Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The Corona Extra TiForce Endurance Suzuki GSX-R1000 appeared to developed problems Sunday during the morning warm-up practice before the start of the 8-Hours at Suzuka Circuit.

Adam Fergusson was riding the team’s bike when it began smoking badly coming onto the front straight. Fergusson slowed, pulled off the front straightaway to rider’s left, parked the bike against a barrier and ran back to the pits. The full extent of the damage to the Corona machine was not known at post time, but team members said they did have a spare X-Formula engine.

More details as they become available.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Official Second Hour Results:

1. Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki, JSB, 52 laps
2. Team Sakurai Honda 71, SB, -12.439 seconds
3. YSP & Presto Racing, JSB, -39.277 seconds
4. Weider Honda ATS DDBoys, JSB, -61.320 seconds
5. Wins Factory & Vega Sports, JSB, -94.743 seconds
6. Zongshen Suzuki 1, SP, -108.232 seconds
7. Corona Light TiForce Endurance, SP, -109.634 seconds
8. Team Cha-llenger, JSB, -127.644 seconds
9. Team 22 & Tsukigi Racing, SP, -133.486 seconds
10. F.C.C. TSR, JSB, -1 lap
11. Zongshen Suzuki 2, SP, -1 lap

13. Suzuki GB Phase One, SP, -1 lap
14. Clever Wolf Racing Team, XF1, -1 lap

16. Corona Extra TiForce Endurance, XF1, -1 lap

40. Project Big-1, XF2, -3 laps

51. Team Little Wing, ST, -6 laps

Out of race:

Yoshimura Suzuki GP1 Daxim, crash
Seven Stars Honda 11, crash
Seven Stars Honda 7, mechanical
Team Sakurai Honda 74, crash

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Official Hour Three Results:

1. Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki, JSB, 79 laps
2. Team Sakurai Honda 71, SB, -12.421 seconds
3. Weider Honda ATS DDBoys, JSB, -80.770 seconds
4. YSP & Presto Racing, JSB, -118.330 second
5. Team Cha-llenger, JSB, -1 lap
6. Wins Factory & Vega Sports, JSB, -1 lap
7. Zongshen Suzuki 1, SP, -1 lap
8. Corona Light TiForce Endurance, SP, -1 lap
9. Team 22 & Tsukigi Racing, SP, -1 lap
10. Suzuki GB Phase One, SP, -2 laps

12. Clever Wolf Racing Team, XF1, -2 laps
13. F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team, XF1, -2 laps

18. Corona Extra TiForce Endurance, XF1, -3 laps

24. Zongshen Suzuki 2, SP, -3 laps

37. Project Big-1, XF2, -5 laps

44. Team Little Wing, ST, -8 laps

Out of the race:

Seven Stars Honda 7, SB, crash, mechanical – engine

Moto Liberty Arata-EX & Kiss-FM, XF1, mechanical – engine

Team Sakurai Honda 74, SB, crash

Seven Stars Honda 11, SB, crash

Yoshimura Suzuki GP1 Daxim, crash

YSP & Presto served a 20-second stop-and-go penalty for a refueling violation.

Masked Rider 555 Honda lost time in the third hour when the crew cross-threaded the front axle during a wheel change.

Doug Polen’s Moto Liberty Arata-EX & Kiss-FM effort dropped out with a blown engine on lap 43.

Moriwaki Motul Racing lost time when its trick, quick-pattern-change shifter broke and had to be repaired.

Zongshen Suzuki 2 lost two laps when its rear brake locked up and had to be removed during a pit stop.

Corona Extra TiForce Endurance lost time when a rear tire lost air pressure.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Three X-Formula Division Two teams have been added to the grid of the 26th Suzuka 8-Hours race at the recommendation of the race organizers, Suzuka Circuitland Co., Ltd.

The three XF2 teams added–Project Big 1 (Honda CB1300SF), Boxer Sports Club (BMW R1100S), and La Bellezza Speed (Ducati Monster S4)–recorded qualifying times within 115 percent of the provisional pole time during Friday qualifying, as required by the rules, but were not fast enough to be in the top 66 teams.

The maximum capacity of the Suzuka 8-Hours grid is 66 bikes.

The race organizers, however, exercised their option to add four teams and added the above mentioned three XF Division Two squads plus Honda Kohyokai & Auto Technic, the 67th-fastest qualifiers.

Why XF Division Two teams Team Surf Jaja (D. Suzuki/E. Samura) and Spec-A Yamamoto Racing (M. Lane/T. Tuda) were not chosen even though they qualified faster than Boxer Sports Club and La Bellezza Speed was not indicated on the starting grid printout.

None of the five X-Formula Division Two teams entered at Suzuka qualified within the top 66 times.

From a press release issued by Seven Stars Honda:

The 8 hr race finished after one lap for the #11 Seven Stars Honda of Nicky Hayden and Ryuichi Kiyonari. During the first lap, one machine cruised the track spraying oil all over it. Five machines crashed at Turn 1 including #11 Hayden, #12 Atsushi Watanabe of Yoshimura and #74 Tady Okada. Those machines were carried back to the pit by a wrecker. #11 machine had been repaired and re-started but was black-flagged as the organizer considered that the #11 had been retired when it got on the wrecker.

