From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship
Rounds 6 & 7 – Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia, USA
Final Qualifying and Round 6 Race Report


MLADIN SURVIVES HIGH SPEED REAR TYRE FAILURE AT ROAD ATLANTA

Braselton, Georgia, USA – Australia’s Mat Mladin miraculously survived a dramatic high speed rear tyre failure while leading the sixth round of the AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Georgia.

The incident happened on the eleventh of the intended 25-lap race distance with the three-times American Superbike champion holding a four second lead over his rivals before his rear tyre exploded without warning at over 280kph (170)mph) as he commenced his run down the fast back straight.

Mladin fought to keep his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 upright and had managed to reduce his speed significantly before he entered the trackside gravel trap where the front end of his machine dug in and he was thrown from the bike which has suffered extensive damage to the rear as a result of the flying chunks of rubber.

“There was no warning it was going to happen as the tyre had felt good and I was comfortable with the lap times I was doing,” said Mladin, who escaped any injury in the incident. “We’re not sure why it has happened as we ran the same tyre a number of times during qualifying and practice and it was fine.”

“What I can say is that I feel very lucky that it exploded where it did, because if it would have happened 100 metres (110 yards) earlier, the walls are a lot closer to the circuit and anything could have happened. I did the best I could to save it and given that it was running on the rim at over 160kph (100mph) I think we did very well to get it off the track and into the gravel trap.”

“We’ve obviously got a bit of work to do now overnight, before tomorrow’s race, so we’ll put this one behind us and get back on with what we need to do with the championship.”

With Mladin forced out of the race lead, victory today went to his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates, who also has taken the points lead in the championship with 187, compared to Mladin’s second placed tally of 175. After taking the race lead from Mladin, Team Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom dropped back to second, followed by Kurtis Roberts (Erion Honda) and Anthony Gobert (Ducati Austin) fourth.

The second race of this weekend’s 25-lap Superbike nationals takes place tomorrow morning, with Mladin confident that he can make a return to the winners circle.

Earlier in the day, Mladin had secured pole position for the weekend’s races, with a record setting time of 1-min 23.520-secs, finishing ahead of Eric Bostrom ( 1:23.944) and Gobert (1:24.304).

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Parts Unlimited PJ1 Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts was the fastest rider Sunday morning in AMA Superbike practice at Road Atlanta.

Roberts was forced to use rain tires on his Honda RC51; a mist fell at the start of the session and eliminated a dry line that had began to develop around the track. Roberts’ time of 1:35.794 led all riders.

A wet Superbike race could see some talented privateers run near the front as shown by Hooters Suzuki’s Mike Ciccotto turning the fourth-fastest time during the warm-up session on his Superstock Suzuki GSX-R750.

Other Superbike privateers who are local to Road Atlanta, specialize in rain racing and could possibly factor into the mix today include Prieto Racing’s Michael Barnes, first-year Expert Greg Moore and the Team Embry duo of Geoff May and Brian Stokes.

Sunday Morning’s AMA Superbike Practice Times:

1. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, 1:35.794
2. Anthony Gobert, Ducati, 1:37.446
3. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:38.366
4. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki, 1:38.376
5. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 1:38.572
6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:38.732
7. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, 1:38.995
8. Greg Moore, Suzuki, 1:40.487
9. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, 1:41.004
10. Ben Bostrom, Honda, 1:41.045
11. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, 1:42.035
12. John Dugan, Suzuki, 1:42.399
13. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 1:42.620
14. Tom Wertman, Suzuki, 1:43.063
15. Jake Holden, Suzuki, 1:43.199
16. Brian Stokes, Suzuki, 1:43.410
17. Larry Pegram, Ducati, 1:43.450
18. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, 1:43.556
19. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki, 1:45.694
20. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki, 1:49.799

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin won his 19th career AMA Superbike race Sunday at Road Atlanta over Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom and Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts.

After surviving an incredible rear tire failure at over 170 mph in Saturday’s race, Mladin came back Sunday to steadily work his way into the lead and away from the field to take the win.

Eric Bostrom, Roberts, Ben Bostrom and Aaron Yates fought for second for nearly all 20 laps. Eric Bostrom gained a small advantage through traffic late in the race over Roberts, while Yates struggled with a well-worn rear tire to stay ahead of Ben Bostrom.

As the battles for second and fourth neared their conclusions, the race was stopped on lap 21 of 25 when two crashes occurred in the first section of the track. Scott Jensen laid his Suzuki down at the top of the hill in turn two; both Jensen and his Suzuki slid to a stop safely. Andy Deatherage crashed at the bottom of the Esses section. Deatherage needed medical attention near a wall on rider’s right, and his Suzuki GSX-R1000 lying on its side on the racing surface.

