From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 11 – OSCHERSLEBEN, GERMANY
31ST AUGUST 2002 – SATURDAY QUALIFYING AND SUPERPOLE

WALKER ON THE PACE AS INJURIES SIDELINE TEAMMATES

With Eric Bostrom and Hitoyasu Izutsu both sidelined by injury, it was left to Chris Walker to fly the Fuchs Kawasaki flag alone in this afternoon’s Superpole shootout at Oschersleben. The 30-year-old British rider acquitted himself well, finishing tenth fastest to secure a third row start for tomorrow’s two, 28-lap Superbike races.

‘I had a few problems with chatter during free practice this afternoon, which meant I was lapping a second slower than in qualifying this morning for a while,’ said Walker. ‘We got the problem sorted for Superpole, but then I had to try and get myself back up to speed on the warm-up lap. I didn’t quite manage it and I’m a bit disappointed about that, because the bike has been working real well around this circuit and I thought we were in with a real chance of getting onto the second row today. Oschersleben is a real tight circuit, with few overtaking opportunities, so I’ll definitely be looking for a good start tomorrow.’

Problems with the wrist he injured at Sugo meant that Hitoyasu Izutsu was unable to finish higher than eighteenth in this morning’s final regular qualifying session. Obviously in some pain from the old injury, Izutsu opted to sit out this afternoon’s free practice session and rest the wrist, ready for tomorrow’s two races.

‘Oschersleben is very technical, very tight and very twisty, with no opportunity to relax,’ explained Izutsu. ‘This means that I have to work the injured wrist very hard all the time and it gets more painful the more laps I do. Despite the problems, I’m determined to race and I just hope that resting the wrist, as well as some treatment from the team physiotherapist, will improve things for tomorrow.’

Another Kawasaki rider in the wars this weekend is Eric Bostrom. Already suffering with injuries sustained in a boating accident during the summer break, the 26-year-old Californian crashed heavily during morning qualifying and ruled himself out of this weekend’s event with a fractured left scaphoid.

‘I honestly don’t know what caused the crash,’ said a disappointed Bostrom. ‘I tipped into the corner the same way I had done on previous laps and it felt like the rear just let go. I’m real disappointed, because I think I could have gone well here this weekend. I was running in the 27s on race rubber, which was as good as any of the other Dunlop runners, and I was really looking forward to the race. According to the doctors, I’ve only sustained a small fracture to the scaphoid, and it should be as good as new in a few weeks, but this definitely isn’t the way I wanted to end my season.’

From a press release issued by Monstermob Ducati:

MONSTERMOB DUCATI BRITISH SUPERBIKE TEAM

Round 11– 2002 MCN British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park

Saturday 31st August/Sunday 1st September 2002

Rampant Hislop Shoots to Oulton Pole

MonsterMob Ducati rider and British Superbike Championship leader Steve Hislop romped to his second pole position in a week after another record-breaking performance at Oulton Park this afternoon.

The 40-year-old Scot followed up his total domination at Cadwell Park on Bank Holiday Monday to record the fastest ever lap around the 2.77 mile Cheshire circuit in a time of 1:30.664, over six tenths ahead of his nearest rival Michael Rutter aboard the Renegade Ducati.

Fastest in practice during Friday’s test day and after dominating both timed qualifying sessions today, Hislop – who leads the championship by 48 points going into tomorrow’s eleventh round – explained that the lap was less than perfect despite it being over a second inside his own lap record.

“I went to Cadwell Park hungry and I still feel that way. I said that I wanted to grab this championship by the scruff of the neck and it’s all going to plan at the moment. I had a couple of moments during that lap and was in too deep into one of the corners but I’m happy with pole position” said Hislop who claimed his tenth front row start and fourth pole start of the season.

Rizla Suzuki’s John Reynolds ended up third fastest with Shane Byrne on the second Renegade Ducati completing the front row. Hislop’s main championship rival Sean Emmett crashed during morning qualifying injuring his left wrist and will start from the fourth row of the grid aboard his Virgin Mobile Yamaha.

Meanwhile, Hislop’s Supersport teammate Stuart Easton left it late to snatch second place on the grid aboard his 748cc MonsterMob Ducati, just 4/1000ths of a second off pole.

