Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Brian Livengood, the privateer who was named AMA Rookie Of The Year for 2002, actually participated in the series prior to this year, scoring 11 Superbike points in 2000.

AMA Pro Racing has not published criteria for the Rookie Of The Year Award but in the past has disqualified riders who have participated in Superbike races in prior years, even if they had not competed for a full season prior to the season in question.

Privateer Brian Parriott finished better than Livengood in 2002 Superbike points, 6th place versus 9th place.

“This was definitely my Rookie year in AMA competition,” Parriott said when reached by phone Friday at his family dealership, Parriott Motors in St. Helena, California. “I never in my life competed in an AMA Superbike race prior to 2002. We ran qualifying sessions and practice with Arclight last year for practice, but we never competed in an event.”

AMA Pro Racing has not explained why Livengood was named Rookie of the Year instead of Parriott.

From the SBK Press Office:

Edwards Fastest On Day One

First Qualifying Session

A charging final lap of 1:26.609, a new absolute circuit record at Oschersleben, gave Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda) the provisional pole position, after a day in which the stopwatch was pounded by the top two protagonists.

Running slightly behind schedule due to operational equipment delays, the first hour of timed qualifying saw Edwards dip under the 1:27 barrier in the early stages, looking like he had set his best lap of the session at the start.

In splendid isolation for the most part, the American was eventually joined on the 1:26 mark by world Champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) who set a best of 1:29.984, and was the only other man to do so.

Spurred on by the renewed competition to his supremacy, Edwards set out for one final lap and scorched to his best of 1:26.609, showing the form that has given him three out of the last four race wins at the circuit near Magdeburg.

Another regular challenger for pole honours, Neil Hodgson (HM Plant Ducati) went third fastest overall, just outside the 1:26s with a 1:27.164. Hodgson was, however, inside the existing race lap record of 1:27.669.

Former Oschersleben race winner, Ruben Xaus (the holder of the current lap record) jumped back to form at one of his favourite tracks, and went fast enough to roar into the first day top four, ahead of the final full factory Ducati on the grid – the L&M machine of Ben Bostrom.

Chris Walker took his four-cylinder Kawasaki to an excellent sixth place, albeit 1.444 seconds down on the leader’s time, losing out on acceleration on the short straights, which typify the Oschersleben layout.

James Toseland (HM Plant Ducati), who will be Walker’s team-mate in 2003, scored seventh quickest on the stopwatch, ahead of Pierfrancesco Chili (NCR Ducati). Both riders had been inside the top four at one stage, before being forced to yield in the final analysis.

Another fine performance, this time from Italian privateer Marco Borciani (Pedercini Ducati) saw him run out ninth, ahead of the factory Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 750 of Spaniard Gregorio Lavilla.

Noriyuki Haga (Playstation 2 Aprilia) was 1.722 seconds from the pole time, and in 11th place.

The provisional third row was completed by Aussie privateer Steve Martin on his Pirelli-sponsored DFX Ducati team. He in his part just outpaced the Spaziotel Ducati of Juan Borja, ultimately 13th.

AMA hero Eric Bostrom once more found the World Championship pace hotter than in his native US, and went 14th quickest, hoping for some more track and tyre familiarity to make a push towards the higher echelons; not to mention improved fitness after a recent boating accident.

Lucio Pedercini and Broc Parkes rounded out the top 16 provisional pole qualifiers, with factory riders Hitoyasu Izutsu (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Peter Goddard (Benelli) in 17th and 18th places respectively.

The pace at the front was so hot at Oschersleben that fully five riders failed to set qualifying times on the first day of action and must try again in the remaining session, before the specialised discipline of Superpole beckons for the top 16 on Saturday afternoon.

In the Supersport World Championship the leading light Fabien Foret shone brightest once more, flaying his Ten Kate Honda’s throttle with typical gusto and thus moving to the top of the timesheets with a 1:30.275.

Katsuaki Fujiwara, another championship hopeful, took second fastest time on his Alstare Suzuki, ahead of BKM Honda rider Christophe Cogan.

Chris Vermeulen (Van Zon Honda) was good value for his fourth place, finishing ahead of Kawasaki rider Andrew Pitt, the reigning World Champion.

The top Yamaha runner proved to be local hero Jörg Teuchert in sixth, while Yamaha Belgarda team member James Whitham proved too injured to ride after his big Brands Hatch crash, and was replaced by Gianluigi Scalvini.

The final qualifying sessions in all classes take place on Saturday 31st August, with Superpole following on from the Superbike final regulation qualifying session.

