From a press release:

New Sponsor For Diablo Paintball Can-Am 125gp Challenge

Durmach Industries of Oshawa, Canada, a tier one supplier to General Motors, has come on board with the Can-Am 125gp series as a major sponsor.

Durmach Industries is a machine shop specializing in tools, dies, jigs and fixtures.

Mike Orchard, President of Durmach attended the Canadian Superbike National at Shannonville last month and was overwhelmed with the Can-Am series. After the race Orchard contacted series organizer John Bickle and asked how he could be involved. Orchard and his wife Greta are past Canadian Sidecar champions and have a passion for GP motorcycles.

Durmach has contributed a generous sum of cash to the series, which will be used in the purses and year-end fund.

Durmach joins Diablo Paintball as the second major outside-the-industry sponsor for the series.

The Can-Am is excited to have them as a series sponsor.

Diablo Paintball Can-Am 125gp Challenge continues with Round Two at Grattan Raceway June 14-16

From a press release:

Race 1 Report: AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Round 6

Date: June 8, 2002

Circuit: Road America, Elkhart Lake WI

HMC Ducati rider Doug Chandler finished today’s first race at Elkhart Lake in sixth position, struggling with tire problems for the duration of the race. His morning practice times indicate Chandler could have run easily with the top runners had things been right.

“The way we went this morning we should have been right in the middle of things,” said Chandler. “I think we may have sprung a tire because it felt out of balance the whole race. It’s frustrating because it seems like we can never get a break. I thought about coming in after the sighting lap because the bike was shaking right through the warm-up. But I decided to stay out, hoping I could wear that part down. At one stage it felt like I could have almost kept in touch with those guys but then I had a moment and I knew I was really pushing it over the top.

“I felt really good out there. I wish we could put on a new tire and do it again, just to get some redemption. But we’ll get our chance tomorrow.”

Former HMC rider Scott Russell won an exciting supermotard race today at the adjoining Briggs and Stratton Motorplex on his HMC sponsored Husqvarna. The three-times National Champion came from third row on the grid to take the checkered flag in first place, pausing to wave to his fans as he crossed the line.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Supersport Race Results:

1. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 10 laps
2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, -0.011
3. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, -0.0260
4. Jake Zemke, Honda, -0.770
5. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, -1.800
6. Tom Kipp, Suzuki, -4.203
7. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, -9.679
8. Ben Spies, Suzuki, -11.384
9. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, -13.488
10. Mike Hale, Honda, -13.747
11. Alex Gobert, Honda, -16.454
12. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, -18.414
13. Ty Howard, Suzuki, -39.519
14. Monte Nichols, Yamaha, -43.103
15. Andrew Nelson, Honda, -44.575
16. Jimmy Filice, Kawasaki, -49.439
17. Tyler Wadsworth, Yamaha, -49.949
18. Scott Ruehle, Yamaha
19. Scott Hermersmann, Suzuki
20. Kevin Lehman, Honda
21. Brian Salazar, Suzuki
22. Kevin Pates, Suzuki
23. Chris Weeden, Yamaha
24. Justin Blake, Suzuki
25. Chris Siebenhaar, Honda
26. Hector Romero, Yamaha
27. Martin Sims, Suzuki
28. Dirk Sanchez, Kawasaki
29. Almontez Stewart, Suzuki
30. Calvin Martinez, Suzuki
31. Russ Intravartolo, Kawasaki
32. David Wappler, Honda, -9 laps, DNF
33. Michael Hannas, Kawasaki, -9 laps, DNF
34. Jason Hobbs, Suzuki, -9 laps, DNF
35. Shawn Conrad, Yamaha, DNS

Supersport Point Standings:

1. Yates, 205 points
2. Tommy Hayden, 150 points
3. Damon Buckmaster, 143 points
4. Pridmore, 141 points
5. TIE, Meiring/Kipp, 138 points
7. Hale, 135 points
8. Hacking, 128 points
9. Spies, 122 points
10. Roger Lee Hayden, 115 points
11. Zemke, 112 points
12. Howard, 97 points
13. Alex Gobert, 86 point
14. TIE, Anthony Gobert/Filice, 66 points

Celebrating his victory, Yates did a rolling burnout up the front straightaway but crashed, without injury, at the entrance to Victory Lane.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer Bill Syfan, who has spent the last 2-1/2 years as Director of Road Racing for Clear Channel Entertainment Motor Sports, said Sunday at Road America that he has resigned, effective following the June 14-16 Formula USA National at Loudon, New Hampshire.

Syfan, 44, said, “The plan we had when I signed on to do this job and the plan the company has had to adopt are different, for a lot of reasons. I wanted to build the premier racing organization in the United States and that is no longer possible.

