From an e-mail:

Luis Garcia/RickyRacer opened his eyes today!

He’s still medicated (morphine drip) and he has trouble focusing. They started talking to him and was aware that his wife was there. He moved his legs and arms (one’s broken). (surgery to repair broken bones to commence soon)

They’ve ruled out any damage in spinal cord. He’s not moving his feet yet, but this may just take time. They’ve put him to sleep because they’re going to put a breather tube in his trachea to ease things.

He’s getting better!

Thanks for all your support and prayers and thoughts and letters. He responded to them! He responded to people. His wife Juanita was reading all these notes and postings to him.

Luis Wassmann

[A personal note] I would like to send a special thank you to Roadracingworld.com for sharing the news about injured racers. You have helped spread the word and bring in prayers and monetary gifts during one of the toughest times a family could endure. Thank You All!

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

As lucky privateers enjoyed a rare promoter practice Thursday, May 2 prior to the beginning of the AMA National weekend at Sears Point Raceway, news was to be found under nearly every team’s canopy in the paddock.

The Corona Extra Suzuki management was very active on Thursday trying to prepare for the absence of two of their three riders. As reported on Roadracingworld.com earlier in the week, Steve Rapp was hospitalized with injuries sustained in a motocross crash April 30. According to Rapp Crew Chief Jeremy Daniel, Rapp was released from the hospital Wednesday but was looking toward having surgery to plate his broken collar bone Thursday, and having his broken rib/ribs and lung injury further evaluated by doctors, in an attempt to ride at least his Formula Xtreme bike at Sears Point. In the event that Rapp will not be able to ride, the Corona Extra Suzuki team has flown in Katja Poensgen to ride but the team hasn’t stated which bike the female German racer will ride.

Corona Extra’s other Formula Xtreme/Superstock rider, Jordan Szoke, was detained by U.S. immigration officials at the border between the United States and Szoke’s home country of Canada Thursday. The Corona team had no details about Szoke’s detention.

Corona Extra Suzuki’s Tim Saunders did say that they had brought in California young gun Jason Perez, age 17, to ride Rapp’s Supersport Suzuki and Szoke’s Superstock GSX-R750. Reigning AMA 750cc Supersport Champion Jimmy Moore is at Sears Point, is healthy and rode during Thursday practice.

Marty Craggill, Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s replacement for injured rider Josh Hayes, spent Thursday practice knocking the rust off, after not having ridden a road racer since the final round of the 2001 World Superbike Championship at Imola, battling jet lag and reacquainting himself with Michelin tires. When asked for his first impressions, Craggill said that he was pleased with the team and the Suzuki GSX-R1000 Formula Xtreme bike, and added that he loved the Michelin slicks.

Erion Honda’s Roger Lee Hayden will not race at Sears Point and will be replaced by Canadian teenager, Andrew Nelson. According to Erion Crew Chief Rick Hobbs, Hayden injured his knee in a high-speed crash in the Formula Xtreme race at Fontana, thought that the injury had healed, then damaged the knee further while training in the gym prior to coming to Sears Point. Hobbs added that Hayden was planning on getting an orthroscopic examination by Dr. Arthur Ting Thursday.

Another Dr. Ting patient, Arclight Suzuki’s Craig Connell, will also sit out the Sears Point national. Less than two weeks ago, Connell had surgery to remove a metal plate from the left shoulder he injured in a Formula USA race crash at Portland in 2001. Connell plans to ride again at the AMA National at Road Atlanta in two weeks. Arclight will field Dave Stanton on a GSX-R1000 on Pirelli slicks in Formula Xtreme.

Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati Racing crew members have finished updating their 2001 Ducati 996RS racebikes to 2002 Ducati 998RS Testastretta specification, with the exception of radial-mount front brake calipers. The team stopped at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Arizona, on the trip to Sears Point, to break the new engines in and shake the bikes down. Meanwhile, HMC Ducati has added PVM forged aluminum wheels to its Ducati 998RS Testastrettas.

In other Ducati news, Munroe Motors has put together a Ducati 998S for 2001 AMA Pro Thunder Champion, and Sears Point specialist, Tom Montano to ride in the Superbike double-header this weekend. Montano will also ride the bike in the AMA Superbike race at Laguna Seca.

