From a press release issued by the Superside FIM Sidecar World Championship:

Friday 27 September 2002

Steve Webster keeps the pressure on

Webbo on provisional pole for showdown Superside race

With the title hanging in a balance and with no less than five teams in with a chance of taking the title, the tension in the Superside paddock is almost visible.

Steve Webster holds the initiative on the track, if not in the points, he’s been fastest again today, but Jorg Steinhausen has closed the time differential down since this morning’s free practice.

“It’s all going to plan,” said Webbo, “but now it is all much closer. We’ll have to try some new things tomorrow, new rubber, and different settings. Tonight we’ll go over the outfit really carefully to make sure everything is absolutely top dollar.”

For Webster this weekend presents quite a different scenario to previous years, he stands a chance of taking the title, but it’s a pretty slim one. “Yes, it is very different this year,” confirmed Webbo. “There’s no pressure on us, it’s very difficult for us to win the championship, but you never know!”

Second fastest in the session Jorg Steinhausen was happy with his progress, “Everything has gone so well today,” smiled Jorg. “In the morning session Webbo was a few seconds quicker than us, but now we’ve closed right up on him. What’s more important is that the 1.58 lap was quite relaxed, we didn’t feel like we were pushing really hard, there’s more to come yet. The engine feels strong enough to follow the faster bikes. We had some problems with the brakes overheating this morning. Because this circuit is so different to Assen the brake bias is completely different, but we’ve got that right now. I wish this session had been the race, then it would be all over and we’d be champions! Now I need to think hard about my riding, there are one or two areas I can go faster. Then I need to sleep!”

Tom Hanks and Phil Biggs managed to improve on their morning time substantially, coming down below the two-minute mark. “That was much better,” said Hanks, “we started to get a move on. We’re now using our 1000cc motor, we’ve used up the big ones. In the morning we developed a pretty severe water leak on the big engine so now we’ve got the 1000 for the rest of the weekend. But then we’ve only used the big motor twice this year, at Lausitzring and Misano, so it’s no big deal.” The leak was traced to a cracked engine case.

Klaus Klaffenbock was fourth quickest, and was another rider happy with his bike, “We had a few problems with the brake bias this morning but nothing major,” he said. “But we’ve closed the gap on Webbo so I don’t think he will be disappearing in the race even if he wants to.”

Although Webbo and Klaffi stand little chance of grabbing the title, they can have a big influenced on the outcome. “For me the most important thing in the race is to get the best possible finish,” said Klaffi, “I have some contracts that pay only if I am in the top three! So I’ll be looking after myself first. But, if it comes to it, there are some people who I would be prepared to help to win the title.”

Steve Abbott dropped off the pace a bit in qualifying finishing fifth fastest, “We’ve had brake problems,” explained Abbott. “We came in for tyres and discovered the front brake was binding, but we can sort it. Everything else is perfect. We tried our spare motor this afternoon and that’s working well.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association 2003 Racing Schedule:

2/8-9 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX*
2/22-23 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX
3/15-16 Texas World Speedway, College Station, TX
4/12-13 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX
5/3-4 Motorsports Ranch, Cresson, TX
5/23-25 Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, Hallett, OK
6/14-15 Texas World Speedway, College Station, TX
7/19-20 Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, Hallett, OK
9/6-7 Texas World Speedway, College Station, TX
9/27-28 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX
10/11-12 Motorsports Ranch, Cresson, TX

*open practice and rider’s school only, no racing

According to CMRA officer Eric Kelcher, the length of the CMRA endurance races have yet to be determined and will be announced at a later date.

For additional info, call CMRA at (800) 423-8736, FAX (281) 232-8602, e-mail [email protected], www.cmraracing.com.

From a press release issued by AMA:

NEW EPA EMISSIONS RULES MAY MARK END OF TWO-STROKES

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adopting strict emissions standards that could mean the end of two-stroke trail bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) by 2006, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA)reports.

In announcing the new emissions standards in September, the EPA said the rules “encourage manufacturers of these vehicles to switch from two-stroke engines to cleaner four-stroke engines, beginning in 2006” for trail machines.

The federal agency is exempting racing machines from the strict emissions standards, so motocrossers won’t be affected, and left the door open for the production of a new breed of two-stroke engines by creating a special, less-stringent emissions standard for “certified competition machines” that could be used for competition and trail riding.

The EPA also scrapped an earlier plan to make ATVs meet even stricter emissions standards in 2009.

These are the first federal emissions standards created for off-highway motorcycles and ATVs. The EPA has set requirements only slightly less stringent than those in place in California, which have severely restricted two-stroke off-highway machine use there.

National requirements for road motorcycles have been in place for more than 20 years and are in the process of being replaced with stricter standards.

Under the new EPA rules, new trail bikes and ATVs would be subject to strict emissions requirements that would be partially phased-in in 2006. Full compliance would be required by the manufacturers in 2007.

The requirements wouldn’t affect machines built through 2005, but would apply to machines built for the 2006 model year and thereafter. The EPA said it expects that manufacturers will meet these new standards for trail machines by using four-stroke engines.

