From two press releases, one issued by Mat Mladin’s publicist and one issued by American Honda:

MAT MLADIN Racing – MEDIA INFORMATION
For immediate release
Sunday, 2 June 2002

Round 8, 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship
Pikes Peak International Raceway, Fountain, Colorado, USA
Race Report

TYRE PROBLEMS FORCE MLADIN OFF PIKES PEAK PODIUM

Fountain, Colorado, USA: After holding down second place for much of the race, defending American Superbike champion, Australian Mat Mladin was forced to ease his race pace to preserve his rear tyre as it blistered badly in the sweltering conditions at Pikes Peak International Raceway to finish fourth at round eight of the AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship.

The race win went to Team Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom who led each of the 48-laps finishing 15.28 seconds clear of a trio of Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R750s led by Aaron Yates who was followed by Jamie Hacking and Mladin.

Championship point’s leader Nicky Hayden (American Honda) crashed out of the race on lap sixteen and failed to score any additional points. Bostrom’s win, his first of the season, takes him to second on the points table with 211, ahead of Yates (204) and Mladin (181).

With track temperatures soaring to 125ºF tyre selection was always going to be critical around the tight 2.12km (1.315miles) course. Starting from the outside of the front row of the grid, Mladin got away well and was immediately in with the lead group. He held second place behind Bostrom, but on lap 22 began to experience problems with his rear tyre. Easing the pace slightly to preserve the tyre, Mladin was passed initially by teammate Jamie Hacking and then by Aaron Yates who was forced to undergo a stop / start penalty for jumping the race start. Yates passed Hacking on the final lap of the race to take second, while Mladin coasted to a safe fourth.

“Unfortunately it has been another frustrating race for me this year,” said Mladin. “We’ve had a few tyre problems this year and today was another. The tyre has just blistered all the way around one side and there was nothing I could do about it. It was the same tyre as the others were using, but mine just gave way at about mid race distance while the others looked good at the end of the race. The race got off to a good start for us and I was holding second place quite easily. Eric was very fast out front and I don’t think I could have got close to him anyway.

“The team has worked very hard to get on top of the handling problems that we’ve had lately and going by what has happened this weekend I think we’re definitely heading in the right direction now. I’ve moved up to fourth in the championship, but there is still a lot of work to be done if we want to get even closer to the front.”

The AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship heads to the Road America circuit at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin next weekend (June 8 & 9) for another Double-Header Superbike round for rounds 9 & 10 of the championship.


And now Honda’s release:

HONDA RACING NEWS

Rocky Day in the Rockies

Temperature: Sunny, 32 degrees
Crowd: 5000

American Honda’s Nicky Hayden leaves the Colorado Rockies with a 42 point AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship lead, despite ending the day with a fiery crash early in the Superbike race. Hayden was unhurt, but his Honda RC-51 was too badly damaged to continue and his winning streak of five Superbike races in a row ended in flames at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Teammate Miguel DuHamel had a slightly better day, though he also fell. The resilient French-Canadian crashed out of fourth place in the same slow left hand corner as Hayden, but with less damage. DuHamel picked up his RC-51 and soldiered on to finish fifth. The race was won by Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom, Hayden’s nearest championship challenger and the 2001 championship runner-up.

Bruce Transportation Group’s Honda CBR-954-mounted Jake Zemke finished a close second in the Formula Xtreme race, closing to within 0.369 seconds of race winner Jason Pridmore (Suzuki) at the checkered flag. Erion Honda’s Roger Lee Hayden was fourth. Roger Lee, the youngest of the racing Haydens, finished third in the Pro Honda Oils 600cc Supersport race, won by his oldest brother, Tommy, on a Kawasaki.

Nicky Hayden, 20, of Owensboro, Kentucky, came to Colorado riding a five-race winning streak and looked to match the record of six, held by teammate DuHamel, the winningest rider in AMA Superbike history. Hayden qualified second, but didn’t have a great feel in the front end around the tortuous 1.315-mile PPIR road course, a seven-turn bull ring set in the middle of a one-mile banked oval. As the race began, Hayden gated badly and was back in fourth, soon to move to third. With a race length of 48 laps, and 55 second lap times, Hayden was patient, up to third by the ninth lap and gaining on the leaders. It all went wrong at the end of the back straightaway, a hairpin first-gear left-hander with surface irregularities and concrete patches. Hayden was instantly down and the machine was on fire before it stopped. Corner personnel arrived immediately and doused the flames, but his day was over.

Though he lost significant points in the championship, he still leads race winner Bostrom 253 to 211 after eight of 15 rounds. DuHamel is sixth in points after his crash and re-start.

