Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The new method of splitting AMA Supersport and Superstock qualifying groups, tried for the first time this year at Pikes Peak International Raceway May 30-31, was a big success.

Instead of splitting the Supersport and Superstock qualifiers into two groups sorted by odd and even bike numbers, AMA Pro Racing sorted racers into two groups based on their times from Friday practice, with one group for the fastest half of the field and the other group for the slowest half of the field. The new method was a big hit with racers in the faster group.

“Oh, it was so much better!” said Erion Honda’s Alex Gobert. “You’re out there sort of waiting to run into lappers, but they just never come. You catch up to someone and it’s just another fast guy. I really like the new rules. I think the AMA’s taken a big step.”

“I think it’s great!” said Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden. “I think it’s really good for both people. If I was three or four seconds off the pace…it’s a lot safer for them because they don’t have to worry about looking back, who’s coming, getting run into, getting flipped off and everything else. They can go out there and concentrate on their deal, and the faster guys can concentrate on their deal. All in all, I think it’s safer for everybody.”

“Absolutely! It’s great for a guy that’s towards the back of the pack,” said Dream Team Racing’s Thad Halsmer, one of the top Supersport privateers. “It’s great to have all those guys to pull off of. Every guy that comes past is a guy that’s faster than you. For the fastest guy in the slow group, he kind of gets screwed. He has to spend the whole sessions passing people.”

“I think they’re (riders) happy with being out in the riders who are more similar in performance level,” said AMA Pro Racing’s Ron Barrick. “Slow guys are happy to be out there in their own group as well. Next year we might look at doing that in more classes.”

Barrick also said that AMA Pro Racing planned to continue with the new method of splitting Supersport and Superstock qualifying groups for the remainder of the 2003 season.

The new method was not without its teething problems, however. “I think there was some confusion as to who was in what group,” said Barrick. “So, we’ll probably have to do a better job of informing everybody on how groups are split up.”

Halsmer was one of the confused ones, explaining, “I kind of made the mental leap that the fast group was group one. (The faster group was group two at Pikes Peak.) I actually read the addendums, but I realized three laps into the session that I was in the wrong session. I came in and told the AMA. They said don’t worry about it, go out in the next session.”

Halsmer was allowed to go out in the second, faster group.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

There is a very good chance that the new “Bend” section of track recently added at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin will be used for the AMA U.S. Superbike Championship event this weekend, June 5-8.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Road America Public Relations Manager Cheryl Barnes told Roadracingworld.com that there was “a very good chance” that the new section of track would be used by the AMA.

No one has ridden on the new section of track, according to Barnes, but Formula USA Thunderbike racer Paul James inspected the new layout Monday, June 2. Viewing the track from the spectator areas, James said he envisioned riders exiting the Carousel and braking hard for the new, second-gear left-right section, which is as wide as the original track. According to James, riders will most likely be straight up-and-down at the apex of the Kink.

“I definitely think it is going to be safer,” said James, adding that there may be a chance that a rider crashing at the entrance of the new Bend could come back across the exit of the new chicane. However, James pointed out that a gravel trap sits in the middle of the new chicane and that the original section of track leading to the Kink still remains and could be utilized as an escape road.

James was inspecting the track in his role as Harley-Davidson/Buell Communications Manager for an upcoming press introduction at the four-mile road course. James said that he will use the new section for his press introduction.

In April Barnes stated that it would be up to the sanctioning body, in this case AMA Pro Racing, as to whether or not they use the new Bend section or the original track. Barnes also stated at that time that the course change was designed to bring the road course up to FIM homologation standards.

The first time riders will see the new section will be during promoter practice Thursday, June 5.

The Roadracing World Action Fund has reached $238,372.30 in total road-racing-designated contributions thanks to individuals who not only made tax-deductible donations, but who also pro-actively reached out to the motorcycle community to rally support and interest for improving motorcycle racing safety.

Individuals donated and urged others to do the same; manufacturers pledged profits from product sales; and a motorcycle club sponsored a fundraiser.

Mr.& Mrs. Frederick Bittner contributed $2900, enough for an entire section of Airfence. In an e-mail, Fred pledged to make a lot of phone calls, writing “Like many others, my wife and I continue to find the news about injuries sustained by road racers as a result of contact with unprotected barriers troubling. We therefore decided to make an additional contribution to the Roadracing World Action Fund, and consider it an investment in the future safety of roadracers. I would like to note that I am racing this year, and am very gratified to see that several of the manufacturers and service providers whose goods and services I use also support the Fund. Nevertheless, I would be very proud to be able to say that all the companies and organizations associated with my racing program have contributed to the Fund. To this end, I am in the process of contacting nearly 100 organizations in an effort to encourage them to do just that. Finally, a big thumbs up to all who have contributed and especially to John Ulrich and Roadracing World.” Last year, the Bittners donated $2900 in honor of injured racer Papa Thiam, bringing their total contribution to the Action Fund to $5800.

This year’s Bandit Owners Southern Stampede, the “B.O.S.S. 2003” held May 2-4 at Two Wheels Only motorcycle resort in Suches, Georgia, yielded a $308 donation for the Roadracing World Action Fund. Organizer Pete Cedel rallied support from event attendees who managed to more than double last year’s B.O.S.S. 2002 contribution of $116.

