From the SBK Press Office:

Bayliss And Edwards Share Laguna Wins

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) and Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda) took a race win apiece during a highly competitive Laguna Seca Championship meeting.

Bayliss’ win in race one gave him the second best record for race wins in any SBK season, 14; as he approaches the record of 17, set by Doug Polen. He was denied the chance to add another in race two only by the combined pugilism of privateer Ducati rider Neil Hodgson (HM Plant Ducati) and the front-running determination of local hero Colin Edwards.

The second race was a particular classic, with all three riders in with a chance of the win with only a few laps remaining.

The smallest of errors at the entrance to the Corkscrew allowed Hodgson to pass Bayliss and the consistent attempts by both riders to gain supremacy only went the way of Bayliss after numerous audacious overtakes.

Keeping out of the battle raging on behind, Edwards took his third race win of 2002, and narrowed the gap gleaned by the combined race one efforts of race winner Bayliss and his second place team-mate Ruben Xaus.

Xaus had an eventful second outing, crashing twice on the warm-up lap, and finishing an eventual 19th.

Nicky Hayden (American Honda) had a superb ride in race one to hold Hodgson off the fourth spot. He spoiled his rookie SBK meeting somewhat by crashing in front of Noriyuki Haga Aprilia) in race two, taking both of them off the track and ending Haga’s day with no points – after a first race crash no-score. Hayden remounted to finish 13th.

The Bostrom Brothers, Eric (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Ben (L&M Ducati) were sixth and eighth in race one and fourth and fifth in race two. Eric was particularly impressive in race two leading the best in the world in the early stages.

Englishman James Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) had a great ride in race two to finish sixth, his best ever Laguna result, with Pierfrancesco Chili (NCR Ducati) taking seventh.

The most consistent local wild card rider proved to be Suzuki’s Aaron Yates, with a seventh and eighth place finish to his credit on front of a record home crowd of 98,000 (weekend).

Mat Mladin (Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki) only finished the first race, tenth, but was forced out of race two due to his injured hands.

Chris Walker’s rookie ride at Laguna rewarded him with a top ten in race two, ahead of Aussies Steve Martin (DFX Ducati) and Broc Parkes (Parmalat NCR Ducati).

The Benelli triple of Peter Goddard scored two points for his 14th place finish in race two.

In the overall championship battle, Bayliss leads Edwards 405 points to 352, with Hodgson now clear of most of his pursuers in third, with 221. Ben Bostrom leap-frogged the unfortunate Haga to fourth overall, and now sits 37 points behind Hodgson.

The tenth round of the 13 round championship series takes place at Brands Hatch, Great Britain on 28 July.

SBK Press Office


More, from Castrol Honda:

THIRD PLACE FOR EDWARDS

Castrol Honda’s Colin Edwards finished third in today’s opening race of round nine of the World Superbike championship here at Laguna Seca, USA.

Edwards led the 28-lap race from the start and only a rear wheel slide on the 24th lap cost the Texan a first victory at the Laguna Seca circuit.

“We always knew that 28 laps was going to be hard on the tyres and it started taking its toll towards the end there,” said Edwards.

And, following the slide at turn six, Edwards was passed by eventual winner Troy Bayliss and eventual runner-up Ruben Xaus.

“I just couldn’t ride any harder,” Edwards added. “I was doing everything I could while I was leading then when they got by I had no reply. We’ve got the machine set up as good as it could be but I’m just missing a tiny bit more grunt out of the corners.

“Race two will be different. I’ve never won at Laguna Seca and there’s about 100,000 people here to see me win on this stars and stripes machine so it’s going to be a win or crash approach to race two.”

LAGUNA SECA WINS FOR BAYLISS AND EDWARDS

Troy Bayliss and Castrol Honda’s Colin Edwards won a race each in Sunday’s ninth round of the World Superbike championship at Laguna Seca, USA in front of a record 98,000 crowd.

Reigning world champion Bayliss took advantage in race one when Edwards, the leader from the start of the 28-lap race, had a rear-wheel slide with four laps remaining. Bayliss went on to record his 14th win of the year while Ruben Xaus also moved ahead of Edwards to take second place.

Edwards said: “I just couldn’t ride any harder out there, it was always going to be hard on the tyres. I’ll win or crash in the second race.”

Edwards was in determined mood in the second race as he grabbed the lead from Eric Bostrom on the fourth lap and rode to victory, twice hitting back after Bayliss took the lead in a sensational race in the California sun.

As Edwards grabbed his third win of the year, Bayliss and Neil Hodgson fought it out for second place on a dramatic lap in which the pair collided three times.

Colin Edwards (Honda RC51) – 3rd race-1 and 1st race-2

Colin Edwards: “I don’t know what was going on behind me but it was some race at the front. I was pretty determined to win that race. After the first race I felt like I going home. I’ve never won at Laguna and I knew the crowd wanted to see my machine take the chequered flag. It’s always a hard battle when you_re on the race track with Troy (Bayliss) but it was time to dig deep. I don’t think I could have gone any harder. That race was about four seconds faster than the first race and it was a relief to start the last lap having got a +0.6s gap to whoever was behind.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve won and with half of Texas here to see me and a team that wanted a win badly I’m pleased to give them something to cheer about tonight.”


More, from Team Infostrada Ducati:

Troy Bayliss (Ducati 988 F02) – 1st in leg-1 and 2nd in leg-2
Ruben Xaus (Ducati 998 F02) – 2nd in leg-1 and 11th in leg-2

Troy Bayliss: ” First of all a big thanks to the Clinica Mobile because they really looked after me this weekend. The best thing about this win is that we scored a Michelin 1-2-3 at Laguna. My back is a bit sore after the crash but it’s OK, you just forget about that when you win. I just sat behind Colin and waited but then when I started to have a go at him it was difficult to pass, then when he did make a mistake Ruben was there as well. It makes me really happy to win at Laguna, which hasn’t been very kind to me in the past.

“Race two was an awesome race, both Neil and Colin were riding really good. Anyway things panned out for themselves and I did the best I could. I only made a couple of points on Colin today but that’s what it’s all about and I’m happy with a win and a second place.”

Ruben Xaus: “We got a good result in race 1, I was second and it’s good for my championship. On Friday I wasn’t satisfied with the set-up and wasn’t riding very well, so I took things calm. We did a lot of work on Saturday then in free practice I was in the top 5, Superpole was good and I found a really good tyre and set-up for the race. These points are good because they made up for the ones I lost in Misano.”


More, from HM Plant Ducati:

Hodgson in hot pursuit

Neil Hodgson rode his HM Plant Ducati 998 F01 to a strong fifth-placed finish in the first Superbike race at the stunning Laguna Seca Raceway in California. His team-mate James Toseland put in yet another solid performance to maintain his ninth-placed starting position all the way to the chequered flag.

In an action-packed race it was Troy Bayliss who eventually emerged victorious from an epic struggle with pole man Colin Edwards. Hodgson did well to stay with the leading group for the majority of the race and was devastatingly fast through many of the circuit’s fearsome corners.

