Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A new feature of AMA Pro Racing’s upgraded timing and scoring system debuted Wednesday at Laguna Seca, giving riders split times for what may be the first time ever. The new system’s benefit, which has been available in FIM competition for at least the 2001 season and most likely longer, is as a tool for riders to see where they are strong or weak compared to their fellow riders.

The 2.2-mile Laguna Seca track was separated into three segments. The first segment starts at the start/finish line on the front straight and runs to the pedestrian crossover bridge near turn four. The second segment runs from the bridge to the corkscrew. The final split time is measured from the corkscrew to the start/finish line.

From split times provided by AMA Pro Racing, the quickest rider in segment one was Anthony Gobert on his Yamaha Superbike at 32.676 seconds. Miguel Duhamel was the next-quickest rider in segment one, followed by Nicky Hayden and Kurtis Roberts, just hundredths of a second behind. Eric Bostrom was 0.8-second slower than “Go Show” through the first split.

The first split time spread from the fastest 600cc rider, Damon Buckmaster (34.063), to the slowest 600cc rider, Tony Meiring (34.707), was only 0.7-second.

The gap in first-split times from Gobert’s fast Superbike time to Buckmaster’s fast 600cc time was about 1.4 seconds.

Nicky Hayden was the fastest in split two with a time of 18.856 seconds, followed by Roberts, Duhamel, Gobert and Bostrom. The spread between Hayden and Bostrom’s second split times was 0.3-second.

Buckmaster was again the fastest 600cc tester through the second split at 19.953 with Roger Lee Hayden the slowest at 20.373. Meiring went from being the slowest 600cc rider in the first split to the second-fastest in the second split. The second-split time spread among 600cc riders was 0.4-second.

The second split gap from fastest Superbike time to 600cc Supersport time was 1.1 seconds.

Anthony Gobert was again the fastest Superbike in the final timing segment with a 34.545, just quicker than Hayden, Roberts, Duhamel and Bostrom. The difference between Gobert’s and Bostrom’s times was 0.46-second.

Buckmaster completed a sweep of all three segment times among 600cc racers Wednesday morning with a time of 35.832 as Meiring slipped back to the slowest time again. The difference between Buckmaster’s and Meiring’s third segment times was 0.5-second.

The difference in third-split times between Gobert’s Superbike and Buckmaster’s 600 was 1.3 seconds.

Overall, Gobert’s best Wednesday-morning Superbike lap time of 1:26.328 was 3.55 seconds faster than Buckmaster’s quickest 600cc Supersport time.

Note: Anthony Gobert turned the slowest 600cc lap time Wednesday morning on the AMA scoring system at 1:34.727. Considering Gobert’s best unofficial lap time of the test was a 1:29 Tuesday morning, his 1:34.727 was not taken into consideration as an accurate example of Gobert’s speed in this analysis.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Yamaha factory 600cc Supersport rider Aaron Gobert crashed out of the AMA test at Laguna Seca Tuesday, January 22 when he tucked the front wheel of his Yamaha YZF-R6 on the approach to the Corkscrew.

“I came flying up over the hill coming toward the corkscrew,” said the 21-year-old Aussie on Wednesday. “You put the brakes on full hard there, but I had no grip and the front just tucked. I put the brakes on all the way and nothing happened. It didn’t do any stopping. The data says 212 kilometers per hour (131.7 mph) has been my average speed there so far in the test. So I hit the ground going over 200 kph (124 mph).

“I did just like Doug Chandler when he fell in the World Supers a couple of years ago. I slid right through the gravel trap, across that part on the inside of the corner and back across the track at the bottom. I slid a long way. I never though it would end. I thought for sure I was going to hit a wall or something.

“I hit a water drain with me leg. Either that or the gravel trap twisted me left ankle up. I went to the hospital and got it X-rayed. There’s nothing broken. It’s just sprain, and I may have stretched some ligaments or tendons. I’ll be alright in a week or so I reckon.

“I couldn’t put any weight on it yesterday, but I can put some on it today. There’s also a lot less pain today than there was yesterday. I’ll be ready to go when we test at California Speedway in a couple of weeks.”

Meanwhile, as we spoke to Aaron Gobert, Anthony Gobert had lowered his best lap time to a 1:25.550, just a few hundredths off his own Laguna Seca track record of 1:25.507. According to Aaron Gobert, Anthony did his lap time on race tires.