Max McAllister of Traxxion Dynamics contributed $250, the first installment fulfilling a pledge of $5 for each suspension set-up video sold at www.traxxion.com. Others who have pledged product-sales-related contributions include Hi-Side Racing Tire Warmers, (which will donate $25 for every set of Hi-Side Racing tire warmers sold through the end of the year), BBVR Performance Products, (which will donate $25 for each Ontrack portable laser wheel alignment system sold for competition end use), and Kyle Racing, (which will donate $50 for each Ohlins shock or fork sold through June 22, 2003.)

Last year Don Emde contributed $1000 in memory of Cal Rayborn. This year he chose to memorialize fallen racers of the past with a contribution of $500, “In memory of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini, who died May 20, 1973.” Emde donated another $500 following Woody Deatherage’s crash at Road Atlanta, at the same time issuing a challenge to others to match his contribution.

Royalty Racing’s Jerry King rose to that challenge and called in with a $500 contribution. Jerry stated that it was something that he always wanted to do, and Don Emde spurred him on to do it. Jerry is an ex-racer, all of his sons have raced, and his son Travis King is currently racing WERA, CCS and some AMA events.

Brian Drebber made a donation of $1000 in memory of his father, Rocky Drebber. Brian stated in a phone call that, like Roadracing World Action Fund founder John Ulrich, he had lost his father recently, and he wanted to make a contribution in his father’s memory.

Other contributions include: Mark Godfrey, $50; Philippe Kostezer, $50; Andrew Kupfer, $20; and an anonymous donation of $20 at California Speedway.

Repeat contributors include Jason Temme, who added $25 to an earlier donation of $100; David Kopfinger, adding $55.05 to $126 for a grand total of $181.05; and Allan Lockheed, adding $200 to last year’s $100 donation.

Roadracing World Action Fund dirt track contributions have stalled at $18,597, with no new contributions since the last post. However, dirt track-designated funds were used for the first time when Airfence was deployed and demonstrated at the Springfield Mile in May. A fresh batch of 11 Airfence modules was delivered there, some of which were actually designated for road race use. The road race modules made the trek from Springfield to Pikes Peak for the AMA races last weekend courtesy of Danny Walker’s SuperCamp, and are now in a trailer being towed by racer Chris Ulrich to Road America.

Summary of New Contributions Recently Posted

Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Bittner $2900
Don Emde $500
Don Emde/In Memory of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini $500
Brian Drebber/In Memory of Rocky Drebber $1000
Jerry King $500
Boss ’03 Raffle $308
Traxxion Dynamics $250
Allan Lockheed $200
David Kopfinger $55.05
Philippe Kostezer $50
Mark Godfrey $50
Jason Temme $25
Andrew Kupfer, $20
Anonymous at California Speedway $20

Accounting Details to Date
Road Racing Expenditure Details

Direct purchase of soft barriers: $101,350
Shipping/Customs: $5654.75
Bank Fees: $344.05
Airfence* Deployment Crew Training: $700
Transportation & Installation: $4689.47
Corporation/Business Fees: $592
Online Auction Fees: $221.99
Misc Supplies: $19
Donation to AMA Pro Racing for Airfence: $104,104

Total Spent: $217,675.26

Total Donations Collected $238,372.30
Misc. Income $67.27

Cash on hand: $20,764.31


Dirt Track Expenditure Details

Direct purchase of soft barriers: $15,000
Shipping/Customs: $2717.72

Total Spent: $17,717.72

Total collected: $18,597
Cash on hand: $879.28

All administrative costs, including the percentage taken by credit card companies on credit card donations, have been absorbed by Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

*Trademark of Airfence Safety Systems Australia.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

From a U.S. Army Captain we know, who will remain anonymous, via e-mail:

Thank goodness it’s June, another tax-free month in beautiful Mosul.

Not too much excitement here in Mosul this past week. Had a couple of attacks down in Fallujah, which is where we were originally supposed to be.

I did have a very rewarding experience, though. Each unit has $25K captured currency from the regime that we must use to do projects that will improve the community. The theory is a series of small victories will help us win over the people. So we provided supplies, AC’s, and other necessities to a school and two orphanages.

The COL is huge on these missions, so when we went to the school the COL helped carry stacks of notebooks and chalkboards into the schools. The local Iraqi men were blown away–they could not believe a COL would actually carry anything or do manual labor.

A man said “In Iraq a COL would never lift anything or ever have to.” To which our COL replied “Yeah, I remember how effective they were last month.” You gotta love a guy like that.

As a thank-you for the help, the orphanage invited 15 of us for a retreat. I was one of the ones lucky enough to go. Believe it or not, it was a Catholic orphanage run by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. There were 10 female orphans ranging in age from 5-17, and 10 nuns. Half of the nuns spoke some degree of English and all the girls spoke pretty fluent English. Come to find out they have nothing to do with the American order of the Sacred Heart “Go Crusaders!”, rather they are Chaldean Catholics from the biblical land many many moons ago. In this area there are three sects of Catholicism.

During the retreat they discussed with us the history of Christianity in Iraq, which is absolutely fascinating. We retraced the steps of Abraham and Jews through the whole Old Testament. Most of it occurred right where we were standing. Absolutely fascinating! Then we looked at Thomas’ work to spread Christianity through South East Asia and on throughout Asia– again right where we were standing.

Then we examined the political/religious structure of Iraq throughout Saddam’s rule–again fascinating through first-hand accounts.

