” said Duhamel of his four-day weekend in Monterey. “We were zigging when we should have been zagging, but I take responsibility for that since I’m the guy that tells the crew what I want and they just try to give it to me. Unfortunately we couldn’t find the set-up we needed.

“We were up there for a few laps with Kurtis and Ben,” continued Duhamel, “but then it just got too dangerous to keep that pace with my set-up. I brought it home in sixth, got us some points and I’m looking forward to improving on that throughout the rest of the season.”

There’s no doubt that Duhamel, Roberts and Bostrom will all improve their results when the Red Riders head to Lexington, Ohio on July 25-27 for round 13 of the AMA/Chevy Trucks Superbike Series.


AMA/Pro Honda Oils 600cc Supersport Series
Round 8: Monterey, California
July 12, 2003

Zemke red hot at Laguna Seca

The Honda Superbike Classic dawned with a sea of Red Riders entered in the eighth round of the AMA/Pro Honda Oils 600cc Supersport Series at Laguna Seca Raceway. In addition to the Honda CBR600RR-mounted series regulars such as Miguel Duhamel, Jake Zemke, Roger Hayden, Alex Gobert and Marty Craggill, full-time Superbike racers Ben Bostrom and Kurtis Roberts stacked the Supersport class in support of the Honda-sponsored race weekend. Regardless of their presence, it was Zemke, not only a Supersport regular but also a class favorite, who headed the Red Rider effort. The 27-year old from nearby Paso Robles, California finished the 17-lap race in second place.

Zemke qualified for Friday’s Supersport race in the third position on the front row and his stellar spot on the grid, no doubt aided his first-turn holeshot to Laguna Seca’s famed Andretti Hairpin; both times. Before the 42-man field could complete a lap around the 2.238-mile circuit, a down rider forced a red flag and the event was restarted. The restart was no problem for Zemke, who again pulled ahead of the pack, but not every Red Rider was able to duplicate the results of their original start.

Bruce Transportation Honda’s Marty Craggill jumped the restart and was assigned a stop- and-go penalty, which prevented him from finishing better than 17th. Duhamel did the opposite of Craggill, not reacting quick enough to the restart.

“I really messed up the second start and then I got pinched out on the top of the hill (going into turn one),” said Duhamel, who qualified seventh and started well within the top ten before the restart. “I was 15th on the first lap.”

Duhamel, a three-time winner of the Supersport class at Laguna Seca since 1995, weaved his way through traffic to a seventh place finish behind teammate Bostrom. Bostrom too had to deal with the extra effort of advancing around traffic when the 29-year old failed to qualify better than eleventh. Combined with a tenth place start and the fact that he hasn’t raced a CBR600RR since the series kick-off in Daytona, Bostrom got caught behind a train of slower riders, forcing some scary moments at times.

“I ran off the track trying to pass them,” said Bostrom of his brief moment in the dirt. “Then I had to come back by all the guys that passed me. At that point it was too late to make anything happen.”

The youngest member of Erion Racing, 19-year old Gobert was slowed in the same group of riders as Bostrom. Once he was clear of the group, Gobert raced to a tenth place finish, which boosted Gobert to third place in the series points standings.

Ahead of Bostrom and Gobert, Erion Honda’s Zemke, Roberts and Hayden were making things happen. Zemke unfortunately lost his lead, but was defending second place valiantly. Meanwhile, Hayden silently lurked behind the lines waiting to pounce. As it turns out he capitalized from many of his competitors misfortunes, including one from his teammate Roberts. Roberts used the restart to get an eighth place start and then used the first four laps of the race to move to fifth place. Unfortunately Roberts’ charge would go no further than lap five.

“I leaned my bike over so far that I bounced the engine case on the ground,” said Roberts. “That lifted the bike off the ground and that’s never good.”

Luckily Roberts survived the ugly crash unscathed and headed back to the paddock to prepare for Saturday’s Superbike Final. Hayden hung in for the long haul and finished fifth, his best result since placing runner-up at a rain-soaked Road America circuit in early June.

The nail-biting race for second place came down to the final lap. Zemke, Damon Buckmaster and Ben Spies headed out on the 17th lap in a tight enough formation to throw a blanket over the trio. After completing the 11-turn Laguna Seca circuit and crossing the uphill sloped finish line Zemke and Spies put some breathing room on Buckmaster, but not between themselves. Zemke’s CBR600RR won the drag race for second place by 0.416-seconds. The result marked Zemke’s best Supersport finish in the series thus far, which has been full of ups and downs for the approachable racer.

As the series heads east to Lexington, Ohio’s Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 25-27, Zemke hopes to improve his round eight results by one step up on the podium, and he hopes to take a sea of Red Riders with him.


