Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Beth Wyse

Mat Mladin was the fastest rider for the second day in a row during AMA team testing at Road Atlanta.

Yoshimura Suzuki is hosting the test, and all of the factory teams are present, as well as Austin Ducati and Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki.

Mladin turned a quickest time of 1:23.32 on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike. Miguel Duhamel set a time of 1:24.9 on his Honda RC51 Superbike, but has only spent two and a half hours riding it over the past two days, choosing to spend most of his time setting up his Honda CBR600RR. Duhamel turned a fastest time on the Supersport bike of 1:27.6.

Ben Spies turned a time of 1:23.9 on his Superbike-spec Formula Xtreme Suzuki GSX-R1000, one of the quickest times of the day. Graves Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster was over one second behind Spies with a fast lap of 1:25.2 on his Formula Xtreme Yamaha YZF-R1.

Among the Supersport riders, Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking was fastest with a 1:26.5 on his factory YZF-R6. Hacking’s teammate Buckmaster was not far behind, turning a 1:26.6 on his R6.

Erion Honda rider Kurtis Roberts is not at the test due to injuries he sustained in a crash while training on his dirt bike.

There were no major incidents throughout the day, although several riders stopped on course with minor mechanical problems.

Some Unofficial Lap Times From Day Two, supplied by teams:

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:23.32
2. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:23.9
3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda RC51, 1:24.9
4. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:25.20
5. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.01
6. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:26.5
7. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:26.6
8. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR600RR, 1:27.6
9. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:27.6
10. Jamie Stauffer, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:28.2
11. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:28.5
12. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.6
13. Matt Furtek, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:28.73
14. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:28.8

From a press release from Octagon Motorsports, organizers of the FIM Endurance World Championship:

200 Miglia di Imola: Endurance Starts Here

The FIM World Endurance Season begins in less than three weeks, with the San Marino round of the championship to be held at the Imola circuit.Last year’s race was the first time the 200 Mile ‘sprint’ format had been used in the World Endurance Championship. Over the course of the season the shorter races turned out to offer a unique mix of flat out flag-to-flag racing combined with the tactical planning needed to plan in two fuel and tyre stops.

Calculated Strategies

This year the opening race of the championship is expected to be particularly competitive. The winter has seen an unprecedented amount of testing by the top teams who are all aiming to arrive at Imola in peak form. Qualifying will be closely fought as teams seek to gain a psychological advantage over their rivals while perfecting machine set-up for the sinuous parkland circuit. Team managers will be comparing the abilities of other teams’ riders before planning their pit stop strategies, and taking calculated risks with fuel loads and tyre choices.

Every Point Counts

The race itself is bound to be close. Last year saw an epic fight back from thirty-third place to an eventual fourth by Zongshen’s Warwick Nowland and Giovanni Bussei, with first placed Phase One’s Jason Pridmore and Mike Edwards pushing constantly to maintain their lead. The close racing was also carried through to pitlane, with slick stops needed to maintain the on-track advantages. Five different teams won a race last year, making every championship point vital. Everyone who starts the Imola 200 on Sunday the 4 th of May will be aiming to bring home as many points as possible.

From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway:

Mladin Tops Superbike Standings Entering Supercuts Superbike Challenge at Infineon Raceway

SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) ¯ The early-season action is heating up in the battle for the AMA U.S. Chevy Trucks Superbike Championship as the series prepares to make its third stop of the season at Infineon Raceway for the Supercuts Superbike Challenge, presented by Honda of Milpitas, May 2-4.

Yoshimura Suzuki rider Mat Mladin has returned to the same form that saw him win three consecutive AMA Superbike championships from 1999-2001. Mladin, a native of Australia, enters the Supercuts Superbike Challenge in first place in the Superbike standings in 2003.

Mladin captured a doubleheader victory at California Speedway (April 5-6) to vault into first place with 100 points. He is followed by a pair of Honda riders in Miguel Duhamel (92) and Ben Bostrom (87).

Duhamel, who holds the record with four Superbike victories at Infineon Raceway, opened the season with a stunning victory at the Daytona 200. The 34-year-old is the all-time winningest rider in Superbike history with 26 victories. Bostrom, who won the AMA Superbike championship in 1998, returns to the series after a three-year stint in World Superbike.

With that kind of buildup, race fans will certainly be treated to a healthy dose of excitement when the series visits the 12-turn, 2.2-mile Sonoma Valley circuit.

This also marks the second consecutive year that the event will feature a doubleheader, with Superbike main events scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday. Honda’s Nicky Hayden swept the races last year at Infineon Raceway, but has since moved to the Moto GP Series in Europe. That opens the door for Mladin, Duhamel, Ben Bostrom and brother Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki).

“Consistently being on top is how you win a championship,” said Eric Bostrom, who placed second to Hayden in the championship hunt last season. “And although there aren’t as many factory riders this year as in the past, the difference now is each one seems to be a competitor. Each one is going to be the guy to beat. Although I do have to rate Ben as my toughest competitor.”

