Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Graves Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo crashed at 172 mph Tuesday during tire testing at Daytona International Speedway when the Dunlop rear tire failed on his Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock racebike.

Looking surprisingly well, DiSalvo returned to the Speedway Wednesday and spoke with Roadracingworld.com about his get-off.

“The tires were working great through the infield and up until that point, actually,” said DiSalvo. “They were spinning like normal. You’re like sideways on the banking the whole way around. For me, I can’t go wide open on the banking until I’m a quarter of the way around.

“I had it pinned. I started to drop down and apexed (NASCAR Turn) four. Just as I was letting it drift back out, I was in there tucked and the next thing I knew I was sideways and it highsided me.

“I kind of remember it chattered like four times, I started to roll off the gas and I highsided – all within the course of a second. It was totally nuts. And it was completely unexpected, too. It gave no warning signs at all, no vibrations, nothing like that.

“I was smoking it up pretty good, but I talked to the tire technicians from Dunlop. They said that doesn’t hurt the tire at all. It just creates surface heat. It doesn’t really create the kind of heat that’s bad, the core heat. They said, ‘You can spin that thing all you want. You’re not hurting it.’

“We were doing race distance. I was on my 11th lap. Up until then I was 1:49s and 1:50s the whole time. I only did one 1:51.1, and that’s because I ran way wide in turn one. But I was solid 1:49-1:50 the whole time, which I think is a pretty good 200 pace. I was pretty stoked.”

Although he suffered a mild concussion and temporary memory loss immediately after the incident Tuesday, DiSalvo remembered every detail of his nearly 400-foot slide down the straightaway.

“I went off and hit my back first,’ said DiSalvo. “That’s where all the bruising and friction burns are, on my back. Then I was sliding on my back and my side mainly. I tried to move around because everything was getting real hot. I used my hands because I was trying to steer myself away from the outside wall. Then I remember going through on my elbows real quick. As soon as it went through on my elbows, I dug my heel in and flipped myself up so I could start rolling. I rolled and rolled and rolled. That was hurting pretty bad, so I laid back down and started to slide again. I actually got positioned right on my back protector, so I could keep everything (arms and legs) up. Then my back protector started to get hot, too, so I dug my heel in again and started to roll some more. And that’s when I finally stopped. They say it was more than a football field that I slid.”

DiSalvo suffered extensive friction burns and bruising over much of his back but only a few small abrasions on his hands and elbows where his gloves and leathers burned through.

“Even though I feel pretty stiff and sore today, they asked me if I wanted to ride today and I actually had to think about it. It’s only a test, so why go out there and put my body through more. If it was race day, there’s no doubt I would ride. I think I could do pretty good, too,” boasted the 19-year-old New Yorker.

In fact, DiSalvo said the whole incident did little to shake his confidence in Dunlop’s tires. “If Dunlop says they’ve got a tire that will last for the race then that’s cool with me,” DiSalvo told Roadracingworld.com. “They said that this tire would last race-distance, but there’s so many variables. Maybe there was debris on the track. Maybe it was a one-off bad tire. Nobody knows. If they said they could give me a tire that would do race distance then I would ride on it for sure.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA and Daytona International Speedway officials have contacted or plan to contact representatives from Michelin and Pirelli, to ask them to test tires at the Florida track on January 25-26, 2004. Dunlop will also attend the test.

The AMA and Daytona officials are trying to determine if the recent serious tire woes experienced by Dunlop riders at the Speedway are symptomatic of a problem with 1000cc Superbikes and Superstock machines or if they are related to some problem with Dunlop’s design, construction or quality control.

An exploding 16.5-inch Dunlop slick on a Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike sent Ben Spies sliding at 186 mph at Daytona in October, and an exploding 17-inch Dunlop slick on a Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock bike threw Jason DiSalvo at 172 mph yesterday.

