Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Via e-mail from Corona Extra Suzuki team principal Landers Sevier:

I read (Kawasaki Racing Manager Mike) Preston’s comments on Hayden’s penalty (Roadracingworld.com 5/8/2003 Kawasaki Team Manager Reacts To Hayden Penalty, Fine).

I agree that it does suck for Tommy (because he’s riding really well) that something most likely beyond his control has cost him points but let’s face it – deburring is not allowed – period. Preston knows that. Every seasoned Superstock/Supersport motor builder knows that as well.

Not a single Corona Suzuki has had any deburring whatsoever. Claiming ignorance of this rule and that “everybody’s doing it” is a weak excuse.

It now makes me wonder if there other “assembly” or “machining” errors that have been made on Hayden’s bike which could enhance performance. I wonder should the AMA delve a little deeper.

But in all actuality the points penalty, the fine, and the questionable legality of the machine in general doesn’t really matter that much to us….Hayden will soon be visiting the Suzuki whipping post.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

WMRRA and OMRRA racer Greg Bouwens and Crew Chief Angela Bye became engaged on May 11.

They plan a wedding in summer 2004, in Hawaii.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Purse for the AMA National at Road Atlanta, May 16-18

Chevy Trucks Superbike
$75,000 total purse
Half paid for each of two Superbike races
1. $8000
2. $6000
3. $4500
4. $3600
5. $3200
6. $3050
7. $2950
8. $2850
9. $2750
10. $2650
11. $2600
12. $2500
13. $2400
14. $2300
15. $2200
16. $2100
17. $2050
18. $2000
19. $1950
20. $1900
21. $1600
22. $1500
23. $1400
24. $1300
25. $1200
26. $1100
27. $950
28. $850
29. $700
30. $600
31. $550
32. $500
33. $450
34. $400
35. $350


MBNA 250 Grand Prix, Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport, Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme, Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock
$10,000 paid for each class
1. $1500
2. $1200
3. $900
4. $700
5. $650
6. $600
7. $525
8. $475
9. $425
10. $400
11. $375
12. $350
13. $325
14. $300
15. $275
16. $250
17. $225
18. $200
19. $175
20. $150

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

MLADIN CHASING AMA SUPERBIKE WINNING STREAK RECORD
AT ROAD ATLANTA

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (May 13, 2003) — Three-time AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Champion Mat Mladin will have a chance to tie an eight-year-old AMA Superbike record when the championship visits Road Atlanta, in Braselton, Ga., May 16-18, for the Suzuki Superbike Showdown presented by Dark Dog. Mladin and his potent Yoshimura Suzuki come into the Road Atlanta AMA Superbike doubleheader riding the crest of a four-race winning streak. If Mladin wins both rounds at Road Atlanta he will tie the AMA Superbike winning streak record of six set by Miguel Duhamel in 1995.

Since Duhamel’s hot streak eight years ago only Nicky Hayden, who now rides for Honda in MotoGP, came close to matching the winning streak. Hayden finished the 2001 season with a four-race winning streak and then opened up the 2002 campaign with a victory in the prestigious Daytona 200 to push his streak to five. Aussie Anthony Gobert then stopped Hayden’s streak with a victory in the first race of the 2002 Fontana doubleheader. Hayden then went on another streak after that race and won five more only to be come up short of matching the record when he crashed out of the Pikes Peak event.

Now attention turns to Mladin’s run at the record. The 31-year-old Australian has looked untouchable in sweeping the recent Superbike doubleheaders at both Fontana and Sonoma, Calif., and building a solid 24-point lead in the championship. Mladin hopes his success will continue at Road Atlanta. The Suzuki ace has won three AMA Superbike races at the circuit, including sweeping the doubleheader there in 2000. In addition, Mladin moved into third on the all-time AMA Superbike wins list with his double win at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. If he sweeps Road Atlanta, Mladin would tie Fred Merkel for second on the wins list with 20 and he would appear to have a real shot of catching Duhamel’s record of 26-career victories by the end of the season.

Mladin needs only one victory this weekend to become the first rider to win four Road Atlanta Superbike races. “I look forward to the race, but the record is not on my mind,” said Mladin, who is in his eighth year of AMA Superbike racing. “Records are there to broken and if it happens that’s great, but my focus is on the championship. We tested there (at Road Atlanta) and things went well. We’re looking good for the race.”

One of the bigger obstacles that could keep Mladin from matching Duhamel’s winning streak record might have been Duhamel himself. The cagey veteran won the season opener at Daytona and was keeping close to Mladin in the series standings, but he suffered a crash in the Pro Honda Supersport race presented by Shoei at Infineon and broke his collarbone. Duhamel, a former winner at Road Atlanta, had surgery on the collarbone and is hoping to compete at Road Atlanta although he certainly won’t be feeling 100 percent.

Mladin’s Yoshimura Suzuki teammate, Aaron Yates is second in the standings coming into his home race. Hailing from Milledgeville, Ga., Yates has raced at Road Atlanta since his club racing days. He would love nothing more than to finally win an AMA Superbike event at his home circuit.

