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With Eric Bostrom Unavailable, Alex Hofman Will Ride Fuchs Kawasaki At Lausitzring

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From a Fuchs Kawasaki press release:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 7 – EUROSPEEDWAY LAUSITZ, GERMANY
RIDER ANNOUNCEMENT

ALEX HOFMANN TO SUBSTITUTE FOR INJURED IZUTSU AT LAUSITZ

With Eric Bostrom unavailable due to AMA Championship commitments, Alex Hofmann has been drafted into the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team for round seven of the World Superbike Championship at EuroSpeedway Lausitz. Hofmann will substitute for the still injured Hitoyasu Izutsu aboard the factory Kawasaki ZX-7RR.

A product of the 250 GP class, Hofmann faces a steep learning curve at Lausitz this weekend. The 22-year-old German rider has never before competed on a four-stroke machine, never mind a factory Superbike and, although he’s looking forward to the challenge of racing against some of the world’s best riders at Lausitz, Hofmann remains realistic about his aims for the weekend ahead.

‘I guess I only have two aims for this weekend; to have fun and to try not to crash,’ declared the former German and European 250 GP Champion. ‘Lausitz will give me an opportunity to get used to everything, see how things work and basically say hello to the people in World Superbike; I think that’s enough for the beginning.

‘Coming from a two-stroke background I expect the engine braking you get with a Superbike will feel a little strange at first, as will the way you have to be prepared to slide the bike more than you would with a two-stroke machine. The four-strokes are now starting to dominate racing, especially in the MotoGP series, so riding the Fuchs Kawasaki ZX-7RR will definitely stand me in good stead for the future,’ continued Hofmann.

Fuchs Kawasaki Team Manager, Harald Eckl: ‘There are very few experienced riders around at this stage of the season, so finding a temporary replacement for Izutsu was never going to be an easy task. However, I’m a firm believer in developing new talent and, as we’re a German team competing in a World Superbike round in Germany, I thought it only right that we gave a young German rider the chance to experience racing in the World Superbike Championship at first hand.

‘Although Alex missed out on a full-time ride this season, I’ve followed his career closely in the past and have always been impressed by both his skill and determination; two qualities that will prove essential as he jumps on a Superbike for the first time this weekend,’ continued Eckl.

While Alex Hofmann prepares to make his World Superbike debut at Lausitz, Fuchs Kawasaki’s regular Superbike pilot, Hitoyasu Izutsu, is currently undergoing an intense course of physiotherapy on his injured wrist; sustained in a qualifying crash at Sugo earlier this year.

Izutsu will test in Japan, before making a decision as to whether his injured wrist has healed sufficiently to allow him to make his return to the World Superbike Championship at Misano on 23 June.

Profile: Alex Hofmann #66
Born in Mindelheim, Germany, Alex Hofmann began his racing career in motocross, winning the German Junior 80cc MX Championship two years in succession. Alex soon transferred his talents to road racing and, under the supervision of Dieter Theis, was crowned European 250 GP Champion in 1998 – a title which brought him instant recognition as Germany’s brightest racing talent. Alex competed in the World 250GP series from 1999 to 2001, with a seventh place finish his best result.

Personal Details
date of birth: 25 May 1980

place of birth: Mindelheim, Germany

home town: Bochum, Germany

marital status: Girlfriend, Romina

height/weight: 180cm/68 kg

hobbies: downhill, BMX, MX, skiing, water sports… all sports!

favourite foods: Italian – pizza, pasta and insalata

favourite drink: Juices

car: VW Golf – not my favourite!

first road race: 1995

first win: 1998 German Championship, 10 races, 10 wins!

favourite circuits: Mugello and Assen

career highlight: winning the 1998 German and European 250 GP Championships

ambition: to win in MotoGP

likes: sun and laughing

dislikes: depressing people and bad weather

favourite rider: Wayne Rainey

management: Dieter Theis

Career Highlights

1984: My first bike, a PW50
1992: German Junior 80cc MX Champion
1993: German Junior 80cc MX Champion
1995: Switch to road racing
1997: 2nd German 125GP Championship
1998: German and European 250GP Champion
1999: 16th World 250GP Championship
2000: 26th World 250GP Championship
Missed 8 races through injury
2001: 12th World 250GP Championship
Best Result 7th

Tul-aris Claims Lap Record And First Win At Blackhawk

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From a press release issued by Dr. Rob Tuluie:

Tul-aris Wins First Race and Sets Track Record

June 1st, Blackhawk Farms Raceway, Illinois. Steve Johnson piloted the Tul-aris GP bike to its maiden win, shattering the old lap record by a full second during the 21 lap unlimited GTO race.

Starting on the 3rd row, in the 11th grid position, Steve moved quickly though the field, gaining the lead on lap 6. He immediately opened up a huge lead in one lap, setting a new lap record of 1:11.91, as timed by CCS officials.

After 3 or 4 laps out front on his own, Steve had a 7 second lead, even while slowing the pace to 1:13s and 1:14s due to waving yellow flags and an ambulance on course. He finished the race about 10 seconds ahead of the second-place GSXR 750.

Our weekend started out with the identical setup we used 2 weeks ago at Blackhawk, when Steve set the fastest time of the weekend during his run from 25th to 2nd in 8 laps. However, this weekend the weather conditions were much better, with temperatures around 90 deg F (32 deg C), providing us with optimum grip from our medium-soft Michelin Pilot slicks. A slight tire pressure adjustment, recommended to us by Tom Mason of MRT, allowed us to use a marginally harder medium-soft rear tire compound compared to what we used 2 weeks ago at Blackhawk, when the temperatures were almost 40 degrees F cooler. Even better, just as the race started, a big dark cloud moved in overhead, lowering air temperatures (which gave us more power), yet the track surface temperature remained high for optimum traction. Conditions could not have been better!

During the race, Tul-aris team member Dave Heiserer and I used our HeadHunter Racing scooter to watch Steve at several points around the track. It was amazing to see how smooth and fast Steve moved through the twisty and bumpy turns. In fact, the Tul-aris’ Ohlins suspension was set up perfectly and there was a noticeable visual difference in how steady the bike handled the bumps and transitions compared to other machines. We now have the handling and traction of the bike spot-on, allowing Steve to carry huge cornering speed into and through the turns. This improvement is in large part also due to Steve’s exceptional skills as a development rider, as well as his smooth and fast riding style. At other parts of the track, such as the 3rd gear turn 6, the bike would power wheelie at the exit at well over 100 mph (while still leaned over!), displaying the brute power of the Hot Seat Performance Polaris 780cc twin motor. Altogether, we had the perfect package for our first win!

Our tally so far for our first full racing season is:

one 1st place
two 2nd places
two 3rd places
one 4th place

one lap record (Blackhawk)
one almost-lap record (0.07sec off the record at Mid-America)

out of 8 races we only had one mechanical DNF (powervalve) and one crash (in the rain).

We’d like to thank our sponsors and supporters: Walt Schaeffer Michelin, Hot Seat Performance, Nutec Racing Fuel, Mason Racing Tires, Ohlins USA, MTS Systems, Lofgren Racing/Manley Cycle, Yoyodyne Titanium, GP Tech and Headhunter Racing. Steve Johnson is sponsored by Delano Sport Center, Hi-Per Sports, Mason Racing Tires, EBC Brakes and Lockhart Phillips.