“I rode as hard as I could out there,” said Hodgson. “I had some good scraps with Haga and Hayden, but I was riding on the edge all the time. I just lost out in the horsepower stakes towards the end because the pace was pretty hot and my bike was less than perfect onto the start/finish straight. I spent the whole time trying to make up the ground that I’d lost in that section, so I was really pushing it through some of the fast corners. At least Haga didn’t score any points, so my championship position is that little bit safer than it was before. I could definitely do with a bit more power, but there’s another race today and we’ll see what happens in that.”

James Toseland did well to hang on to his ninth place in the face of some pretty stiff competition from four-time AMA champion Mat Mladin among others. Toseland finished almost four seconds clear of his nearest pursuer and was giving chase to Laguna Seca favourite Ben Bostrom when he passed the chequered flag.

“I’m reasonably pleased with the result, especially considering the events that have led up to it,” said Toseland. “My lap times were consistently good and although it’s a long race – 28 laps – I didn’t have any problems maintaining the high level of concentration that you need at this circuit. That race loosened me up and I’ll be a lot more relaxed in the second one. I’m just going to concentrate on getting a good start and then hopefully improving on my race one result.”

Hodgson: back where he belongs

HM Plant Ducati Superbike sensation Neil Hodgson gave everything that he had in the second of Sunday’s Superbike World Championship races at Laguna Seca. His dedication and hard work were rewarded with a third place finish. This great result represented a return to the podium that he had stepped up on to twice in 2001. Hodgson’s team-mate James Toseland fulfilled his aim of improving upon his race one performance, heroically battling his way up through the field to record a sixth-placed finish.

Hodgson showed precisely why he has been selected to become Ducati Corse’s official rider in 2003, when he fired his HM Plant Ducati 998 F01 around the mountainous 3.6km California circuit in an impressive display of aggressive riding. The 28-year-old former British Champion not only matched the pace of the full factory machines of Colin Edwards and Troy Bayliss, but also set the fastest lap of the race (a blistering 1:25.597) in the process. After an uncharacteristic error dropped him back to sixth place in the early stages, Hodgson set about fighting his way back through the field and went on to make Bayliss work hard for his second-placed finish. The pair barrelled around the fearsome circuit fairing-to-fairing for several laps – hot on the heels of eventual race winner Colin Edwards.

“That was the hardest third place I’ve ever taken,” admitted Hodgson. “I just couldn’t give it any more than I did – I was fighting the bike all the way! It was great fun but when you ride that hard, you expect to win. There was just nothing in it and it was a case of waiting for Troy to make a mistake and then pouncing, but I just couldn’t make it stick. We were both sliding everywhere and all over the grass but I was very conscious of not doing anything too risky in case I took Troy out. My heart was in my mouth but I loved every minute of it!”

James Toseland used race two to illustrate the reasoning behind HM Plant Ducati’s decision to extend his contract for a further two years. The youngster won out in spectacular fashion after entering into a private battle for sixth place with an on-form Frankie Chili.

“That was much better than the first race,” said Toseland. “It’s always better when you have a bit of a fight on your hands and I’m glad that I managed to get back into the top six – it doesn’t feel right when I’m not up there! My HM Plant Ducati went really well, especially considering that it’s the only one I’ve had since Friday morning. I was a bit disappointed after race one, so it’s good to finish off with a strong result. It should give me the confidence that I need to really perform at Brands Hatch in a fortnight.”



More, from Fuchs Kawasaki Racing:

Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki ZX-7RR) – 4th in leg-1 and 5th in leg-2
Chris Walker (Kawasaki ZX-7RR) – 11th in leg-1 and 10th in leg-2

Eric Bostrom: “The bike felt real good during the AMA race yesterday, but we had problems with chatter in Superpole and again during this morning’s warm-up session. The front end still wasn’t right for the first race and it was only after we stripped the forks in the interval that we discovered that I’d busted the valves landing a big celebration wheelie after my AMA win yesterday. ‘I couldn’t make up the ground that I lost at the start, despite holding the throttle in a deathgrip for 28 laps – I swear those throttle cables are an inch longer than they were before the start of the race! I was hoping to get up amongst the leaders during the race, but I guess sixth place wasn’t too bad.

“What an awesome feeling it is to lead a World Superbike race. It felt like I was in front for an eternity, when in reality it was only for six laps or so. It felt real good to know that, for that short time, the World Champion was behind me. Obviously I’d have preferred to finish on the box, but I was happy enough with fourth. I can’t wait for my next World Superbike outing at Oschersleben now.”

Chris Walker: ” I got moved up a row when Gregorio Lavilla opted to sit out the first race, and that put me on the inside of the track for the start. I got away from the line pretty well and drove up the inside towards the first turn, but then I got boxed in as everyone closed up in the braking area – I think I maybe need to hook another gear there in race two. I had a good battle with Doug Chandler and Frankie Chili early on in the race but by the time I’d worked my way past them, Mat Mladin was six seconds ahead and out of reach. Frankie tried to mug me on the line at the end, but I got good drive out of the final turn and just managed to hold him off.

“We had two tyres to choose from for race two, and I chose the wrong one. Six laps in and the rear was spinning up everywhere and, even though I could see Toseland and Chili pulling away from me, there was nothing I could do about it.

“Overall, I’ve had a good weekend. The Laguna Seca circuit is awesome and, now I’ve had a chance to learn my way around, I’m looking forward to coming back next year.”


More, from Team Ducati L&M:

Ben Bostrom (Ducati 998 F02) – 5th in both legs

Ben Bostrom: “In race 1 I chose the same tyre as Neil, which was the one we’d been going well on all weekend but it didn’t turn out so good in the race. I tried to ride 100% all the time but just couldn’t do anything about the guys in front. In race 2 the tyre was way better but it didn’t stop my chatter problem, which I only had today and not the rest of the weekend. It was like riding on an egg and it got worse as the race went on.”


More, from HMC Ducati:

Chandler’s hot lap

HMC Ducati rider Doug Chandler competed in both World Superbike races held at Laguna Seca today, finishing 13th in the first and a strong ninth in the second. It was a grueling weekend for Chandler, who also competed in the AMA Superbike race on Saturday, yet he donned his leathers again to take one lucky winner for a hot lap of Laguna. Rhonda Nickle won the lap of her life when film star Ewan McGregor drew her name out of the 900 entries. Along with the ride on the back of the ultra-fast 998 Ducati, Rhonda also won a replica Suomy helmet autographed by Doug. The raffle raised more than $1800 for the Roadracing World Action Fund which will donate all the proceeds to purchasing and maintaining air fence for AMA Pro Racing.

Race 1

Chandler ran with Chris Walker and Pier-Francesco Chilli for the entire race, staying close until the last two laps when he dropped off the pace by half a second, finishing in thirteenth place.

“I tried to run with them [Chilli and Walker] but we were a bit off with our set-up,” said Chandler. “I was having to shove the front around so I couldn’t quite carry the corner speed and finish the turns as well as I’d liked. We had good tires underneath the bike so hopefully we’ll make the corrections and have a better showing in the second race.