No tires run on Superbike and Superstock racebikes exploded during a Michelin tire test at Daytona December 4-6. During that test, 16.5-inch Superbike slicks were tested on Ducati Austin 999 Superbikes and on Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R1000s in Superstock trim. Valvoline EMGO Suzuki also tested 17-inch treaded tires and slicks on the GSX-R1000s, at Michelin’s request. The Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R1000s reached 182.5 mph across the tri-oval during the test, while the Ducati Austin 999 reached 184 mph, measured with a radar gun.

Pirelli Racing Manager Jeff Johnston, reached via cell phone while he was visiting West Coast Pirelli racing tire distributors Wednesday, said that he has not heard anything from Daytona or AMA officials about the proposed emergency tire test at the Florida Superspeedway.

“We would love to come down and test on those days and will be able to give a firm commitment after I speak to our international racing manager, Eddie Roberts,” said Johnston. “We’ve never had a problem with a steel-belted-radial tire at Daytona, and we’ve been racing there with our steel-belted radials since 1995. While it’s a unique layout and racetrack, for us it’s really about compound development rather than about safety development. Of course, both are related to an extent. At this upcoming test with good teams and good equipment we should be able to turn more-than-competitive times with our current product, and think we would still have enough time to develop some new tires to test, also. Pirelli has consistently proven with excellent results at Daytona that we make products that are up to the task in terms of competitive lap times and in terms of providing riders with a safe product to compete on.”

From a press release issued by Dunlop:

Dunlop increases AMA road racing support in 2004

Daytona Beach, FL, – Dunlop Motorcycle Tires has intensified its tire development program in the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, and Dunlop-sponsored tire tests in the coming 2004 season. In the past, Dunlop’s U.S. racing effort has been supported by product and technical assistance from Dunlop United Kingdom (U.K.). This collaboration has resulted in the development of specialty tires for the vast majority of racetracks on today’s AMA calendar. The uniqueness of many American circuits demands this specialized development program. As a result of our commitment to this ongoing program, Dunlop has won more AMA road racing championships than all the other tires manufacturers combined.

For 2004, Dunlop will increase its commitment to AMA road racing with additional support from Dunlop U.K. This support will include technical engineering and service engineering personnel on hand at every AMA Superbike round. “As a result of the regulation changes in the World Superbike Championship, we now have the opportunity to acquire the services of those individuals previously responsible for Dunlop’s World Superbike tire development,” said Dunlop Senior Road Race Manager, Jim Allen.

“The combination of top riders, and world class equipment with unique power and weight characteristics provides an opportunity to further our tire development,” remarked Dunlop U.K.’s Manager ­ Motorcycle Race, David Watkins.

“Dunlop recognizes the AMA Superbike series is now the premier Superbike class in the world,” said Dunlop’s Mike Buckley, Vice President of Motorcycle Tires. “We are excited that the AMA series will represent the cutting-edge of our tire development, and are looking forward to an increased level of development with the talented teams and riders on the AMA circuit. Increasing Dunlop’s technical support in the U.S. to the World Championship level could not have come at a better time. Motorcycle technology is growing rapidly and the riders in the AMA series are pushing the limit.”

In preparation for the upcoming year and for the 63rd Daytona 200, Dunlop is proud to host the 2003 Dunlop Daytona Tire Test, December 8-10. The annual three-day event, which started over a decade ago, is used to develop and test racing tires specifically for use during the series opener at Daytona International Speedway on March 6. On hand for the Daytona Tire Test are Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha factory teams, as well as the Attack Kawasaki, Graves Motorsports Yamaha, and Erion Racing Honda teams.

In the AMA’s 600 Supersport and 750 Superstock classes, Dunlop racers have won a mind-boggling 32 out of a possible 33 championships, including both titles once again in 2003. In the ultra-competitive, high-profile AMA Superbike class, Dunlop has won 18 titles, including the last 14 in a row – an unprecedented streak.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster finished the 2003 AMA road racing season while afflicted with an inguinal, or scrotal, hernia that caused him a great deal of pain and left him weakened due to not being able to train.