Then we had lunch: they make a soup than is like egg-drop soup, then falafel (fried beans), then Mosul pizza, then a rice pilaf topped with lamb, snap beans, dorma (the stuffed grape leaves), fruit, and then custard that was out of this world.

We had a mass in their chapel and they insisted it was to be in English–their mass is identical to ours.

The girls insisted that they sing for us, which was amazing. Their songs are almost like Gregorian Chants. Another interesting fact is they do not speak Arabic, rather Aramaic.

At every turn we had tea, which in the Middle East is called Chai. So next time you go to Starbucks and pay five bucks for chai you know where it comes from. They brew it with the leaves in the tea, and sugar at the bottom of the glass. I suggest using floss afterward for the leaves.

All-in-all it was very rewarding experience with a people that were truly grateful we were there.

Other than that. it’s a day-in day-out grind.

Hope all is well back home, and hope to see everyone soon.

From a press release issued by the FIM, which seems to offer more evidence that the intake restrictors now seen in World Superbike are on the way out:

The future of Road Racing World Championships

Evolution of the Grand Prix and Superbike Technical Rules

Following the statement made by FIM President Francesco Zerbi during the Press Conference held in Geneva on May 21 last, the Commissions of the two Road Racing World Championships, Grand Prix and Superbike, will have separate meetings during this month in order to discuss proposals for possible changes in the Rules of the respective Championships in the near future. The main subjects to be discussed concern essentially technical and safety rules. As suggested by the President, some adjustments may be needed concerning the power, high speed and technology of the Grand Prix prototypes in relation to safety aspects, but without holding back the technical evolution. On the other hand, the Superbike machines, derived from the production series, need to be technically more simple and also less expensive, for example following the rules in force in the United States, Japan or Great Britain.

After having received the reports of both meetings, the FIM President will then meet with representatives of MSMA and of both promoters, Dorna and FGSport, in order to study these proposals and take short, medium and long-term decisions. This meeting will be held in Geneva on July 9 next.

From a press release issued by the AMA:

AMA REPORTS THAT “60 MINUTES II” WILL AIR REPORT ON MOTORCYCLE RACING

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has learned that the CBS News program “60 Minutes II” is expected to air a report about “extreme motorcycle competition” on Wednesday, June 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

As the AMA reported in November, a CBS News producer first contacted the AMA in late September, claiming to be working on a “balanced, fair, and accurate” segment about “the growth, success, and excitement” of AMA Supercross. The AMA cooperated fully, supplying rulebooks and other background information. Tom Lindsay, the AMA’s Public Information Director, had two lengthy telephone conversations with the producer — who admitted to knowing little about the sport — to help him gain a working knowledge of AMA competition. The AMA declined his invitation for an on-camera interview.

Since then, the AMA has learned that “60 Minutes II” has contacted numerous others in the industry, including promoters, publishers and competitors. Sources have told the AMA that these inquiries have focused largely on injuries. The AMA also has become aware of reports that CBS News crews attended a number of events, not all of which were AMA-sanctioned, solely to document accidents and injuries, even videotaping a physician performing surgery on a motocross competitor.

“We hope that reports of the program’s singular focus on injuries turn out to be untrue,” said the AMA’s Lindsay. “Because injuries are a part of any sport, at any level, we recognize that this aspect of motorcycle competition may be addressed in the report, but any mention of injuries would be incomplete without acknowledging AMA Pro Racing’s commitment to safety and the specific steps it has taken in this area.”

“We’re confident that we’ve provided ’60 Minutes II’ with all the information necessary to portray AMA competition accurately,” Lindsay continued, “and we’re comfortable with our decision to decline the producer’s request for an on-camera interview.”

After the “60 Minutes II” report airs, the AMA will post its reaction on its website, www.AMADirectlink.com.

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

DUHAMEL AND GOBERT HOPING FOR BOOST AT ROAD AMERICA

AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (June 3, 2003) — The 2003 AMA Superbike season dawned with great expectations for both Miguel Duhamel and Anthony Gobert. While things haven’t quite worked out as hoped for either rider, on June 6-8 both are hoping to find a mid-season boost at the Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader, rounds nine and 10 of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, at the picturesque four-mile Road America course in the resort town of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Road America is counted among the favorite racing circuits by many of the AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike stars, but it’s Duhamel and Gobert who are most familiar with victory there; the two are tied with the most AMA Superbike wins at the circuit with three apiece.

For Duhamel, the all-time wins leader in AMA Superbike, the season started with great promise after winning the all-important Daytona 200 in March. Duhamel was squarely in contention for his second AMA Superbike Championship until a crash in the Pro Honda Oils Supersport race at Infineon Raceway on May 4 broke Duhamel’s collarbone and caused him to miss a round of the series. The gritty and determined Canadian came back and raced just two weeks later in Braselton, Ga., despite having surgery on the collarbone. Now, only a month after his surgery, Duhamel is coming back to form and could be a serious factor at Road America, where he swept the doubleheader last year. While Duhamel, who is ranked sixth in the series, is considered a long shot at winning this year’s championship, he knows that two wins aboard his factory Honda this weekend could put him right back in the thick of the title chase. Gobert comes to Road America looking to earn his first Superbike win in over a year. The 28-year-old Australian has been let down this year with numerous mechanical problems with his Ducati Austin 998R Superbike. Gobert’s luck might be changing however. He’s earned top-five finishes in two of the last three rounds and led the race early last week in Colorado. Gobert hopes to build on his recent momentum with good results in this weekend’s doubleheader.

