Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden took his second AMA Supersport race win today at VIR, his second win in the class this season.

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Josh Hayes held off Attack Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore to take second, the first Supersport podium for both Hayes and Pridmore this season.

The race was full of attrition with Jamie Hacking and Aaron Yates both crashing out of the race while in contention for the lead. Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Tom Kipp and Chris Ulrich also crashed, Ulrich after his bike threw a connecting rod. Bruce Transportation Group Honda’s Jake Zemke and Attack Suzuki’s Ben Spies DNF.

AMA Supersport Race Results:

1. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 17 laps
2. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, -6.680 seconds
3. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, -7.712 seconds
4. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha, -9.768 seconds
5. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, -25.403 seconds
6. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, -28.806 seconds
7. Ty Howard, Suzuki, -28.934 seconds
8. Michael Hannas, Suzuki, -30.473 seconds
9. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, -34.434 seconds
10. Alex Gobert, Honda, -34.955 seconds
11. Andrew Nelson, Honda, -35.021 seconds
12. Mike Hale, Honda, -38.560 seconds
13. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, -62.335 seconds
14. Michael Garofalo, Suzuki, -65.422 seconds
15. Ray Bowman, Honda, -71.512 seconds
16. Andy Caldwell, Suzuki, -80.293 seconds
17. Tyler Wadsworth, Yamaha, -83.413 seconds
18. Jeff Muskopf, Suzuki
19. Chuck Ivey, Suzuki
20. Matt Furtek, Yamaha

25. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -5 laps, DNF, crash
26. Tom Kipp, Suzuki, -5 laps, DNF, crash
27. Jake Zemke, Honda, -8 laps, DNF
28. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, -13 laps, DNF, mechanical/crash

30. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, -15 laps, DNF, crash
31. Ben Spies, Suzuki, -17 laps, DNF

From a press release issued by series organizers:

SZOKE TAKES SUPERBIKE POLE

SHUBENACADIE, NS – Jordan Szoke continued his mastery of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship by claiming pole for the sixth round at Atlantic Motorsport Park on Saturday.

The Brantford, ON rider took his Coors Light Racing/Fast Company Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a best lap of 1:08.350 around the 1.6-mile road course to claim his fourth straight MPM Array Pole Award and extend his lead in the Parts Canada Superbike standings.

Frank Trombino of Kleinburg, ON was second quickest on the Orion Motorsports Honda RC51 with a time of 1:08.447 and Szoke’s Coors Light Racing/Fast Company Suzuki teammate Francis Martin of Sherbrooke, QC set the third best time of 1:09.006.

Szoke just failed to beat the record set two years ago by Steve Crevier at 1:08.268.

“It’s great to continue this streak of pole positions,” said Szoke, who receives a Swiss Force Carbon Fiber embellished watch courtesy of MPM Array. “It’s also nice to move another step closer to the championship, which of course is our ultimate goal.”

Szoke earned four points for qualifying fastest and stretched his series lead over Huntington Beach, CA racer Owen Weichel. Weichel was seventh fastest Saturday on the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-7RR and failed to pick up any points.

Szoke now has 266 points in the championship to Weichel’s 177 with 52 points available in Sunday’s race. The season concludes in Shannonville, ON Sept. 1.

Two-time defending series champion Crevier, making his return to competition at AMP, was sixth aboard an Orion Motorsports Honda RC51. The Maple Ridge, BC racer has been out of action since breaking his knee at the season opener.

In other action at Atlantic Motorsport Park, Kevin Lacombe edged Orion Motorsports Honda teammate Crevier for pole in Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike qualifying. Lacombe set a best lap of 1:09.864 on his CBR600F4i to Crevier’s 1:09.911. Joliette, QC rider Jean-Francois Cyr was third on the Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R6 at 1:10.186.

Toronto’s Michael Taylor came back from a Superbike qualifying crash to grab pole position for the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Open Sport Bike division. Taylor took his Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1 to a time of 1:09.478. Trombino was second on the Orion Honda CBR954RR at 1:09.702 and Harrowsmith, ON’s Jeff Williams third aboard the Diablo Suzuki GSX-R1000 with a 1:09.896.

Feature races in all national classes will run Sunday. Practice begins at 9:00 a.m. with the first race scheduled to go at 12:45 p.m.