Crashers Thursday included Jason DiSalvo, on his Team America Grand Prix Racing Honda RS250, and Blackfoot Motorsports’ Clint McBain, on his Canadian Superbike-spec Suzuki GSX-R1000. McBain put the much-talked-about runoff area in turn one to the test with a lowside crash and came away uninjured.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Afternoon’s Superbike Qualifying Times:

1. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R7, 1:32.559
2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.929
3. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.984
4. Nicky Hayden, Honda RC51, 1:33.107
5. Miguel Duhamel, Honda RC51, 1:33.482
6. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:33.898
7. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.538
8. Pascal Picotte, Ducati 998RS, 1:34.612
9. Doug Chandler, Ducati 998RS, 1:35.191
10. Lee Acree, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:36.521
11. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:36.619
12. M. Foster, Kawasaki ZX-7R, 1:37.308
13. Ed Milhausen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:37.492
14. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:37.613
15. Owen Richey, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:37.647
16. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:37.707
17. Scott Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:38.109
18. Thomas Montano, Ducati 998S, 1:38.290
19. Robert Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:38.348
20. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:38.520

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Monitors displaying AMA timing & scoring information along pit lane and in the press room at Sears Point first went live at 11:40 a.m. PDT, more than three hours after official AMA practice started.

Problems with the timing and scoring system at the opening of official AMA practice have been the norm this year, with the system failing to be fully operational at Daytona, Fontana and now Sears Point.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Corona Extra Suzuki Formula Xtreme and Superstock rider Jordan Szoke will not race in the AMA National at Sears Point this weekend due to visa troubles. As usual, Szoke was being driven by his mother from his home in Canada to the airport in Buffalo, New York, a 30-minute drive, when he was stopped at the border crossing by U.S. officials.

Contacted early Friday on his cell phone as he was preparing to go training on his motocross bike, Szoke said that U.S. officials stopped him and “gave us the whole nine yards. There were soldiers carrying M-16s searching cars and the whole deal.

“They found that I didn’t have a visa yet. It’s no-one’s fault. I’ve applied for it and it’s due to come in any time, but they gave me shit for trying to get across without it even though it said on their computer that my visa was being processed. They treated me like a criminal. They held me for four hours and were threatening to take our car and stuff.

“I can understand their concern. I mean, I know I’d feel the same way if someone flew a plane into our building. I was on a plane two planes ahead of the one that flew into the building. I mean, I looked back and saw that plane before I took off that day. Of course, I didn’t know know it at the time. So I know their concern, but I think it’s a little much for people like me.

“I’m just pissed off because I know I can win the Championship. I’m feeling at home on the bike and think I’m riding really well. It’s just unfortunate, but I’m happy to have the ride. It should all be taken care of before Road Atlanta.”

A source inside the Corona team said Friday morning that he understood the reason Szoke was prevented from leaving the country was due to warrants for Szoke’s arrest in Canada. When asked to comment on that report, Szoke laughed very hard before saying, “That’s funny. My friends are always laughing at me because I’m such a straight arrow. They’re laughing at me in my truck right now. The worst thing I’ve ever done was get a speeding ticket for 10 kilometers (6 mph) over the limit. That’s just funny!”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Manuel Poggiali, Gilera, 1:49.665
2. Pablo Nieto, Aprilia, 1:49.748
3. Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, 1:49.799
4. Gino Borsoi, Aprilia, 1:50.170
5. Lucio Cecchinello, Aprlia, 1:50.319
6. Alex DeAngelis, Aprilia, 1:50.380
7. Arnaud Vincent, Aprilia, 1:50.736
8. Angel Rodriguez, Aprilia, 1:50.800
9. Stefano Bianco, Aprilia, 1:50.817
10. Noboru Ueda, Honda, 1:51.104

Formula Xtreme Practice Times:
1. Marty Craggill, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.758
2. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR954RR, 1:37.388
3. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:37.440
4. Mike Hale, Honda CBR954RR, 1:37.569
5. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:38.190
6. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R7/R1, 1:38.339
7. Dave Stanton, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:38.649
8. Lance Isaacs, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:39.919
9. Jason Curtis, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:40.847
10. James Compton, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:41.527

Tom Kipp did not have a time listed on the Formula Xtreme practice time sheet even though he was on the track.

