From a press release:

Preview Report: AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Round 5

Track: Pikes Peak, Colorado

Track Length: 1.315 mile

Track lap record: 0’53.776 by N Hayden (01)

Situated high in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Pikes Peak Raceway will host round five of the AMA Superbike Championships and the class’s first single-race weekend since Daytona. A mere 1.31 miles long, Pikes Peak is the shortest track on the AMA road racing schedule ¯ half the size of most other tracks, with lap times under a minute.


The high altitude here, almost 5,800 feet above sea level, will restrict the performance of the engines but the fast, flowing layout of the track promises high speed action. Like all speedway ovals, Pikes Peak includes sections of banking in its road racing track, notably the front and back straightaways. The run off the front straight banking onto the flat surface of the first corner is never smooth. This is amplified by a dip, which can disrupt the bike’s stability. But once you get into the second turn the fun begins. The layout seems to suit riders with a dirt track history. The long left-hander, from turn one to the in-field bends, reminds Doug Chandler of running a mile flat track, but it causes concern for the HMC Ducati technicians. The long bend has some negative camber and the combination can be rough on tires. Riders will be conscious to preserve their tires, being banked over on the left hand side for so long. Dunlop has a single compound tire made specifically for this track.

As the riders head into the infield bends the action will heat up. They can take a variety of lines to pass a competitor, especially into the tight and tricky hairpin. Riders must hug the inside of the bend, picking up the bike at the last minute and getting hard on the gas to give them a good drive into the esses. This section doesn’t have a lot of traction so the bikes will be moving around a lot. Unfortunately spectator viewing in this area is limited as it’s all infield but this will be where a lot of the action will take place. It is the last place riders can make a pass before the esses, then it will be follow-the-leader until they get onto the front straightaway. Slip streaming won’t happen until they get further around to the back straightaway where they’ll be carrying more speed. And being a little over a mile long, Pikes Peak doesn’t have much of a straightaway.


The race is an astonishing 48 laps, which, for the riders, seems to take forever. As the bikes are rarely upright the riders get very little opportunity to rest, making it one of the more demanding races of the season. The short distance makes it a relatively easy track for bike set-up and technicians will focus mainly on getting the bike turning in turn two and through the esses plus creating a bike that will conserve its tires. Most of the data taken from races so far this season will be irrelevant at Pikes Peak. Only Fontana offers some similarities.


Rider fitness will play a key part as the high altitude will not only reduce oxygen to the engine, it will reduce oxygen to the lungs. Doug Chandler left for Colorado last Friday to begin acclimatizing himself with the thin air. He won there in ’99 and is looking forward to a good result on Sunday.

From three press releases issued by AMA Pro Racing:

NICKY HAYDEN HAS SECOND CHANCE TO TIE DUHAMEL’S WIN STREAK AT PIKES PEAK

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – Honda Racing’s Nicky Hayden is fresh off two wins at Road Atlanta and a five-race win streak, and will arrive at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo., May 31-June 2 for round eight of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. The 20-year-old from Owensboro, Ky., has a strong hold on the championship with 253 points and while it’s still a little early to say, the 80-point advantage he has on second place factory Kawasaki rider, Eric Bostrom, makes him a favorite for his first AMA Superbike Championship.

Pikes Peak also marks Hayden’s second chance to tie his teammate Miguel Duhamel’s six-consecutive win streak. The first chance came at rounds two and three at California Speedway but Yamaha’s Anthony Gobert took the first win of the double-header event. Hayden is the defending Pikes Peak Superbike winner and with the season he’s having, it’s likely that he will defend his title as well as matching Duhamel’s win streak.

Speaking of Hayden’s teammate, Duhamel had two superbike podiums at Road Atlanta with a second and third for the double-header weekend. Duhamel and his crew appear to have figured out a powerful combination in setup and tires and it wouldn’t surprise many if he is the first rider in five races to stop Hayden’s win streak.

Bostrom, currently residing in Las Vegas, is second in points and in a nail-biting, last-lap thriller at Road Atlanta, he too is showing to be a serious threat to Hayden’s win streak. Bostrom’s season didn’t start out the way he had hoped but as evidenced at Atlanta, things are definitely turning around. Bostrom will arrive at Pikes Peak from England after his third showing in World Superbike at the Silverstone round with the Kawasaki World Superbike team.

The 2002 season has been no friend to three-time defending AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin of the Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki team. While the injury to his elbow at the opening round in Daytona Beach, Fla., didn’t help, he is past that and now the 30-year-old Australian has been fighting set-up and handling gremlins with his Suzuki GSX-R750. Sitting fifth in the point standings, the No. 1 Suzuki rider is still hopeful that a win is right around the corner.

Doug Chandler was last year’s third place finisher at PPIR on a Kawasaki. He will return to the 1.32-mile race track looking for a repeat of last years podium, but this time it will be on a HMC Ducati 998. Chandler wasn’t able to race the last two rounds at Road Atlanta after a crash in qualifying put him on the sidelines for the weekend.

Yamaha’s Gobert will be out of racing action for at least five weeks after a fall in Superbike qualifying in Atlanta left him with a broken right fibula. Also still on the injured list is Erion Racing’s Kurtis Roberts. Roberts is still recovering from an injury to his knee after falling at California Speedway. At his doctors have advised him to sit out the PPIR round.

Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates still leads the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport point standings with 142 despite his first loss of the season at Road Atlanta. The loss came after a race long battle with teammate Jamie Hacking. Yates finished third at Pikes Peak in 2001 and is looking to get back on a winning streak. Yates, along with Hacking now stand as the sole factory riders racing both supersport and superbike.

With Hacking coming off a win on his Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600, he knows the feeling of victory and based on the battle he fought to the end at Road Atlanta with Yates, he can never be counted out as wanting the win just as bad as all the others.

Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster is third in the AMA Supersport point standings, and still remains a strong contender for the championship. Road Atlanta marked his third consecutive fourth place finish and there’s no doubt that a podium finish is near.

Attack Suzuki’s Ben Spies first year in Supersport is going well and much like Buckmaster, he has had three consecutive fifth-place finishes. It won’t be long until you see this 17-year-old Longview, Texas native taking an AMA Supersport podium position.

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden was Road Atlanta’s third-place finisher in the fiercely competitive class and the oldest of the three Hayden brothers, Tommy knows his way around PPIR. He is looking for a podium in this year’s event as he missed third last year by .025 seconds.

For ticket information visit Pikes Peak International Raceway’s website at www.ppir.com, or call toll-free at (888) 306-RACE (7223).


