Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

What’s That Popping That I Hear?

When most Superbikes or Formula Xtreme machines shift up gears a pop can be heard. Generally, this can be attributed to the ignition cut-out of the electric shifter cutting spark, unburned fuel being run through the engine, then ignited when the spark returns on the other side of the shift. But Tommy Hayden’s Supersport ZX-6R pops when he upshifts and an ignition cut-out is illegal for the AMA Supersport class.

“I pre-load the shifter when I accelerate,” said the oldest Hayden brother. “When it hits the rev-limiter, it automatically shifts up a gear.” And pops.


Hacking Still Sore

Team Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki’s Jamie Hacking says he is still sore from his crash in the AMA Superbike race at Laguna Seca July 13. “It was a pretty big tumble,” said Hacking Friday morning on VIR’s pit lane. “I’m still real sore. It’s my back mainly. I’ve been to the Chiropractor and had massages, but the muscles just won’t let go. At least my foot isn’t hurting anymore. At Mid-Ohio, I couldn’t push off on it or nothing.”

Hacking is at the end of his current contract with Suzuki, and said he didn’t know yet what he will be doing for the 2003 season.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Shinya Nakano and Olivier Jacque will race YZR-M1 Yamaha four-strokes in the final races of the 2002 MotoGP series.

That’s the word out of Japan, where Nakano spent August 9 testing the M1 at Yamaha’s Fukuroi test course, near Iwata.

Yamaha’s plans call for Nakano and Jacque to ride the YZR-M1 in the Malaysian, Australian and Valencia Grands Prix.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in, from former racer Henry Degouw:

I have been out of the country for the last week and I just heard the news about Randy. All of us who raced the 1986 AMA F-1 National Championship will never forget how he won it over the likes of Wayne Rainey and the rest of the factory riders on his privateer Honda RS500 GP bike tuned by Ron Barrick. I especially do because it was my last year of racing after 23 years.

At the end of that season, I called Randy and asked if he would be interested in running the Macau GP with me. He almost immediately agreed and said it sounded like fun. And he really made it a lot of fun.

For me it was a race I would just as soon forget but Randy was a star. He had never raced a true road course before much less one as demanding and dangerous as Macau. He finished 3rd and was the first American to ever get on the podium up to that time.

Mario Andretti was there as a guest and congratulated Randy. We were all so proud of him. He was as tough and determined a rider as I have ever known and also as friendly. I never knew anyone who did not like him. I will never forget him.

Henry DeGouw
Former AMA National #79

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

AMA Pro Racing’s Ron Barrick, a long-time friend of racer Randy Renfrow, announced in Friday’s riders’ meeting at VIR that Renfrow has been pronounced legally dead and would be taken off life support Friday.

Renfrow was 46.

Randy Renfrow’s AMA racing bio, courtesy AMA Pro Racing:

Randy Renfrow Bio from AMA

Randy Renfrow
Birth date: April 9, 1956
Birthplace: Booneville, Missouri
Residence: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Height: 5′ 4″
Weight: 120 lbs.
Turned pro: 1975

AMA Year-end AMA Ranking

2000: 17th (250GP)
1999: 15th (250GP)
1998: 4th (250GP)
1997: 5th (250GP),
1996: 2nd (250GP), 48th (SB)
1995: 2nd (125GP), 5th (250GP)
1994: 8th (600SS), 81st (750SS)
1993: 40th (SB), 3rd (600SS), 30th (750SS)
1992: 24th (SB), 4th (600SS), 7th (750SS)
1991: —
1990: 2nd (SB), 13th (PT)
1989: 1st (PT)
1988: 5th (SB)
1987: 4th (250GP), 20th (600SS)
1986: 32nd (SB), 1st (F1)
1985: 2nd (F1)
1984: 3rd (F1)
1983: 1st (250GP)
1982: 12th (250GP)
1981: 16th (250GP)

2000 – Legendary race veteran Renfrow returned to take second-place at the AMA 250 Grand Prix race at Brainerd Int’l Raceway, making it his sixth consecutive season with at least one podium finish… Raced with his own privateer team, aboard a Honda.

1999 – Semi-retired veteran Renfrow raced a limited season with Erion Honda… Of the five AMA 250 Grand Prix events Renfrow entered, he took second-place at three – Road America, Mid-Ohio and Pikes Peak.