Supersport Practice Times:
1. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, 1:38.443
2. Brian Parriott, Honda, 1:38.764
3. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki, 1:38.810
4. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:39.177
5. Mike Hale, Honda, 1:39.823
6. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha, 1:40.251
7. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:40.263
8. Owen Richey, Yamaha, 1:40.327
9. Owen Weichel, Kawasaki, 1:40.331
10. Tom Kipp, Suzuki, 1:40.364
11. Michael Hannas, Kawasaki, 1:40.865
12. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:40.944
13. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 1:40.953
14. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:41.082
15. Scott Simpson, Kawasaki, 1:41.254
16. Andrew Nelson, Honda, 1:41.284
17. Jeff Tigert, Suzuki, 1:41.429
18. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki, 1:41.679
19. Jason Perez, Suzuki, 1:42.143
20. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:42.247

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

In a press conference following Friday’s timed Superbike qualifying session at Sears Point, the top three riders–provisional pole-sitter Anthony Gobert and Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Aaron Yates and Mat Mladin–strongly criticized the racetrack. All three riders were under last year’s lap record, set by Mladin.

“I knew the old track pretty well,” said Yates. “The way it is now it’s like it’s all new, it’s totally different. The first time out this morning it was pretty strange. I was pretty upset about the way the turn one thing is. That was bothering me a lot this morning. Then this afternoon I had to decide that that’s the way it’s going to be, I’ve got to go out there and ride and quit thinking about it. It’s a shame that the track’s as dangerous as it is; it’s worse now than it used to be before. You go out there and do your job and it really sucks. Turn one is just way too fast going in there and there’s nowhere to go if you run off the track. There’s concrete walls on the inside and the outside. When I was first looking at it yesterday there weren’t people on the track and I noticed it was so fast through there it was like you’re going to be braking past the bridge where you hit the hill and start going up to the turn (two). That’s where you’re going to be wanting to get on the brakes a little bit and you’re going to be G-ing out that thing and the front’s going to be bottoming out and there’s absolutely nowhere to go out there when you fall. There’s big holes and stuff dug in it. I went and told (AMA Race Manager) Ron Barrick, with all the tractors and stuff they got here, they ought to be able to go out there and fix the outside, at least right there. Fix the outside of the track a little bit so if we fall we can slide a little ways before we bounce off something or fall in a big old hole up there. You’re going so much faster there than you were before, at least about 30-40 mph faster now.”

“I definitely echo Aaron’s words with the problems we have here with the racetrack,” said Mladin. “I honestly feel unsafe out there. It’s hard for me to concentrate with looking at what’s going on out there. I honestly believe that somebody needs to really think about whether we should be here or not, with the state of the racetrack. They’ve got some new pavement, you go faster. Through turn nine, I’m on the rev limiter in fourth gear, wide open, and, I mean, there isn’t three feet of run-off. And there’s no air bags, and there’s no nothing, even though air bags are not the fix. I’m probably going to get bent over and reamed again for saying something, but I’m lost for words. When I went out there this morning, I thought of getting in my motorhome and going home. Obviously, the prize money doesn’t help when you can’t get enough money to buy your blokes drinks after you win.”

“I don’t think we should be racing here, really, this weekend,” said Gobert. “I think that we should all be getting together and really just packing up and driving home. Someone spoke to me and said, ‘Oh, you can’t believe the changes they’ve made here and how much better it’s going to be.’ When I arrived here I realized, yeah, that’s the case if you’re a spectator, but not if you’re actually out there riding. It’s a bit of a shame that we have to be put through this to try and win a championship at the end of the year. Today, when I put a qualifier on, I was looking around thinking that I really, really don’t want to put my head down and go for it. And I had no choice but to do it. It’s pretty awkward being put in that position. I don’t think anything’s really going to get done. I don’t think anything really gets done unless someone gets hurt. It normally takes three years in a row like Loudon. Hopefully I don’t get myself in trouble by saying what I feel. Seems like you get in trouble for that. Hopefully we have a good weekend, hopefully we stay safe.”

