Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom was slated to race in the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport final at Daytona International Speedway on the brand new 2003 Kawasaki ZX-6RR, but due to the rain delay of the Supersport race until Sunday before the 200-mile Superbike race, Bostrom will sit the Daytona AMA Supersport race out.

“I think at this point we will pull Eric off the 600,” Kawasaki Road Race Team Manager Michael Preston told Roadracingworld.com Saturday. “Our main focus this year was for sure Superbike with Eric. The Daytona 200 is a demanding race. That’s where we want to put our focus with Eric. I think we don’t want to take any chances with the 600 and how the day is turning out.

“I think Eric is the fittest guy in the paddock of anybody, but we have a couple of our competitors – (Mat) Mladin, (Anthony) Gobert – they’re focused (on) Superbike and they’re here to win.”

Ducati Austin Team Manager Tom Bondenbach, however, doesn’t feel his rider, Gobert, has an advantage over the riders who will race in both the AMA Supersport and Daytona 200 races on Sunday.

“I wouldn’t say we have advantages at this point,” said Bodenbach. “You don’t know if the 600s are actually going to run before us. It looks like it will be raining. I’m guessing you’ll only be able to get the Superbikes in on Sunday.”

Speculation about the weather forecast aside, Universal Studios/American Honda Team Coordinator Ray Plumb confirmed that Miguel Duhamel, Ben Bostrom and Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts will all race in both Supersport and Superbike at Daytona on Sunday. Likewise, Yoshimura Suzuki Team Manager Don Sakakura reported that both Aaron Yates and Ben Spies will race their GSX-R600s as well as their GSX-R1000s, weather permitting, on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the rain-altered schedule has forced plans to be changed among the privateers as well. Team EMGO Taiwan’s Chris “Opie” Caylor and Barden Bearings/Woodcraft’s Eric Wood will either skip the Daytona 200 altogether or make only a few laps, to concentrate on racing their GSX-R750s to win in the Superstock final, which will immediately follow the Superbike classic on Sunday.

Jason Perez, an 18-year-old Daytona rookie, will have to race the BMW Boxer Cup and AMA Supersport sprints back-to-back.

Sunday’s intense race schedule may be the toughest on the crew members who will have to tend to Supersport machines and Superbikes and handle all of the additional chores associated with the two-pit-stop, 200-mile Superbike race.

“We’ve had some (race weekends) before where they’ve delayed the Superstock anyway, so we’ve run a couple of races on Sunday,” said Preston. “(But) because it’s the 200, it takes additional manpower with the pit stops, the signaling area and all that kind of stuff. It makes it more complicated because some of those guys work on the 600s and the Superstock bikes. If it was just another sprint race it wouldn’t be that big of a deal.”

“I’m old enough to have been around back when we used to do the 600 race and the Superbike race in the same day,” said Ben Bostrom’s Crew Chief, Merlyn Plumlee, “and it’s really hard to do. It’s so much work. Luckily, they (Daytona International Speedway) are going to let us in early to set up. It’s a lot of work, but it’s really hard on the riders.”

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

RAIN CUTS SHORT ROUTINE SUZUKI TESTS

Team Suzuki was forced to cut three days of planned testing at Valencia back to two days, when rain spoiled conditions today after two clear days on Thursday and Friday.

Team riders Kenny Roberts Jr (2000 World Champion) and new team recruit John Hopkins had by then already run through most of the list of routine testing items, using the tight and twisty Ricardo Tormo Valencia GP circuit to wrap up the first phase of testing and development for the first version of the all-new 2003 GSV-R MotoGP machine.

The second phase begins next week at Catalunya, with a fresh round of technical improvements from the factory racing department.

“From the start, the new machine’s increased potential was obvious. I’m really looking forward to seeing what the factory will bring for the Catalunya tests next week,” said Roberts.