LEE ACREE TAKES HIS ARCLIGHT SUZUKI TO FRONT IN GENUINE SUZUKI ACCESSORIES SUPERSTOCK SERIES

Pickerington, Ohio – There’s been a changing of the guard in the AMA Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series and the new guard comes in the name of Arclight Suzuki’s Lee Acree of Jamestown, N.C. Acree took over in the points lead at Road Atlanta after a race long, bar-banging battle with second place newcomer Adam Fergusson from Australia. Acree will attempt to guard his 10-point advantage June 1 at Pikes Peak International Raceway, in Fountain, Colo.

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden will attempt to take back the points lead that he had before Atlanta with his factory Kawasaki ZX-6R. Hayden is a veteran of the Superstock class (formerly 750cc Supersport) and considering the fight he put up for fourth in last year’s Supersport on his 600cc machine, he can’t be counted out as a season-long threat to become the first AMA Superstock Champion riding a 600cc motorcycle.

Team Cruise America’s Jason DiSalvo had another thrilling weekend at Atlanta and comes to PPIR full of confidence after three brilliant race performances in Braselton, Ga. It’s also rumored that the 18-year-old Stafford, N.Y., native will be receiving his high school diploma with a podium as the back drop for the obligatory “handshake” photo opportunity.

The AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series is just about to get interesting as current points leader Damon Buckmaster will race a brand new Graves Motorsports Yamaha R1 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. It was recently announced that the motorcycle that he has been victorious on in 2002 was found to be illegal for competition. PPIR will not come without challenges as the friendly Australian has an unproven motorcycle to contend with.

Erion Racing’s Roger Lee Hayden (youngest of the three Hayden brothers) returned to racing at Road Atlanta and despite the knee injury he was still suffering from, fought to the end for a well-earned second-place finish. Hayden finished fourth in 2001 at PPIR.

Bruce Transportation Group’s Jake Zemke is also making regular podium appearances in the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme class. Though he had two hard get-offs at round three of the series at Road Atlanta, he came back strong after the final restart to take the last podium spot. Zemke knows PPIR well and he goes there looking for his first win of the season.

Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Marty Craggill is proving that he’s a quick learner. Craggill, another Australian and former Australian Superbike Champion, will be with the Valvoline EMGO Suzuki team for the remainder of the season.



1995 AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPION KIRK MCCARTHY TO BATTLE FOR BUELL PRO THUNDER TITLE ON ADVANCED MOTORSPORTS DUCATI

Pickerington, Ohio – After shattering the track record in qualifying and easily winning the race at the opening round of the AMA Buell Pro Thunder Series in Daytona Beach, Fla., Australian Kirk McCarthy didn’t know if he would be back for the rest of the year aboard the Advance Motorsports Ducati. That question has been answered as McCarthy arrived back in the U.S. last week and will stay through the end of the season. Kirk is the current point’s leader in Buell Pro Thunder and is looking for his next win June 2 at Pikes Peak International Raceway, in Fountain, Colo.

The friendly Aussie has never raced at PPIR but showed at Daytona that he is fully capable of learning new race tracks very quickly.

Also returning to PPIR is Mike Ciccotto on his Hal’s Performance Advantage Buell 1200. Ciccotto lost the championship in 2001 by two points and is currently five back of point leader McCarthy going into round two. Ciccotto has proven time and again that he is able to save something for the last few laps of a race to take the win.

Defending Buell Pro Thunder champion Thomas Montano is looking for his first win of the season after he finished fifth at the opening round in Daytona Beach. Montano, a Berkeley, Calif. native will have Michael Barnes, Ciccotto and McCarthy to contend with in Sunday’s 29-lap main event, but the No. 1 plate holder is sure to arrive at PPIR with a plan of attack.

The AMA MBNA 250 Grand Prix Series has Stargel Aprilia’s Chuck Sorensen’s name written all over it as he sits first in points with a 31 point lead. Chuck has won the last two rounds but not without a battle from Team Cruise America’s Jason DiSalvo. Finishing 20th at the 2001 race, Pikes Peak International Raceway is a track where Sorensen will be looking for his first win. DiSalvo his looking for his first win of the year and it could come at PPIR as he has been on the podium at the last three rounds.

Veteran class champion Rich Oliver is still out with injuries sustained in Sonoma, Calif., and it is still unknown as to when he will return, but until that time, teammate Perry Melneciuc of Team Oliver Yamaha is holding his own and currently sits second in points.

Simon Turner is another rider in the two-stroke class that is drawing attention to himself, most recently with his third place finish at Road Atlanta. With the help of Priority Racing, Irishbike and Dunlop, Turner should be considered a viable contender for first place at the Pikes Peak round.

From Gordon Lunde of the Wegman Benefit Fund, which offers financial aide to injured road racers and their families, and of the Steel Shoe Fund, which does the same for injured dirt track racers and their families:

Jim Sumner, AMA National #45, died during practice for the Springfield Mile on Sunday May 26th.

I write about this dirt tracker on this road racing site because Jim is the son of my friends Al and Judy Sumner. Al and Judy are on the board of directors of the Wegman Benefit Fund and (Al is) the head of the Steel Shoe Fund.

Jim was the ultimate privateer. His equipment top notch, his attitude better and always looking for a way to the front. Now he’s there, forever.

Please take a moment for prayer for Jimmy and his family.

Cards may be sent to the Sumner family 4630 W. Mill Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53218.


More, from an AMA Pro Racing press release:

JIM SUMNER: A LIFE-LONG RACER

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — AMA Pro Racing dirt-track competitor Jim Sumner, 32, of Grafton, Wis., died Sunday, May 26, as the result of injuries sustained in a single-bike accident during practice for the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.
Sumner, national number 45, was part of a racing family deeply rooted in motorcycle competition. AMA Pro Racing extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Jim Sumner. Sumner is survived by parents and long-time AMA Congress representatives, Al and Judy, sisters, DD and Chris, and brother, Bert.

Sumner was a life-long racer following in his father’s footsteps into the sport. He first earned his AMA Pro Racing license in 1986. Sumner never became a star on the AMA Grand National circuit; rather he was a journeyman racer who earned the respect of his fellow competitors by turning in some strong performances over the years. He was one of the riders in the series who raced for the sheer love of the sport. Sumner twice came back after suffering serious injuries, a testimony to how much he enjoyed racing.

Sumner’s best AMA Grand National result was a 10th-place finish at the Springfield Mile in May of 1995. His biggest successes came in the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series (formerly called the Harley-Davidson 883 Dirt Track Series) where he earned 11-career top-10 finishes including his only national podium finish, a third on the Springfield Mile in September of 1993.

