Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Supersport:

1. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 55.959
2. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 56.101
3. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 56.107
4. Jake Zemke, Honda, 56.167
5. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 56.183
6. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 56.278
7. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha, 56.324
8. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 56.442
9. Alex Gobert, Honda, 56.647
10. Jamie Stauffer, Suzuki, 56.720
11. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 56.757
12. Doug Chandler, Honda, 56.928
13. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 57.002
14. Craig Connel, Honda, 57.690
15. Thad Halsmer, Yamaha, 58.027
16. Chris Peris, Honda, 58.051
17. Heath Small, Yamaha, 58.722
18. Martin Sims, Suzuki, 59.257
19. Jason Hobbs, Yamaha, 59.509
20. Dirk Sanchez, Kawasaki, 59.585


250cc Grand Prix:

1. Rich Oliver, Yamaha, 55.801
2. Chuck Sorensen, Aprilia, 56.038
3. Simon Turner, TSR Honda, 57.115
4. Colin Jensen, Aprilia, 57.429
5. Ed Sorbo, Yamaha, 58.320
6. Perry Melneciuc, Yamaha, 58.824
7. Chris Pyles, Honda, 58.848
8. Ed Marchini, Yamaha, 58.911
9. Greg Esser, Honda, 59.043
10. Sandy Noce, Yamaha, 59.282
11. John France, Honda, 59.423
12. T. Russell Strobridge, Yamaha, 59.580
13. Darren Fulce, Yamaha, 59.786
14. Sean McNew, Honda, 1:00.628
15. Sean Wray, Yamaha, 1:01.116
16. M. Ben Welch, Yamaha, 1:01.187
17. Stephen Bowline, Honda, 1:01.665
18. Shawn Murray, Honda, 1:02.051
19. Steve Scott, Yamaha, 1:02.403
20. Glen Christianson, Yamaha, 1:02.550


Superstock:
1. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 56.106
2. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 56.166
3. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki, 56.189
4. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 56.204
5. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, 56.304
6. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 56.315
7. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, 56.348
8. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 56.595
9. Chris Caylor, Suzuki, 56.894
10. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki, 56.999
11. Jeremy Chisum, Suzuki, 57.108
12. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 57.110
13. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki, 57.219
14. Brian Stokes, Suzuki, 57.276
15. John Haner, Suzuki, 57.432
16. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 57.663
17. Mikey Lane, Suzuki, 57.999
18. Chris Anchien, Suzuki, 58.058
19. Thad Halsmer, Yamaha, 58.368
20. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 58.555


Superbike:
1. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, 54.762
2. Ben Bostrom, Honda, 54.890
3. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 54.907
4. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, 54.920
5. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 55.167
6. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 55.241
7. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha, 55.586
8. Larry Pegram, Ducati, 55.641
9. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 55.664
10. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki, 55.858
11. Anthony Gobert, Ducati, 56.192
12. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 56.423
13. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 56.610
14. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, 56.611
15. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki, 56.687
16. Geoff May, Suzuki, 56.795
17. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 56 995
18. Jeff Tigert, Suzuki, 56.963
19. Ricky Orlando, Suzuki, 57.081
20. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 57.195

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Annandale Honda’s Ty Howard underwent surgery at about 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to pin together a fracture in his left hip and place a skin graft on his left forearm.

According to Annandale Honda Team Manager Anna Johnston, Howard was in good spirits, said he would be out of action for four weeks and hoped to return to race at Mid-Ohio July 25-27.

Johnston said she wasn’t sure of the exact location of Howard’s fracture, but said that doctors told her that it was in the best possible location for a hip fracture.

Johnston said that Howard’s bike would be waiting for his return but did not rule out the possibility of putting another rider on Howard’s Hondas at Road America, Brainerd and Laguna Seca to “give exposure to Honda, Michelin and all our sponsors.”

Howard suffered his injuries when he collided with Jamie Hacking during Saturday’s Formula Xtreme race and crashed in turn three.

Copyright, 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Pro Racing issued a press release announcing additional details of the penalties assessed against Marty Craggill for Supersport rule violations.

The release read as follows:

“#134–Marty Craggill–Non-standard oil pressure relief valve and non-standard charging systems. Disqualified, penalized 20 points and fined $2500.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Damon Buckmaster won the twice-red-flagged-and-restarted Formula Xtreme race at Pikes Peak International Raceway Saturday.