Nicky Hayden:
There was no oil flag shown at the straight when I got into my second lap. I saw it getting into the Turn 1 but it was too late as the machine started to slide by then. I couldn’t do anything at that moment. If I had seen it earlier, I could have slowed down. All the hard works ended with only one lap and I feel bad for the team staff who worked so hard.

Ryuichi Kiyonari

I was worried about Nicky when I saw him crash. Then I was black-flagged when I was riding after the pit-works and I was disappointed. I still don’t want to believe our race had finished.

Koji Nakajima, the General Manager

Due to the following reasons, we can not consent with the situation which occurred today: First, although the track condition was dangerous after lap 1 with oil spray all over it, oil flag was not shown at the main straight. Another point is that the machines were put on the wrecker and brought back to the pit following the decision by the organizer. Mr. Isoyo Sugimoto, the Clerk of the Course, explained that it was his decision to put the machines on the wrecker as he thought it was dangerous for the riders to push the machine from Turn 1 to the pit.

Therefore, the machines and riders were put on the wrecker against their wishes. But the organizer stated they were regarded as non-finishers as they got on the wrecker. The situation is totally unacceptable to us. In our opinion, the race should have been stopped at the moment and we think that the organizer is not thinking of the safety seriously. As we can not accept the situation, we made a protest to the Jury. However, no answer had been given at the time of 3:00 p.m. Meanwhile, #11 machine restarted the race after repairing works, but was black-flagged.

As Mr. Fujio Yoshimura had said, spectators who are here this year are enthusiasts and were disappointed by the situation where top teams had disappeared soon after the start. It was lucky that no rider had been seriously injured today, but we would strongly request to the organizer to improve their safety measures.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Official Hour Six Results:

1. Jenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, 159 laps
2. Team Sakurai Honda 71, Honda RC51, SB, -83.368 seconds
3. YSP & Presto Racing, Yamaha YZF-R1, JSB, -1 lap
4. Team Cha-llenger, Yamaha YZF-R1, JSB, -2 laps
5. F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team, Honda CBR954RR, XF1, -2 laps
6. Corona Light TiForce Endurance, Suzuki GSX-R1000, SP, -4 laps
7. Suzuki GB Phase One, Suzuki GSX-R1000, SP, -4 laps
8. Team 22 & Tsukigi Racing, Suzuki GSX-R1000, SP, -4 laps
9. Clever Wolf Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R1/7, XF1, -4 laps
10. Corona Extra TiForce Endurance, Suzuki GSX-R1000, XF1, -5 laps

13. Wins Factory & Vega Sports, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, -5 laps
14. Zongshen Suzuki 2, Suzuki GSX-R1000, SP, -6 laps
15. Moriwaki Motul Racing, Honda CBR954RR, XF1, -6 laps
16. Weider Honda ATS DDBoys, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, -5 laps

18. Masked Rider 555 Honda, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, -6 laps
19. F.C.C. TSR, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, -6 laps

34. Project Big 1, Honda CB1300SF, XF2, -12 laps

42. Driver Stand R.T., Suzuki GSX-R1000, ST, -16 laps

Shortly after the six hour mark, Kenz JTrust was called into the pits to serve a 20-second stop-and-go penalty. After holding a 65-second lead the lap before the penalty, the team returned to the track with a 30-second lead.

At the start of the seventh hour, the signal was given to turn on the lights of race machines.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Seven Stars Honda 11’s Nicky Hayden is out of the Suzuka 8-Hours race, according to sources with the team.

Seven Stars Honda 11 was excluded from the results when Hayden received help from the crash truck to get back to the pits. A press officer for Seven Stars Honda 11 confirmed that the team was out of the race.

In addition, Yoshimura Suzuki GP1 Daxim and Sakurai Honda 74 are also out of the race for receiving assistance to get back to the pits.

According to Hayden’s father, Earl, Nicky Hayden saw oil flags displayed as he entered turn one, slowed down but still crashed along with Atsushi Watanabe. Hayden may have suffered some road rash on a thumb, according to his father, but was otherwise uninjured.

Okada, who crashed in the same spot as Hayden and Watanabe one lap later, may have crashed in the same oil.

English-speaking Suzuka Circuit media center staffers could not confirm that oil was on the track.

One unidentified bike was seen smoking on the first lap of the race on television monitors.