The team will be testing in private at the Barcelona GP circuit, before joining the third and final European IRTA tests, where the rest of the 24-strong 2003 MotoGP field are also expected to attend.

Suzuki’s new GP prototype, code-named XR-E1, arrived for tests late in January in Malaysia, surprising team and riders with the extent of technical changes compared with last year’s XR-E0 version. That was the first in a new generation of ultra-high-performance 990cc four-stroke prototype racers, built for the new premier-class MotoGP series. This year’s machine is completely redesigned, to carry the concept to the next stage.

“We didn’t have anything new to test here,” said team manager Garry Taylor. “Just a fairly long list of items and settings that needed to be explored and either developed further or eliminated. That is the routine of testing.

“We managed to get through most of them, and add huge amounts to the data we have already collected on the new machine, in the first two days,” he added.

Roberts and Hopkins shared the track with the British Superbike team, with riders John Reynolds and ex-GP racer Yukio Kagayama putting the new GSX-1000R through its pre-season paces.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

CMRA racer John W. Black and wife Amy R. Black had a son, Maxwell Hopper Black, March 3 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

From a press release issued by Octagon Motorsports, oraganizers of the FIM Endurance World Championship Series:

2003 Permanent Teams Announced

20 Teams, 15 Nations, 5 Manufacturers, 4 Classes

The list of the twenty teams that have been selected to compete with permanent status in all rounds of the FIM World Endurance Championship has been announced.

15 Nations

Fifteen nations are represented amongst the twenty teams. The USA, Australia, China and Japan are all represented, with a particularly strong showing from the UK, France, Italy and Germany. There are two Swiss teams entered, one team from Sweden, one from Austria and one from Slovakia. The current World Champion – Zongshen Team of China – have four different nations represented by their riders, with an Australian / Belgian pairing on the number 1 bike and a French / Slovenian team on the number two bike, and the German KSM Herber team also have a Czech rider.

5 Manufacturers

The World Endurance Championship is renowned for innovation, and recent years have seen a number of
manufacturers testing their bikes in endurance before embarking on a full programme of competition. For 2003, Team X-One will be campaigning a Mondial Piega for the full season, alongside the Suzuki GSXR1000, Yamaha R1 and Kawasaki ZX9R entries. Ducati fans will also welcome the debut of the Ducati 999R in the hands of the Ducati Marchetti Team, proven podium finishers in 2002.

4 Classes

Ducati Marchetti’s Ducati 999R will compete in the “ultimate modification” Superbike (SBK) class, joined for this season by Yamaha Austria’s Yamaha R1. The Austrian team will be taking full advantage of the 2003 rule change that allows 1000cc four cylinder bikes to run in this class if they are fitted with intake air restrictors. Choosing the SBK class will allow them much greater freedom when tuning the engine compared with the SuperProduction (SPR) where the other Yamaha R1 and Suzuki GSX-R1000, and will provide some interesting comparisons over the season.

The team X-One Mondial Piega will run in the Open Class which caters for innovative machines, and Yamaha Maco Moto Slovakia will run in the Stocksport (STK) class for virtually standard machines.

2003, March 8

2003 World Endurance Championship Calendar

May 4 San Marino Imola 200 Miles
May 25 Holland Assen 200 Miles
June 15 Czech Republic Brno 6 Hours
June 28-29 Spain Albacete 12 Hours
July 20 Austria A1-Ring 6 Hours
August 3 Japan Suzuka 8 Hours
August 24 Germany Oschersleben 24 Hours
October 5 Italy Vallelunga 200 Miles


2003 PERMANENT TEAM ENTRY LIST

1. Suzuki Zongshen 1 – CHN – Nowland (AUS), Mertens (BEL) – SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

2. Suzuki Zongshen 2 – CHN – Bonhuil (FRA), Jerman (SLO) – SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

3. Suzuki GB Phase 1 – GBR – Pridmore (USA), Ellison (GBR), Four (FRA), Lindstrom (SWE) – SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