From a press release:

“I’m very happy to have signed a deal with my former teammate Carl Fogarty to ride the Foggy Petronas bike in the World Superbike Championship. It is a very exciting project and there is really good backing to it, so I’m sure the bike will be competitive within a year or so. I’m particularly excited because it’s a three-year deal, so I haven’t got to worry what’s going to happen next year. With a new bike, the first year is all about getting the thing ready to race and ironing out the problems, so this year will all be about testing and then ready for our track debut at Laguna Seca on July 14th. It’s going to be an interesting weekend, because Laguna is not the easiest track to debut a new bike, but that’ll add to the fun for sure.

“I visited Foggy and saw a prototype of the bike recently and I’m impressed with the team and how they are going about the business. I don’t think that the finished product is going to look much like what I saw, but it’s going to cause a bit of a stir for sure. Foggy and I actually get on pretty well and I know that my experience developing bikes (like the Aprilia) is one reason why he asked me to join the team. My aim this year is to get the bike in the very best possible condition to be competitive and try and get some good results before the end of the year. Next year we will be stronger and more experienced and we’ll be chasing some podiums, and in the third year, I’d like to think we’ll be competing for the title! I’m very positive about the whole project, because the back-up is there in bucket-loads and everybody involved is so enthusiastic. I can’t wait to swing my leg over the bike and start. In the meantime, I’ve been working out and getting fitter, so when the time comes to ride – I’ll be ready.

“Winter is a time I like to use to catch up with my family and friends back in Australia. I went to my parent’s farm and chilled out for a while, but it wasn’t long before I started getting active again. We built a bit of a dirt-track at the farm and I’ve out most days riding around with a young kid Joss Foster. I’ve been banging bars with him on the dirt-track we built and it’s been real good fun. He’s pretty good at it too!
I’m helping him out because I think he could be a real prospect. I got him a 250 Aprilia and although he’s only sixteen and only started racing recently, he became the youngest rider to get an ‘A’ Grade in Australia. It’s good to be able to put something back into the sport and it’s fun for me because he’s an Aussie! It’s also keeping me on the ball, keeping ahead of him!

“Lamborghini have asked me to take part in a support race for the F1 Melbourne GP, but I don’t think I’ll be able to do it really. It’s about the time my new team will be testing and my job comes first. Obviously, it would be fun to race the Lambo in front of a massive crowd, but we’ll have to see what happens nearer the time. I’d say at the moment it’s unlikely, but it’s nice to be asked and maybe I can have another go after the season finishes.”

From a press release:

Wednesday, January 23, 2002

EDWARDS BACK INTO RHYTHM, AT KYALAMI

Castrol Honda’s Colin Edwards began his 2002 campaign with a shakedown on the opening day of a four-day Michelin tyre test at Kyalami, South Africa on Wednesday.

Edwards, a winner of World Superbike races at Kyalami in the past two years, was in relaxed mood after his opening day display as he bids to regain the World Superbike crown after winning it in 2000.

“We always knew today was about settling in again and from that point of view it’s been a good day,” said the 27-year-old Texan.

He added: “We spent a lot of the day setting up the new SP-2 machine with a view to testing some new Michelin tyres later in the test. The Kyalami circuit was very dusty and dirty so most of my day was about cleaning up the surface.”

Edwards concentrated on the front suspension settings of his 1000cc machine, using just two sets of tyres all day.

“We wanted to try and get a good feel from the machine, we improved it a lot but it’s still not quite there, we¹ll achieve that tomorrow,” he reported. “The dirty track affected traction and there was only me out there all day so it all got a bit painful. But we¹re here to prepare for the season. not to just try and get a fast lap at this track.”

Edwards recorded a fastest lap, late in the afternoon, of 1:43.32, just 0.4s outside the existing lap record for the 2.65-mile circuit on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

He is joined at the Michelin test from tomorrow by Ducati’s Troy Bayliss and Ruben Xaus.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

According to times recorded by the official AMA Pro Racing scoring system, Yamaha’s Anthony Gobert posted the quickest time Wednesday morning during factory team tests at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca.

The eldest Gobert brother lapped at 1:26.328 on the 2.2-mile road course aboard his Yamaha YZF-R7 Superbike on Dunlop tires. Gobert’s own Laguna Seca lap record from the 1999 season stands at 1:25.507, according to the 2001 AMA media guide.