The 18-year-old from Hawick – who leads the championship by 38 points – held fastest time in the opening qualifying before dropping back to second and in the final throes of the final session was down to third before bumping himself back up to second behind Irishman Michael Laverty.

“I tried to get one too many laps out of the qualifying tyre and I ran wide on my fast lap otherwise it could have been a lot different. I’m still regaining my confidence after a few problems in recent races but I’m feeling good for tomorrow. I’m going for the win but at the same time I have to think about the championship” said Easton.

Superpole Result:
1. Steve Hislop (MonsterMob Ducati) 1:30.664
2. Michael Rutter (Ducati) 1:31.301
3. John Reynolds (Suzuki) 1:31.702
4. Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1:31.722
5. Glen Richards (Kawasaki)1.32.735
6. Gary Mason (Honda) 1:32.782
7. Steve Plater (Yamaha) 1:32.921
8. Karl Harris (Suzuki) 1:32.933
9. Simon Crafar (Yamaha) 1:32.981
10. Dean Ellison (Ducati) 1:33.052
11. Dean Thomas (Ducati) 1:33.256
12. Paul Young (Suzuki) 1:33.440
13. Sean Emmett (Yamaha) 1:33.620
14. John Crawford (Suzuki) 1:33.661
15. Adrian Coates (Suzuki) 1:33.841
16. Mark Burr (Kawasaki) 1:34.764

Supersport Qualifying:
1. Michael Laverty (Honda) 1:36.587
2. Stuart Easton (MonsterMob Ducati) 1:37.347
3. Scott Smart (Honda) 1:39.540
4. Jeremy Goodall (Suzuki) 1:38.599
5. Pete Jennings (Kawasaki) 1:38.585
6. Douglas Cowie (Kawasaki) 1:38.991
7. Ben Wilson (Honda) 1:38.782
8. Callum Ramsay (Suzuki) 1:38.669
9. Gary May (Yamaha) 1:39.575
10. Keith Nicholls (Honda) 1:40.077.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:45.715
2. Michael Taylor, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:45.768
3. Kevin Lacombe, Honda RC51, 1:45.914
4. Frank Trombino, Honda RC51, 1:47.649
5. Francis Martin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:47.876
6. Andrew Nelson, Honda, 1:48.142
7. Owen Weichel, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:48.184
8. Steve Crevier, Honda RC51, 1:48.292
9. Clint McBain, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:49.571
10. Jean-Francois Cyr, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:49.690
11. Benoit Pilon, Yamaha, 1:49.741
12. Ugo Levert, Suzuki, 1:49.779
13. Jeff Williams, Suzuki, 1:50.104
14. Philip Onisto, Suzuki, 1:50.861
15. Bruce McDonald, Yamaha, 1:51.154
16. Joel McDonald, Yamaha, 1:51.725
17. Mike Desmarais, Suzuki, 1:52.404
18. Francis Dubuc, Suzuki, 1:52.415
19. Trevor Booking, Yamaha, 1:52.924
20. Darryn Wilbur, Yamaha, 1:52.986
21. Victor Paiva, Kawasaki, 1:53.521
22. John Brundl, Honda, 1:54.171
23. Gaston Labrie, Suzuki, 1:54.554
24. Corey Warren, Yamaha, 1:54.781
25. Jeff Sneyd, Yamaha, 1:55.088
26. Dave Hodge, Suzuki, 1:55.212
27. Derek Vamus, Honda, 1:55.268
28. Thomas Elsaesser, Ducati, 1:58.606

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Morning European Superstock Practice Times:

1. Stefan Nebel, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:33.010
2. Walter Tortoroglio, Honda CBR900RR, 1:33.677
3. Didier Vankeymeulen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:33.690
4. Gianluca Vizziello, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.043
5. Koen Vleugels, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.110
6. Alessandro Brannetti, Honda CBR900RR, 1:34.189
7. Riccardo Chiarello, Ducati 998S, 1:34.583
8. Lorenzo Mauri, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.627
9. Vittorio Iannuzzo, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.737
10. Benjamin Nabert, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.749

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Tony “The Tiger” Meiring attended a Dp Safety School Thursday, August 29 at Laguna Seca, and spent the day being coached by former Superbike star Jeff Haney.

Following the day on the track, Meiring and Haney went training at a gym.

Haney works as a riding coach and trainer when he’s not instructing at the Freddie Spencer Riding School at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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.