When the EPA was putting together the new rules, the AMA urged the agency to avoid regulations that would eliminate two-stroke machines, which are favored by many off-highway riders for their light weight and power characteristics. Instead, the AMA told the agency to consider creating separate emissions standards for four-stroke and two-stroke motorcycles and ATVs.

While the EPA rejected the idea of separate standards for four-strokes and two-strokes, it did create a new classification called the “certified competition machine,” which could be used for competition or trail riding. The emissions standards for a certified competition machine aren’t as strict as those for a trail bike or non-competition ATV. Theoretically, this could become the standard for two-stroke trail motorcycles and ATVs.

The AMA also asked the EPA to set specific emissions goals that must be met by off-highway motorcycle and ATV manufacturers rather than mandating what equipment must be on the bikes, such as catalytic converters. The EPA agreed.

The AMA also told the EPA to reconsider an idea to restrict the sale of “competition-only” machines to professionals. The AMA noted that most off-highway motorcycle and ATV racing in the United States involves amateurs. The EPA agreed in its final rules, saying it would be “inappropriate” to limit competition machines to professional racers.

Finally, the AMA and others involved in motorcycling presented data to show that the EPA grossly overestimated the annual use of off-highway motorcycles and ATVs and, as a result, overestimated the amount of pollution they cause. The EPA agreed, and that’s at least part of the reason the agency decided at this time not to require ATVs to meet even stricter emissions requirements beginning in 2009.

The American Motorcyclist Association is a nonprofit organization with more than 250,000 members. Established in 1924, the Association’s purpose is to pursue, protect and promote the interests of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more information, visit the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

AMA Supersport Champion Aaron Yates is raving about Barber Motorsports Park after making laps on the new racetrack.

Yates rode on the 2.6-mile road course on August 30, during a test session track officials arranged through Corona Extra Suzuki, which is based near the Birmingham facility.

“Barber Motorsports Group is nearing completion of its mega, multi-million dollar road racing facility,” wrote Corona Extra Suzuki’s Landers Sevier, in an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com. “The final wear coat of asphalt (the actual racing surface) has been laid on the 2.6 mile road course and evaluations of the surface itself, the overall safety of the course, as well as the layout and design of the course have begun. This includes automobiles (with accomplished and proven drivers) as well as motorcycles; Aaron being the first of the top guys in the U.S. to experience the track.

“Aaron’s participation and involvement in this ‘private and closed’ course evaluation was solicited for two reasons. First – Aaron has proven to be one of the most qualified guys in our industry who has enough experience to critique a racetrack with rider safety as the primary concern, and Second – Aaron lives in reasonable close proximity to the Barber complex.

“Corona Extra Suzuki’s involvement resulted only because we have readily prepared machines, and we are located in the same vicinity to the track.

“The purpose of the test was held in order for various members of the Barber Group to get honest, unbiased feedback on the racing facility that they have created.

“From my perspective, after listening to Yates’ comments following his sessions on the track, the place could most possibly become home to some of the best road racing that we will see in North America – for cars as well as bikes. It’s the closest thing we have to any of those ass-kickin’ European facilities we all watch on Speed – and in my unbiased opinion – it’s better.

“The AMA series visits several great tracks during the season, i.e. Road America, Laguna, VIR – but when it’s all said and done I think the general consensus of racers as well as spectators will be that the Barber facility will be at the top of the heap…I think Aaron would agree after his visit.”

“It was pretty good,” Yates said of the Barber Motorsports Park road course. “We did some really hot laps in my BMW (M3), which is a lot of fun. Riding in the car is a lot different than riding on the bike. I felt like, ‘Wow! This place is going to be fast.’ Then I got out there on the motorcycle all suited up and stuff and it was a lot of fun.

“I was really impressed with what they had there and the layout of the track. There’s a good bit of elevation changes, some tricky spots on the track where you get to have a lot of fun. It’s pretty challenging. You got a little off-camber downhill turns, then some over the hill turning where you’re wheelying and spinning at the same time and stuff like that. Also the layout and the track design, I think it’s going to promote some really competitive racing. There should be some good racing going on there. It was really fun.”

Yates rode Jimmy Moore’s AMA Superstock Championship-winning GSX-R750 at the test. “I only did 10 laps on the track on the motorcycle. I did about that many in car too. It’s pretty easy to learn. It’s gonna be a track that’s going to be a lot of fun to ride the way it’s laid out with the elevation changes. It’s got some challenging spots, but it’s real wide and you’ll be able to pass just about anywhere. It’s just fun.

“There’s nothing really to hit. We were flying around in my car. We had the thing sliding and spinning everywhere. There was a fast section, a left-right S-thing, and the car, you pitch it in there and the thing kind of slides out a little. Then you pitch it back the other way and it steps out about three feet and you’re running about 90 mph and you’re looking at where you’re gonna go if something happens and you spin. But then on the motorcycle, your lines are so different it’s not really a concern. There were really no concerns with that.

