Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Retired AMA and World Superbike Champion Scott Russell wants to make a professonal racing comeback with HMC Ducati, and says he wants to start his comeback with a win at Daytona before heading to Europe to contest the Superbike World Championship.

“It’s all up in the air right now,” Russell said Saturday at Road Atlanta. “We want to go racing. I’ve got some hurdles to jump over and hoops to jump through. So we’ll see what happens, legally.”

Russell did not want to discuss the specifics of the legal hurdles, thought to be settlement of a total disability insurance payout he received after he was badly injured in a starting-grid incident at the 2001 Daytona 200. Instead, Russell quickly changed the topic to say, “Money for sponsorship is what we’re looking for, for the team.”

Russell recently returned from two test sessions, one at the Pannonia Ring in Hungary and another at Mugello in Italy, where he rode Doug Chandler’s 2002 Ducati 998RS. “I tested the bike twice in Europe, and I love it. I still can go fast. I want to go win Daytona again.

“I’m 90 percent (physically). By Daytona, I’ll be 110, and I’m good mentally. I’m back. I wasn’t done anyway, you know. It was a bullshit deal what happened to me (in the Daytona starting grid crash). It was my fault, and I won’t make that mistake again.

“It could be a bit easier (to find sponsorship in Europe),” said Russell when asked about the decision to possibly race in World Superbike. “AMA is what it is. Of course, the World Championship is a lot more important to a lot of people. So we’re working on either or. It’s up in the air. Hopefully, we’ll do a little bit of both – most of the World Superbike and then Daytona and some in between.

“I don’t have a relationship with Ducati, personally, because I never got started with one. I would think, right now, we’re not looking to get too much help from them. We got what we got, and we’re going to have to buy what we need.”

Russell is at Road Atlanta to race in a SuperTT event during the WERA Grand National Finals weekend and is “just hanging out, having a good time.” Russell rode a Honda XR100 and a 660cc KTM LC4 SuperMotard bike on Maxxis tires Saturday on a course laid out in the AMA paddock inside the Road Atlanta road course.

“I’ve ridden a lot of different stuff,” said Russell. “I’ve been interested in riding this bike (KTM), and luckily they got one for me to ride. So we’ll see what it’s like. It should be good.”

Other road racers competing in the SuperTT event at Road Atlanta include Mike Smith, Kevin Schwantz and Brian Gibbs. 2002 AMA Supersport Champion Aaron Yates was expected to show up to race, but he hadn’t been seen at post time.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Fastest Lap Times From Saturday’s Suzuki Cup Heat Races At Road Atlanta:

SV650: Bradley Champion 1:36.187

TL1000: Tray Batey 1:30.936

GSX-R1000: Vincent Haskovec 1:26.982

GSX-R750: Mike Smith 1:27.088

GSX-R600: Vincent Haskovec 1:29.512

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

No Limits Motorsports owner Ben Curtis called Roadracingworld.com Friday to report that his team has signed Doug Chandler to compete in AMA Formula Xtreme and 600cc Supersport in 2003.

Chandler will team with Jason Curtis on Honda CBR954RR and CBR600RR-based racebikes.

Chandler and Jason Curtis are testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway today in conjunction with Freddie Spencer’s school, and Jason Curtis was on-track with instructor Jeff Haney as Ben Curtis spoke with us on his cell phone.

John Asher, who worked with Damon Buckmaster at Graves Yamaha last season, has been hired as Crew Chief; mechanics include Pancho Rangel (who formerly worked with Bruce Transportation) and Dave Pressler (who formerly worked with Erion Racing).

“It’s really exciting for us,” said Ben Curtis of signing Chandler. “We hope it will bring some credibility to our program and hopefully bring some good results.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in via e-mail from Kerry McCammon,
Director of Marketing, Ducati North America–

In response to the article “The Man Who Wouldn’t Take No” (Roadracing World, November 2002), Ducati would like to offer the following response:

“Ducati North America is committed to providing the highest level of customer service and satisfaction for all Ducati owners. Our products are regarded world wide for the their innovation, performance and reliability. We strongly encourage any customer who feels they have a warranty issue to work directly with their local authorized Ducati dealer.”

From a press release issued by Ducati:

HODGSON AND XAUS TO SPEARHEAD DUCATI CORSE’S WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP ATTACK IN 2003

Ducati Corse has announced today that Spanish rider Ruben Xaus will line up alongside Neil Hodgson in the factory team to take part in the 2003 World Superbike Championship with the brand-new Ducati 999 Testastretta.