1998 – Renfrow took podium finishes in the AMA 250 Grand Prix races at New Hampshire Int’l. Raceway and Brainerd Int’l Raceway… Awarded the AMA Sportsman of the Year Award… Member of Track Review Advisory Committee (TRAC)… Rode for Erion Racing… Renfrow announced his retirement from full-time competition at the end of the 1998 season, but will remain involved with TRAC and will enter select races in 1999.

1997 – Leads one of AMA Pro Racing’s longest careers… Finished on the AMA 250 Grand Prix podium six times.

1996 – Was runner-up to Rich Oliver four times in 250cc Grand Prix… Earned six podium finishes in 250cc Grand Prix..Scored his highest AMA 250GP ranking since winning the title in 1983. Rode Dale Quarterley’s Ducati Superbike in the Daytona 200, finishing 13th the second highest finishing Ducati… Signed to ride with Moto Liberty Honda in 1997.

1995 – Three-time AMA National Champion won his first AMA National in five years at Brainerd in the 125 Grand Prix… Finished second in the 125GP Series… Fifth-ranked 250 Grand Prix rider in his return to the series after an eight year absence… Rode to six podium finishes in the 125GP class, including two wins (Brainerd and St. Louis)… Three podium finishes in the 250GP Series (all thirds).

1994 – Six top-10 600 SuperSport finishes on a Honda, his best of the series was fourth at Brainerd.

1993 – Earned three 600 SuperSport finishes including a second at Brainerd… Rode a privateer Ducati Superbike at Road America and finished ninth.

1992 – Had a triumphant return to racing after losing a thumb in a testing accident… Had three 600 SuperSport podium finishes, including a second at Mid-Ohio riding for Two Brothers Racing… Rode a Reuben McMurter-owned Honda Canada RC30 to a sixth place Superbike finish at Road America… Finished third at Texas World in the 750 SuperSport final riding a 600cc Honda.

1991 – Sat out the season with injuries.

1990 – Won his only career Superbike National riding a Commonwealth Honda (the team that is now Smokin’ Joe’s Honda) at Willow Springs… Earned four Superbike podium finishes, ended the season as the second-ranked AMA Superbike rider.

1989 – Won a hard-fought AMA Pro Twins Series, over Dale Quarterley on a Ferracci Ducati, riding a special Commonwealth Honda that utilized Honda’s v-twin dirt track engine.

1988 – Finished fifth in the Superbike Series on a Vance & Hines Suzuki GSXR750, best result was third at Road America.

1987 – Won Memphis and Road Atlanta 250GP races on a Vance & Hines Honda RS250.

1986 – Won the AMA Formula One Championship, in its final season, on a Starfire Honda RS500… Ran his first Superbike race and finished ninth at Laguna Seca on a Starfire Honda.

1985 – Finished second in
Formula One.

1984 – Third-ranked rider in Formula One.

1983 – Won five 250GP races on a Sure-Fire Yamaha on his way to winning the AMA 250 Grand Prix Championship — his first AMA title.

1982 – Finished third in the 250GP final at the October Daytona race.

1981 – Scored his first AMA National points with a fifth at Pocono in 250 Grand Prix.

Personal
A veteran racer, Randy’s primary goal is to not only to race well, running at the top, but to enjoy every moment of it — even under adverse conditions…

Lost a thumb in a Superbike crash, had successful experimental surgery to replace the thumb with one of his toes…

Grand National Champion Gary Nixon was a great inspiration to Randy in the early days of his career…He also cites Wayne Rainey as his contemporary hero…

When asked about personal and career high points, Randy offers three examples: His 1992 finish at Daytona after a year off following an injury; his 1995 125GP victory at Gateway, with his grandmother in attendance; and an emotionally fraught 125 Grand Prix win at Brainerd, inspired by, and dedicated to the memories of Donald Jacks and Rodney Ferris…
Randy enjoys training, country western music and Italian food.

From an AMA Pro Racing press release:

Four-Way Battle for Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Championship at VIR

Pickerington, Ohio – Four riders come to the season-ending Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme final at Virginia International Raceway, Sunday, August 11, with a shot at the title. The top three, Damon Buckmaster, Jake Zemke and Jason Pridmore, are so close that it could be a winner-take-all race at VIR. For fourth-ranked Mike Hale, he’s holding on mathematically, but realistically would need all three of the series leaders to not finish at VIR to have a chance to take home the No. 1 plate.