“It’s just something that happens. There’s a weakness in the abdominal wall and the intestines push through. It’s pretty uncomfortable,” Buckmaster told Roadracingworld.com Monday at Daytona International Speedway during the annual Dunlop tire test. “Males are more prone to it because we tend to lift heavier things and that all contributes to it, but if you’re gonna get it, you’re probably gonna get it anyway, you know. It’s genetics.”

Buckmaster said he only told Yamaha Team Manager Tom Halverson and Graves Yamaha team owner Chuck Graves about his situation after it was discovered following the Mid-Ohio round in July. However, the 30-year-old Australian then took his first-ever AMA Supersport race win at the next AMA event, at Virginia International Raceway.

“The biggest area where it affected me was training; I couldn’t train,” said Buckmaster, adding that he hadn’t trained for a month before the VIR race. “That’s what I noticed more on the motorcycle. It wasn’t the fact that it was hurting so much, it was the fact that I lost fitness. It hurt me in that sense.”

Buckmaster had surgery to repair the hernia in early-October and said after one month he was back to full strength and his full training regimen.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

American Honda’s Ben Bostrom turned a 1:48.218 on his new CBR1000RR Superbike Tuesday morning at Daytona International Speedway. Not only was the lap the fastest so far of the three-day Dunlop tire test, the time was faster than Bostrom’s own pole position qualifying time of 1:48.376 for the 2003 Daytona 200 by Arai.

According to Merlyn Plumlee, Bostrom’s Crew Chief, the lap time came while Bostrom was making five-lap test runs on development Dunlop tires and pointed out that the CBR1000RR is “not anywhere near finished.”

Riding the second CBR1000RR that just arrived at the track Monday evening, Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke was second-fastest Tuesday morning with a 1:48.632, within his first 25 laps. Just before breaking for lunch, Zemke turned a 1:47.152, which would have been under the existing lap record, but Zemke admitted to blowing through the chicane on that lap. Zemke’s bike, however, was recorded at 192 mph through the tri-oval on team radar guns.

“Not bad for a crate bike,” joked Zemke. “Just wait ‘til we get it broken in.”

Third-fastest Tuesday morning – and not happy about it – was Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin.

“I haven’t been a second off the pace for a while,” said Mladin. “They’re (Honda) already under the pole position time from last year testing tires, and we’re riding our ass off to be a second off the pace.”

Mladin feels the 2004 AMA Superbike rules requiring stock throttle bodies and airboxes on Superbikes have resulted in his Suzuki GSX-R1000’s reduction in top speed and slower lap times.

“We’re doing 183-184 mph. In August during the tire test we were doing 186-187 mph. They’re (Honda) doing 190 mph,” said Mladin. “I did a 1:48.2 in August when it was pretty hot. Now I’m pushing to do a 1:49.4.

“You ever ride so hard to be one second off the pace?” Mladin asked teammate Aaron Yates.

“It’s a f—king joke,” answered Yates.

Yates is the only rider to crash so far in the test, falling Monday afternoon one lap after recording his fastest time of that day, a 1:49.877. He did a 1:49.776 Tuesday morning to be fourth-fastest overall.

Once again a Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock bike was able to top Yates on the lap time charts Tuesday morning, as happened Monday. Although Yates was concentrating on testing tires Tuesday, Jason DiSalvo’s 1:49.508 was third-fastest overall and impressive nonetheless.

There are only two Superstock-specific tires for riders to evaluate at the test versus 15 different rears and four different front tires for the Superbike riders to get through. According to Dunlop National Road Race Manager Jim Allen, most of the Superstock tires will be constructed with the same compounds and carcasses of the Superbike tires, only in a 17-inch diameter.

Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking, the fastest Supersport rider of the test so far, spent Tuesday morning working on his YZF-R6 Supersport bikes. Mechanic Jefferson Burks said the 2003 AMA Supersport Champion was comparing a 2003-spec bike with a 2004-spec bike and looking for “that little bit we were missing last year at Daytona.”

