Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Top places by tire brand at Road Atlanta

Superbike Race 1:
1. Dunlop
2. Dunlop
3. Dunlop
4. Dunlop
5. Dunlop
6. Michelin
7. Dunlop
8. Pirelli
9. Pirelli
10. Dunlop
11. Dunlop
12. Dunlop
13. Pirelli
14. Pirelli
15. Pirelli

Superbike Race 2:
1. Dunlop
2. Dunlop
3. Dunlop
4. Dunlop
5. Dunlop
6. Dunlop
7. Michelin
8. Dunlop
9. Dunlop
10. Dunlop
11. Pirelli
12. Dunlop
13. Dunlop
14. Pirelli
15. Pirelli

Supersport:
1. Dunlop
2. Dunlop
3. Dunlop
4. Dunlop
5. Dunlop
6. Dunlop
7. Dunlop
8. Dunlop
9. Dunlop
10. Michelin
11. Dunlop
12. Michelin
13. Pirelli
14. Dunlop
15. Michelin

Superstock:
1. Pirelli
2. Dunlop
3. Pirelli
4. Dunlop
5. Pirelli
6. Dunlop
7. Dunlop
8. Dunlop
9. Pirelli
10. Dunlop
11. Dunlop
12. Michelin
13. Dunlop
14. Dunlop
15. Michelin

Formula Xtreme:
1. Dunlop
2. Dunlop
3. Dunlop
4. Dunlop
5. Dunlop
6. Dunlop
7. Dunlop
8. Michelin
9. Pirelli
10. Michelin
11. Michelin
12. Dunlop
13. Dunlop
14. Dunlop
15. Pirelli

250 Grand Prix:
1. Dunlop
2. Dunlop
3. Bridgestone
4. Dunlop
5. Dunlop
6. Dunlop
7. Bridgestone
8. Bridgestone
9. Dunlop
10. Bridgestone

From a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

MotoGP Circuit “Team Telefonica MoviStar Honda” Signs Ryuichi Kiyonari as Rider

Kiyonari Joins Telefonica MoviStar Honda

Team Telefonica MoviStar Honda, competing in the 2003 MotoGP with Honda RC211Vs, has announced that Ryuichi Kiyonari (20, from Saitama, Japan) will be one of its riders in the upcoming fourth race of the season, the May 25th French Grand Prix.

Previously, Kiyonari raced in the ST600 Class of the 2002 All Japan RoadRace along with fellow riders Tohru Ukawa and the late Daijiro Kato as a members of Team Kohtake RSC.

Kiyonari, although only 20, has won four of the eight races he has entered and won the championship in his debut year. Another ndication of Kiyonari’s potential was his second-place finish on April 27th at the FIM Super Sports World Championship at the Sugo Circuit, even though it was his first race there.

Team Manager Fausto Gresini said this about Kiyonari and his reasons for selecting him to join the team: “He’s a young and talented rider and we’ve got lots of time to build up a strong relationship. With more experience he should be one of MotoGP’s top riders.”

Kiyonari’s contract is for one year, lasting through the 2003 season, with an option for another year in 2004. Kiyonari’s schedule for this year includes joining the team for the season’s third race, the Spanish Grand Prix. The Japanese rider will have his first race on the RC211V at the French Grand Prix, the fourth contest of the season, on May 25.

Comment from Ryuichi Kiyonari “When I found out that it was decided I’d be joining the MotoGP team, it was really sudden. I was both surprised and really happy. But when I got to the circuit, I felt that I’m facing a major new challenge. The plan is that I’ll get to test ride the RC211V next week and, to be perfectly honest, what I’m feeling right now is more a kind of impatience to get going rather than nervousness. First I have to get used to the new situation, then I hope to keep on riding as I have been.”

Career Highlights – Ryuichi Kiyonari

1988 -1990 (6-8 year old)

Rode a motocross bike and became interested in motorcycling.

Participated in MX races with his friends

1991-1995 (9-13)

He was the first student of the Suzuka Racing School (SRS-J).

As a member of the SRS-J, he took part in local GP80cc races

1996

Suzuka and Tsukuba GP80cc class Champion

1997

Tsukuba Championship GP125B class Champion

1998

26th 125cc All Japan Championship.

1999

23rd 125cc All Japan Championship.

2000

Joined Team Kotake RSC

20th 250cc All Japan Championship

2nd Suzuka 8 Hours XF class

2001

16th 250cc All Japan Championship

2002

All Japan Champion ST600 class(Supersport)

10th JSB1000 Class All-Japan Championship

Winner of round 8 All Japan Superbike Championship at Tanaka International (Kiyonari’s only Superbike race of the 2002 season)

2003

2nd Supersport World Championship race at Sugo

From a press release issued by Clear Channel Entertainment – Motorsports:

Road America Road Race Moved

To Heartland Park August 8-10

AURORA, IL. – Formula USA / CCS announced today that the August 8-10 Formula USA Championship Series, Championship Cup Series, and XSBA Freestyle round of competition at Elkhart Lake’s Road America has been moved to Heartland Park-Topeka near Topeka Kansas. The event at Heartland Park-Topeka will take place on the same date, August 8-10.

Heartland Park Topeka will feature the exact same line-up of classes originally scheduled for Road America on August 8-10 including complete Formula USA, Championship Cup Series, and XSBA rounds of competition.

Premier classes on the schedule will include Formula USA Sportbike and Superbike classes, as well as Unlimited Grand Prix, Thunderbike, and the “Heartland 200” on Friday August 8.