AMA/Chevy Trucks Formula Xtreme Series
Round 9: Monterey, California
July 13, 2003

Hayden just misses Formula Xtreme podium

Nestled within a hidden alcove in the oak-studded rolling hills of the Monterey Peninsula, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca basks in a storybook kind of setting immortalized by author John Steinbeck. However, like many things beautiful, Laguna Seca holds hazards and challenges aplenty beneath a skin-deep veneer. Undulating through the California countryside, the tight and technical track proved to be the undoing of many riders in the AMA Formula Xtreme race, as Erion Honda’s Roger Hayden battled to fourth, just off the podium, and Jake Zemke netted a seventh-place finish.

At the start, Ben Spies garnered the holeshot, with a thick knot of riders pressing right behind. As the running order sorted out, Zemke and Bruce Transportation Racing’s Marty Craggill found themselves in sixth and seventh place respectively, with Hayden close behind in tenth. Zemke began a ferocious charge to the front of the pack, taking over second place in convincing style on lap two. By the close of the next lap, Craggill took charge of fourth place, with Hayden trailing right behind in sixth.

But just as the three-man Honda brigade seemed poised to solidify their gains, things came unraveled. As Craggill pitched left and downhill into Laguna’s breathtakingly spectacular and justly notorious Corkscrew, a trailing rider centerpunched Marty’s rear wheel from behind, sending both riders tumbling to the tarmac. “I have no idea what that guy was doing,” Marty said later as he was having ice packs taped to his banged-up left wrist. “He didn’t offer any explanations or apologies.”

Double trouble struck the Red Riders on the same lap when AMA officials flagged Zemke for a stop-and-go penalty for jumping the start. The enforced delay relegated the number 98 bike to seventh place, which Zemke maintained all the way to the checkered flag.

The quick attrition left Hayden as the sole Honda front-runner, and he was engaged in a three-man battle for fourth place. The right to lead this group see-sawed back and forth a few times before Roger took over fourth place for keeps on lap 13 of the 17-lap race. “I felt pretty good towards the end of the race,” young Hayden recounted after the race. “I felt like I was getting faster during those last three laps. We got into some lapped traffic, and with one guy, Josh Hayes went inside and I went wide, which turned out to be the better way around the lapper. Then I used some more lappers to pull out a little gap, and it all worked out pretty good, at least good enough to give me a fourth-place finish.

“I’ve been working on smoothing out my riding style, and it’s been paying off pretty well. This is a good result, and now I want to build on my momentum and get on the podium at the next race.”


And now a question from a reader, via e-mail:

What’s the deal with tires spinning on the rims in AMA Superbike? I understand that the engines are powerfull, but MotoGP engines are even more, and I haven’t heard of this issue with them. One episode was blamed on hitting a curb. What about the others?

Andrew M. Cross, Jr.
Lexington, Kentucky


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

TREMENDOUS FIFTH FOR GREGORIO

Team Suzuki Press Office 14th July 2003.

Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Gregorio Lavilla took an extremely hard-fought-for fifth in the second race after a hard and painful crash in race one. The Spaniard was highsided at one of the fastest parts of the course and badly bruised his right hip (the one he broke in Monza a couple of years ago), right foot and hand and had difficulty in walking after the crash. Nevertheless he started the second race and amazingly got up into third place before he ran out of strength. He continued to fight for a podium, but could not prevent being overtaken by Chris Walker (Ducati) and Regis Laconi (Ducati) in the final part of the race. The first race was won by Italian Frankie Chili (Ducati) after Ruben Xaus (Ducati) and Regis Laconi crashed out. Second was series leader Neil Hodgson (Ducati), with young Briton James Toseland (Ducati) third. Ruben Xaus took command after just three laps and from then on in; he was never headed on the way to the chequered flag. Second was his team mate Hodgson, with Chris Walker (Ducati) third.

GREGORIO LAVILLA Race 1: DNF Race 2: 5th
I was so determined to get a result in the second race after my crash in the first. Nothing was going to stop me from a finish and although I was in third position for a while, I knew I couldn’t keep Walker and Laconi behind me. At the end of the race, I was dead! I hurt my right hip, foot and hand and gave myself a good battering all over. Because of this, I couldn’t move around on the bike like I wanted to. And Laguna Seca is a very physical circuit and you need to move around a lot. Because my number one was badly damaged in the first race crash, I had to use my spare bike and it was a bit different, so all in all I am pretty happy with such a good finish. In the first race, I had made a really good start (in the second start) and was comfortable in third place. But the bike was losing grip almost from the beginning ­ I had never ridden a bike quite like it ­ as it was spinning everywhere. Maybe we should’ve changed the rear tyre after the race was red-flagged on the first lap. Maybe the change of temperature affected it more then we realised. But I highsided and that was the end of the race for me. ­ A real pity because I was confident of a good result.