“Road America is a classic road racing circuit,” said Gobert, who won at the track in 1998, 1999 and 2001. “It reminds me a lot of the circuits in Europe where I raced World Superbike and GPs. I won two Superbike races at Road America on Ducatis and I think the track suits my style as well as the Ducati’s. For me the championship is no longer a possibility, but I still have a goal of winning some races this season.” Gobert hopes to give Ducati its first AMA Superbike race victory in nearly four years.

While Duhamel and Gobert are looking to Road America to salvage their season, the race for the 2003 AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship coming into this event is the most intense in years. Four riders have won in eight races and a mere 23 points separate the top five riders in the series. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates leads the series by five points over Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom. Mat Mladin finds himself third in the standings after being forced to pit for a tire in last week’s race, which dropped him to a ninth-place finish. The Honda pair of Ben Bostrom and Kurtis Roberts are tied for fourth in the standings. Any of these five riders could easily leave Road America’s doubleheader with the series lead.

If history is any indication look for Ben Bostrom and Kurtis Roberts to move up in the rankings this week. Honda riders have won 10 of the 26 AMA Superbike races held at Road America; nearly double the winning rate of any other brand of motorcycle. Conversely, Eric Bostrom, hot off his win last weekend at Pikes Peak International Raceway, could have his work cut out for him. A Kawasaki-mounted rider has not won at Road America in 13 years.

Mladin joins Duhamel and Gobert as a former winner at Elkhart Lake. The Suzuki ace dominated much of the first half of the season, but tire problems in two of the last three races have put at least a temporary detour in Mladin’s quest of becoming the first four-time AMA Superbike champ. He will be eager to get his season back on track at Road America.

Wisconsin racing fans will have a local hero to cheer for at Road America. Shawn Higbee, of Big Bend, Wis., is having an outstanding season in his return to the series. The veteran racer is a solid eighth in the point standings and is the top-ranked privateer in the championship.

Both Superbike races at Road America will be shown live on Speed Channel, race one at 3 p.m. EST on Saturday, June 7, and race two at 3 p.m. EST, Sunday, June 8. For ticket information call (800) 365-RACE, or visit www.roadamerica.com.

Schedule of Events AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader at Road America – June 6-8, 2003

Thursday, June 5
3:00 – 7:00, Registration: Riders, Crew, Sponsors & Guests
3:00 – 7:00, Tech Inspection

Friday, June 6

7:30 – 4:00, Registration: Riders, Crew, Sponsors & Guests

10:00, Entries Close for all Classes

8:00 – 5:00, Tech Inspection

8:30 – 10:30 Practice:
1. Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship presented by Shoei
2. Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme
3. Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock
4. MBNA 250 Grand Prix

10:40 – 11:40, Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Practice

11:40 – 12:40, Lunch Break

12:00, Mandatory Rider Briefing for All Classes

12:40 – 2:30, Practice (same order as morning session)

2:40 – 3:40, Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Qualifying

3:50 – 4:20, Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Qualifying, Group 1

4:30 – 5:00, Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Qualifying, Group 2

Saturday, June 7

7:30 – 3:00 Registration: Riders, Crew, Sponsors & Guests

8:00 – 5:00 Tech Inspection

8:00 – 9:30 Practice:
1. Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship presented by Shoei
2. Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme
3. Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock
4. MBNA 250 Grand Prix

9:40 – 10:40 Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Qualifying

10:50 – 11:10 Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport presented by Shoei Qualifying, Group 1

11:20 – 11:40 Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport presented by Shoei Qualifying, Group 2

11:40 – 12:40 Lunch Break

12:40 – 1:00 Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Practice

1:10 – 1:45 Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Qualifying

2:00 Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Race 1 (100K – 16 laps)

MBNA 250 Grand Prix Qualifying, 20 Minute Session

Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Race (60k – 10 laps)

Sunday, June 8
8:30 – 12:00 Registration: Crew, Sponsors & Guests
9:00 Tech Inspection Opens

9:00 – 11:00 Practice:
1. Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport presented by Shoei
2. MBNA 250 Grand Prix
3. Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme
4. Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike

11:00 Lunch Break
11:20 Nondenominational Chapel Service

12:00 FINAL EVENTS:
Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Race (60k – 10 laps)

MBNA 250 Grand Prix (60k – 10 laps)

2:00, Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Race 2 (100k – 16 laps)

3:00, Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme
(60k – 10 laps)


From another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

HACKING LOOKING TO EXTEND POINTS LEAD AT ROAD AMERICA

Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship presented by Shoei

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (June 3, 2003) — Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking could join an elite club of riders this Sunday, June 8, in the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport presented by Shoei race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc. Miguel Duhamel, Doug Polen and Aaron Yates are the only three riders in the history of the series to win multiple AMA Supersport races in Elkhart Lake. This weekend Hacking hopes to join that club. The 1999 Road America Supersport winner comes to Elkhart Lake with the series lead, three race wins to his credit, and is determined to earn his first AMA Championship.

There have been three winners in this year’s Pro Honda Oils Supersport series, but Hacking is the only rider to have more than a single victory and as a result he’s leading the series. Hacking is the leading man in blue with Yamaha’s domination of the series standings. His teammates Damon Buckmaster, Aaron Gobert and Jason DiSalvo are ranked second, third and fourth respectively. The first non-Yamaha rider is Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden, who is fifth in the series standings coming into Elkhart Lake. The points chase is close at mid-season with the top six riders essentially within a race win of each other in the championship standings.