At noon Tuesday, Hacking’s best time (1:52.376) was 0.4-second faster than Miguel Duhamel’s Daytona Supersport lap record (1:52.785).

Dunlop representatives declared that the track would be open all day, without a lunch break, but most riders and teams stopped for a break around 12:30 p.m. local time.

The weather continues to be near ideal for testing with the ambient temperature topping 70 degrees F shortly after noon, but the Dunlop men are concerned with the forecasted chance of rain on Wednesday.

Tuesday morning lap times (as provided by AMA Pro Racing Timing & Scoring):

1. Ben Bostrom, Honda CBR1000RR Superbike, 1:48.218
2. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR1000RR Superbike, 1:48.632
3. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:49.416
4. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:49.508
5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:49.776
6. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:50.809
7. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki ZX-10R Superstock, 1:51.316
8. Roger Lee Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-10R Superstock, 1:51.768
9. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-10R Superstock, 1:51.846
10. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:52.376
11. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:52.384
12. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:52.573
13. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:52.896
14. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:53.562
15. Alex Gobert, Honda CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:54.999
16. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:55.304

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The media guide for the 2004-model Suzuki GSX-R600 boasts Titanium valves, a significantly higher rev-limit and class-leading dry weight, but on the track at Daytona International Speedway during the annual Dunlop tire test, the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600 Supersport racer is lacking.

At the end of day one of the test, 2002 AMA Supersport Champion Aaron Yates had turned a best time of 1:55.323 on the paint-less Suzuki compared to the fastest Supersport lap time of the day, a 1:52.792 by Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo.

“It feels good, it’s pretty comfortable, it seems to handle pretty well, but it doesn’t pull too good,” Yates told Roadracingworld.com Tuesday. “We’re gonna try something and try it again tomorrow (Wednesday).”

Unlike the 2004 Honda CBR1000RR, which arrived at Daytona in a crate in ready-to-race condition, Yoshimura Suzuki’s 2004 lone Suzuki GSX-R600 arrived as a streetbike in a crate at their race shop in California 10 days before it was loaded in the truck.

“We only had a-week-and-a-half before it left,” said Yoshimura Suzuki team manager Don Sakakura. “We only had time to mount a pipe, do some slight (fuel-injection/ignition) mapping on the dyno and mount some bodywork.”

From a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway’s press department:

Speeds Pick Up On Day 2 Of Dunlop Tire Test At Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (Dec. 9, 2003) — Honda stayed atop the speed charts during the second day of Dunlop tire testing on Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the 63rd Daytona 200 By Arai on Saturday, March 6.



Ben Bostrom, aboard the Honda CBR1000RR, broke the one minute, 47-second barrier in the Tuesday afternoon session with a fast lap of 1:47.650 seconds. The Daytona 200 By Arai pole record held by Nicky Hayden is 1:47.174, which was set in 2002 with Dunlop qualifying tires.

“We’re making big head way, but we still have more to go,” Bostrom said.

Honda also had a second Honda CBR1000RR on track on Tuesday for riders Miguel Duhamel and Jake Zemke to shake down. Both riders turned laps in the one-minute, 48-second range.

Duhamel is chasing his fifth Daytona 200 By Arai victory, which would tie him at the top of the wins list with Scott Russell.



Unlike past years, Duhamel won’t be racing in Supersport in 2004, where he has a record six victories at Daytona. Instead, the Canadian rider will compete in the inaugural Daytona Lockhart-Phillips Formula Xtreme event, which will be held on Thursday, March 4.

Duhamel has spent most of the Dunlop tire test developing the new Xtreme bike.

“Hopefully, we can get six in Xtreme,” Duhamel joked. “It’s a brand new bike. Just a few minutes ago before the lunch, we did a really good change. Some changes do nothing, some changes do a lot. We did a change on it and it went really good. We’re quite a bit happier with it. It’s progressing nicely which is to be expected on a project bike like the Xtreme is right now.”

Dunlop tire testing, which concludes on Wednesday, is free and open to the public with free access to the Oldfield Grandstand through the lobby of DAYTONA USA.

