Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Track day provider Team Pro-Motion has announced a “Year End Appreciation Sale” event scheduled for November 23 and 24 at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina.

For additional information, contact Team Pro-Motion at (215) 671-8660 or via e-mail [email protected].

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Michael Rutter, GB, Ducati, 22:22.422

2. John McGuinness, GB, Honda, 25:29.284

3. David Jefferies, GB, Suzuki, 25:31.534

4. Gus Scott, GB, Suzuki, 25:31.954

5. Brian Morrison, GB, Suzuki, 25:33.964

6. Pete Jennings, GB, Suzuki, 25:39.641

7. Vincent Haskovec, US, Suzuki, 25:47.059

8. Marcel Kellenberger, Switzerland, Kawasaki, 25:59.918

9. Jason Griffiths, GB, Suzuki, 26:05.985

10. Kevin Lacombe, Canada, Honda, 26:06.043

11. Franky Heidger, Germany, Suzuki, 26:18.094

12. Stephen Thompson, GB, Suzuki, 26:18.179

13. Steve Allen, GB, Kawasaki, 26:18.723

14. Chris Palmer, GB, Sabre, 26:22.119

15. Nigel Davies, GB, Suzuki, 26:29.003

16. Callum Ramsay, GB, Suzuki, 26:29.053

17. Ronnie Smith, GB, Honda, 26:30.808

18. Stuart Easton, GB, Supersport, Ducati, 26:30.929

19. Cameron Donald, Austria, Supersport, Yamaha, 26:43.254

20. Jim Moodie, GB, Yamaha, 26:53.845

21. Jun Maeda, Japan, Honda, 26:54.323

22. Denny Mascarenhas, Portugal, Suzuki, 26:54.347

23. Frank Trombino, Canada, Honda, 26:55.684

24. Hans Herber, Germany, Suzuki, 27:00.830

25. Yusuke Takeyama, Japan, Supersport, Yamaha, 27:01.052

26. Chia Tuck Cheong, Malaysia, Supersport, Yamaha, 27:05.199

27. Joao Fernandes, Portugal, Yamaha, 27:25.518

28. Miguel Praia, Portugal, Supersport, Honda, 27:43.315

29. Sou Se Hong, Macau, Supersport, Yamaha, 27:43.495

30. Alan Patterson, GB, Honda, 7 laps, DNF

31. Iain Duffus, GB, Yamaha, 5 laps, DNF

32. Markus Barth, Germany, Kawasaki, 4 laps, DNF

Race Distance, 10 laps, 38.527 miles

Fastest Superbike Lap, Morrison, 2:30.689, 90.85 mph

Fastest Supersport Lap, Easton, 2:36.676, 87.37 mph

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Roadracingworld.com’s Michael Hannas qualified on pole and led both races from flag to flag to take the overall victory in the Deep South Classic XR100 (dirt track) National Sunday in Cullman, Alabama. Aaron Yates finished second in both races and Jason Pope recorded 3-3 finishes to take the final podium position.

Hannas set a new track record in Superpole with a 24.03 lap time, smashing Chuck Sorensen’s old record of 24.93 and putting him on the pole for both legs of the final. Hannas was joined on the front row by Jason Pope, Brian Parriott and Yates.

In Race One, Hannas rocketed off the line in the lead and immediately started pulling away from the field. Yates was chasing, but couldn’t quite keep pace and settled for second. Jason Pope finished behind Yates, with Brian Parriott taking fourth from Josh Hayes after a race-long battle. Hayes rounded out the top five.

Race Two was a repeat of Race One, with Hannas again taking the lead from the start with Yates right behind. Again, Hannas pulled away from the field, with Yates unable to keep up. Pope was close behind Yates for the whole race but not close enough to make a pass. Hayes got the better of Parriott this time, giving him fourth overall over Parriott. Parriott rounded out the top five.

Said Hannas after the race, “From the Superpole results, I knew I could pull away from the field, but I needed to go hard in the first few laps so that Aaron wouldn’t be close enough. It worked out well, and I’m stoked. The trophy is going back to Cali again, where it belongs.”