Paolo Ciabatti, responsible for Ducati Corse’s Superbike Programme, also confirmed that Davide Tardozzi will be in charge of the sporting direction of the factory team, with technical direction in the hands of Ernesto Marinelli.

Xaus, born in Barcelona 24 years ago and resident in the Principality of Andorra, has finished sixth in the World Superbike Championship with a Ducati in the past two seasons. In 2002 the Spanish rider finished on the podium ten times (twice second and eight times third) with a total of 249 points. Ruben has already tested the new 999, during one of the bike’s early shakedown sessions in September.

“I’m really happy to be able to continue to ride for Ducati” declared Ruben Xaus, “and I hope I can continue to get the best possible results for the team. It feels strange because although I’m only 24, I feel like one of the oldest guys around in Ducati, this is my fourth year with them. The new bike looks and feels great and I can’t wait to put it through some serious testing out on the track”.

Neil Hodgson, who was confirmed as 2003 factory rider in June, finished third overall in the 2002 WSBK championship on a HM Plant Ducati 998 with 326 points, stepping onto the podium nine times (2 seconds, 7 thirds). Neil becomes a Ducati factory rider for the second time in his career after a two-year spell with the Italian team in 1996 and 1997.

“I’m over the moon about my factory Ducati ride” commented Neil, “it’s like a dream come true. I’m also pleased because it is a sort of reward for all the hard work I’ve put in with GSE over the past few seasons. Everything feels really positive at the moment and I expect to be right up there at the front at the end of next year’s championship”.

Neil, born in Burnley 28 years ago and a resident of the Isle of Man, has already tested his new 2003 Ducati at Mugello at the start of October, and at Valencia this week, when he recorded encouraging times on the Michelin-shod 999.

The 2003 season will be the first time since 1994 that Ducati has competed with a totally new motorbike in the World Superbike Championship. The previous model, the 916, which was introduced in 1994, has been incredibly successful and the various evolutions over the years to keep it competitive have enabled Ducati to win 8 Constructors’ titles. The 916 won in 1994, 1995 and 1996, the 996 in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and the 998 Testastretta won the 2001 and 2002 world championships. The new Ducati 999 unites a radical new design with the successful, race-proven Testastretta engine and this combination of the new bike plus two exciting and experienced riders promises to set the 2003 WSBK season alight.

From a press release:

Triumph Motorcycles – Recall

Our in-service monitoring program has identified that on some of the single sided swingarm models below, the rear wheel roller bearing may seize resulting in an inability to control the stability of the motorcycle. This information has been forwarded to our dealer network via Service Bulletin 313. Consumers should check their Service/Warranty handbook which accompanies the Owners Manual, a note should have been entered by the selling dealer upon completion of this NHTSA Recall Campaign. If there is no note, please contact your dealer to verify this repair has been completed or make an appointment to have the machine inspected / updated.

Models included are:
Centennial Daytona, Sprint ST and Speed Triple

Affected VIN (frame numbers, last 6 digits) are: 132693 through 161257

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Arclight Suzuki is making plans to race in the Formula USA 600cc Superbike class in 2003 but may have to do without the services of two-time F-USA 600cc Sportbike Champion Lee Acree, a four-year member of the Arclight team.

“We haven’t signed our deal with American Suzuki, but I believe we will be racing in the 600cc Superbike class of Formula USA and four AMA rounds: Daytona, Sears Point, Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta,” said Arclight Suzuki co-owner and crew chief Chuck Warren. “We have agreed to terms with Scott Harwell to be one of our national riders, and we are negotiating with others for the second seat. Lee Acree is one of the people we are talking to, but I think Lee is looking to land an AMA ride.”

“I’m looking for an AMA ride,” Acree said Thursday morning at Road Atlanta. “My understanding is that those guys (Arclight Suzuki) aren’t going. I’m having trouble getting excited about Formula USA’s program – a club race with a big purse, the ‘Arclight and Matt Wait Show.’ They don’t even have a class for teams like KWS and Blackmans (Aprilia) unless they want to run in one of the support classes. And from what I understand, and I haven’t talked to Steve DeKamp or anything, Hooters is going to the AMA. So they won’t be in F-USA.

“Arclight and I have had a good relationship together, and you never know what could happen. I could run Formula USA with them, or they could end up in the AMA. We’ll just see what happens.”

“We are negotiating to go Formula USA racing with Arclight,” said American Suzuki’s Morgan Broadhead at Road Atlanta. “Who will be the riders is undecided at this point.”