“I was really glad to be able to go there and see what it was like. I’ve never been by there. It’s like only one mile off of the I-20, so it’s not like you have to run down a two-lane and up through the woods 20 miles. The place is really impressive. It’s all just first-class, way different than other places. You know the other places have been around so long, and this is a brand new racetrack. To me it felt like something that you would see on TV at the world races.

“I think they were a bit concerned with the way the surface turned out, their paving. They wanted to hear what I thought about that. I’m not real sure what they’re doing right now, but I think they’re working on something. They just wanted to get my opinion on the surface of the track, which on a motorcycle it’s fine. The place is fully landscaped, grass growing, the track is ready to race. It’s just they want it to be as much as it can be.”

“We’re getting real, real close and we’re going to be real tight-lipped for another 45 days before we start talking about it,” said Jeff Ray, Executive Director of the Barber Motorsports Park, September 26. “If you want to give me a call back the first of November, we’ll probably be able to release some more information on that.

“We’re scheduled to open the thing in the Spring of 2003. Just with part of the interest in this track is that the fact that there’s not a lot of information out on it, and we’re gonna keep it that way just a little bit longer. Kind of like the girl in the bikini, let your imagination work a little bit. But we’re getting a little bit closer.”

When asked specifically if they had any problems or concerns with their racing surface, Ray said, “None that we’re aware of.”

AMA Pro Racing is expected to schedule a race at the Barber Motorsports Park in 2003.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in, via e-mail:

For 2003, will professional factory racers, on factory 600s, be racing against privateer, non-factory 750 Superstock bikes in the AMA 750 Superstock class?

If so, why?

Richard Lerud
TyrSox

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

By Jay Sherritt

Fellow Riders,

At the end of July, EPA Chief Christie Whitman, while out championing the cause of motorcycle emissions regulations, said “a typical motorcycle still emits about 20 times more pollution per mile than a new car.”

So how accurate is her representation? Does it truly reflect the impact of motorcycles on significant air quality issues?

I can’t help but remember Whitman’s lockstep with the EPA’s agenda promoting automotive emissions inspection when she was Governor of New Jersey. The EPA touted their MobileX emissions modeling software, and corresponding “credits,” as supposedly based on “best available science.” Governor Whitman vigorously defended the validity of the MobileX results.

So let’s use the EPA’s current version, Mobile6, as a truth meter for Whitman’s statement.

While accepting standard, default values for most inputs (I do use Colorado temperature, altitude and fuel volatility and oxygenate content parameters, as this is where I live), I submitted a Mobile6 run for a scenario evaluating carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons as VOC, and oxides of nitrogen for January, 2002.

Low and behold, the emissions in grams per mile traveled are computed to be 22.73 (CO), 2.61 (VOC) and 1.07 (NOx) for motorcycles. For “Light Duty Gas Vehicles” (passenger cars), the values are 17.57 (CO), 1.158 (VOC) and 1.027 (NOx).

Hmmm. Perhaps Christie is mistaken. Did she mean 29% higher? That is a long way from 20 times higher. Maybe most cars pollute 15 times more than Christie’s cars?

The truth meter flashes red, buzzes loudly, and the needle quivers in the middle of the “Deception” zone. A victim of her own devices.

What is really going on here? A classical EPA (mis)information campaign. The weasel words included in her quote were “new car.” Certified emissions for new cars are quite low, especially until they hit the real world. This is a common EPA trick – compare something in the real world that they don’t like with something in their own fantasy world that they do like. (They are pretty proud of certified emissions, even if they are contrived to make them look good at the expense of real-world durability and function).

The EPA did the same thing in their anti-snowmobile crusade. They took the researcher’s data that showed snowmobiles to be, say, two to three times as dirty as automobiles, and then substituted automobiles that were twenty times as clean as real-world automobiles into the comparison, and voila – the snowmobiles in Yellowstone were 60 times dirtier than cars.

The EPA’s interpretation of the “Clean Air Act” involves adopting regulations that address all internal combustion engines, even down to model airplane engines. (I’m not kidding!) Somehow, they find it essential to offer dramatic justification, even when the regulations have no effect on the real world.

Let’s toss the EPA nonsense and look at things from a real perspective.

The emissions components that motorcycles tend to produce at a greater rate than automobiles are carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.

First, let’s look at carbon monoxide (CO). This product of combustion only becomes a hazard in high concentrations, typified by traffic jams with atmospheric circulation trapped by a thermal inversion. (Not exactly great riding conditions). Once diluted, it eventually fully oxidizes in the atmosphere, with a half life of somewhere around one to three weeks. It is invisible and odorless, and is not considered a significant participant in the formation of smog.

CO is generated when there is insufficient oxygen in the combustion chamber to fully oxidize all of the fuel. In the past twenty five years, automobiles have dramatically reduced their CO emissions due to the incorporation of a component that measures the oxygen content of the exhaust, and uses this to iterate on an air-fuel mixture that is on the threshold of oxygen presence. At the resulting air/fuel mixture, there is very little carbon monoxide produced. The component, referred to as an oxygen sensor or lambda sensor, produces a voltage as a result of imbalances of gas-phase O2 molecules imparted on zirconium. This technology provides a method for dynamically adjusting mixture based upon the results of combustion, commonly described as “closed loop” operation.