4. Suzuki KSM Herber – GER – Herber (GER), Bursa (CZE), Persson (SWE)- SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

5. Ducati Marchetti – ITA – Marchetti (ITA), Garcia (FRA) – DUCATI 999 R

6. Suzuki GB Phase Junior – GBR – Jessop(GBR),Cerr(GBR),Fincher (GBR) – SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

8. Kawasaki Bolliger Team – SUI – Kellenberger (SUI), Stamm (SUI), Jerzenbech (GER), Nystrom (SWE)- KAWASAKI ZX-9 R

9. Yamaha Austria Racing Team – AUT – Wilding (AUT), Saiger (AUT), Truchsess (AUT), Kainz (AUT)- YAMAHA YZF-R1

10. Suzuki Trackdaze 10 – GBR – Kingston (GBR), Brasher (GBR), Agombar (GBR), Stocker (GBR)-SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

11. Suzuki Trackdaze 11 – GBR – Hutchins (GBR), King (GBR), Falcke (GBR), Collins (GBR)- SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

12. Yamaha Fagersjo-el.se – SWE – Carlberg (SWE), Notman (GBR), Higgings (GBR)- YAMAHA YZF-R1

14. Suzuki Jet Team – SUI – Jaggi (SUI), Monot (FRA), Waldemeier (SUI), Pelleriti (SUI)- SUZUKI GSXR 1000

15. Suzuki Hofmann Racing – GER – Spenner (GER), Schmassmann (SUI), Albrecht (GER), Reisse (GER)- SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

16. Suzuki Rookie Racing Team – GER – Roth (GER), Plantius (GER), Wegscheider (GER), Hecker (GER)- SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

18. Yamaha Maco Moto Slovakia – SLK – Kuzma (SLK), L.Bucek (SLK), J.Bucek (SLK), Fabry (SLK)- YAMAHA YZF-R1

22. Suzuki 22 Police Nationale – FRA – Giabbani (FRA), Blora (ITA), Kishida (JPN), Cauchard (FRA)- SUZUKI GSX-R 1000

38. Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 – FRA – Cazade (FRA), Brian (FRA), Hacquin (FRA), Cuzin (FRA) – YAMAHA YZF-R1

44. Suzuki No Limits – ITA – Codeluppi (ITA), Ruozzi (ITA) – SUZUKI GSX- R 1000

94. Yamaha GMT 94 – FRA – Guyot (FRA), Scarnato (FRA) – YAMAHA YZF-R1

7. Mondial X One – ITA – Bargiacchi (ITA), Perselli (ITA) Mondial Piega (Open)

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

The inaugural BMW Boxer Cup event at Daytona is shaping up to be a very exciting event, and race organizers and racers are excited to be racing at Daytona International Speedway.

“We are very excited to race here at Daytona because it is the dream of every racer to ride at Daytona,” Berthold Hauser, Director, Motorsport Motorrad BMW Motorrad told Roadracingworld.com.

In fact, even the most experienced of the veteran International racers attracted to the nine-race BMW Boxer Cup series, English-speaking or not, displayed big smiles when asked about racing at Daytona.

“It is very special circuit, not the same in Austria, in Europe,” said three-time Austrian Supersport Champion and 2002 BMW Boxer Cup runner-up Thomas Hinterreiter. Hinterreiter races for BMW Motorrad Austria-Hinterreiter.

“The track is very good. Everyone know most famous track in the world,” said Dream Car Team’s Italian rider Roberto Panichi. Panichi finished 6th in the 1996 World Supersport Championship and is also a veteran of the World Superbike series. “The banking would be fun with more horsepower. Superbike is better.”

“It is fantastic. I really want to come to race in America. I like the way of driving here because it is very fast,” said BMW Motorrad Belgium/Herpigny Motors’ Sebastien Legrelle, a four-time Belgian 600cc Champion, 1997 600cc European Champion and veteran of the 2000 FIM 500cc Grand Prix season.