“Formula USA is in good hands and a big part of what I was doing was helping CCS, helping guide it and expand it, and we’ve done that. Double-digit growth in our sportsman series in the last two years is pretty impressive, and that’s the base for road racing in the U.S.”

Syfan said he is currently exploring employment opportunities in the racing industry. “I’d be interested in consulting with riders and teams,” said Syfan, who can be reached at (817) 989-0060.

Syfan said he is also looking forward to personally racing again in the near future. He last raced in 1995.

Clear Channel Entertainment Motor Sports Vice President of Operations Roy Janson could not be reached for comment at post time.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Pro Thunder Results:

1. Kirk McCarthy, Ducati 748RS, 10 laps
2. Tom Montano, Ducati 748R, -0.632
3. Mike Ciccotto, Buell XB9R, -7.014
4. Tripp Nobles, Buell XB9R, -18.143
5. Heath Small, Ducati 748RS, -44.528
6. Richie Morris, Buell X-1, -54.211
7. Dan Bilansky, Buell X-1, -54.278
8. Dave Estok, Buell XB9R, -70.538
9. Josh Bryan, Ducati 748, -72.088
10. Kevin Hanson, Ducati 748, -80.455
11. Clark Freatman, Ducati 748
12. Brian Weber
13. Jessica Zalusky, Ducati 748
14. Alex Freeman, Suz SV650, -1 lap
15. Charles Sipp, Buell 1200, -1 lap
16. Chris Knight, Ducati 748, -4 laps
17. Michael Handegard, Suzuki SV650, -4 laps, DNF, crash
18. Greg Avello, Buell X-1, -5 laps
19. Shawn Higbee, Buell XB9R, -7 laps

Pro Thunder Point Standings:

1. McCarthy, 113 points
2. Ciccotto, 90 points
3. Montano, 73 points
4. Bryan, 72 points
5. Freatman, 63 points
6. Estok, 55 points
7. Charlie Hewett, 47 points
8. Sipp, 44 points
9. Small, 42 points
10. Hull, 40 points

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn LeSanto

Foret takes a the Lausitz lap record, the race win and the championship lead

Fabien Foret put in another faultless display in his Ten Kate Honda to take the win at Lausitzring in the World Supersport championship race. Foret, who qualified for the race in pole, was third into the first bend behind holeshot man Katsuaki Fujiwara and Andrew Pitt.

On lap two Foret shot by Pitt under brakes into turn one, a move he repeated on lap four when he passed Fujiwara for the lead. For lap after lap it looked like he wouldn’t be able to break Fujiwara, who clung grimly onto the back of Foret and his superfast Honda.

Then in the closing stages Foret poured on the style, taking the lap record as late as lap 18. Fujiwara had no answer to Foret’s late pace, and slipped to nearly two seconds behind. Foret slowed right up on the last lap but still finished 0.7 seconds up on Fujiwara.

In the latter stages of the race a fight developed for second place between Fujiwara, Chambon, Pitt and Christian Kellner. Pitt managed to squeeze past Chambon on lap 22, which put Chambon further adrift from Foret in the title chase. Foret’s win meant that he moved into the
championship lead, nine points up on Chambon. Foret had trailed Chambon by three points going into the race.

It was a disappointing day for Karl Muggeridge who lost the front end of his Honda early in the race while carving through the pack. He was lying third when he crashed. He remounted to finish 17. Kellner ended up fifth in front of the young Australian Chris Vermeulen.


Lausitzring World Supersport Race Results:

1. Fabien Foret, Honda CBR600F,23 laps, 40:02.756
2. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Suzuki GSX-R600, -0.721
3. Andrew Pitt,Kawasaki ZX-6R,-1.354
4. Stephane Chambon, Suzuki GSX-R600, -1.691
5. Christian Kellner, Yamaha YZF-R6, -3.339
6. Chris Vermeulen, Honda CBR600F, -17.532
7. James Whitham, Yamaha YZF-R6, -18.695
8. Jörg Teuchert, Yamaha YZF-R6, -21.344
9. Kevin Curtain, Yamaha YZF-R6, -21.480
10. Paolo Casoli, Yamaha YZF-R6, -31.041
11. Stefano Cruciani, Yamaha YZF-R6, -37.601
12. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Ducati 748R, -39.217
13. Iain MacPherson, Honda CBR600F, -39.938
14. Alessio Corradi, Yamaha YZF-R6, -42.511
15. Robert Ulm,Honda CBR600F, -43.968
16. Christian Zaiser, Yamaha YZF-R6, -50.114
17. Karl Muggeridge, Honda CBR600F, -52.160
18. David De Gea, Honda CBR600F, -62.953
19. Antonio Carlacci, Yamaha YZF-R6, -67.286
20. Gianluca Nannelli, Ducati 748R, -67.851
21. Claudio Cipriani, Yamaha YZF-R6, -70.285
22. Rico Penzkofer, Ducati 748R, -78.915
23. Diego Giugovaz, Yamaha YZF-R6, -3 laps, DNF
24. James Ellison, Kawasaki ZX-6R, -13 laps, DNF 25. Christophe Cogan, Honda CBR600F,-21 laps, DNF
26. Matthieu Lagrive, Yamaha YZF-R6, -22 laps, DNF
27. Ron Van Steenbergen, Honda CBR600F, -22 laps, DNF
28. Robert Frost, Yamaha YZF-R6, -23 laps, DNF
29. Kyro Verstraeten, Honda CBR600F, DNS