Raceway officials have also addressed rider concerns with enhancements at Turns 1, 8-10 and 11, which should make for the most exciting weekend of racing since the AMA first visited the circuit in 1977.

Riders will encounter a modified track in May, further demonstrating Infineon Raceway’s commitment to the riders. The changes were made with the aid of both Bostroms, Duhamel, Aaron Yates (Suzuki), and AMA Road Race Manager Ron Barrick.

Turn 1 has been a sweeping left-hander, putting riders at a precarious angle as they approach a pedestrian bridge at the apex of Turn 1. The track has been extended 50 feet in a straight line before entering Turn 1. Riders will now make a left turn at approximately 90 degrees, which is designed to direct them away from the bridge and up the circuit toward Turn 2.

The entry into Turn 10 has also been altered. As riders crest Turn 8A, they will no longer continue down the esses. Instead, they will continue down a straight line for 900 feet, parallel with the Hillside Terraces at Turn 9, before making a 90-degree right-hand turn, followed by a sharp left-hand turn, which will blend them back with the original road course just before Turn 10. This alteration will slow the bikes down substantially entering Turn 10, plus it should also create an exciting passing zone in front of the Hillside Terraces.

The final enhancement will be at Turn 11, which has been shortened by approximately 40 feet. “It’s definitely a good thing and it makes me feel good that the track is interested in what we have to say,” Yates said. “It makes you feel like the track appreciates what you have to say.”

WHAT: AMA Supercuts Superbike Challenge, presented by Honda of Milpitas.
WHEN: May 2-4.
WHERE: Infineon Raceway.
2002 WINNERS: Nicky Hayden won both Superbike main events. Other winners included Aaron Yates (Supersport); Damon Buckmaster (Formula Xtreme); Lee Acree (Superstock); and Charles Sorensen (250 Grand Prix).
NOTABLE: It will be a doubleheader weekend with Superbike main events scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday.
COST: Advance ¯ $10 Friday, $30 Saturday, $30 Sunday, $50 weekend pass. Children 12 and under are free. Parking is free.
GATES: Gates open at 7 a.m. each day.
TICKETS: 800-870-RACE, www.infineonraceway.com, www.ticketmaster.com

From www.barbermotorsports.com:

WERA Event at Barber Motorsports Park Postponed

(Birmingham, AL)- In observance for the Easter weekend, Cornerspeed School/WERA open practice on Friday, April 18 and the WERA weekend event has been postponed until further notice. The 2003 WERA Sportsman Series is a motorcycle club series that was originally scheduled for this weekend, April 19-20. Rescheduling options are being discussed.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Beth Wyse

Mat Mladin was the fastest rider Monday during the first day of a three-day AMA team test at the revised Road Atlanta road course in Braselton, Georgia.

Yoshimura Suzuki is hosting the test and is sharing the track with the factory Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha teams as well as Ducati Austin, Graves Yamaha and Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki.

Australian rider Jamie Stauffer is present and riding for the Yoshimura Suzuki team.

Most of the riders are concentrating on bike set-up and testing various tire compounds.

Mladin was one of the first riders on track in the morning, wasting little time in getting his Suzuki GSX-R1000 up to speed. The bike had never been on the track before, but as the day went on he dropped is time to a high-1:24.

Honda’s Miguel Duhamel spent most of the day working on the set-up of his Supersport Honda CBR600RR. Duhamel said he feels his RC51 Superbike is already strong and needs less work. Duhamel’s best Superbike lap time of 1:25.8 was off Mladin’s pace, but Duhamel only rode eight laps on his RC51 Monday.

Duhamel’s teammate Ben Bostrom ran a low-1:25 on his RC51. It is his first time riding at Road Atlanta in four years.

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp tested both his 2002 Suzuki GSX-R1000 and his new 2003-model Suzuki GSX-R1000 Formula Xtreme racebikes and found his older bike more comfortable and better handling on the first day of the test.

Eric Bostrom worked to dial in new chassis parts and get both his Kawasaki ZX-7RRs set-up identically.

The test marks the first time that the AMA riders have been to Road Atlanta since a new configuration for turn three was added. The riders had mixed reactions to the course change Monday, and most riders said they needed to spend more time riding the revised track before deciding whether or not the change was for the better.

There were no crashes or serious on-track incidents during the first day of the test.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

The WERA Sportsman regional race event scheduled to take place at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama April 18-20 has been canceled due to community pressure over noise from the facility. The WERA race would have been the first motorcycle race ever at the state of the art, $54-million facility.

“We got a call from them at 4:00 p.m. Saturday (April 12) during our National Endurance event at Carolina Motorsports Park telling us our event was canceled,” Evelyne Clarke, President and CEO of WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, Inc. told Roadracingworld.com Monday. “It is Easter weekend, and they are up against a lot of neighborhood pressure over noise. I think they (the track) are setting a very bad precedent. The people who shut them down, now they know they can shut them down.”