Starting line-up for Sunday’s fourth round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS, showing starting position, rider name, hometown, type of motorcycle and qualifying time:

1.Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:08.350; 2. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, ON, Honda RC51, 1:08.447; 3. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:09.006; 4. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, QC, Honda RC51, 1:09.072; 5. Michael Taylor, Toronto, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:09.268; 6. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC, Honda RC51, 1:09.531; 7. Owen Weichel, Huntington Beach, CA, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:09.705; 8. Jean-Francois Cyr, Joliette, QC, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:10.060; 9. Benoit Pilon, St-Jerome, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:10.289; 10. Ugo Levert, Lorraine, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:10.405; 11. Jeff Williams, Harrowsmith, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:10.424; 12. Philip Onisto, Bolton, ON, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:11.560; 13. Bruce McDonald, Mt. Albert, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:12.327; 14. Joel McDonald, North York, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:12.623; 15. Darryn Wilbur, Maple, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:13.704; 16. Gaston Labrie, Montreal, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:13.714

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Sunday Morning AMA 250cc GP Practice Times:

1. Rich Oliver, Yamaha, 1:28.301
2. Chuck Sorensen, Aprilia, 1:29.065
3. Jason DiSalvo, Honda, 1:29.758
4. Simon Turner, Yamaha, 1:30.115
5. Ed Sorbo, Yamaha, 1:31.908
6. Perry Melneciuc, Yamaha, 1:32.077
7. Chris Pyles, Yamaha, 1:33.501
8. Colin Jensen, Aprilia, 1:33.742
9. John France, Honda, 1:34.108
10. Steve Scott, Yamaha, 1:34.572
11. Barrett Long, Yamaha, 1:35.531
12. Chad Healy, Yamaha, 1:36.962
13. Gert Van Der Merwe, Yamaha, 1:36.989
14. Greg Esser, Honda, 1:37.302
15. James Bonner, Yamaha, 1:37.845
16. Ty Piz, Yamaha, 1:37.885
17. Jeremy Bonnett, Yamaha, 1:39.808
18. Sean Wray, Yamaha, 1:39.938
19. James Worthington, Aprilia, 1:41.553

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Corona Extra Suzuki’s Adam Fergusson won the AMA Formula Xtreme race at VIR, and Attack Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore won the Championship with a second-place finish.

Fergusson and Pridmore ran first and second virtually the entire race, following a first-lap, first corner incident involving Roger Lee Hayden and Jake Zemke, who collided with Hayden crashing and Zemke running off the track.

Damon Buckmaster ran third for much of the race before fading back to 21st, several laps down, with mechanical problems.

Zemke charged back from about 11th to third at the finish.

The finish made Pridmore and Zemke tied with 273 Championship points, but Pridmore’s two race wins beat Zemke’s one race win to secure the title.

1. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki GSX-R1000
2. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000
3. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR954RR
4. Mike Hale, Honda CBR954RR
5. Tom Kipp, Suzuki GSX-R1000
6. Lance Isaacs, Yamaha YZF-R1
7. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R1000
8. Alex Gobert, Honda CBR954RR
9. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R750
10. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000
11. Jason Curtis, Yamaha YZF-R1
12. James Compton, Suzuki GSX-R1000
13. Marco Martinez, Suzuki GSX-R1000
14. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki GSX-R1000
15. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1, -1 lap
16. Tim Falcone, Suzuki GSX-R750, -1 lap
17. Michael McAllister, Yamaha YZF-R1, -1 lap
18. Rick Narup, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -1 lap
19. Jeff Bostrom, Suzuki GSX-R750, -1 lap
20. James Bonner, Yamaha YZF-R1, -1 lap
21. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1, -2 laps
22. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -11 laps, DNF, mechanical
23. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR954RR, -17 laps, DNF, crash

Final Formula Xtreme Point Standings:

1. Pridmore, 273
2. Zemke, 273
3. Buckmaster, 256
4. Hale, 237
5. Isaacs, 175
6. Spies, 174
7. Marty Craggill, 159
8. Alex Gobert, 156
9. Curtis, 150
10. Compton, 139
11. Kipp, 133
12. Fergusson, 125
13. Bostrom, 104
14. Hayes, 99
15. Kenyon Kluge, 69
16. Eric Haugo, 68
17. Hayden, 68
18. Aaron Gobert, 60
19. Rapp, 57
20. Martinez, 56