Sumner worked for and was sponsored by Suburban Motors, a Harley-Davidson dealership in Thiensville, Wis. He had been with the company for over 11 years.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that a memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 5566 N. 69th St., Milwaukee. The family is requesting donations to the St. Philip Neri Catholic School, local animal shelters or the Steel Shoe Fund — a benefit for injured dirt-track racers.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

AMA Superbike point leader Nicky Hayden is one step closer to fulfilling his dream of accomplishing the “Grand Slam” of AMA motorcycle racing after winning an AMA National TT race win at Springfield, Illinois last Saturday, May 25. Hayden, who rode a modified Honda CRF450F, now only needs to win an AMA National Mile to complete the Grand Slam.

The AMA Grand Slam consists of Mile, Half Mile, Short Track, TT and Superbike wins.

Hayden, 20, has coveted the Grand Slam for years and raced in both the AMA National Superbike and Flat Track series over the last two years trying to achieve the goal.

Nicky Hayden’s brothers, Tommy and Roger, finished second and third in the Springfield TT, ahead of AMA Champion Chris Carr.

Carr came back to win the Springfield Mile on Sunday, May 26, while Nicky Hayden, riding a Honda RS750 loaned to him by Terry Poovey, finished fourth. Tommy and Roger Hayden did not race the Springfield Mile.

Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship Round Four Race Results:
1. Nicky Hayden, Honda
2. Tommy Hayden, Yamaha
3. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda
4. Chris Carr, Rotax
5. Dan Stanley, Honda
6. J.R. Schnabel, Honda
7. Shawn Clark, Honda
8. Kevin Varnes, CCM
9. John Hlebo, III, Honda
10. Steve Beattie, ATK
11. Ken Coolbeth, Jr., KTM
12. Joe Kopp, KTM
13. Shaun Russell, Honda
14. Trenton Bailey, Yamaha
15. Gary Rogers, Honda
16. Bryan Bigelow, Honda
17. Mike Hacker, Honda
18. Terry Poovey, Honda

A release from MS Aprilia Racing Press Information, in which Melandri takes back his bike-and-team-bashing comments again, Laconi talks about the RS Cube and certain details of aerodynamic development are revealed:

Tuesday, 28 May 2002

PREVIEW

Italian Grand Prix, Mugello. Fifth round of the World Championship

Built in 1974, the Mugello International Racetrack hosted the first motorcycling Grand Prix in 1976. A modern, technical circuit with some unique features: there are fast curves followed by tight corners which are difficult to negotiate, and the track rises and falls continuously against the splendid backdrop of the hills of Tuscany. In the long final straight, which rises slightly towards the end, extraordinary speeds can be attained. Owned by Ferrari, which has made it the #1 circuit for F1, Mugello also boasts some exceptional characteristics for the Grand Prix. So it is hardly surprising that Aprilia should use it as its competition-bike test bed. The most recent of all, the RS Cube, has spent part of its adolescence right here. Mugello is the venue for the Italian Grand Prix and is thus a very important event for both riders and manufacturers. The hills around the circuit will be filled with fans of the great World Championship stars. In terms of colour, sound and “warmth”, it may well be considered as the most important event of the entire championship.

The circuit: 5,245 metres – left curves: 6 – right curves: 9 – longest straight: 1,141 metres – Maximum width: 14 metres – Year of construction: 1974.


2001 winners. 125 Class: Ueda (Jap) Honda – 250 Class: Harada (Jap) Aprilia – 500 Class: Barros (Bra) Honda.


Circuit records. 125: Locatelli 2’00.029 (2000) – 250: Nakano 1’54.462 (2000) – 500: Doohan 1’53,342 (1998).




Marco Melandri – 250cc Class – Aprilia RSW 250

Last week, Marco Melandri was called to the Racing Department of Noale for a meeting with Ing. Witteveen to clear up some misunderstandings which had cast a shadow over events at Le Mans. At the race in France, Marco had made some rather critical comments about the technicians and the company, expressing his unease in a harsh and impulsive manner. Last week’s meeting, however, cleared matters up and Marco expressed his regret for what had happened, pointing out that he had lost none of his esteem for his colleagues. He also had first-hand experience of the total commitment of the Racing Department to the 250 world championship in which he, Marco, is the lead player.

“The Le Mans race was very difficult in a number of ways: too many words, not enough understanding. I certainly didn’t mean to talk ill of those who work with me, and I’m very sorry about everything that happened. I’d like to thank them for the work they do with such dedication, for they give much more than 100% to give me a true competitive edge. When I’m out on the track, I represent them and the entire team. I just hope I’ve got their esteem once again and regained the feeling we’ve always had. They too are real enthusiasts: they believe in what they’re doing and they’re a family for me. At least, they sure are when I’m out racing. I still need to have a different frame and that’s what I asked for, because the one I’ve used so far doesn’t give me all the confidence I need. I’ll be able to try out a couple of solutions to find out which is best suited to my needs. Mugello is a really tough track, one of the most technical in the MotoGP, where the difference comes out in the most crucial sections: the Casanova, the Savelli, and the two Arrabbiate. That’s where you’ve got to be really competitive. We’ll see what the weather gets up to: Mugello normally requires pretty hard tyres but a lot depends on what the weather’s doing. I’ve got a few hours to relax now so I can reach Mugello with a clear mind so I’ll be all ready to take on the most important race of the year.

REGIS LACONI – MotoGP – Aprilia RS3

Back from a very important rendezvous – his “home” race in the French Grand Prix – Régis is now coming up to another key moment in this year’s championship: the Italian Grand Prix. Considering his dual nationality, he is getting ready for his second “home” race of the year. There is thus a dual responsibility, with both Régis and Aprilia racing an “Italian” race: but, of course, this is also where the RS Cube has clocked up many of the kilometres it has covered in its brief life. Both bike and rider know this track very well, so it should not present all the surprises that some of the other world championship circuits hold in store for the four-stroke from Noale when it comes on to them for the very first time – making the work really hard for all those involved. In the pause between the race in France and the Italian Grand Prix, no tests have been carried out, so Régis has been able to take a rest after the considerable pressure he was put under during the Le Mans weekend. In France, Laconi made ninth place – the RS Cube’s best placing so far on a dry track – and he was particularly pleased with this result, as he was with the ovation he received from the French public on his return from the GP. A few day’s rest in his chalet in the Swiss Alps and today he starts getting ready for the race at Mugello: two 50-kilometre rides on his racing bicycle and then into the gym where he will be working with his athletics trainer to build up his stamina.


