Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Four Suzukis raced by WERA 600cc Superstock and Open Superstock National Challenge Series Champion Mark Junge were damaged by contaminated Nutec Special 4 race gas during the April 20-21 WERA National round at North Florida Motorsports Park.

When his fuel order was delayed, Junge bought Nutec Special 4, the race gas of choice for many riders, from another racer at the WERA National. The fuel, which was in the sealed, original Nutec five-gallon drums was contaminated and gummed up the ports and valves of Junge’s racebikes.

The result was three poor-running Suzukis and a GSX-R1000 that wouldn’t run at all. Junge struggled through the WERA weekend, finishing sixth in the Open Superstock race and sixth in the 600cc Superstock race, both on his GSX-R600. Junge’s teammate Tray Batey faired better, finishing second in the 750cc Superstock sprint, on a GSX-R750, and winning the Heavyweight Twins race, on a TL1000R. But when Junge returned to his race shop in Union Grove, Wisconsin, he found another surprise.

“It looked as if someone had poured molasses down every intake and exhaust valve of all four bikes,” said Junge, in an April 24 telephone call to Roadracingworld.com. “So now instead of going to race at Road America this weekend, I’m going to have to bust my ass to pull the heads off all four bikes and be ready for the next WERA National at Putnam Park. I’m going to have to clean the heads, the throttle bodies and the injectors, in addition to the normal engine rebuilds for my endurance bikes.”

At the 2001 April CCS twin-sprint race weekend at Road America, Junge won eight of the nine races he entered. Factor in American Suzuki’s decision to pay full contingency on both days of this weekend’s 2002 twin-sprint weekend, and, by running in three contingency-paying races per day, Junge could possibly have won $4500 in Suzuki contingency alone.

This isn’t the first time that a problem has occurred with Nutec Special 4 race gas. During the March 2002 Formula USA and AMA races at Daytona, three separate teams encountered problems with contaminated Nutec Special 4 race fuel, and the problem affected all of Arclight Suzuki’s racebikes.

Contacted by phone April 24, Nutec Racing Fuels & Oils’ U.S. Sales Executive Lionel Roux said, “Yes, we knew that we had some problems, but we believed that it was a small amount of fuel and that it all was consumed by now.

“The problem is contamination by water in the blending tanks. The water reacts with the additive package in the fuel, the fuel runs without the additive and it gums everything up.

“Condensation happens in the blending tanks. Maybe we had a filter failure. We have bought new filters and put in place new procedures for quality control.”

Although Junge said his contaminated Nutec fuel “didn’t even smell like regular Nutec”, Roux said that there is no way to know if a container, five or 15-gallon, of Nutec Special 4 is contaminated just by its markings or smell. Roux said that riders worried about a drum of Nutec being contaminated should call him at (310) 641-8015.

Roux added that the newest Nutec race fuel, Special 5, has a new additive package that doesn’t react with water. Roux said that the new Special 5 fuel will be available after the Sears Point AMA National, adding that the new fuel is more powerful, cleaner burning and only a little more expensive than Special 4.

Meanwhile, Junge said that he is considering switching to another brand of race fuel.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Let Me Tell You About My AMA 250 GP Race At Fontana…

By John France
AMA 250 GP #19

It started about two weeks before the Daytona race. I was on the phone for many hours making arrangements to get all my equipment and truck from the East coast of Florida to the West coast of California. I had made an arrangement with fellow competitor Simon Turner and his team to haul their equipment, my sort-of-teammate Greg Esser’s equipment, and all of my stuff to Fontana, then Sears Point and back. Well, I bit off more than I could chew and couldn’t get my truck set up to transport everyone’s stuff. I had to call Simon’s team manager Per Hogdahl and tell him I had to back out of the deal. They understood and made other arrangements for themselves.

After Daytona it was back on the phone to Greg Esser and we found another way to get all of our stuff out to Fontana. That involved having my friend Curtis drive the truck so we would fly out. Having to work a full-time job is a real inconvenience. But we managed to get everything out there. Plus you can always count on Curtis for a laugh or two.

Wednesday before the race I went to work for two hours, drove to the airport in Orlando (one hour away) sat around the airport for two hours after being suspected, sniffed, swabbed, searched, detected, ID’d, poked, prodded, questioned. Finally I shoved my way onto an airborne cattle car (run by an airline that doesn’t assign seats) with people dressed like they were planning on spending the day watching the Jerry Springer Show at the local soup kitchen! Nice, very nice. Luckily, I only had to spend eight hours with them.

Curtis picks me up at the airport and it is off to the motel for a nice quiet night. The tremendous sound from the horrific amount of traffic on I-10 roaring by inches from your room lulls you right to sleep.