More, from Ten Kate Honda:

Foret takes his third win of the season at Lasitzring

Ten Kate Honda rider Fabien Foret put in a masterful display at Lausitzring today to take his third win of the season. Pole sitter Foret
took the race win in style, even setting the lap record on lap 18! The win put him nine points clear at the top of the championship table.

“The track really suits my racing style,” commented Fabien after the race. “Both my bike and the Pirelli tyres worked very well. It was easy for me this weekend, I just had to get on my bike and ride. Everything was perfect.”

When asked how it was possible for him to set the lap record so late in the race at a time when other riders were starting to suffer from tyre
wear, Foret replied; “The Pirelli tyres I used today are incredible. They gave their best all through the race and right up to the chequered
flag they were still working perfectly. But it’s also due to the quality of the suspension because the WP Suspension helps me to conserve the tyres.”

It wasn’t such a good day for Iain MacPherson; “I’m obviously disappointed. But I’ll be back at Misano, which is a track I like, and
I’ll trying hard for a win there.”

After the race Fabien Foret’s engine was once more examined by the race officials and found to be perfectly within all the competition’s rules.

“We build our bikes to be very fast,” commented team manager, Ronald ten Kate, “but we build them fairly. “Today has once again shown the quality
of Fabien Foret,” he continued, “His display on the track was incredible, so mature, and yet so fast. But it’s not a solo effort, the entire team has worked very hard to ensure that he had the perfect set up for the dry. And credit has to go once again to WP Suspension and Pirelli Tyres for their invaluable contribution to our success.”

Ronald ten Kate had some positive words for Iain MacPherson; “I don’t think this circuit suits his style, he struggled here last year. But the team is 100% behind him and we’re confident he’ll be very strong at Misano. He’s proved in recent races, and testing, that he can be just as fast as Foret.”

1. Vittorio Iannuzzo, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 14 laps, 24:44.689
2. Gianluca Vizziello, Yamaha YZF-R1, -0.751
3. Lorenzo Alfonsi, Ducati 998S, -11.784
4. Benjamin Nabert, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -16.133
5. Koen Vleugels, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -23.121
6. Bjoern Steinmetz, Suzuki GSX-R1000 -27.428
7. Dario Tosolini, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -27.847
8. Ludovic Fourreau, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -29.362
9. Didier Vankeymeulen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -29.654
10. Lorenzo Mauri, Yamaha YZF-R1, -29.766
11. Riccardo Chiarello, Ducati 998 S, -30.252
12. Andy Notman, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -38.529
13. Freddy Papunen, Yamaha YZF-R1, -40.210
14. Katja Poensgen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -42.667
15. Christian Nau, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -42.922
16. Alessandro Brannetti, Honda CBR900RR, -45.993
17. Raffaello Fabbroni, Yamaha YZF-R1, -46.229
18. Simon Andrews, Honda CBR900RR, -59.263
19. Robert De Vries, Ducati 998S, -64.399
20. Sergio Ruggiero, Ducati 998S, -67.928
21. Marek Cerveny, Honda CBR900RR, -68.267
22. William De Angelis, Yamaha YZF-R1,-68.752
23. Nicolas Saelens, Ducati 998S, -69.039
24. Christian Dal Corso, Ducati 998S, -71.731
25. Declan Swanton, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -75.383

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn LeSanto

Do we really have to tell you who won the Superbike race?

Yes, you’ve guessed it, Troy Bayliss took win number ten in race one at the Lausitzring World Superbike meeting. For half the race it looked like Colin Edwards might be able to do enough to take another win, but Bayliss wore him down and passed him on lap 15.

The race had plenty of incidents in the early stages but toward the end the outcome became increasingly predictable.

Chris Walker failed to get his Kawasaki off the grid, it appeared his rear brake caliper had dropped off! There was no indication of contact with another rider.

On lap two Neil Hodgson lost the front end as he and Ruben Xaus tried to outbrake each other into a turn. It looked like Xaus’ Michelins could handle more pressure than Hodgson’s Dunlops; Hodgson lost the front end and slid gently into the grass. He rejoined the race but later retired.