Buckmaster held off a strong challenge from a fast-closing Adam Fergusson, who finished 0.108-second behind. Jake Zemke was third and Ben Spies was fourth.

The race was red-flagged on the 8th lap for a crash involving Leslie Gerber in turn 7. It was red-flagged again on lap 17 for a crash involving Jack Pfeifer in turn 2.

Provisional results follow:

1. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1, 29 laps
2. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki GSX-R100, -0.108 second
3. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR954RR, -1.833
4. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000 -3.301
5. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -4.619
6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -9.004
7. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -13.610
8. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -15.703
9. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R1, -16.331
10. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR954RR, -17.045
11. Marty Craggil, Honda CBR954RR, -18.886
12. Jason Curtis, Honda CBR954RR, -20.818
13. Craig Connell, Honda CBR954RR, -28.453
14. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -30.873
15. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, -33.211
16. Lenny Beckman, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -33.325
17. Josh Graham, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -33.326
18. Travis Graham, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -36.688
19. Shane Turpin, Yamaha YZF-R1, -39.405
20. Chris Anchien, Suzuki GSX-R750, -43.693
21. Alex McElyea, Honda CBR929RR, -44.234 seconds
22. David Guy, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -48.451 seconds
23. Gregory Glennie, Yamaha YZF-R1, -48.450 seconds
24. Mickey Lane, Suzuki GSX-R750, -49.619 seconds
25. Nathan Hester, Suzuki GSX-R750, -49.930 seconds
26. Jeremiah Johnson, Suzuki GSX-R750, -56.479 seconds
27. Jasn Knupp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -56.803 seconds
28. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R750, -1 lap
29. Rich Deeming, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -1 lap
30. Benjamin Fox, Ducati 748, -1 lap
31. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1, -2 laps, mechanical
32. Jeff Tigert, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -2 laps, crash
33. Ty Howard, Honda CBR954RR, -3 laps, DNF, crash
34. Mark Simon, Suzuki GSX-R750, -6 laps
35. Jack Pfeifer, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -13 laps, DNF, crash
36. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, -14 laps, DNF, retired
37. Eric Haugo, Suzuki GSX-R750, -21 laps, DNF, retired
38. Leslie Gerber, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -22 laps, DNF, crash
39. Doug Chandler, Honda CBR954RR, -28 laps, DNF, mechanical

Formula Xtreme Point Standings (after round 4 of 10):

1. Zemke, 125
2. Spies, 117
3. Buckmaster, 112
4. Fergusson, 105
5. Hayes, 104
6. Rapp, 97
7. Craggill, 92
8. Moore, 88
9. Hacking, 78
10. Ulrich, 73
11. Aaron Gobert, 70
12. Pridmore, 65
13. Roger Lee Hayden, 63
14. Howard, 61
15. Chandler, 53
16. May, 39
17. Curtis, 37
18. Connell/Guy, TIE, 35
20. James King, 21

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Timing and scoring problems have radically changed the grids for at least two races already and may result in Mat Mladin’s pole-winning time from Friday at Pikes Peak being disallowed.

Late Saturday afternoon, AMA Pro Racing issued revised Supersport times from those shown on timing & scoring monitors during and immediately after qualifying, and may issue revised Superstock qualifying times as well.

The Supersport results were issued about 3 hours after qualifying actually ended.

AMA Pro Racing also issued a new Formula Xtreme grid a day after FX qualifying–producing the new grid less than an hour before the scheduled start of the race.

The AMA Pro Racing staff did not notify the SPEED TV production crew; SPEED’s Greg White found out that the Formula Xtreme grid was revised in a conversation with a Roadracingworld.com staffer. White rushed a revised grid to the TV truck and said that if he hadn’t found out about the grid change, the TV show would have shown the original grid.

The new Supersport Qualifying results move Alex Gobert from 2nd-fastest to 10th-fastest, for example, and 8 of the top 11 times have been revised. The new Formula Xtreme grid moves Steve Rapp from 4th-fastest to 11th-fastest and moves Marty Craggill from 11th-fastest to 14th-fastest.

The timing & scoring system has been displaying bogus times all weekend at Pikes Peak, and frequently did not display riders’ new times as they completed laps.

Timing & scoring problems have been present to some degree at every race this year, including a complete system meltdown at California Speedway.

At just before 4:00 p.m. Saturday, AMA Pro Racing issued a statement regarding the timing & scoring problem, which reads as follows:

“31 May, 2003
“Statement from AMA Pro Road Racing

“Due to a hardware problem with the AMB transponder/decoder attached to the loop from the last segment, (turn six to the start/finish line), times for the Supersport and Formula Xtreme qualifying have been revised.