Thursday we get to the track nice and early to set things up. Greg is already there milling around. At least we have plenty of time to set things up and go through tech because there is no promoter practice. The AMA advised the track and/or the promoter (Mob style?) not to hold a Thursday practice day. They claim they needed Thursday to get the track ready for Friday’s activities. I wonder how they found time to get Daytona ready with CCS/Formula USA and AHRMA running the previous five days to that event? Anyway, there was really no reason for Thursday practice, sure it was a brand-new venue for most of us but the factory teams had already run there a few times and knew what to expect. No, one extra day would not put any true privateer on par with the factory teams or the very best of the private teams, but track time for us is very rare and valuable. Oh, they did have a club race there the previous weekend. Most of the locals and the well-heeled out-of-town privateers were able to get some of the above-mentioned valuable track time. Too bad I, and a lot of others, couldn’t afford to blast out there a week early for a few club races. Strike one!

Friday morning looks pretty good, weather wise, and Curtis and I hitch a ride with Team Oliver to the track at the crack of dawn. Everything is set, warmed up, ready to go. The only problem now is that somebody noticed the turn-one section (a make-shift contraption) has standing water in it. Most probably from the sprinkler system keeping the grass in the infield (the only grass within ten miles of the place) green. The grass did look lovely!

Finally they had the track ready to ride on by about 10:30. Only 1-½ hours late! Good thing the AMA used Thursday to get the track ready!

I head out on the track for my eye-opening practice session. Lots of walls, haybales, Air Fence, cones, and plastic curbing delineating the prescribed route. Not the best, by a long shot. But, I’ve been on worse. Doesn’t really flow together. As a matter of fact the only way to make that place flow together would be to heat it up to 1,500 deg. F. and tip it on its side! Who or what designs these places?

I make it through in one piece. Not the fastest or the slowest. Did I mention that I, like a lot of other riders have never been to this place before and just guessed at the set-up?

Friday’s afternoon session rolls around almost on time. Since the morning session I have changed the gearing and jetting. I head out on the track and go faster than the first session. On about lap eight the red flag comes out because someone has augured into the wall. All of the trucks and ambulances are either attending that incident or driving on the track to get there. Must be a bad one! I return to the pit lane and start looking around to see who is missing. Turns out it is my sort-of-teammate Greg Esser. No problem, he’s tough and has been known to toss it down the road from time-to-time. Could just be cheap theatrics.

We get the green flag and take off again. No time to worry about Greg now. I’m riding down the back straight on the first lap of the re-start when I see the Medical Helicopter lift off. Let’s see, Greg has crashed, red flag, trucks and ambulances, helicopter, now I have to worry about him! Just the thing you need when you are trying go fast and learn a new track! Strike two!

Practice ends and I blast back to the truck to find out about Greg. Nobody knows for sure, lots of guesses. Usually when someone hits the wall and is flown out it is not very good. I send Curtis to find out where Greg went, what was wrong with him, and where they left his bike. A few minutes later Curtis, Greg’s friend Hector, and, I think his name was Dean, a track official, roar up in a car to tell me they are going to the hospital to check on Greg. They don’t know his condition, either.

I get on the cell phone to try and find Greg’s brother’s phone number. I called a mutual friend near where he lives to look up the number in the phone book. If you’re at the track with someone and you know they do not have anyone at home (like Greg) to call, you should probably get some numbers from them ahead of time. Anyway, I called his brother, told him what I knew, gave him the number to the hospital and then waited. Did I mention Greg had the rental car that I was supposed to return to the airport? Of course I didn’t know where it was parked, what kind it was, or where the keys were. But I figured I could find the keys and car.

While I was waiting (seemed like forever) to hear from some one, anyone, I started to pack Greg’s things away. I root through his clothes (kind of creepy) and find the rental car key with the make, model and license plate number on it. Finally about 8:00 p.m. someone calls me and tells Greg he is basically OK and that Curtis will meet me at the motel later. Turns out Greg had a broken ankle, separated shoulder, maybe a concussion but otherwise no biggie.

Team Oliver gives me a ride out to the parking lot and we find Greg’s rental car. I go back to the motel and wait for Curtis. He shows up about 9:30 p.m. and gives me the report, same as before. Except nobody knows when he’ll get out. Maybe Sunday or Monday.

Saturday morning we head to the track nice and early. Too bad it is lightly raining. The track is dangerous in the dry. I can’t even imagine what it would be like in the rain! Nothing better than crashing in the rain, hitting the wet grass and picking up another 10 mph before you hit the wall. I’m sure those plastic curbs are ripe with traction when they’re wet.

