Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Morning MotoGP Free Practice Times:

1. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 2:04.604, 194.9 mph
2. Valentino Rossi, Honda, 2:04.623, 194.0 mph
3. Daijiro Kato, Honda, 2:04.879, 192.7 mph
4. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, 2:04.958, 191.4 mph
5. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 2:05.101, 189.1 mph
6. Alex Barros, Yamaha, 2:05.339, 187.5 mph
7. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia, 2:05.767, 189.2 mph
8. Colin Edwards, Aprilia, 2:05.852, 189.2 mph
9. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 2:05.880, 189.8 mph
10. Max Biaggi, Honda, 2:05.975, 190.5 mph
11. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 2:06.247, 190.9 mph
12. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, 2:06.262, 189.9 mph
13. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha, 2:06.264, 189.2 mph
14. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 2:06.309, 189.8 mph
15. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 2:06.315, 189.4 mph
16. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 2:06.534, 191.2 mph
17. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki, 2:06.645, 184.0 mph
18. Norick Abe, Yamaha, 2:06.683, 189.0 mph
19. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton, 2:07.078, 172.0 mph
20. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki, 2:07.391, 188.5 mph
21. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki, 2:07.505, 189.1 mph
22. Marco Melandri, Yamaha, 2:07.615, 188.4 mph
23. Tamaki Serizawa, Moriwaki Honda, 2:07.823, 183.4 mph
24. Garry McCoy, Kawasaki, 2:07.920, 188.9 mph
25. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton, 2:08.735, 169.0 mph
26. Chris Burns, Harris, 2:09.442, 175.7 mph

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

Yamaha’s sleek new ‘R series styled’ YZR-M1 fairing made its public debut during the Suzuka IRTA test (March 30-31), one week prior to the commencement of the 2003 season opener, due to be held April 6. Riders Carlos Checa (Fortuna Yamaha Team) and Alex Barros (Gauloises Yamaha Team) sampled the aerodynamic package for the first time and came away full of praise for Yamaha’s efforts in making such a vast improvement.

The more aggressive and sharper design was born in the Yamaha factory after extensive wind tunnel and computer simulated tests. It features a much narrower frontal area, improvements to the unique M1 flexible air-intake system, and a hard-lined rear seat cowling.

Complementing the all-new aerodynamic package is a hand-made snub-nosed titanium exhaust system, which offers a useable power increase and 400gram weight saving over the original unit. With the one-into two muffler extending only as far as the rear swingarm unit wind drag has also been reduced further.

Although Barros and Checa are the first Yamaha riders to receive the updated components, making their competitive debut at the Suzuka MotoGP, Marco Melandri (Fortuna Yamaha Team) and Olivier Jacque (Gauloises Yamaha Team) will also benefit from both the fairing and exhaust system in the not too distant future.

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM SET TO OPEN A NEW ERA IN MotoGP

The Ducati Marlboro Team opens a new chapter in Grand Prix history at Suzuka this weekend. The legendary Italian marque, which has dominated World Superbike for the past decade or so, now embarks on its first attempt at conquering GP racing’s premier championship.

The 2003 MotoGP season will be a period of development for the brand-new Desmosedici, even if the machine has already showed stunning speed in preseason testing and looks like being a real force when the racing starts on Sunday. Last month, Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi topped the official MotoGP prologue test session at Catalunya in Spain (time 1.44″634; all-time record at 328.2kmh/203.9mph), with team-mate and MotoGP newcomer Troy Bayliss also showing impressive speed (time 1.44″ 893, 322.8 kmh/200.6 mph).

But, as team personnel are keen to point out, testing is not racing, which is why the sense of anticipation around this year’s season-opening Grand Prix is arguably greater than any other. Everyone is waiting to see how the Desmosedici performs in anger for the first time, an extra gravity attached to the event because the race will unfold on Japanese tarmac.

While Ducati’s involvement has sparked new interest in MotoGP, there’s also unprecedented interest in Japan, with more top-grade riders contesting the championship than ever before. This year there are ten world champions fighting for MotoGP glory – current MotoGP king Valentino Rossi, former 500 champ Kenny Roberts Junior, World Superbike winners Colin Edwards and Troy Bayliss, 250 champs Max Biaggi, Loris Capirossi, Marco Melandri, Daijiro Kato and Olivier Jacque and World Supersport winner Andrew Pitt.