Many thanks to the Tul-aris crew for all their hard work and long hours spent, for nothing more than warm beer, cold pizza, sleeping in the van or tents, just to be part of this fun and exciting project. Extra special thanks to my fiancée Kate, who let me get away for one day to go racing 2 weeks before our wedding!

Our next event won’t be until July 20-21 at Blackhawk Farms, which we will use to get ready for the big Formula USA National at Road America near Elkhart Lake, WI on Aug. 1st-4th. Come see us then!

F-USA Star Jeff Wood Hurt Last Weekend At Dirt Track

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Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Jeff Wood was hurt Saturday at a dirt track, two weeks before the Formula USA race at Loudon, New Hampshire’s New Hampshire International Speedway.

NHIS is Wood’s home track. Wood won the Sport Bike race at Daytona, in the rain, and was a leading contender for both the F-USA Sport Bike Championship on pavement and the F-USA Grand National Championship, which combines road race and dirt track events.

An e-mail from his father Jerry gives the details:

“I got a call from Jeff at 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning, he was in a hospital in New Hampshire with a compound shattered collarbone and broken ribs after hitting unprotected Armco barrier when his throttle stuck during a flatrack race in
Canaan, New Hampshire. Jeff wanted to contend the Formula USA Grand National Championship and was getting some seat time at the local 1/3-mile track. The track was banked and the Armco was not visible until he rode over the outside edge.

“Jeff has done well at short track and ice racing and was looking forward to the new series.”

More About The Poor Lapped Rider Who Tagged Yates At Pikes Peak, From A TV Commentator…

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This just in from Brian Drebber, via e-mail, regarding an earlier post:

Speaking for myself and Ski regarding our call of the incident involving Yates and Daryl Woodward: We call it live as we see it and had no way of
asking Yates or Woodward what happened. We then move on pretty quickly.

I’d be happy to agree (in hindsight) that it was ‘just one of those racing deals.’ Tough break for Daryl and nice save by Yates…

Drebber

Versions Of Pikes Peak Reality From Two Ducati Teams

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From a press release issued by HMC Ducati:

Race Report: AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Round 5

Date: June 2, 2002

Circuit: Pikes Peak Raceway, Colorado

HMC Ducati rider Doug Chandler was running in fifth position in today’s race at Pikes Peak when his fuel pump failed, forcing him to retire from the race a little after the halfway mark. Chandler was riding a strong race, despite the injuries he sustained in last round, getting the better of a three-way battle between Duhamel (Honda) and Picotte (Ducati) for fourth position. The scorching Colorado heat was showing its toll on several of the riders making Chandler’s retirement even more of a disappointment.

The team head back to Wisconsin for their home race at Road America next weekend.

“I knew it was going to be tough for me,” said Chandler. “I knew I couldn’t ride with the top guys, because of my injuries, but I wanted to keep them close. Everything was going to plan, I still had some issues with the bike set-up but I was able to run with Duhamel and Picotte quite comfortably and I figured I could start a march up to the front. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to hold (Aaron)Yates off though. He was coming through pretty strong.

I felt the team did a good job, I felt better than I thought I would through the race. Hopefully we’ll make 100% next weekend.”



From a press release issued by Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati:

Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati’s Picotte Sixth At Pike’s Peak Fifth Place In Superbike Points

Pascal Picotte and the Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati team finished a well-deserved sixth place in the Pikes Peak, Colorado round of the Chevy Trucks US Superbike series on Sunday. Traditionally one of the most difficult races on the AMA Schedule, this year’s 48 lap event at Pikes Peak International Raceway was no different.

In a tough race, Pascal managed to bring his Ducati home to the finish, despite a number of problems that faced the team, including grip uncertainties from the notoriously difficult Pikes Peak track and fuel delivery problems caused by the high heat and altitude.

Picotte now lies fifth place in the series point standings, one point behind defending champion Mat Mladin.

Kawaski’s Eric Bostrom won the race by 15.28 seconds. Suzuki’s Aaron Yates was second, followed by teammate Jamie Hacking. The race was run in intense heat, with an ambient temperature of 102 degrees and a track surface temperature of 125 degrees.

Picotte, with a previous best finish at Pikes Peak of second in 1999, had high hopes for Sunday’s race.

“We had a tire issue in the race and a vapor lock issue with the heat the last ten to fifteen laps. I managed to finish the race and score some points but we missed a good opportunity to get on the box today,” said the Canadian. “We’re still learning, but this was a tough weekend. I’m really looking forward to the race at Road America next week.” Picotte is a former winner at Road America on a Ducati motorcycle. Undoubtedly, this is an amazing season for a team in their first season with Ducati motorcycles.

Crewchief Lance Baker felt Picotte did the team proud by soldiering on through a tough main event.

“We scored some points and stayed in the hunt as far as the championship goes. We had some issues with the set-up and the Michelin tire combination and even a new one we haven’t seen before with the motorcycle, a fuel starvation problem caused by the heat or altitude or a combination,” Baker said. “It was a tough day but Pascal put his head down, stuck it out and brought it home in sixth place.”

The Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati will return to action next weekend in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, home of the famed Road America track.

First Shared Models From Suzuki/Kawasaki Alliance Announced

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From a press release:

American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) announced its 2003 off-road, competition (motocross), DualSport® and QuadRunner®(QuadSport®) lineup, which has been expanded thanks to the addition of Suzuki/Kawasaki alliance models. According to ASMC Vice President of Motorcycle/ATV Division Mel Harris, Suzuki dealers can now complement their current lineup of RM85, RM125 and RM250 competition models with the RM60, RM65, RM85L and RM100.

On the off-road side, the addition of the DR-Z110 to Suzuki’s JR50, JR80, (DR-Z110), DR-Z125/DR-Z125L, DR-Z250 and DR-Z400/DR-Z400E models means that Suzuki can provide a vehicle to match any rider or riding ability.

Suzuki also offers its most comprehensive ATV lineup ever. In 2002, the company introduced the new LT-A50; the new Eiger™ series LT-F400, LT-F400F, LT-A400 and LT-A400F; the award-winning Vinson LT-A500F; the award-winning LT-F250 Ozark; and the chart-topping 2003 LT-Z400 QuadSport Z400. These new units, coupled with the popular LT80, give the company a vastly improved breadth of QuadRunners for retail growth.

For 2003, Suzuki introduces the LT160 and the Vinson LT-F500F. “Because Suzuki has enjoyed success in its ‘flagship’ lines GSX-R, Hayabusa, Katana, Bandit, Intruder and Volusia, the resources have been available for development of quads and new motorcycles,” explained Harris. The result for Suzuki according to Harris will be one of – if not the – most competitive vehicle lineups in the industry.