Arclight Suzuki is at Road Atlanta working with Harwell, who is riding in the GSX-R600, GSX-R750 and GSX-R1000 Suzuki Cup Finals. Harwell is making his return to racing following a three-month recovery from a severe injury to his right wrist suffered in July during the Suzuki GSX-R World Cup Qualifying race at Mid-Ohio.

“I broke several bones in my right wrist, tore all the ligaments and dislocated the whole wrist and hand,” said 28-year-old Harwell. “I’m nowhere near 100%. I instructed at a riding school at VIR three weeks ago, and I couldn’t move my wrist enough to brake and blip the throttle. It’s better than that now, though. I’m good enough for this weekend. My goal is to win all three Suzuki Cup races.”

Acree, who is ineligible for the Suzuki Cup Finals, is at Road Atlanta to ride in the final round of the WERA National Endurance Series with Andrew “Woody” Deatherage and Chris “Opie” Caylor on Loudoun Motorsports’ Pirelli-sponsored GSX-R1000.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Marietta Motorsports’ Mike Smith was the star at Road Atlanta on Thursday, the opening day of the WERA Grand National Finals. Smith won two races, B Superstock (750cc) and C Superstock (600cc), on a pair of Pirelli-shod Suzuki GSX-Rs bought for him earlier this year by his parents.

Smith started from the seventh row of the 40-rider B Superstock grid but took the race lead on lap two of eight by passing early leader Brian Stokes. Over the first half of the race Smith slowly pulled away from Stokes, Roadracingworld.com-sponsored John Haner and Chris “Opie” Caylor, eventually gaining a 1.8-second advantage on lap four. Over the closing laps, however, Caylor moved into second and closed Smith’s lead despite former factory Superbike racer Smith dropping his lap times as low as 1:27.85. Caylor completely erased Smith’s lead on the final lap, but Smith was able to beat Caylor to the checkered flag by half-a-bikelength. Haner finished a close third while Stokes just held on to fourth ahead of second-wave-starter Tray Batey.

“I was trying a different tire,” said Smith when asked about lurid rear-wheel slides he was getting through fast turn 12. “I think we got the tire pressure wrong.”

Smith had to fight even harder for his second win. Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Matt Furtek took the holeshot from the second row and led the first five laps while Stokes and Smith worked their way up from the back of the grid to the front. For the second half of the eight-lap race, the three riders ran a pace of mid-to-high 1:29s, exchanging positions in nearly every corner and setting up a dramatic last-lap finish.

Smith led the trio of Suzuki GSX-R600 riders down the back straight before young Furtek dove underneath Smith on the brakes for turn 10. “He got in there on the inside, but he was in too hot and ran a little wide,” said Smith. “I just tucked back up underneath him.”

Furtek and Smith tripping over each other in turn 10 allowed Stokes a clean run through the turn 10 chicane and a strong drive up the hill and under the Suzuki bridge. The three riders came over the crest of turn 11 three-wide, elbow-to-elbow-to-elbow coming down the hill to turn 12, the final corner. Stokes was on the outside, got elbowed out wide going into the high-speed final corner and was lucky to stay on the track and out of the air barriers. Smith held the inside line and was able to beat Furtek to the line by a wheel.

Other Expert winners Thursday at Road Atlanta included Brian Kcraget in Sportsman 125cc GP; Andrew Weiss in Clubman; Yamaha FZR460 rider Jason Temme in D Superbike; Scott Carpenter in C.O.R.C. (a.k.a Crusty Old Racers Class); and MB Motorsports/Richmond Suzuki’s Bradley Champion in Lightweight Twins and Formula 2.

Novice class winners included Ducati 750-mounted Lance Pentecost in Clubman; Martin Musil in D Superbike; Kevin Cesar in C.O.R.C.; Phillip Chapin in Lightweight Twins; and Phillip Fortune in Formula 2.

WERA Vintage race winners included 18-year-old Josh Smith-Moore in Formula RD; former Isle of Man TT winner Dave Roper in 500cc GP and 350cc GP; Doug Bowie in 250cc GP; Chris Spargo in Formula 2-Stroke; Mark Morrow in Formula 500; William “Buff” Harsh in Vintage 1; Tom Joyce in Vintage 2 and Vintage 3; Frank Shockley in Vintage 4; Harold Page, Jr. in Vintage 5; William Mayfield in Vintage 6; Lance Yeager in Vintage 7 Middleweight; and Dale Burroughs in Vintage 7 Heavyweight.

Friday’s action at the WERA GNF will include the final round of the WERA National Endurance Series and five more eight-lap sprint races. Saturday and Sunday’s program will feature Suzuki Cup qualifying heat races and finals plus the final round of the WERA National Challenge Series.