“It was a pretty uneventful race. I tried changing my riding style but towards the end it got tougher and tougher to stay with those guys because my tire started to drop off and the rear started coming around. I need to get that front working better so I can put more weight on the foot pegs.”

Race 2

The second race was a much more successful one for the Salinas local, finishing ninth ahead of some well known WSB riders. He began the race again on the tail of Walker and Chilli but as the trio moved through the field, Chandler caught and stayed close to Walker, finally catching and passing him on lap 24, then pulling away quickly.

“The whole goal of the second race was to do the lap times I was running in yesterday’s AMA race,” said Chandler. “For some reason I had a mental block last race. It’s such a long weekend, just doing laps around here, you get into a rhythm and it’s hard to break out of it. We decided to return to the same set-up we ran yesterday and it worked better.

“I think we did well here with a top ten. Now we can go back to concentrating on our AMA racing.”


More, from Team Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki:

Mat Mladin (Suzuki GSX-R750) – 10th in leg-1 and dnf in leg-2

Mat Mladin: “Finishing tenth in one race is not the result I was hoping for this weekend. The crash on Saturday, definitely destroyed any chances that we had of scoring some good results. I’m still very sore from the crash, which injured both of my hands as well as my right shoulder. I’ll get the hands X-rayed when I get back home in a couple of days to see if there is any additional damage. One of the big improvements that we had over the weekend was that we had access to the SWC spec Dunlop tyres. That was good for this weekend, but we won’t have them for the remaining rounds of the AMA Championship. They have a stiffer side wall construction and that seemed to suit me a lot more than the tyres that we are currently using in the AMA series.”


More, from Playstation2 FGF Aprilia:

HAGA LUCKLESS IN USA SUPERBIKE GP

Laguna Seca (United States), Sunday 14 July 2002 – Noriyuki Haga put up a fine show but was disappointed in the ninth round of the World Superbike Championship at Laguna Seca, California. The Japanese rider, with both his Aprilia RSV and his Dunlop tyres working marvels, shot up through the field in the first race, going from seventh place to second in the first few laps. But just as he was getting ready to mount an attack on Colin Edwards (Honda), he went for a slide. He got straight back on again but then had to return to the pits as the RSV had been damaged in the fall. Haga was again closing in on victory when Hayden fell in front of him: there was no way Noriyuki could avoid the Honda rider, so he found himself gloomily having to quit the action.

NORIYUKI HAGA (Playstation2 – FGF Aprilia Team rider) – “I’m really angry because I could have got a fantastic result, but here I am empty handed. I may indeed have been going too fast in the first race, but the second fall can only be ascribed to bad luck: Nicky Hayden was overdoing it when he passed me while braking and he just went flying in front of me. There was nothing I could do about it.”

GIACOMO GUIDOTTI (Technical Manager of the Playstation2 – FGF Aprilia Team) – “We’ve shown that we’ve got extraordinary potential: the Aprilia RSV was going like a bomb and the tyres were perfect too. The two races were really tough but we certainly had our say right up to the end, when unfortunately things turned against us.”


More, from Team Suzuki Alstare Corona Extra:

LAVILLA FORCED TO PULL OUT

Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Gregorio Lavilla was forced to withdraw from the two WSBK races at Laguna Seca today due to his injuries sustained in yesterday afternoon’s crash. Gregorio took part in this morning’s warm-up session to see how his ankle would cope with the demanding Laguna Seca circuit and then reluctantly pulled out of the event.

GREGORIO LAVILLA
“I knew I was going to be in trouble yesterday evening, but I wanted to try and see how my ankle felt. Hurting my left foot (gearshift) and right hand (throttle) is about the worst combination of injuries to sustain! Laguna Seca is a very hard circuit and there are lots of left turns and that makes it very hard on my left ankle. After about ten minutes I knew that it would be impossible for me to take part in two 28-lap races. I didn’t want to be a danger to myself and I certainly didn’t want to be a danger to any other rider, so I decided not to race. It is the first time in my race career that I have ever not taken part in a race when I was already at the track. It is hard for the team, because it’s a long way to come and not being able to race. I’m sorry for them all and all the hard work and effort they have put in this weekend. I now have to get my hand and foot ready for the next race in two weeks time at Brands Hatch, but I’ll definitely be there”


More, from Benelli Sport:

Peter Goddard (Benelli Tornado 900) – 16th in leg-1 and 14th in leg-2

Peter Goddard: “We made a number of improvement this weekend, and the progress we made showed during the second race, the bike was definitely better. We’ve had some trouble with the slipper clutch on down-changing, but we’ve got new ones coming in time for Brands Hatch and that should help make up some more time. Bit by bit we’re making progress, things are moving in a positive direction for us. The atmosphere here in Laguna this weekend has been great and I had a good time battling for points in race two. I’m looking forward to riding again at Brands, where the atmosphere should match what we’ve experienced here in the USA.”


More, from Steve Martin’s publicist:

Steve Martin back in the USA

Steve Martin returned to the USA, where he raced earlier in his career, to fight it out with the regular World Superbike boys and six American wild
card riders.

A record crowd of 98,000 fanatical race fans poured into the Laguna Seca circuit over the weekend. The Californian track is famous for its undulating track, which includes challenging features such as the awesome steep downhill double-turn known as the Corkscrew.

Steve likes the track and was ready from the word go to give it his all, “It’ll be tough,” predicted Steve before the race, “especially with all these wild card riders joining us for the weekend.”

Steve qualified for Superpole and lined up fifteenth on the grid for the racing. In race one he improved on his qualifying and beat fellow Australian and Pirelli tyres rider Broc Parkes to the flag to snatch 14th.

In race two Steve got a poor start but got his head down to recover for a brilliant 11th. “I messed my start and that left me with plenty to do in race two,” admitted Steve. “So I raced on the limit for the whole 28 laps and was happy to pull myself up to eleventh by the chequered flag.”

The weekend left Steve with seven more Championship points. He now flies back to Europe to prepare for the next race, the European round at Brands Hatch in England.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Doug Perry, 72, died suddenly last Wednesday, July 10, after suffering a heart attack in Athens, Alabama, where he lived with his wife of 49 years, Nita.

Doug Perry is the father of Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry, who flew home Thursday from the combined World Superbike/AMA Superbike races at Laguna Seca.

Doug Perry is also survived by his brothers, Eugene, Conrad, Jack and Brent; his sisters, Paula Martin and Linda Kloepfer; his other sons, Jeff and Allen; and grandchildren Jennifer Gilliam and Laura, Shane and Spencer Perry.

Cards and letters may be addressed to the Perry Family, 22649 Smith Rd., Athens AL 35613.

Funeral services were held Friday in Athens.