“The decoder has been replaced and times for the Supersport and Formula Xtreme qualifing have been set from the back up system. Times from the Superbike qualifying (Friday) are also being revised.”

The biggest changes in the Supersport grid affected Yamaha–Damon Buckmaster had pole position taken away from him and given to teammate Aaron Gobert, who was originally scored as fourth-fastest.

“I’m still not 100 percent sure that they’re correct,” said Yamaha Team Manager Tom Halverson. “It’s really unfortunate because there’s a Championship point on the line here. The guys trust the times they’re getting on the TVs out there to strategize their sessions. Unfortunately Damon (Buckmaster) thought he had the pole, so he sat out probably a good two-thirds of the sessions because he thought he was on the pole. Had he known the times were bogus I’m sure he would’ve went back out there and tried to do better. So that was really unfortunate.

“On the other side Jamie (Hacking) he was really right up front, but they had him back in eighth. So he could have thrown it down the road trying to qualify at the front thinking he was really back when he was really farther up than he was.

“It’s really kind of bad for both those guys. Probably both of them are a bit angry right now, understandably. It’s unfortunate for the AMA. I guess they had a glitch in the system, but maybe they should have acted a lot sooner.”

Halverson said AMA Pro Racing should have acted sooner because several teams recognized timing and scoring discrepancies earlier in the weekend.

“The overall times were pretty accurate, but there were some discrepancies in the splits,” explained Halverson. “All of a sudden Damon and Jamie were down in the teens for the split from turn seven to the start/finish. So we knew something wasn’t really correct there. I didn’t really think that was going to play into combined lap times for qualifying, so I didn’t raise the issue. But maybe we should have because there was definitely some discrepancies in the splits.”

Asked if the times taken on their teams’ watches and data gathering equipment matched the times displayed by AMA Pro Racing timing and scoring monitors, Aaron Yates’ Crew Chief Chris Weidl said, “No. And it’s not a tenth or two tenths or three tenths – it’s a second!”

Yates, overheard the conversation and added, “Yesterday I was doing 56.0s. I came in and they (AMA) had me at a 55.0.”

When asked if his team’s times matched the times provided by AMA timing and scoring, Kawasaki Racing Team Manager Michael Preston said, “No.”

Asked the same question, Attack Suzuki Team Owner/Crew Chief Richard Stanboli also said, “No.”

American Honda’s Merlyn Plumlee, Crew Chief for Ben Bostrom, said, “We haven’t had any problems at all.”

Revised Overall Supersport Qualifying Results:

1. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 55.547
2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 55.706
3. Marty Craggill, Honda, 55.779
4. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 55.876
5. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 55.968
6. Jake Zemke, Honda, 56.086
7. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 56.094
8. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 56.201
9. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 56.253
10. Alex Gobert, Honda, 56.259
11. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha, 56.502
12. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 56.573
13. Ty Howard, Honda, 56.573
14. Jamie Stauffer, Suzuki, 56.855
15. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 56.984
16. Doug Chandler, Honda, 57.026
17. Jason Curtis, Honda, 57.402
18. Thad Halsmer, Yamaha, 57.496
19. Chris Peris, Honda, 57.582
20. Craig Connell, Honda, 57.801


Revised Formula Xtreme Qualifying Times:

1. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 55.032
2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 55.191
3. Jake Zemke, Honda, 55.288
4. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki, 55.369
5. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, 55.428
6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 55.454
7. Ty Howard, Honda, 55.467
8. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 55.615
9. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 55.779
10. Doug Chandler, Honda, 55.801
11. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 55.054
12. Roger Hayden, Honda, 56.103
13. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 56.204
14. Marty Craggill, Honda, 56.208
15. Craig Connell, Honda, 56.365
16. Jason Curtis, Honda, 56.717
17. Goeff May, Suzuki, 57.083
18. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, 57.122
19. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 57.337
20. Mickey Lane, Suzuki, 57.346

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Pro Racing released revised Superbike qualifying times just before 6:00 p.m. Saturday, showing Aaron Yates on pole.

Timing & scoring officials disallowed Mat Mladin’s fast time from Friday’s first Superbike qualifying session, saying it was inaccurate due to a timing & scoring hardware problem. Mladin said he did not try to improve his time in the second Superbike qualifying session, on Saturday, instead concentrating on race set-up.