Deep South Classic National
Overall Results (MX Scoring)
1. Michael Hannas (1-1) Honda XR100
2. Aaron Yates (2-2) Suzuki DR-Z125
3. Jason Pope (3-3) Honda XR100
4. Josh Hayes (5-4) Yamaha TTR125
5. Brian Parriott (4-5) Honda XR100
6. Chris Pyles (7-8) Yamaha TTR125

Superpole Results (Four laps, best one counts)
1. Hannas 24.03
2. J. Pope 24.53
3. Parriott 24.78
4. Yates 24.80
5. Hayes 24.87
6. Calvin Brown 24.88 (Honda XR100)

From a press release issued by Rich Oliver:

I would like to announce the new Web-Site for Team Oliver Yamaha, www.richoliver.net.

Not only will you find all the latest news about Team Oliver Yamaha, but I have included information on the Rich Oliver Mystery School and Fun Camps.

I have also built a comprehensive online art gallery, filled with paintings, sculptures, and even furniture.

Lot’s of credit goes to Brian Nelson for his beautiful photographs. Thank you also to everyone who helped with editing and spelling, and to Kodak for a great digital camera!

I really hope you enjoy looking around, and if you can pass the word to any of your friends and associates who may be interested in looking at the site as well I would really appreciate it.

Thank you as always for your support of Team Oliver Yamaha.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Aaron Yates, riding a Suzuki DR-Z125, came from the back of the grid and ripped through the field to take the win in the Deep South Classic XR100 Invitational Trophy Dash Saturday in Cullman, Alabama.

Due to sloppy track conditions caused by recent poor weather (including rain through Friday night), Deep South officials decided to run the Trophy Dash on Saturday and postpone the XR100 National until Sunday, in hopes of better conditions.

The event has three main rules, which include stock exhaust with stock baffle, 125cc maximum displacement, and no knobby tires.

Three heat races determined which of the 21 riders entered would make the Trophy Dash Main, with the top three in each heat gaining a transfer.

Heat One was won by Josh Hayes, with Michael Hannas right behind.

Heat Two was won by Aaron Yates, with Brian Parriott close behind.

Heat Three was won by Jason Pope, a friend of Yates, with Calvin Brown in second. After the heat, Deep South officials noticed that Brown was running an illegal exhaust on his bike, and he was forced to ride “The Pile” penalty bike in the Trophy Dash.

When the Trophy Dash Main started, Jeff Griffin rocketed off the line in the lead, followed by Lee Pope and James Siddall, with Parriott close behind in fourth.

With the heat-race winners starting from the last row of the inverted grid, Yates and Hayes were coming from the back. Jason Pope and Hannas were also working their way through the field from the back.

Yates took the lead from Griffin when Griffin had a moment in the fast sweeper. Griffin made another mistake in the next corner, which allowed both Pope brothers, Parriott, and Hannas by.

Hannas was able to work his way around Parriott, but couldn’t get by the Pope brothers and ended up fourth, with Jason Pope and Lee Pope second and third, respectively.

Yates was not distracted by the gorgeous flag girl and took the checkered for the win, and the Deep South Classic Trophy Dash Piston Wreath.

The main event will run Sunday, with Superpole, the Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 National, and the Deep South Classic Invitational Consolation Race on the schedule.

Heat Race 1
1. Josh Hayes, Yamaha TTR125
2. Michael Hannas, Honda XR100
3. Jeff Griffin, Honda XR100

Heat Race 2
1. Aaron Yates, Suzuki DR-Z125
2. Brian Parriott, Honda XR100
3. Lee Pope, Honda XR100

Heat Race 3
1. Jason Pope, Honda XR100
2. Calvin “Cheater” Brown, Honda XR100
3. James Siddall, Honda XR100

Deep South Classic XR100 Trophy Dash
1. Aaron Yates, Suzuki DR-Z125
2. Jason Pope, Honda XR100
3. Lee Pope, Honda XR100
4. Michael Hannas, Honda XR100
5. Brian Parriott, Honda XR100
6. Josh Hayes, Yamaha TTR125
7. Jeff Griffin, Honda XR100
8. Calvin Brown, Honda XR100
9. James Siddall, Honda XR100

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

2002 FIM 125cc Grand Prix World Champion Arnaud Vincent has signed a two-year deal to ride for the KTM factory 125cc Grand Prix team, starting in the 2003 FIM World Championship. Frenchman Vincent, 27, will team with 2000 125cc GP World Champion Roberto Locatelli.