2003 OFF-ROAD MODELS

JR50K3 / JR50
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $1,099

JR80K3 / JR80
Color: TBA
MSRP: TBA

DR-Z110K3 / DR-Z110
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $1,699

DR-Z125K3 / DR-Z125
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,399

DR-Z125LK3 / DR-Z125L
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,599

DR-Z250K3 / DR-Z250
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $4,699

DR-Z400K3 / DR-Z400
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $5,349

DR-Z400EK3 / DR-Z400E
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $5,449

2003 DUALSPORT® MODELS

DR200SEK3 / DR200SE
Colors: TBA
MSRP: TBA

DR-Z400SK3 / DR-Z400S
Colors: YELLOW/BLUE
MSRP: $5,449

DR650SEK3 / DR650SE
Colors: TBA
MSRP: TBA



4. 2003 MOTOCROSS MODELS

RM60K3 / RM60
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,299

RM65K3 / RM65
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,849

RM85K3 / RM85
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $3,099

RM85LK3 / RM85L
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $3,199

RM100K3 / RM100
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $3,499

RM125K3 / RM125
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $4,999

RM250K3 / RM250
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $5,899



2003 ATV MODELS

LT-A50K3 / QuadSport® 50
Colors: YELLOW/RED
MSRP: $1,799

LT80K3 / QuadSport® 80
Colors: YELLOW/RED
MSRP: $2,299

LT160K3 / QuadRunner® 160
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,799

LT-F250K3 / Ozark™ 250
Colors: YELLOW/RED/GREEN
MSRP: $3,499

LT-F400K3 / Eiger™ 400 2×4
Colors: RED/GREEN
MSRP: $4,349

LT-F400FK3 / Eiger™ 400 4×4
Colors: RED/GREEN
MSRP: $5,149

LT-A400K3 / Eiger™ Automatic 400 2×4
Colors: RED/GREEN
MSRP: $4,499

LT-A400FK3 / Eiger™ Automatic 400 4×4
Colors: RED/GREEN
MSRP: $5,299

LT-F500FK3 / Vinson™ 500 4×4
Colors: YELLOW/RED/GREEN
MSRP: $6,399

LT-A500FK3 / Vinson™ Automatic 500 4×4
Colors: YELLOW/RED/GREEN
MSRP: $6,599

LT-Z400K3 /QuadSport® Z400
Colors: YELLOW/WHITE
MSRP: $5699

Bayliss Says He’s Ready For German World Superbike Round

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From a press release:

TROY BAYLISS Racing
Media Information
For immediate release
Tuesday, 4 June 2002

Round 7, 2002 Superbike World Championship
Euro Speedway, Lausitz Circuit, Germany
Event preview

BAYLISS RESTED AND READY FOR GERMAN WORLD SUPERBIKE ROUND

After the torrential rain that lashed the Silverstone round of the Superbike World Championship less than two weeks ago, the riders will be hoping for a return to clear and dry conditions when they head to Germany for round eight of the championship at the Euro Speedway, Lausitz this weekend, June 8-9.

One rider who is looking forward to this weekend’s round is defending World Champion and current championship points leader, Infostrada Ducati’s Troy Bayliss. The Australian had what could only be described as an awe-inspiring weekend at a wet Silverstone which saw him crash twice in the opening race, but remounted to place fifth before returning to the track to take the win in race two.

After the wet English round, Bayliss has returned home to Monaco where he has spent the past week combining relaxation with his customary intense
training program which includes many hours per day combining cycling and gym work. The time at home has allowed him to be uninterrupted in his
preparation for the weekend.

“I was actually quite surprised as to how good I felt physically after the Silverstone round,” said Bayliss. “Even though I did have a number of
crashes over the weekend, I fell good and that has allowed me to get stuck into some training this week, especially on the bicycle. I’m feeling good both mentally and physically at the moment, so I feel that that gives us an advantage from the time that we arrive at the track and we can start preparing the bike.

“We’ve got the balance of the bike worked out pretty well now,” Bayliss added. “I feel that the bike is good enough for us to win each time we go
out on it. The top speed of the new Ducati is similar to a lot of others out there, but where we have made good progress is with the suspension and tyres. Michelin especially, have supplied us with some very good tyres this year and combined with a good chassis set up has allowed us to do the lap and race times that we are currently doing.

“As for the track itself, I don’t mind it too much. It is a good spectator track, but there are a few Mickey Mouse sections on it as well. The weather was a bit patchy there last year, but I was still able to score two good results. I’ve got a feeling that we may get the same sort of
weather that we got last year, but hopefully it will be clear.”

At last year’s corresponding round Bayliss finished second to Edwards in race one before taking victory in a wet race two. Bayliss was also credited with the Superbike lap record with a time of 1-min 40.599-secs around the 4.265km German circuit.

Having won nine of the twelve races held so far this season, Bayliss has been unable to build a sizable break over Edwards in the championship. While Bayliss has had a strong win rate, Edwards has been equally consistent accumulating a total of eleven podium appearances – two wins, six seconds and three thirds.

EURO SPEEDWAY LAUSITZ SWC FAST FACTS
Circuit Length: 4.265km

Superpole: Neil Hodgson (GSE Ducati) 1:40.205

Lap record: Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati) 1:40.599 (2001)

2001 Race 1/23 laps
1. Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda)
2. Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati)
3. Tadyuki Okada (Castrol Honda)

2001 Race 2/24 laps
1. Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati)
2. Neil Hodgson (GSE Ducati)
3. Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda)

2002 World Superbike championship points (after 6 of 13 rounds)
1. T. Bayliss 260
2. C. Edwards 231
3. N. Hodgson 157
4. N. Haga 129
5. R. Xaus 120
6. B Bostrom 119
7. J Toseland 81
8. C. Walker 73
9. G. Lavilla 60
10. J. Borja 53

Team Stargel Aprilia’s Tale Of Pikes Peak

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From a press release:

Team Stargel Aprilia Takes Points At Pikes

Sunday, June 2nd, brought the fifth round of the 2002 AMA 250GP season at Pikes Peak raceway in Fountain, Colorado. The team arrived the prior Thursday evening, with the task of setting up their Aprilia RSV250 for the 5800 foot elevation of the track.

On Friday, the team tested various combinations of settings in an effort to get their Aprilia to make the class leading horsepower that it is known for. Unfortunately, most of the valuable practice time was lost as a result of this. By qualifying time on Saturday afternoon, the Aprilia was showing excellent top speed, but the team still faced some chassis adjustment problems. As a result, Team Stargel Aprilia qualified in 4th place, about eight tenths of a second off Rich Oliver’s pole time.

No strangers to hard work, Team Stargel Aprilia worked Saturday evening, utilizing the versatile adjustability of the Aprilia RSV250’s chassis. They hoped these changes would give them the additional speed they sought for Sunday’s race.

At the conclusion of Sunday morning’s practice, rider, Chuck Sorensen, posted a best time of 56.7 seconds. This was seven tenths of a second faster than his qualifying time, and only a tenth of a second off Oliver’s practice time. The team was optimistic for the afternoon race.

Sorensen got a good start and was in a tight group with Rich Oliver and Simon Turner. At the completion of the first third of the race, Sorensen was less than two tenths of a second from the leader, Oliver. As the race went on, lapped traffic and less than ideal settings conspired to relegate Sorensen to a third place finish.