AMA Pro Racing timing & scoring first acknowledged that there was a problem with times on Saturday, although crews saw problems on monitors starting Friday.

Revised times follow:

1. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 54.079
2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, 54.087
3. Anthony Gobert, Ducati, 54.166
4. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, 54.214
5. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 54.690
6. Ben Bostrom, Honda, 54.814
7. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 55.015
8. Larry Pegram, Ducati, 55.146
9. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 55.332
10. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki, 55.437
11. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, 55.542
12. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha, 55.704
13. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 55.741
14. Dan Turner, Yamaha, 55.884
15. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 56.161
16. Jeff Tigert, Suzuki, 56.259
17. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki, 56.284
18. Ricky Orlando, Suzuki, 56.308
19. Geoff May, Suzuki, 56.316
20. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 56.713
21. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki, 56.726
22. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 56.814
23. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, 56.942
24. Mike Sullivan, Suzuki, 56.958
25. Jack Pfeifer, Suzuki, 57.008
26. Chris Caylor, Suzuki, 57.055
27. Tom Wertman, Suzuki, 57.259
28. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki, 57.472
29. John Haner, Suzuki, 57.660
30. Brian Stokes, Suzuki, 57.674
31. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 57.706
32. Scott Jensen, Suzuki, 57.997
33. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 58.113
34. Gregory Glennie, Yamaha, 58.616
35. Sean Fey, Yamaha, 58.773
36. Jason Knupp, Suzuki, 58.812
37. Eric Haugo, Suzuki, 58.833
38. Kevin Hanson, Suzuki, 59.424
39. Jeremiah Johnson, Suzuki, 59.580
40. Michael Kosta, Suzuki, 1:00.038

112 percent of fastest time: 1:00.568

AMA Pro Racing Director of Timing & Scoring Ken Rogers explained that the problem was with a new AMB decoder, which was first put into service at Pikes Peak and which was randomly taking exactly one second off lap times. The new decoder incorporates a built-in GPS system for synchronizing the system’s clocks and decoders.

The timing & scoring crew detected the problem Saturday, comparing segment times produced by the new AMB system; some segment times seemed too slow, and others too fast. Once the timing & scoring crew detected the random problem, they consulted a back-up system which used a different decoder with a external GPS synch system.

The timing & scoring crew had to not only sort through the back-up system’s data but also remove lap times produced when riders short-cut the course. In Formula Xtreme qualifying, for example, riders short-cut the course 87 times, Rogers said.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster took AMA Supersport pole position with a new class lap record time of 0:54.706 around Pikes Peak International Raceway’s 1.315-mile road course Saturday.

Buckmaster’s time not only bettered Kurtis Roberts’ two-year-old mark of 0:55.755, it would have put Buckmaster second on the provisional Superbike grid, which led many competitors and one of Buckmaster’s own teammates to question its legitimacy.

“I know I rode my ass off and I did a 55.8,” said Buckmaster’s teammate Jamie Hacking. “I know a 54.7 is no way, no way. There’s no f**king way possible that motorcycle will go a 54 around here.”

“Absolutely,” said Buckmaster when asked if his lap was a legitimate lap. “It’s good that there’s a couple of riders thinking that (it’s not).”

Buckmaster explained, “Because the AMA took my Formula Xtreme time off me yesterday, which I did a 54.8, even though it still would’ve still put me second in qualifying for Formula Xtreme, there’s no way in the world that I was gonna short-cut the racetrack today in 600 qualifying. Because I knew regardless of if they called it an out-lap or an in-lap – no way! I’m staying right on the racetrack.”

Erion Honda’s Alex Gobert backed up his fourth-place finish in the last Supersport race at Road Atlanta by qualifying second Saturday with a time of 0:55.293 on his CBR600RR.

American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel qualified third with a 0:55.496, and Aaron Gobert, Alex’s older brother, earned the last spot on the front row with a time of 0:55.547 on his factory Yamaha YZF-R6.

The AMA Supersport qualifying session at Pikes Peak was the first test of a new method of splitting qualifying groups. Instead of splitting Supersport competitors by odd and even bike numbers, AMA Pro Racing split the riders into a fast group and a slow group based on practice times from Friday.

A quick survey of the top riders after the qualifying session found unanimous and enthusiastic approval of the new system.