According to Kevin Elliott, Director of Competition, “Heartland Park provides a great central location for this classic mid-summer Pro-Am road race event, and we are very pleased to be able to bring this event to the Topeka area, which has hosted an array of professional motor sports events over the past decade.”

All race entries for Road America will be applied to the Heartland Park-Topeka event, unless otherwise notifying CCS in advance.

For weekend schedules, ticket information and more… visit FormulaUSA.com.

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

MLADIN RETURNS TO WINNERS CIRCLE AT ROAD ATLANTA

Braselton, Georgia, USA – A day after surviving a high speed tyre failure, Mat Mladin has responded in the best possible way by taking victory in today’s seventh round of the 2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship being held at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Georgia.

The win was Mladin’s 19th career AMA Superbike race win, his fifth for the season and has now closed to within two points of current championship points leader, Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates, who after winning yesterday’s excitement filled race, came home fourth today.

After the drama’s of yesterday’s race when his rear tyre exploded at over 280kph (170mph) while in the race lead, Mladin, along with a number of other riders, was forced to use a different rear tyre on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 after Dunlop recalled the particular type of tyre that failed on Mladin’s bike yesterday, while they investigate the reasons for it occurring.

Starting from pole position for today’s race, Mladin made a steady start as he reacquainted himself with the circuit and a different rear set up. He worked his way up to the race lead by passing Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts on lap seven. From that point, he went about steadily building a comfortable margin over his rivals before the race was cut short on lap 21 of the scheduled 25 after two separate incidents forced officials to bring out the red flag. The race was calculated back to the positions held on lap 20 and with 60% of the race run, it was declared completed and the victory awarded to Mladin.

“After the problem we had yesterday, Dunlop essentially gave us a tyre to use today that was a bit slower, but one they felt was a lot safer,” said Mladin. “It was the same rubber compound, but just made from a different construction, but everyone had to use it. In the race today, I just did what I had to do. I wasn’t pushing the rear tyre around that fast kink as much as I was yesterday.

“What else can you say about the weekend? We arrived here with a 24-point lead and dominated, but left with a two-point deficit, so that’s not a good feeling. We should have had a full race points lead by now, but instead we’ve got a bit of work to do over the next few weeks.”

Team Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom moved his way past Roberts to claim second, with Roberts holding on for the final podium position just ahead of Yates and Ben Bostrom (American Honda).

The American Superbike Championship reaches its mid point over the next few weeks, with round eight held at the Pikes Peak circuit in Colorado on June 1, followed a week later by another double-header round at Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.


More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

Double Podium for American Honda at Road Atlanta

Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts, almost fully recovered from injuries suffered in a motocross accident less than a month ago, scored a pair of podium placings in the AMA Superbike double-header held in humid and threatening conditions at Road Atlanta, just north of Atlanta, Georgia. Roberts rode his Honda RC-51 to a third place finish on Saturday, his best finish since finishing third in the Daytona 200, and third again on Sunday, this time less than a second behind the second placed rider, Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom, who’d also finished second on Saturday.

Eric’s brother Ben, of American Honda, had a frustrating weekend, finishing fifth both days, but for different reasons. On Saturday he gambled on a rear tire choice that ultimately proved unproductive. Sunday Bostrom suffered from vision problems. High heat and humidity fogged up his faceshield, a common frustration throughout the field, and he was riding blind. Just as he was making a move toward the podium, the race was brought to a halt by a red flag, and he was given fifth, less than a tenth of a second out of fourth.

Teammate Miguel DuHamel, despite having a different helmet brand, suffered the same fate. For DuHamel it was particularly hurtful since he was riding with a collarbone that he’d broken less than two weeks earlier in the previous AMA race. Saturday he was slowed by a tire vibration and Sunday his vision was obscured. Tire problems forced DuHamel, and a number of others, to search for a different construction, which made him tentative in the early going on Sunday.

The three Honda riders were just off the podium in the Saturday’s Superbike race when disaster struck the race leader, Suzuki’s Mat Mladin. Speeding down the back straight at around 290 kph, Mladin suffered a rear tire blow-out on the 11th of 25 laps. Mladin wrestled the machine to a stop, slowing to a near stop 125 meters before tipping over at low speed. The fallout would affect the Honda trio.

Firstly, it put Kurtis Roberts into third, earning him his second podium of the season. Secondly it ended the charge of Miguel DuHamel. DuHamel’s crew chief, Al Ludington, radioed the veteran French-Canadian to let him know about the tire problem, and that he was on the same compound tire. DuHamel immediately backed it down to finish a cautious 11th. Ben Bostrom had a tire problem of a different sort. The former World Superbike campaigner tried a different rear tire, and gambled on set-up, but knew he was doomed from the start.

The race was won by Aaron Yates (Suzuki), a local rider from Georgia with extensive experience at the track. It was his first AMA professional win at his home track. Ben Bostrom’s brother Eric was second with Roberts third.

Sunday the air was thick with humidity, with the threat of thunderstorms, and almost everyone in the field, including the eventual winner, Suzuki’s Mat Mladin, complained of visor fogging.

Kurtis Roberts took the lead on the third of 25 laps, holding off Mladin until the seventh when Roberts dropped to second, a spot he held until the 15th lap when he fell to third, where he’d finish.

Bostrom was with the leading quintet, despite his vision troubles. In the final laps he was making a run toward the podium when the race was stopped.