From Repsol Honda:

New Victory for Rossi
7/15/2002 – Cinzano British Grand Prix

NEW VICTORY FOR ROSSI, THE SEVENTH, AND PODIUM FOR NIETO, ELÍAS AND PEDROSA

Valentino Rossi’s new victory in the MotoGP class, the seventh of this season, and the absence of his team-mate Tohru Ukawa, are the main facts to highlight of this British Grand Prix. Despite not having scored in this round of the Championship, the Japanese rider of the Repsol Honda Team, who expects to be back on his bike in Germany next weekend, is still second in the overall classification. But his team-mate and current leader of the World Championship, Valentino Rossi, has already an advantage of 87 points. Rossi made a good start and kept himself very close to Carlos Checa, who was leading the race, until the Spaniard crashed at the corner of the main straight only eleven laps before the end of the race. From that moment on, Rossi only had to administer the advantage he already had over Max Biaggi to finish first.

Fonsi Nieto was very close to a victory in the 250cc but he lost it during the last lap by only seven tenths of a second. Melandri and Nieto left the rest of the pack quickly behind, always led by the surprising Sebastián Porto. With fifteen laps to go Porto’s Yamaha broke down and both Aprilia riders were left alone, ready to fight for the victory. In the last lap, Fonsi overtook Melandri and it seemed to be clear that he would be the winner, but two corners before the end, the Italian made good use of a possibility to overtake the Repsol rider. In the back, Toni Elias was able to show his quality once again, after a terrible start. Fourteenth after the first lap, due to a problem at the start, Elias began to overtake his rivals one by one until almost reaching the leading group. In an impressive last lap, he was able to reach and overtake Battaini, taking the chequered flag in third position.

The race of the 125cc was again one of the most exiting of the day, with four riders fighting for victory: Vincent, Poggiali, Cecchinello and Pedrosa. Cecchinello was the first to discard himself from the final fight, crashing out without physical consequences, with three laps to go. In the last lap, the Frenchman Vincent was able to open a small gap, which allowed him to take the victory, while Pedrosa, always on the watch for his rival Poggiali, managed to cross the finish line on second position. His team-mate Olivé lapped the whole race among the second group of riders and finished sixth.

Valentino Rossi, 1st:

“This weekend started very badly. I had a bad crash. I’m lucky not to have got hurt bad. I hit my head hard and have had a headache all weekend – not too much problem with the hand though. Today I ride well. I made a good start. I follow Checa. I was faster than him in the fast parts but slower than him in the slow parts. Then Carlos lost the front where I did on Friday. The last 10 laps were very difficult. I’m alone. It is necessary to keep my concentration. It is a good result for the championship. I look forward to the break after Sachsenring when we need to recharge our batteries.”

Tohru Ukawa, DNS:

“I watched the race from my motor home here at Donington Park and I am very pleased for Valentino, he had a great race. I am still very sore from the crash on Friday but feeling better all the time. I can make no statement about whether I’ll be racing at Sachsenring yet. The medical team will be watching my progress over the next few days and together with my Honda race team we’ll make a decision about the next GP over the next few days. Of course I want to race but I need to be fit. I still hold a good second place in the championship with 8 rounds to go. A lot can happen”



More, from Yamaha:

The Marlboro Yamaha Team was on the way to a best ever result, with Carlos Checa looking set to give the YZR-M1 its debut race win at the British MotoGP, held at Donington Park on July 14, before its any hope slipped away on the 18th lap. The Spaniard was leading defending MotoGP World Champ Valentino Rossi (Honda) from the outset, and was visibly faster in the crucial second half of the 4023m circuit when the front of his Yamaha folded over the bumps in the final hairpin. Checa was just one of many victims Goddards claimed over the three-day programme, including Rossi on Friday practice – the very crash that left the Italian nursing a fractured left thumb.

In a valiant attempt to salvage points Checa rejoined the race in 11th place before he was forced to retire one lap later. This left Rossi to take a comfortable win, his 46th from 100 starts, from a determined Max Biaggi (Marlboro Yamaha Team), who proved to be the only remaining challenger.

Alex Barros (Honda) put in a strong performance to complete the podium as the first two-stroke mounted contender. He was followed by Norick Abe (Antena 3 Yamaha d’Antin), his never-say-die attitude promoting him nine places above his qualifying performance. Then came fifth-placed Olivier Jacque (Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3).

John Hopkins’ (Red Bull Yamaha WCM) hopes of a top five performance, at a circuit that typically suits Dunlops, was beyond reach after nearly crashing at the Melbourne hairpin on the opening lap – relegating him from eighth to 13th. The flamboyant American did, however, recover to finish eighth. Meanwhile, Pere Riba was absent after breaking his left tibia and fibula in Saturday practice and looks set to be out of action for at least six weeks.

Marlboro Yamaha Team

Max Biaggi 2nd: “I’m pretty satisfied because I tried 100 per cent, as usual. I got a pretty good start from the second row, kept the door closed for the first few laps and then worked at staying concentrated because the pace was very fast. I could stay with Carlos and Rossi, although my bike was lacking a little agility through the fast section. All things considered, it wasn’t so bad because I’d been sick for a week before I came here. I’ve been on antibiotics, which always leave you a little low on energy.”

Carlos Checa DNF: “I was feeling very comfortable, no problem, the bike was going well and getting better as the fuel load went down. I didn’t feel like I was on the limit. We’d chosen the softest front available and it was sliding a little through the lefts. I was very concentrated, I wasn’t thinking about winning, just about being smooth and consistent. Unfortunately I held on to the front brake a little more than usual at that bumpy corner and that’s when I lost it.”

YZR-M1 project leader Ichiro Yoda: “Carlos tried very hard, he was pushing very hard. That’s why he crashed, because he wanted to win. I like his motivation; I really appreciate what he was doing out there today. Next time… Many riders crash at the left-hand corners here, because there aren’t so many, the left side of Carlos’ front tyre looked new after his race.

“Max also rode a good race. His last two GPs haven’t been so easy but he seemed more confident here, and I think we improved the handling of his machine for this track. We’ve also had positive feedback on the new crankshaft. Now we go to Germany and we’ll keep working hard to keep improving.”


Antena 3 Yamaha d’Antin

Norick Abe 4th: “That was a much better result, don’t you think? The irony is I didn’t get a very good start at all, but I was able to make up so many places quite easily on the brakes. The bike was perfect. Mind you, even if I had of made a good start I don’t think I could have finished any higher than I did, so I’m happy.”

Pere Riba DNS

Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3

Olivier Jacque 5th: “Strange thing was the bike improved during the race, most likely due to the lessening fuel load, and the fact that I had a number of guys to dice with, which distracted me from worrying about the problem. Mainly it was the same thing we’ve been struggling with over the past two days; the bike just didn’t want to change direction like I wanted it to. The front didn’t feel secure and I nearly lost it around ten times in that race, but I rode really hard and finished off ahead of Gibernau.”

Shinya Nakano 10th: “Well the start could have been better, and then the first few laps weren’t too good, but once I got going I started to make up a fair few places. I did get stuck behind a couple of four-strokes for a while, but the rest of the race was trouble free.”

Red Bull Yamaha WCM

John Hopkins 8th: “I’d just made the pass on Aoki into the chicane and then the next thing I know the race is over. I’d gotten so into the race that I didn’t know I was on the last lap. Good thing I made the move when I did. I was feeling really good on the bike, especially on the brakes, although I did make a few mistakes into Melbourne Hairpin. The most costly mistake was made on the first lap, when I lost a ton of places.