Hacking comes into this Sunday’s race with the reassurance of being the most successful Supersport rider at Road America in recent years. Over the last four outings in Elkhart Lake, Hacking has earned three podium finishes including his 1999 victory, which came on a Yamaha – the maker’s last victory at the well-known track. “Elkhart Lake has been a good track for me,” said 31-year-old Hacking, who is in his seventh year of AMA professional racing. “It’s one of those places that the draft comes into play on the long straights, but there are enough technical parts of the track to separate the riders who really have their bike set-up well. I predict a good race with a bunch of Yamahas up front again.”

Hacking is referring to the race last week at Pikes Peak where the top four Supersport finishers were riding Yamahas. The last time a single brand took the top four spots in the ultra-competitive Supersport series was in October of 1997, when Suzuki riders took the top four spots in Las Vegas.

Damon Buckmaster shared a brief lead in the championship points with Hacking, but dropped 10 points adrift after finishing fourth at Pikes Peak International Raceway last Sunday. Buckmaster is a former Formula Xtreme winner at Road America so he has the know how to win at the high-speed circuit. He was runner-up to Aaron Yates in last year’s Supersport race.

Aaron Gobert continues his strong comeback from injuries that kept him out of most of the 2002 season. He comes into this race ranked a close third in the series. The middle of the three racing Gobert brothers, Aaron, will make only his second appearance in a Supersport race at Road America. The Aussie finished eighth there in 2001.

Another rider to watch at Road America is Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden. The eldest of the three racing Hayden brothers, Tommy has four-straight top-five Supersport finishes at Road America under his belt, so he obviously has the experience to be a major contender at the Wisconsin circuit.

Suzuki is riding a two-year Supersport winning streak at Road America with rider Aaron Yates. Yates is not competing in the Supersport this year, instead concentrating on Superbike where he leads that championship. Stepping ably into his shoes is young Texan Ben Spies, who won the Supersport race at Road Atlanta and is looking to take home his second victory of the season.

The all-time leading AMA Supersport rider is Miguel Duhamel. With five Road America Supersport wins dating back to 1991, Duhamel leads that category as well. It’s not known if Duhamel will race Supersport at Road America. The well-liked veteran broke his collarbone in a Supersport racing accident a month ago in Sonoma, Calif., and has been concentrating his efforts in the Superbike series. If he elects to ride his factory Honda at Road America he will certainly be a top contender.

Doug Chandler is another former Supersport winner at Road America. Chandler would love to break through with a victory this Sunday. Chandlers’ best finish so far this season on the No Limit Honda is sixth at Fontana, Calif., in April. He is ranked ninth coming into this race.

For ticket information call (800) 365-RACE or visit www.roadamerica.com. The Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship race from Elkhart Lake will broadcast live at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday, June 8.

From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2003
ROUND 5 – GRAN PREMIO CINZANO D’ITALIA
2ND JUNE 2003 – EVENT PREVIEW

THREE MAN KAWASAKI SQUAD FOR MUGELLO

The Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team’s ranks have been boosted by the addition of German wildcard Alex Hofmann, who joins regular riders, Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt, for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.

Mugello will be Hofmann’s second race of the season following his earlier outing in the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez where he finished a creditable 16th behind Pitt, after a spirited duel with his Fuchs Kawasaki teammate.

The three man Kawasaki squad head to Italy in good spirits following McCoy’s morale boosting ninth place in last week’s French Grand Prix at Le Mans, which delivered Kawasaki’s first top ten finish for the Ninja ZX-RR.

Immediately after Le Mans, the Kawasaki test team headed to Japan, where Hofmann was joined by Akira Yanagawa for a three-day test at Autopolis. The test focussed primarily on evaluating chassis and suspension data as part of the ongoing ZX-RR development programme.

The Italian GP will mark the first appearance of the ZX-RR at Mugello as, unlike many of the other teams contesting the MotoGP Championship, Kawasaki have neither raced nor tested at the circuit this season. The super fast Italian circuit will also provide a steep learning curve for 27-year-old Pitt, who is making his debut at Mugello this weekend.

The 5.24km Mugello circuit is set in the hills of Tuscany, 30km from Florence and close to the township of Scarperia. One of the more popular races on the calendar, the Italian Grand Prix traditionally attracts a massive crowd of noisy and patriotic race fans, many of whom line the main straight which, at 1.14km, is second only to Suzuka in terms of length and where top speeds in excess of 322kph (200mph) are predicted.

Garry McCoy
“I always enjoy racing in Italy as I lived in Rome when I was riding 125s. Getting ninth in Le Mans was good for the team, but now we’ve shown the potential of the bike and tyres in the wet we need to keep pushing to be faster in all conditions. We all want to be closer to the front and I just want to keep working hard to make even more progress. I’m feeling good after training flat out in Austria with the Red Bull downhill ski team, which should stand me in good stead with two races in as many weekends.”

Andrew Pitt
“Having never been to Mugello before, all I know about the circuit is what I’ve seen on television, and that doesn’t always tell the real story. First off I’ll do a few laps on a scooter so that I know my way around, but the only way you can really learn the track properly is to get out there and put in the laps on a race bike at speed. To be honest, I think Mugello is going to be one of the toughest tracks for me this year. From what I’ve seen it looks like you need a lot of side grip and a bike that steers really well, so that’s what we’ll be working to improve during practice and qualifying.”

