Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Big Show Racing’s Matt Wait and Larry Denning rode a Pirelli-shod Suzuki GSX-R600 until the steel cords were showing on the rear tire to win the Formula USA/CCS Team Challenge Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. The win, first overall and first in the GTU class, earned Big Show Racing the Formula USA National Road Race Series Team Challenge GTU Championship and the CCS Team Challenge GTU National Championship.

Running an enlarged fuel tank, Big Show Racing first took the lead on lap 22 as the team’s competitors pitted for the first time. On lap 30, Denning brought the Big Show Racing Suzuki in for the team’s one and only pit, a refueling stop, for 45 seconds. Wait re-entered the race in third place, re-took the lead when his competitors made their second fuel stops and pulled away with his team’s fastest lap times despite riding with steel cords exposed around the circumference of the left side of his rear Pirelli. “It was for the Championship. I was going to stay out there no matter what,” said Wait, who rode with an injured shoulder and endured fuel spilling and burning him.

Larry Pegram led off for Team Orient Express before handing the GTU-class Suzuki GSX-R600 to Nathan Kern and finally Michael Barnes for the last shift. With the rear Pirelli all but gone and two National Championship on the line, Barnes chased Wait, but a few dramatic slides caused Barnes to back down to a more conservative pace. “That was too many moments at the beginning of a race weekend for my taste,” said Barnes. “I know I did at least five laps on the cords.”

Team Embry/Moon’s Supercycle’s Geoff May and John Waters led the race for several laps on a Pirelli-shod Yamaha YZF-R6 and finished third overall and third in the GTU class.

Big Show Racing II’s Aaron Risinger and Kevin Hanson took the GTO class race win and CCS National Championship on a Pirelli-sponsored Suzuki GSX-R750 with fourth overall in the race. Meanwhile, New England Motorsports’ Gus Holcomb and Mark Reynolds finished fourth in the GTO, but the finish was enough to wrap up the F-USA NRRS Team Challenge GTO Championship.

Speed’s C.J. Czaia and John Linder finished ninth overall and first in the GT Lights class on a Suzuki SV650 equipped with Dunlop slicks. Team All-Star Pepsi’s John Lounsbury and Malcolm Bradsher ran their Dunlop-slick-shod Suzuki SV650 out of gas late in the contest but had wrapped up the F-USA NRRS GT Lights National Championship before coming to Daytona.

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp, riding a Formula USA Unlimited Superbike-spec GSX-R750, and Team America’s Jason DiSalvo, riding an ex-Damon Buckmaster Yamaha YZF-R6 AMA Supersport bike, led early portions of the race, but both, like several others in the 35-entry field, were using the long race for extra track time and retired before halfway in the 56-lap contest.

RESULTS:

TEAM CHALLENGE:

GTU: 1. Big Show Racing (Brian Salazar/Larry Denning/Matt Wait), Suz GSX-R600, 56 laps; 2. Team Hooters (Michael Barnes/Larry Pegram/Nathan Kern), Suz GSX-R600, 56 laps; 3. Team Embry/Moon’s Supercycle (Geoff May/John Waters), Yam YZF-R6.

GTO: 1. Big Show Racing II (Aaron Risinger/Kevin Hanson), Suz GSX-R750; 2. Midcitys Motor Sports (Calvin Martinez/Dave Ebben), Suz GSX-R1000; 3. Shaw Racing (Rick Shaw/Brian Shaw), Suz GSX-R750.

GT LIGHTS: 1. Speed (C.J. Czaia/John Linder), Suz SV650; 2. Online Superbike (Tim Hall/Bobby Stellfox), Suz SV650; 3. Diablo Racing (Richard Italia/Eddy Burnet/Sandy Noce), Hon RS250.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Canadian Chris Peris, 17, has been granted a wild card entry for the FIM 125cc Grand Prix at Valencia November 1-3.

“We found out just before we left to come down here Tuesday (October 17),” Peris told Roadracingworld.com Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. “We were checking our e-mail before we left for the airport and got the news. I’m really excited.

“I’ll be riding an Aprilia. I think it will be on Bridgestones.”

After two unsuccessful attempts to get wild card rides on his own, Peris said he was put in touch with Carl Christian Lundberg Puig, manager and technical director of the Spanish Championship team 3C Racing Aprilia, by Spectrum Motorsports’ Tony Bell. According to Peris, 3C Racing had an extra bike and wild card entry for the upcoming Grand Prix and offered it to him.