Pike’s Peak marked the completion of the first half of the AMA 250GP season. Looking at the season’s results thus far, Team Stargel Aprilia has set the standard for performance and reliability. In five races, Team Stargel Aprilia has three wins, a third and a fifth place finish. Due to the strength of the Aprilia RSV250 and the experience of Sorensen, they are the only team of the top four in points to complete every race thus far. Currently, the team has a total of 166 points, a 34 point cushion over second place in the championship standings.


Team Stargel Aprilia would like to thank the supporters who make their efforts possible: Aprilia USA, Aprilia Italy, FGF Corse, Dunlop, Performance Powersports, VP Racing Fuels, Castrol, EBC Brakes, Shoei, Helimot, Held Gloves, Daytona Boots, Fox Racing, Smith Sport, TC’s Specialized Graphics, Regina Chains & Factory Pro Tuning.

Dadej Wins USGPRU Round At Streets Of Willow

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From a press releas:

Eric Dadej wins USGPRU National Championship Western Round 2 at Streets of Willow

Eric Dadej rode to a spectacular win
aboard the Gray Matter Racing-Ian E. Race Engineering-BPS Honda on Sunday in windy, extreme temperatures over 100 degrees F.

Gapping his nearest competitor by over 14 seconds by lap 7 Eric put on a stunning show, lapping over half of the field, one rider twice.

Second place rider Quentin Wilson said after the race, “[this] race was brutal, 18 laps around the streets is a large amount of work. I had absolutely no answer for Eric’s speed, he was amazing both in his consistency and endurance.”

Quentin Wilson and Williard Ivins fought throughout the race for the final podium spots, both vying hard for the second position but Wilson won out in the end taking second by over 6 seconds.

Gray Matter Racing’s team owner and tuner Jonathan Flack struggled all weekend with the high temperatures trying to coax any extra power from the bike he could. “We went through about 3 different changes to the ignition maps and I moved the power jet cutoff points more times than I can remember to try and compensate for both the high altitude and the temperature, it was an uphill fight all weekend with all the wind and the heat. We knew after practice on Saturday that we had more power than the rest of the field
so we were reluctant to make changes to the head volumes. The gearing was perfect so we spent the vast majority of our time tweaking the BPS ignition to make the bike both faster and did what we could to correct for areas of the track that were proving really hard on the motor.”

Saturday night they pulled the piston from the bike to find massive detonation damage. “We knew the bike was really heating up in the fast 5th gear section leading back to the front of the course and, with the headwind, the bike was just detonating its brains out in that section of the track. In the end we had to run just a hair richer than we wanted to because there was no way the bike would have lasted through that section 19 times without coming apart. We even had to manufacture ad-hoc air deflectors on Saturday night to try and force more air into the radiator for the race just to keep the engine in the 60s, we would have made more power if we could have maintained 50-53C but it was just not possible given the conditions.”

After the win Jonathan noted, “we were always able to get the power to run at the front of the field but the danger was with the engine retaining so much heat with the ambient air around 38C, we were afraid it would grenade before we could get to the finish. The BPS Ignition was fabulous and I think we were able to run far faster just due to the fact that we could control the power jet cutoff per gear and use it to stop detonation in areas of the track that were straight into that brutal headwind. I couldn’t believe the motor held together when we checked the telemetry after the race. We had over 2000 detonations but it was all on throttle rolloff and because this track is so short we were able to get away with it and keep the motor together. God only knows what the piston will look like when we get it out of there.”

Final Results for Western Region Round 2 of the USGPRU 125GP National Championship are as follows:

1) Eric Dadej
2) Quentin Wilson
3) Williard Ivins
4) Leonard Meliguen
5) Stewart Aitken-Cade
6) Sean McNew
7) Scott Jackson
8) Shawn Herrera
9) John Rabasa
10) Russell
11) Orien
12) Phillip Krenn
13) Loren Chun
14) Jerry Berkey
15) Henderson
16) Melissa Shimmin
17) Tiffany Ragasa
18) Jeff Lim
19) John Lee

Ducatis Continue To Win In British Superbike

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New from British Superbike seems to indicate that the 1000cc formula favors Ducatis, which have been dominant. This is a press release from Monstermob Ducati:

MONSTERMOB DUCATI BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

Round 5 – 2002 MCN British Superbike and Round 6 National Supersport Championship – Snetterton, Norfolk June 2/3rd

HISLOP’S LEAD PINNED BACK

MonsterMob Ducati rider Steve Hislop emerged from a disastrous weekend at Snetterton with his championship lead still in tact but substantially reduced after a second and a fourth place finish at the Norfolk circuit in races nine and ten of the 2002 MCN British Superbike Championship.

The Isle of Man based Scot struggled all weekend with machine set up which was compounded by having to use a new profile Dunlop tyre which didn’t suit his riding style, and to top it all, main championship rival Sean Emmett won both races to reduce the gap at the top to just 17 points.

“We’ve been chasing our tails so much this weekend, we’ve met ourselves coming backwards. It simply wasn’t my bike this weekend and no matter what we did, the problems didn’t get any better. I’m glad I kept my championship lead but I can’t wait to get away from here as I hate the place” fumed Hislop afterwards.

It may have been a different story had both races not been red-flagged early on whilst Hizzy was comfortably in command but he trailed home a distant fourth in the opening leg before bravely hanging onto second in race two despite a concerted last lap challenge from Michael Rutter and Steve Plater.

Team pride was salvaged by Supersport rider Stuart Easton winning his fifth consecutive race in the Supersport class to extend his lead to 47 points at the head of the table, but for once the 17 year old from Hawick didn’t have it all his own way.

Starting from his fourth successive pole position, young ‘Ratty’ had to fend off a concerted challenge from Irishman Michael Laverty but just as Laverty was poised to strike, out came the red flags as conditions deteriorated due to a rain shower:

“I felt I had it under control and was just keeping an eye on my pit board. I must admit though, I was a little surprised to see Michael giving me such a hard time and he was really riding well” said Easton who blotted his copybook by drowning the pit lane commentator (who happened to be his team’s press officer………) in champagne on the rostrum.

As a result, colleagues within the media are requested to keep all publicity relating to Easton to an absolute minimum until such time as an apology (or financial compensation) is forthcoming………

Race Results

Superbike Race 1
1. Sean Emmett (Ducati)
2. John Reynolds (Suzuki)
3. Steve Plater (Yamaha)
4. Steve Hislop (MonsterMob Ducati)
5. Paul Brown (Ducati)
6. Simon Crafar (Yamaha)

Superbike Race 2
1. Emmett
2. Hislop
3. Michael Rutter (Ducati)
4. Plater
5. Shane Byrne (Ducati)
6. Brown

Championship Positions after five rounds:
1. Hislop 189
2. Emmett 172
3. Rutter 130.5
4. Plater 117
5. Reynolds 105.5
6. Brown 104.5

Supersport
1. Stuart Easton (MonsterMob Ducati)
2. Michael Laverty (Honda)
3. Scott Smart (Honda)
4. Jeremy Goodall (Suzuki)
5. Chris Bishop (Honda)
6. Ben Wilson (Honda)

Championship Positions after six rounds
1. Easton 125
2. Smart 78
3. Pete Jennings (Kawasaki) 63
4. Goodall 58
5. Tom Tunstall (Suzuki) 51
6. Jim Moodie (Yamaha) 45

With Eric Bostrom Unavailable, Alex Hofman Will Ride Fuchs Kawasaki At Lausitzring

From a Fuchs Kawasaki press release:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 7 – EUROSPEEDWAY LAUSITZ, GERMANY
RIDER ANNOUNCEMENT

ALEX HOFMANN TO SUBSTITUTE FOR INJURED IZUTSU AT LAUSITZ

With Eric Bostrom unavailable due to AMA Championship commitments, Alex Hofmann has been drafted into the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team for round seven of the World Superbike Championship at EuroSpeedway Lausitz. Hofmann will substitute for the still injured Hitoyasu Izutsu aboard the factory Kawasaki ZX-7RR.