Within the last few years, oxygen sensors have been appearing on production motorcycles – partly in response to the market force that demands crisp throttle response without having to “re-jet” carburetors for temperature, humidity and altitude. Many of us have seen oxygen sensor displays on race motorcycles in order to provide better carburetor jetting feedback to the operator.

As oxygen-sensor-based fuel injection systems overtake the market (as they are doing rapidly now), CO emissions from new on-road motorcycles will approach or diminish to less than those of new real-world automobiles, whether or not the EPA takes action.

Mobile6 was written before the current wave of closed loop, oxygen-sensor-based fuel injection systems became common on production motorcycles. It is likely that it does not accurately reflect actual recent trends in motorcycle emissions. We could already be at the point where real-world motorcycles are cleaner than real-world automobiles with respect to CO. Even as things are today, we could turn the tables on the EPA and correctly argue that (real world) automobiles produce much higher emissions than new motorcycles. (Hey, they started it. They compared apples with oranges, so why can’t I compare oranges with apples? Buzz. Flash. Quiver.)

As for hydrocarbons, they have a minor point.

Hydrocarbons are allowed to pass through to the exhaust generally when combustion does not occur (due to misfires, or sometimes compression braking), when the incoming charge blows through the combustion chamber and out the exhaust port before the exhaust valve or port closes for compression (port or cam overlap), and as a result of the flame being unable to propagate too close to the metal surfaces of the combustion chamber (quenching). Hydrocarbons released into the atmosphere are associated with the formation of smog.

The performance oriented motorcycle market prefers more cam overlap than would be used to minimize hydrocarbon emissions. You could argue that there is a tradeoff here – either adopt catalyzers or less cam overlap, but neither would produce a measurable benefit to ambient air quality. The default travel fraction from Mobile6 for motorcycles is only .006, while cars and SUVs make up .769. Closed-loop fuel injection technology probably reduces hydrocarbons significantly beyond the assumptions of Mobile6, as do other fuel injection elements. Even without the benefit of these considerations, automobiles still produce forty times more hydrocarbons emissions than motorcycles on a fleet basis. How meaningful is it to further reduce the contribution of motorcycles? Do we get a gold star if we cut it to a hundredth, or a thousandth? (Not difficult to attain. All we have to do is surrender some of our freedom, and rewrite the next-to-the-last line of the national anthem).

Catalyzers can reduce CO and HC emissions to near zero in some cases (also NOx), but are much more effective in extinguishing emissions in the EPA testing procedures than they are in the real world. In practice, the extremely wide dynamic range of operation of motorcycle engines makes it difficult to design a catalyzer that works under all load conditions. (My FZR1000 is great at low throttle, fifth gear, and 2000 rpm. It is also great under full throttle at 11,500 rpm). The same applies to automobiles, but to a lesser degree.

So what is wrong with the EPA’s proposed regulations if the industry is wandering that direction anyway?

The devil is in the details. In addition to federal anti-tampering laws, most states have laws on the books that prohibit tampering with emissions control devices. If cams, cylinder heads, fuel tanks and intake and exhaust systems become “emissions control devices,” then much of the freedom that we exercise in customizing, modifying and tuning arguably becomes tampering. Those of us with riding experience know that some law enforcement personnel in some jurisdictions take a great deal of liberty in interpreting these laws when it suits their mood. Whether or not they buy the “Honest, officer. The California Air Resources Board issued a letter of exemption.” in Peoria is not a matter that is addressed in the proposed regulation. Visualize customs agents seizing your Italian titanium exhaust system.

The right thing to do would be for the EPA to monitor the sales of on-road motorcycles that do not employ closed loop fuel injection for the next five years, and compare the real-world emissions of motorcycles with those of automobiles before they propose similar regulations. And make their press releases informative instead of inflammatory.

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin’s publicist, Steve Reeves:

Round 6, Yamaha Xtreme Tri-State Series
Eastern Creek Raceway, NSW
Event preview

FORMULA XTREME CHALLENGE FOR MLADIN THIS WEEKEND

After a six year absence, former Australian Superbike Champion and three times American AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin will take part in an Australian national race meeting as he grids up in the premier Formula Xtreme class as part of the sixth and final round of this year’s Yamaha Xtreme Tri-State being held at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway.

The meeting will not only be Mladin’s first race appearance here for some time, but it will also be the first time that he has raced the powerful Suzuki GSX-R1000 and taken part in the Formula Xtreme category in Australia.

Since returning home after the completion of his American AMA Superbike Championship season in August, Mladin has been preparing the GSX-R1000 out of his Mat Mladin Motorcycles dealership at nearby Narellan, southwest of Sydney. The project is a very exciting one for Mladin as he is incorporating products which he is a distributor for such as Yoshimura performance parts, but also to show that very competitive racebikes can be built at a very realistic cost.