Clarke said WERA tried negotiating with the track by proposing quiet time hours on Sunday, as used at other racetracks, and even offered to not start any race engines until after noon on Sunday, but WERA efforts to save the event were unsuccessful.

WERA had 155 racers pre-entered for the inaugural Barber event, which is usually 30 percent of an actual race event turnout, according to Clarke. With each of the projected 325 racers entering an average of 2.1 races for a total 1085 race entries, WERA stands to lose a great deal of money over the cancellation.

“It is huge for us, very, very difficult,” said Clarke, who added she and her staff were in the process of personally calling each pre-entered racer to inform them of the cancellation and discuss refunds and credits.

Barber Motorsports Park management is trying to give WERA another date during the year, says Clarke, but fitting it into the WERA race schedule will be difficult.

The WERA National event scheduled for September 12-14 at Barber Motorsports Park is “still a go,” according to Clarke.

The Team Hammer Advanced Riding School and Talent Search clinic event scheduled for Tuesday, April 22 is still scheduled to take place.

The AMA Superbike season finale, scheduled for September 19-21 at Barber Motorsports Park, could not be confirmed with AMA Pro Racing at post time.

Calls seeking comment from Barber Motorsports Park were unreturned at post time.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Beth Wyse

Tray Batey continued his winning streak in the WERA National Challenge Series, taking three victories in the second round of the season, held at Carolina Motorsports Park. Batey won 750cc Superstock on his Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R750, Heavyweight Twins on his Suzuki TL-R1000, and Pirelli Formula One on a Suzuki GSX-R1000.

David Weber kept Batey from breaking away from the field in 750cc Superstock, keeping the same pace for the ten-lap race. Weber finished second on his Suzuki GSX-R750.

In Heavyweight Twins, Batey built an early lead that diminished when he ran off track due to fluid spilled in a turn. Bradley Champion was able to close in on his Aprilia Mille but could never pass Batey for the win.

Batey’s third victory came easier than the first two, as he pulled away from the rest of the Formula One field early and was never challenged.

Vesrah Suzuki’s Mark Junge earned two wins. His first came in Open Superstock, where he got his Suzuki GSX-R1000 out front early and pulled away. Junge’s second victory was in 600cc Superstock on the Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R600. Junge jumped the start, but it was red flagged when four riders crashed in turn one on the first lap. None of the riders were seriously injured, but oil had to be cleared from the track. On the restart, Junge took the lead and held on for the win.

David Weber took his first expert win in 600cc Superbike, riding the XT Racing Suzuki GSX-R600. Weber followed Moore for most of the race, finally passing for the lead on the final lap.

Moore held off Weber two races later, when he won 750cc Superbike on his Suzuki GSX-R750. Moore was able to put a comfortable gap between himself and Weber and held the lead the entire time.

Bradley Champion continued to dominate Lightweight Twins. He put his Suzuki SV650 far ahead of the field as usual, and Jeff Walker and Martin Musil trailed in second and third, also riding SV650s.

In 125cc GP, Steve Genter took the checkered flag first on his Honda RS125. The field was sparse, with four bikes starting and only three finishing.

Derek King won Formula Two on his TSR Honda 250, beating Walker and Genter easily.

The final four races of the day had to be shortened to six laps because of numerous red flags and long breaks between races to clean up fluid on the track.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

British Superbike Race One Results:

1. Michael Rutter, Ducati, 25 laps, 28:09.817
2. Shane Byrne, Ducati, -5.156 seconds
3. John Reynolds, Suzuki, -11.707 seconds
4. Steve Plater, Honda, -18.229 seconds
5. Glen Richards, Kawasaki, -19.146 seconds
6. John Crawford, Ducati, -19.195 seconds
7. Paul Young, Yamaha, -19.930 seconds
8. Gary Mason, Yamaha, -20.909 seconds
9. Scott Smart, Kawasaki, -27.388 seconds
10. Jon Kirkham, Yamaha, -27.860 seconds

Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki, DNF
Mark Heckles, Honda, DNF
Seam Emmett, Ducati, DNF
Steve Hislop, Yamaha, DNF
Dean Ellison, Ducati, DNF

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

British Superbike Race Two Results:

1. Shane Byrne, Ducati, 20 laps, 22:18.701
2. Sean Emmett, Ducati, -9.360 seconds
3. John Reynolds, Suzuki, -14.400 seconds
4. Gary Mason, Yamaha, -17.795 seconds
5. Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki, -23.052 seconds
6. John Crawford, Ducati, -24.230 seconds
7. Mark Heckles, Honda, -28.751 seconds
8. Steve Plater, Honda, -29.128 seconds
9. Paul Young, Yamaha, -35.267 seconds
10. Scott Smart, Kawasaki, -35.593 seconds

Michael Rutter, Ducati, DNF
Glen Richards, Kawasaki, DNF
Steve Hislop, Yamaha, DNF