“This is very special event, a very special place,” said Markus Barth, a German racer with the BMW Group Niderlassungen Racing Team. Barth won the 1999 German Supersport Championship, scored points in every 2000 World Superbike race on a private Yamaha, raced with the Castrol-Alpha Teknic World Supersport team in 2001 and finished fourth in the 2002 BMW Boxer Cup Championship.

“It’s the greatest racetrack in the World,” said 19-year-old British racer Richard Cooper after taking provisional pole position in Thursday’s qualifying session. Cooper has raced in the British CB500 Cup, the British Honda Hornet Cup and the British Supersport Championship.

Most of the motorcycles BMW Boxer Cup racers will ride are R1100S Boxer Cup Replikas ($13,490). Special Boxer Cup Prep models ($11,990) come without anti-lock brake systems, with block-off panels over the headlight and front turn indicators, carbon-fiber guards on the flat-twin engine’s cylinder heads, an FIM-spec belly pan, a high-output alternator, sport suspension, a 5.50-inch-wide rear wheel, different exhaust pipes (for increased sound more than increased performance, according to Hauser) and Metzeler Rennsport DOT racing tires.

The bikes are very equal, say most racers, and BMW Boxer Cup organizers keep them that way with pre- and post-race inspections of top finishers and random spot checks. Spec fuel is also used.

Riding the Boxers is different, in the opinion of most racers, as cornering clearance is limited by the protruding cylinder heads. Riders routinely drag the cylinder heads mid-corner and some have scraped the outer wall of the Speedway tri-oval with the cylinder heads.

Riders have also commented that the action of the BMWs’ Telelever front suspension, especially in terms of weight transfer, takes getting used to and “being smooth” is a phrase often heard in the pits.

Barth, Hinterreiter, Cooper and Legrelle are among the fastest International riders so far at Daytona, but Americans Brian Parriott, Tripp Nobles and 18-year-old Californian Jason Perez have consistently been near the top of most practice time sheets also.

While some of the Americans entered in the Boxer Cup event have more experience with Daytona drafting techniques, the Americans are having issues with the rough riding style of some of the European racers.

Nobles is riding a Parts Unlimited/O’Brien/Rough Stock Racing/Foothills BMW, while Parriott and Perez are riding as part of the official BMW Motorrad Team USA.

Parriott will contest the entire nine-round, nine-country 2003 BMW Boxer Cup series. Five of the BMW Boxer Cup rounds are scheduled as support races for MotoGP World Championship events.

BMW Boxer Cup competitors race for “substantial prize money” at each event. The winner of the BMW Boxer Cup Championship will receive a BMW M3 Sport Coupe, the runner-up will get a Mini Cooper S and the third-place Championship finisher will get a BMW R1150RT motorcycle.

The BMW Boxer Cup race at Daytona is scheduled to be broadcast live on SPEED, Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and re-broadcast on Eurosport in Europe.

Judging by the cylinder-head-banging action so far in practice at Daytona, the BMW Boxer Cup will not be an event to miss.

From a press release issued on behalf of SpeedFreaks by Sports Byline USA:

“Clean Up On Aisle Ten…The SpeedFreaks Will Be Droppin’ Produce”

Hollywood, CA – This Sunday from the Lucas Oil Studios, America’s number one motorsports radio show will create its own March Madness. Rudolph Schenker, the guitarist and founding member of the legendary German quintet, The Scorpions, will ride his ‘Benz into the mix with his take on fellow countryman Michael Schumacher and the possible Formula One meltdown. Joining ‘Schenk’ will be three-time Superbike Champion Doug Chandler and a couple of General Managers of two premiere tracks, Bryan Sperber of Phoenix International Raceway and Bill Miller of California Speedway, sans the ties…we hope.