Alex Hofmann
“I really enjoyed the test at Autopolis; the track was interesting and technical although conditions were a little windy. We made a step forward with chassis set-up in Japan, but it will be interesting to see if the same set-up also works on a European style circuit such as Mugello. The main focus of the test was to confirm that development is heading in the right direction in terms of chassis, suspension and tyre combinations.”

Harald Eckl – Team Manager
“The Autopolis test provided further feedback on our base chassis settings, which we will take to Mugello to evaluate in practice, along with some new front and rear tyres from Dunlop. Alex had an excellent test in Japan. He did some fast laps and I expect he will bring that form with him to Mugello. It won’t be easy for Andrew on his first visit to the circuit, but he has shown in the past that he is a fast learner of new tracks and, of course, everyone is in good spirits as a result of Garry’s top ten finish at Le Mans.”


More, from a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

PROTON KR FOUR-STROKE TO MAKE MUGELLO DEBUT

After an impressive first outing at the French GP at Le Mans, followed by a full day of successful testing, the exciting all-new V5 four-stroke Proton KR racer is scheduled to make a full racing debut at next weekend’s Italian GP at Mugello.

Riders Jeremy McWilliams and Nobuatsu Aoki both plan to race the newest four-stroke on the block at the classic Italian circuit – part of the bold public development programme of the noisy new racer after its first time at a circuit only two weeks before.

The machines accumulated more than 100 laps at the French GP circuit over the weekend and on the Monday test, without running into any of the teething problems that had been tackled step by step during bench testing. This was four times race distance, and a landmark as the inevitable early difficulties are overcome.

“We had a few little hiccups, but nothing serious,” said team manager Chuck Aksland. “The engines held together the whole time, and we were able to make a good start at improving our base settings and getting some track miles done to build up data on the new machine.”

The radical new 990cc four-stroke, which exploits a compact and original V5 engine design to make a notably small and agile machine (a Proton KR trademark), had never even been round a corner before the first tentative laps in the first untimed practice session at Le Mans. One day later, McWilliams confidently set tenth-fastest time on a wet track; three days later both riders were achieving comfortable qualifying lap times. The proof of the overall balance of the package came in that both are already asking for more power.

That situation will not change for this weekend’s GP. “The bike’s not running to its potential yet, and unfortunately there’s not much time to do anything about it. As I said at Le Mans, it’ll be three months before we’re ready to do battle,” said team owner Kenny Roberts, himself triple World Champion and a racing legend. Roberts himself took a hand in early development runs on the new machine.

“It’s not going to be a rocket ship at Mugello, and it’s not going to handle as well as we’d like,” continued Roberts, now firmly established as the leading independent racing manufacturer by the arrival of the new bike.

“We don’t have enough parts for that yet. Le Mans was basically a shakedown tests, and the good news is that the engines held together.

“We’re letting everybody see what we’re doing in the early stages of development. We could be wrong in our direction, but I think it’s interesting for people to see,” he continued.

“We have a very broad power band at the moment, and our first target will be to take some of the mid-range power and move it higher up the rev range,” said Roberts.

While the race team continues race-testing, still establishing base settings for chassis and the all-important slipper clutch system, engine development work is continuing at Banbury and in the USA, where Rob Muzzy is dyno-testing to develop the next stage of tuning parts.

The promise of the bike is already clear, however, after the thunderous exhaust claimed everybody’s attention at the Le Mans fire-up. The new Proton KR may not yet be the fastest bike on the grid, but it’s the youngest, some already think it the prettiest … and definitely the loudest instrument in the MotoGP class’s exciting exhaust-pipe orchestra.

The Mugello circuit includes one of the fastest straights of the year, where the 990cc four-strokes are guaranteed to top 200mph. This is just one challenge faced by the all-new GP machines. Others include the likelihood of very hot conditions, not to mention a 20-plus field of race-developed rivals.

“We expect to have three of the new machines in Italy – one for each rider, and one spare,” confirmed Aksland. Finishing the race is the primary target, and will be a significant achievement for the first prototypes of the new machine.

The last word goes to Roberts. “We know we need a lot more development,” said Roberts.

“But this bike is just the match we’re using to light the fire.”

The Italian GP is the fifth of 16 World Championship rounds, with the Catalunyan GP one week later as the European season picks up the pace.

JEREMY McWILLIAMS
I’ll miss everything about the old bike … except the lack of power, and having people passing me so fast on the straights it’s frightening. I’ve really been enjoying the new four-stroke, even though there’s obviously still a lot of work to be done. It’s really compact and comfortable for me, and a pleasure to ride – so easy after the two-stroke. The bike has so much power that if you touch the throttle when it’s cranked over the wheel can’t help but spin, and then you control the slide with the throttle. It may not be the best way for lap times, but it’s a lot of fun. It might be possible to get a better result at Mugello with the two-stroke, but we need to work on this bike for the future.