Having also suffered front end problems in practice, DuHamel, who celebrated his 35th birthday just prior to the race weekend, tried a different set of offsets in the race. The result was less front end traction, which resulted in his turn three spill on the 38th of 48 laps. A quick inventory showed no damaged, and DuHamel brought the scuffed motorcycle home in fifth.

The pair will have a chance to redeem themselves next week at Road America, a high-speed four-mile road course where Hayden earned his first two Superbike wins.

Nicky Hayden, DNF
Got a bad start again, which is bad. And just got in there and was trying to ride hard, trying to catch up. Just kind of tipping it in. I didn’t have my knee down or anything. Just let the front get away from me. I’ve been fighting the front end all weekend pushing the front a lot. No excuse, I just made a mistake and it’s just one of those deals. It’s tough around here to make up time. I was just riding hard to try to catch up. I don’t know what happened, why it caught fire. I was still sliding, trying to get away from the bike and it was on fire. I was kind of hung under the bike and the thing was on fire and I was trying to get out from under it. I’m OK.

Miguel DuHamel, Fifth Place
We kind of took a big gamble before the race and we changed offsets and we made it two or three clicks worse than it was before the race. We hung in there and obviously it would have been interesting to see where we finished if I didn’t tip over in that corner. There’s a lot of tire patches and asphalt patches in that corner, turn three, where everybody’s fallen. I think it’s a corner if you do nothing wrong, and you hit the wrong line, you’re probably going to go down. I tried to save it with my knee and my elbow. There was nothing I could do. The bike didn’t want to get back up. But I kept it running and got back up and came around and caught Pascal Picotte. He was having bigger problems than I was I guess. We got a top five finish, that’s not bad.

Superbike:
1. Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki)
2. Aaron Yates (Suzuki)
3. Jamie Hacking (Suzuki)
4. Mat Mladin (Suzuki)
5. Miguel DuHamel (Honda)
6. Pascal Picotte (Ducati)
7. Brian Parriott (Suzuki)
8. Ricky Orlando (Suzuki)
9. Vincent Haskovec (Suzuki)
10. Brian Livengood (Suzuki)

AMA Superbike Championship Standings:
1. Nicky Hayden (253)
2. Eric Bostrom (211)
3. Aaron Yates (204)
4. Mat Mladin (181)
5. Pascal Picotte (190)
6. Miguel DuHamel (172)
7. Jamie Hacking (160)
8. Brian Livengood (159)
9. Brian Parriott (151)
10. (TIE) Anthony Gobert/Rich Conicelli (118)

From a press release:

Superbike World Championship
Round seven: EuroSpeedway Lausitz
Wednesday 5 June 2002
Event preview

Mid-season showdown at EuroSpeedway

The seventh round of the 2002 Superbike World Championship takes place at EuroSpeedway, Lausitz this weekend (7-9 June). The HM Plant Ducati/GSE Racing team arrives at the German circuit with riders Neil Hodgson and James Toseland currently occupying third and seventh place respectively in the championship.

Hodgson is eager to continue his fine run of form and is hopeful of taking a first World Championship victory outside of the UK.

“Lausitzring was a bit of a lottery last year,” said Hodgson. “The weather was dodgy and it was a new circuit, so we didn’t have any data, let alone a decent wet set-up. I can’t predict the weather for this weekend but I can say that this round should be a very different story. The HM Plant Ducati/GSE Racing team has as much information on the EuroSpeedway as any of the other teams and, thanks to the fantastic British climate, we’ve had some pretty intense wet weather experience. I proved that I can perform at this circuit when I came second in race two and I’ve already shown that I can run at the front this year. I’ve had a much better start to the season this time around and I’m looking forward to tackling this demanding circuit with all the advantages that we as a team now have.”

James Toseland is also in a much stronger position than he was when he visited the Lausitzring for the first time at the mid-point of last season.

“EuroSpeedway is a tremendous facility but it doesn’t exactly hold fond memories for me,” said the 21-year-old Yorkshireman. “I was unlucky in race one and I just remember race two as being really difficult. That said, it all seems a long time ago now and I’ve learned a lot in the meantime. The circuit itself is a bit scrappy, but its definitely one that I’ll enjoy mastering over the weekend. I want a couple of good finishes that will help me defend my championship position and challenge for sixth place.”