Sunday’s Japanese GP is the first of 16 that constitute the first all-four-stroke MotoGP World Championship. The fixtures continue with the South African GP on April 27 and then the Spanish GP, which starts the European season on May 11.

DOMENICALI’S EARLY SEASON PREDICTIONS
Months of anticipation end when the Ducati Marlboro Team lines up for its MotoGP debut this weekend at Suzuka, one of the fastest tracks on the GP calendar. The squad’s Desmosedici bike has already proved that it lacks nothing in the way of speed – at Catalunya last month, Capirossi and Bayliss headed the top-speed charts, the Italian establishing an all-time record at 328.2kmh/203.9mph, Bayliss not far behind at 322.8 kmh/200.6 mph.

The bike’s 220-plus horsepower output will be vital on Suzuka’s two long straights, but Ducati Corse managing director Claudio Domenicali isn’t making any great predictions for Sunday’s race, because he knows his crew is only just embarking on its long journey down the MotoGP road.

“All I can say is that we are reasonably happy and that our engineers have good reason to be very proud of what they’ve done so far,” says Domenicali. “We are only at the start of this project and we are already at a reasonable level of performance. We’ve done some good development work and we know that the bike has a very high potential, but we need more time to fully understand it and to extract its full potential. At the moment I’d say that the engine is only at 80 per cent of its capability.”

The Ducati Marlboro Team have been helped in their successful search for speed by fuel and lubricants partner Shell, who have worked closely with Ducati Corse since 1999. “The Desmosedici’s incredible speed at Catalunya was helped by Shell,” reveals Domenicali. “We used a new fuel called V-Power RD 0502, which had already showed promising results on the dyno, with an increase in peak power of almost one per cent.

“Every month we should be able to make the bike faster, but others are also getting faster. Our results will also depend upon how much room our rivals have for improvement, so it’s very difficult to predict results for the first few races.

“At the moment there’s no clear area in which the bike is lacking, it’s just a case of achieving a good overall balance, which will only come with time. The bike is still very young, we still need to achieve the best-possible balance and then learn how to achieve that balance at every track. We are on a steep learning curve, we still have a lot of small steps to take before we are really good!”

And yet the pre-season mood in the Ducati Marlboro Team is high expectation tinged with optimism. Most of all though, the mood is happy, as team director Livio Suppo points out: “It’s a happy team and that’s important to us. We have a tough season ahead, so we need to enjoy ourselves, we like to have a good feeling about the way we go racing.”


CAPIROSSI’S FIRST FOUR-STROKE RACE
Three-time World Champion Loris Capirossi hits the big ‘Three Oh’ at Suzuka on Friday – the day he officially commences his first-ever four-stroke GP season. The Italian’s 30th birthday provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on his career so far, as well as taking a peak into his future.

One of only a handful of riders to have won GPs in three classes – 125, 250 and 500s – Capirossi has been a major-league star since 1990 when he won the 125 world title at his first attempt, aged just 17. Over the past two seasons he has fought bravely on now uncompetitive 500cc machinery – in 2002 he was one of only two riders capable of running with the four-strokes on his ‘old’ 500 two-stroke. This year he is finally back where he deserves to be.

Some people wondered whether Capirossi would be able to adapt to the four-stroke Ducati Marlboro Desmosedici after a career spent exclusively on two-strokes, but he soon dispelled those doubts, breaking lap records within weeks of his first ride on the Italian V4.

“The four-stroke is great – much more comfortable than the two-stroke, so you can have a lot of fun spinning the rear tyre!” smiles Capirossi, who’s never ridden anything as powerful as the 220-plus horsepower Ducati. “The bike is already at a very good level, our lap times from winter testing tell us that, but we have a lot more work to do before we can properly claim to have the best bike. Anyway, it’s coming better step by step, and I’m really excited because I think we can fight for some good results from the very first race.”

Suzuka is a particularly special event for Capirossi for two reasons: firstly because it’s always a privilege to race an Italian bike in Japan, and secondly because he adores the high-speed circuit with its unique figure-of-eight layout. Capirossi started the 2001 Japanese GP from pole and was second quickest in qualifying last year, even though his 500 had 30 less horsepower than the fastest four-strokes.