We spend all day waiting to see what is going to happen. Bored and needing something to do, we get Greg’s bike and other equipment loaded up to be shipped back to Florida with some other team. Finally, late in the afternoon we get a 12-minute practice session and I go slightly faster than on Friday. Maybe, barely.

Sunday rolls around and we rush to see what the new and improved schedule has in store for us. A little practice in the morning. A qualifying session a little later on, and then the 250 race around 1:00 p.m. Practice goes pretty good.

I lean it down a little for the qualifying session. Need to get a decent spot on the grid, you know. And wait for the session to start. I head out there, give it about two laps to warm up the engine, forks, shock and tires, on the third lap I take off to try and pick up my time and the engine starts to detonate and then seizes. Not the best way to qualify. I limp it back to the paddock area where Curtis and I remove both cylinders and inspect the damage. Tools are flying; we don’t have much time before the race. Lower cylinder is shot. Upper one is OK! We toss another piston, cylinder, and head on it. Fatten up the jets, back off the timing, and we are ready to go ten minutes before the start of the race! Whew! Got a lot work done very quickly but soon the race will start and it’ll be worth it!

I put all of my gear on and get set to go when Curtis hears that I and about 11 other guys haven’t qualified! What the f–k! How could that be! There are only 32 bikes entered and they will start a maximum of forty on a track like this. Then Curtis says “you didn’t make it under the 112% rule” (I told you he was good for a laugh). I thought about that for a second and he was correct! 19 guys qualified, I was the 20th about 0.500-second too slow with only three laps in qualifying. I firmly believe I would have been within the “112% rule” if I hadn’t tuned myself out of qualifying. I went out onto the grid to see what was up and the officials told me I wasn’t going to race today. I think most of the other guys that didn’t qualify went out, too. I took the warm-up lap, sat at the back of the grid in disbelief. Was told to leave. I crawled back to my hole. Strike three and I’m out!

Yes, by the rules I didn’t qualify, and neither did the others. The only problem is that, A: This was a new track. B: There was very little practice (and none on Thursday) C: They haven’t used timed qualifying for a 250 race in years and D: they should have told us at the riders’ meeting what they were planning to do. But then an axe murderer never tells you ahead of time what he plans to do, either.

Guys monitoring the AMA radios said that Ron Barrick and Gary Mathers realized that everything was pretty messed up and wanted to let everyone race but Merrill Vanderslice overruled them! Nice touch, Merrill. Maybe you could swing by the orphanage on Christmas Eve and tell the children how their parents died.

At the next event I will have two bikes ready for qualifying just in case something happens. And, they’re will be no more messing around. I will try and run the first laps as fast as possible in case something happens. I will also read the rulebook and see what other loophole they can try and snare me with. Like, the minimum number of laps, if you can swap bikes (better wear the transponder on your leathers). Or any other number of rules they may or may not impose. Should I bring a lawyer to read the fine print and “interpret the rules”? Maybe the top management of the AMA Pro Racing is as inept as everyone says they are!

PS: Do I get the paltry $100 for 20th place?

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From a phone interview with privateer Brian Livengood, who is fourth in AMA Superbike points following the AMA National at Fontana and so is banned from Thursday practice at Sears Point by a rule AMA Pro Racing Director of Competition Merrill Vanderslice says was enacted to “save the factory teams from themselves”:

“I called (Vanderslice) this morning and left a message, and he got back to me this afternoon. Basically, I knew they had the deal with the practices, but I thought it was the week prior to the event. I didn’t know it was the promoter practice that they weren’t letting the top 10 in. I never thought or worried about it until we started making our plans for Sears and I found out, actually last night, they’re not allowing top 10 in Superbike points (to take part in Thursday practice).

“I figured I’d call. I thought that it should’ve just applied to the factory teams, not the privateer guys. So I called and (Vanderslice) got back to me. I asked him about it. He said that’s the way it’s been for three years and there was nothing really that he could do about it.

“I explained to him that the big importance was that, one, I’ve never been there (Sears Point), two, I am a privateer team and by going there and learning the track it allows me, on Friday and Saturday, to be up to pace where I’m not in the way learning the track while you’ve got the factory teams out there. All in all in the end, my sponsors that got me where I’m at now, if I’m not learning the track like all of my other competitors that’s going to put me behind.

“Other than that, he said if there was anything else he could help me with fine, but there was nothing he could do with this. I asked him as far as penalty-wise, what would be the penalty if I decided to run it. He said several different things, revoking licenses and this and that. So he pretty much said, ‘Don’t do it.’