In other MotoGP news, Gresini Honda team owner Fausto Gresini has said he will not field a 250cc World Championship team in 2003. Instead, Gresini’s team will focus its efforts on the MotoGP class with Daijiro Kato and Sete Gibernau riding Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211Vs.

Gresini ran Roberto Rolfo and Emilio Alzamora on Fortuna Honda Gresini machines in the 2002 250cc World Championship; the team won the 2001 250cc World Championship with Kato on a Telefonica Movistar Honda.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Heavy rains have postponed the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix for only the second time in the race’s 36-year existence, according to a press release issued by the Macau Grand Prix Committee. The last time the race was postponed was in 1987 when a typhoon forced the entire event to wait until Monday.

The 36th Macau Motorcycle GP will now run a shortened race distance, 10 laps versus 15 of the 3.8-mile Guia street circuit, on Sunday.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

American teen John Hopkins ended three days of testing with the Suzuki MotoGP team at Sepang by going faster on race tires than he went in qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier this year.

The session at Sepang was Hopkins’ first test on the Suzuki GSV-R.

From a press release issued by SBK International, which organizes the Superbike World Championship:


New SBK Season Shapes Up

The stunning conclusion of the 2002 World Championship is still a fresh memory for all those who were privileged to watch the culmination of the 13 round, 26-race series at Imola on September 29.

As the final chequered flag of the season fell, however, the plans for 2003 were already in various stages of advanced completion, for organizers and competitiors alike.

With the 16th season of SBK racing beckoning, Neil Hodgson (Ducati Infostrada) was an early call up for the official factory effort, and the talent of Ruben Xaus, a 2002 factory Ducati rider in his own right, has recently joined the Lancastrian. Both riders have tested their 2003 mount on separate occasions, the all-new Ducati 999R, at this season’s favourite test venue of Valencia.

For Hodgson, third in the championship in 2002 and the only man to consistently mix it with Colin Edwards and Troy Bayliss, the new season presents a gilt-edged opportunity to become the first Briton since Carl Fogarty in 1999 to win the World Championship. A proven SBK race winner and former British Superbike Champion, Hodgson’s hunger and consistency will be matched to top class machinery this season, making him the pre-season favourite for most.

A new season invariably means new signings but this year SBK welcomes a whole new manufacturer – PETRONAS – in the form of the Foggy Petronas Racing team, led into the breach by four-time Champion Carl Fogarty.

The eagerly anticipated Anglo-Malaysian Foggy Petronas entrants have been hard at work in the workshop and on the racetrack, moulding the curvaceous FP1 three-cylinder machine to the rigours of World Superbike competition. The initial competitiveness of any new machine is always an unknown until points are up for grabs but the seriousness of the new team’s intention to win as soon as possible has been underlined many times.

With riders of the calibre of 1996 SBK World Champion and 23 times race-winner Troy Corser plus the mercurial British Superbike race winner James Haydon on their books, the FPR team may just achieve some ambitions earlier than anyone could realistically expect.

Another team with their plans sorted early is the HM Plant Ducati squad, who will field Britons James Toseland and Chris Walker on 2002-spec factory Ducatis. A Supermoto injury has seen Walker undergo a restorative operation on his left ankle recently, but he and Toseland are both expected to be testing in mid December.

Fans’ favourite Pierfrancesco Chili, 15 times World Superbike race winner, will be taking to the tracks again in 2003, this time on a privately entered PSG-1 Ducati. Having scored a podium finish in 2002, he will be another looking for regular top three placings on one of many quick privateer Ducatis in the 2003 field.