Garry McCoy 12th: “It feels so good to finally finish a race, and at the same time, being able to compete with some other riders rather than circulating on my own. Regis was a challenge for a while, and he gave me a hard time once I got past, but after that the only issue became tyre endurance. I just wanted to get to the end so I concentrated on keeping it smooth and clean.”


More, from Red Bull Yamaha WCM:

BRITISH GP – DONINGTON PARK

Race Day – Sunday July 14th 2002

HOPKINS 8TH IN HIS 8TH GP WHILE McCOY COMES BACK STRONG

Red Bull Yamaha Riders, Garry McCoy and John Hopkins both had solid performances at Donington Park today, finishing in the points and moving the Red Bull Team one place further forward into 6th position in the Team World Title chase. In front of a 60,000 strong crowd, McCoy ended his run of bad luck at Donington and finished in 12th place moving up 6 places from his grid position. McCoy seems fit and strong and eagerly wants to get to Germany to get some more time on the bike.

Hopkins, who is vying for the Rookie of the Year Title against Kato and Riba had another stunning race today, after putting in a very frustrating opening lap. Hopper had a great start but the first lap cost him 4 places and he had a determined and focussed race to finish in 8th place. “Hoppers” result today confirms his position as 10th on the World Championship table and sees him leap ahead of his fellow American and former 2000 World Champion, Kenny Roberts, whilst being only one point behind former 250 Champion, Olivier Jacque.

John Hopkins – 8th place – scoring 8 points today
World Championship Classification – 10th with 41 points

“I got off the line really well but then during the first few corners I made some mistakes and lost some places. I clawed my way back up through the pack and diced it up with Kato, Gibernau, Jacque and Roberts. All in all I’m happy with my result and I’m in the points again but I’m disappointed that I couldn’t have got a better result considering the great tyres we had. The Dunlops were excellent, really great.

I was so focused during the race I didn’t even know it was the last lap, I was so surprised to see the chequered flag and I’m glad that I passed Aoki when I did. I found during the race I was strongest going into the brakes in the chicane, this is where I ended up passing Aoki on the last lap.

I was with my family at lunch today just before the race and its great having their support this weekend. Some of them have never been to a motorcycle race before so I hope they have really enjoyed themselves. I’ve got a Top 8 result so I think they should be happy with that.”

Garry McCoy – 12th place – scoring 4 points today
World Championship Classification – 20th with 11 points

“It feels good to finish a race and to be mixing it up with a few guys during the race. That’s certainly much better than riding alone. In the end of the race it got a bit slippery and I just concentrated on finishing the race. My leg and ankle feel fine and I have to take it a little bit at a time and have a better go at Germany.”

Colin Davies (Race Engineer – John Hopkins)
“I’m pleased with the result today to again finish in the Top 8 but the result could have been a lot better if John would of had a better first lap. I know John can run with those who finished further up the field but still I am very pleased with the result in this his eighth Grand Prix.”

Christophe Bourguignon (Race Engineer -Garry McCoy)

“Its good to have Garry back and everyone appreciates seeing him back and sliding again. It¹s a good step forward for us today and Garry was doing decent lap times from Lap one all the way to the last lap.”

Peter Clifford – Team Manager

“It’s the first time that John has really raced against World Champions and its great to see he has no problems with running their pace and dicing with them. Certainly the first lap was frustrating for him but that¹s just a lack of experience. Garry started to slide the bike around like we know he can and I’m sure we’ll see more of the old Gaz at Sachsenring.”


More, from Telefonica Movistar Suzuki:

GIBERNAU FINISHES SIXTH AT BRITISH GP

Donington Park, England– Race Result, Sunday, July 14, 2002:

TEAM TELEFONICA MOVISTAR SUZUKI rider Sete Gibernau showed all his fighting spirit in today’s British GP, overcoming a bad starting position to battle his way through the field, finally finishing sixth after a race-long battle.

Gibernau had qualified 17th after a difficult two days, starting from the fifth row of the grid. He finished the first lap already up in 13th, and fought his way through a fierce mid-field battle. With four laps to go he was at the head of the group, in fifth place – but in the last laps he lost the place to Olivier Jacque, finishing three tenths of a second behind the French rider.

Team-mate Kenny Roberts had a contrasting experience, starting well and running a close fourth, then dropping back throughout the race. He finished 14th, in the points.

Factory rider Akira Ryo, riding as a wild card entry, finished one place ahead of Roberts in 13th, on his first visit to the 2.5-mile Donington Park circuit.

The race was run in perfect sunny conditions in front of a record race-day crowd of 60,000, who watched defending champion Valentino Rossi claim his seventh win of the eight-race-old season.

Suzuki’s commitment to the four-stroke MotoGP project was confirmed by the presence of senior factory personnel, checking on progress of the GSV-R racing machine, which was brought out a full year earlier than originally planned. Director of Marketing Katsumi Takata and General Manager for Planning Masami Haga were both at the track, and their positive input was a reassurance to a team engaged in the difficult but rewarding task of racing the new machine at the same time as developing it from the prototype.

SETE GIBERNAU – Sixth Position

“That was a very hard race. I was working much too hard to enjoy it – just concentrating all the way. My hands are calloused from fighting the bike. We hadn’t really solved the problems we had in qualifying, but I kept on pushing and the bike ran consistently the whole way. The team and the factory appreciate that we are having difficulties, and we’re all working hard to solve them and push the bike forward. It was good to see Mr Takata and Mr Haga from the factory, and I think I proved to them that we’re doing our best and working as hard as possible.”

KENNY ROBERTS – 14th Position

“I really had a bad afternoon. The team and the factory know what areas we need to improve and that’s what we need to concentrate on doing. As for my own physical problem, I have been suffering with arm pump. I need to go home and get that fixed.”

GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager

“Sete really rode a fantastic race – he fought his way through from the back. There was really nothing more that he could give. Both riders had a tough weekend, with crashes during qualifying.”


More, from Suzuki on Ryo’s race:

RYO MAKES IT THREE SUZUKIS IN THE POINTS

MotoGP, Round Eight, Race Result, Donington Park, Great Britain, July 14th.

AKIRA RYO’S 13th place finish at Donington Park today made it three Suzukis in the points at the British Grand Prix, with Telefonica MoviStar Suzuki riders Sete Gibernau and Kenny Roberts Jr finishing sixth and 14th respectively.

Ryo saved his best performance of the weekend for the race, eclipsing his own qualifying position of 14th and battling up as high as 8th in the opening stages.

Getting a storming start from the grid, the 34-year-old Japanese rider was ninth into the first corner and by the end of the first lap he had made it up to eighth.

In front of a 61,000 strong British crowd, Ryo slipped back into the middle of the pack, in contention and fighting for 12th place with six other riders for much of the race.