“Suzuka is a lovely track, one of the best in the world,” he affirms. “And, of course, it’s a very important race for Ducati, like Ferrari in the Suzuka F1 car GP! I think it could be good for our bike because it’s not the kind of circuit where you get a lot of wheelspin. Everyone can see that we’ve got a lot of horsepower, so we are working to reduce wheelspin, and we’re making good progress with different solutions, both on engine and chassis set-up.

“I don’t have any big expectations for the first race. Much will depend on how the pre-race tests go. They will be especially important for us, because unlike the other factories, we haven’t been to Suzuka before. If we can fix the set-up during the tests, I think we can have a good race.”


TROY’S BIG NEW CHALLENGE
The Ducati Marlboro Team isn’t alone in opening a new chapter in racing history at Suzuka this weekend – rider Troy Bayliss is also embarking on a new adventure. After five years on Superbikes the easygoing Aussie is making the move to MotoGP, and he’s not underestimating the magnitude of the challenge.

Winner of the World Superbike crown in 2001 and a nail-bitingly close runner-up last year, Bayliss may have shown great promise during winter testing with the Desmosedici, but he’s got plenty to learn once the racing gets underway. Not only has he got to learn a whole new class of racing and get to know a grid-full of new rivals, but he’s also got to compete on 13 tracks where he’s never raced before, starting on Sunday.

“There’s no way I’m going to go to Suzuka and win,” says Bayliss with refreshing frankness and honesty. “Then we go to Welkom, which is another racetrack I haven’t seen, so I just want to get a couple of half-decent races under my belt, see what I can do, then hopefully my real season will start when we get back to Jerez, where I’ve tested a bit and where I feel pretty comfortable. The bike’s starting to come good, it’s just a matter of taking it step by step.”

Bayliss had never even see Suzuka before he rolled up for the all-team test session on March 30 (when he celebrates his 34th birthday), at least not in reality, but he had ridden a few laps on his PlayStation, racing against his seven-year-old son Mitchell. “Anything we do that’s not to do with racing he beats me!” smiles Bayliss. “I usually do a few laps on the PlayStation before I go somewhere new, it just shows you which way the track goes.”

Renowned for his awesome on-track aggression and radically spectacular riding style, Bayliss can’t wait for the racing to get under way for real. “I’m excited, after all, I’m a racer!” he adds. “I think a lot of riders feel the same way after a long winter of testing. But I know the first few races won’t be easy because it’s hard to find the limit at any track you don’t know. At tracks you do know it’s easier to find little things with the bike, so you can improve its performance. The Desmosedici is already not too bad, we’re pretty much where we expected to be at this stage. Early on, we know we’ll have some good days and some bad days, but we’re making progress and that’s what we want to do.”

Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix will be the second GP of Bayliss’ career – he made his GP debut with a one-off ride in the 1997 Australian 250 GP.


THE TRACK
Suzuka was constructed by Honda in 1962 as Japan’s first international-standard racetrack and still rates as one of the world’s best motorsport venues. The circuit staged its first World Championship rounds in ’63, ’64 and ’65 but those events only catered for the smaller-capacity classes and it wasn’t until 1987 that Suzuka hosted a premier-class GP.

Since then the fast, varied and supremely challenging track has gained a reputation for serving up some of the closest, most thrilling GP encounters. Suzuka is the longest circuit on the GP calendar and unique for its figure-of-eight layout which gives a good mix of left and right-handers, varying from fast sweepers to the dead-stop chicane and hairpin. It is also one of the few current GP tracks where MotoGP riders can give full rein to their 200-plus horsepower machines.

The track has undergone several safety improvements in recent years, including two major changes carried out for this weekend’s race. The daunting 130R corner at the end of the back straight has been modified, as has the chicane that precedes the start-finish straight.


DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM DATA LOGS

TROY BAYLISS
Age: 34 (date of birth March 30 1969)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici
First GP: Australia, 1997 (250)
World Superbike victories: 22
World Championships: 1 (Superbike: 2001)
Suzuka 2002 results: DNS

LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 30 (date of birth April 4 1973)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici
GP victories: 22 (2×500, 12×250, 8×125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
GP starts: 184 (14xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125)
Pole positions: 33 (5×500, 23×250, 5×125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)
Suzuka 2002 results. Grid: 2nd Race: 9th

From a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki:

BSB Round 7, Rockingham Motor Speedway
4th-6th July
Circuit Length: 2.05 miles

Preview

Hawk raring to go at Rockingham

Hawk Kawasaki arrives at Rockingham International Speedway in Northamptonshire this weekend for the seventh round of the 2003 British Superbike Championship. Infamous for its impacts on British Superbike Championships past the tight, technical circuit is sure to throw up some close racing.

