Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer John Hopkins and Red Bull Yamaha WCM’s Peter Clifford plan to attend the AMA National at Virginia International Raceway August 9-11.

Hopkins, who won the 2000 AMA 750cc Supersport Championship and the 2001 AMA Formula Xtreme Championship with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki, now rides a Yamaha YZR500 for Red Bull Yamaha.

Clifford is Racing Director for Red Bull Yamaha and visited the AMA National at Brainerd in 2001, prior to signing Hopkins to a three-year MotoGP deal.

The team plans to campaign Honda RC211V engines in a Moriwaki chassis in 2003.

Hopkins will be accompanied to VIR by his girlfried, Desiree Crossman.

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin’s publicist, Steve Reeves:

Rounds 13 & 14, 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, USA

MLADIN CHASES REPEAT WINS AT MID-OHIO

The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will play host to the penultimate meeting for 2002 season with a double header round (rounds 13 & 14) of the AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship scheduled for this weekend, July 27 – 28.

Australia’s Mat Mladin will return to Ohio as the defending race winner, after taking victory in the first of the double header races at the corresponding meeting last year before finishing second in race two. The Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki rider is also the current AMA Superbike lap record holder at the 3.86km (2.40 miles) circuit with a lap time of 1-min 26.498-secs.

The three times American AMA Superbike champion is looking forward to the round, even though he is still in a certain amount of discomfort with his injured hands he suffered when he crashed heavily during the final qualifying session of the World Superbike event at Laguna Seca less than two weeks ago. Mladin severely bruised the backs of both hands in the fall.

“I’m still having a bit of trouble moving the ring finger on my left hand, plus there is still a lot of swelling between my thumb and index finger on my right hand,” Mladin said. “There isn’t much that I can do about it at the moment, so we will be heading to Mid-Ohio and trying our best there.

“Even though the results haven’t shown it this year, I feel that I have been riding well,” added Mladin. “A lot of people felt that I rode a lot better at Laguna, but I feel that I have been riding as hard as I possibly can all year. A lot has depended on how the bike has suited that particular track. This weekend we are hopeful that we will have some updated parts from our suspension supplier Showa and that will allow us to continue to make progress with development of the bike.”

With four races remaining in this year’s championship, Mladin is still fiercely determined to stand atop the winners podium at the end of each race.

“Hopefully I’m going to win four races. That’s what I hope to do. If I can get a motorcycle that I can ride, it will make it a possibility. I don’t mind the Mid-Ohio circuit. It has a couple of little problem areas, but apart from that it’s fine. We had a win here last year, so hopefully we can go out there and repeat it again this weekend.”

Mladin arrives at Mid-Ohio lying in an uncustomary ninth place overall on the points standings with a total of 207 points. American Honda’s Nicky Hayden leads the points table with 381, with the title shaping up to be fought out between himself and Team Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom who lies second with 345 points.

Qualifying for this weekend’s round gets underway on Friday, with final qualifying and the first Superbike race scheduled for Saturday, before Sunday’s second Superbike national.

MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE, AMA FAST FACTS

Circuit Length: 3.86km / 2.40 miles

2001 Pole position: Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:26.498

2001 Race results:

Saturday (Race 1 / 26 Laps)
1. Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki)
2. Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki)
3. Nicky Hayden (American Honda)

Sunday (Race 2 / 26 Laps)
1. Nicky Hayden (American Honda)
2. Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki)
3. Miguel DuHamel (American Honda)

Superbike lap record: Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:26.498 (2001)

2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (points after 12 of 16 rounds)
1. N. Hayden 381; 2. E. Bostrom 345 3. M. DuHamel 298; 4. A. Yates 287; 5. P. Picotte 277; 6. B. Parriott 235, 7. D Chandler 209; 8. J. Hacking 208, 9. M. Mladin 207; 10. B. Livengood 201.