“A few days’ rest has got me back on board: I was as much physically tired as nervously exhausted. It’s normal, really, at these important events where you’re so emotionally involved. Sure, I know I’ll be in for the same sort of pressure during the race in Italy – which is, after all, my second country – as well as being Aprilia’s home ground. We know all the ins and outs of the track and we’ve been round it lots of times, even though never in ideal weather conditions: there’s often been strong wind or driving rain, but it’s certainly where the RS Cube really started to take off. Mugello is where we’ve got the most information and data about how the bike behaves. We’re going to do our best, so we’ll immediately try to find the best set-up of the bike in the first test sessions on Friday. I’ll be talking things over with the technicians, but I think that for the very first sorties we’ll be using different set-ups so we can work out the best solutions. We’ll be concentrating on the choice of tyres, as the track is much more abrasive than the one we were on in the last race in France. I love this track – it’s extraordinarily technical and fast, and the two corners, Arrabbiata 1 and 2, have no equal the world over. This is where I want to get a great result. We need it – the time has indeed come.




TECHNICAL BRIEFS:


The Aerodynamics of the RS3

---

---

Aprilia has always paid careful attention to the aerodynamic characteristics of its products, continually investing in research and development.

The aerodynamics of the RS3 was designed entirely within the Aprilia racing department, and heavily relied on the experience gathered during the years of racing motorbikes at the highest level, and the recent developments in aerodynamic analysis.

Within the motorsports industry aerodynamic analysis is undergoing continual development; where the main limitation lies within the competition rules and regulations, not to mention budget restrictions (unlike F1).

Currently the importance of the aerodynamics of racing motorbikes is inferior than in F1, due to the fact that the effect it has on the chronometer (lap time) is inferior. However, with further development this could quickly change.

Within the Aprilia Racing Department the aerodynamic development is concentrated in;

· the reduction of the drag coefficient, lift coefficient and pitching moments.

· the minimisation of the effect of lateral wind

· the optimisation between aerodynamics and motorcycle dynamics.

Aprilia uses different tools to development the aerodynamics of its motorbikes, these include;

· wind tunnel testing

· aerodynamic computer simulations (CFD)

· track tests.

All three methods described above are of vital importance for a rapid and correct aerodynamic application to a new project.

The most recent tool introduced in the aerodynamic analysis of racing motorbikes is computer simulations (a virtual wind tunnel). These simulations produce a multitude of data and information (pressure and velocity distribution, aerodynamic forces, flow lines, etc.) that is immediately accessible for consultation; this data constitutes a base for the initial definition of the aerodynamic project and for further development.

The progressive and continual evolving of the hardware and software tools used for computational simulations enables this analytical method the become more efficient and more effective.

Since Aprilia has set itself the objective to continually develop winning products, the company keeps a vigilant eye on the continual evolving of new technologies for aerodynamic development, evermore important within the motorcycle racing industry and always applicable to production bikes.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Dr. Art Ting, a well-known orthopedic surgeon who has worked on many motorcycle racers, is facing Medical Board charges of misconduct, according to a story published yesterday in the Mercury News.

Ting has denied the charges.

A link to the on-line version of the story follows;

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/3348487.htm

From press releases issued by various teams after the Silverstone World Superbike weekend, starting with one from the Fuchs Kawasaki Superbike team:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 6 – SILVERSTONE, UNITED KINGDOM
26 MAY 2002 – RACE DAY

WALKER STORMS TO BEST RESULT OF THE SEASON AT RAIN SOAKED SILVERSTONE

Chris Walker notched up his best result of the season in front of 61,000 spectators at Silverstone this afternoon. The 30-year-old Fuchs Kawasaki rider overcome treacherous conditions to score a fourth place finish in a wet second Superbike race at the famous Northamptonshire circuit.

After falling in race one, remounting and working his way back up to 14th place, Walker was keen to make amends in the second outing of the day. A good start from eleventh place on the grid saw the Fuchs Kawasaki rider ideally placed going into the first turn and he wasted no time in moving his way up the field. After passing Neil Hodgson to take fourth, Walker quickly pulled out a second and a half advantage over his countryman, which he maintained to the chequered flag.

‘I guess you could say that race one didn’t go quite according to plan,’ said Walker. ‘The track was real slippery in places and I slid off quite early on. From then on, it was just a case of head down and trying to make up as many places as possible before the chequered flag.’

‘Race two was a different story though. Once I was past Hodgson and had built up a bit of a lead I thought Xaus might do his usual thing and hand me a podium finish but, although I did see yellow flags in the final stages of the race, it wasn’t to be. It’s been a long time coming, but I’m just glad we were able to score a good result for everyone who braved the weather to come and cheer us on; they really did help me to lift my game in that second race.’

Eric Bostrom marked his first appearance in Great Britain with two strong rides under difficult conditions. The Californian held off wet weather specialist Michael Rutter to finish eleventh in race one, and then backed that up with sixteenth place in race two.

‘I didn’t get a particularly good start in either race today,’ said Bostrom. ‘The second attempt was better, but I got boxed in at the first turn and shuffled backwards through the pack. It’s been a good experience riding here and what we’ve learned about setting the bike up for fast tracks will stand us in good stead when we return to the AMA Championship and the Road America round next weekend.’

WSB SILVERSTONE – SUPERBIKE RACE ONE
1. Colin Edwards USA Castrol Honda 43:27.508

2. Noriyuki Haga JPN Playstation2-FGF Aprilia 43:34.866

3. Neil Hodgson GBR HM Plant Ducati 44:00.498

4. Pierfrancesco Chili ITA Ducati NCR Axo 44:19.106

5. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Infostrada 44:22.230

6. Mark Heckles GBR Castrol Honda Rumi 44:28.636

7. Ben Bostrom USA Ducati L & M 44:30.139

8. Ruben Xaus ESP Ducati Infostrada 44:40.033

9. Shane Byrne GBR Renegade Ducati 44:42.734

10. James Toseland GBR HM Plant Ducati 44:51.178

11. Eric Bostrom USA Fuchs Kawasaki 44:56.126

12. Michael Rutter GBR Renegade Ducati 44:56.352

13. Peter Goddard AUS Benelli Sport 45:02.106

14. Chris Walker GBR Fuchs Kawasaki 45:27.802

15. Mauro Sanchini ITA Kawasaki Bertocchi 43:38.250


WSB SILVERSTONE – SUPERBIKE RACE TWO
1. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Infostrada 41:20.474