Peris is the 2001 Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC) 125cc Grand Prix Champion and has won 125cc Can-Am National races in 2002 in addition to riding a Honda CBR600F4i in the 600cc Sportbike class at Parts Canada Superbike Series events.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Racers’ reactions to the re-configured chicane at Daytona International Speedway remained generally positive after it was tested under racing conditions Thursday afternoon.

“It’s pretty good. I think it’s a good design,” said Larry Pegram after riding an endurance stint for Team Orient Express in Thursday’s Team Challenge. “It needs to be closer to NASCAR three. We have too much speed before NASCAR three now. It could overheat the tires and push us into the wall on the banking. We’re probably going 7-8 mph faster by the time we get to NASCAR three and 10 mph faster at the start/finish line.”

“It was about the same under race conditions except it was a whole lot safer,” said Jason DiSalvo, who used the Team Challenge to test his factory Yamaha YZF-R6. “It was kind of tough to pass people going in. You can take the entrance faster because there’s not so much of a bump at the entrance now. Overall, it makes about half a second to a full second faster on our lap times.”

“It’s a lot safer and a lot smoother,” said Matt Wait after taking the Team Challenge overall race win. “The approach is good, the exit’s good and I like the way it feels coming out. It’s smooth so there’s a lot of grip. I like it.

“I think they put more pavement on the inside (of the right at the entrance). So you have a wider section. The paint’s got some kind of grit in it, so it has grip now. But it’s still the same as far as passing.”

“It’s the same,” said Steve Rapp. “You can’t pass going in really. If you get behind them at the entrance, you have to slow down and wait behind them until you get to the exit. It’s kind of one-line now. Before you could pass them in the middle. Now if you don’t pass them before you lean it in, you have to wait. But it’s better on the exit. You can’t risk messing up the exit though because that takes you all the way around.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer and CMRA Director Eric Kelcher and CCS Event Manager Tiffiney Ingram are engaged to be married.

The wedding has been scheduled for April 6, 2003 but the location has yet to be determined.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Priority Racing/Irish Bike’s Simon Turner broke both bones in his lower left leg Friday morning in a crash during CCS practice at Daytona International Speedway.

“We wanted to try some stuff with the motor and try the Bridgestones,” Priority Racing’s Per Hogdahl told Roadracingworld.com Friday in the Daytona paddock. “They’ve been lobbying for our business for a while now. They were working pretty well. We were trying a new profile front tire, but I don’t think that had anything to do with the crash. I suspect he highsided coming out of the International Horseshoe because his bike was lying in the middle of the track at the exit.

“He broke both bones in his lower left leg. It’s well above the ankle. So that’s good. He’s in the infield care center being stabilized right now.”

Turner finished fourth in the 2002 AMA 250cc Grand Prix Championship.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Three-time AMA Superbike Champion Doug Chandler is close to coming to terms to ride for No Limits Honda in the 2003 AMA Formula Xtreme and Supersport series. That’s the word from No Limits rider and team co-owner Jason Curtis.

“Yeah, we’re pretty close,” Curtis told Roadracingworld.com Friday at Daytona. “What we’re waiting for right now is for his (Chandler’s) guys to look over the deal and see if it works out for him. We’ve been working on it for some time, almost a month. It’s in his hands now.

“We’d still like to bring Lance (Isaacs) over because Lance did not do a bad job for us last year. We’d like to bring Lance over to ride 600 only if there’s enough money.” Isaacs finished fifth in the 2002 AMA Formula Xtreme Championship on a No Limits Yamaha YZF-R1.

Curtis also stated that he had hired former Erion Honda mechanic Dave Presler and former Bruce Transportation Group Honda mechanic Poncho Rangel to work with him and had hired ex-Damon Buckmaster Formula Xtreme Crew Chief John Asher to work with Chandler. A second mechanic will be hired to work with Asher and Chandler.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

After riding in a Team Hammer Advanced Riding School & Track Ride event at Daytona International Speedway Wednesday, Formula USA and AMA racers had generally positive feedback on the 3.56-mile infield road course’s redesigned chicane, with a few reservations.