More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

YATES LOOKS TO CLINCH AMA PRO HONDA OILS SUPERSPORT TITLE AT MID-OHIO

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – Sunday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 40-plus riders will take to the starting line for the Pro Honda Oils Supersport race. One of those riders will win Mid-Ohio’s Supersport race for the first time. Leading the series coming into this weekend’s race is Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates. The 30-year-old veteran racer from Milledgeville, Ga., has three AMA Superbike wins at Mid-Ohio, but has yet to earn a Supersport victory at the track in his nine years of racing the series. It may not be the best circumstances for Yates to get his first Mid-Ohio Supersport win since he’ll certainly be focusing on wrapping up the championship. After winning four of the eight races leading up to Mid-Ohio, Yates needs only a 10th-place finish or better to nail down the 2002 title.

While Yates will be on championship-protection mode, Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden will be looking to finish the season on a high note. Like Yates, Hayden, who is second in the series standings, is vying for his first Mid-Ohio Supersport victory. He lost in an epic struggle with his brother Nicky in one of the most exciting Supersport races at Mid-Ohio in 1999.

Australian Damon Buckmaster is having his best season to date in Supersport racing. The Yamaha factory rider has scored five top-5 finishes in the championship and on Sunday would love nothing better than to win his first Supersport race.

Jimmy Moore’s late-season surge has put him in an excellent position to defending his No. 1 plate in Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock. In the last four rounds Moore has won twice and finished second twice on his Corona Suzuki. That has help Moore pass early series leader Lee Acree. But the championship is far from over. While Moore is the defending Mid-Ohio winner, Acree is expected to be strong at the track as well. The series concludes at Acree’s home track in Virginia, so Moore will be looking to get as much of a cushion as possible this weekend. Third ranked Tommy Hayden, who is racing a 600cc machine in the 750cc-dominated Superstock class, has an outside chance of catching the two leaders should they have bad luck.

Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme has turned out to be the most hotly contested championship in the AMA’s national road racing series this season. Honda, which dominated Formula Xtreme in its first four years of existence but took a backseat to Suzuki last year, is back on top of the standings with Bruce Transportation Group Honda’s Jake Zemke. Zemke, of Paso Robles, Calif., holds a slim eight-point lead over Attack Suzuki rider Jason Pridmore. Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster has more wins (three) than any other rider in Formula Xtreme, yet still finds himself third in the championship chase – nine points out of the lead. Tom Kipp, of Valvoline EMGO Suzuki, will be a fan favorite at Mid-Ohio. The veteran racer from nearby Chardon, Ohio, is the defending winner of the race. The Formula Xtreme Series will go down to the final round in Virginia in August, but the Mid-Ohio race will play a pivotal roll in the final outcome.

A total of eight riders still have at least a mathematical chance to win the MBNA 250 Grand Prix championship, but realistically frontrunner Chuck Sorensen is going to be hard to stop. The 29-year-old from Sunnyvale, Calif., is on track to give Italian maker Aprilia its first AMA national title. Sorensen himself is looking for his third championship in the 250GP series. Injury has kept five-time Mid-Ohio 250 winner Rich Oliver from serious contention in his bid to win a fifth AMA 250 Grand Prix title. However, losing parts of fingers and toes in separate accidents hasn’t kept Oliver from winning races. He is seeking his third 250GP win in a row this weekend at Mid-Ohio. Oliver’s teammate Perry Melneciuc runs second in the series standings, while young Jason DiSalvo is third. Both will be seeking their first career AMA 250GP victory.

Live coverage of the Pro Honda Oils Supersport final begins at 12 p.m. Eastern on Speed Channel, with repeats on Tuesday, July 30 at 10 p.m. and again at 3 a.m. Speed Channel’s coverage of the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series from Lexington, Ohio, will air Tuesday, August 6 at 8 p.m. and again at 1 a.m. Eastern.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Michael D. Green

The AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course wrapped up on Sunday after a three-day extravaganza of AHRMA road racing, motocross, trials, and flat-track along with a 900-vendor swap meet.

Pat Mooney dominated the headline Premier 500 class on his Petty Manx Norton Replica, winning the event on both Saturday and Sunday. Mooney was shadowed closely in both races by Jay Richardson and his Manx Norton replica.

Dave Roper made a welcome return to AHRMA competition, although he was not riding under the Team Obsolete banner. Roper won the 350 GP event on Saturday on a Honda and finished third in Sunday’s Premier 500 race on a Manx Norton.