AMA Pro Racing officials reverted scoring back to the last lap complete, lap 20, which meant 80 percent of the race had been completed and the race could be called complete.

Mladin was declared the winner over Eric Bostrom, Roberts, Yates, Ben Bostrom, Attack Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore, Dream Team Ducati’s Larry Pegram, Ducati Austin’s Anthony Gobert, American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel and HSA Racing/Kaufman Trailers’ Shawn Higbee.

Provisional AMA Superbike Race Two Results:

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, 20 laps
2. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, -5.685 seconds
3. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -6.579 seconds
4. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -7.584 seconds
5. Ben Bostrom, Honda, -7.673 seconds
6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, -41.646 seconds
7. Larry Pegram, Ducati, -43.069 seconds
8. Anthony Gobert, Ducati, -51.934 seconds
9. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -57.056 seconds
10. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki, -62.513 seconds
11. Michael Barnes, Suzuki, -62.748 seconds
12. Eric Wood, Suzuki, -75.592 seconds
13. Jack Pfeifer, Suzuki, -78.933 seconds
14. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki, -79.251 seconds
15. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, -81.971 seconds
16. John Dugan, Suzuki
17. Andy Deatherage, Suzuki, -83.622 seconds
18. John Haner, Suzuki, -1 lap
19. Scott Jensen, Suzuki, -1 lap
20. Rich Conicelli, Suzuki, -1 lap
21. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, -1 lap
22. Scott Harwell, Suzuki, -1 lap
23. Jake Holden, Suzuki, -1 lap
24. Marco Martinez, Suzuki, -1 lap
25. Tom Wertman, Suzuki, -1 lap
26. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki, -1 lap
27. Anthony Fania, Suzuki, -2 laps
28. Brian Stokes, Suzuki, -7 laps, DNF, crash
29. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki, -10 laps, DNF, mechanical
30. Geoff May, Suzuki, -15 laps, DNF
31. Greg Moore, Suzuki, -17 laps, DNF

Provisional AMA Superbike Points Standings:

1. Yates, 214 points
2. Mladin, 212 points
3. Eric Bostrom, 202 points
4. Ben Bostrom, 194 points
5. Kurtis Roberts, 189 points
6. Duhamel, 163 points
7. Pegram, 148 points
8. Higbee, 141 points
9. Haskovec, 127 points
10. Pridmore, 125 points
11. Barnes, 106 points
12. Szoke, 93 points
13. Ciccotto, 86 points
14. May, 83 points
15. Deatherage/Dugan, TIE, 82 points
17. Steve Crevier, 81 points
18. Pfeifer, 77 points
19. Anthony Gobert, 74 points
20. Scott Jensen, 69 points

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The AMA Supersport field is currently on pit lane choosing which tires to use for the upcoming 15-lap final on the damp Road Atlanta course.

AMA Pro Racing has declared the Supersport race a “wet” race, which allows competitors to use any tire with a molded tread pattern. In other words, riders cannot use tires with hand-cut tread.

When a race is declared “wet”, classes that normally use slick tires in the dry can use any tires, including hand-cut treads.

But once a “wet” race has started – even if it started in drying conditions – it will not be stopped if it starts raining during the race. This makes the riders’ tire choice more difficult, especially when it could start raining again at any moment, like today at Road Atlanta.

After making his sighting lap, Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster said, “There’s no water running across the track. It’s just damp. Buckmaster and teammates Jamie Hacking and Jason DiSalvo all said the choice of tires is a “toss-up.”

Miguel Duhamel will not race in today’s AMA Supersport race at Road Atlanta.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Erion Honda’s Roger Lee Hayden topped Sunday morning’s wet AMA Supersport practice at Road Atlanta with a time of 1:37.882 on his rain-tire-shod CBR600RR.

It is not currently raining at Road Atlanta. It rained overnight at the track, and Sunday’s forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Sunday Morning’s Supersport Practice Times:

1. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 1:37.882
2. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha, 1:38.242
3. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:38.469
4. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:38.647
5. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:38.731
6. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:38.895
7. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:40.596
8. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 1:40.782
9. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:40.922
10. Jamie Stauffer, Suzuki, 1:40.991
11. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 1:41.060
12. Marty Craggill, Honda, 1:41.101
13. Ty Howard, Honda, 1:41.523
14. Doug Chandler, Honda, 1:41.821
15. Jason Hobbs, Yamaha, 1:44.247
16. Matt Wait, Yamaha, 1:45.041
17. Steven Breckenridge, Triumph, 1:45.133
18. Jason Curtis, Honda, 1:45.443
19. Darrin Mitchell, Suzuki, 1:46.391
20. William Johnson, Suzuki, 1:47.328
21. David Guy, Suzuki, 1:47.695
22. Caesar Gonzales, Kawasaki, 1:47.867
23. Robert Hilliard, Yamaha, 1:48.287

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Graves Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking took the first AMA Formula Xtreme victory of his career in a action-packed contest Sunday at Road Atlanta.