A product of the 250 GP class, Hofmann faces a steep learning curve at Lausitz this weekend. The 22-year-old German rider has never before competed on a four-stroke machine, never mind a factory Superbike and, although he’s looking forward to the challenge of racing against some of the world’s best riders at Lausitz, Hofmann remains realistic about his aims for the weekend ahead.

‘I guess I only have two aims for this weekend; to have fun and to try not to crash,’ declared the former German and European 250 GP Champion. ‘Lausitz will give me an opportunity to get used to everything, see how things work and basically say hello to the people in World Superbike; I think that’s enough for the beginning.

‘Coming from a two-stroke background I expect the engine braking you get with a Superbike will feel a little strange at first, as will the way you have to be prepared to slide the bike more than you would with a two-stroke machine. The four-strokes are now starting to dominate racing, especially in the MotoGP series, so riding the Fuchs Kawasaki ZX-7RR will definitely stand me in good stead for the future,’ continued Hofmann.

Fuchs Kawasaki Team Manager, Harald Eckl: ‘There are very few experienced riders around at this stage of the season, so finding a temporary replacement for Izutsu was never going to be an easy task. However, I’m a firm believer in developing new talent and, as we’re a German team competing in a World Superbike round in Germany, I thought it only right that we gave a young German rider the chance to experience racing in the World Superbike Championship at first hand.

‘Although Alex missed out on a full-time ride this season, I’ve followed his career closely in the past and have always been impressed by both his skill and determination; two qualities that will prove essential as he jumps on a Superbike for the first time this weekend,’ continued Eckl.

While Alex Hofmann prepares to make his World Superbike debut at Lausitz, Fuchs Kawasaki’s regular Superbike pilot, Hitoyasu Izutsu, is currently undergoing an intense course of physiotherapy on his injured wrist; sustained in a qualifying crash at Sugo earlier this year.

Izutsu will test in Japan, before making a decision as to whether his injured wrist has healed sufficiently to allow him to make his return to the World Superbike Championship at Misano on 23 June.

Profile: Alex Hofmann #66
Born in Mindelheim, Germany, Alex Hofmann began his racing career in motocross, winning the German Junior 80cc MX Championship two years in succession. Alex soon transferred his talents to road racing and, under the supervision of Dieter Theis, was crowned European 250 GP Champion in 1998 – a title which brought him instant recognition as Germany’s brightest racing talent. Alex competed in the World 250GP series from 1999 to 2001, with a seventh place finish his best result.

Personal Details
date of birth: 25 May 1980

place of birth: Mindelheim, Germany

home town: Bochum, Germany

marital status: Girlfriend, Romina

height/weight: 180cm/68 kg

hobbies: downhill, BMX, MX, skiing, water sports… all sports!

favourite foods: Italian – pizza, pasta and insalata

favourite drink: Juices

car: VW Golf – not my favourite!

first road race: 1995

first win: 1998 German Championship, 10 races, 10 wins!

favourite circuits: Mugello and Assen

career highlight: winning the 1998 German and European 250 GP Championships

ambition: to win in MotoGP

likes: sun and laughing

dislikes: depressing people and bad weather

favourite rider: Wayne Rainey

management: Dieter Theis

Career Highlights

1984: My first bike, a PW50
1992: German Junior 80cc MX Champion
1993: German Junior 80cc MX Champion
1995: Switch to road racing
1997: 2nd German 125GP Championship
1998: German and European 250GP Champion
1999: 16th World 250GP Championship
2000: 26th World 250GP Championship
Missed 8 races through injury
2001: 12th World 250GP Championship
Best Result 7th

Tul-aris Claims Lap Record And First Win At Blackhawk

From a press release issued by Dr. Rob Tuluie:

Tul-aris Wins First Race and Sets Track Record

June 1st, Blackhawk Farms Raceway, Illinois. Steve Johnson piloted the Tul-aris GP bike to its maiden win, shattering the old lap record by a full second during the 21 lap unlimited GTO race.

Starting on the 3rd row, in the 11th grid position, Steve moved quickly though the field, gaining the lead on lap 6. He immediately opened up a huge lead in one lap, setting a new lap record of 1:11.91, as timed by CCS officials.

After 3 or 4 laps out front on his own, Steve had a 7 second lead, even while slowing the pace to 1:13s and 1:14s due to waving yellow flags and an ambulance on course. He finished the race about 10 seconds ahead of the second-place GSXR 750.

Our weekend started out with the identical setup we used 2 weeks ago at Blackhawk, when Steve set the fastest time of the weekend during his run from 25th to 2nd in 8 laps. However, this weekend the weather conditions were much better, with temperatures around 90 deg F (32 deg C), providing us with optimum grip from our medium-soft Michelin Pilot slicks. A slight tire pressure adjustment, recommended to us by Tom Mason of MRT, allowed us to use a marginally harder medium-soft rear tire compound compared to what we used 2 weeks ago at Blackhawk, when the temperatures were almost 40 degrees F cooler. Even better, just as the race started, a big dark cloud moved in overhead, lowering air temperatures (which gave us more power), yet the track surface temperature remained high for optimum traction. Conditions could not have been better!

During the race, Tul-aris team member Dave Heiserer and I used our HeadHunter Racing scooter to watch Steve at several points around the track. It was amazing to see how smooth and fast Steve moved through the twisty and bumpy turns. In fact, the Tul-aris’ Ohlins suspension was set up perfectly and there was a noticeable visual difference in how steady the bike handled the bumps and transitions compared to other machines. We now have the handling and traction of the bike spot-on, allowing Steve to carry huge cornering speed into and through the turns. This improvement is in large part also due to Steve’s exceptional skills as a development rider, as well as his smooth and fast riding style. At other parts of the track, such as the 3rd gear turn 6, the bike would power wheelie at the exit at well over 100 mph (while still leaned over!), displaying the brute power of the Hot Seat Performance Polaris 780cc twin motor. Altogether, we had the perfect package for our first win!

Our tally so far for our first full racing season is:

one 1st place
two 2nd places
two 3rd places
one 4th place

one lap record (Blackhawk)
one almost-lap record (0.07sec off the record at Mid-America)

out of 8 races we only had one mechanical DNF (powervalve) and one crash (in the rain).

We’d like to thank our sponsors and supporters: Walt Schaeffer Michelin, Hot Seat Performance, Nutec Racing Fuel, Mason Racing Tires, Ohlins USA, MTS Systems, Lofgren Racing/Manley Cycle, Yoyodyne Titanium, GP Tech and Headhunter Racing. Steve Johnson is sponsored by Delano Sport Center, Hi-Per Sports, Mason Racing Tires, EBC Brakes and Lockhart Phillips.