Yoshimura Suzuki USA rider Mat Mladin led the first race for six laps and looked a podium contender, but faded a little and ended up fourth. His team mate Aaron Yates was involved in the first lap five ­rider pile-up, but made the re-start and finished sixth. Mladin did not start the second race (under the weather and unable to give 100% -according to the Yoshimura Suzuki USA press release). Aaron Yates was in fourth place in race two, but crashed out of contention at the last corner after 24 laps.


More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist:

2003 World Superbike Championship
Round 8, Laguna Seca, Usa, Sunday 13th July 2003
Crowd: 92,000 (3-day figure), Weather: Dry, mostly sunny 24 Deg C.

FRUSTRATION FOR TROY
Troy had a frustrating day at Laguna Seca, ending with a DNF in the second race after a hard-fought-for eighth in the first. Laguna Seca was always going to be a difficult track for Troy and the Petronas FP1, but after the first race, Troy was thinking of another top eight finish in the second. But a broken spark plug cap ruined Troy’s chances of a pair of good finishes and left him thinking of what could’ve been. Troy made a good start in race one, but was then involved in a five-rider melee at turn one and was forced to take to the gravel trap. His Petronas stalled and Troy appeared to be out of the race, but the red flag was put out and Troy was able to make the re-start. He rode consistently in the re-start and ended up eighth. Italian Frankie Chili (Ducati) won the 28-lapper after race leaders Ruben Xaus (Ducati) and Regis Laconi (Ducati) crashed out. Second was series leader Neil Hodgson (Ducati), with James Toseland (Ducati) third.

Troy made a good start in the second race, but his Petronas FP1 started running hot after about three or four laps. He tried to carry on, but when the bike went onto two cylinders he knew his race was over, so he pulled into the pits to avoid further damage. Ruben Xaus won the race, after taking command after three laps, with team mate Hodgson second and Chris Walker (third).

TROY Race 1: 8th Race 2: DNF
I feel a bit frustrated because I really thought I could leave here with a pair of top eight finishes and that would’ve been a good result considering qualifying. I suppose I was fortunate that the first race was red-flagged because that would’ve been a no-score otherwise. I had nowhere to go in the pile-up, but I kept the bike upright and went into the gravel. The bike stalled and I couldn’t get it started again, so it’s just as well there was a re-start. The gear lever had to be replaced because it was so badly bent, but that was all. The tyres worked consistently, but I was losing the back end running into corners, so it took me a few laps to change my lines and adapt. I got a good start in race two and overtook a few riders into turn one, but it wasn’t long – maybe three or four laps – that the temperature gauge began moving erratically. The water temperature went up to about 115 C and some of it sprayed over me, but I wanted to keep going. The suddenly the bike went onto two cylinders and slowed dramatically, so I had no choice but to pull in. It was a shame because I’m sure I could’ve had another top eight finish.



More, from a press release issued by Yoyodyne:

Bravo Frankie, Bravo!

Morristown, – Marvic and Yoyodyne congratulate Pier Francesco Chili on his Superbike win at Laguna Seca. Frankie’s Ducati, equipped with Marvic Piuma magnesium wheels, finished ahead of the nearest competitor in the race by 3.06 seconds.

With this win, Marvic now has wins in World Championship 125cc, 250cc and Superbike racing. In the US, Marvic recently added wins in Prostar Drag racing.

In order to celebrate this World Superbike win, Yoyodyne will include $306 worth of Carbon Fiber or Rearsets with every set of Marvic Magnesium wheels purchased now through the end of July.

About Marvic and Yoyodyne. Marvic is Italy’s oldest manufacturer of Magnesium racing wheels. Wheels are produced for motorcycles ranging from 125cc GP bikes to Big Bore Drag bikes. Yoyodyne is the North American agent for Marvic, as well as a manufacturer/distributor of motorcycle racing products.


More, from a press release issued by Corona Extra Suzuki:

CORONA EXTRA SUZUKI SHINES AT LAGUNA SECA AMA AND WORLD SUPERBIKE EVENT

In front of the world Superbike Series media and an estimated 90,000 fans, Corona Extra Suzuki rider Adam Fergusson put both of his GSXR race bikes on the podium at a beautifully sunny Laguna Seca this weekend. The Team was without the services of Jimmy Moore who is recovering from injuries sustained at the last event in Brainerd.