Currently lying fourth in the championship, Glen Richards is looking forward to racing at the only anti-clockwise circuit on the British Superbike Calendar: ‘Rockingham’s a good little track and it’s nice to have something different’ says the laconic Australian. ‘There are no big straights there so we’re not at so much of a disadvantage. And it’s got some real twists, which should suit the ZX-7RR. I’m really looking forward to it.’

Fellow Hawk Kawasaki rider Scott Smart shares his enthusiasm: ‘I’ve gone well at Rockingham in the past so I’m looking forward to getting the Hawk Kawasaki there’ says Smart, following a strong performance at the previous Brands Hatch round. ‘We’re getting the bike set-up a lot more to how I like it now, and I think Rockingham is a track that will suit us well’

Lincolnshire’s Lee Jackson is also looking forward to getting to Rockingham to continue his rise in the riders championship standings: ‘I didn’t think I had the best weekend at Brands’ says Jackson ‘But I’m really looking forward to getting there even though Rockingham is not a particular favourite. It’s quite twisty, which should suit the Hawk Kawasaki ZX-7RR’s and I’m sure we can get the right setup and score good points. Bring on the weekend’

BSB Riders’ Championship, after 6 rounds
1) Shane Byrne, Ducati: 285. 2) Michael Rutter, Ducati: 152. 3) John Reynolds, Suzuki: 145. 4) Glen Richards, Hawk Kawasaki: 131. 5) Gary Mason, Yamaha: 117. 5=) Steve Plater, Honda: 117. 7) Steve Hislop, Yamaha: 111. 8) Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki: 103. 9) John Crawford, Ducati: 74.10) Scott Smart, Hawk Kawasaki: 72. 11) Sean Emmett, Ducati: 71. 12) Lee Jackson, Hawk Kawasaki: 55. 13) Paul Young, Yamaha: 54. 14) Mark Heckles, Honda: 41. 15) John McGuinness, Ducati: 26

BSB Premier Teams Championship, after 6 rounds
1)Monstermob/ETI Ducati: 988. 2) Virgin Mobile Yamaha: 940. 3) Renegade Ducati: 914. 4) Hawk Kawasaki: 895. 4=) Rizla Suzuki: 895. 6) TDB Yamaha: 727. 7) Hawk Kawasaki/TCD Suzuki: 711. 8) Honda Racing: 676. 9) D & B/Renegade Ducati: 602.

From a press release issued by KTM:

KTM Red Bull is launching his new Road Racing Team

Suzuka, Japan



It is the return after many years for the Austrian Manufacturer to Road Racing. For Harald Bartol and the new team it was a challenge to produce the new machine in the short time between seasons, with the added knowledge that it would be carrying the number 1 plate, but challenge is what racing is all about and Harald is still a racer.

After an encouraging first test at Almeria we encountered some mechanical problems at our Valencia test so our real testing will start at 09.00 Friday morning with the first free practice.
Reining world champion, Arnaud Vincent, says: “I am not one hundred percent fit after my operation last week to remove the pin from my ankle, but I am not here to cruise, so I will give my best as always”.

Team colleague, Roberto Locatelli, says” For me it is a big honour to race for KTM and I am confident of achieving some podium positions during the season although I know it will not be easy changing back from the 250cc class and with such limited off season testing.”

Just to add to he challenge the weather forecast for the weekend is not particularly good so a good first qualifying practise will be very important for the grid positions.

From a press release:

Robert Jensen to race Tul-aris in 2003 while Steve Johnson gears up for next MotoDynamics project.

Long-time Tul-aris development racer and track record holder Steve Johnson has handed off the Tul-aris GP bike to accomplished AMA Supersport and Superbike racer Robert Jensen.

Robert first tested the Tul-aris earlier this year and has committed to racing the Tul-aris at select Formula USA, CCS and CRA races. Robert will compete on the Tul-aris in the Formula USA Unlimited GP class. In addition, Robert will compete on Yamaha R6 and R1 machines in Supersport and Superbike classes, for which the Tul-aris is not legal.