Many thanks to the Tul-aris crew for all their hard work and long hours spent, for nothing more than warm beer, cold pizza, sleeping in the van or tents, just to be part of this fun and exciting project. Extra special thanks to my fiancée Kate, who let me get away for one day to go racing 2 weeks before our wedding!

Our next event won’t be until July 20-21 at Blackhawk Farms, which we will use to get ready for the big Formula USA National at Road America near Elkhart Lake, WI on Aug. 1st-4th. Come see us then!

F-USA Star Jeff Wood Hurt Last Weekend At Dirt Track

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Jeff Wood was hurt Saturday at a dirt track, two weeks before the Formula USA race at Loudon, New Hampshire’s New Hampshire International Speedway.

NHIS is Wood’s home track. Wood won the Sport Bike race at Daytona, in the rain, and was a leading contender for both the F-USA Sport Bike Championship on pavement and the F-USA Grand National Championship, which combines road race and dirt track events.

An e-mail from his father Jerry gives the details:

“I got a call from Jeff at 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning, he was in a hospital in New Hampshire with a compound shattered collarbone and broken ribs after hitting unprotected Armco barrier when his throttle stuck during a flatrack race in
Canaan, New Hampshire. Jeff wanted to contend the Formula USA Grand National Championship and was getting some seat time at the local 1/3-mile track. The track was banked and the Armco was not visible until he rode over the outside edge.

“Jeff has done well at short track and ice racing and was looking forward to the new series.”

More About The Poor Lapped Rider Who Tagged Yates At Pikes Peak, From A TV Commentator…

This just in from Brian Drebber, via e-mail, regarding an earlier post:

Speaking for myself and Ski regarding our call of the incident involving Yates and Daryl Woodward: We call it live as we see it and had no way of
asking Yates or Woodward what happened. We then move on pretty quickly.

I’d be happy to agree (in hindsight) that it was ‘just one of those racing deals.’ Tough break for Daryl and nice save by Yates…

Drebber

Versions Of Pikes Peak Reality From Two Ducati Teams

From a press release issued by HMC Ducati:

Race Report: AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Round 5

Date: June 2, 2002

Circuit: Pikes Peak Raceway, Colorado

HMC Ducati rider Doug Chandler was running in fifth position in today’s race at Pikes Peak when his fuel pump failed, forcing him to retire from the race a little after the halfway mark. Chandler was riding a strong race, despite the injuries he sustained in last round, getting the better of a three-way battle between Duhamel (Honda) and Picotte (Ducati) for fourth position. The scorching Colorado heat was showing its toll on several of the riders making Chandler’s retirement even more of a disappointment.

The team head back to Wisconsin for their home race at Road America next weekend.

“I knew it was going to be tough for me,” said Chandler. “I knew I couldn’t ride with the top guys, because of my injuries, but I wanted to keep them close. Everything was going to plan, I still had some issues with the bike set-up but I was able to run with Duhamel and Picotte quite comfortably and I figured I could start a march up to the front. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to hold (Aaron)Yates off though. He was coming through pretty strong.

I felt the team did a good job, I felt better than I thought I would through the race. Hopefully we’ll make 100% next weekend.”



From a press release issued by Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati:

Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati’s Picotte Sixth At Pike’s Peak Fifth Place In Superbike Points

Pascal Picotte and the Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati team finished a well-deserved sixth place in the Pikes Peak, Colorado round of the Chevy Trucks US Superbike series on Sunday. Traditionally one of the most difficult races on the AMA Schedule, this year’s 48 lap event at Pikes Peak International Raceway was no different.

In a tough race, Pascal managed to bring his Ducati home to the finish, despite a number of problems that faced the team, including grip uncertainties from the notoriously difficult Pikes Peak track and fuel delivery problems caused by the high heat and altitude.

Picotte now lies fifth place in the series point standings, one point behind defending champion Mat Mladin.

Kawaski’s Eric Bostrom won the race by 15.28 seconds. Suzuki’s Aaron Yates was second, followed by teammate Jamie Hacking. The race was run in intense heat, with an ambient temperature of 102 degrees and a track surface temperature of 125 degrees.

Picotte, with a previous best finish at Pikes Peak of second in 1999, had high hopes for Sunday’s race.

“We had a tire issue in the race and a vapor lock issue with the heat the last ten to fifteen laps. I managed to finish the race and score some points but we missed a good opportunity to get on the box today,” said the Canadian. “We’re still learning, but this was a tough weekend. I’m really looking forward to the race at Road America next week.” Picotte is a former winner at Road America on a Ducati motorcycle. Undoubtedly, this is an amazing season for a team in their first season with Ducati motorcycles.

Crewchief Lance Baker felt Picotte did the team proud by soldiering on through a tough main event.

“We scored some points and stayed in the hunt as far as the championship goes. We had some issues with the set-up and the Michelin tire combination and even a new one we haven’t seen before with the motorcycle, a fuel starvation problem caused by the heat or altitude or a combination,” Baker said. “It was a tough day but Pascal put his head down, stuck it out and brought it home in sixth place.”

The Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati will return to action next weekend in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, home of the famed Road America track.

First Shared Models From Suzuki/Kawasaki Alliance Announced

From a press release:

American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) announced its 2003 off-road, competition (motocross), DualSport® and QuadRunner®(QuadSport®) lineup, which has been expanded thanks to the addition of Suzuki/Kawasaki alliance models. According to ASMC Vice President of Motorcycle/ATV Division Mel Harris, Suzuki dealers can now complement their current lineup of RM85, RM125 and RM250 competition models with the RM60, RM65, RM85L and RM100.

On the off-road side, the addition of the DR-Z110 to Suzuki’s JR50, JR80, (DR-Z110), DR-Z125/DR-Z125L, DR-Z250 and DR-Z400/DR-Z400E models means that Suzuki can provide a vehicle to match any rider or riding ability.

Suzuki also offers its most comprehensive ATV lineup ever. In 2002, the company introduced the new LT-A50; the new Eiger™ series LT-F400, LT-F400F, LT-A400 and LT-A400F; the award-winning Vinson LT-A500F; the award-winning LT-F250 Ozark; and the chart-topping 2003 LT-Z400 QuadSport Z400. These new units, coupled with the popular LT80, give the company a vastly improved breadth of QuadRunners for retail growth.

For 2003, Suzuki introduces the LT160 and the Vinson LT-F500F. “Because Suzuki has enjoyed success in its ‘flagship’ lines GSX-R, Hayabusa, Katana, Bandit, Intruder and Volusia, the resources have been available for development of quads and new motorcycles,” explained Harris. The result for Suzuki according to Harris will be one of – if not the – most competitive vehicle lineups in the industry.