DuHamel had less success. From the start he was nearly sightless and riding with one arm. His left collarbone was so sore that he opted out of the early Pro Honda Oils Supersport race, won by Suzuki’s Ben Spies. Erion Honda’s Alex Gobert was fourth in a race that had been led by his teammate Roger Lee Hayden.

Kurtis Roberts, Third Place, Saturday
If we run like today, we’re going to get our ass kicked again. I’m with Eric [Bostrom] on the new section. I hate it. I’m losing so much time through there it’s sick. It’s hurting my arm with my shoulder that I hurt a few weeks ago and it just wrecks the racetrack. It had a nice flow and everything before. If we can just figure out how to get through there without losing a second, I think we’ll be right there with the guys. I’m really struggling with whatever it may be. My arm is not as strong as it was, so it gets tired out there. I’d say I’m about 80 or 90 percent right now. I’m fine on the rest of the racetrack, it’s just a struggle throwing that thing around on the new section.

Kurtis Roberts, Third Place, Sunday
It’s still a bit tough for me – the new section. I just can’t get through there as well as these guys can and I have to make up the rest of the lap for all the ground I lose there. It’s the same thing. We all had to change tires because I was on the same one that Mat [Mladin] used yesterday. We switched today and my bike wasn’t hooked up as well as it was all weekend. Maybe the track temperature was a little too cold or something, but it went as well as it could have today. Mat was riding well, as was Eric [Bostrom]. I close up on Eric there and then we got the yellow and red flags, so that was kind of disappointing, but I did as well as I could have today.

Ben Bostrom, Fifth Place, Saturday
I just picked the wrong tire. I picked a strange Japanese tire. That was the end. On the first lap I knew it. I couldn’t flick it into the corner. Unbelievable. I’m totally out of this race. I took a couple of laps on it in practice and that tire was fine. I put this one on and it was crap. I gambled on the bike a little bit too. I made it a little bit too nervous. Usually we’ll gamble to make it steer better, but I couldn’t hang on to the thing. Plus that rear tire was exceptionally bad. I messed up. I knew we were out of the race. It’s heartbreaking. And the race is a 100 lapper. I didn’t want to start the race in the first place like that. It just wouldn’t end. I swear to God, when he threw the crossed flags, I thought, “Is that the checkers? Because I’ve been out here a long time.”

Ben Bostrom, Fifth Place, Sunday
We had a good bike, good tire, it was my own fault. I went to open vents on my helmet and I had a bunch of water inside. The first half of the race I couldn’t see real well. So I was pretty tentative racing with those guys. So I thought I better flip this thing open. So I opened it and the second half of the race I just had the wind and it kind of distorts your vision and it’s hard to get in there. I had a few clean passes and I couldn’t even stick them. It was my own fault. I’ll talk to the guys about it. Tell them to put a vent on top of the helmet.

Miguel DuHamel, 11th Place, Saturday
I was entertaining the thought of giving Kurtis (Roberts) a run for his money. Then over the radio, Al (Ludington) told me what happened to Mat (Mladin), told me I was on the same tire. Asked me if I had a vibration. I said, ‘Yes, I do have a vibration.’ I just shut her down and just tried to ride around. I was trying to the best I could. The place I was losing the most time was down the back straight. I was only 9000 in sixth gear. The thing goes up to 12000 almost. And that’s a big difference. That’s where those guys were making time. They’d pass me and I’d follow them all the way back to that turn and I’d think, there’s no way I’m going wide open here. Even on the last lap they were not that far away from me.

Miguel DuHamel, Ninth Place, Sunday
I just couldn’t see out of one eye. But we had a new tire on the rear, even when the track was pretty dry and I was sliding quite a bit. I didn’t know if we went too soft. So I took it easy until half-race and then I tried to step it up a little bit. And I saw Anthony (Gobert) coming back to me. And I’m pretty sure I would have got him. Any problem he had was quite a bit bigger than what I had. I would’ve gotten eighth maybe. My pinkie is still numb, the left side of my hand is numb from this morning. I don’t know why. The race was OK. Our goal was just to make this weekend and get out of here safe and sound and points on top of it.


More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

HAS/SHOGUN RACING HAS GOOD WEEKEND AT ROAD ATLANTA

HAS/Shogun Racing riders John Haner and Heath Small both had good results in their respective events at Road Atlanta, Round Four of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship. Haner finished ninth in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock final on Saturday after qualifying seventh, and finished 18th in the Chevy Trucks Suprbike race on Sunday, using the event for more testing. Small finished 19th in the super-competitive Pro Honda Oils Supersport event on Sunday, his best finish of the year in the class.

“I had a big moment at the start, I lost the rear up here (turn three), Mike Smith got by me,” said Haner of the Superstock event. “Then I just started to work the draft and I felt good, other than a rear traction issue. I think, because of the stunt guys oiling the track just before the race, the tire warmers got left on too long. They’d already made third call. On the second lap I could feel the bike moving around a lot more than it should have been after two laps. Jordan Szoke blew a motor right in front of me and it oiled my windscreen and Jimmy Moore got by me. I couldn’t get my dad-gum tear-off off. It took me the whole back straightaway and he got a gap on me. That’s how the race ended.” Haner is now 10th in points in AMA Superstock, scoring points at every round.

