Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Purse for the AMA National at Infineon Raceway, May 2-4

Chevy Trucks Superbike
$60,000 total purse
Half paid for each of two Superbike races
1. $4500
2. $3800
3. $3300
4. $3000
5. $2800
6. $2600
7. $2500
8. $2400
9. $2300
10. $2250
11. $2200
12. $2150
13. $2100
14. $1950
15. $1900
16. $1850
17. $1800
18. $1750
19. $1700
20. $1650
21. $1550
22. $1450
23. $1350
24. $1250
25. $1150
26. $850
27. $750
28. $650
29. $550
30. $450
31. $400
32. $350
33. $300
34. $250
35. $200


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 Team Renegade Ducati:

BRITISH SUPERBIKE & SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS 2003
ROUNDS 7 & 8 – OULTON PARK
30TH APRIL 2003 – EVENT PREVIEW

RENEGADE HEAD FOR OULTON CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS

Oulton Park plays host to rounds seven and eight of the British Superbike Championship this Bank Holiday Monday and Team Renegade Ducati head for their home circuit confident of success after a disappointing weekend at Thruxton a fortnight ago.

For Michael Rutter, currently lying second in the Championship standings, Oulton Park ranks high on his list of favourite circuits. The 30-year-old West Midlander racked up a race win and a brace of podium finishes at the Cheshire circuit last season; a performance he is determined to improve upon this time around, as he sets about closing the gap on Championship leader, and former Renegade Ducati teammate, Shane Byrne.

“We’re almost a quarter of the way through the season and there’s no denying the fact that Shakey’s had it all his own way so far,” declared Rutter. “Hats off to him, he’s riding really well at the moment, but I do think that we’ve been guilty of making things a little too easy for him. We made a big breakthrough with the factory bikes at Thruxton and I’m confident that this will allow us to compete on a level playing field this weekend. It’s time Shakey learnt that this championship isn’t over yet, and hopefully we’ll be able to teach him that lesson this weekend at Oulton Park.”

Sean Emmett knows that he needs to turn his season around at Oulton Park if he is to realise his ambition of challenging for this year’s British Superbike Championship title. Cruel luck robbed the 33-year-old Renegade Ducati rider of a finish in the opening round at Silverstone, but Emmett will be looking to build on a second place at Snetterton and two strong finishes at Thruxton when the racing gets underway this Bank Holiday Monday.

“We’ve had some problems so far this season, but I think it’s finally all going to come together this weekend,” commented Emmett. “Oulton Park is a fantastic circuit, I really enjoy racing there and the fast flowing nature of the track really suits the Ducati. The inherent problem we’ve had with the factory 998F02 since the start of the season has now been sorted and it will definitely be the bike to be on this weekend. I just can’t wait to get out there and start racking up some points.”

An intermittent electrical fault exacerbated set-up problems for Nick Medd last time out at Thruxton, but after a full day of testing at Oulton Park last week, the 22-year-old Beverley rider is confident that his Ducati 998 Testastretta will work well around the 2.8-mile Cheshire circuit this weekend.

“We made some big improvements to the suspension set-up during the test we had at Oulton a week ago, and it was a big help having Michael on hand to offer advice about how to get the best from the Ducati,” said Medd. “Oulton Park is definitely one of my favourite circuits, a real riders’ track, and I’m really looking forward to racing there this weekend.”

Team Renegade Ducati’s sole Supersport contender, Leon Haslam, also fell foul of electrical gremlins at Thruxton, but the 19-year-old former GP rider heads for the next round of the hotly contested Supersport Championship at Oulton Park confident that, come race day, he’ll be on the pace and battling for the race win.

“We’ve suffered with bad luck at the last two rounds, but we’re heading for Oulton Park determined to make a return to the podium,” declared Haslam. “Set-up is all important at Oulton and the fact that we made some progress in this area when we tested at the circuit last week should stand us in good stead this weekend. The top speed advantage the four-cylinder bikes enjoyed at places like Snetterton and Thruxton won’t be so apparent around Oulton, so I’m confident that if we can get the bike dialled in fully during practice and qualifying, we’ll be up there come race day. I’m really looking forward to the weekend ahead.”

From a press release issued by Henry DeGouw, President of CCS Florida:

A new pre-entry record for races at the JenningsGP track has been set for this weekend’s CCS Florida/Southeast regional race. Both Honda and Suzuki money are offered at this event.

More than 300 pre-entries have been received and this should translate into over 500 total after post entries have been added.

This remote northern Florida track is a long way for most riders to travel. But they do it to take advantage of the smooth and beautifully designed race course that is for motorcycles only.

Henry DeGouw
President
CCS Florida

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Freelance motorsports journalist Evan Williams is engaged to marry Tabatha Winfree on June 14, in Gallatin, Tennessee.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Road America announced late Tuesday that construction on an addition to its 14-turn, four-mile road course has begun and may be finished in time to be used for the AMA Superbike weekend June 5-8.

“Grading has already begun. Depending on the weather, it could be (ready for the AMA Superbike event),” said Road America Communications Manager Cheryl Barnes. “If it’s ready and the AMA wants to use it, it will be up to them or any other sanctioning body as to which track they use.”

The existing section of track between the exit of the Carousel, turns 9-10, and the entrance to the Kink, turn 11, will remain unchanged and available for use, but a new section of track is being added to rider’s left between the exit of the Carousel and the entrance to the Kink. The Bend (turn 10A), as the new, off-camber right-hander is being tentatively called, will slow the speed of vehicles and change the angle of entry to the high-speed Kink.