We’re excited to see Robert give the Tul-aris “the stick” at our next races at Mid-America Raceway in Iowa on April 11-13 and Road America Raceway in Wisconsin April 25-27. Robert is the current track record holder at Mid-America Raceway and we look forward to him aiming for that record on the Tul-aris.

In the meantime, Steve Johnson will concentrate on the development of next project run by MotoDynamics, the Tul-aris team’s racing business. Details of this new MotoDynamics racing project will be announced shortly.

MotoDynamics’ Tul-aris project is sponsored by Michelin Tires, Nutec Racing Fuel, Hot Seat Performance, Ohlins USA, Lofgren Racing/Manley Cycle, Mason Racing Tires, MTS Systems Corporation, Yoyodyne Titanium, GP Tech, Carbon Fiber Specialties Products, DCM Services and Deus Ex Machina.

Robert Jensen is sponsored by Butler Machinery, Michelin, Arai Helmets, RS-Taichi Leathers and Sidi Boots.

Steve Johnson is sponsored by Delano Sport Center, Hi-Per Sports, Mason Racing Tires, EBC Brakes and Lockhart Phillips.

From a press release issued by the AMA:

Federal Lawmakers Support New Motorcycle Crash Study

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports that 62 members of Congress have joined U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-Wis.) in asking the House leadership to support a comprehensive study of the causes of streetbike crashes.

In mid-March, Green asked his colleagues to sign a letter addressed to U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, urging him to support a comprehensive, in-depth motorcycle crash study to find ways to prevent crashes. The last such study — “Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures,” commonly called the “Hurt Report” (after lead researcher Harry Hurt) — was done more than 20 years ago.

“With motorcyclist fatalities increasing 50 percent in just the last five years, the time to act is now,” the members of Congress said in the letter. “Initiated in 1976 and completed in 1981, the Hurt Report remains the benchmark of motorcycle crash research and, sadly, the only such comprehensive study ever undertaken in the United States.”

Rider-training and motorist-awareness programs are just a couple of the efforts to improve motorcyclists’ safety that were prompted by the Hurt Report.

Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations, and his staff in the AMA Government Relations Department’s Washington, D.C., office are working to get $3 million for an in-depth motorcycle crash study written into legislation now being considered for reauthorization by Congress: the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).

The new crash research would involve detailed at-the-scene study of at least 1,000 crashes to find out what goes wrong for riders.

Motorcyclists are urged to contact their federal lawmakers and to thank them if they signed the Green letter supporting motorcycle crash research. For those lawmakers who didn’t sign the Green letter, motorcyclists are urged to ask them to support the research and to contact Chairman Young expressing their support.

Motorcyclists can urge members of their congressional delegations to support funding for a comprehensive motorcycle crash study by sending a message through the AMA Rapid Response Center at www.AMADirectlink.com. The Rapid Response Center tells motorcyclists who the members of their congressional delegations are, and even gives addresses to send letters rather than e-mail.

Those who signed the letter are U.S. Reps. Richard Baker (R-La.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Rob Bishop (R-Utah), Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), Michael Burgess (R-Texas), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Brad Carson (D-Okla.), Julia Carson (D-Ind.), Chris Chocola (R-Ind.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) and Jerry Costello (D-Ill.)

Also, U.S. Reps. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), John Duncan (R-Tenn.), Bob Filner (D-Calif.), Jim Gerlach (R-Penn.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Mark Green (R-Wis.), Melissa Hart (R-Penn.), David Hobson (R-Ohio), Tim Holden (D-Pa.), Michael Honda (D-Calif.), Christopher John (D-La.), Timothy Johnson (R-Ill.), Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.), Mark Kennedy (R-Minn.) and Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.)

Also, U.S. Reps. John Kline (R-Minn.), Ray LaHood (R-Ill.), Nick Lampson (D-Texas), Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio), James Leach (R-Iowa), Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), Donald Manzullo (R-Ill.), Jim Matheson (D-Utah), Candice Miller (R-Mich.), James Moran (D-Va.), Robert Ney (R-Ohio), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), C.L. “Butch” Otter (R-Idaho), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.).