SBK Press Office

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday European Superstock Qualifying Results:

1. Walter Tortoroglio, Honda CBR900RR, 1:32.253
2. Stefan Nebel, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.288
3. Vittorio Iannuzzo, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.445
4. Lorenzo Alfonsi, Ducati 998S, 1:32.511
5. Didier Vankeymeulen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.588
6. Fabrizio De Marco, Honda CBR900RR, 1:32.727
7. Koen Vleugels, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.789
8. Gianluca Vizziello, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:32.898
9. Andy Notman, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.914
10. Alessandro Brannetti, Honda CBR900RR, 1:32.946




Note: The model known as the CBR900RR is Europe is the same as the CBR954RR in the United States.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Jason DiSalvo spent Wednesday, August 28th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, riding a stock GSX-R750 on Michelin tires in preparation for the uncoming Suzuki World Cup.

Participants in the Suzuki World Cup will compete on identical, stock GSX-R750 Suzukis on Michelin tires, in an event held at Magny Cours, France September 15.

DiSalvo was joined on track by Freddie Spencer school instructor Jeff Haney, a former Superbike racer. Spencer himself was present during the all-day training session.

DiSalvo raced a GSX-R750 on Dunlop tires in 2002, as well as a Honda RS250, and won the AMA Superstock race at Road America.

The stock GSX-R750 DiSalvo rode at Las Vegas was supplied by Dynojet.

From a press release issued by series organizers:

SZOKE SETS EARLY PACE

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Newly crowned Parts Canada Superbike champion Jordan Szoke led the way in practice Friday for the final round of the series at Shannonville Motorsport Park.

The Brantford, ON rider took his Coors Light Racing/Fast Company Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a time of 1:46.290 in the second of two 45-minute sessions.

Toronto’s Michael Taylor was second quickest with a lap of 1:46.354 on the Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1 and Frank Trombino of Kleinburg, ON was third on the Orion Motorsports Honda RC51 at 1:46.513.

Szoke clinched the national title at the previous round of the series in Halifax but is aiming to become the first rider to win six races in a season and six in a row.

“I’m still trying to get used to some new things on the bike,” Szoke said. “We’re going to make some small changes and that will make a big difference for tomorrow.”

Taylor slowly worked his times down through the afternoon session. His last flying lap was his fastest, but he said he would have been quicker on the next one had the checkered flag not come out to end the session.

“We’ve been working on the suspension,” Taylor said. “I’m really excited about Sunday. Nobody has anything to lose and I think it’ll be a great race for the fans.”

Owen Weichel was fourth in Friday practice on the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-7RR with a time of 1:46.839. The Huntington Beach, CA resident is second in the Superbike standings.

The last rider to break into the 1:46 range was Orion Motorsports Honda’s Kevin Lacombe. The Granby, QC racer recorded a 1:46.948 on his RC51.

Trombino led International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Open Sport Bike practice with a time of 1:47.523 on his Orion Honda CBR954RR. Points leader Francis Martin of Coors Light Racing/Fast Company Team Suzuki was fourth and his closest challenger, Blackfoot Suzuki’s Clint McBain, placed eighth.

In his first Canadian appearance this season Kars, ON’s Andrew Nelson paced Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike practice with a time of 1:49.309 on his Honda CBR600F4i. Title rivals Lacombe and McBain were second and third, respectively.

Qualifying sessions for all three national classes will be held Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m. Feature races will run Sunday.

This weekend’s action will be televised on TSN Sunday, Oct. 13 at 3:30 p.m. EDT and on Quebec’s RDS Saturday, Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m. Extended hour-long coverage will air on the Outdoor Life Network on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 6:00 p.m eastern.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn LeSanto

2003 World Superbike calendar includes a trip to Malaysia

The 2003 World Superbike provisional calendar has been released. Missing is the usual trip to South Africa, replaced next year by a round at Sepang in Malaysia. This is a development no doubt helped by former Superbike World Champion Carl Fogarty’s high profile involvement with Petronas, a Malaysian company.

Lausitzring is missing, because of the circuit’s financial collapse.

There are suggestions that the series will visit Hockenheim, Germany in 2003.

France has finally been added to the SBK list of countries, with a visit to Magny-Cours scheduled for October 5, 2003.