Unofficial Wednesday Morning Lap Times:

Superbike:
Anthony Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R7, 1:26.328
Nicky Hayden, Honda RC51, 1:26.450
Kurtis Roberts, Honda RC51, 1:27.018
Miguel Duhamel, Honda RC51, 1:27.175
Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:27.652

600cc Supersport:
Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:29.876
Jake Zemke, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:30.524
Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:30.544
Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:31.297
Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:31.335
Alex Gobert, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:31.400
Anthony Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:34.727

Formula Xtreme:
Jake Zemke, Honda CBR929RR, 1:29.150

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

World Sports Racing has won the last three AMA 250cc Grand Prix Championships, but team owner James Siddall and latest rider Jim Filice have not finalized their plans for 2002.

Siddall says that while his team will campaign with 2001 AMA 250cc Grand Prix Champion Filice in the AMA National Series, their effort won’t necessarily be in the 250cc class.

Asked about team sponsorship and manufacturer involvement, Siddall simply said, “It’s an ongoing process.”

Siddall said he expects to be able to release more information after the upcoming Indianapolis Dealers Show, scheduled for mid-February.

From a SBK press release:

WINTER TEST

Australia, Phillip Island Circuit
30-31 January / 1st February 2002

Attendance list

Superbike

1, Troy Bayliss, Ducati Infostrada

11, Ruben Xaus, Ducati Infostrada

155, Ben Bostrom, Ducati L&M

41, Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia Racing

2, Colin Edwards, Castrol Honda

100, Neil Hodgson, HM Plant Ducati

52, James Toseland, HM Plant Ducati

14, Hitoyasu Izutsu, Kawasaki Racing Team

9, Chris Walker, Kawasaki Racing Team

17, Steve Martin, DFX Racing Ducati Pirelli

22, Alessandro Antonello, DFX Racing Ducati Pirelli



Supersport

7, Karl Muggeridge, Honda UK Race Team

10, John McGuiness, Honda UK Race Team

1, Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki Racing Team

8, James Ellison, Kawasaki Racing Team

17, Chris Vermeulen, Van-zon-Honda-T.K.R.

6, Pere Riba, Ten Kate Honda

99, Fabien Foret, Ten Kate Honda

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Season pre-entry packages mailed to AMA Pro riders include the news that the Laguna Seca AMA National will be limited to pre-entry, with a limit of 65 entries accepted per class, with no special consideration of riders contesting the entire series and no consideration at all for variances in mail delivery around the country.

The notices were postmarked January 17 in Pickerington, Ohio and were received January 22 by riders in Lake Elsinore, California area.

With several Lake Elsinore-area riders currently testing at Laguna Seca through Thursday–including the three Gobert brothers and Eric Bostrom–the 65-rider limit on pre-entries could theoretically be filled before Anthony Gobert or Bostrom can get home and send in a pre-entry form for Laguna Seca.

The pre-entry form for Laguna Seca includes this warning, typeset in all caps:

“LAGUNA SECA WILL BE ON A PRE-ENTRY BASIS ONLY! THE ENTRIES WILL BE LIMITED TO 65 PER CLASS! PRE-ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON A FIRST COME/FIRST SERVE BASIS. THERE WILL BE NO POST ENTRIES AT THE TRACK! POST ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY FIM LICENSED RIDER. THE CUT OFF DATE FOR ACCEPTING PRE-ENTRIES WILL BE JUNE 14, 2002. ENTRIES RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE, MUST HAVE BEEN POST MARKED 5 DAYS PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED.

“Entry acknowledgement: Deposit of your check/credit card charge does not indicate acceptance of entry. An acknowledgement letter with registration information and schedule of events, will follow if pre-entry is accepted. Mail your entry blank with proper fees to: AMA Pro Racing, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Faxed entries are for charge card payments only. Fax number (614) 856-1924, 24 hours a day. Faxed entries will not be processed until you call to confirm that we have received it. For confirmation phone (614) 856-1900, ask for Competition Services, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.”


The pre-entry materials also show five Pro Thunder races–at Daytona, Pikes Peak, Road America, Brainerd and Laguna Seca–with no further explanation.

From a press release:

Willow Springs Motorcycle Club Starts 2002 With A Bang

Impressive Attendance, Limited Pit Space Mark Season Opener

The first round of competition for the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club began on an upbeat note this year, with strong attendance by both participants and spectators. While an exact figure was not available, it was conservatively estimated that well over 1,000 persons attended the opening round of racing at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park. The number who paid to enter the pit area, either to compete or to spectate, was 975. The remainder, who viewed the racing from the Turn Four “Budweiser Balcony” area, took advantage of the track’s program that allows spectators to watch the races at no charge.

“There were substantially more people here just to watch the racing than we would typically see for this time of year,” said a track spokesperson. “We noticed a good number of vehicles parked all the way around the Turn Four viewing area, quite a few more than normal. It looks like our free admission program is beginning to catch on.”