Also, U.S. Reps. Ron Paul (R-Texas), Todd Russell Platts (R-Pa.), Jon Porter (R-Nev.), Jack Quinn (R-N.Y.), Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), Dennis Rehberg (R-Mont.), Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), Mike Ross (D-Ark.), Timothy Ryan (D-Ohio), F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), John Shimkus (R-Ill.), Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), Rob Simmons (R-Conn.), Michael Simpson (R-Idaho), Ted Strickland (D-Ohio), Michael Turner (R-Ohio), Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.)

From a press release issued by freelance publicist Dorina Clarke, for Team Hammer:

Students Get Every Penny’s Worth of Team Hammer Talent Search Presented by Alpinestars at California Speedway

Five participants in the Team Hammer Talent Search Presented by Alpinestars–first-year Expert Ivan Garza, second-year Expert Paolo Mariano, Jack Pfeifer, Chris Siglin and first-year Expert Matthew Wise–gathered at California Speedway Friday, March 28 for the second of three Talent Search set-up and riding days, followed by two days of practice in conjunction with Fastrack Riders. The Talent Search team working with the five included 1991 AMA Superbike Champion Thomas Stevens, Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki rider Chris Ulrich, Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki mechanic Ken Hill and racer Vincent Haskovec.

“I had a blast,” said Siglin. “I learned a lot. I had Ken Hill helping me out all day; he really showed me some new stuff. I tried to get together the best set-up I could to get ready for next week (AMA National at California Speedway).

“Set-up-wise, I’ve been so used to setting up one way. Ken actually showed me to not be afraid to try big changes. That’s really one thing he and Thomas Stevens emphasized was to not be afraid to do big changes. You never know. It could be 100 percent better, or it could be 100 percent worse. You just don’t know. That’s one thing that we tried yesterday, and it ended up being a really good thing for me. It was great. I’m really comfortable.

“Then coming into the back horseshoe here, and I was having a little bit of a chatter from the rear end coming in there. I talked to Chris (Ulrich) a little bit about it. He gave me a little advice, a little pointer. And sure enough, I went out and did it, and it really solved the problem. It was really cool.

“It’s been really good; it’s been a really good experience. It’s been nice to have that help that I didn’t have last year. It’s really cool that they put this together. I can ask (questions of) Chris and Ken Hill and even Keith (Perry, Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief) at the Nationals. It’s been really great. I can’t say enough about it. It really is worth the money.”

“I’m learning a little bit about set-up and how to make the bike work
better,” said Pfeifer. “Actually, Ken Hill taught me how to bleed the brakes correctly. I had a problem with the brakes at Daytona, and I had a problem again here. He showed me how to fix that problem. I’m learning some stuff, yeah. It’s great. I figured it’s probably the best 1500 bucks I’ll spend in the long run. For $1500 you’ve got a shot at winning a bike and leathers and going to Road Atlanta and doing that race (Suzuki Cup Finals). $1500 is not a lot of money considering the advertising and marketing that’s going to come out of it. If you look at it, sure, $1500 is a few sets of tires, but that’s all it is. This $1500 could be worth so much more.”

“I had a blast!” said Mariano. “This program is awesome. It’s cool to know that you have guys that really know what they’re doing, especially Ken (Hill). Ken helped me out a lot in suspension set-up. I knew it was important, but I didn’t realize how important it was until Ken came along and said, ‘Let’s try this. Let’s try that. Go out there and tell me what you think.’ I come back, and it’s like, Oh my gosh! I give Ken a big thumbs up; he’s awesome!

“One specific example is going into chicane at the beginning of the infield straight. Being on the throttle, I would hit that little stutter bump, and I would get a little tankslapper. I asked Ken, and he asked me, ‘Was that on the throttle, Paolo?’ And I said it was.

“So he backed off my compression, made it softer, and told me to go out there and tell him what I think. I went back out and I was able to get on the throttle harder and sooner, and that equals seconds on the track.

“Then after he did that, coming into turn one, the left into that chicane, getting on the gas, then it started doing this (makes motion of bars wagging), and I had to back off the throttle. I came back and told Ken, and he goes straight to my rear suspension, tightened the spring a full turn and adjusted the compression. I went back out there, and he fixed it.

“So now, the big difference of having Ken, instead of me going out there and going, ‘You know, I’m not having any fun. I don’t like Fontana. Fontana sucks.’ Now, I love Fontana. I’m one with the bike because the bike is pretty much set-up for Fontana.