Hacking got the holeshot at the start, but the lead was shuffled back and forth between Hacking, Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies and Hackings’ teammate Damon Buckmaster.

Buckmaster and Spies turned the race into a dual from lap four until lap nine when Spies ran off the track in the new, turn three chicane. Spies lost the rear in the wet grass and fell as he slowed to re-enter the track at turn four. Spies then slid face-down onto the track.

Hacking, Zemke and Marty Craggill took evasive action to avoid Spies, as Buckmaster jumped out to a new three-second lead.

Spies was not able to re-start his GSX-R1000.

Buckmaster was only able to enjoy his new lead for three laps, because on lap 12, the Australian’s Yamaha suffered mechanical troubles in turn two forcing him to pit and retire.

Hacking was promoted into the lead officially on lap 12 and crossed the line to finish lap 13 just before an incident in turn five stopped the race.

Television replays of the incident showed Roger Lee Hayden getting up from a crash at the exit of turn five. Hayden’s Erion Honda came to rest on the track just before Corona Extra Suzuki’s Adam Fergusson fell off the lowside in the same corner. Fergusson slid into Hayden’s bike and appeared to suffer an injury, but the Australian rider was able to walk away.

Hayden was demoted in the running order because he causeed the red flag, results reverted to the lap-12 running order and Hacking was awarded the win over Zemke and Craggill.

Buckmaster, who did cross the timing and scoring loop on pit lane, was scored as finishing 12th.

AMA Formula Xtreme Race Results:

1. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 12 laps
2. Jake Zemke, Honda, -2.004 seconds
3. Marty Craggill, Honda, -3.083 seconds
4. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, -4.030 seconds
5. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, -18.413 seconds
6. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, -19.223 seconds
7. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki, -26.230 seconds
8. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, -33.415 seconds
9. Geoff May, Suzuki, -36.154 seconds
10. Ty Howard, Suzuki, -36.309 seconds
11. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, -41.246 seconds
12. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, -44.752 seconds
13. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, -52.835 seconds
14. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, -77.970 seconds, crash
15. Doug Duane, Suzuki, -1 lap
16. Kevin Hanson, Suzuki, -1 lap
17. Nathan Hester, Suzuki, -1 lap
18. Ben Spies, Suzuki, -4 laps, crash
19. Chuck Allen, Suzuki, -4 laps
20. Doug Chandler, Honda, -5 laps, DNF, mechanical
21. David Guy, Suzuki, -5 laps
22. Jason Curtis, Honda, -8 laps, DNF, mechanical


Provisional AMA Formula Xtreme Point Standings:

1. Zemke, 96 points
2. Spies, 89 points
3. Hayes, 78 points
4. Buckmaster, 75 points
5. Rapp, 74 points
6. Fergusson, 73 points
7. Craggill, 72 points
8. Aaron Gobert, 70 points
9. Moore, 64 points
10. Howard, 61 points
11. Ulrich, 57 points
12. Hacking, 56 points

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies led Sunday morning’s AMA Formula Xtreme warm-up session with a time of 1:29.161 on his works GSX-R1000.

It’s unclear what type of tire Spies used to turn his fastest time, but he had a hand-cut rear slick on his machine at the end of the session.

Annandale Honda’s Craig Connell did not participate in the warm-up session.

Connell crashed and tangled with his Honda CBR954RR as he fell in turn five during Saturday’s Formula Xtreme qualifying session. Connell told Roadracingworld.com Sunday morning that he didn’t break any bones in his right foot but injured it badly enough that he didn’t feel he would race.

Adam Fergusson also did not ride during Sunday morning’s FX practice because of the wet conditions.

A mist began to fall at the end of the Formula Xtreme practice and beginning of Superbike practice erasing the dry line that had developed around the track.

Sunday Morning’s AMA Formula Xtreme Practice Times:

1. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:29.161
2. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:30.810
3. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:31.267
4. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:32.200
5. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha, 1:32.943
6. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 1:33.643
7. Ty Howard, Honda, 1:34.059
8. Marty Craggill, Honda, 1:34.117
9. Doug Chandler, Honda, 1:35.406
10. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 1:36.211
11. Jason Curtis, Honda, 1:37.123
12. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:37.211
13. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:37.686
14. Nathan Hester, Suzuki, 1:40.953
15. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:43.201
16. Kevin Hanson, Suzuki, 1:43.955
17. David Guy, Suzuki, 1:44.721
18. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, 1:44.850
19. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:53.082

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn LeSanto

Seven from Seven for Hodgson

Neil Hodgson maintained his perfect score in 2003 by dominating the first Superbike race at Monza. He kept out of the melee for second place as Regis Laconi, Gregorio Lavilla, James Toseland and Frankie Chili battled for the remaining honours.