Paul Vitale on a Ducati 748 battled with Eric Gulbransen on a Ducati 996 in AHRMA’s Twins events. Vitale finished the weekend with three race wins, but he was beaten by Gulbransen in Sunday’s Sound of Thunder race. Al Charles won both Super Mono races on the Ducati SuperMono that he purchased new in 1993.

Results are available from AHRMA’s website at

http://www.ahrma.org/results/rr2002-13-14.htm

Racer Eric Falt married Diane Groves April 28 in Dallas, Texas. Racer Brian Roach is engaged to marry Laura Granato in April 2003. (Handy editorial hint: Submit wedding, engagement, birth and other milestone information via e-mail sent to [email protected]. Include your contact information, daytime phone number and evening phone number in case further information is needed.)

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The AMA National At Mid-Ohio July 26-28 has one of the largest purses in the Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship. The Superbike purse totals $82,000 with half paid out in each of two Superbike races. The four support races each have a purse of $9500.

Chevy Trucks Superbike
Total Purse $82,000
(Half paid for each race)
1. $10,450
2. $7350
3. $5000
4. $4000
5. $3500
6. $3150
7. $3050
8. $2950
9. $2850
10. $2750
11. $2650
12. $2550
13. $2450
14. $2350
15. $2250
16. $2150
17. $2050
18. $2000
19. $1950
20. $1850
21. $1750
22. $1650
23. $1550
24. $1450
25. $1300
26. $1200
27. $1100
28. $1000
29. $900
30. $750
31. $550
32. $450
33. $400
34. $350
35. $300


MBNA 250 Grand Prix
Lockhart Phillips Formula Extreme
Pro Honda Oils Supersport
Suzuki Genuine Accessories Superstock
$9500 Purse Each
1. $1500
2. $1200
3. $900
4. $650
5. $600
6. $550
7. $500
8. $450
9. $400
10. $375
11. $350
12. $325
13. $300
14. $275
15. $250
16. $225
17. $200
18. $175
19. $150
20. $125

From a press release:

SHANE PRIETO HANGS ‘EM UP

In last Sunday’s CCS Florida Region race at Moroso, Shane Prieto graciously announced his retirement. A dominant rider for 10 years, Prieto left holding several records, including Most Consecutive Unlimited Grand Prix victories with 12. And, Most Unlimited GP Victories All-Time. “I had been thinking about it for awhile, and last week, it just clicked in my head that it was time,” said Prieto. “I intend to spend weekends water-skiing with my family now.” When Prieto was younger his family did that together and he misses it. He is an accomplished bare-foot skier.

By the time racing started Sunday morning, everyone in the paddock had heard the news, and there was more attention than usual paid to the battles throughout the day between Prieto and this year’s champ Marco Martinez. These two have produced some very exciting contests throughout the last several years, and this event was no exception. In this day’s Unlimited GP, both were riding Suzuki GSX-R1000s.

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Prieto jumped out to a 15-bike lead before Martinez made an outside pass in turn seven, to mixed emotions from the crowd, on lap five of the six-lap sprint. On lap three, Martinez set a new track record running him down on the newly tightened course. Prieto was on Pirelli DOTs and Martinez used Dunlop slicks.

Shane Prieto was the overall champion for two different seasons riding with the Number One plate in 1995 and 2001. Mounted on Suzukis, his brother Sean Prieto has been his mechanic, operating out of Prieto Racing, Inc. in Pompano Beach, FL. Prieto Racing is now the foremost road racing shop in Florida.

Florida Region Promoter Henry DeGouw says: “I hate to see him go, he’s been such a fixture here.” DeGouw, a former Florida Champ too, knows what he’s going through. He retired after three years himself, sat out for a year and “I was going crazy” he said. “Then I came back for 18 more years.”

CCS Racing in Florida features 12 races this year at Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach, Homestead Miami Speedway, and North Florida Motorsports Park in Jennings, FL.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A lack of Thursday practice prior to this weekend’s AMA Pro National at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and the inclusion of a qualifying round for the World GSX-R Cup drew a contingent of AMA Pro-licensed riders to the AMA Grand National Championships held Monday and Tuesday at the Lexington, Ohio racetrack.