NOBUATSU AOKI
I honestly don’t know what to expect at Mugello, but I am looking forward to it. There’s no difficulty adjusting from the two-stroke to the four-stroke, though it was hard to go back and forth at Le Mans from one to another. We have to get the clutch adjusted, and keep working. The new bike has a lot of power, but it needs more at the top. We could get to a good lap time at Le Mans, still working on the suspension, but it was hard to improve on that time. There’ll be a lot of work with the engineers this weekend.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Italian Grand Prix
Mugello, June 6/7/8 2003

A BIG WEEKEND FOR THE DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM

The Ducati Marlboro Team comes home to Italy this weekend for the biggest event of its debut MotoGP campaign. The Italian-based crew can be sure of receiving massive support at Mugello, where the so-called Ducatisti will turn the Tuscan hillsides red. There’s even a 2000-seater grandstand for Ducati fans situated at the Correntaio right-hander!

Over the past two months the Ducati Marlboro Team has more than justified the pre-season hype surrounding its awesome Desmosedici MotoGP machine, taking one pole position and two podium finishes so far. And on Sunday riders Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi will be doing everything in their power to give the Italian fans what they want – a first race win for the 220-plus horsepower V4 – but they also know that this weekend is just another step up the MotoGP learning curve.

The action is sure to be spectacular – during Mugello tests the Desmosedici has nudged 330kmh/205mph along the track’s start-finish straight. That’s mightily impressive, but even more amazing is that the bike pulls a wheelie at 320kmh/200mph as it crests the rise just before turn one!

The 2003 MotoGP season continues in quick-fire style after Mugello with next weekend’s Marlboro Catalan GP at Catalunya in Spain. The campaign concludes with the Marlboro Valencia GP on November 2.

THE DESMOSEDICI’S MUGELLO HOMECOMING

The Ducati Marlboro Team has made a remarkable start to its first MotoGP season – leading all four races so far. The year began in stunning fashion at April’s Japanese GP where Loris Capirossi scored a podium finish in the Desmosedici’s first-ever race. The Italian rider followed that three weeks later with the bike’s first front-row start in South Africa, and in Spain last month it was Troy Bayliss’ turn to finish on the podium after the pair had dominated qualifying, with Capirossi on pole and Bayliss second, just one hundredth of a second slower.

The team’s performance – against rivals who have been competing in GPs for years – has stunned both the paddock and fans around the globe. But two weeks ago at Le Mans the crew came down to earth with a bump – both Bayliss and Capirossi DNFed the French GP – a result that didn’t soften the expectations people have been placing upon the team.

“In racing you expect good days and bad days, so we weren’t too upset about Le Mans,” says Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. “Mugello promises to be something very special – Ducati’s first official GP race in Italy in three decades – so we hope for more luck than we had in France. We won’t feel any extra pressure just because it’s our home race, but we will be very busy with more guests to look after and more interest from the national media.”

Mugello is something of a homecoming for the Desmosedici, because it was here last August that test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi gave the machine its track debut. But while the factory has been back to the high-speed Tuscan venue many times since, Bayliss has only tested the Desmosedici at the track on two occasions, Capirossi just once.

“At least this means we can start with a good base,” says Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “So we’ll be able to look for performance improvements from day one, which is unusual for us. When we go to most tracks we start by looking for a base set-up, which puts us behind most teams.

“I think the bike is well suited to Mugello. The track’s dominant features are its fast straight and high-speed chicanes. But it’s a very complete circuit, with uphill and downhill sections, so you need a well-balanced bike. For sure it will be a crazy weekend with all the fans around, but we are looking forward to it.”

BAYLISS READY FOR WILD WEEKEND
Ducati Marlboro Team rider Troy Bayliss knows all about riding for the legendary Italian marque on home tarmac. Over the past three years the hard-riding Australian rode factory Dukes in Italian rounds of the World Superbike championship, receiving the plaudits of the fervently patriotic Ducatisti at Monza, Misano and Imola. And he knows this weekend is going to be just as wild. “It’s good to feel the crowd behind you, and I reckon they’ll be making a bit of noise!” grins Bayliss. “I like Mugello, and the last time we tested there in April we made another step forward with bike set-up. It was a geometry change that made a big difference, now we’re just fine tuning to make the bike easier to ride.

“The track has got a good character. It’s very up and down, there’s some good corners and some good straights too, so it’s got a little bit of everything. It’s even got a few nice bumps – I like a few bumps on a racetrack – things can get a little bit boring if it’s too smooth. The start-finish should be fun too – the bike pulls a wheelie over the crest at about 320 kays, which feels nice now, but a few months ago when we were working on basic set-up it could get a bit shaky…”

Bayliss, now riding his first MotoGP season, recently confirmed his loyalty to Ducati, the factory that brought him into world-class racing in 2000. “This is a great team, very comfortable and very homely for me, which makes racing very pleasurable,” he smiles. “I’ve been riding Ducatis for a few years now, and I can’t see myself racing for anyone else. I’m not a young guy, so I can’t see me changing teams!”

DOUBLE MUGELLO WINNER CAPIROSSI: “IT’S VERY, VERY BIG!”

This weekend will be one of the biggest of Loris Capirossi’s life. The Italian rider, who has been contesting and winning World Championships since 1990, knows all about racing in front of an appreciative home crowd. But he knows that the 2003 Italian GP will be like no other. “This will be a great weekend for us – it’s my home GP and it’s Ducati’s home GP,” he says. “I have ridden for another Italian factory but this is Ducati and it’s MotoGP, so it’s very, very big!”