It was Ryo’s first visit to the tricky 4.023km Donington Park venue and he proved he has what it takes to compete in GPs, finishing just behind GP veteran and multiple race winner Garry McCoy and ahead of Jurgen VD Goorbergh.

Ryo said: “We have reached a stage in the development of the GSV-R that is very important. We must never lose sight of the fact that I am riding to improve the motorcycle – that is the point of my involvement.

“Right now we are in a position that we can see improvements everytime we go out on the bike. Only small step improvements, but these will continue to add up.

“Today I felt the bike, tyres and chassis were all good. In qualifying it was very competitive, but in the race I was able only to finish 13th – which as a racer is disappointing. I was able to run with some experienced GP riders and winners but was unable to increase my pace to overtake. I think part of the reason was my lack of circuit knowledge. But overall, we are making progress with the development of the GSV-R and that is what it is all about.”

Ryo, the All-Japan Superbike Champion, is riding the latest version of the GSV-R Suzuki, similar to the machines of Team Telefonica MoviStar Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and Sete Gibernau. It is only his third race on Michelin tyres this year.

The GSV-R made its racing debut at the first round of the 2002 season, a full year earlier than expected. Ryo, riding as a wild-card entry at the first round of the Championship at Suzuka in April, finished runner-up in the bike’s first race, despite atrocious weather conditions. He has been called in as a Team Suzuki wild card rider for three races mid-season to speed up the GSV-R’s development progress. He rode at Catalunya in Spain, finishing 11th and at the Dutch TT at Assen in Holland, finishing a credible 15th.

The race win went to Honda’s Valentino Rossi.




More, from MS Aprilia Racing Press Information

2002 MotoGP World Championship

Round 8 – Donington Park (Great Britain) 12/13/14 July 2002

MotoGP – Sunday

Régis Laconi lacks grip at Donington and ends the eighth round of the Championship in sixteenth place.

In the race too, Régis Laconi and the RS Cube suffered the same lack of grip which has bedevilled the last few days in England and complicated preparation work for today’s contest. Problems in delivering power to the ground and lack of grip thwarted Régis’s attempts to gain ground after he moved up the field from 16th to 13th place in the early part of the race. Then Régis doggedly took the Cube under the finishing flag but without managing to show off his real skills.

# 55 Régis Laconi – (MS APRILIA RACING) – 16th – 47’28.413

“In today’s race, I again had the same lack of grip I’ve had over the past few days. Despite all the work we did, we didn’t manage to improve things. We were hoping that today’s higher ground temperature of 38 degrees would make better adherence more likely. But that wasn’t the case: I had no grip when I was braking or accelerating, but I didn’t have any on the corners either, when the bike was leaning. I could feel the bike sliding and had to keep getting it back right, even on the wide uphill curve. I gave it all I’d got, as I always do, but it was impossible to do any better. To make a mark on a race like today’s, I needed to keep up a pace of 1 minute 33, whereas I only managed to make 1’34, even when I was moving up the field and got to 13th place. It’s a pity – let’s hope for a more positive weekend on the Sachsenring.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Proton Team KR is already assembling a new V5 four stroke MotoGP engine with mock-up parts. A story on the team’s new website describes how a new rapid prototyping system produces full-size engine parts in resin allowing the parts to be assembled into a complete engine, checked for fit and corrected without the necessity of casting or forging any metal.

“Our target is to be testing the V5 four-stroke in November, and ready to race at the start of next season,” Proton Team KR owner Kenny Leroy Roberts is quoted as saying in the story. Roberts went on to tell reporters at the Donington Park GP that his engine is a 60-degree, 990cc V5 unlike Honda’s 75.5-degree V5.


Meanwhile, Roberts eldest son, former 500cc World Champion and current Suzuki MotoGP racer Kenny Lee Roberts, will miss the next round of the MotoGP World Championship series, the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring, in order to have surgery to correct Compartment Syndrome, or “arm pump” as it is commonly referred to.
“I’ve had problems ever since we started riding the four-stroke,” Roberts is quoted as saying on Suzuki’s racing website. “The bike is heavier and takes more muscling around, and you also have to blip the throttle to back-shift while you’re braking, which puts a lot more strain on your arm.
“I’ve been suffering from fatigue and pumping up, and we planned to have the operation done quietly during the summer break.
“Then at the last round at Assen I had a lot more trouble than I’d anticipated. It’s a very physical track, with no straight where you can rest even for a second.
“I had more trouble today, and after discussions with the team and the factory we decided it would be better to go ahead with the surgery directly. The usual recovery time is three to five weeks, but this will give us a little longer.
“I had to have it done anyway. The main thing is to get fit for when the season starts again in Czecho. We’re expecting continued development for the bike there, so it is crucial for me to be at 100 percent for that race.”
Suzuki has announced that Yukio Kagayama will abandon his testing of the Suzuki GSV-R prototype in the All-Japan Road Race Series and fill-in for Roberts at the MotoGP round at Sachsenring.

Meanwhile, Suzuki’s Akira Ryo will stay on in Europe and race the German and Czech Republic Grands Prix thanks to two more wild card rides. Ryo’s presence in the MotoGP series, says Suzuki, is helping development of the GSV-R.

Suzuki hadn’t planned on racing the 990cc, V4 GSV-R until 2003 but pushed the project forward and began racing this year after promising results in initial testing.

Ryo was granted three wild card rides by the FIM earlier this season and took part in the races at Catalunya, Assen and Donington Park.


In other news, West Honda Pons rider Loris Capriossi has had his broken right arm set and casted by Dr. Claudio Costa at his Bologna, Italy clinic, says the team’s website. Capirossi is currently recovering at his home in Monaco and is expected to be fit in time for the Czech Republic Grand Prix August 25.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Superstock Race Results (all on Suzuki GSX-R750s unless noted):

1. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 17 laps
2. Jimmy Moore, -1.335 second
3. Craig Connell, -5.162
4. Vincent Haskovec, -11.737
5. Jason DiSalvo, -18.975
6. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, -22.088
7. Brian Parriott, -22.187
8. Robert Jensen, -32.131
9. Brian Livengood, -39.924
10. Lee Acree, -44.642
11. Owen Richey, -45.071
12. John Dugan, -45.367
13. Marco Martinez, -46.917
14. Chris Caylor, -50.195
15. Christopher Rankin, -52.832
16. Scott Jensen, -53.078
17. Andrew Nelson, Honda CBR600F4i, -54.909
18. Jake Holden
19. J.J. Roetlin
20. Jeff Bostrom

37. Chris Ulrich, DNF, crash


Provisional AMA Superstock Point Standings:

1. Moore, 232 points
2. Acree, 218 points
3. Tommy Hayden, 198 points
4. Haskovec, 183 points
5. Parriott, 180 points
6. DiSalvo, 170 points
7. Meiring, 159 points
8. Livengood, 157 points
9. Connell, 145 points
10. Chris Ulrich, 124 points

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

250cc Grand Prix Race Results:

1. Marco Melandri, Aprilia, 27 laps, 42:55.728
2. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, -0.717 second
3. Toni Elias, Aprilia, -3.493 seconds
4. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, -3.934 seconds
5. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, -4.407 seconds
6. Randy De Puniet, Aprilia, -19.852 seconds
7. Haruchika Aoki, Honda, -21.770 seconds
8. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, -24.580 seconds
9. Alex Debon, Aprilia, -25.987 seconds
10. Shahrol Yuzy, Yamaha, -26.202 seconds
11. Casey Stoner, Aprilia, -31.621 seconds
12. Emilio Alzamora, Honda, -36.116 seconds
13. Roberto Locatelli, Aprilia, -45.339 seconds
14. Taro Sekiguchi, Yamaha, -45.538 seconds
15. David Checa, Aprilia, -57.476 seconds


250cc GP World Championship Point Standings:

1. Melandri, 145 points
2. Nieto, 132 points
3. Rolfo, 107 points
4. Battaini, 80 points
5. Elias, 76 points
6. De Puniet, 76 points


More, from Aprilia:


Marco Melandri makes clean sweep at Donington: fourth win in a row.