Road America’s Kink is one of the most dangerous turns in all of motorcycle road racing as a permanent wall sits just a few feet off the outside edge of the high-speed right-hand corner. Superbikes go through the Kink at approximately 120 mph. CART cars rip through the Kink at speeds approaching 140 mph.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Via e-mail:

I would like to clear up a mistake that was made. I am not a racer and have never been a racer. I am a mechanic that has worked with several racers at Loudon since 1998. I am sick and tired of hearing my friends complain about the poor treatment that they receive while at the track. And just like the Iraqi people, they do nothing about it.

I also was not truly comparing the LRRS weekend to the war in Iraq. My post was in response to the release about how the WERA racers honored our troops in the Gulf and I was being sarcastic. I would never seriously compare any military action to something as insignificant as a race. I was honestly surprised to see me comments posted on Roadracing World’s site. I was hoping that my post would peek the curiosity of the editorial staff and they might look into the conditions of Loudon and do a small story about it.

Seeing how Mr. Constentino is the spokesman for the entire motorcycle racing community at NHIS I think that he could expend his efforts in a more productive manner and maybe racers would not be forced to race on a sub-standard racetrack that is “good enough.” When the racers paid their entry fees, did they pay the full fee or the “good enough” fee? Maybe that way there no one would have to race on a track with over an inch of snow on it as they did in the past.

The racers are paying customers. Most of them there are not very satisfied with the service, yet do nothing about it. This is where the stupidity comment was derived from. I am glad that Mr. Constentino is insulted by my comment. Maybe it will motivate him to stand up for himself the next time the officials walk all over him and his friends.

I do not expect you to become Kevin Road Racing Opinion. I will understand not printing this rebuttal. But could you please forward this email to Mr. Constentino.

Kevin Fegan
Franklin, Massachusetts

From a press release issued by MonsterMob Ducati:

British Superbike Championship – Round 4 – Oulton Park, Cheshire – Monday May 5th 2003

TEAM MONSTERMOB HOPING TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS

Following on from a superb hat-trick of victories last time out at Thruxton, the MonsterMob Ducati pairing of Superbike star Shane Byrne and defending Supersport champion Stuart Easton head for round four of their respective championships at Oulton Park this Mayday Bank Holiday determined to repeat the feat.

26 year old Byrne extended his lead at the top of the series to 41 points with his first ever BSB double and sees no reason why that form cannot continue into the Ducati-friendly Cheshire circuit this weekend:

“I’ve got the strongest package in the paddock at present and I’m aiming to repeat what I did at Thruxton. I’m surprised that I’ve had it relatively easy so far and hopefully we can continue our dominance but I know that it will get tougher as the season progresses. The team is good, the bike is fantastic and I’ve no worries whatsoever” said the laid back Londoner who jetted out to France for a week’s holiday after his Thruxton success.

Also planning on repeating his Thruxton dominance is 18 year old Easton who decimated the opposition with a start to finish Supersport win over Easter and the young Scot is still fired up following some remarks earlier in the season that cast aspersions on his ability to defend his title aboard the ageing 748 Ducati.

“I proved a point at Thruxton and made some people eat their words. Just because I’ve done that doesn’t mean I’ll be backing off at Oulton, it’s one of my favourite tracks and the Ducati will be awesome there. Anything less than a win and I’ll be extremely disappointed” said the Hawick ace who as a result, now lies second in the standings.

Team owner Paul Bird has the added pressure of Oulton Park being his and his sponsor MonsterMob’s local track but he’s confident his team can put on another great show for the dozens of guests:

“We’re riding high at the moment and we need to ram home our advantage whilst we’re in the driving seat and I see no reason why we can’t do that again this weekend. I’ve never had a treble at Oulton so now would be as good a time as any” said the Penrith businessman.

From a press release issued by Proforma:

HAS/SHOGUN RACING TESTS AT INFINEON RACEWAY PRIOR TO AMA NATIONAL THIS
WEEKEND

HAS/Shogun Racing riders Heath Small and John Haner tested at Infineon Raceway last weekend, competing in an AFM North event in anticipation of Round Three of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, coming up this weekend May 1-4 at the Nothern California facility. Neither rider had been to this facility before, so the track time that they each got was valuable in learning the twisty 11-turn track, even though the event was shortened due to rain on Sunday afternoon. Both Small and Haner compared
Infineon Raceway favorably to one of their favorite tracks back in their native Texas, Oak Hill Raceway.

“I like it, I like it a lot,” said Heath Small, who rode only one of his two Yamaha R6s to get familiar with the track. “It’s a lot like Oak Hill, with the elevation changes and the blind corners. I only got two races in, but I got down to some respectable times. I also got more seat time on the new bike, which is a big plus.” Look for Heath on his #278 Yamaha R6 in the AMA 600 Supersport class.

John Haner simply rolled his Suzuki GSX-R750 out of the trailer and rode it without changes from the last event. “The bike wasn’t set up, I just rode it to the bike’s potential as it was,” said Haner. “The track’s cool, it’s my kind of track. I got some valuable time. I was about eight-tenths off the fast time of the day, so I feel good going into Thursday’s promoter
practice.” Haner will compete on his #44 Suzuki GSX-R750 in the AMA 750 Superstock class.

HAS/Shogun Racing is 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.