2. Colin Edwards USA Castrol Honda 41:25.383

3. Ruben Xaus ESP Ducati Infostrada 41:37.130

4. Chris Walker GBR Fuchs Kawasaki 42:18.909

5. Shane Byrne GBR Renegade Ducati 42:21.540

6. Neil Hodgson GBR HM Plant Ducati 42:32.455

7. Juan Borja ESP Spaziotel Racing 42:35.886

8. Ben Bostrom USA Ducati L & M 42:37.796

9. James Toseland GBR HM Plant Ducati 42:45.360

10. Noriyuki Haga JPN Playstation2-FGF Aprilia 43:01.781

11. Pierfrancesco Chili ITA Ducati NCR Axo 43:15.792

12. Broc Parkes AUS Ducati NCR Parmalat 43:18.242

13. Alessandro Antonello ITA DFX Racing Ducati Pirelli 43:20.834

14. Gregorio Lavilla ESP Alstare Suzuki Corona 41:27.499

15. Peter Goddard AUS Benelli Sport 41:29.601

16. Eric Bostrom USA Fuchs Kawasaki 41:34.591


More, from Troy Bayliss’ publicist:

TROY BAYLISS Racing – Media Information

Round 6, 2002 Superbike World Championship
Silverstone Circuit, England
Race Report

TWO CRASHES AND A RACE WIN FOR BAYLISS AT SILVERSTONE

Northamptonshire, England – The Silverstone round of the Superbike World Championship provided defending World Champion, Australian Troy Bayliss with a day of mixed fortune finishing fifth in race one, before returning to the circuit later in the afternoon to take victory in race two.

The race two win was Bayliss’ ninth of the season, but his ride through the field to finish fifth in the opening race will become one of the season’s highlights. Bayliss fell from his Infostrada Ducati 998F-02 while leading lap three in the wet conditions. Rejoining the race in 23rd position, he rode one of the most spirited rides to move up to eighth place, lapping three seconds a lap faster than anyone else before he again slid from the circuit on lap seven. He was able to keep his bike running and rejoined the race once more in pursuit of the leaders. With laps running out, he was able to finish fifth, while main championship rival Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda) took the race win by 7.3 seconds from Aprilia’s Noriyuki Haga at the completion of the 20-lap race.

“I had a pretty good ride,…I just fell off twice,” said Bayliss on his race one result. “But seriously, because Silverstone is such as strange place with the weather conditions, we decided to run for a setting on the chassis that ended up being too hard for the conditions. We were hoping that it may clear, but it got worse and we needed the bike to be slightly softer. After the first crash I was feeling good, maybe too good for the conditions and was just rushing things too much and as a result fell again. It was a freakish sort of race and in the end it was just nice to get across the finish line.”

Determined to make amends for his first race indiscretions, Bayliss quickly took the race lead ahead of Edwards, who amazingly had crashed on the warm up lap, but was able to take his place on the starting grid. Edwards took the race lead away from Bayliss for three laps of the 5.094km Northamptonshire circuit, before Bayliss again grab the lead position on lap twelve. Edwards mounted another challenge and closed to within 0.5 of a second before Bayliss responded with the fastest lap of the race and a new lap record on lap 18 with a 2-min 02.145-secs. Edwards was unable to maintain the pace on the final laps, with Bayliss taking the win by 4.909 seconds from Edwards, with Bayliss’ teammate, Spaniard Ruben Xaus third.

“We changed the settings on the bike to suit the full wet conditions and it was much better than the first race,” added Bayliss. “The only mistake I made was that I allowed Colin to get by so that I could see his lines for a couple of laps, but once I did I wasn’t able to see because of the spray from his bike, so I quickly got back past him again. Towards the end of the race I put some pretty good laps together and I managed to use the backmarkers well to break Colin from me. As a whole I’m a bit disappointed on the day. I made some mistakes in race one that cost me a lot of points, but I guess the win in race two was good after the way the weekend has been for everyone. I would also like to take this opportunity to say sorry for the hand gesture I made at the end of the race. Unfortunately it was misunderstood, as I did it to release tension within myself at the end of the race and it wasn’t meant to offend anyone.”

Having arrived in England with a 38-pont championship lead, Bayliss heads to round seven with a reduced points lead of 29, over Edwards (260 – 231) after today’s results.

Weather conditions at Silverstone were less than ideal all weekend, with both of today’s SWC races being declared wet. The streams of water that crossed the circuit at some points did catch out a number of riders, including Bayliss and Edwards. Light showers fell during the second race before the sun broke through and began to slowly dry the track surface, but not sufficiently to adversely affect the wet weather tyres that the riders were using.



More, from Honda:

HONDA RACING NEWS

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX / WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX
SUNDAY MAY 26 2002 SILVERSTONE, GB

Weather: Wet, raining
Temperature: 15 degrees
Attendance: 61,000

SILVERSTONE WINS FOR EDWARDS AND BAYLISS AS WORLD SUPERBIKES MAKE WET DEBUT

Title arch-rivals Colin Edwards and Troy Bayliss shared the spoils at the Silverstone sixth round of the World Superbike championship in Great Britain on Sunday.

Edwards won the incident-packed opening race in treacherous conditions over 20 laps of the 3.16-mile circuit. Championship leader Bayliss made the early running but crashed on lap three. That left Edwards in control on the SP-2 as the Texan eased away and controlled the race for the 22nd World Superbike win of his career.

“I was quite happy to sit behind Troy in the early stages and see if he would make a mistake,” admitted Edwards. “I knew the two of us were pulling away from the rest so it was pointless me trying to get away on lap three of a 20-lap race in those conditions. I was very pleased with the SP-2 machine and the Michelin tyres. I went for a softer compound rear tyre hoping it wouldn’t rain again so when it did start raining again I had to take it easy for a few laps.”

Aprilia’s Noriyuki Haga finished a lonely second with Neil Hodgson third to give the damp home fans something to cheer about. Behind Pier-Francesco Chili in fourth place came Bayliss, the Australian rider rejoined the race after his third lap crash then crashed out of eighth place on lap seven, rejoining once more to climb to fifth.

Mark Heckles revelled in the conditions on his Castrol Honda Rumi SP-2 to take sixth place with the factory Ducatis of Ben Bostrom and Ruben Xaus seventh and eighth respectively.

Heckles said: “I was enjoying myself in the wet. It was good fun and brilliant to get a top six finish in my home round. It’s credit to the team that we’ve got the HRC kit machine working well and very well in wet conditions.”