Heath Small had his best result of the season in the AMA Supersport class with 19th place. The class is populated by over twenty factory and factory supported riders on any given weekend. Small was fortunate to get a break with the red flag after a tire choice gamble didn’t pay off. “We started out with rains, we were watching the weather and it was supposed to rain in the middle of it (the race), and five laps into it we got a red flag. We changed to DOTs, we left a little taller gear on it and it worked.” Small is currently 24th in points in the AMA Supersport class.

HAS/Shogun Racing is proud to be sponsored by Shogun Motorsports, Motion CycleSports, Pirelli Tires, Yoshimura R&D, Sharkskinz Racing Bodies, Vesrah Brakes, Vortex, Dynojet, Woodcraft, Lockhart Phillips, Helimot Leathers and HJC Helmets.


More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

JIMMY MOORE HAS BAD LUCK AT ROAD ATLANTA

Defending two-time AMA Superstock champion Jimmy Moore had a case of bad luck at Round Four of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship at Road Atlanta this weekend. Moore finished eighth in Saturday’s Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock event after rear traction problems and finished 13th in the Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme final on Sunday after mechanical problems slowed his forward progress.

Moore struggled from the beginning of the Superstock event with a lack of rear traction. “We ran the same tire that other guys ran, but it just didn’t want to drive forward,” said Moore, who is currently eighth in points in the class. “I tried to make time on those guys in front of me, but I couldn’t do it.”

In the Formula Xtreme event, Moore’s chain on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 started skipping over the teeth on the rear sprocket, causing him to have to feather the throttle and lose valuable time on acceleration. “Then there was an issue with my rear tire being out of round, and then my right knee puck came off, it was a miserable race,” said Moore. Jimmy’s teammate Adam Fergusson was lucky to escape serious injury when he crashed to avoid hitting the downed bike of Roger Lee Hayden, but the incident brought out the red flag and ended the race. Jimmy stopped at the incident to check on Adam, who got up and walked away slowly, then Jimmy gave Roger Lee a ride back to the pits. Moore drops to tenth in points in the Formula Xtreme class.

Look for Jimmy Moore and the rest of the Corona Extra Suzuki team at Pikes Peak Raceway, May 30-June 1.


More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

LEE ACREE HAS STRONG FINISH IN SUPERSTOCK RIDE FOR CORONA EXTRA SUZUKI

Lee Acree finished in 11th place in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock final at Road Atlanta after being drafted into the Corona Extra Suzuki team for the weekend. Acree, winner of AMA Superstock events in both 2001 and 2002, had to find a set-up quickly on his Suzuki GSX-R750 on Dunlop tires, a brand that he had not ridden on in five years.

“We worked so hard on the front end, we just ran out of time on the rear end,” said Acree of his set-up after the event. “We’ve just got some set-up work to do on rear grip. I got a good start and railed around the outside of a bunch of people. During the race, the front end was pretty good, but late in the race the rear end started backing around entering the corners, but Tommy (Lancaster, Lee’s mechanic) and I have some things to try to fix that. Again, we just ran out of time.”

Look for Lee Acree at the next round of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship at Pikes Peak Raceway, May 30-June 1.


More, from a press release issued by Corona Extra Suzuki:

RAINY DAY PARADE CONTINUES AT ROAD ATLANTA, AMA NATIONAL

The dismal weather that has dogged all the AMA Superbike races this year continued in full force at Road Atlanta this weekend. A grey, damp overcast endured for the whole weekend interspaced with torrential rain and severe storm warnings! The weather gods also proved adept in damping down spirits and performance for the Corona Extra Suzuki Team riders and machines.

In the first Superbike event of the weekend’s doubleheader, Szoke put in a solid performance, starting form 12th on the grid to finish seventh, his best finish this year. He said; ” I didn’t get a great start but put my head down and kept picking guys off. We put a bunch of new parts on the bike which really helped!” In race two, a clutch problem finished Jordan’s ride. He was having an exciting dice with the factory Honda of fellow Canadian Miguel DuHamel, leading him for seven laps until dropping out on lap 10. Szoke is currently 12th in the Superbike Championship.

In the Suzuki Genuine Accessories Superstock event, Corona Extra Suzuki fielded four riders, with Lee Acree joining the squad for a special appearance on a Team GSXR 750. Fergusson qualified third, Moore 9th, Szoke 13th and Acree, adjusting to his first ride on Dunlop tires 19th. Adam and Jimmy finished 7th and 8th with Lee coming through the field to finish 11th. Jordan had a mechanical problem, which put him out on lap 12. Fergusson is now third, Moore 8th and Szoke 13th in the Superstock Championship.

In the Lockhart-Phillips Formula Extreme race, Fergusson qualified on row two with Moore on row four. Both got fair starts and set about trying to make up spots. Positions stayed much the same up until lap 13 when an incident brought out the red flag and brought down Fergusson. Roger Lee Haydon crashed on his factory Honda and Adam crashed in debris, both rider and bike hitting the fallen Honda. Fergusson was able to get up, though obviously bruised and battered. The red flag meant the race was scored to the previous lap, giving Adam 7th and Jimmy 13th. Fergusson is now 6th with Moore 9th in the Formula Extreme Championship.

Corona Extra Suzuki is proud to be partnering with Corona Extra, Suzuki, EBSCO Media, MTS, Parts Unlimited, Dunlop, Yoshimura R&D, Joe Rocket, Sidi Boots, MotionPro, Braking, Silkolene Lubricants, Suzuki Genuine Accessories, STR Motorsports, Lindeman Engineering, Bickle, FastDates.com, Ohlins, SBS, Yoyodyne, Hotbodies Racing, Zero Gravity, Regina Chain, Race Girl, GP Tech, RB Components, Spiegler, Box R, Hype Energy.