“Topical? You want topical…” says former Autobahn toll-taker turned SpeedFreaks’ President, Kenny Sargent. “While every other motorsports show is focused on wearing some really hideous sport coats, SpeedFreaks, just as the F1 season begins, will engage one of the flyest and fastest six stringers in some Formula One pontification. Hell, he and Schumacher are practically neighbors. Bike Week is cookin’ in ‘Tona, so Dougy boy will roll in here with THE insight. And with NASCAR’s imminent track realignment, having Sperber and Miller on the show is, well, let the campaigning begin!”

Other highlights Sunday night include bantering on the possibility of some Winston Cup races going to pay-per-view; Superbike ticket giveaways for California Speedway; and will be the last chance to register for Lugg Nuttz Freakin’ Adventure to The Lucas Oil 250 NASCAR Truck Race in Bakersfield, California.

Kenny Sargent, Crash Gladys, Lugg Nuttz and Statt Mann Caruthers can be heard every Sunday Night at 7 PM (PT)/ 10 PM (ET) on SpeedFreaks Radio Network’s legion of affiliates including Los Angeles’ ESPN Radio 710 AM, Dallas-Ft. Worth’s KYNG 105.3 FM, Chicago’s WKRS 1220 AM, Boston’s WNBW 1120 AM, Charlotte’s WZRH 960 AM, San Francisco’s KYCY 1550 AM, Detroit’s WKRK 97.1 FM, Phoenix’ XTRA Sports 910 AM, Sacramento’s KXOA 93.7 FM, Las Vegas’ KSFN 1140 AM, Albuquerque’s KNML 610 AM, Madison’s (WI) WTDY 1670, Springfield’s (IL) WMAY 970 AM, Salt Lake City’s KAOL 750 AM and Reno’s KBZZ 1270 AM.

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

Revised Sunday Schedule (Updated Saturday 3:00 p.m.)

Due to a compressed schedule, live television coverage and expected threatening weather, the following will apply to Sunday’s road racing events:

– MBNA 250 Grand Prix will run 15 laps

– Pro Honda Oils Supersport will run 15 laps

– BMW Boxer Cup will run 13 laps (length unchanged)

– Chevy Trucks Superbike will run 57 laps (length unchanged)

– Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock will run 13 laps

Should any AMA Pro Racing-sanctioned support races be stopped in which 50% or more of the laps have been completed by the leader, the race will be considered complete and will not be restarted.

Should the Daytona 200 be stopped in which 80% or more of the laps have been completed by the leader, the race will be considered complete and will not be restarted. If the race is stopped after 50% of the laps have been completed but before 80%, the race may be considered complete at the discretion of the race manager.

If weather continues to impact the event schedule, changes will be made and announced accordingly.

Sunday, March 9, 2003:

6:30 a.m. Garages Open (new time)

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Registration: For Crew, Sponsors & Guests

8:00 a.m. Tech Inspection

8:00 – 9:15 a.m. Practice:

1. MBNA 250cc Grand Prix
2. Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport
3. BMW Boxer Cup
4. Chevy Trucks Superbike
5. Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Pit assignments (at tech garage) for riders qualified 16th – 80th in the 200

Final Events:

9:30 a.m. MBNA 250cc Grand Prix (15 laps, 80 km)

10:30 a.m. Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport (15 laps, 80 km)

11:30 a.m. BMW Boxer Cup (13 laps, 70 km)

12:25 p.m. Opening Ceremony and Pole Award Presentation

12:50 p.m. Sighting Lap for the Daytona 200

1:10 p.m. Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, 62nd Daytona 200 by Arai (57 Laps)

3:30 p.m. Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock (13 laps, 70 km)

From a press release issued by the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum:

Willie G. Davidson, Harley-Davidson’s styling guru and certainly the most famous face on Main Street, was one of the many individuals honored during the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum’s “Evening of Heroes,” a special event held during Daytona Bike Week 2003 to celebrate the opening of the Museum’s landmark exhibit, “Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance.” The new exhibit celebrates the people, personalities and products that helped transform the Motor Company from a backyard experiment into a major American success story.