Hodgson got the jump on his Fila Ducati and led the pack in the drag race to the first chicane. Laconi and the two Alstare Suzukis of Vittorio Iannuzzo and Lavilla followed him in.

James Toseland improved quickly on lap two from his fifth position in turn one, moving to third as Ruben Xaus missed his braking point and ran on at the Ascari curves.

Laconi and Lavilla had managed to overhaul Hodgson, but the Brit was in no mood to sit behind and wait. Instead he took Laconi on the brakes into the first chicane on lap three and started a duel which saw the pair swap the lead three times during the lap.

The leaders were four-wide into the first chicane on lap five, with Toseland passing Laconi and allowing Hodgson to make a break.

Hodgson’s lead increased over the next few laps as the battle behind intensified. Toseland and Lavilla passed each other five times in five laps going into the Parabolica.

Traffic came into play with two laps to go, with Hodgson slowed considerably as two backmarkers showed a distinct lack of professionalism in the sight of waving blue flags. The chasing pack continued to fight hard, running four-wide down the main straight and passing time after time through the Ascari curves and into the Parabolica.

A lapped rider, Lorenzo Mauri, held up Laconi, Lavilla, Toseland and Chili as they entered Variante della Roggia. The gap to Hodgson had closed to only 1.2 seconds.

Everything was set for the last lap challenge into the Parabolica. The pack closed on Hodsgon, who was completely unaware that his two-second lead had been reduced almost to nil. But he held out for his seventh win of the season by 0.352 second from Laconi. As he celebrated his win his team celebrated Ducati’s 200th WSB win.

Toseland lost out in a photo finish to Lavilla by less than half a bike length as they crossed the line, with both riders given the same time in the final standings.

“I am very fast in the first chicane but not so fast in the Parabolica,” commented Lavilla. “I was held up by a backmarker before Ascari and it made me angry and I messed it up.”

Frenchman, Laconi was pleased with second place, “I am very happy,” he said after the race. “My bike is very good but not as fast as the 999.”

Winner Hodgson had some harsh words for the back markers: “On the last lap I got held up by the backmarkers who were very unprofessional. They were looking at each other and even banging into each other. When I finally got past, I relaxed a little bit too much on the last lap.

“As I went over the line and closed the throttle, suddenly four bikes went past me, and I thought, shit, I nearly got caught with my pants down there!”

World Superbike Race One Results:

1. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 999F03, 18 laps, 32:38.264
2. Regis Laconi, Ducati 998RS, -0.352 second
3. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -0.389 second
4. James Toseland, Ducati 998F02, -0.396 second
5. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, -1.617 seconds
6. Chris Walker, Ducati 998F02, -4.138 seconds
7. Ruben Xaus, Ducati 999F03, -10.889 seconds
8. Marco Borciani, Ducati 998RS, -11.609 seconds
9. Steve Martin, Ducati 998RS, -12.877 seconds
10. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, -15.902 seconds
11. Alex Gramigni, Yamaha YZF-R1, -21.700 seconds
12. Vittorio Iannuzzo, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -25.872 seconds
13. Troy Corser, Foggy Petronas FP1, -34.204 seconds
14. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -53.406 seconds
15. Serafino Foti, Ducati 998RS, -67.704 seconds
16. Sergio Fuertes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -71.924 seconds
17. Lorenzo Mauri, Ducati 996RS, -1 lap
18. Marco Masetti, Ducati 996RS, -1 lap
19. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -2 laps, DNF
20. James Haydon, Foggy Petronas FP1, -4 laps, DNF
21. Giovanni Bussei, Yamaha YZF-R1, -6 laps, DNF
22. Walter Tortoroglio, Honda RC51, -16 laps, DNF

More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Corser 13th in first Monza race for Foggy PETRONAS racing

Foggy PETRONAS Racing rider Troy Corser finished in 13th place of the first race in round four of the World Superbike championship at Monza. The Australian, starting from 11th on the grid, recorded a best lap time of 1:50.849 in the seventh successive race won by championship leader, Neil Hodgson. Corser’s FPR team-mate, James Haydon, retired from the race after 14 laps, while lying 18th. Corser said: “I will be trying a softer tyre for the second and am hopeful of achieving our pre-race target of making the top ten.”