Mladin has had the opportunity to take to the test track on three occasions in recent weeks and has been very impressed by the initial performance and competitiveness of the bike at such an early stage of its development.

“The project is coming along well,” said Mladin. “I’m really impressed with how the Suzuki GSX-R1000 runs with such limited amount of work and time spent on the bike. It’s been something that the mechanics at the dealership have enjoyed being a part of. We will be joined on the weekend by my mechanic from the last seven years Reg O’Rourke and he will bring a heap of experience into the team and will be an asset over the weekend.

“Essentially the bike hit the racetrack three weeks ago and we’ve had three days testing on it there, so what we have been able to achieve with a bike with bolt-on parts, it’s been very impressive,” added Mladin. “If we had more time to develop the bike, I’m sure it would be a lot better, but given the time that we have had, it’s at a very good level right now. All we want to do is show people that you can be competitive in the top class of racing such as Formula Xtreme and that you don’t have to be part of a factory team or have a huge budget to build a bike that is competitive as per the rules of the class.”

This weekend’s on-track activities begin on Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. with qualifying for all classes, with the premier Formula Xtreme completing two qualifying sessions in readiness for Sunday’s four 8-lap sprint races. Sunday’s program begins with warm up sessions from 9:00 a.m., with the first of the day’s many races beginning at approximately 10:00 a.m..

From a press release issued by SBK, organizers of the Superbike World Championship:

YEAR OF YEARS
The history ‘Circuito Enzo and Dino Ferrari’ at Imola has been as convoluted as only an Italian circuit’s could be. Originally build on public roads in 1950, Imola was the backdrop for the Gold Cup and 200 Miler, and in 1979 the circuit was turned into a purpose-build racing facility.

After hosting F1 and motorcycle GPs in the mid nineties, Imola embraced the charms of SBK racing for the first time in 2001,in an event adjudged a big success by all who were present to see some classic racing at one of the Meccas of global motorsports.

This year, as last, an open paddock has been declared on the Thursday before the race, with free entry for all those interested in having a close up look at the inner workings of the paddock, before the action cracks off for real on Friday 27th.

With only one previous SBK round at Imola, last season, the formbook may be somewhat thinner than at many other SBK circuits, however, quantity and quality should never be confused.

Two riders who had never won SBK races before took the final two wins of the 2001 year. In the first race, Troy Bayliss made an unexpected mistake and took out Aprilia’s Regis Laconi – on his way to breaking his collarbone.
Ruben Xaus therefore swept to an excellent race win from Aprilia rider Troy Corser and Colin Edwards.

With the vast majority of the 2001 Imola leading group missing this season, there will be some new podium finishers for sure.

With only Edwards, Bayliss and Japanese wild card Makoto Tamada (Honda) having won races this year, the competition will be nothing short of desperate. Especially given Imola’s fast nature and 16 distinct turns, complete with never-ending elevation changes.

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada 998F02) and Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda VTR 1000 SP2) have done the lion’s share of the winning in 2002, scoring 14 and nine race wins respectively. Each rider has now smashed through the magic barrier of 500 points – even though no single rider has reached this level of points scoring in the 15 year championship – a perfect illustration of just how unique this year has been in the 15 season history of SBK racing.

Choosing the best rider, even at this late stage, is almost impossible. From Oschersleben on, Edwards has had a more powerful and refined machine to count on, regaining some of the small performance disadvantages he had laboured under for most of the year. He has made good use of his revamped machinery, helping him in the latter stages of his record seven race wins in the last seven races. 23 podiums in 24 attempts, however, has been the real secret of Edwards’ season, racking up points behind his ostensibly more successful rival.

Bayliss, for his part, was the early season winning machine, racking up full pointers almost at will, interspersed with the odd fall or reversal of fortune.

With two talents like the aforementioned American and Australian on display, it would be easy to think that they are the only class acts in the championship. Many would disagree; not least the best of the Dunlop shod riders, Neil Hodgson (HM Plant Ducati 998 F01). The Englishman has fought a couple of disadvantages bravely all year, and has racked up a lot of podium finishes and good points.

Still 200 points behind the leaders, Hodgson is a man to reckon with at Imola.

Noriyuki Haga (PlayStation2 Team FGF Aprilia RSV 1000 SP) has had a hard 2002 season so far, while Imola will mark the end of the involvement of Ben Bostrom (Ducati L&M 998 F02) in SBK for the time being.

The most extreme rider in the World Superbike class is, arguably, Ruben Xaus (Ducati Infostrada 998 F02) with a commitment to going for the win at all costs that borders on the fanatical. A winner at Imola last year, he is simply desperate to take a victory after his 2001 triumph.

The best young rider in the series has proved to be James Toseland (HM Plant Ducati 998 F01), who leads the most experienced rider in the pack, Pierfrancesco Chili (Ducati NCR AXO 998 RS).

In the world of four-cylinder 750s, one rider has been consistently the most successful, often in trying circumstances, and that man is Chris Walker (Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-7RR. His battling riding style has bested Gregorio Lavilla (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra GSX-R750 Y) as the Spaniard slugged it out over a season in a one-man team.