Superbike World Championship
2003 Pre-Calendar

3/9 Valencia, Spain
3/30 Phillips Island, Australia
4/27 Sugo, Japan
5/4 Sepang, Malaysia
5/18 Monza, Italy
6/1 tba, Germany
6/15 Silverstone, Great Britain
6/22 Misano, San Marino
7/13 Laguna Seca, United States
7/27 Brands Hatch, Great Britain
8/31 tba
9/7 Assen, Netherlands
9/28 Imola, Italy
10/5 Magny-Cours, France
10/19 tba

From a press release issued by CRA:

Jensen sets lap record at Midamerica during CRA weekend

During the last round of racing at Midamerica Motorplex held August 23-25, Central Roadracing Association’s very own, Robert Jensen, set the lap record of 1:31.913 aboard his Suzuki GSXR-750. Other Midwesterners, including Steve Atlas and Weg Pogue, came to join the fun, although conscious of the mud-filled infield due to the prior record-setting rainfall.

In 750 Supersport, Grand Prix, and Superbike Races, Jeff Kramer dominated the field on his Suzuki GSXR-750 fighting off Steve Johnson aboard the Tul-Aris. After a fulfilling season of racing AMA, Robert Jensen was victorious in the 600 Supersport Race, while Shawn Conrad dominated the 600 Superbike. In the Lightweight division, Bryant Soberg dominated Lightweight Supersport, Grand Prix, and Superbike Races. In the Novice 600 and 750 Races, Mark Nelson and Adam Dolney cleaned house, even with the uneventful swan dive of Dolney and his 600 into a mud-filled pond.

When it came time for the Dash for Cash, racers laid it all on the line. Jeff Kramer held a huge lead on second place, Jason Swan, in the Heavyweight Class and Shane Butts dominated the Lightweight Class.

In a twist of events, AMA Racer Jessica Zalusky, was fed up with the North Dakota hairstyle of Robert Jensen, so she took the sharpest scissors she could find and cut Robert’s hair. Robert was pleased with the do, although he did comment that Jessica should stick with road racing.

CRA would like to thank all of their workers and racers for their efforts during the Midamerica weekend. For more information on CRA, visit www.cra-mn.org.

From the SBK Press Office:

SBK INTERNATIONAL and MOTOPARK OSCHERSLEBEN
WILL DONATE MONEY TO HELP GERMAN FLOOD RECOVERY EFFORTS

29th August 2002: On the eve of the latest round of the Superbike World Championship event at Oschersleben in Germany, promoter SBK International and the Motopark Oschersleben have announced that they will jointly donate the money raised from the two weekend Pit Walks to a non-profit-organisation set up to help the Magdeburg region recover from the recent floods that have ravaged much of Germany. SBK President Paolo Flamini, said “The local area around Oschersleben has been very badly affected by the recent flooding and hopefully this donation from SBK International and the circuit goes some way to assisting the recovery efforts”. His sentiments were echoed by Motopark managing director, Peter Rumpfkeil, who said ” The complete MOTOPARK Team feels with all the people who are infected of the biggest catastrophe in Eastern Germany in the last years. We hope that with this donation we can relieve the suffering of the people a little bit. We thank the organisation of SBK International for their understanding and their fast and flexible help.”

The two Pit Walks take place from 12:55 to 13:25 on Saturday and 11:10 to 11:30 on Sunday. The money will handed over at the next motorcycle race meeting to be held at the circuit, the IDM (International German Championship) from 13-14 September 2002.

In a related gesture, the DMSB (Deutscher Motor Sport Bund) will give a further Euro 5.000 to the money that will be collected from the Superbike World Championship event. The DMSB donation comes from money collected during the Pit Walk held at the last round of the German Motorcycle Championship, held at the Nürburgring two weeks ago.


SBK Press Office

From a press release issued by the SBK press office:

Germany Round 11 -Oschersleben
29/30 August – 1 September 2002

After only two years on the World Superbike Championship campaign trail, Oschersleben, in the former East Germany, has already gained itself an awesome reputation as a scene of drama and confrontation, especially as it appears so close to the final denouement at Imola on September 29.Only three rounds and six races remain, with Oschersleben most likely to be a pivotal backdrop once more.

Oschersleben’s flat layout belies its tricky nature, with several decreasing radius corners waiting to catch out the unwary, and even negative cambers appearing on some bends. A good example is the first left, Hotel corner, taken blind and changing direction mid way through; making it the scene of quite a few bumping and barging incidents over the years.

A total of 80,000 souls can fit into Oschersleben on any one day; most of them close enough to the action to see the whites of the riders’ eyes.

At 3.667km long Oschersleben ‘Motopark’ is one of the shorter circuits on the campaign trail but still features seven right and seven left corners, making it a physical workout for the riders, with little opportunity for rest anywhere.

Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda) has taken three wins from four Oschersleben starts, and holds the current lap record on 1:27.988 (150.034 km/h). The only other man to have won a Superbike race in Oschers is Ruben Xaus, the second rider in the Ducati Infostrada team. His 2001 win came at the expense of Edwards.

In the qualifying stakes, the current Superpole record is owned by Neil Hodgson (HM Plant Ducati) with a 1:27.325; the timed qualifying record to Ben Bostrom (L&M Ducati), on 1:27.610.

After a break of four weekends since the last World Superbike race at Brands Hatch, where Edwards scored his fourth and fifth wins of the year, Oschersleben will be a simple test of concentration and mental toughness for the top riders, as much as another opportunity to score points.

Edwards’ latest double at Brands reduced the deficit he has suffered to season-long championship leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) to a more manageable 39 points. With a possible 150 points left for any rider who can win every remaining race, the championship is far from over.

Not one but two Michelin-supplied Ducati Infostrada riders will be out to prevent an Edwards double win scenario, with Ruben Xaus, a winner at Oschersleben last season, keen to chalk up his first 2002 max point score.

In an unusual year, only three riders have obtained a winner’s trophy in 2002, Bayliss (14), Edwards (5) and Japanese Wild Card Makoto Tamada (Cabin Honda).

With only six more chances, this anomalous domination by basically two riders has not been lost on the rest of the permanent factory entrants in SBK.

Neil Hodgson (HM Plant Ducati) has been a thorn in the tail sections of the Bayliss and Edwards duet, but on a year-old factory bike, and running different tyres from the Infostrada Ducati and Castrol Honda riders, he has had his work cut out this season to stay in contention. He has made the best fist of his Dunlop-shod peers, however, and has outpaced 2002 factory rider Ben Bostrom (L&M Ducati) more often than not.

Hodgson’s team-mate, James Toseland has been buoyed by the news that his HM Plant team will retain him for 2002, and he improves week-on week. He will be joined in 2003 by another Briton, Chris Walker, who will find Oschersleben something of a home race for his current factory Kawasaki squad, based as it is in Bavaria.

Like every other four-cylinder runner, even on factory bikes, Walker has found the big factory vee-twins tough nuts to crack this season, but will be hoping that a podium finish at least will not elude him all year.

Several others are in the same position. His own team-mate Hitoyasu Izutsu, third Oschersleben Kawasaki entry Eric Bostrom and factory Alstare Suzuki runner Gregorio Lavilla are three examples, plus everyone’s favourite former factory star, Pierfrancesco Chili (NCR Ducati).

One genuine Oschersleben threat who has stood on podiums this season, just not the top step so far, is Noriyuki Haga, the lone FGF Playstation2 Aprilia rider. Fourth overall pre-Oschersleben, he will be hoping more than most for a kind track surface, one willing to help his Dunlop-shod machine on the way to the last big points scores.

A top ten finish would demonstrate progress for the historically rich but currently outgunned Benelli factory, and Aussie pilot Peter Goddard.

Other riders to look out for include the privateers Lucio Pedercini (Pedercini Ducati), Broc Parkes (Parmalat NCR Ducati), Steve Martin and Alessandro Antonello (both DFX Pirelli Ducati) and Juan Borja (Spaziotel Ducati). Wild card riders in the form of Giuliano Sartoni (Ducati) and Teodor Myszkowski (Yamaha) will play their part as well.

Pick a winner from the top men?

The objective formbook says Edwards, the 2002 formbook says Bayliss, one chapter of the previous Oschers formbook says maybe Xaus, and the man with the most hunger and desperation appears to be Hodgson.

After the summer lay off, the job of picking winners and podium placers has become even more complicated, but the action is sure to be as close and eager as ever.

In the World Supersport Championship there are three races left, four main Championship contenders in the hunt, and any number of them able to win on any given weekend.

It’s racing without frontiers in this class, where the only predictable outcomes are that the competition will be superb, nine times out of ten.

Katsuaki Fujiwara (Alstare Suzuki) has had a recent run of real success (70 points out of a possible 75 really says it all) and it has brought him firmly into the gravitational pull of the championship’s unholy trinity; Stephane Chambon (Fujiwara’s team-mate in the Alstare Suzuki squad), current points leader Fabien Foret (Ten Kate Honda) and the reigning World Champion Andrew Pitt (Kawasaki Racing team).

Factory riders abound in World Supersport, but with strict regulations and limited engine and chassis tweaks allowed, almost anyone can build a competitive machine.

Factory Yamaha man James Whitham (Yamaha Belgarda) may be another in with some chance of a win, his Brands Hatch injuries allowing. As the lap record holder, with a best of 1:30.806, he has to be taken seriously, as will his vastly experienced team-mate Paolo Casoli, so close to being champion last year.