According to a Seven Stars Honda 11 press officer, the team is protesting the decision to exclude them from the results. Their grounds for the protest is that Hayden did not ask for the assistance of the crash truck to come back to the pits. The team is repairing its bike and preparing to re-enter the race. Stay tuned for details as they become available.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Official Hour Five Results:

1. Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, 133 laps
2. Team Sakurai Honda 71, Honda RC51, SB, -53.738 seconds
3. YSP & Presto Racing, Yamaha YZF-R1, JSB, -1 lap
4. Team Cha-llenger, Yamaha YZF-R1, JSB, -1 lap
5. F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team, Honda CBR954RR, XF1, -2 laps
6. Wins Factory & Vega Sports, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, -2 laps
7. Corona Light TiForce Endurance, Suzuki GSX-R1000, SP, -2 laps
8. Team 22 & Tsukigi Racing, Suzuki GSX-R1000, SP, -3 laps
9. Suzuki GB Phase One, Suzuki GSX-R1000, SP, -3 laps
10. Clever Wolf Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R1/7, XF1, -3 laps

13. Corona Extra TiForce Endurance, Suzuki GSX-R1000, XF1, -4 laps
14. Weider Honda ATS DDBoys, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, -5 laps
15. F.C.C. TSR, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, -5 laps
16. Zongshen Suzuki 2, Suzuki GSX-R1000, SP, -5 laps

19. Moriwaki Motul Racing, Honda CBR954RR, XF1, -5 laps

34. Project Big 1, Honda CB1300SF, XF2, -9 laps

42. Driver Stand R.T., Suzuki GSX-R1000, ST, -14 laps

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Attack Stage Results:

1. Yoshimura Suzuki GP1 Daxim Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, Y. Kagayama, 2:07.655

2. Seven Stars Honda 7, Honda RC51, SB, H. Izutsu, 2:08.532

3. Masked Rider 555 Honda, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, Y. Takahashi, 2:08.598

4. Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, K. Fujiwara, 2:08.904

5. Seven Stars Honda 11, Honda RC51, SB, Y. Kiyonari, 2:09.245

6. Team Sakurai Honda, 71 Honda RC51, SB, G. Kamada, 2:09.523

7. Team Sakurai Honda 74, Honda RC51, SB, C. Kameya, 2:09.673

8. Corona Extra TiForce Endurance, Suzuki GSX-R1000, XF1, A. Gobert, 2:09.921

9. F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team, Honda CBR954RR, XF1, T. Tsujimura, 2:10.065

10. Wins Factory & Vega Sports, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, H. Kawase, 2:10.096

11. Weider ATS DDBoys, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, H. Aoki, 2:10.159

12. Alpha OMC Racing Supply, Suzuki GSX-R1000, Y. Konno, 2:10.964

13. Team Cha-llenger, Yamaha YZF-R1, JSB, N. Fujiwara, 2:11.242

14. Moriwaki Motul Racing, Honda CBR954RR, R. Tsuruta, 2:12.787

15. Garfield RSK, Suzuki GSX-R1000, XF1, H. Ogata, 2:13.464

16. Team Etching Factory 15, Yamaha YZF-R1, XF1, S. Takemi, 2:12.981

17. F.C.C. TSR, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, T. Mori, 2:14.189

18. RS-Itoh & Kaze, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, SB, S. Karita, 2:15.102

19. Club Yamaha Motorcycle Racing, Yamaha YZF-R1/7, XF1, A. Morita, 2:19.047

20. YSP & Presto Racing, Yamaha YZF-R1, JSB, W. Yoshikawa, no time, crash

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Official Hour Four Results:

1. Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki, JSB, 105 laps
2. Team Sakurai Honda 71, SB, -35.053 seconds
3. YSP & Presto Racing, JSB, -1 lap
4. Team Cha-llenger, JSB, -1 lap
5. Wins Factory & Vega Sports, JSB, -1 lap
6. Corona Light TiForce Endurance, SP, -2 laps
7. F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team, XF1, -2 laps
8. Team 22 & Tsukigi Racing, SP, -2 laps
9. Weider Honda ATS DDBoys, JSB, -2 laps
10. Suzuki GB Phase One, SP, -3 laps

13. Corona Extra TiForce Endurance, XF1, -3 laps

17. Zongshen Suzuki 2, SP, -3 laps

19. Moriwaki Motul Racing, XF1, -5 laps

35. Project Big-1, XF2, -7 laps

40. Team Little Wing, ST, -10 laps


Out of the race:

Seven Stars Honda 7, SB, crash, mechanical – engine

Zongshen Suzuki 1, SP, mechanical – frame

Moto Liberty Arata-EX & Kiss-FM, XF1, mechanical – engine

Team Sakurai Honda 74, SB, crash

Seven Stars Honda 11, SB, crash

Yoshimura Suzuki GP1 Daxim, crash



Weider Honda ATS DDBoys dropped from the overall lead, at one point, to ninth due to a problem with rear-wheel quick-change hardware. The team feels the problem, which slowed them on two pit stops during the race, is completely fixed, according to translator Nobuatsu Aoki.

Proton Team KR MotoGP rider Aoki is at the race supporting his older brother Haruchika, who is racing with Weider Honda ATS DDBoys.

Heat Magic by Wins Factory had worked up to 14th overall after three hours, but one crash dropped the JSB team back to 49th overall.

F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team, the pole sitters, had problems early-on and finished the first hour in 38th. By the end of the fourth hour they had worked back up to seventh overall and the lead in the X-Formula One class.