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Steve Crevier, Honda, 18 laps
2. Kevin Lacombe, Honda
3. Jean-Francois Cyr, Yamaha
4. Jeff Williams, Suzuki
5. Clint McBain, Suzuki
6. Ugo Levert, Suzuki
7. Bruce McDonald, Yamaha
8. Matthew McBride, Honda
9. Chris Peris, Honda
10. Francis Dubuc, Suzuki, -12 laps, DNF
11. Owen Weichel, Kawasaki, -13 laps, DNF
12. Joel McDonald, Yamaha, -16 laps, DNF

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

In an AMA Pro Road Race Advisory Board meeting Friday night at VIR, factory team representatives voted to reverse proposed 2003 Supersport and Superstock rules that would have allowed machining of parts to increase compression.

The proposed rules were designed to give private riders and teams the ability to better compete with factory teams by eliminating the the “fast-enough, legal-enough” guessing game now played out in AMA tech on a race-by-race basis.

Although existing rules ban any machining of parts to raise compression, no competitive machines are actually stock and AMA Pro Racing officials do not publish the deck height specs submitted by manufacturers on AMA homologation forms.

The advantage manufacturers have by virtue of the fact that they supply unpublished deck height figures to AMA Pro Racing can be seen by comparing radar speeds of factory machines versus non-factory machines.

The Kawasaki ZX-6R Supersport racebikes ridden by Tommy Hayden and Tony Meiring have been especially fast when compared to private Kawasakis at most AMA events.

Representatives of the Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha factory teams voted against the proposed rule change.

The Road Race Advisory Board is non-representative of the AMA paddock as a whole, notably lacking any representation of private riders like Brian Livengood, Michael Hannas or Tyler Wadsworth. The majority of riders in the paddock do know not who is on the advisory board; the exact composition of the advisory board has never been published by AMA Pro Racing.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday Morning AMA Superport Practice Times:

1. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:28.34
2. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha, 1:28.60
3. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 1:28.74
4. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, 1:28.74
5. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:28.89
6. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:29.05
7. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:29.85
8. Tom Kipp, Suzuki, 1:29.90
9. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, 1:30.26
10. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:30.38
11. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:30.47
12. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:30.70
13. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki, 1:30.71
14. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:30.99
15. Andrew Nelson, Honda, 1:31.01
16. Mike Hale, Honda, 1:31.02
17. Ty Howard, Suzuki, 1:31.06
18. Matt Furtek, Yamaha, 1:32.10
19. Michael Hannas, Suzuki, 1:32.37
20. Tyler Wadsworth, Yamaha, 1:33.50
21. Kevin Pate, Suzuki, 1:33.717
22. Andy Caldwell, Suzuki, 1:34.046
23. Chuck Ivey, Suzuki, 1:34.383
24. Jeff Muskopf, Suzuki, 1:35.568
25. C.R. Gittere, Suzuki, 1:35.958
26. James Kerker, Honda, 1:36.610
27. Giovanni Rojas, Triumph, 1:37.046
28. Hector Romero, Yamaha, 1:37.316
29. Raymond Bowman, Honda, 1:37.348
30. Justin Blake, Suzuki, 1:37.479
31. Mickey Lane, Kawasaki, 1:37.508
32. Marcus Winfree, Suzuki, 1:37.525
33. Frank Wiot, Yamaha, 1:40.171

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Corona Extra Suzuki’s Adam Fergusson took pole position Saturday at Virginia International Raceway with a new Formula Xtreme lap record (1:26.632) on his Dunlop-equipped GSX-R1000. Fergusson’s time beat Jason Pridmore’s old lap record of 1:27.073.

The big news, however, was that Graves Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster, the Formula Xtreme points leader, crashed his YZF-R1 while on a qualifying tire late in the session.

Buckmaster injured his right hand in the fall, but the full extent of Buckmaster’s injury is not known as post time.

Buckmaster’s best time of 1:26.826 was good enough for the second starting spot. Attack Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore qualified third with a 1:26.987 on his GSX-R1000. Erion Honda’s Roger Lee Hayden earned the last front row starting spot with a 1:27.214 on a CBR954RR.

Bruce Transportation Group Honda’s Jake Zemke, another Formula Xtreme Championship hopeful, qualified sixth with a 1:27.534.