“I love it!” Arclight Suzuki’s Craig Connell told Roadracingworld.com. “I was going to come in there at the end, but I did another lap just so I could go through it (chicane) again. It’s definitely safer for us (Formula USA Unlimited Superbike riders) and 600s, but Superbikes, down here (in the tri-oval), they’re going to be going faster. I think the complaints will come when they get here in March.”

“We’re going to see Superbikes doing 200 mph next Spring!” said Daytona veteran Rick Shaw. “I was two gears higher exiting the new chicane.”

When asked if he meant two gear teeth higher, Shaw clarified, stating, “No, two gears higher.”

“I like it,” said AMA Supersport regular Michael Hannas. “It’s much safer. You’re coming back on the track at a much straighter shot, and you come back onto the speedway where it’s straight instead of you coming out right at NASCAR three.

“I think lap times will be around the same, maybe a little faster. You’re not carrying as much speed through it (chicane), but you come out faster and sooner and your top speed should be higher in the tri-oval.”

“I think it’s fun,” said Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s new signee Steve Rapp. “I think it’s faster. I think the lap times will be faster. I think you’re going into (NASCAR turn) three faster.”

Unofficially, Rapp turned a best lap time of 1:53.226, on his team’s stopwatches, in his first ride on a Formula USA Unlimited Superbike-spec Suzuki GSX-R750, his first racebike ride on Michelin DOT-labeled tires in years and his first day on the new Daytona layout.

The current Formula USA Unlimited Superbike lap record is a 1:52.941, set on the old course by Shawn Higbee in March 2001.

“But if somebody crashes at the entrance, there’s more of a chance of somebody getting hit by the crashed bike than before,” added Rapp.

“I don’t know. It’s different,” said Higbee of the new chicane. “It was hard to go fast because it was dusty and kind of slippery. There seem to be some bumps at the entrance and at the exit. It looks like it might have been a rush job.”

Despite the dust and bumps, Higbee almost matched his own lap record. “We were in the low 1:53s or 1:53-flat, and I didn’t feel up to speed yet. So it will be faster, but I think we could have some tire issues because we’re carrying more speed around the banking and into the tri-oval. At least we saw something that suggested that.”

“The jury’s still out. Ask me at the end of the weekend,” said 14K The Movie’s Eric Wood. “As far as wanting to point you away from the wall at the exit, it works. But, it presents the opportunity to do a vicious highside in the middle there.

“I think it will be a bottleneck. It will be difficult to deal with a person who is slower. You used to be able to pass someone in the middle of the old chicane. Now, to pass someone in the middle of it, you’re gonna have to horrify them. You’ll have to pass them on the way in.

“I don’t know if it’s faster or slower. If it increased my top speed, it was by 200 or 300 rpm. It was pretty similar.”

From a press release issued by Team Stargel Aprilia:

TEAM STARGEL PREPARES FOR BATTLE IN VALENCIA

Team Stargel Aprilia rider Chuck Sorensen said “I couldn’t believe it when the AMA called me last week and told me I had received one of the five wild cards for the Spanish GP. I will try my hardest and learn from the best in the world.”

Now the tough part, getting all the stuff over there and taking care of the preparations so we can do well. The team has received many phone calls and e-mails from fans and well wishers.

This adventure is being funded by Team Stargel Aprilia, so if you would like to help an American team compete in a World Championship Grand Prix, your contributions would be greatly appreciated.

You can make a donation to [email protected] at www.paypal.com. We will represent our country with great pride and determination.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Thursday Morning F-USA Unlimited Superbike Practice Times:

1. Craig Connell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:52.625
2. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:53.403
3. Larry Pegram, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:53.425
4. Michael Barnes, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:53.885
5. Lee Acree, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:54.037
6. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:54.248
7. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:54.328
8. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:55.000
9. Matt Furtek, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:55.183
10. Michael Himmelsbach, Aprilia RSV1000, 1:55.658
11. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:55.963
12. Shawn Conrad, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:56.747
13. Larry Denning, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:56.833
14. John Madden, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:57.066
15. Robert Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:57.518
16. Des Conboy, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:57.571
17. Jeff Williams, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:57.923
18. Andrew Nelson, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:58.387
19. Marco Martinez, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:58.625
20. Anthony Fania, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:59.127

The current Formula USA Unlimited Superbike class lap record belongs to Shawn Higbee at 1:52.941.