Four Aprilia 250s in top four places.

On a track he has never much loved, Marco Melandri today got the first four-of-a-kind in his career: four victories in a row. After Sebastian Porto left the action, the race was disputed by the two greatest contenders for the title this year: Melandri and Nietro fought a great race and a truly nail-biting last lap. Fundamental for victory, Macio brought his skills as a strategist to bear in the final trip round the circuit and managed to secure his win. This is the Ravenna rider’s fifth victory this season and confirms his position at the top of the championship, putting him 13 points ahead of Nieto. Four Aprilia RSW 250s filled the first four places, with Elias and Battaini coming in behind Melandri and Nieto. When today’s race came to an end, Marco took the top spot on the rostrum holding the Emergency banner, but the “race” for solidarity will be coming to an end tomorrow when Marco’s Mugello memorabilia will be bringing in auction funds for Dott. Gino Strada’s humanitarian association.

# 3 Marco Melandri – (MS APRILIA RACING) – 1st 42’55.728

“It was a really tough, but fantastic race – it’s no easy task keeping up such a fast pace for 27 laps here at Donington. I could see that Nieto was extremely fast in the first part of the circuit while I was able to pull away in the second. I started off not in too much of a rush as I knew had some margin to work on. In the last lap, Nieto slipped past in the part of the track where I wanted him to; I pulled out to let him by – this is because I wanted to concentrate on the final sprint by staying behind through the last two corners. I kept my wits about me all the way and kept my cool from beginning to end – this is what let me concentrate on the final rush. I was coming out of the corners tighter than Fonsi so even if I opened up the throttle just a little bit later than him, at least I could do so fully. It was a great race, and always correct – an exciting race to win. I just hope the Emergency “solidarity race”, which ends tomorrow, can achieve the same success. Now we’re all concentrating on next week’s race at the Sachsenring: that’s where I got my first win in the 250 class, which I really love. I’m just hoping I can keep up the good results I’ve been getting in this fantastic period in my career.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The SBK Press Office announced that three-day attendance for the combined World Superbike/AMA Superbike event at Laguna Seca set a record at 98,000.

SBK goes on to claim in a press release that this figure makes the Laguna Seca event “the biggest ever event in the history of the Motorcycling series in the USA.”

SCRAMP officials on hand in the media center said that three-day attendance for the track’s latest CART auto racing event was approximately 68,000.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

MotoGP Race Results From Donington Park:

1. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, 30 laps, 46:32.888
2. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, -2.371 seconds
3. Alex Barros, Honda NSR500, -5.533 seconds
4. Norick Abe, Yamaha YZR500, -22.036 seconds
5. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR500, -28.087 seconds
6. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, -28.400 seconds
7. Daijiro Kato, Honda NSR500, -28.947 seconds
8. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, -31.497 seconds
9. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, -31.947 seconds
10. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR500, -41.454 seconds
11. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, -49.458 seconds
12. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, -53.709 seconds
13. Akira Ryo, Suzuki GSV-R, -54.480 seconds
14. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, -54.594 seconds
15. Jurgen vd Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, -54.866 seconds
16. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RS3, -55.525 seconds
17. Alex Hofmann, Honda NSR500, -65.901 seconds
18. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, -11 laps, DNF, crash
19. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton KR3, -24 laps, DNF, mechanical


MotoGP Point Standings:

1. Rossi, 195 points
2. Ukawa, 108 points
3. Biaggi, 89 points
4. Barros, 87 points
5. Checa, 72 points
6. Abe, 72 points
7. Capirossi, 65 points
8. Kato, 60 points
9. Jacque, 42 points
10. Hopkins, 41 points
11. Roberts, 40 points
12. Aoki, 35 points
13. Harada, 32 points
14. Nakano, 30 points
15. Ryo, 29 points


More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Yamaha:

BRITISH GP, DONINGTON PARK
Race Day, Sunday July 14 2002

MARLBORO YAMAHA DUO STAR IN BRITISH GP
Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1 rider Max Biaggi rode to a determined second-place finish in today’s sun-blessed British GP after team-mate Carlos Checa tumbled out of the lead, leaving Valentino Rossi (Honda) to win his seventh victory of the year.

Biaggi started from the second row of the grid after two tumbles during practice and immediately joined Checa and Rossi out front. The Italian, recovering from a fever that laid him low last week, stayed a close third until Checa’s exit.

“Carlos tried very hard, he was pushing very hard,” said YZR-M1 project leader Ichiro Yoda. “That’s why he crashed, because he wanted to win. I like his motivation, I really appreciate what he was doing out there today. Next time. Many riders crash at the left-hand corners here, because there aren’t so many, the left side of Carlos’ front tyre looked new after his race. Max also rode a good race. His last two GPs haven’t been so easy but he seemed more confident here, and I think we improved the handling of his machine for this track. We’ve also had positive feedback on the new crankshaft. Now we go to Germany and we’ll keep working hard to keep improving.”

Today’s crowd figure of 60,000 was three times that of Donington ’99, proving that MotoGP is rapidly gaining popularity in Britain after a period of low interest in the late nineties.

BIAGGI’S DETERMINED RUN TO SECOND
Max Biaggi scored his first podium finish in three races at Donington to move into third place in the 2002 MotoGP World Championship. This was yet another display of great determination from the four-time 250 World Champion who had suffered from a 39-degree fever last week. Fifth in qualifying, Biaggi made a superb getaway, slotting into third at turn one and staying third until race leader Carlos Checa fell. He ended the race just 2.371 seconds down on winner Valentino Rossi.

“I’m pretty satisfied because I tried 100 per cent, as usual,” said the Marlboro Yamaha Team star. “I got a pretty good start from the second row, kept the door closed for the first few laps and then worked at staying concentrated because the pace was very fast. I could stay with Carlos and Rossi, although my bike was lacking a little agility through the fast section. All things considered, it wasn’t so bad because I’d been sick for a week before I came here. I’ve been on antibiotics, which always leave you a little low on energy.”