Participating Pro riders include Rich Conicelli, who has been in the top 10 in AMA Superbike points this year, as well as Jason DiSalvo, who won the AMA Superstock National at Road America in June.

The appearance of Pro-licensed racers has reignited the debate over who should be allowed to participate in an “Amateur” event, and never mind that manufacturer contingency money has been posted for the races.

Complicating matters is the fact that AMA Pro Racing Director of Competition Merrill Vanderslice has in the past suggested that Thursday practice is not important and that riders can participate in club races prior to AMA Nationals if they need more set-up and practice time than that afforded in official AMA practice starting on Friday of a race weekend. Now, when AMA Pro riders have shown up at a club race as suggested by Vanderslice, AMA Amateur officials have discouraged their participation and in at least one case went so far as to briefly suggest that they might be disqualified if they insisted on racing.

At least one rider has pointed out that the AMA Pro riders are AMA members, are legal entrants and have complied with all published rules.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Brian Livengood won the second of three slots for U.S. riders in the Suzuki World GSX-R Cup scheduled for September 14 at Magny Cours, France, by finishing second in a qualifying race at Mid-Ohio Tuesday.

Livengood, who is currently 10th in AMA Superbike points, and his mechanic will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the World GSX-R Cup, which will match riders from various countries on identical Suzuki GSX-R750s fitted with Michelin tires.

Ty Howard won the race at Mid-Ohio in a runaway but was ineligible because he did not have any Suzuki Cup points.

Livengood came out on top of a battle for second that also included John Jacobi–who had crashed in the heat race and started at the back of the grid–Rich Conicelli and Jason DiSalvo.

The final World GSX-R Cup qualifier will be decided during next weekend’s WERA National Challenge Series event at Summit Point Raceway.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

John Dugan of Washougal, Washington became the first rider to qualify to represent the U.S. in the World GSX-R Cup scheduled for September 14 in Magny-Cours, France.

Dugan won the qualifying race at Portland, Oregon on Sunday, July 21, beating Allan Schmidt and Nathan Hester.

Dugan was racing with a cracked pelvis sustained in a crash at Laguna Seca during the AMA National/World Superbike weekend.

Schmidt crashed in turn nine while leading the first lap during the morning heat race held to determine the grid, and his racebike was destroyed. Schmidt’s crew installed the engine in a spare chassis and Schmidt started the final from the back of the grid.

Dugan and a mechanic will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to France for the World GSX-R Cup final, which features riders on spec bikes drawn by lot. The World GSX-R Cup bikes will be fitted with Michelin tires.

Another qualifying round will be held during a Fasttrax event tomorrow at Mid-Ohio and the final qualifying round will be held during the WERA National scheduled for Summit Point, West Virginia on August 3-4. A total of three riders will qualify to represent the United States in the World GSX-R Cup event.

From a press release issued by series organizers:

SZOKE STREAKS TO RECORD

BOWMANVILLE, ON – Parts Canada Superbike Championship points leader Jordan Szoke continued his dominance of the 2002 season by winning his fourth event in a row at Mosport International Raceway Sunday.

Riding the Coors Light Racing/Fast Company Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 the Brantford, ON racer led virtually all the way to establish a new record for consecutive race wins in a single season. He had shared the mark of three wins with Steve Crevier.

Michael Taylor finished second on his Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1 after briefly leading Szoke on the opening lap and hounding him most of the way. The Toronto rider was 5.040 secs. behind at the finish after he was forced to back off with mechanical trouble.

“There was a ton of pressure to win this weekend,” said Szoke after his 13th career national Superbike win, placing him second on the all-time list. “It’s Mosport. It’s the place. But we just put our head down in the race and got it done.”

Huntington Beach, CA resident Owen Weichel finished third on his Canadian Kawasaki ZX-7RR after a dramatic battle with the Coors Light Racing/Fast Company Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Francis Martin and Kevin Lacombe’s Orion Honda RC51.