Ben Bostrom is third in the series in his first year back in the AMA Superbike Championship after three seasons in World Superbike. Bostrom says he’s finally starting to get the feel of the Honda RC51 and expects winning results soon. A strong podium finish from the prior round at Infineon Raceway supports that claim. Ben’s younger brother Eric is fourth in the standings on his factory Kawasaki. Eric finished runner-up to Nicky Hayden in Sunday’s race at Road Atlanta last year.

Kurtis Roberts is returning to Road Atlanta after missing last year’s event due to injury. Roberts is still trying to earn that elusive first AMA Superbike win. The son of the legendary Kenny Roberts knows what it takes to win at road Atlanta. He won a Formula Xtreme race there in 2000.

In addition to Yates, Georgian fans will have two up-and-coming local riders to root for in the Superbike races at Road Atlanta. Geoff May, of Alpharetta, Ga., comes into the race 14th in the series standings. May rides for Team Embry Suzuki. And last year’s AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Brian Livengood, of Snellville, Ga., is 20th in the standings coming into next week’s race.

Both Saturday and Sunday’s Superbike races will be shown live at 2 p.m. EST on Speed Channel. Tickets are available at www.RoadAtlanta.com or by calling 1(800) 849-RACE.


More, from another AMA Pro Racing press release:

HACKING HOPING FOR BACK-TO-BACK AMA PRO HONDA OILS U.S. SUPERSPORT VICTORIES AT ROAD ATLANTA

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (May 13, 2003) — Jamie Hacking returns to Road Atlanta this Sunday, May 18, in search of his second-straight victory at Road Atlanta in the AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei. Winning two years consecutively in Road Atlanta’s Supersport race has proven to be a difficult task. Only Eric Bostrom and Mike Smith have managed to accomplish the job since the series started in 1987. Hacking looks to have a strong shot at defending his victory of last year. The 31-year-old Yamaha rider from South Carolina is riding a two-race winning streak and leads the series standings by 21 points over teammate Damon Buckmaster.

Hacking’s confidence has never been higher, especially considering he’s coming off a victory two weeks ago at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., a track that had given him a great deal of problems in the past. “To win at a track where I haven’t had a lot of luck shows that I’ve matured as a rider,” Hacking said after his recent victory. “Going into Road Atlanta I expect to do well there since I have in the past. Even though I have a pretty good points lead I’m not going to relax. There’s still a lot of racing to be done.”

Hacking has finished on the Supersport podium three times at Road Atlanta in the last five years.

Buckmaster comes into the race knowing that he needs to start winning if he’s to catch Hacking in the championship. Road Atlanta hasn’t been the best track for the likable Aussie. He’s never finished better than fourth in the Supersport race there. “There are no team orders this early in the season,” Buckmaster said. “Everyone still has a shot at the championship at this point. I need to start getting some wins and I’m hoping it happens this weekend.”

Aaron Gobert is making a strong comeback after sitting out most of last year due to injury. Yet another Yamaha rider, Gobert will be racing at Road Atlanta for only the second time. He finished ninth in the Supersport race in 2001.

Leading the non-Yamaha charge in the class is Jake Zemke of Erion Honda. He’s coming off his first podium of the season at Infineon.

Supersport racing legend Miguel Duhamel is questionable for Sunday’s race. He broke his collarbone at Infineon and is hoping to be in the field. Surprisingly Duhamel, the winningest rider in AMA Supersport history, has never won a Supersport race at Road Atlanta.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies and Team Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden, fifth and sixth in the points chase respectively, also hope to do well at the twisty Road Atlanta circuit.

From a press release issued by Jim “Jimmy The Greek” Gianatsis:

The Incredible LA Calendar Motorcycle Show
gets even hotter for the July 19-20th weekend!

SuperMoto Nationals, West Coast Horsepower Dyno Shootout, Burn Out Contest, Calendar Girl Beauty Pageant, Olive Crest Charity Ride, LA Times sponsorship!

Los Angeles, California, USA–Now in its 12th year, the Performance Machine sponsored Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show produced by FastDates.com publisher Gianatsis Design Associates has grown to become the biggest and best Custom and HiPerformance Street bike Show in America. Held on the 3rd weekend of July at the Queen Mary Event Park on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in exciting downtown Long Beach, we weren’t content to sit on our hands when we could make the best Bike Show in America even better. Joining our associate sponsors Corona Beer, ReCycler.com / Cycle Buys, Trader Publications / Cycle Trader, Iron Works magazine for Harley enthusiasts and BikerNet.com, and The Shop will be The Los Angeles Times, one of America’s leading and largest newspapers assisting with pre event publicity and post event coverage. The Speed Channel’s premier American motorcycle series American Thunder produced by WATV will also be dedicating an entire program to the Calendar Bike Show as they do every year.