CHECA LEADS THE WAY BEFORE FALL
Carlos Checa gave it his all in his 100th premier-class race at Donington today, running a stunning pace in his quest for the YZR-M1’s first MotoGP win. But the Marlboro Yamaha Team rider was cruelly robbed of his victory chance when he lost the front at Goddards, a treacherous off-camber hairpin that had already caught out race rivals Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi during practice. Checa had been riding a brilliant race, leading from the green light all the way to the end of the 18th lap, when he slid off without injury. He bravely restarted but his bike was too badly damaged to allow him to continue.

“I was feeling very comfortable, no problem, the bike was going well and getting better as the fuel load went down,” said the bitterly disappointed Spaniard. “I didn’t feel like I was on the limit. We’d chosen the softest front available and it was sliding a little through the lefts. I was very concentrated, I wasn’t thinking about winning, just about being smooth and consistent. Unfortunately I held on to the front brake a little more than usual at that corner and that’s when I lost it.”

RAMPANT ROSSI TAKES 46TH WIN
World Championship leader Valentino Rossi scored his 46th victory at Donington today, an important success for the Italian who was contesting his 100th GP and always runs number 46. After his win, the three-time World Champion paid tribute to Carlos Checa’s speed. “The pace was incredible, after a few laps I looked behind me and only Biaggi was there,” he said. “Checa was very, very fast and pushing very hard. I was a little faster through the fast part, a little slower through the slow part, so I don’t know what would’ve happened at the end if he hadn’t crashed.”


More, from a press release issued by Red Bull Yamaha:

BRITISH GP – DONINGTON PARK

Race Day – Sunday July 14th 2002

HOPKINS 8TH IN HIS 8TH GP WHILE McCOY COMES BACK STRONG

Red Bull Yamaha Riders, Garry McCoy and John Hopkins both had solid performances at Donington Park today, finishing in the points and moving the Red Bull Team one place further forward into 6th position in the Team World Title chase. In front of a 60,000 strong crowd, McCoy ended his run of bad luck at Donington and finished in 12th place moving up 6 places from his grid position. McCoy seems fit and strong and eagerly wants to get to Germany to get some more time on the bike.

Hopkins, who is vying for the Rookie of the Year Title against Kato and Riba had another stunning race today, after putting in a very frustrating opening lap. Hopper had a great start but the first lap cost him 4 places and he had a determined and focussed race to finish in 8th place. Hopper’s result today confirms his position as 10th on the World Championship table and sees him leap ahead of his fellow American and former 2000 World Champion, Kenny Roberts, whilst being only one point behind former 250 Champion, Olivier Jacque.

John Hopkins – 8th place – scoring 8 points today
World Championship Classification – 10th with 41 points

“I got off the line really well but then during the first few corners I made some mistakes and lost some places. I clawed my way back up through the pack and diced it up with Kato, Gibernau, Jacque and Roberts. All in all I’m happy with my result and I’m in the points again but I’m disappointed that I couldn’t have got a better result considering the great tyres we had.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn LeSanto

Battered Bayliss does it again

When Troy Bayliss crashed down to earth after a massive highside in free practice on Saturday Colin Edwards must have thought he was on for a race win on Sunday. But the Australian kept calm, took a massage and came back to grab win number 14.

It was Texan Edwards who made the early running; he led from the start until lap 24. Then, when Edwards made a mistake on lap 24, Bayliss was there to pounce and took off for yet another race win. Despite his heavily bruised and battered body, Bayliss rocketed off to make the win all his.

“Colin rode so hard that my race plan wasn’t working. So I just tried to hang on and waited for him to make a mistake,” Bayliss said. Edwards made that error and gassed the bike just a little harder than his rear tyre could take coming out of turn five. Bayliss had been putting him under pressure prior to that, getting a wheel ahead two laps earlier only for Edwards to grab the lead straight back.

Looking carefully at the time sheets it’s clear that Bayliss is being a little modest, as usual. When Edwards did make his mistake Bayliss not only passed him but also put in a lap at 1:25.794 ­ at a time when everyone else on the track was riding in the mid-1:26 zone.

“We always knew that 28 laps was going to be hard on the tyres and it started taking its toll towards the end there,” said Edwards. The slide at turn six lost Edwards drive on the exit and Bayliss and eventual runner-up Ruben Xaus just slipped by.

“I just couldn’t ride any harder,” Edwards added. “I was doing everything I could while I was leading. Then when they got by I had no reply. We’ve got the machine set up as good as it could be but I’m just missing that grunt out of the corners.

“Race two will be different. I’ve never won at Laguna Seca and I’m getting pissed off with that – it’s going to be a win or crash approach to race two.”

Ruben Xaus managed to get his bike into the lead after Edwards’ mistake, but Bayliss was having none of it and rode by him a turn later. “Ruben was there to make things even more exciting,” commented Bayliss.

Neil Hodgson sat in third position for the first part of the race. But he was overhauled on lap nine by Nori Haga. The Japanese rider then went on to pass Bayliss, who was then back in second place, on the next lap. But when he tried to dive under Edwards going through turn two on lap 13 it proved a move too far. Haga slid off the track, remounted but then retired just a few laps later.

Hodgson got third back – but only for a few laps. Xaus got by him a few laps later and then, on lap 21, Hodgson succumbed to the incessant pressure wild card rider Nicky Hayden had been piling on. Hayden finished the race in a brilliant fourth. “I was happy with the race, Hodgson wasn’t holding me up. We were faster and slower in different places though. All I need is a little more drive grip,” said Hayden.

Eric Bostrom had a great race, beating his brother Ben Bostrom and Aaron Yates to finish sixth. His brother had to make do with eighth after suffering tyre trouble, with Yates making up the meat in the Bostrom sandwich in seventh. “I need to get a better first eight laps in race two,” admitted Eric Bostrom, “then I reckon I can be really strong in the last half of the race.”

World Superbike Race One Results:

1. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 28 laps
2. Ruben Xaus, Ducati, -0.339 second
3. Colin Edwards, Honda, -2.051 seconds
4. Nicky Hayden, Honda, -2.588 seconds
5. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, -4.104 seconds
6. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, -11.734 seconds
7. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -17.661 seconds
8. Ben Bostrom, Ducati, -23.752 seconds
9. James Toseland, Ducati, -26.437 seconds
10. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, -30.199 seconds
11. Chris Walker, Kawasaki, -40.945 seconds
12. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati, -41.197 seconds
13. Doug Chandler, Ducati, -43.197 seconds
14. Steve Martin, Ducati, -56.675 seconds
15. Broc Parkes, Ducati, -67.030 seconds
16. Peter Goddard, Benelli, -74.270 seconds
17. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati, -74.624 seconds
18. Alessandro Antonello, Ducati, -79.892 seconds
19. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki, -83.757 seconds
20. Mark Heckles, Honda, -1 lap
21. Mark Miller Honda, -1 lap
22. Bertrand Stey, Honda, -1 lap
23. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki, -8 laps
24. Serafino Foti, Ducati, -11 laps
25. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia, -14 laps, DNF, crash
26. Marco Borciani, Ducati, -19 laps