Tickets to the Daytona 200 By Arai and the Daytona Supercross By Honda are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling the Speedway ticket office at (386) 253-7223.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Day two of the Dunlop tire test at Daytona International Speedway ended on a bittersweet note Tuesday with Ben Bostrom approaching the lap record on his new Honda CBR1000RR Superbike and Jason DiSalvo crashing due to an exploding rear tire on his Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock racebike.

Early in the afternoon, Bostrom recorded the fastest time of the test so far with a 1:47.650 while doing five-lap tire test runs.

“That bike is pretty impressive,” Bostrom told reporters Tuesday, unable to curb his enthusiasm for his new mount. “I think that shows what we have going, but there’s actually more to come. The bike has some development work that needs to be looked into.

“Jake’s been riding it really well, but he’s kind of used to the Formula Xtreme bike and stuff like that and realizes how to use the clutch. Me, I kind of chatter the back a lot going into the corners. The boys got some ideas how to fix it. I think that ought to make up a lot, and we should be able to gain a couple of tenths in each corner.

“The bike’s incredible. With myself, Miguel and Jake all turning fast laps out here it shows you that the bike’s doing good.

“I’m real excited. I can’t believe what an advantage it is having a four-cylinder. I think we all knew it a little bit because, basically, Mat (Mladin) and Aaron (Yates) kicked all of our butts last year. This year, now that we’re on the four-cylinder, I think we understand more what kind of advantage those two had. You have more power basically from low-rpm all the way through and they steer better. How do you beat that?”

The day, however, ended slightly early at 4:30 p.m. local time when DiSalvo’s Superstock racebike, which had been clocked at 183 mph Tuesday, came sliding into the tri-oval on its side with a damaged rear tire and without DiSalvo.



The 19-year-old New Yorker was seen staggering to his feet nearly 700 feet up track toward NASCAR Turn Four, lucky to escape with abrasions and a mild concussion.

“He can’t remember anything from the chicane on,” said Yamaha Team Manager Tom Halverson, who also confirmed that there were no mechanical problems found on DiSalvo’s motorcycle other than a “shredded rear tire.”

DiSalvo was taken to Halifax Medical Center, where he underwent a CAT scan, according to Halverson.

More details will be posted as they become available.

Tuesday afternoon’s lap times (as provided by AMA Pro Racing Timing & Scoring):

1. Ben Bostrom, Honda CBR1000RR Superbike, 1:47.650
2. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR1000RR Superbike, 1:48.475
3. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:49.501
4. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:49.731
5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:49.935
6. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R1, Superstock, 1:49.988
7. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:50.112
8. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-10R Superstock, 1:50.577
9. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki ZX-10R Superstock, 1:50.977
10. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:51.114
11. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:53.157
12. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:54.006
13. Roger Lee Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:54.328
14. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:54.675
15. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:54.987
16. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:55.829
17. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R600 Supersport, 1:56.235

From a press release issued by the AMA:

AMA SUPPORTS JANKLOW VERDICT

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced its support of the verdict in the case of U.S. Rep. Bill Janklow (R-SD), who was convicted late yesterday of second-degree manslaughter and three other counts related to a traffic accident that claimed the life of a Minnesota motorcyclist.

On Saturday, August 16, motorcyclist Randolph Scott of Hardwick, Minn., was killed in a collision with a car driven by Janklow. The fatal accident took place at the intersection of two county roads in eastern South Dakota. Reports released by investigators indicated that Janklow’s car, traveling at speeds estimated at more that 70 mph, did not stop at the stop sign and continued into the path of the motorcycle, giving the rider no chance to avoid the fatal collision.

“We believe that the jury reached the correct verdict in this case,” said Edward Moreland, AMA Vice President for Government Relations, “The legal system can never eliminate the loss suffered by the Scott family, but it was clear from the beginning that the tragic events of August 16 went far beyond a simple traffic accident. We hope this verdict sends a strong message, both to citizens and to the justice system.”