Next race: Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs CO., May 29-June 1, 2003


More, from a press release issued by Dream Team Ducati:

7th Place for Larry Pegram in Race 2 at Road Atlanta

Dream Team Racing (DTR) Ducati’s, Larry Pegram, suffered from rear suspension trouble today in Race 2 of the AMA Superbike DoubleHeader at Road Atlanta. The oil had leaked out of his rear shock causing it not to function properly, although he was able to fight on to finish 7th. Under earlier rain and a continuing light mist, Pegram started the race in 9th and was able to move up to 7th. He maintained that position through lap 10, when he dropped to 8th, due to his suspension failure. By lap 14, the DTR Ducati rider was able to overtake fellow Ducati pilot, Anthony Gobert, and reclaim 7th, which is the position he finished in when the race was red flagged with 4 laps to go.

Larry Pegram: “I got caught behind, Miguel Duhamel, who had a bad start and the leaders gapped us almost immediately. I then settled into 7th, although the rear end felt out of control. By lap 5, I realized the rear shock had lost it’s dampening. Fortunately my Michelin tires gave me enough confidence to stay out and make the best of it. It was pretty frightening in some sections, but I really wanted to finish in the points. Jason Pridmore, got by me because of my suspension problems although I was fighting him all the way. Around lap 14, I passed Gobert for 7th and stayed there until the red flag came out to end the race.

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

3 DAY TEST BUILDS ON SUZUKI’S RESULTS

Team Suzuki regular riders Kenny Roberts Junior and John Hopkins led a five-strong team through a rigorous three-day testing programme in blazing Spanish sunshine, with tests ending yesterday adding valuable development miles to the all-new 2003 GSV-R MotoGP racer.

Fresh from the machine’s best result so far at last Sunday’s Spanish GP, the expanded squad came away from Catalunya with a report of positive and promising progress.

The all-American MotoGP pair were joined not only by Japanese factory riders Ryo and Akioshi, but also by French two-wheel legend Jean Michel Bayle.

The five-man team more than doubled rider input, and helped pile up test laps. Three races into the season, the all-new V4 MotoGP Suzuki has improved to a best of seventh at Jerez, after a gritty ride by team new boy Hopkins. The potential is there to do much better; the target is to get the Suzukis fighting for victory again.

The tests took place in bright sunshine at the Montmelo circuit outside Barcelona, starting on the Monday after the Spanish GP.

For the GP regulars and factory riders, the test was a chance to assess new chassis and engine management developments. The seasoned quartet also compared notes, and discussed with senior race-department engineers, including engine designer Kunio Arase, ideas and opportunities to unleash the maximum potential from Suzuki’s fastest ever racing motorcycle.

“We had five riders over three days, so while we didn’t have a large number of items to test, what we did have we were able to do in great detail, and establish a lot of important information,” said team manager Garry Taylor.

“Some of our ideas proved useful, and others didn’t work out. That’s why you go testing … to refine directions of development, and to see how to keep on improving the machine.”

Bayle’s three days were the first time the multiple off-road champion and former 250 and 500cc GP rider had ridden a MotoGP four-stroke. His usual mount is the ultra-successful Suzuki GSX-R1000, for the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT). Bayle came to the tests fresh from placing second in a SERT Suzuki one-two at the Le Mans 24-Hour race.

The 33-year-old racer brings a fresh but hugely experienced eye to bear on the new GSV-R. Deeply analytical and technically fluent, Bayle lapped fast, and spent down time in the pits, “as an extra member of our electronic data analysis crew,” said Taylor.

Bayle’s enthusiasm for the project was redoubled by the experience. “It was very interesting and enjoyable to ride the bike. It’s so powerful. You can really feel the potential. I’ll be studying the Suzukis’ performance at Le Mans, and I’m looking forward to riding the bike again the day after the GP,” he said.

Taylor confirmed that JMB would be joining Roberts and Hopkins again on the day after next weekend’s Le Mans race for more tests in Suzuki’s fast-forward programme to get the best out of their new high-tech racer.

“Jean Michel’s input is very valuable,” said Taylor. “He was running lap times that proved he can analyse the bike’s performance at the limit. But he’s not there for lap times. He’s there to isolate various aspects of the machine, and give the factory engineers feedback to help improve the weak points.

“Perhaps the biggest advantage is that Jean Michel doesn’t have the pressure of racing, and having to think about the GP to come and the season ahead. He can concentrate his mind purely on analysis and development,” concluded Taylor.

Bayle will have the role of observer for Suzuki at the fourth round of the season, before resuming tests with Roberts and Hopkins on Monday. With 24 hours of the Bugatti circuit fresh in his mind, he has the advantage of very intimate track knowledge.

From a press release issued by the Parts Canada Superbike Championship:

CREVIER COMPLETES SWEEP

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Steve Crevier completed a perfect weekend at Shannonville Motorsport Park Sunday, winning the opening round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

After starting from pole position, the Maple Ridge, BC rider took the lead from Francis Martin on lap 5 of the restarted, 12-lap race and went on to score his 21st career national Superbike win aboard his Diablo Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Martin, from Rock Forest, QC finished second on the Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000 while his teammate Clint McBain of Calgary completed a Suzuki sweep of the podium on another GSX-R1000.

Crevier also led the most laps in the race, giving him a perfect score of 56 points to open his bid for a record seventh Canadian Superbike crown.