Willie G. Davidson takes a break from the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum’s Daytona Bike Week party to “customize” an Anniversary Edition 2003 Heritage Softail (R) Classic, donated to the Museum by Harley-Davidson. The bike will be raffled off, and the winner announced during Daytona Bike Week 2004.

The by-invitation-only event, held Tuesday, March 4 in Daytona Beach, drew nearly 200 industry and media guests, including many of the “Heroes” whose stories are showcased in the expansive exhibit. Spirited benchracing between modern-day and “vintage” heroes provided plenty of entertainment as well as a priceless collection of anecdotes. Racing legends like Everett Brashear–one of the most talented riders of his era–swapped stories with fellow Hall of Fame members like Tammy Kirk, the first woman ever to qualify for a starting position in an AMA Grand National Final, and Brad Lackey, the first American to win the 500cc World MX Championship. Today’s racing talent was also represented, including top-ranked Harley-Davidson factory rider Rich King and Jennifer Snyder, as were the people who keep the machines in motion, such as legendary Harley-Davidson tuner Bill Werner. Many of the industry’s best-known names, such a Willie G. and Bill Davidson and Erik Buell shared their stories and gave generously of their time. The motorcycle industry’s closely entwined family tree was much in evidence–where else could you catch television personality Larry Maiers catching up with his first boss, the eternally young-at-heart John Penton?

“An Evening of Heroes” also featured a Silent Auction, benefitting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Unique auction items–many bearing famous autographs–ranged from one-of-a-kind racing memorabilia to exclusive artwork, such as an Edsel Ford II signed lithograph tracing Ford Motor Company’s century of heritage.

“Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance” is now open to the public. For a closer look, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org

An official ribbon-cutting ceremony and ride-in event is planned for May 3, 2003.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

The outcome of the 2003 Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport race at Daytona International Speedway is yet to be determined, but history favors American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel.

Duhamel, listed as 34 years old in the 2003 AMA Media Guide, is the all-time leader in AMA Supersport race wins with 40. The next closest rider is Mike Smith with 13 career Supersport race wins.

Duhamel has the most career Supersport race wins at Daytona with six. The next closest rider is again Smith with two Daytona Supersport race wins.

Of Duhamel’s six Daytona Supersport victories, five came on brand new models: 1991 on the Honda CBR600F2, 1993 on the Kawasaki ZX-6E, 1995 on the Honda CBR600F3, 1999 on the Honda CBR600F4, and 2001 on the Honda CBR600F4i.

Duhamel will race the new 2003 Honda CBR600RR later today.

Other former Daytona Supersport race winners in the 2003 field include 2002 winner Aaron Yates (Suzuki), 2000 winner Kurtis Roberts (Honda) and 1998 winner Doug Chandler (Honda).

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Friday’s AMA racing and qualifying schedule has been called off. That’s the word from Daytona International Speedway spokesperson Kathy Catron, who made the announcement in the media center at approximately 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

A revised schedule is expected to be released by AMA Pro Racing shortly.

The decision to call it a day was apparently made based on the progress–or lack thereof–of efforts to dry the Daytona infield.

“I think it’s a wise call,” Miguel Duhamel told track announcer Richard Chambers. “There’s a lot of painted lines and tar strips out there.”

Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to hold an AMA Supercross event on Saturday. The Supercross is run on a course constructed on a grassy area of the tri-oval’s apron between the Speedway’s start/finish line and hot pit lane and therefore no road racing can take place on the road course at the same time. That means all four AMA road races – Supersport, Superstock, 250cc Grand Prix and Superbike – plus the BMW Boxer Cup race will have to run on Sunday.

When asked about the consequences of having to race both the Supersport final and the Daytona 200 on Sunday, Duhamel told Chambers, “I guess that gym membership I bought – and I did go a few times – is going to pay off.”