There is one three-cylinder entry at Imola, Peter Goddard (Benelli Sport Tornado Tre 900), with the team and rider hoping to score more points in their quest for global recognition.

In the privateer world, there will be several men with top ten ambitions.

Broc Parkes (Ducati NCR Parmalat 998 RS), Lucio Pedercini (TeamPedercini Ducati 998 RS), Marco Borciani (Team Pedercini Ducati 998 RS), Juan Borja (Spaziotel Racing Team Ducati 998 RS), Ivan Clementi (Team Kawasaki Bertocchi ZX-7RR), Mauro Sanchini (Team Kawasaki Bertocchi ZX-7RR) and Steve Martin (D.F.X. Racing Ducati Pirelli 998 RS) are all potential points scorers, while the somewhat outpaced Mark Heckles (Castrol Honda Rumi VTR 1000 SP2) combination will be hoping to make more ground on Rumi’s home tarmac.

No matter how important the prospect of securing a point or two is to the tenacious private riders, the eyes of the world will be on the man-to-man fight for the title. Edwards or Bayliss – who will overcome their nerves and opponents better after two times of asking at Imola?
In the Supersport World Championship, a similar situation exists to the Superbike class.
There are only two men capable of being crowned champion at Imola – Fabien Foret (Ten Kate Honda) and Katsuaki Fujiwara (Suzuki).

Of the two, Foret is the undeniable favourite, having 17 points in hand, and a total of four race wins to his credit. Any over-confidence from the Ten Kate camp will be tempered by the knowledge of what happened in 2001, when Paolo Casoli (Yamaha Belgarda R6) saw his almost certain world championship disappear in a shower of sparks the retribution after tangling with another rider. He is back this year, as are the usual suspects James Whitham, Christian Kellner, Karl Muggeridge, Andrew Pitt, Chris Vermeulen, Stephane Chambon and a host of others.

The tight and twisty chicanes, after some flat-out sweeps, will make Imola a challenge of nerves for the top two contenders, but whatever the outcome of the season itself, the Imola meeting is bound to be as memorable as always.



More, from a press release issued by Suzuki:

LAVILLA LOOKS FORWARD TO SUPERBIKE FINALE

World Superbike Championship – Preview, Round 13, Imola, Italy, September 29, 2002.
The thirteenth and final round of the 2002 World Superbike Championship takes place at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit at Imola in Italy this weekend. Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Gregorio Lavilla is looking forward to the Imola showdown as recently the Suzuki team have made good progress with the bike and the Spaniard has been able to push much harder during qualifying, so his season should end on a positive note.

GREGORIO LAVILLA

“It feels like a long season, but I’m happy with how we’ve performed recently. I think we’ve made some good progress in the last couple of rounds and we’ve improved our understanding of the bike. At times it has been quite frustrating this year, but the team have worked really hard and so it would be nice to end the season with a good result. Last year I was on a different bike, so we will be starting from scratch in the first practice session ­ but that¹s been the story of this season and we know the task ahead.”

2001 results

Gregorio Lavilla – Race 1: 7th, Race 2: 6th


FUJIWARA READY TO APPLY PRESSURE

World Supersport Championship – Preview, Round 12, Imola, Italy, September 29, 2002.
The final round of the 2002 Supersport World Championship takes place at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit at Imola in Italy this weekend and will be where the title is decided. Frenchman Fabien Foret holds a significant points lead in the race for the title and only one rider can now spoil his party ­ Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Katsuaki Fujiwara. The Japanese rider has been riding consistently well this season and seems to have shaken off his bad luck of the last two seasons, but he knows that Foret has to have a very bad day if he is to have a chance of the title. At the moment, Fujiwara trails Foret by 17 points but, as has happened before, anything could happen in the final round. Team-mate Stephane Chambon is currently third in the championship 14 points clear of fourth place.

KATSUAKI FUJIWARA

“With a bit more luck this year, I would’ve been even closer to Foret in the title race then I am. But I am going into the final round in a very positive frame of my mind and I am going all-out for a win. Foret has a 17-point advantage, so really I have nothing to lose. I can rid as hard as I like and put lots of pressure on him and see how he responds. Last year a crash at the first chicane completely changed the course of the title and the same thing could easily happen again, so we will have to wait and see. I’m happy with my season this year and I have really enjoyed riding the Suzuki GSXR600. It’s good to be going into the last race with the possibility of a title ­ even though it might be a slim possibility ­ and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.”

STEPHANE CHAMBON

“The last round was disappointing for me and it ended my dreams of challenging for the title all. Now I want to win the last round and end the season on a high. Of course, I shall watch what is happening to Foret and team-mate Katsuaki and if I can help Kats, I will happily do it. It’s a hard task for Kats to win because he has a lot of points to catch up. But if Foret crashes or DNF’s and Kats can finish first or second then he can take the title. It’s an intriguing prospect for sure and a great way to end the season.”



More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda:

EDWARDS LOOKING FOR IMOLA DOUBLE VICTORY

Castrol Honda’s Colin Edwards believes concentrating on two race wins in Sunday’s 13th and final round of the World Superbike championship at Imola in Italy will help him clinch a second world title.