2003 OFF-ROAD MODELS

JR50K3 / JR50
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $1,099

JR80K3 / JR80
Color: TBA
MSRP: TBA

DR-Z110K3 / DR-Z110
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $1,699

DR-Z125K3 / DR-Z125
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,399

DR-Z125LK3 / DR-Z125L
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,599

DR-Z250K3 / DR-Z250
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $4,699

DR-Z400K3 / DR-Z400
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $5,349

DR-Z400EK3 / DR-Z400E
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $5,449

2003 DUALSPORT® MODELS

DR200SEK3 / DR200SE
Colors: TBA
MSRP: TBA

DR-Z400SK3 / DR-Z400S
Colors: YELLOW/BLUE
MSRP: $5,449

DR650SEK3 / DR650SE
Colors: TBA
MSRP: TBA



4. 2003 MOTOCROSS MODELS

RM60K3 / RM60
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,299

RM65K3 / RM65
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,849

RM85K3 / RM85
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $3,099

RM85LK3 / RM85L
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $3,199

RM100K3 / RM100
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $3,499

RM125K3 / RM125
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $4,999

RM250K3 / RM250
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $5,899



2003 ATV MODELS

LT-A50K3 / QuadSport® 50
Colors: YELLOW/RED
MSRP: $1,799

LT80K3 / QuadSport® 80
Colors: YELLOW/RED
MSRP: $2,299

LT160K3 / QuadRunner® 160
Color: YELLOW
MSRP: $2,799

LT-F250K3 / Ozark™ 250
Colors: YELLOW/RED/GREEN
MSRP: $3,499

LT-F400K3 / Eiger™ 400 2×4
Colors: RED/GREEN
MSRP: $4,349

LT-F400FK3 / Eiger™ 400 4×4
Colors: RED/GREEN
MSRP: $5,149

LT-A400K3 / Eiger™ Automatic 400 2×4
Colors: RED/GREEN
MSRP: $4,499

LT-A400FK3 / Eiger™ Automatic 400 4×4
Colors: RED/GREEN
MSRP: $5,299

LT-F500FK3 / Vinson™ 500 4×4
Colors: YELLOW/RED/GREEN
MSRP: $6,399

LT-A500FK3 / Vinson™ Automatic 500 4×4
Colors: YELLOW/RED/GREEN
MSRP: $6,599

LT-Z400K3 /QuadSport® Z400
Colors: YELLOW/WHITE
MSRP: $5699

Bayliss Says He’s Ready For German World Superbike Round

From a press release:

TROY BAYLISS Racing
Media Information
For immediate release
Tuesday, 4 June 2002

Round 7, 2002 Superbike World Championship
Euro Speedway, Lausitz Circuit, Germany
Event preview

BAYLISS RESTED AND READY FOR GERMAN WORLD SUPERBIKE ROUND

After the torrential rain that lashed the Silverstone round of the Superbike World Championship less than two weeks ago, the riders will be hoping for a return to clear and dry conditions when they head to Germany for round eight of the championship at the Euro Speedway, Lausitz this weekend, June 8-9.

One rider who is looking forward to this weekend’s round is defending World Champion and current championship points leader, Infostrada Ducati’s Troy Bayliss. The Australian had what could only be described as an awe-inspiring weekend at a wet Silverstone which saw him crash twice in the opening race, but remounted to place fifth before returning to the track to take the win in race two.

After the wet English round, Bayliss has returned home to Monaco where he has spent the past week combining relaxation with his customary intense
training program which includes many hours per day combining cycling and gym work. The time at home has allowed him to be uninterrupted in his
preparation for the weekend.

“I was actually quite surprised as to how good I felt physically after the Silverstone round,” said Bayliss. “Even though I did have a number of
crashes over the weekend, I fell good and that has allowed me to get stuck into some training this week, especially on the bicycle. I’m feeling good both mentally and physically at the moment, so I feel that that gives us an advantage from the time that we arrive at the track and we can start preparing the bike.

“We’ve got the balance of the bike worked out pretty well now,” Bayliss added. “I feel that the bike is good enough for us to win each time we go
out on it. The top speed of the new Ducati is similar to a lot of others out there, but where we have made good progress is with the suspension and tyres. Michelin especially, have supplied us with some very good tyres this year and combined with a good chassis set up has allowed us to do the lap and race times that we are currently doing.

“As for the track itself, I don’t mind it too much. It is a good spectator track, but there are a few Mickey Mouse sections on it as well. The weather was a bit patchy there last year, but I was still able to score two good results. I’ve got a feeling that we may get the same sort of
weather that we got last year, but hopefully it will be clear.”

At last year’s corresponding round Bayliss finished second to Edwards in race one before taking victory in a wet race two. Bayliss was also credited with the Superbike lap record with a time of 1-min 40.599-secs around the 4.265km German circuit.

Having won nine of the twelve races held so far this season, Bayliss has been unable to build a sizable break over Edwards in the championship. While Bayliss has had a strong win rate, Edwards has been equally consistent accumulating a total of eleven podium appearances – two wins, six seconds and three thirds.

EURO SPEEDWAY LAUSITZ SWC FAST FACTS
Circuit Length: 4.265km

Superpole: Neil Hodgson (GSE Ducati) 1:40.205

Lap record: Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati) 1:40.599 (2001)

2001 Race 1/23 laps
1. Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda)
2. Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati)
3. Tadyuki Okada (Castrol Honda)

2001 Race 2/24 laps
1. Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati)
2. Neil Hodgson (GSE Ducati)
3. Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda)

2002 World Superbike championship points (after 6 of 13 rounds)
1. T. Bayliss 260
2. C. Edwards 231
3. N. Hodgson 157
4. N. Haga 129
5. R. Xaus 120
6. B Bostrom 119
7. J Toseland 81
8. C. Walker 73
9. G. Lavilla 60
10. J. Borja 53

Team Stargel Aprilia’s Tale Of Pikes Peak

From a press release:

Team Stargel Aprilia Takes Points At Pikes

Sunday, June 2nd, brought the fifth round of the 2002 AMA 250GP season at Pikes Peak raceway in Fountain, Colorado. The team arrived the prior Thursday evening, with the task of setting up their Aprilia RSV250 for the 5800 foot elevation of the track.

On Friday, the team tested various combinations of settings in an effort to get their Aprilia to make the class leading horsepower that it is known for. Unfortunately, most of the valuable practice time was lost as a result of this. By qualifying time on Saturday afternoon, the Aprilia was showing excellent top speed, but the team still faced some chassis adjustment problems. As a result, Team Stargel Aprilia qualified in 4th place, about eight tenths of a second off Rich Oliver’s pole time.

No strangers to hard work, Team Stargel Aprilia worked Saturday evening, utilizing the versatile adjustability of the Aprilia RSV250’s chassis. They hoped these changes would give them the additional speed they sought for Sunday’s race.

At the conclusion of Sunday morning’s practice, rider, Chuck Sorensen, posted a best time of 56.7 seconds. This was seven tenths of a second faster than his qualifying time, and only a tenth of a second off Oliver’s practice time. The team was optimistic for the afternoon race.

Sorensen got a good start and was in a tight group with Rich Oliver and Simon Turner. At the completion of the first third of the race, Sorensen was less than two tenths of a second from the leader, Oliver. As the race went on, lapped traffic and less than ideal settings conspired to relegate Sorensen to a third place finish.