In the Formula Extreme race, Fergusson, starting from number two on the grid, got a good start, settling into third spot after the first lap. The three leaders quickly opened a gap on the rest of the field. Second place Jake Zemke had jumped the start and had to pull in for a stop-go penalty which he did on lap three leaving Adam in second but with a fair deficit to make up on the leader Ben Spies. Though he started to close the gap Fergusson just was not able to make a challenge by the finish. A clearly happy Fergusson said; ” I didn’t try too hard to get by Jake (Zemke) because I saw the meatball flag for him (which tells the rider they have a penalty) so knew he was going to pull in. But by the time he did Ben (Spies) had just too big a gap on me. Still I am very pleased to put the GSXR1000 on the box and make it a 1,2,3 for Suzuki!” Fergusson remains 5th in the Formula Extreme championship but is now tied for points with fourth place Zemke. Moore is 11th.

The sunny weather also shone on Jordan Szoke in the Superbike event where Jordan got his best result of the season – 7th. Szoke, who qualified 9th, got a good start and started mixing it up with a number of riders. He passed four or five then set out on a lonely quest for the next, but they had already got away. Jordan said; “I worked my through a bunch of guys but by the time I got clear I couldn’t see the guy in front so I settled down to ride my own race”. Szoke is currently 11th in the Superbike championship.

In the Superstock event, Fergusson qualified in third and after a good start quickly worked up to second. He held second until lap 10 when a number of front-end slides slowed him down and costing him the position. He settled down into a rhythm and rode to the finish well clear of fourth. Fergusson said; “After about 10 laps the front end started sliding slowing my corner speed. After Tommy (Hayden) got passed I tried to hang with him but kept losing the front end so decided that third was OK rather then falling off trying for second!” Fergusson is 4th in the Suzuki Genuine Accessories Superstock championship. Moore is 10th.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The following is the contract status of various AMA road racers in America as of Sunday, July 13. The status of each rider listed here has been been confirmed by the rider, their personal manager or their current team manager.


Riders Who Are Now (Or Were) On Honda Teams
Miguel Duhamel – available
Ben Bostrom – options with Honda for 2004
Kurtis Roberts – available
Jake Zemke – signed with Honda through 2004
Roger Lee Hayden – available
Alex Gobert – available
Marty Craggill – available
Craig Connell – available
Ty Howard – available
Chris Rankin – available
Jason Curtis – available
Lance Isaacs – available
Doug Chandler – available


Riders Who Are Now (Or Were) On Suzuki Teams
Mat Mladin – signed with Suzuki through 2005
Aaron Yates – available
Ben Spies – options with Suzuki for 2004
Jamie Stauffer – available
Steve Rapp – available
Chris Ulrich – available
Matt Furtek – multi-year options with Valvoline EMGO Suzuki
Jordan Szoke – available
Adam Fergusson – available
Jimmy Moore – available
Jason Pridmore – available
Josh Hayes – available
Mike Ciccotto – unknown
Vincent Haskovec – available
Lee Acree – available


Riders Who Are Now On Yamaha Teams
Damon Buckmaster – signed with Yamaha through 2004
Jamie Hacking – available
Aaron Gobert – available
Jason DiSalvo – options with Yamaha for 2004
Matt Wait – available
Mike Hale – available


Riders Who Are Now On Kawasaki Teams
Eric Bostrom – signed with Kawasaki through 2004
Tommy Hayden – available
Tony Meiring – signed with Kawasaki through 2004


Riders Who Are Now (Or Were) On Ducati Teams
Giovanni Bussei – available
Larry Pegram – available
Anthony Gobert – available

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom got the worst of the first-lap, turn-two, five-rider pile-up in the first World Superbike race at Laguna Seca Sunday, but the AMA Superbike Championship hopeful says his injuries are actually minor, despite the ominous information released by the Laguna Seca press office shortly after the crash.

“I banged up my shoulder and my back, but I’ll be alright. Just take it easy for a couple of weeks and get ready for Mid-Ohio,” Bostrom said Sunday evening while sitting in the Kawasaki transporter with his right arm in a sling.

Bostrom suffered a dislocated right shoulder in the incident, but the shoulder was relocated into its socket in the medical center at Laguna Seca. Although he has no broken bones, Bostrom plans to visit famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. Arthur Ting Monday for an MRI scan “to be safe.”

Originally, Bostrom said he did not have a good chance to do well in the World Superbike races on his less powerful 750cc machine, but those feelings changed during Sunday morning warm-up at Laguna Seca. “We made a lot of really good changes to the bike that I wish we would’ve known about yesterday,” said Bostrom. “I felt like we had a bike that could run 1:26s for a long time. I’m disappointed.”

Update: At about 1:15 p.m. Monday, Bostrom was undergoing an MRI at Dr. Art Ting’s office in Fremont, California.

Chris Ulrich underwent an MRI at Dr. Ting’s office Monday morning and was awaiting analysis of the MRI when Bostrom arrived for his MRI.