Edwards holds a one-point lead over rival Troy Bayliss heading into this weekend’s dramatic final action of the year.

“I’ve won the last seven races and we know how and why we¹ve achieved that,” says Edwards. “I don¹t see any reason to change anything and I’ll be chasing two wins to end the season on a real high.”

Edwards was 1.2 seconds inside the lap record around the 3.04-mile circuit during a test session last week, in a time of 1:48.10.

The much anticipated World Superbike action gets under way with free practice on Friday morning followed by a one-hour session in the afternoon. Saturday¹s action includes two one-hour sessions with the Superpole final qualifying competition at 4pm. Sunday’s two 21-lap races start at 12noon and 3.30pm.



MUGGERIDGE AND LAVERTY CARRY IMOLA HOPES

Karl Muggeridge and Michael Laverty are looking to give the Honda UK team success in the final round of the World Supersport championship at Imola in Italy on Sunday.

Muggeridge is looking to repeat the kind of form which gave him pole position at last year’s Imola event and the Australian starts the weekend in determined mood.

“We’ve had a real up and down year but I’m looking to bring on a celebration for the team on Sunday night,” says Muggeridge. “I really like the Imola circuit and I’m certain I can be in with a chance of victory on Sunday.”

Laverty is replacing John McGuinness for the final race of the year and the 21-year-old Ulsterman is relishing the opportunity to make his World Supersport debut.

“It’s a great chance for me,” reckons Laverty. “I’ve done a few laps today on a scooter and the circuit looks fantastic, I¹m really looking forward to getting out there.”

World Supersport action begins with a one-hour free practice on Friday morning followed by a one-hour qualifying session in the afternoon. That schedule is repeated on Saturday with Sunday’s 21-lap race starting at 1.20pm.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Round 13 – Imola (Italy)
27-29 September 2002

Sparks are set to fly this weekend at Imola’s Enzo & Dino Ferrari Circuit, where the final round of the 2002 World Superbike Championship takes place. After Troy Bayliss’s (Ducati Infostrada) unexpected crash during the Dutch round at Assen three weeks ago, which saw the Australian overhauled by Honda rival Colin Edwards, the one point gap between Troy and the Texan (502 to 501) means that everything goes right down to the wire this Sunday at the Santerno track.

The reigning world champion has put the Assen incident out of his mind and comes to Imola determined to reaffirm the supremacy shown during the first part of the championship, in which he picked up 14 wins in 18 races. A positive test session at Mugello last week, in which several improvements were made to his Ducati 998 F02 in view of the Imola round, has left Troy in the best possible condition for the final races of the season.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit with the feeling on my bike since Laguna and the last few rounds haven’t been like they were at the start of the year” said Troy, “but after the Mugello test, I’ve got the same feeling I had at the start of the year again and I’m really looking forward to Imola. I like the track, I was having a good time here until I broke my collarbone! There are a lot of chicanes, you just have to get your bike working well there, it’s an undulating and bumpy circuit so a good all-round package is going to be ideal. I’d say I’ve got a good chance, but my chances are as good as Colin’s. Whoever has the best weekend, will win.”

Unlike Troy, team-mate Ruben Xaus (Ducati Infostrada) has positive memories of the Imola track. Last year he picked up a win and a second place, and even though the situation is different this year, the Spanish rider will do everything possible to help the Australian in the battle for the title.

“In Assen I was really fast and it was just that we were a bit unlucky technically, but I hope this weekend nothing will happen and I will just try and do what I did last year, finish both races at the top. Colin and Troy are battling for the championship but I want to be there with them and be the same as last year, be the same Ruben Xaus as before and win races. I’m hungry for a win and hopefully I’ll have a bit of luck this weekend.”

After a difficult season in which he only stepped up onto the podium once, Ben Bostrom (Ducati L&M) will be aiming to displace Aprilia’s Noriyuki Haga from fourth place in the standings at one of his favourite tracks.

“Although it’s the last race of the season, I have a lot of motivation and I’m really excited now I’ve got everything sorted out for next year” declared Ben. “I’m planning to get fourth place in the championship, even though it’s not exactly what I expected at the start of the year. Imola always produces good races, the track is awesome, the people are great and I went pretty well here last year.”

POINTS (after 12 of 13 rounds):
Riders
1. Edwards (Honda) 502
2. Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) 501
3. Hodgson (HM Plant Ducati) 302
4. Haga (Aprilia) 254
5. Bostrom (Ducati L&M) 248
6. Xaus (Ducati Infostrada) 217
Constructors
1. Ducati 535
2. Honda 507
3. Aprilia 254
4. Kawasaki 197
5. Suzuki 130
6. Benelli 23
7. Yamaha 16.