Pit space was also at a premium during this first round, leading more than one competitor to wonder whether pit areas will need to be assigned in the future. “There’s still plenty of room out here,” the spokesperson clarified. “If we need to juggle the rigs to be more efficient, that’s no problem.”

The free admission program, implemented by the park in December, 2001 was designed to help stimulate interest in the track’s many activities, as well as expose spectators to sponsors, whose contributions help keep motorsports alive and well. “This program was really designed to help people,” said track owner Bill Huth. “The economy needs a boost now, and this is our way of helping out.” The program is similar to one adopted by a major Los Angeles theme park, which is giving away a year’s free admission to anyone purchasing a single day’s pass. Huth wasn’t surprised that other businesses had adopted incentives. “It’s a good way to get things going again,” he added.

Willow Springs International Motorsports Park is a 600-acre complex of six racetracks embracing nearly every conceivable motorsports discipline. In addition to the historic 2.5-mile road course, the Willow Springs facility includes the Streets of Willow, a 1.5-mile, 14-turn multi-configuration road course ideal for testing, club racing and schools; two 1/4-mile paved ovals; a 3/8-mile clay oval; a .625-mile kart track; and the just-completed “Toyota Playpen,” a short course targeting beginning riders and drivers. The facility also has an off-road area for testing of off-road vehicles.

For more information on the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club or Willow Springs International Motorsports Park, please call 661-256-6666 or visit www.willowspringsraceway.com.

From a press release:

Honda Racing News

HRC Winter Test Sepang, Malaysia, January 23, 2002.

HRC Complete Successful RC211V Malaysian Test

The three-day HRC test session for the RC211V MotoGP machine at Sepang, Malaysia, ended today with a string of fast times on the one rain-free day of the three-day test. HRC Team Manager Noriaki Nakata returns to Japan satisfied with the results and the technical data recorded over the three days.

“We can be quite satisfied with the results of this three-day test. We tested everything we came here to test and ended with an endurance test, the results of which were very good. We will go back to Japan and work on the information we gained here. I must say development of the RC211V is going in the right direction, very encouraging,” said Nakata.

Despite sliding off the RCV Tohru Ukawa was again the fastest man around the 5.548km track with a time of 2:04.78 the best from his 54-lap stint on the 5-cylinder, 990cc GP machine he will race in 2002.

HRC test rider Shinichi Itoh was also faster than yesterday. The near-veteran, former Grand Prix rider, has worked tirelessly in support of Ukawa all week and today reeled off 70 laps aboard the RCV. His best time was 2:05.86.

Reigning 250cc World Champion Daijiro Katoh continues to impress riding the NSR500 2-stroke V-Four he will run in the MotoGP class in 2002. Honda Gresini team rider Katoh fired a warning shot across the bows of his MotoGP class rivals when setting a time of 2:04.86. The diminutive Japanese star has quickly adapted to the 185ps- plus power of the NSR500 and will pose his more experienced rivals considerable problems once the new season gets underway at Suzuka in April.

Team West Honda Pons riders Loris Capirossi and Alex Barros both improved their lap times on the last day of the test. Capirossi was the faster of the two. He is in good form early this year and confirmed it with a time of 2:05.39. Teammate Barros slid off his NSR but escaped unscathed.

Team Kanemoto did not test, their NSR500 too badly damaged when team rider Jurgen v. d. Goorbergh crashed the machine on Monday.

Tohru Ukawa, RC211V, 54 laps, time 2:04.78

Shinichi Itoh, RC211V, 70 laps, time 2:05.86

Daijiro Katoh, NSR500, 46 laps, time 2:04.86

Loris Capirossi, NSR500, 53 laps, time 2:05.39

Alex Barros, NSR500, 50 laps, time 2:06.58


Tohru Ukawa: I’m happy with the machine, I have a comfortable feeling riding the RCV. This circuit has been very good for testing many things. High speed stability of the machine, stability under heavy breaking, and we tested tyres, all have improved. Altogether a good test but we still have work to do. Now I can get some rest while waiting for the next test, in mid-February.

Shinichi Itoh: I’m still quite fast, even at my age. I enjoyed this test, I really like the track. Now I’m a test rider my duties are different and I am helping the team, and Ukawa San, where I can. The machine is definitely improving with each test and I’m happy to be part of the team developing the RCV.

Daijiro Katoh: The test has been good for me. I’m getting used to the bike and beginning to feel comfortable and trying many things on set-up. The times are good but I still need much more experience on the 500. Luckily we have many more test days before the season starts.