Drama struck Edwards at the start of the second race as he pulled into his pit garage at the end of the sighting lap, complaining of a misfire. Edwards jumped on his spare machine. He then crashed on his warm-up lap but the machine escaped damage and Edwards was able to start the race and lead it into the first corner.

Within three laps Edwards and Bayliss were easing away at the head of the race and the pair then changed places as the battle for victory in the 20-lap race ensued. Bayliss ran out winner as Edwards struck visibility problems in the final quarter of the race and finished second. A win for each rider leaves Bayliss with a 29-point lead in the championship, reduced by nine points, from 38, on the day by challenger Edwards.

Edwards said: “I had a bit of everything happen before the race and with all of that I thought it was better just to get to the finish and second place and 20 points had to do this afternoon. My biggest problem out there was visibility – I couldn’t see a thing, which is why I made the move on Troy and led the race, to get out of the spray, but even then I was struggling to see. It’s not been a bad day overall though and I’ve closed the gap to the lead of the championship.”

Ruben Xaus improved from his first race eighth place to complete an all-Michelin rostrum after the Spaniard took third his fifth top three finish of the year. Chris Walker had the 61,00 fans going wild as he won an all-British battle for fourth place, edging wild card Ducati rider Shane Byrne into fifth and Neil Hodgson into sixth. Heckles was forced out of the race after crashing, without injury, on lap six.

James Whitham won an action-packed sixth round of the World Supersport championship, despite crashing before the race had finished!

Whitham was leading the 19-lap race when a heavy rainstorm forced organisers to stop the race on lap 14. Before the race was stopped both Whitham and his Yamaha team-mate Paolo Casoli crashed out, leaving Honda’s Karl Muggeridge in the lead.

But, within a lap, the red flag appeared and when the race result was taken from the previous, fully completed, lap it was Whitham who was celebrating the fourth World Supersport win of his career.

Casoli picked himself out of the gravel to be awarded second place with Muggeridge taking his first podium of the year with third. Muggeridge said: “It was very difficult to hang on out there. By the time the heavy rain started to fall we were racing through huge puddles. I know that I could have been declared the winner but I think it was a sensible decision to stop the race.”

Former world champion Jorg Teuchert won a three-way battle for fourth, leaving early race leader Iain MacPherson fifth and Katsuaki Fujiwara sixth. Seventh place for Fabien Foret on the Ten Kate Honda meant he closed the gap to series leader Stephane Chambon by one point as the Suzuki-riding Frenchman finished eighth.

Kawasaki’s Andrew Pitt, the defending world champion, sat five points off the lead of the series prior to Silverstone but a crash and consequent retirement from the race has opened a 10-point gap from second-placed Foret to Pitt. Chambon sits three points ahead of Foret as the Supersport series reached halfway.




More, from Team Yamaha Belgarda:

WHITHAM AND CASOLI SCORE PERFECT 1-2 IN THE WET
Team Yamaha Belgarda riders Jamie Whitham and Paolo Casoli scored a perfect 1-2 result at rain-sodden Silverstone today ­ but not without drama. Whitham made a superb start from the fifth row of the grid and was an amazing third at the end of the first lap, just behind his team mate Casoli, who had qualified on the second row. Casoli took the lead on lap two, but Whitham – urged on by the partisan crowd – passed his team mate three laps later. The two of them splashed their way round the soaking 5.094 kilometre circuit and pulled out a comfortable advantage over their nearest rival Muggeridge. After eleven laps the rain increased its intensity and soon standing water caused aquaplaning and riders began to fall in the appalling conditions. Both Casoli and Whitham themselves crashed on lap 14, but fortunately the race was rightly red-flagged and the standings taken one lap previously ­ which meant the Yamaha duo were able to take first and second places.

JAMIE WHITHAM ­ 1st
The conditions were absolutely terrible and in some ways we probably shouldn’t have raced. I made a really good start and was third at the end of the first lap ­ I couldn’t believe it! Before the race I knew my best chance of a good result would probably be a wet race. After about 10-11 laps the rain fell so heavily that it caused great big puddles of water and it was impossible to see how deep the water was on the track. I just hit a big puddle and that was that, but I got the bike upright again and carried on, thinking that I’d probably still get a top six finish. But then the red flag came out and I found out I had won! I know it isn’t an ideal way to win a race, but I’ll take it anyway I can.

PAOLO CASOLI 2nd
It was pretty horrible out there today and very difficult. Jamie and I had a good battle and then we both crashed. I got back onboard and carried on as soon as I could, but then I saw the red flag, so I knew I had a chance of a good result. Of course, the standings go back one lap, so Jamie got the win and I was second. Considering the conditions, I am very happy with the result. It was hard to know where the standing water was, especially when you were behind somebody because you couldn’t see where you going!



More, from Suzuki:

Team Suzuki News Service

CHAMBON STILL LEADS WORLD SUPERSPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP

World Supersport Championship – Round 6, Silverstone, England, May 26, 2002

Team Suzuki Alstare rider Stephane Chambon gained more vital points in his bid for the 2002 World Supersports Championship following the sixth round at Silverstone today.

The Frenchman rode a solid race in terrible conditions at the English track to finish in eighth place, putting him three points clear at the top of the points table.

Team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara gained the holeshot from his fourth place start but was unable to maintain the lead for long later in the race, torrential rain began to fall and three laps later the race was red-flagged.. The Japanese rider ended the race in sixth positon taking him to fifth place in the Championship.

Today’s race was won by James Whitham (Yamaha).

KATSUAKI FUJIWARA – 6th
“The conditions were terrible and it was so easy to aquaplane, so I’m happy to finish the race. I think that the red flag was a good decision, but I had already begun to take it a bit more steady when I saw all the crashes. I’m a bit surprised that Whitham and Casoli were first and second – because they crashed before the end, but for me it was important to finish this race and keep up in the championship.”

STEPHANE CHAMBON – 8th
“I’m happy to get a finish, because I had big problems with my visor. Water got inside and I couldn’t see where I was going a lot of the time. One time I even went on the wrong part of the circuit! This afternoon was a difficult race and it was so easy to aquaplane, so I was happy when it was red-flagged and I could stop nearly crashing.”


More, from the Fuchs Kawasaki Supersport team:

WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 6 – SILVERSTONE, UNITED KINGDOM
26 MAY 2002 – RACE DAY

PITT RETAINS CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION DESPITE CRASHING OUT AT SILVERSTONE

Andrew Pitt saw any chance of regaining his lead in the championship standings dashed, when he crashed out of today’s wet Supersport race. Despite scoring no points, the Fuchs Kawasaki rider retains his third position in the championship.