THE IMOLA CIRCUIT
The history of the ‘Enzo & Dino Ferrari’ at Imola dates back to 1950 with the inauguration of a circuit obtained from roads destined for normal traffic. The most famous motorcycle event to be held here was the Imola 200 Miles in 1972, organised by Francesco Costa and won by Paul Smart on a Ducati, while changes were made to the circuit in the 1970s so that it could become a permanent venue for Formula One races from 1979 onwards. This will be the second time World Superbikes has been to Imola after the Santerno circuit hosted the final round of the championship in 2001.

CIRCUIT RECORDS
Fastest Lap: Corser (Aprilia) 1:49.398 (2001); Qualifying: Xaus (Ducati) 1:48.462 (2001); Superpole: Corser (Aprilia) 1:48.694 (2001).
RACE DISTANCE: 2 x 21 laps (2 x 103.593 km)

From a press release issued by Libasci Racing:

Libasci Racing announces 16 year old Nick Moore to ride with team for the remainder of the season.

With long time Libasci Racing rider Andre’ Castanos moving up to an AMA 750SS team, Alan Libasci has decided to go with youngster Nick Moore from Modesto, CA to replace Andre’ on the team. Nick has been riding motorcycles since he was four, he is currently racing flat track on a Rotax 600, motocross on a 125 and has also raced a Honda RS125 in several road racing events. He earned his expert road racing license at Willow springs early this year after winning his first two Novice races on a Honda RS125.

In his second WSMC race with the team Nick dominated the 550 Superbike class, finishing in first place after starting from the last grid position. Nick leaped into first place going into turn three of the racetrack and never looked back, winning by a large margin. In the Aprilia Challenge race he was also forced to start from the back as he had no points going into the races. Nick performed with the same skill passing everyone on the first lap on his way to his second victory of the day. Nick will be traveling with the team to Daytona for the Aprilia Cup National final in October.

Libasci Racing would like to thank the following sponsors for their support: Aprilia-Ducati of Oceanside,VOR-USA, Maxima Performance Products, Race Tech, Airtech, Dunlop, RK Chains, Motonation (sidi), Chatterbox, Zero Gravity, Ferodo, Motion Pro, Barnett, Sprocket Specialist, Scorpion Racing, and KRS.

From a press release issued by HM Plant Ducati:

Showdown at Imola

The build-up to the final round of the 2002 Superbike World Championship has begun. The final two races of the year will take place this Sunday (29 September) and either Colin Edwards or Troy Bayliss will come away from the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola with the championship crown. This 13th round will also decide the final championship standings of HM Plant Ducati campaigners Neil Hodgson and James Toseland. Both riders have had an exceptional season but for Hodgson in particular, taking the chequered flag at the end of the second race will hold a special significance – it will conclude his last ride aboard the HM Plant Ducati for GSE Racing.

Hodgson’s Italian swansong is set to cap an incredibly successful four years of competition with GSE Racing. His partnership with the British team has yielded a British Superbike Championship title as well as World Superbike race wins and podium finishes. Last season the 28-year-old Englishman achieved an overall placing of fifth in the 2001 world championship. This weekend he is hoping to confirm his 2002 ranking of third in the world.

“I’m sure that it’s going to be an pretty emotional weekend,” says Hodgson. “I’ve had a fantastic four years with GSE Racing and we’ve achieved some amazing results. The team is definitely one of the most professional in the paddock and it’s been a pleasure working with them. I’ll be sad to leave but they’ll only be a couple of garages away next year and I expect that James will be snapping at my heels in most of the races, so it’s not like I’ll get a chance to miss them too much!

“I’m really looking forward to Imola, even though I had a couple of poor races there last year. I like the circuit and expect to be right up there with Colin and Troy when the lights go green. This will be my last chance to climb onto the podium in HM Plant Ducati colours and I’m going to make sure that that’s exactly what I do. I only need to score three points in the first race to secure my third place in the championship then I can just go for it in the second. I want to end my time with GSE Racing with another win.”

James Toseland may have signed to ride for GSE Racing for another two years but he is equally focussed on ending this season on a high. The last round of the championship at Assen saw Toseland climb onto the World Superbike podium for the first time in his burgeoning Superbike career. It is clear that this momentous event has only served to make the 21-year-old Yorkshireman more determined than ever to rack up even more big points finishes.

“I’ve had a great season on the HM Plant Ducati but Assen may have just given me the final boost that I needed to help me improve even further,” explains Toseland. “I’ve been getting top six finishes all season and hopefully I’ll be able to wrap it up with a couple of strong performances. Neil has been a great team-mate over the last couple of years – I’ve learned a lot from him and I’ll be putting everything that I’ve learned into action in both races.”

2001 results
Race one: 1. R. Xaus (Ducati) 38:42.598; 2. T. Corser (Aprilia) +3.601; 3. C. Edwards (Honda) +4.079; 10. N. Hodgson (GSE Racing) +49.078; J. Toseland (GSE Racing) DNF

Race two: 1. R. Laconi (Aprilia) 38:33.264; 2. R. Xaus (Ducati) +0.021; 3. T. Okada (Honda) +0.844; 7. N. Hodgson (GSE Racing) +38.727; J. Toseland (GSE Racing) DNS

Lap record: 1:49.398 T. Corser (Aprilia) 2001