“I’m always happy to win but this one’s for the guys on the team,” said Crevier after giving Diablo its first ever Parts Canada Superbike win. “They’ve worked very hard all weekend.”

Martin took the lead off the restart after the original race was red flagged on lap 6 due to a crash by Michael Taylor, who was unhurt. Crevier hounded Martin for four laps before making a pass entering the tight Allen’s Corner, just two turns from the start/finish straight.

“I couldn’t quite keep up with Francis on the backstraight but I was good coming into Allen’s,” said Crevier, who has won more national Superbike events than any other rider. “I managed to come through the Chicane cleanly and get a good run on him.”

Martin finished 1.739 secs. behind Crevier.

“I got a good start and I stayed in front as long as I could,” Martin said. “But I was a little slower than him and he passed me cleanly.”

McBain overtook the Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 of Pascal Picotte on the final lap to score his best ever Parts Canada Superbike result. Picotte, from St-Cecile de Milton, QC settled for fourth while Jean-Francois Cyr of Joliette, QC was fifth on another Yamaha YZF-R1.

In other action at Shannonville, Picotte rode his Yamaha YZF-R6 to victory in the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike feature. Picotte finished just under two seconds ahead of Kars, ON rider Andrew Nelson on a Z1 Cycletech Honda CBR600RR. Defending class champ McBain placed third aboard his Suzuki GSX-R600.

Dan Henri of Ottawa won the first ever International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike feature, beating fellow Ottawa rider Derek Bowker, also on a Yamaha, and the Suzuki of Rock Forest, QC’s Yanick Beauregard.

The Parts Canada Superbike Championship continues at Calgary’s Race City Motorsport Park June 6-8.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Sunday, June 15 at 11:00 am EDT and later this year on Quebec’s RDS and across Canada on the Outdoor Life Network.

From a press release issued by CMRA President Brooks Gremmels:

The CMRA has just purchased a new AMB TranX260 timing system. The purchase was made through Mirage Race Scoring and Timing, an authorized AMB i.t. distributor. With this system, especially designed for motorcycle and car racing, one operator can manage professional timekeeping for an entire event. The system provides instant and accurate results that can be shown in real time on scoreboards, announcers monitors. televisions in pit areas and now, live on the Internet. This system was chosen because the CMRA is determined to offer its racers the best value in club racing. With names such as NASCAR, CART, IRL, Craftsman Truck Series and AMA Pro Racing using the AMB system, the CMRA feels it is in good company. The initial purchase includes 64 transponders, a TranX260 extended loop decoder, televisions, laptop computers and ancillary equipment. The primary funding for this $30,000 acquisition is being provided by contributors to the CMRA. It is anticipated that next season this system will be expanded to cover the CMRA’s sprint series, as well.

Mirage has provided its professional timing and scoring services using the TranX260 system for events such as FUSA National Roadrace Series, National Arenacross Series, The Montreal Supercross and the FUSA USA National Dirt Track Series.

This new timing and scoring system joins the CMRA’s track repaving project at Oak Hill Raceway, its ongoing purchase of Airfence and its new timing trailer furnished by Pace American as visible signs of the Club’s embrace of the 21st century.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Trevor Hedge, www.mcnews.com.au

Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship
Round 2 – May 18, 2003

The second round of the Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship was played out under varying skies at Phillip Island last weekend.

The Nikon Yamaha pairing of Kevin Curtain and Daniel Stauffer drew first blood after taking a 1-2 finish in the opening superbike race. But their domination came to an abrupt halt during race two when both riders came down hard when chasing Suzuki’s Shawn Giles and Craig Coxhell.

Both Curtain and Stauffer sustained significant injuries. Curtain has broken his collarbone in four places, while Stauffer has cracked an ankle and broken the radius bone in his left hand. Stauffer also suffered some soft tissue injuries to his neck and spine.

The accident stemmed from Stauffer and Giles coming together mid-corner in Phillip Island’s incredibly fast turn one while fighting for second place behind Craig Coxhell. The four leading riders, Coxhell, Giles, Stauffer and Curtain were racing together so close that eventually it was inevitable that something had to give, unfortunately the Nikon Yamaha duo came off the worse for wear.

Stauffer recalls the incident, “In the slipstream Gilesy just got his nose in front, I still had my throttle wide open and he just swept across in front of me defending his line and closed me down. I don’t think he realised I was so close as he wouldn’t have done it on purpose as he is not that type of rider, but he knew that once we got past him we were gone as the Suzuki’s couldn’t stay with our Nikon Yamaha’s around the back of the track.

“I had to stand it up or else I was going to crash and I hit the swing-arm of Gilesy’s bike which turned me left and next thing –bang! – I’ve hit Kev really hard and we headed off the track.

“It had been raining earlier and with wet grass and slick tyres it turned into a fast rodeo as the bike seemed to go faster. I tried to hang onto it but when we hit the ditch it just cartwheeled me, I then hit the bike which was probably what caused the most of my injuries. It’s certainly the fastest and scariest crash I have ever had!”

Curtain explained his view of the incident, “I saw Dan try for the inside line on Giles and saw him hit Giles’ swing-arm as he came across to defend his line. I thought he was gone but he managed to stand the bike up, which forced him wide and made me do the same. When we hit the grass the bike started going quicker. I saw the ditch coming up and just jumped of the back.” That wise move was what probably saved Curtain from sustaining more serious injuries.