For Yamaha’s Buckmaster, the Formula Xtreme Championship would provide vindication after he led the series almost the entire season last year only to have a mechanical failure in the penultimate round, which led to young John Hopkins taking advantage and beating Buckmaster at VIR to win the championship for Valvoline EMGO Suzuki. “Bucky” and his team also had to overcome a technical ruling in the middle of the season that saw the Yamaha R1/R7 hybrid he was riding deemed illegal for competition, which left Graves Motorsports scrambling to put together a new R1 for the remainder of the year. With the new bike, Buckmaster has gotten back atop the series standings after finishing second at Laguna Seca and winning Mid-Ohio last month.

Buckmaster is only two points ahead of up-and-coming Jake Zemke. Zemke has finished on the podium in all but two Formula Xtreme rounds on his Bruce Transportation factory-supported Honda CBR954RR, including taking a victory at Laguna Seca in July. Zemke is trying to put Honda back on top of the Formula Xtreme, a championship it dominated from 1997 through 2000.

Veteran Jason Pridmore, of Attack Suzuki, has worked his way back into the championship hunt this year after suffering a badly broken leg while leading the series in 2001. He’s scored two wins on the GSXR1000 this year, and is looking to earn his first AMA National title since winning the Superstock (then known as 750 Supersport) title back in 1997.

Texan Mike Hale is the long shot of the group. Back after several years away from motorcycle racing, Hale has gotten on the podium twice on the Erion Honda and scored enough points that he’s still hanging around to steal the wreath should the top three riders have big problems in the season finale. The other championships up for grabs this weekend include the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock and MBNA 250 Grand Prix Series.

Corona Suzuki’s Jimmy Moore is in the driver’s seat in his bid defend his Superstock title. Moore needs only an 18th-place finish to wrap-up the title. Pirelli-sponsored Lee Acree is ranked second in the series and is the defending winner at VIR. Look for Acree to do what he needs to, win his third race of the year, to at least keep Moore honest. Tommy Hayden is at a disadvantage coming into VIR since he’s 36-points behind Moore, but that’s nothing new for Hayden, he’s been racing a Kawasaki ZX6 against the bigger 750s all season and still managed to stay in the chase all the way to the season finale.

Chuck Sorensen is in an even better position in to win his third MBNA 250 Grand Prix title. The Team Stargel Aprilia rider needs only a 24th-place ride to take home the championship. It could mark the first championship for Aprilia in the U.S.

Aaron Yates wrapped up the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship at the last race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, so that race will be strictly for pride and final rankings. Yamaha’s Anthony Gobert is the defending Supersport winner at VIR.

For additional information contact VIR at (434) 822-7700 or visit www.virclub.com.

From a press release issued by series organizers:

SZOKE DRIVES FOR FIVE

TORONTO, ON – Brantford, ON’s Jordan Szoke hopes to make a little bit of history as the Parts Canada Superbike Championship heads to Atlantic Motorsport Park, near Halifax, this weekend.

The Coors Light Racing/Fast Company Suzuki rider will be gunning for his fifth straight series win, matching the record for victories in a season and consecutive race wins in one year set by Steve Crevier in 1992.

A win would also guarantee the 23-year-old his second Parts Canada Superbike crown with one race still to go in Shannonville, ON Sept. 1. He also took the title in 1998.

Szoke comes to AMP 85 points ahead of Huntington Beach, CA’s Owen Weichel in the Parts Canada Superbike standings, 262-177, with 112 points available in the final two races. A win is worth 50 points, while a rider can also collect two points for leading the most laps and four more for being the fastest qualifier. Szoke has already performed the sweep three times this year.

Weichel will be looking for his first series win of 2002 aboard the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki. He has placed second to Szoke in two events this year.

Szoke’s Coors Light Racing/Fast Company Suzuki teammate Francis Martin leads a tight four-way battle for third in the Superbike standings. The Sherbrooke, QC racer has 145 points, just one more than Orion Motorsport Honda’s Kevin Lacombe. Lacombe’s teammate Frank Trombino is fourth with 141 points and Brooklin Cycle Yamaha rider Michael Taylor is fifth with 138.

The challenging 1.6-mile, 11-turn Atlantic Motorsport Park circuit has a tradition of serving up spectacular Superbike races. Last year eventual champion Crevier edged Taylor and Trombino for the race win, the 20th of his career. In 1999 Szoke held off Taylor and Jeff Williams for a narrow victory.