“He talked to me normal. He wasn’t a smart ass or anything like that. But he was like ‘This is the way it’s been. You should’ve known this. This is the way it’s been. I can’t help you out there. Anything else, let me know.’ I asked him what we could do. He said it was a long, drawn out deal. It has to go through this and that, through different parts of the board to get changed. That’s when I decided to give a call and maybe we can get something worked out to where privateer guys that’s not renting out a track every weekend can do at least one day of practice before a full race weekend.

“I guess they really ought to ask the factory guys, ‘Hey, do you really give a care if these guys go out and practice?’ I’m pretty sure that most of them would say no. They don’t care. My understanding is that (the rule) is designed to keep them there for the show on the weekend, so their not out there getting hurt and anything like that. I guess there’s other reasons, too.

“So I guess I’m stuck. It’s good to be in the points where I’m at, but I’m not going to win a Superbike Championship or anything like that. I’m there because they (factory Superbike riders) broke and this and that. I’ll have some good finishes and all, but the Superstock was our main focus this year.

“We wanted a top 10 in Superbike because of the track time and, of course, the money. Now where we’re at now, we’re talking to some guys and they might get a Superbike motor built just to finish beating out the rest of the privateer guys.

“Until today (being so high in the Superbike points) was working better for me and all my sponsors. It’s just hurting me for the next events that I’m going to. When I get out to Sears and all of my competitors are out practicing on Thursday and I’m sitting in the pits…there’s no replacement for track time.”

From a Ducati North America press release:

Ducati North America is making it easier than ever for customers to get on a high performance, race-only Superbike by offering very special incentives through its dealer network on 2001 Model Year 748R and 996SPS models.

If you ever dreamed of owning a Ducati racebike, act now, because supplies will not last. Also, for the serious racer, a limited number of hand-built 748RS race-only bikes direct from the in-house racing department in Bologna are available. Call your local Ducati dealer today for availability, prices, and other details. Call 1-888-DUCATI-2 to locate the Ducati dealer nearest you or visit www.ducatiusa.com.

(When contacted for more information, Ducati North America’s Myrianne Gaeta said that pricing will be set by individual Ducati dealers.)

From another Ducati North America Press Release:

Ducati North America recently released a large pool of its corporate demo and test bike fleet to its North American dealer network. Monsters, Superbikes, Supersports, and Sport-Touring models are available. All priced to sell. Call your Ducati Dealer today to check on model availability and take advantage of this very limited time offer. Call 1-888-DUCATI-2 to locate the Ducati dealer nearest you or visit www.ducatiusa.com

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

WSMC 250cc Grand Prix racer Keith Almond is listed in “serious” condition in the Intensive Care Unit of Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California. Almond was injured when he and Richard Headley tangled in turn nine of Willow Springs International Raceway and crashed during the combined Formula Twins/250cc Grand Prix/125cc Grand Prix WSMC sprint race Sunday, April 21.

Headley was relatively uninjured, and according to Race Director Danny Farnsworth, Almond had “somewhat stable” vital signs but was unconscious when he was airlifted to a hospital.

Contacted on Tuesday, April 23, WSMC Operations Manager Kenny Kopecky said that Almond was put into a coma by medical personnel at the crash scene because he was being extremely combative, a sign of a concussion. Kopecky added that Almond was breathing on his own after the crash.

Headley was leading the Formula Twins race on a World Superbike-spec Ducati 998RS with Vincent Haskovec slowly catching him. According to Headley, he was trying to pass Almond on the outside of the high-speed final corner when TZ250 rider Almond pushed wide. The two made contact and went tumbling off into the run-off area at over 100 mph.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The Formula USA National scheduled for June 13-16 at New Hampshire International Speedway will include a purse-paying 250cc Grand Prix race.

F-USA Director of Road Racing Bill Syfan confirmed that the two GP classes will be part of 79th Annual Loudon Classic, an event which previously was sanctioned by the AMA and this year is sanctioned by Formula USA.

Racer Sean Wray is working on the final details of a sponsorship deal which may result in a $5000 purse for the 250cc GP race, but Syfan said F-USA could not confirm the purse until they actually had the money in hand.

From a press release:

Mike Bell To Join White Brothers As VP Of Marketing And Brand Development

Tom White, President and Founder of White Brothers Performance Products, in Yorba Linda, California, announced today that Mike Bell, former Yamaha Factory motocross star and 1980 Supercross Champion, will be joining the company’s senior management team in May.

Tom White stated, “Mike Bell has a proven track record in building one of the most successful brand names to date. Having him join us demonstrates our commitment to our customers and our dealers that we have pledged to take White Brothers to the next level. With Mike and the team at WB, you can count on some very innovative things to show up in the market place soon.”