Circuit length: 4.265km

Lap record: 1:40.599 T. Bayliss (Ducati) 2001

2001 results
Race one:
1. C. Edwards (Honda) 38:47.683
2. T. Bayliss (Ducati)+0.663
3. T. Okada (Honda) +2.810
8. N. Hodgson (GSE Racing Ducati) +28.008

J. Toseland (GSE Racing Ducati) DNF

Race two:
1. T. Bayliss (Ducati) 45:57.65
2. N. Hodgson (GSE Racing Ducati) +0.229
3. C. Edwards (Honda) +22.922
17. J. Toseland(GSE Racing Ducati) +1:29.399

From a press release:

SuperBikers2 exhibition at RA between AMA racing

Tentative Schedule
Thursday June 6
TBA

Friday June 7
9:00 Race and exhibition
10:30 Race and exhibition
2:30 Race and exhibition
4:10 Race and exhibition

Sat June 8
11:00 Race and exhibition
12:35 Race and exhibition
1:35 Race and exhibition
3:00 Race and exhibition

Sun June 9
9:30 Race and exhibition
11:20 Race and exhibition
12:30 Race and exhibition
3:00 Race and exhibition
Visit www.superbikers2.com

From a Castrol Honda press release:

EDWARDS JOINS TRIBUTE LAP

Castrol Honda World Superbike star Colin Edwards joined the Joey Dunlop Tribute Lap around the TT course on Monday afternoon on the Isle of Man.

The lap was led away by Honda’s Bob McMillan on Dunlop’s 2000 Formula One TT-winning SP-1 Honda – he was joined by long time sponsor John Harris, Isle of Man Minister of Tourism David Cretney and Gary Dunlop, son of the late TT legend Joey.

Immediately behind the “JOEY” tribute quartet came Edwards, riding a road-going VTR1000 superbike ­ the customer version of his World Superbike machine.

Edwards completed the 37.73-mile circuit in a little more than 30 minutes. He said: “That was awesome. I was following the four in front and using them as a gauge. I’ve had a great time over here and I’d like to thank everyone for letting me be a part of the TT and today’s Tribute Lap.”

Honda’s Bob McMillan commented: “That lap was absolutely brilliant. I’ve never, ever seen so many people out waving, it was breathtaking. The sun was shining and we were followed by about 100 race machines from years gone by, it was a real treat for everyone.”

From a Fuchs Kawasaki press release:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 7 – EUROSPEEDWAY LAUSITZ, GERMANY
RIDER ANNOUNCEMENT

ALEX HOFMANN TO SUBSTITUTE FOR INJURED IZUTSU AT LAUSITZ

With Eric Bostrom unavailable due to AMA Championship commitments, Alex Hofmann has been drafted into the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team for round seven of the World Superbike Championship at EuroSpeedway Lausitz. Hofmann will substitute for the still injured Hitoyasu Izutsu aboard the factory Kawasaki ZX-7RR.

A product of the 250 GP class, Hofmann faces a steep learning curve at Lausitz this weekend. The 22-year-old German rider has never before competed on a four-stroke machine, never mind a factory Superbike and, although he’s looking forward to the challenge of racing against some of the world’s best riders at Lausitz, Hofmann remains realistic about his aims for the weekend ahead.

‘I guess I only have two aims for this weekend; to have fun and to try not to crash,’ declared the former German and European 250 GP Champion. ‘Lausitz will give me an opportunity to get used to everything, see how things work and basically say hello to the people in World Superbike; I think that’s enough for the beginning.

‘Coming from a two-stroke background I expect the engine braking you get with a Superbike will feel a little strange at first, as will the way you have to be prepared to slide the bike more than you would with a two-stroke machine. The four-strokes are now starting to dominate racing, especially in the MotoGP series, so riding the Fuchs Kawasaki ZX-7RR will definitely stand me in good stead for the future,’ continued Hofmann.

Fuchs Kawasaki Team Manager, Harald Eckl: ‘There are very few experienced riders around at this stage of the season, so finding a temporary replacement for Izutsu was never going to be an easy task. However, I’m a firm believer in developing new talent and, as we’re a German team competing in a World Superbike round in Germany, I thought it only right that we gave a young German rider the chance to experience racing in the World Superbike Championship at first hand.

‘Although Alex missed out on a full-time ride this season, I’ve followed his career closely in the past and have always been impressed by both his skill and determination; two qualities that will prove essential as he jumps on a Superbike for the first time this weekend,’ continued Eckl.

While Alex Hofmann prepares to make his World Superbike debut at Lausitz, Fuchs Kawasaki’s regular Superbike pilot, Hitoyasu Izutsu, is currently undergoing an intense course of physiotherapy on his injured wrist; sustained in a qualifying crash at Sugo earlier this year.

Izutsu will test in Japan, before making a decision as to whether his injured wrist has healed sufficiently to allow him to make his return to the World Superbike Championship at Misano on 23 June.