This left the Suzuki pairing of Giles and Coxhell to take 1-2 finishes in the remaining two races. Giles won race two and chased Coxhell to the line in the final race. Giles took the round win, and with it the overall championship lead on 107 points. Coxhell is close behind with 105 points and the injured Curtain has been relegated to third with 101 points.

Giles – “In the first race I tangled up a little bit with Craig over the Hayshed where it was partially wet. Craig went in and found a bit of wet track, I had to pick the bike up and went off in to the dirt which lost me a bit of ground. I couldn’t make the ground back up to Kev and Daniel as they had gone before I got back up to full speed.

“In the second race Craig got a good start again and I was behind him, we all fought hard over the first lap and then the next time around I diced with Dan (Stauffer) down the straight, tipped in to turn one and felt a bang in the back wheel, obviously that was Dan, then I guess Dan hit Kev as a result of hitting me, but I don’t know what really happened after that. I managed to pass Craig and got into the lead to win that second race.

“The last race was good, very close between us two team-mates. The bikes are even, so it is hard to pass anywhere but Craig got back past me at Lukey and I was going to draft him on to the straight, but a guy had crashed on turn 12 so the yellow flag was out and I couldn’t do anything about it.”

Craig Coxhell – “Race day didn’t start out too good as I had a DNF in the first race after running off the track.

“In the second race it was all good, I got a good start and was leading for a while, unfortunately the Yamaha boys crashed but I ended up second behind Shawn with good points.

“In the third race I led for most of the way, and Shawn was on the back of me for quite a while, I was a bit worried about him slipstreaming me on the last lap but he passed me before that, luckily I got back around him at Lukey Heights and then there was a yellow flag at turn 12 so there was nowhere he could get me after that.

“Hopefully we will have the new 2003 machine for Winton and I am looking forward to maybe riding that in a couple of weeks if Phil and the boys can get them together in time.”

Nikon Yamaha Team Manager Steve Trinder on the demise of his lead chargers, – “At the moment, I am in a bit of shock, more to the point of being gobsmacked over it. Not so much just that they went down, but for both of them to get broken up is just not a thing you don’t come across too often. For two guys to clip, in the same team, and both break bones, especially the two major strike riders, both leading the championships (Curtain was leading Superbike, while Stauffer leads the FX Series), is unbelievable.

“They are all busted up. I am a bit bewildered by it at the moment, I mean, I have got another kid riding around out there with a punctured lung (Clarke), like what’s going on? When you get a bad weekend you really get a bad weekend.”

The Brown Gouge Nova Honda Team gave the factory Honda boys some curry over the weekend – “Unfortunately we put a wet front on for the first race and that turned out to be the wrong decision. But it was good for both Brent (George) and myself to finish in front of the factory boys in the final race though.” Commented Scott Charlton as the boys loaded the bikes and gear in their trademark Brown Gouge bus.

Thanks to the valuable contribution to the Honda effort from the Brown Gouge boys, and other Honda privateers like a new improved Nick Henderson scoring good points, Honda lead the Manufacturer’s Championship in Superbike with 328 points to Suzuki’s 294, and Yamaha’s 214.

Shannon Johnson, “It’s been hard work on the Fireblade, the weather at Phillip Island played a little into our hands. Again we worked very hard on the suspension and a race tyre to make the bike work very well through the turns, to help make up for the lost time down the straight. I’m happy with the 3rd overall as this is my first ever Superbike podium. The team has been working really hard both at the track and workshop, so I’m glad to bring them this position.”

Steve Tozer put in great rides in all three races, finishing as high as fifth, but in the last race he unfortunately came to grief. “I just clipped Brent George when I was trying to go around the outside of him, no fault of his, I was on the right hand side but he got baulked a little behind Scotty Charlton through the Hayshed, so I thought I would be able to drive past them and I got nearly alongside Brent, but he swept back across towards the right for a good line, he didn’t know I was there so it is not his fault, he ran in to the side of me handlebar and that pulled the clutch in and that sent the bike in to a bit of a wobble which just got worse and I had nowhere to go, I ran off and then bailed off. Hopefully nothing is broken and it is just some serious bruising but I will go and get checked out tomorrow.” Tozer definitely looked to be in enough pain to have broken something but hopefully that proves not to be the case.

Curtain’s crash also diminished the Supersport ranks. Curtain won the first race on Saturday but had to settle for second place in this morning’s wet race to young Glenn Allerton. Wisely, Allerton had gone for an extremely soft set-up with the rear suspension in the wet conditions, changing back to the standard Yamaha shock with all the clickers set to soft. This was the magic ingredient as Curtain said after the race that he tried to match Allerton but the privateer’s set-up was working too well.

22 year old Allerton had won Australian 250 Production races before but this was his maiden Australian Supersport victory. “I just went for a the softest set-up possible and had to feel my way around for the first few laps but then I put my head down a bit and just reeled everyone in, as I went faster it just sort of seemed that the other guys went slower.” They Sydney-sider had no tyre advantage over Curtain as the two were on the same rubber so it was a victory fair and square for Allerton.

Curtain was unable to compete in the third race due to his accident on the Superbike, but his team-mate Brendan Clarke took up the reigns and finished strongly to take a win from Shannon Johnson and Glen Allerton in the final race. Josh Brookes also figured strongly in what was a great battle but unfortunately had a fall in the closing stages.