Other Yamaha riders who may make an impact are local heroes Jörg Teuchert and Christian Kellner, from Yamaha Motor Germany.

Honda men on a potential podium path include Karl Muggeridge, Chris Vermeulen and Iain Macpherson.

The only consistently rapid regular Ducati rider, Piergiorgio Bontempi, will be back in Germany, as will James Ellison, from the factory Kawasaki team.

The action starts on Friday, with all solo classes setting out on their first untimed and timed qualifying sessions, in readiness for final qualifying (Superpole for Superbikes) and then raceday proper on Sunday 1 September.



More, from a press release issued by HM Plant Ducati:

Relaxed, refreshed and raring to go

Round 11 of the Superbike World Championship represents a call to arms for the SBK paddock after its month-long summer break from racing. For HM Plant Ducati riders Neil Hodgson and James Toseland, the journey to Oschersleben could not have come soon enough.

Hodgson has been one of the most consistent riders in the championship so far and currently occupies third place in the overall standings. His aim for the final three rounds of the season is to consolidate this impressive position with at least one race win.

“It was good to have some time off to relax,” said the 28-year-old Brit, “but I never stopped thinking about the championship. Oschersleben was a tough round for me last year but it definitely won’t be this time. It’s very difficult to overtake there, and if I want to crack it, I’m going to need a good start, then be fast into turn one and strong coming out of the final bend – the rest of the circuit is just ‘follow my leader’. I’m going to have to be at the top of my game if I want to stay third in the world and right now I feel very much like I am.”

James Toseland is relieved that the holidays are over. The 21-year-old from Sheffield is itching to get back in the saddle and truly relishes the prospect of tackling the 3.7km German circuit this weekend.

“Oschersleben was a good round for me last year,” he said. “I like the circuit and it seems to suit my riding style. The power characteristics and manoeuvrability of the HM Plant Ducati are also perfect for the combination of right and left handers. My main aim is to finish in front of my future team-mate Chris Walker. I’m only five points ahead of him at the moment and I’ve got a bit of a fight on my hands if I want to hold on to seventh place in the championship – I definitely won’t be hanging about this weekend.”

2001 results
Race one: 1. C. Edwards (Honda) 41:23.687; 2. R. Xaus (Ducati) +3.355; 3. B. Bostrom (Ducati) +15.312; 7. N. Hodgson (GSE Racing Ducati) +23.071; 10. J. Toseland (GSE Racing Ducati) +30.064

Race two: 1. R. Xaus (Ducati) 41:17.957; 2. C. Edwards (Honda) +9.938; 3. T. Bayliss (Ducati) +14.907; 10. N. Hodgson (GSE Racing Ducati) +32.821; 12. J. Toseland (GSE Racing Ducati) +33.121

Lap record: 1:27.988 C. Edwards (Honda) 2001

Superpole: 1:27.325 N. Hodgson (GSE Racing Ducati) 2001

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Morning Practice Times From Oschersleben:

1. Colin Edwards, Honda RC51, 1:27.077
2. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 998F01, 1:27.665
3. James Toseland, Ducati 998F01, 1:28.228
4. Troy Bayliss, Ducati 998F02, 1:28.286
5. Ruben Xaus, Ducati 998F02, 1:28.628
6. Juan Borja, Ducati 998RS, 1:28.893
7. Steve Martin, Ducati 998RS, 1:29.183
8. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, 1:29.316
9. Ben Bostrom, Ducati 998F02, 1:29.457
10. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia RSV1000, 1:29.493
11. Marco Borciani, Ducati 998RS, 1:29.500
12. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, 1:29.556
13. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:29.717
14. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.876
15. Chris Walker, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:29.912
16. Broc Parkes, Ducati 998RS, 1:30.166
17. Alessandro Antonello, Ducati 998RS, 1:30.893
18. Peter Goddard, Benelli Tornado 900, 1:31.101
19. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:31.128
20. Hitoyasu Izutsu, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:31.477
21. Serafino Foti, Ducati 996RS, 1:31.632
22. Mark Heckles, Honda RC51, 1:31.788
23. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:32.488
24. Jiri Mrkyvka, Ducati 996RS, 1:33.368
25. Yann Gyger, Honda RC51, 1:34.296
26. Thierry Mulot, Ducati 996SPS, 1:34.820
27. Giuliano Sartoni, Ducati 996RS, 1:34.890
28. Teodor Myszkowski, Yamaha YZF-R7, 1:34.995