Provisional Supersport Qualifying Results:

1. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 54.706
2. Alex Gobert, Honda, 55.293
3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 55.496
4. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 55.547
5. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha, 55.602
6. Marty Craggill, Honda, 55.780
7. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 55.876
8. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 55.921
9. Jake Zemke, Honda, 55.925
10. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 56.091
11. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 56.260
12. Thad Halsmer, Yamaha, 56.495
13. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 56.574

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Annandale Honda’s Ty Howard was transported to Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado for X-rays of his left hip area following a crash in Saturday’s AMA Formula Xtreme final at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

According to Annandale Honda Team Manager Anna Johnston, Howard’s left elbow was abraded “down to the bone” but she said her rider was in “good spirits.”

Howard crashed when he tried to overtake both Jimmy Moore and Jamie Hacking in one pass while braking for turn three on lap 27 of the 29-lap FX race.

According to eyewitness accounts from Moore, Roger Lee Hayden and Steve Rapp, Howard got into the corner too fast, hit Hacking broadside and went flying through the air over the top of Hacking’s motorcycle.

Hacking did not crash in the incident.

Supersport racer Jim Davis, who crashed Saturday during Supersport qualifying, was also transported to Memorial Hospital for X-rays of his left hip area and will be kept overnight.

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

MLADIN HEADS SUPERBIKE QUALIFYING AT PIKES PEAK

In oppressively hot conditions, Australia’s Mat Mladin has set the fastest lap time during today’s opening qualifying session for round eight of the AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship being held Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado.

Mladin turned a time of 53.780 seconds around the short but demanding Colorado circuit aboard his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, holding an advantage of almost a full second over fellow Australian Anthony Gobert (Austin Ducati) who posted a best time of 54.711 secs.

With track surface temperature rising above 60 degrees C (135 degrees F) during today’s opening qualifying session, finding a machine set up that would suit the hot conditions and allow for the best possible tyre wear became of paramount importance. Conditions are expected to cool over the weekend, but with Sunday’s Superbike national scheduled for 48 laps, the high altitudes of Pikes Peak mixed with the hot conditions will make for a very demanding race.

“We concentrated a lot on getting a race set up today,” said Mladin. “Yes, it was good to get a fast time in, but with the lap distance being so short around here, it is important to get a comfortable feel with it. Tyre wear is an issue here, so we do need to do a lot of work with matching the chassis to the tyres that will get us through the 48-lap distance. We also tend to get caught behind a lot of backmarkers around here, but today the traffic out on the track was quite good. If it remains like that over the next two days, we should get a good race in on Sunday.”

Third fastest was Mladin’s teammate and current championship points leader Aaron Yates who set a time of 54.913 who held a half second advantage over Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts (55.448) who completes the provisional front row of the grid.

Mladin arrives at this weekend’s round trailing Yates by two points in the championship, but with five wins from seven races completed this season he has proven to be the dominant rider of the series. The only blemish to his season so far has been a tyre failure at round six of the championship at Road Atlanta which forced him out of the race and subsequently lost his points advantage over Yates.

Qualifying continues tomorrow, with a final one-hour session, followed by Sunday’s 48-lap Superbike race.



More, from a press release issued by Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki:

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp had a successful first day at Pikes Peak International Raceway Friday, putting his GSX-R1000 on the front row for Saturday’s Formula Xtreme race. Rapp successfully negotiated the venue’s power-sapping altitude and the day’s sweltering conditions to qualify his machine fourth in class with a time of 55.311 .

Rapp is keen to improve upon his current fifth-place standing in the class points race this weekend. The 30-year-old Californian’s hard riding style is well suited to the tight 1.3-mile mountainside circuit, a fact evidenced by a previous top-five Superbike finish at the track to his credit.

“I like the track a lot and have had some good results here in the past. I’m looking forward to the race,” Rapp said of his day in the sweltering heat. “We had a just a little bit trouble at the end of qualifying and never got to use a soft tire,” Rapp said. “Other than that it was really good.”

Rapp is also taking on additional duties this weekend subbing for injured teammate Matt Furtek in the Superstock class. It didn’t take Rapp long to get back into the Superstock groove, running fourth in the morning’s practice session.

Chris Ulrich spent his day dialing in his Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Superstock and Formula Xtreme race machines. The Formula Xtreme rookie was unable to find ideal solutions on Friday but expects to improve throughout the weekend.

“We made forward progress, but we just didn’t move forward as fast as I would like,” Ulrich said after the day’s action had concluded. “We’re just going to keep our heads down, make some changes, and see what we can do.”

Next, Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki will contest the Formula Xtreme race on Saturday and the Superstock race on Sunday.