Exciting new activities added to this year’s street bike extravaganza include the RussBrown.com sponsored MotoMaster SuperMotard National, assured to be the biggest SuperMoto event ever held in America with participation by major factory race teams and world famous riders. Riders expect to appear include World and National road race and motocross stars like Jeremy McGrath, Kevin Schwantz, Scott Russell, Jeff Ward, John Michell Bayle and others. The tight stadium style track at the Queen Mary is guaranteed to challenge the riders and assures spectators close and exciting handlebar clashing action. The MotoMaster National Championship Series is sponsored by Primedia’s Sport Rider and Dirt Rider magazines who will also be covering the weekend’s racing action.

A favorite attraction at past Calendar Bike Shows, our West Coast Horsepower Dyno Shootout returns this year sponsored and produced by Jardine Headers, America’s premier performance exhaust system manufacturer for sportbikes and V-Twin motorcycles. Bike builders and enthusiasts will be able to roll their 2-wheeled rockets up on the Jardine dyno in front of hundreds of spectators and prove just how much horsepower their bikes really produce.

Another new attraction this year will be the Jim’s Machine Burnout Contest produced by one of America’s leading engine component manufacturers in the American V-Twin market. Taking place on the front straight of the SuperMoto track each afternoon during race intermission, this is the chance for performance bike exhibitionists to show how much smoke they can make in destroying a rear tire to the cheers of thousands of admiring fans. The folks at Jim’s Machine promise to award trophies for this eye watering / ear shattering mayhem that are as unique as the Burnout Contest participants themselves.

On Saturday we will be hosting the Iron Works magazine Olive Crest Charity Ride to the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show. Endorsed and funded in part buy the state, Olive Crest is the biggest orphanage and shelter system for abused children and families in Southern California. It provides long term housing, care, education and adoption services for hundreds of kids every year. The Ride will start with sign-up up on Saturday morning 10:30 am at Olive Crest’s main headquarters in Santa Ana. Participants will be treated to lunch before the start of the ride to the Show where they will receive reserved front space parking at the Queen Mary and over $120 in admission and parking values for the LA Calendar Bike Show weekend for a low $35 per person tax deductible charity donation to Olive Crest.

Teens from Olive Crest will be also be guests at the Show on Saturday afternoon to enjoy all the activities and attractions the Show and the Queen Mary have to offer.

And what would the Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show be without its beautiful girls!
There will be 2 days of excitement featuring America’s hottest new female vocal group The Beu Sisters who are featured in the sound track of the new Disney movie Lizzie McGuire, and an upcoming Coca-Cola advertising campaign. Plus spectators will get to meet the beautiful FastDates.com Calendar Angels who are also our 2003 SBK World Superbike girls for Laguna Seca, Miss Minnesota Janelle Perzina, Miss Great Britain Nicki Lane, Star Search Spokesmodel winner and The Man Show Juggy Joanna Krupa with The Man Show’s Chandi Mason.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

WSMC racer Al Pereira, 38, was killed in a motorcycle accident Saturday, May 10th on his way back from lunch, heading to work at Mach 1 Motorsports in Costa Mesa, California.

According to the L.A. Times website, the accident happened shortly after 3:30 p.m., as Pereira was traveling north on Superior Ave. from Coast Highway and a 72-year-old man in a 1978 Lincoln made a left turn in front of him. Pereira is survived by his wife, Lori, and son, Chris.

Funeral Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, May 16, at Heritage Funeral Home in Huntington Beach, California, (714) 842-2400.

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

TESTING CONTINUES FOR DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM AT JEREZ

Jerez de la Frontera (Spain), 13 May 2003 – The Ducati Marlboro Team stayed behind at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit today for further testing, just two days after a superb podium finish at the Spanish GP.

Sunday’s race was characterized by a fantastic third place for Bayliss and a ‘close encounter’ between the team’s two riders during the warm-up lap. Capirossi bruised his left arm in the contact and was forced to retire after crashing out on lap 15.

In a climate of total collaboration, both riders carried out testing work on settings and made a number of modifications to the front and rear suspension geometry, allowing engineers to accumulate important data. Loris and Troy also went through a vast range of tyres, testing different compound Michelin fronts. Torrid heat (over 30° C air / 54° C track) meant that both tyres and engine components were put through their paces today.

At the end of the day the results, from a technical point of view, can be viewed as positive. “Today it was really hot out there – commented Corrado Cecchinelli, Ducati Marlboro Team technical director – and this allowed us to test the engine reliability and the Michelin tyres to their limit, in particular the front with different compounds. We are very pleased, everything worked well and the condition of both riders was more than satisfactory. Troy did a lot of laps and kept up a rapid pace. Loris got back on the bike after Sunday’s crash and used today’s test to the full. At this point we are already focussed and ready for the Le Mans race”.

Troy Bayliss completed a total of 85 laps, simulating a race distance and lapping at a constantly high pace. “Today was important because it allowed us to make a further step forward in the set-up of the bike. We are all fired up and what is more important, we are working really well. I’m really pleased with the way things are going”.

Loris Capirossi was also satisfied: “My arm is at 70% – he said – but I still managed to do 50 laps at a good pace, as well as test tyres and carry out a series of modifications to the suspension geometry. It was a positive and constructive day, which allowed the team to work in complete tranquillity. The heat was unbearable but everything worked out well”.