Crevier is expected to make his return to the series this weekend for the Orion Honda team after injuring his knee in a practice fall at the season opener in Shannonville.

This weekend’s event will also feature the penultimate rounds of the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Open Sport Bike and Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike national support classes.

In Open Sport Bike Martin holds a 43-point lead over Blackfoot Suzuki’s Clint McBain, 172-129. Calgary’s McBain leads the 600 Sport Bike standings with 189 points to the 165 of Lacombe.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Despite the fact that one of the stated goals of AMA Pro Racing is “increased participation in Superbike” beyond the few factory teams currently fielding competitive machines, AMA Pro Racing has handed the rules-linked fate of the class over to the factory teams.

The Road Race Advisory Board, heavily stacked with representatives of factory Superbike teams, has been given the task of determining Superbike rules for 2003 in a meeting at VIR scheduled for Friday night, working within a framework pre-determined by AMA Pro Racing.

In a memo to members of the Advisory Board mis-dated August 7, AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth stated “The future of AMA Superbike racing is in your hands tomorrow night.”

In a bizarre twist, rules proposals pre-determined by AMA Pro Racing to be “realistic suggested alternatives received during the 30-day comment period for 2003 Superbike Rules Proposals” include polished stock connecting rods or steel aftermarket rods but exclude the readily-available, reasonably-priced titanium rods currently used by competitive Formula Xtreme teams. Formula Xtreme teams have gone to titanium rods because they are competitively priced and are easier on the crankshaft than heavier steel rods, and are available from multiple suppliers. Teams that have experimented with stock or modified stock rods have seen those rods fly through crankcases with alarming regularity.

The Advisory Board will also decide the fate of proposed Supersport and Superstock rule changes to allow machining of gasket surfaces to increase compression (to eliminate the fast-enough vs. legal-enough tech-inspection game currently played out at AMA races), and, in a move that is beyond comprehension, one of the proposed alternatives to that proposal is allowing machining of the crankcases and cylinders only, and not the cylinder heads–and never mind that the latest high-performance machines incorporate the cylinders into the cases, and that cylinder heads are easier and cheaper to remove and replace than crankcases.

Details to follow.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

First Person/Opinion

By John Ulrich

The horrible news that Randy Renfrow was on life support in a hospital after falling down stairs and hitting his head seemed horribly ironic given his long career as a motorcycle racer.

Renfrow has long defined tough; how many other guys, after smashing and grinding a thumb so badly in a crash that it had to be amputated, would have a big toe relocated onto his hand so he could grip the bars and continue to race?

I don’t know the details of what happened to Renfrow; I was travelling when whatever happened, happened.

But I know that Renfrow has always been a decent guy, with a unique historical perspective on racing. He had been around so long that he could always offer sage advice on any new plan, along the lines of, what happened the last time we tried that.

And, of course, he was an AMA Champion several times over.

I don’t have the latest on Renfrow’s condition. But I wish him well, and Godspeed.

And I ponder the fact that such a great warrior could be felled at home, on a flight of stairs.

Life is dangerous.

Live it now.

Or, race today, for tomorrow we may die.

From a Yamaha press release:

Replica model of the MotoGP GP250cc class-leading YZR250 factory machine

Release of the 2003 Model Yamaha Production Road Racer TZ250

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (YMC) will release on the Japanese market the 2003 model of the production road racer TZ250 that has won the trust of road race competitors for the high level of competitiveness it achieves in race categories from MotoGP GP250cc class to national level racing. Featuring numerous detail improvements that further boost engine and chassis performance, the 2003 model TZ250 will be released on Nov. 25, 2002.

The 2003 model TZ250 newly adopts several more features from the factory racer YZR250, such as YZR250 type cylinder body, cowling, seat and front fender, giving this model top-class competitive potential for the MotoGP GP250cc class.

Ordering and sales of this model will be conducted through Yamaha RSS shops nationwide. Meanwhile, the TZ125 will continue to be sold in its present specification.