The AMA will continue to monitor the Janklow case as it moves toward sentencing, set for January 20, 2004. Janklow has announced that he will resign from the U.S. House of Representatives effective the same day.

In the days following the accident, the AMA called on motorcyclists nationwide to contact South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds and Attorney General Larry Long, and to urge them to seek justice in the case. Using AMA Rapid Response, motorcyclists and other concerned citizens can send e-mail messages directly to South Dakota officials. AMA Rapid Response, which allows users to contact lawmakers, government officials and the media with the click of a button, is available on the Association’s website, AMADirectlink.com.

The AMA notes that tragic crashes like the one involving Janklow, in which a car or other vehicle violates the right of way of a motorcycle, are all too common on the nation’s highways. The most comprehensive study ever conducted into motorcycle accidents found that nearly 75 percent of motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle, and that in almost two-thirds of those crashes, the cause could be traced to the other vehicle violating the motorcyclist’s right-of-way.

For more than a year, the AMA has been involved in a campaign called Motorcyclists Matter that focuses attention on the dangers faced by motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users, including bicyclists and pedestrians, as a result of drivers who violate their right-of-way. The Association is also campaigning in Washington, D.C., for funding for a new study into the causes of motorcycle accidents — the first in more than two decades.

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

2004 AMA PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Dec. 9, 2003) — The AMA Progressive Insurance Flat Track Championship will have a fresh look in 2004 as it features a combination of 19 returning and new events. The season begins on Thursday, March 4, 2004 during Daytona Bike Week and will wind its way across the United States before wrapping up on Sept. 25, at the Du Quoin “Magic Mile” in Du Quoin, Ill.

Bruce Bober, AMA Pro Racing Flat Track Series Manager is anxious for the season to begin. “In addition to some of the historic events that remain on the schedule like Peoria and Springfield, we’re pleased to announce that the series will be visiting the West Coast with a stop at the Cow Palace in San Francisco,” said Bober. “We know we have a loyal following of fans out West so we’re looking forward to bringing AMA Flat Track racing back to them.” The series also visits new tracks in Lexington, Ky., Oak Ridge (Knoxville), Tenn., and Farley, Iowa. Bober added that the Knoxville race will be held in conjunction with the Honda Hoot, one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the country. “The Honda Hoot draws motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country; it’s the perfect venue for an AMA Flat Track event,” said Bober.

Reigning champion Chris Carr will be vying for his fourth consecutive title (sixth overall) in the 50th anniversary of AMA Grand National racing. Carr, recipient of the 2003 AMA Pro Racing Speed Channel Athlete of the Year Award, is one of the favorites of the series. Runners up Johnny Murphree and Joe Kopp are expected to return as well. The 2004 AMA Progressive Insurance Flat Track Championship schedule is as follows:

Date, Location (Type)

March 4, Municipal Stadium, Daytona Beach, FL (Short Track)

May 1, Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA (Indoor Short Track)

May 22, Florence Speedway, Union, KY (Half-mile)

May 29, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL (T.T.)

May 30, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL (Mile)

June 12, The Red Mile, Lexington, KY (Mile)

June 25, Atomic Speedway, Oak Ridge, TN (Short Track)

June 26, Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH (Half-mile)

July 3, Sharon Speedway, Hartford, OH (Half-mile)

July 31, Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, MD (Half-mile)

Aug. 7, Farley Speedway, Farley, IA (Half-mile)

Aug. 22, Peoria Race Park, Peoria, IL (T.T.)

Aug. 28, State Fair Speedway, Sedalia, MO (Half-mile)

Sept. 4, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL (Short Track)

Sept. 5, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL (Mile)

Sept. 11, Vernon Downs, Vernon, NY (Mile)

Sept. 18, Scioto Downs, Columbus, OH (Half-mile)

Sept. 24, Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Du Quoin, IL (Short Track)

Sept. 25, Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Du Quoin, IL (Mile)

Note: Dates and locations subject to change