‘I got a really bad start, so I was having to push real hard to move my way up through the field,’ said Pitt. ‘I guess I got a little bit carried away when I saw Foret and Chambon, the two riders leading me in the championship, in the group ahead. Instead of picking them off over two or three laps, I tried to do them both at once – and paid the price. Failing to score at Silverstone means I’ll just have to work even harder at Lausitz if I’m to regain the championship lead.’

For Pitt’s Fuchs Kawasaki team-mate, James Ellison, this afternoon’s Supersport race was even shorter. The reigning European Superstock Champion was caught out by the treacherous conditions and crashed out on the second lap.

‘I got a good start, and I was pushing hard to catch the group in front of me when I lost the front end’ said Ellison. ‘Obviously it’s not the way I’d wanted my home round to end, but I need to put it behind me and start looking towards the next round in two weeks time.’

WSS SILVERSTONE – RACE RESULT
1. James Whitham GBR Yamaha Belgarda 28:15.649

2. Paolo Casoli ITA Yamaha Belgarda 28:15.918

3. Karl Muggeridge AUS Honda UK Race 28:32.644

4. Jorg Teuchert GER Yamaha Motor Germany 28:37.303

5. Iain MacPherson GBR Ten Kate Honda 28:37.537

6. Katsuaki Fujiwara JPN Alstare Suzuki Corona 28:39.809

7. Fabien Foret FRA Ten Kate Honda 28:47.338

8. Stephane Chambon FRA Alstare Suzuki Corona 28:55.220

9. Diego Giugovaz ITA GIMotorsport 28:58.780

10. Matthieu Lagrive FRA Saveko Racing 29:04.373

11. Christian Kellner GER Yamaha Motor Germany 29:14.091

12. Stefano Cruciani ITA T. Italia Lorenzini by Leoni 29:16.760

13. Gianluca Nannelli ITA Rox Racing 29:24.021

14. Chris Vermeulen AUS Van-zon-Honda-T.K.R. 29:27.268

15. John McGuinness GBR Honda UK Race 29:29.686

From HM Plant Ducati:

Race One: Hodgson battles through torrents for podium finish

HM Plant Ducati/GSE Racing star Neil Hodgson rode an incredible race in terrible conditions to earn himself a superb third-placed finish in the first Superbike race at Silverstone. His team-mate James Toseland also performed extremely well despite the driving rain, to collect tenth place for the team.

Hodgson, who had started from eighth on the grid, refused to allow the weather to dictate terms and immediately set about picking up places. With the track surface largely covered by pools of standing water, it was Troy Bayliss who took the early lead. However, the lead was quickly handed to eventual race winner Colin Edwards when Bayliss skidded off the track in the first of two crashes for the Australian.

While Edwards was stretching his lead, Hodgson was scything through the field and it wasn’t long before he had established himself as the third-placed rider. A series of courageous overtaking moves that produced more than enough tense moments, soon had Hodgson ahead of Noriyuki Haga and running in second until Haga responded in kind and reclaimed the position that he would maintain until the chequered flag.

“Admittedly, I wasn’t too unhappy when it started to rain because I knew that had a good wet set-up,” said Hodgson. “As far as tactics were concerned, I just went out there determined to ride as hard as I could through what were some really tricky conditions. I had utter confidence in my Dunlop wets, but it was almost impossible not to get out of the seat on a few occasions – there was just too much water on the track for any tyre to clear completely. When a bike starts aquaplaning like that, you become a passenger rather than a rider!

“I definitely could have done with a different cut as the conditions got worse. When Haga got past me I knew that I was safe in third and decided it wasn’t worth risking a crash for just four points. I’m really happy to have made it onto the podium in front of my home crowd and I hope that I can give them more to cheer about in race two.”

James Toseland was pleased with his performance in what was his first wet race on a Superbike. He dealt with the rain admirably and was controlled yet aggressive as he powered the #52 HM Plant Ducati to a peak position of fifth place.

“That was certainly an experience,” said Toseland, “but experience is what makes you a good racer. I’m glad to have got my first wet Superbike race under my belt and I think it’s done a lot for my confidence. Although it may have looked pretty hairy out there, the HM Plant Ducati behaved better than I could ever have hoped for. I can’t say that I’m looking forward to getting soaked again, but the thought of another race like that certainly holds no fear for me.”


Race Two: Hodgson takes hard won sixth

In a competition that was to some degree decided before it had begun thanks to the unpredictable weather, HM Plant Ducati/GSE Racing rider Neil Hodgson did well to pick up sixth place after a race-long battle for traction. The wet track meant that tyre choice became critical and unfortunately the carefully considered gamble of Hodgson and his team-mate James Toseland failed to pay off. Despite having the same struggle for grip on his hands, Toseland was still able to salvage an impressive ninth-placed finish.

With a re-run of the first rain-sodden race looking likely, both riders opted for the same Dunlop wet tyre that had worked so well for Noriyuki Haga in the earlier competition. However, unlike race one, the dark clouds that had gathered on the build-up to the race failed to deliver their expected cargo of rain. By the time it became clear that the race was not to be as wet as the first, tyre changes were no longer a possibility and for Hodgson and Toseland it was a case of making the best of a bad situation.

“We were simply unlucky with the weather, and that’s all there is to it,” reflected Hodgson. “I did the absolute best that I could out there, but I was fighting a losing battle. The tyre I used seemed to be the best choice at the time because it looked like the torrential rain that had fallen all day was never going to stop. It did, and that left me out on a tyre that would’ve been superb for shifting standing water and preventing the sort of surfing that caused me problems in race one. Trouble was that there was no standing water this time, just a regular wet track. I can’t complain though – it was just one of those things – I chose the tyre in the first place.”

James Toseland was pleased with his day’s work despite having to put in even more effort than usual in order to finish the second race in such a strong position.

“I think that particular race wins the award for the most times I’ve come close to crashing in a single day,” said Toseland. “I was pushing the HM Plant Ducati as far as I could on those tyres and in those conditions. If I’d gone for the less heavily cut Dunlops, I’d have been fine, but like Neil, I thought I’d made the right choice. As it turns out I had all-on to keep the bike upright and once or twice I was sure that I was off. So you can see why I’m pretty happy to have come home in ninth place and was satisfying to beat Haga who was having the same problems as me.”

More from Benelli:

Benelli rack up more championship points

Benelli Sport continued to make progress in the World Superbike championship despite appalling conditions at Silverstone this weekend.