Mike is an 18-year veteran of Oakley, Inc., a $450M company. He originally handled sports marketing, then moved into sales, and is currently spearheading Oakley’s sunglass division.

“Bottom line is I am a dirt bike guy through and through,” stated Mike Bell. “Having the opportunity to work with the best dirt bike accessory manufacturer in the world, White Brothers, was just too good to pass up. White Brothers is a great company and an industry leader in many different categories. We have some visionary plans for the company and its products, and I look forward to being part of the team that will solidify White Brothers’ position as a premier performance company.”

“We are thrilled about having a person of Mike’s caliber join our team,” said Vice President of White Brothers, Bob Weber. “He is a great guy, and has the experience we need in both product development and marketing that will be a tremendous asset to White Brothers. Having been with Oakley, one of the best brand-building companies in history, and our being able to draw upon that experience, should prove advantageous to our growth and a significant contribution to our business.”

From a press release:

Team Suzuki News Service

PRINCE WILLIAM INVITED TO BRITISH MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX

23rd April, 2002.

THE BRITISH based Telefonica MoviStar Suzuki team has invited Prince William to attend the 2002 British Motorcycle Grand Prix at Donington Park, Leicestershire, on July 14th as its special VIP guest.

The World Championship winning team has reacted to news that Prince William has just passed his Compulsory Basic Training and is interested
in motorcycles by offering him a ringside seat with one of the most successful teams in the history of bike racing at his home Grand Prix.

Based in Edenbridge, Kent, the 20-man strong Telefonica MoviStar Suzuki squad can trace its roots back more than 25-years to the time when Londoner Barry Sheene won his world titles on its machinery. More recently the team won the 2000 World Championship with American Kenny Roberts Jr, who is still riding for it alongside Spanish race winner Sete Gibernau. In total the team has won five riders titles and seven constructors Championships.

For 2002 the team is running new Suzuki GSV-R race bikes. With a 990cc V4 four-stroke engine producing more than 210 bhp and the whole bike tipping the scales at just 145 kg, it is one of the fastest motorcycles on the planet.

Team Manager Garry Taylor said: “We are delighted to make this offer to Prince William to come and enjoy the hospitality of our team at the British Grand Prix. We have always taken pride in being a British team and it would be a great honour to have the Prince as our very special guest. In the past, it was a great honour to have Princess Ann visit us at the race track. If William is interested in motorcycling, then the thrill of meeting the world’s best riders and having a close-up inspection of our multi-million pound race machines will hopefully be interesting to him. We have sent an invite to the Prince and are waiting with our fingers crossed.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Here are the allotted purse amounts for each class run during the Supercuts AMA Superbike Challenge weekend at Sears Point Raceway. (These figures do not include contingency and bonus money.)

Chevy Trucks Superbike, Purse $50,000
(1/2 paid for each race, which means winning a Superbike race at Sears Point will pay $2200)
1. $4400
2. $3700
3. $3200
4. $3000
5. $2700
6. $2600
7. $2500
8. $2400
9. $2300
10. $2200
11. $1950
12. $1850
13. $1750
14. $1650
15. $1550
16. $1450
17. $1350
18. $1250
19. $1150
20. $1050
21. $675
22. $625
23. $575
24. $525
25. $475
26. $425
27. $400
28. $375
29. $350
30. $325
31. $300
32. $275
33. $250
34. $225
35. $200


MBNA 250 Grand Prix, Purse $7500
1. $1200
2. $950
3. $675
4. $550
5. $525
6. $475
7. $425
8. $375
9. $350
10. $325
11. $275
12. $250
13. $225
14. $200
15. $175
16. $150
17. $125
18. $100
19. $75
20. $75


Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme, Purse $7500
1. $1200
2. $950
3. $675
4. $550
5. $525
6. $475
7. $425
8. $375
9. $350
10. $325
11. $275
12. $250
13. $225
14. $200
15. $175
16. $150
17. $125
18. $100
19. $75
20. $75


Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport, Purse $7500
1. $1200
2. $950
3. $675
4. $550
5. $525
6. $475
7. $425
8. $375
9. $350
10. $325
11. $275
12. $250
13. $225
14. $200
15. $175
16. $150
17. $125
18. $100
19. $75
20. $75


Suzuki Genuine Accessories Superstock, Purse $7500
1. $1200
2. $950
3. $675
4. $550
5. $525
6. $475
7. $425
8. $375
9. $350
10. $325
11. $275
12. $250
13. $225
14. $200
15. $175
16. $150
17. $125
18. $100
19. $75
20. $75