Pike’s Peak marked the completion of the first half of the AMA 250GP season. Looking at the season’s results thus far, Team Stargel Aprilia has set the standard for performance and reliability. In five races, Team Stargel Aprilia has three wins, a third and a fifth place finish. Due to the strength of the Aprilia RSV250 and the experience of Sorensen, they are the only team of the top four in points to complete every race thus far. Currently, the team has a total of 166 points, a 34 point cushion over second place in the championship standings.


Team Stargel Aprilia would like to thank the supporters who make their efforts possible: Aprilia USA, Aprilia Italy, FGF Corse, Dunlop, Performance Powersports, VP Racing Fuels, Castrol, EBC Brakes, Shoei, Helimot, Held Gloves, Daytona Boots, Fox Racing, Smith Sport, TC’s Specialized Graphics, Regina Chains & Factory Pro Tuning.

Dadej Wins USGPRU Round At Streets Of Willow

From a press releas:

Eric Dadej wins USGPRU National Championship Western Round 2 at Streets of Willow

Eric Dadej rode to a spectacular win
aboard the Gray Matter Racing-Ian E. Race Engineering-BPS Honda on Sunday in windy, extreme temperatures over 100 degrees F.

Gapping his nearest competitor by over 14 seconds by lap 7 Eric put on a stunning show, lapping over half of the field, one rider twice.

Second place rider Quentin Wilson said after the race, “[this] race was brutal, 18 laps around the streets is a large amount of work. I had absolutely no answer for Eric’s speed, he was amazing both in his consistency and endurance.”

Quentin Wilson and Williard Ivins fought throughout the race for the final podium spots, both vying hard for the second position but Wilson won out in the end taking second by over 6 seconds.

Gray Matter Racing’s team owner and tuner Jonathan Flack struggled all weekend with the high temperatures trying to coax any extra power from the bike he could. “We went through about 3 different changes to the ignition maps and I moved the power jet cutoff points more times than I can remember to try and compensate for both the high altitude and the temperature, it was an uphill fight all weekend with all the wind and the heat. We knew after practice on Saturday that we had more power than the rest of the field
so we were reluctant to make changes to the head volumes. The gearing was perfect so we spent the vast majority of our time tweaking the BPS ignition to make the bike both faster and did what we could to correct for areas of the track that were proving really hard on the motor.”

Saturday night they pulled the piston from the bike to find massive detonation damage. “We knew the bike was really heating up in the fast 5th gear section leading back to the front of the course and, with the headwind, the bike was just detonating its brains out in that section of the track. In the end we had to run just a hair richer than we wanted to because there was no way the bike would have lasted through that section 19 times without coming apart. We even had to manufacture ad-hoc air deflectors on Saturday night to try and force more air into the radiator for the race just to keep the engine in the 60s, we would have made more power if we could have maintained 50-53C but it was just not possible given the conditions.”

After the win Jonathan noted, “we were always able to get the power to run at the front of the field but the danger was with the engine retaining so much heat with the ambient air around 38C, we were afraid it would grenade before we could get to the finish. The BPS Ignition was fabulous and I think we were able to run far faster just due to the fact that we could control the power jet cutoff per gear and use it to stop detonation in areas of the track that were straight into that brutal headwind. I couldn’t believe the motor held together when we checked the telemetry after the race. We had over 2000 detonations but it was all on throttle rolloff and because this track is so short we were able to get away with it and keep the motor together. God only knows what the piston will look like when we get it out of there.”

Final Results for Western Region Round 2 of the USGPRU 125GP National Championship are as follows:

1) Eric Dadej
2) Quentin Wilson
3) Williard Ivins
4) Leonard Meliguen
5) Stewart Aitken-Cade
6) Sean McNew
7) Scott Jackson
8) Shawn Herrera
9) John Rabasa
10) Russell
11) Orien
12) Phillip Krenn
13) Loren Chun
14) Jerry Berkey
15) Henderson
16) Melissa Shimmin
17) Tiffany Ragasa
18) Jeff Lim
19) John Lee

Ducatis Continue To Win In British Superbike

New from British Superbike seems to indicate that the 1000cc formula favors Ducatis, which have been dominant. This is a press release from Monstermob Ducati:

MONSTERMOB DUCATI BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

Round 5 – 2002 MCN British Superbike and Round 6 National Supersport Championship – Snetterton, Norfolk June 2/3rd

HISLOP’S LEAD PINNED BACK

MonsterMob Ducati rider Steve Hislop emerged from a disastrous weekend at Snetterton with his championship lead still in tact but substantially reduced after a second and a fourth place finish at the Norfolk circuit in races nine and ten of the 2002 MCN British Superbike Championship.

The Isle of Man based Scot struggled all weekend with machine set up which was compounded by having to use a new profile Dunlop tyre which didn’t suit his riding style, and to top it all, main championship rival Sean Emmett won both races to reduce the gap at the top to just 17 points.

“We’ve been chasing our tails so much this weekend, we’ve met ourselves coming backwards. It simply wasn’t my bike this weekend and no matter what we did, the problems didn’t get any better. I’m glad I kept my championship lead but I can’t wait to get away from here as I hate the place” fumed Hislop afterwards.

It may have been a different story had both races not been red-flagged early on whilst Hizzy was comfortably in command but he trailed home a distant fourth in the opening leg before bravely hanging onto second in race two despite a concerted last lap challenge from Michael Rutter and Steve Plater.

Team pride was salvaged by Supersport rider Stuart Easton winning his fifth consecutive race in the Supersport class to extend his lead to 47 points at the head of the table, but for once the 17 year old from Hawick didn’t have it all his own way.

Starting from his fourth successive pole position, young ‘Ratty’ had to fend off a concerted challenge from Irishman Michael Laverty but just as Laverty was poised to strike, out came the red flags as conditions deteriorated due to a rain shower:

“I felt I had it under control and was just keeping an eye on my pit board. I must admit though, I was a little surprised to see Michael giving me such a hard time and he was really riding well” said Easton who blotted his copybook by drowning the pit lane commentator (who happened to be his team’s press officer………) in champagne on the rostrum.

As a result, colleagues within the media are requested to keep all publicity relating to Easton to an absolute minimum until such time as an apology (or financial compensation) is forthcoming………

Race Results

Superbike Race 1
1. Sean Emmett (Ducati)
2. John Reynolds (Suzuki)
3. Steve Plater (Yamaha)
4. Steve Hislop (MonsterMob Ducati)
5. Paul Brown (Ducati)
6. Simon Crafar (Yamaha)

Superbike Race 2
1. Emmett
2. Hislop
3. Michael Rutter (Ducati)
4. Plater
5. Shane Byrne (Ducati)
6. Brown

Championship Positions after five rounds:
1. Hislop 189
2. Emmett 172
3. Rutter 130.5
4. Plater 117
5. Reynolds 105.5
6. Brown 104.5

Supersport
1. Stuart Easton (MonsterMob Ducati)
2. Michael Laverty (Honda)
3. Scott Smart (Honda)
4. Jeremy Goodall (Suzuki)
5. Chris Bishop (Honda)
6. Ben Wilson (Honda)

Championship Positions after six rounds
1. Easton 125
2. Smart 78
3. Pete Jennings (Kawasaki) 63
4. Goodall 58
5. Tom Tunstall (Suzuki) 51
6. Jim Moodie (Yamaha) 45

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