Release date: Nov. 25 for TZ250

Advance ordering dates:Sept. 1, 2002 ~ Nov. 30, 2002 for TZ250

Achieving performance potential to compete with the best in the MotoGP GP250cc class based on a YZR250 replica concept

Product Summary

The 2003 model TZ250 adopts various technologies from the MotoGP factory machine YZR250 in the form of numerous spec changes in the engine and chassis to achieve an extremely high level of competitiveness. The competitive potential it achieves makes this model worthy of being called a YZR250 replica.

The engine improvements include the adoption of a YZR250 type cylinder body, and new carburetor settings, etc., that provide better power feeling across the full rpm range and improved acceleration performance. The chassis adopts a YZR250 type cowling, seat and front fender for improved aerodynamics and top-speed performance, making for more stable handling performance at high speeds.

The TZ250 was the championship machine in the 2001 All Japan Championships, and in the 2002 All Japan series it swept the top four places in each of the first five rounds of the season. This kind of consistent competitiveness has won the TZ250 the trust of riders in the Japanese market.

Main New Features

–YZR250 type cylinder body (special type YPVS valve incorporating exhaust branch function) adopted

While maintaining the outstanding characteristics of the sand cast type crankcase, liquid-cooled 2-stroke, 90°V-twin engine of the existing model, engine improvements have been made that include the adoption of a YZR250 type cylinder body (special type YPVS valve incorporates exhaust branch function), new exhaust timing and a new shape for the initial scavenging section of the crankcase. The combined effect of these improvements boosts performance across the entire rpm range. (The existing model features a slide-type YPVS valve).

In particular, the new cylinder and drum-type YPVS valve boost performance in the low- to mid-speed range and contribute to reduced exhaust noise. The new exhaust timing improves performance in the high-speed range, while the new initial scavenging section shape contributes to better torque characteristics.

–WPC finish piston for greater durability
The piston features a new shape in the upper portion of the pin boss for optimized strength balance plus a WPC finish on its outer surface for greater durability and reduced friction. Durability has also been increased by changing the shape of the crankcase journal section. (WPC treatment is a type of treatment for increasing the strength of the surface layer of a metal that involves high-speed peening of the metal with a shot of just a few microns. The high-speed peening heats up the surface to the point where it melts once. Then it is rapidly cooled to produce stronger crystallization of the metal.)

–YZR250 type cowling adopted for improved high-speed performance
The adoption of a YZR250 type cowling with right-left opposed ducts, a YZR250 type seat and front fender combine to provide better aerodynamics and boost top speed. The accompanying improvement in wind protection also helps reduce rider fatigue, while the stronger down-force effect improves handling stability at high speeds. Also, the shapes of the passages from the ducts to the air box have been optimized to provide more even supply of ram air to the two cylinders.

-Other specification changes
Other improvements include (1) new carburetor settings,
(2) new primary reduction
ratio (1.888 -> 1.938),
(3) new shape for the front brake hose passage for better serviceability,
(4) lightweight, shorter silencer (overall length: 307mm -> 242mm/lighter weight) and
(5) a new CDI unit with revised ignition characteristics, new solenoid duty ratio characteristics and YPVS operation characteristics.

Yamaha Road Racer TZ250 Technical Specifications

Overall length x width x height 1995mm x 650mm x 1163mm
Wheelbase, 1342mm
Minimum ground clearance, 112mm
Dry weight, 102kg
Engine type, Liquid-cooled, 2-stroke, crankcase
reed valve
Cylinder arrangement, V-Twin
Displacement, 249cc
Bore x Stroke, 54.0mm x 54.5mm
Compression ratio, 7.2~7.7: 1
Maximum power, 93PS(68.4kW)/12,500rpm
Maximum torque, 5.5kgf-m(53.9N-m)/11,750rpm
Starting system, Push start
Lubrication, Pre-mix
Engine oil capacity, 0.5liter
Fuel tank capacity, 23liter
Carburetion, TMX 32 x 2
Ignition system, C.D.I.
Primary / Secondary reduction ratios, 2.524 / 2.571
Clutch type, Dry multiplate, coil spring
Transmission type, Constant mesh, forward 6-speed
Gear ratios
1st: 1.938
2nd: 1.476
3rd: 1.238
4th: 1.091
5th: 1.000
6th:0.926
Frame type, Diamond
Caster/Trail, 22°/82mm
Tire size(Front/Rear), 120/60R-17 / 165/55R-17
Brake type(Front/Rear), Hydraulic, double disc/ Hydraulic, single disc
Suspension type(Front/Rear)Telescopic/Swing arm