Peter Goddard rode the Benelli Tornado to thirteenth in the first race in conditions that many riders agreed were dangerous. “It was a really tough race,” said Goddard, “it rained so hard the engine was sucking water into the airbox. That cut the power down on the bike and made it even harder for me. In the circumstances thirteenth was a good result.”

In race two the track was still wet at the start of the race, and the skies looked foreboding and dark. Based on the performance of the weather for most of the weekend, which was basically rain, rain and more rain, the team decided to go for a ‘very wet’ set up. It turned out to be a mistake. “It stopped raining and the track dried out, not completely but enough to mean my tyres weren’t working properly,” said Goddard, who finished race two in fifteenth place. The two results added another four championship points to the team’s tally.

During the weekend, the FIM announced new rules to commence from the start of the 2003 season. These allow 1000cc four-cylinder bikes into the championship but with restrictors placed in their inlet tracts. Initially it was thought that this may mean a change in the rules for three-cylinder machines, but this seems not to be the case as no concessions have been made for triples. “I am a little disappointed,” said Benelli Sport owner Andrea Merloni, “I was hoping that they might give us a little something to even things up some more.”

The team now head home for more work on the Benelli Tornado, before returning to the competition in Lausitzring on 9 June.

More from Steve Martin’s press officer:

Difficult conditions for Steve Martin at Silverstone

Torrential rain marred the entire weekend’s racing at Silverstone in England for round 6 of the World Superbike Championship. It rained so hard that parts of the track were under inches of standing water, just an hour before the first race. Staff at Silverstone worked hard sweeping the water from the track to ensure the days racing could go on.

“It was like Phillip Island 2001 all over again”, commented Steve. “After qualifying for Superpole, I was feeling really confident for the race. In race one I got a good start and was pushing really hard, when it started to rain even harder, but the Pirelli tyres were giving fantastic grip and the feeling form the bike was really good despite the conditions. I was battling for a top-ten position at the time, so I kept the pressure on hard. Unfortunately, I pushed just that little bit to
much and highsided coming out of Club on lap four.

With the weather remaining extremely poor, and thick, dark clouds hanging in the sky, the team decided to go for ‘a very wet’ set-up. This proved to be the wrong choice as in fact the rain stopped and the track started to dry slightly. “There was little I could do, as I simply hadn’t chosen the right tyres for the job. But I’m generally happy with the weekend because we found a really good set-up in qualifying and I felt good on the bike. Now all we can do is look forward to the next round at Lausitzring and hope we don’t get a repeat of this kind of weather there.”

Round seven of World Superbike Championship is at the EuroSpeedway, in Lausitz, Germany on 9 June.

More from World Supersport Team Van Zon Honda TZR:

Tyre warmer problem cost Van Zon glory

Chris Vermeulen’s second-placed start didn’t to deliver its promise at Silverstone when a tyre warmer failed to work on the grid.

“I almost crashed at the first turn,” said a disappointed Vermeulen after the race, which was run in appalling conditions. “The tyre warmer had failed to work and so my rear tyre was stone cold. The problem is that in such poor conditions once the tyre is cold, you can’t get any heat in it. This meant I was forced to ride the entire race on a cold tyre. The rain was terrible, the worst conditions I’ve ever raced in and I the organisers were right to stop the race.”

Chris finished 14th despite the conditions and picked up two valuable championship points.

For Werner Daemen the race was simply one of survival. Still in pain from his shoulder injury sustained at the last round Werner, was very brave to even race this weekend.

“What can you do? Everyone has worked so hard on the bikes, and both Pirelli and WP Suspension have once again done a great job,” said Werner, “So as a rider I owe it to them to ride. When you are on the bike, you just get on with the job and do the best you can in the circumstances but when you get off, that’s when the pain really hits you!”

Werner finished in seventeenth, an incredible result given the extent of his injuries and the severe weather.

The team now pack up and return to Belgium, before heading to Lausitzring in Germany for the next round on 9 June. Werner now has a valuable two weeks to heal his shoulder before racing again on the fast Van Zon Honda TKR CBR600FS.

Wegman Benefit Fund founder Gordon Lunde sent this letter to Allied Van Lines, seeking help for injured racer Tim Miller:

Please pass this on to anyone who may be able to help us.

My name is Gordon Lunde and I run a non-profit company that assists seriously injured people. People who have been hurt in sanctioned motorcycle racing accidents.

Last October a racer from California was very seriously injured and has been hospitalized since. He is currently in rehab for very serious head and brain injuries.

His name is Tim Miller and he is about to be released in a few weeks. The problem is he cannot live on his own any longer. He needs full-time care. To have this he must move to Wisconsin to live with his mother.

My company, The Wegman Benefit Fund (www.wegmanfund.org), has helped Tim and his mother financially but they are in a very tight position right now with huge medical bills. What I am looking for and asking is if Allied Van Lines and/or one of its carriers would be interested in assisting Tim in his move to Wisconsin from California. Yes, we are looking for a “free ride”. Most of Tim’s household goods have been or are being sold so there is not a lot left to move. Maybe there would be some spare room in a truck heading this way?

Please consider helping this young man who is facing a very tenuous future and can use a helping hand.

Any consideration is truly appreciated. There are some opportunities for promotion for whoever assists us through press releases that I will send to many motorcycle publications and websites. I know Allied does a lot of motorcycle shipping, that is why I am approaching your company on this matter.

Sincerely,

Gordon Lunde
Wegman Benefit Fund
3741 S. 71 St.
Milwaukee, WI 53220
(414)321-2338

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Purse payouts for next weekend’s AMA National at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colorado:

Superbike, purse $60,000
1. $4500
2. $3800
3. $3300
4. $3000
5. $2800
6. $2600
7. $2500
8. $2400
9. $2300
10. $2250
11. $2200
12. $2150
13. $2100
14. $1950
15. $1900
16. $1850
17. $1800
18. $1750
19. $1700
20. $1650
21. $1550
22. $1450
23. $1350
24. $1250
25. $1150
26. $850
27. $750
28. $650
29. $550
30. $450
31. $400
32. $350
33. $300
34. $250
35. $200

Support Classes, $8000 purse each
Formula Xtreme
Superstock
Supersport
250cc Grand Prix
Pro Thunder
1. $1250
2. $1000
3. $700
4. $575
5. $550
6. $500
7. $425
8. $400
9. $375
10. $350
11. $300
12. $275
13. $250
14. $225
15. $200
16. $175
17. $150
18. $125
19. $100
20. $75