Clarke was riding through some significant pain after breaking a couple of ribs and puncturing a lung only two weeks previous. “It (the accident) definitely affected the way I rode the bike, particularly on the left handers as I just could not get in the right position but right handers were okay. We qualified well and I had plenty of confidence in the bike but in the early races I did have to use a little discretion as with the way things are I really couldn’t afford to have a big fall this weekend. I lost the front three times early in the second race so just settled for a seventh place finish there in the damp conditions but it was good to come through for a win in the final race.”

To add a spark of controversy to the exciting round, Allerton was found to have an illegal aftermarket air filter in his machine which resulted in him being relegated one position in the final race after Castrol Honda lodged a protest. Even with the penalty, Allerton still managed to earn the overall round win from Shannon Johnson.

Shannon was none to pleased with the stewards decision, “I’m not so happy with the provisional final positions, a rule is a rule. If you break it you don’t deserve the results. But one thing I am happy with is the fact that we have made steps forward with the development on the new RR. We still need to work hard on the engine to find some more speed, I hope before the next round. I’m much more comfortable on the bike now and will now be able to fight for the race wins and again the Championship.”

Allerton thought that perhaps the rules should be made clearer in the hand book as he was not aware that an aftermarket air filter was illegal. “If I knew it was not allowed I wouldn’t have run it, any performance enhancement would be negligible with the filter we had in, the only reason we did run that one was because it is about half the price of the original equipment item. It was disappointing to be docked a position but I am still happy to have taken the overall round win ahead of all the factory backed opposition.”

However, such was Kevin Curtain’s total domination of the first round (held at South Australia’s Mallala Motorsport Park last month) that he remains the overall championship leader on 122 points. Castrol Honda’s Shannon Johnson is in second place on 107 points.

Western Australia’s Peter Taplin continued his domination of the 250 Grand Prix class by taking pole position followed by a perfect record of race wins. Mark Stanley and Chris Wilkie challenged Taplin briefly at times but the championship leader always responded, in the end all his race wins came fairly easily. Taplin has a perfect record of race wins thus far in 2003 after finishing a close second to Russell Holland in the 250 GP Championship last year. If Taplin takes the title this year he will be the first Western Australian to win a national road race championship since Alan Watts won the same class in 1996. This year entry numbers are fairly low, only 17 machines took part in this round but there were some good race battles to keep the spectators entertained.

Another rider dominating his class is Caleb Stalder, his success coming in the 250 Production Championship. Only 16 machines took to the grid and Stalder was at times more than two seconds faster than his next closest competitor. This class seems to be going downhill, which is unfortunate, as in recent years it has groomed some fantastic riders to go on and enjoy major success on both the national and international scene. Corser, Gobert and Mladin are just some of the famous surnames which cut their teeth in the early days of Australian 250 Production racing.

Great battles were fought out in the 125 Grand Prix ranks between multiple Australian Champion Peter Galvin and 16-year-old Mildura rider Josh Waters. Waters took the round win to extend his overall championship lead over Galvin to 43 points. 20 riders took part in this class, better than we have seen in recent years. This class has been the subject of much criticism in recent years from various quarters. But this year the 125 Championship has got a serious shot in the arm from youngsters like Josh Waters (16), and Jason O’Halloran (15). O’Halloran hit the series with a bang in his debut senior road race at Mallala. Unfortunately he did not fare quite as well at this round but he did score some good results, he is sure to battle for wins again before this championship is over.

Matthew Kuhne is another welcome addition to the 125 ranks, he turned 15 only a few weeks ago and has taken to the tar after winning multiple Australian Junior Dirt Track Titles. He is already showing good promise

Adding even more strength to the 125 GP ranks is Bryan Staring, also 15. The young Western Australian took the final round win in the junior class of the Australian Motocross Championship two weeks ago, and showed good speed in his road race debut at Mallala a couple of weeks prior to that. He was introduced to just how hard tarmac can be after breaking his collarbone following a highside out of Phillip Island’s ‘Siberia Corner’ during Friday practice at Phillip Island which put a premature end to his second road race outing.

Mick Kelly has also rejoined the 125 ranks after winning the Australian 250 Production Championship in 2001. The 25 year old from Mildura last rode a 125 in 2000 when he battled Jay Taylor, Josh Brookes and Michael Teniswood in the tiddler ranks. This year he is riding a borrowed machine which is actually the RS125 Peter Galvin piloted to victory in the 1999 Australian 125 Grand Prix Championship.

Leigh McKenzie maintained his charge in the burgeoning Superstock ranks with another round win. Alex Cudlin holds down second place overall in the championship, 47 points behind McKenzie. Non-Qualifier races had to be introduced for this weekend due to the sheer weight of entries in to this class which sees ‘C’ and ‘D’ graded riders go head to head on standard 600cc machines racing on a control tyre. This class seems to be going from strength to strength with large entries and some good racing.

The next stop on the Shell Advance Australian Superbike calendar is Victoria’s Winton Motor Raceway. It is hoped that Curtain will be back in action for that third round of the championship which is scheduled for the weekend of June 20-22. Stauffer is also hoping to be able to ride.

Suzuki are expected to have the 2003 GSX-R1000s ready for the next round and overseas experience points to the fact that the ‘K3′ model offers superior handling and braking to the ‘K2′ model. If that is the case the opposition better start worrying. Up until now the Yamahas have displayed a clear handling advantage over the Suzukis, but the GSX-Rs had the ‘motor’ to overcome that deficit at some tracks. But with the promise of handling which may be equal, or maybe even better than the Yamaha, Coxhell and Giles could prove unbeatable in the latter stages of the championship.

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).