AMA Formula Xtreme Qualifying Results:

1. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki, 1:26.632
2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:26.826
3. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:26.987
4. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 1:27.214
5. Josh Hayes, Suzuki, 1:27.440
6. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:27.534
7. Steve Rapp, Suzuki, 1:27.722
8. Mike Hale, Honda, 1:28.114
9. Tom Kipp, Suzuki, 1:28.262
10. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:28.376
11. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:28.456
12. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:28.873
13. Lance Isaacs, Yamaha, 1:29.181
14. Geoff May, Suzuki, 1:29.594
15. James Compton, Suzuki, 1:30.457
16. Jason Curtis, Yamaha, 1:31.117
17. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki, 1:31.259
18. Jeff Bostrom, Suzuki, 1:31.547
19. Marco Martinez, Suzuki, 1:32.327
20. Michael Fitzpatrick, Suzuki, 1:32.921
21. Tim Falcone, Suzuki, 1:33.647
22. Kenyon Kluge, Suzuki, 1:34.297
23. James Kerker, Honda, 1:34.790
24. James Bonner, Yamaha, 1:35.378
25. Rick Narup, Suzuki, 1:25.926
26. M. McAllister, Yamaha, 1:36.106

Qualifying Cut-off Time: 1:37.028

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

American Honda’s Nicky Hayden won an attrition-filled AMA Superbike race Saturday at Virginia International Raceway on a Dunlop-equipped Honda RC51. His 9th win of the season earned Hayden first AMA Superbike Championship; at age 21, Hayden is the youngest AMA Superbike Champion ever.

With Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom leading and Hayden running fourth, Team Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates crashed out of second place, a lowside crash in turn five on lap eight.

Bostrom then crashed out of the lead in turn four on lap nine.

Mat Mladin inherited the lead but ran off the track in turn one and dropped back to third on lap 13.

Running second behind Hayden on lap 16, Hacking broke and dropped out of the race.

Mladin took over second but only until lap 20 when his GSX-R750 also broke.

Hayden steadily moved up with each retirement, took the lead on lap 13 and won the race by eight seconds over HMC Ducati’s Doug Chandler and Honda’s Miguel Duhamel.

AMA Superbike Race One Results:

1. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 28 laps
2. Doug Chandler, Ducati, -8.029 seconds
3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -14.717 seconds
4. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -38.442 seconds
5. Pascal Picotte, Ducati, -67.308 seconds
6. Brian Livengood, Suzuki, -75.710 seconds
7. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, -1 lap
8. Geoff May, Suzuki, -1 lap
9. Andrew Deatherage, Suzuki, -1 lap
10. Brian Parriott, Suzuki, -1 lap
11. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki, -1 lap
12. Jeremy Toye, Suzuki, -1 lap
13. John Dugan, Suzuki, -1 lap
14. Justin Blake, Suzuki, -1 lap
15. Alan Schmidt, Suzuki, -1 lap
16. Michael Fitzpatrick, Suzuki, -1 lap
17. Scott Jensen, Suzuki, -1 lap
18. Thomas Montano, Ducati, -1 lap
19. Marco Martinez, Suzuki, -1 lap
20. Christopher S. Rankin, Suzuki, -1 lap
21. John Jacobi, Suzuki, -1 lap
22. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki, -1 lap
23. Robert Christman, Suzuki, -1 lap
24. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, -1 lap
25. Shane Clarke, Suzuki, -2 laps
26. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, -9 laps, DNF, mechanical
27. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, -12 laps, DNF, mechanical
28. Robert Jensen, Suzuki, -14 laps, DNF
29. Giovanni Rojas, Suzuki, -15 laps, DNF
30. C.R. Gittere, Suzuki, -18 laps, DNF
31. Eric Bostrom, Suzuki, -20 laps, DNF, mechanical
32. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -21 laps, DNF, crash
33. Chris Rankin of Maryland, -25 laps, DNF
34. Jake Holden, Suzuki, -28 laps, DNF

AMA Superbike Championship Point Standings:

1. Hayden, 488
2. Bostrom, 414
3. Duhamel, 375
4. Picotte, 330
5. Yates, 316
6. Parriott, 284
7. Livengood, 271
8. Mladin, 267
9. Chandler, 267
10. Hacking, 260
11. Deatherage, 231
12. Haskovec, 206
13. Rich Conicelli, 165
14. Anthony Gobert, 163
15. Jason DiSalvo, 148
16. Mizdal, 142
17. Robert Jensen, 138
18. Dugan, 131
19. Roberts, 130
20. Schmidt, 126