Noriyuki Haga and Ben Bostrom had a big battle over fourth. Haga passed Bostrom hard on the brakes on lap three with his rear wheel in the air. He ran wide and Bostrom slipped back under him. Later in the race they swapped positions again, with Haga eventually winning the tussle as the race entered its second half.

Steve Martin scored a useful win on the Pirelli shod DFX Ducati, taking ninth after starting tenth on the grid. Gregorio Lavilla and James Toseland tussled for much of the race, arguing over seventh. Toseland on the HM Plant Ducati kept his head and eventually pulled clear to claim the position ahead of Lavilla on the Corona Suzuki.

First race results:

1. Troy Bayliss, Ducati 998F02, 40:06.073
2. Colin Edwards, Honda RC51, -0.651 seconds
3. Ruben Xaus, Ducati 998F02, -18.966
4. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia RSV1000, -23.481
5. Ben Bostrom, Ducati 998F02, -27.820
6. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, -35.642
7. James Toseland, Ducati 998F01, -40.514
8. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki GSX-R750, -47.096
9. Steve Martin, Ducati 998RS, -47.527
10. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, -69.452
11. Broc Parkes, Ducati 998RS, -69.623
12. Marco Borciani, Ducati 998RS, -72.906
13. Alessandro Antonello, Ducati 998RS, -85.097
14. Marco Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -93.351
15. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -96.265
16. Serafino Foti, Ducati 996RS, -1 lap
17. Mark Heckles, Honda RC51, -1 lap
18. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -1 lap
19. Thierry Mulot, Honda RC51, -1 lap
20. Juan Borja, Ducati 998RS, -6 laps, DNF
21. Peter Goddard, Benelli Tornado 900, -6 laps, DNF
22. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 998F02, -13 laps, DNF, crash
23. Jiri Mrkyvka, Ducati 996RS, -15 laps, DNF
24. Chris Walker, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -24 laps, DNF, mechanical

More, from an HM Plant Ducati press release:

Toseland does the business in race one

HM Plant Ducati/GSE Racing rider James Toseland was in good form in the first Superbike race at EuroSpeedway Lausitz. The 21-year-old Yorkshireman rode a well-judged and committed race that earned him an excellent seventh-placed finish and added nine more championship points to his already impressive total of 81. His team-mate Neil Hodgson was not quite so lucky, however. Although it may not have affected his current third place in the championship standings, a crash in the early stages of the race put paid to the 28-year-old Isle of Man-based rider’s hopes of another podium finish.

Hodgson had been running well in fourth place until a front-end slide on the second lap dropped his #100 HM Plant Ducati onto its side. Despite quickly remounting his stricken machine and rejoining the race, the bike was too badly damaged to make continuing worthwhile.

“It’s really frustrating to have crashed out so early, especially after going so well in qualifying,” explained Hodgson. “I’d opted for a fairly hard compound front tyre thinking that it would be better to have something in reserve for the final stages of the race. Unfortunately the conditions had changed prior to the race and it had become quite humid. This meant that the track was a little greasy. I could feel the front slipping about a bit on the warm-up lap, but obviously it was too late to do anything about it by then.

“It just folded on me as I went in to the corner and there was no way that I could save it with my knee. I kept the bike running, but when I got back on track I realised that the foot peg had snapped off and that the steering damper was broken. If I’d had any chance of making it back into the points I’d have given it a go, but I would have needed to do 1:40s and that just wasn’t possible with the bike in that kind of shape.”

With Hodgson out, it was down to James Toseland to give the HM Plant Ducati/GSE Racing team something to celebrate. He did this with an extremely consistent ride, during which he successful held off the challenge of SBK veteran Gregorio Lavilla.

“I’m happy with the way things went in that race,” said Toseland. “I was putting in regular 1:41s without any problems at all. My next challenge is to get on the back of Chili and Bostrom and stay with them. Then I’ll almost be fighting for a podium place, which is my ultimate goal this season.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Sunday Morning Superbike Practice Times:

1. Nicky Hayden, Honda RC51, 2:08.989
2. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 2:09.369
3. Jake Zemke, Honda RC51, 2:09.724
4. Mat Mladin Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:09.752
5. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:09.860
6. Doug Chandler, Ducati 998RS, 2:09.995
7. Miguel Duhamel, Honda RC51, 2:10.282
8. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:10.488
9. Pascal Picotte, Ducati 998RS, 2:10.950
10. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:15.756
11. Jason DiSalvo, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:15.839
12. Craig Connell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:15.988
13. Lee Acree, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:16.254
14. Brian Parriott, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:16.260
15. Brian Livengood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:16.602
16. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:17.535
17. Shane Prieto, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:18.290
18. Shane Clarke, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:18.306
19. Robert Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:18.818
20. Alan Schmidt, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:18.966