Immediately after the press conference, John Cardinale, Sears Point’s director of media relations and community affairs, called Steve Page, president and general manager of Sears Point, and AMA Race Manager Ron Barrick, to the media center for a follow-up conference.

Page, who looked ashen, said that he had just heard the gist of the riders’ comments, and found it hard to respond. Page said the track had spent over $55 million making improvements to the track, and had spent a lot of money getting the entitlements to do the changes, particularly in turn one. As Page pointed out, the problem in turn one is the waste holding tanks and the bridge between turns one and two. The slope on the outside of turn one is necessary to hold the waste holding ponds in place. Page said that a new waste disposal plant is in place, and they are just waiting for the permits to put it on line. Until that is done, the track cannot abandon the ponds on the outside of the turn. As far as the basic configuration of the track, Page said, “What you can do is what you can do. There’s always going to be physical limitations,” and pointed to the fact that, until the California Highway Department moves Highway 121 on the outside of turn 10, it will be impossible to include more runoff room. Page pointed out the additional run-off room in the Esses, and when asked about the front straight, said the configuration was up to the AMA.

Barrick said the narrow front straight and the entrance to turn one was to keep from going over the slick staging area of the dragstrip, and said that additional changes couldn’t be made until the hill on the outside of turn one was changed.

Page said that in the future, run-off in turn one would be increased substantially, a new bridge without abutments would be put in between turns one and two, that there would be additional run-off room in turn six (an area the riders didn’t mention), and that the entire track would be resurfaced in September. Also, the water seepage problem in turn one will be gone when the holding tanks are gone.

Barrick added that, turn by turn, there isn’t one place on the track that hasn’t been improved in the last few years. Last year, turns two, three and five were improved, turn six has never been on the top of anybody’s list to be improved, and that there is move run-off room in turns 8A and 9. Asked about reconfiguring turn one with cones, Barrick said he really didn’t know what the options were, everybody just said take the hill and the bridge away. He said the riders didn’t offer any other solution, and even since the AMA has been here this weekend, walls have been moved back around the track.

In conclusion, Page said, “There is no perfect racetrack, but if you compare Sears Point from five years ago to today, the difference is night and day. Sears Point has never hesitated to do work or spend money to make this a safe racing environment.”

From a press release issued May 2 at Sears Point Raceway:

To Whom It May Concern:

Dunlop Statement Regarding MBNA AMA 250cc GP Class

Ongoing rumors have, for several years now, indicated the possible elimination by the AMA of the 250cc GP class at AMA National events. Recent rumors have linked Dunlop with this movement, indicating that Dunlop supports the proposed elimination of this class.

These recent rumors have absolutely no basis in fact. Dunlop has been a long-term supporter of the AMA 250cc GP Class and continues to actively support this class. Our Championship record in this class is second to no other manufacturer and it is our hope to win this Championship again in 2002 and for years to come.

Currently, our list of sponsored riders in this class includes Rich Oliver, Roland Sands, Chuck Sorensen, Jim Filice, Jason DiSalvo, Perry Melneciuc, Simon Turner, and Thad Halsmer. It is our intention to continue to support deserving riders in this class for as long as the class remains a valid AMA National Class.

We continue to stock large inventories of tires for this class and it is our intention to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Regards,
Jim Allen
Road Race Manager – Motorcycle Division
Goodyear Dunlop Tire North America LTD.

Final Superstock Qualifying Times (all on Suzuki GSX-R750s unless noted):

1. Lee Acree, 1:35.700
2. Chris Ulrich, 1:36.264
3. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:36.282
4. Brian Parriott, 1:37.344
5. Jason DiSalvo, 1:37.357
6. Scott Jensen, 1:37.415
7. Jimmy Moore, 1:37.449
8. Ty Howard, 1:37.486
9. Alan Schmidt, 1:37.638
10. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:37.744
11. Jake Holden, 1:37.917
12. Owen Richey, 1:38.121
13. John Dugan, 1:38.139
14. Robert Jensen, 1:38.566
15. Michael Hannas, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:38.660
16. Rich Conicelli, 1:38.713
17. Jeremy Toye, 1:38.734
18. Owen Weichel, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:38.971
19. Brian Livengood, 1:38.972
20. Andrew Nelson, Honda CBR600F4i