“This is how clueless I was with suspension. I would stay with one suspension set-up from round one of the Formula USA series all the way to round eight. If the bike was wiggling, I would adjust my riding style and ride it out. Now with being in the program and seeing the knowledge I’m getting from the Team Hammer Talent Search is just awesome. I’m definitely going to school, taking notes and glad I did it (joined the program).

“Vincent (Haskovec) was a huge help. He was a great motivater. Vincent worked with me all day. As the day progressed, I just went quicker and quicker and quicker. Then he said ‘We’re going to pick it up, and I want you on my tail.’ He’d always turn around and say ‘Come on! Come on!’ And I was always there, and he would give me a thumbs up. He was just awesome! The Team Hammer Talent Search is awesome. I’m glad I’m doing it.”

“I had a lot of fun,” said Wise. “Vincent Haskovec was out here. He was able to follow me around while I was learning the track. It’s a real busy track; there’s a lot of turns and stuff. He was able to give me pointers on my line and what gear I should be in at different parts of the track. That really helped me get used to the track a lot faster.

“I got to follow him around for a while. Just being able to ride with a professional rider and get advice from him. And to meet all of these guys and get my name out there to where all of the guys on the team know my name so they can be looking out for me as I’m coming up is a great opportunity.

“From Vincent, I learned a lot about riding technique, because you think you do things right. You think you look really good going through there, but to have somebody who really knows their stuff to ride right behind you and come back to the pits and immediately tell you, ‘Hey this is what you’re not doing right and this is what you need to work on,’ it just helps a lot.

“As far as suspension, I haven’t really messed with my bike a lot because I had it set up by G.M.D. Computrack, so it’s working really good. But I’ve also been trying to pick these guys’ brains as to how long tires will last, what to look for when they go away and what I should be doing right now to help advance my career. In that, they’ve been a great help to me. I know where I want to go, I know what my goals are, but it’s just how to get there. So that’s been a great help just talking to Thomas (Stevens) and Vincent and Chris and everybody. It’s just cool. I think it’s well worth it.”

“It was great,” said Garza. “I definitely had a good time. I’m so glad I got the support from Ken. My bike went from being a Cadillac to a Porsche. The example I like to use is I had a fine suit, because I had real good accessories on it, but it hadn’t been tailored for me yet. So Ken went ahead and made it fit. He dropped the front, he messed with the compression and the rebound quite a bit and got it to where it needed to be. It was a more aggressive set-up, and I dropped my times drastically. If it wasn’t for him, I think I would still be turning the same lap times I was turning before.

“I’m getting to meet a lot of pro riders. I mean, being a privateer, you don’t just get to walk up and spend quality time with them. Thomas Stevens has been giving us great mental support, and then just to get professional people like Ken Hill to work on my suspension. Chris Ulrich, I got support from him; he was very open to help us out. The people who didn’t sign up for it this year, if it’s still around next year they should do it. I know I will be a part of it.”

The next Team Hammer Search set-up day will be at Barber Motorsports Park April 22.

From a press release:

Practice Schedule-April 3, 2003

7:00am – 3:00pm Registration Open

7:00am – 5:00pm Tech Open

8:15am – Riders Meeting

9:00am – 9:30 Group 2 (Superstock)

9:30 – 10:00 Group 3 (Superbike/FX)

10:00 – 10:30 Group 1 (Supersport/250GP)

10:30 – 11:00 Group 2

11:00 – 11:30 Group 3

11:30 – 12:00pm Group 1

Lunch will be taken to corner workers at 12:00, and then Group 2 will be started. No official lunch break will be taken.

12:00 – 12:30 Group 2

12:30 – 1:00 Group 3

1:00 – 1:30 Group 1

1:30 – 2:00 Group 2

2:00 – 2:30 Group 3

2:30 – 3:00 Group 1

3:00 – 3:30 Group 2

3:30 – 4:00 Group 3

4:00 – 4:30 Group 1

4:30 – 5:00 Open Practice

Schedule is subject to change. If practice is red flagged less than halfway through session, riders will be held at pre-grid to be re-started, and remainder of session will be run. If the practice is over halfway completed, then the session will be over, and the next group will be called up to pre-grid.