All the private riders will be helped by the new restrictions placed on the numbers of rear tyres used in timed and untimed qualifying, with only 13 tyres per rider permitted in pre-race sessions.

Tyres will be a pivotal topic for the DFX Pirelli Ducati team, three riders strong this year. Aussie Steve Martin returns for another European based campaign, and he will be joined by former factory Ducati star Juan Borja and rising Italian talent Marco Borciani.

Long-time SBK supporters Team Kawasaki Bertocchi are back in the fold, with Mauro Sanchini and Ivan Clementi also taking on the Team Pedercini Ducatis of Lucio Pedercini and Serafino Foti for the honour of top Italian privateer team.

In addition to the traditional saddle swapping between seasons, another SBK dynamic has been the main talking point in recent weeks. Two new tracks will be added this year – although technically Magny-Cours in France is a returnee to the SBK fold, having been the venue for the French race in 1991. A date change to 19 October has been announced from the original pre-calendar slot for the welcome return of France to the SBK circus.

The endlessly impressive Sepang circuit in Malaysia is, however, an all-new track to the fold, and should deliver strong local and vocal support for the new PETRONAS entry.

Before the racing gets underway there will be an official SBK test session, at Valencia, on 21-23 February, a test that will give the top teams a chance to measure their off-season progress a mere two weeks before the start of the season in Spain.

The Supersport World Championship returns for its fifth season as a full status World Championship, and the competition in the class will be made even keener by the arrival of three new machines. The existing Suzuki GSX-R600 will line up against the new boys, the Honda CBR600RR, Yamaha YZF-R6 and Kawasaki ZX-6RR, in what will be one of the most closely contested series on the planet.

Yamaha field their usual combination of Christian Kellner and 2000 Champion Jörg Teuchert in the Yamaha Germany team, with Paolo Casoli and James Whitham challenging for honours in the Belgarda squad.

Honda have flooded eight factory CBRs into the grid this year, for the Ten Kate, van Zon, BKM and OPCM teams, which include the riding talents of Karl Muggeridge, Chris Vermeulen, Iain Macpherson, Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes.

Kawasaki, Champions in 2001, has given the factory team status to Kawasaki France for 2003, and the new/old team will be supporting reigning champion Fabien Foret and Spaniard Pere Riba in their very own dream team.

Diminutive Italian rider Alessio Corradi scored an early pre-season success at Supersport tests in Valencia on 13/14 November, setting the fastest time on his Team Italia Spadaro Yamaha.

A new era of World Superbike racing dawns in 2003 when 1000cc four-cylinder machines, fitted with air-restrictors, will be welcomed into the SBK grid for the first time, allowing SBK to continue the close links with the road-going machines the class itself is based on.

The season starts at Valencia on March 2, with the final calendar expected to be published at the end of November.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Final Qualifying Times For Macau Grand Prix:

1. Michael Rutter, Ducati, 2:28.286
2. John McGuiness, Honda, 2:30.609
3. David Jefferies, Suzuki, 2:32.037
4. Markus Barth, Kawasaki, 2:32.315
5. Brian Morrison, Suzuki, 2:32.356
6. Gus Scott, Suzuki, 2:32.840
7. Iain Duffus, Yamaha, 2:33.217
8. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, 2:34.151
9. Alan Patterson, Honda, 2:34.749
10. Jason Griffiths, Suzuki, 2:35.108
11. Franky Heidger, Suzuki, 2:35.296
12. Pete Jennings, Suzuki, 2:35.401
13. Ronnie Smith, Honda, 2:35.508
14. Marcel Kellenberger, Kawasaki, 2:35.555
15. Stephen Thompson, Suzuki, 2:36.278
16. Steve Allan, Kawasaki, 2:36.507
17. Callum Ramsay, Suzuki, 2:36.513
18. Stuart Easton, Ducati, 2:36.584
19. Kevin Lacombe, Honda, 2:36.598
20. Chris Palmer, Sabre, 2:37.794

28. Frank Trombino, Honda, 2:40.999