Szoke picked up a perfect score of 56 points for qualifying on pole, winning and leading the most laps in Sunday’s race and moved into an almost insurmountable lead in the Parts Canada Superbike point standings.

He now has 262 points to the 177 of Weichel with a total of 112 points available in the final two races of the season. The series continues at Atlantic Motorsport Park Aug. 9-11.

In other action at Mosport, Australian Craig Connell completed a perfect weekend by winning the National Pro Honda Oils/Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike race over Arclight Suzuki teammate Lee Acree.

After sweeping both legs of Saturday’s Lockhart-Phillips Superbike/International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Open Sport Bike event Connell beat Acree by 4.585 secs. on his Suzuki GSX-R600.

Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki’s Clint McBain won a wild battle for third to extend his lead in the Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike standings.

Connell’s performance helped Team USA defeat Team Canada in the SUPERSHOW 2003 presents the Coors Light Canada vs. USA Match Races and gave him the “King of Mosport” crown.

This weekend’s races will be televised on TSN Saturday, Aug. 10 and Saturday, Aug. 24. Start time for both shows is 11:30 am EDT. Action from Mosport will also be shown later this year on Quebec’s RDS and across Canada on the Outdoor Life Network.


Results of Sunday’s fifth round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Mosport International Raceway, showing finishing position, rider name, hometown and type of motorcycle:

1.Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 2. Michael Taylor, Toronto, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1; 3. Owen Weichel, Huntington Beach, CA, Kawasaki ZX-7RR; 4. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 5. Geoff May, Cumming, GA, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 6. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, ON, Honda RC51; 7. Jeff Williams, Harrowsmith, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 8. Benoit Pilon, St-Jerome, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1; 9. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, QC, Honda RC51*; 10. Ugo Levert, Lorraine, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 11. Jean-Francois Cyr, Joliette, QC, Yamaha YZF-R6; 12. Greg Boki, Montreal, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 13. Darryn Wilbur, Maple, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1; 14. Philip Onisto, Bolton, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 15. Dave Young, Woodstock, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 16. Jerome Plourde, St-Hubert, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 17. Gaston Labrie, Brossard, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 18. Joel McDonald, North York, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6; 19. Clint Hines, Burlington, ON, Suzuki GSX-R750; 20. Pauly Sherer, Freeport, NY, Suzuki GSX-R750; 21. Steve Dufresne, St-Barthelemy, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000

DNF. John Brundl, Etobicoke, ON, Honda CBR954RR; DNF. Mike Walsh, Toronto, ON, Suzuki GSX-R750; DNF. Chris Murray-Audain, Scarborough, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1; DNF. Dean Osborne, Ajax, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; DNF. Mike Desmarais, North Bay, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000

* — Kevin Lacombe penalized four positions for a jump start

Time of Race: 23:47
Margin of Victory: 5.040 secs.
Fastest Lap: Jordan Szoke, 1:21.911 on lap 5

Parts Canada Superbike Championship point standings following the fifth round at Mosport International Raceway Sunday, showing position, rider name and point total:

1.Jordan Szoke, 262; 2. Owen Weichel, 177; 3. Francis Martin, 145; 4. Kevin Lacombe, 144; 5. Frank Trombino 141; 6. Michael Taylor, 138; 7. Jean-Francois Cyr, 107; 8. Benoit Pilon, 100; 9. Darryn Wilbur, 88; 10. Philip Onisto, 84; 11. Ugo Levert, 73; 12. Bruce McDonald 64; 13. Tim Easton, 49; 14. Jeff Williams, 48; 15. John Brundl, 29; 16. Geoff May, 29; 17. Dave Young, 27; 18. David Klassen 27; 19. Nick Ienatsch, 21; 20. Michael Leon 21; 21. Matthew McBride 19; 22. Jerome Plourde, 18; 23. Greg Boki, 15; 24. Clint Hines 15; 25. Gaston Labrie, 14; 26. Tony Bouffard, 12; 27. Dave Hodge 12; 28. Mike Desmarais 10; 29. Steve Crevier 4; 30. Joel McDonald, 4; 31. Jim Proulx 4; 32. Pauly Sherer, 1