Capirossi knows Mugello well – he won his first Mugello GP ten years ago in the 250 class. And three years ago he scored a famous 500 victory after a titanic battle with Italian rivals Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi. The trio raced side by side, Rossi and Biaggi tumbling in the final laps to give Capirossi his second win in the premier class. Last year he struggled to sixth on a two-stroke 500, outpaced by the much faster four-strokes.

“Mugello will be a difficult race because it’s a difficult track,” he adds. “There’s a lot for riders and engineers to understand: fast corners and fast changes of direction, downhill corners with negative camber and a few bumps. All this means a lot of work on chassis set-up. The most important part of the circuit is Casanova-Savelli, Arrabbiata one and two, and the last corner for a good drive onto the main straight. But speed won’t be a problem – we have a lot of that!”

THE TRACK
Italy is the generally agreed to be the heart and soul of motorsport, which is why the Italian GP is arguably the greatest weekend of the GP season.

Not only that, Mugello is the kind of fast, flowing track that should allow the Desmosedici to unleash its awesome horsepower. The circuit is one of the most challenging, with a thrilling blend of fast turns, rapid direction changes, plentiful off-camber corners and an ultra-rapid main straight. Mugello’s complexities are further heightened by a bumpy surface, which, combined with numerous adverse-camber corners, makes front-tyre choice particularly crucial.

Mugello has been popular ever since it joined the GP calendar full-time in 1991, first as the San Marino round and then as the Italian GP. The circuit hosted its first bike GP in 1976 but only became a regular venue after total refurbishment in the early nineties.

Mugello: 5.245km/3.259 miles
Lap record: Tohru Ukawa (Honda), 1m:52.601 (167.689kmh/ 104.197mph)
Pole position 2002: Valentino Rossi (Honda), 1:52.554

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM DATA LOGS:

TROY BAYLISS
Age: 34
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici
First GP: Australia, 1997 (250)
GP starts: 5 (4xMotoGP, 1×250)
World Superbike victories: 22
World Championships: 1 (Superbike: 2001)
Mugello 2002 results: DNS

LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 30
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici
GP victories: 22 (2×500, 12×250, 8×125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
GP starts: 188 (18xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125)
Pole positions: 34 (1xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)
Mugello 2002 results. Grid: 4th. Race: 6th


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

MELANDRI MEETS THE ITALIAN PRESIDENT

Fortuna Yamaha Team rider Marco Melandri put aside his racing leathers today replacing them with a smart Dolce & Gabbana suit, as he had an important meeting to go to with the President of Italy!

Melandri was one of three current MotoGP riders lucky enough to be invited to attend a short ceremony with Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of the Italian Republic, at the Quirinale Palace in Rome this morning. Organised by the FMI (Italian Federation of Motorcycle Racing), the event was a celebration of Italy’s success over the years in motorcycle racing. Italy currently boasts 150 MotoGP and 500cc class Grand Prix victories, making it the joint highest winning country with the USA.

As well as four of the current Italian MotoGP riders – Melandri, Max Biaggi, Loris Capirossi and Valentino Rossi, the line-up included past and present Italian motorcycling heroes from both MotoGP and other motorcycle sports such as Giacomo Agostini, Luca Cadalora, PierPaolo Bianchi, Eugenio Lazzarini, Bruno Ruffo, Carlo Rubini, GianMarco Rossi, Giovanni Sala, Alex Puzar, and Yamaha Motocross 125 riders Andrea Bartolini and Alessio Chiodi.

After a brief welcome introduction by FMI Italian representative Paolo Sesti and a speech from the president of the Italian Olympics committee Gianni Petrucci, President Ciampi was then invited to present medals to each rider, as a token for each of their individual contributions to Italian sporting
history.

Ciampi spoke of his personal interest in motorcycling as a sport, relating to the surprised group his experiences with bikes in his youth when he was in the military, “I once went too fast on a bike and decided it was better not to ride any more!” he explained to the riders. “Motorcycle racing is very special to me – it is sometimes dangerous and can be scary. It is important for young people to watch and to learn from sports, and from motorcycle racing I think they can see that it is good to be prudent and to respect other people.” The 82-year-old then wished the riders good luck and success in their careers.

250cc World Champion Melandri was delighted to have been invited, commenting on the day, “It was great to meet the President! I did not have the chance to speak to him for a long time but I noticed that as soon as he started talking he seemed much younger. It was exciting just to be in the same room as him – I didn’t know what to say. I was quite surprised because he seems to know a lot about bikes, he also had a very good sense of humour.”

Melandri will stay in his home country for the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello that takes place this Sunday, 8 June.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

According to his father, Leland Howard, racer Ty Howard was released from Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado and flew home to Texas today. Howard underwent surgery on a broken hip and received skin grafts on an abraded arm, the result of a crash during Saturday’s Formula Xtreme race at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

Leland Howard said that racer Rich Conicelli is still in the hospital as the result of a crash during practice at Pikes Peak; Howard said that Conicelli suffered a broken collarbone, three broken ribs and a punctured lung, which filled with fluid and then leaked fluid into his chest cavity.

Conicelli is likely to be in the hospital until the end of the week, Leland Howard said.

This weekend saw 20 sections of Airfence Bike soft barriers installed at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, Illinois.

The Airfence Bike soft barriers were funded by the cooperative effort of Blackhawk Farms Raceway, the Wegman Benefit Fund and the Roadracing World Action Fund.

The effort was coordinated by Gordon Lunde Sr. of the Wegman Benefit Fund.