Profile: Alex Hofmann #66
Born in Mindelheim, Germany, Alex Hofmann began his racing career in motocross, winning the German Junior 80cc MX Championship two years in succession. Alex soon transferred his talents to road racing and, under the supervision of Dieter Theis, was crowned European 250 GP Champion in 1998 – a title which brought him instant recognition as Germany’s brightest racing talent. Alex competed in the World 250GP series from 1999 to 2001, with a seventh place finish his best result.

Personal Details
date of birth: 25 May 1980

place of birth: Mindelheim, Germany

home town: Bochum, Germany

marital status: Girlfriend, Romina

height/weight: 180cm/68 kg

hobbies: downhill, BMX, MX, skiing, water sports… all sports!

favourite foods: Italian – pizza, pasta and insalata

favourite drink: Juices

car: VW Golf – not my favourite!

first road race: 1995

first win: 1998 German Championship, 10 races, 10 wins!

favourite circuits: Mugello and Assen

career highlight: winning the 1998 German and European 250 GP Championships

ambition: to win in MotoGP

likes: sun and laughing

dislikes: depressing people and bad weather

favourite rider: Wayne Rainey

management: Dieter Theis

Career Highlights

1984: My first bike, a PW50
1992: German Junior 80cc MX Champion
1993: German Junior 80cc MX Champion
1995: Switch to road racing
1997: 2nd German 125GP Championship
1998: German and European 250GP Champion
1999: 16th World 250GP Championship
2000: 26th World 250GP Championship
Missed 8 races through injury
2001: 12th World 250GP Championship
Best Result 7th

From a press release issued by Dr. Rob Tuluie:

Tul-aris Wins First Race and Sets Track Record

June 1st, Blackhawk Farms Raceway, Illinois. Steve Johnson piloted the Tul-aris GP bike to its maiden win, shattering the old lap record by a full second during the 21 lap unlimited GTO race.

Starting on the 3rd row, in the 11th grid position, Steve moved quickly though the field, gaining the lead on lap 6. He immediately opened up a huge lead in one lap, setting a new lap record of 1:11.91, as timed by CCS officials.

After 3 or 4 laps out front on his own, Steve had a 7 second lead, even while slowing the pace to 1:13s and 1:14s due to waving yellow flags and an ambulance on course. He finished the race about 10 seconds ahead of the second-place GSXR 750.

Our weekend started out with the identical setup we used 2 weeks ago at Blackhawk, when Steve set the fastest time of the weekend during his run from 25th to 2nd in 8 laps. However, this weekend the weather conditions were much better, with temperatures around 90 deg F (32 deg C), providing us with optimum grip from our medium-soft Michelin Pilot slicks. A slight tire pressure adjustment, recommended to us by Tom Mason of MRT, allowed us to use a marginally harder medium-soft rear tire compound compared to what we used 2 weeks ago at Blackhawk, when the temperatures were almost 40 degrees F cooler. Even better, just as the race started, a big dark cloud moved in overhead, lowering air temperatures (which gave us more power), yet the track surface temperature remained high for optimum traction. Conditions could not have been better!

During the race, Tul-aris team member Dave Heiserer and I used our HeadHunter Racing scooter to watch Steve at several points around the track. It was amazing to see how smooth and fast Steve moved through the twisty and bumpy turns. In fact, the Tul-aris’ Ohlins suspension was set up perfectly and there was a noticeable visual difference in how steady the bike handled the bumps and transitions compared to other machines. We now have the handling and traction of the bike spot-on, allowing Steve to carry huge cornering speed into and through the turns. This improvement is in large part also due to Steve’s exceptional skills as a development rider, as well as his smooth and fast riding style. At other parts of the track, such as the 3rd gear turn 6, the bike would power wheelie at the exit at well over 100 mph (while still leaned over!), displaying the brute power of the Hot Seat Performance Polaris 780cc twin motor. Altogether, we had the perfect package for our first win!

Our tally so far for our first full racing season is:

one 1st place
two 2nd places
two 3rd places
one 4th place

one lap record (Blackhawk)
one almost-lap record (0.07sec off the record at Mid-America)

out of 8 races we only had one mechanical DNF (powervalve) and one crash (in the rain).

We’d like to thank our sponsors and supporters: Walt Schaeffer Michelin, Hot Seat Performance, Nutec Racing Fuel, Mason Racing Tires, Ohlins USA, MTS Systems, Lofgren Racing/Manley Cycle, Yoyodyne Titanium, GP Tech and Headhunter Racing. Steve Johnson is sponsored by Delano Sport Center, Hi-Per Sports, Mason Racing Tires, EBC Brakes and Lockhart Phillips.

Many thanks to the Tul-aris crew for all their hard work and long hours spent, for nothing more than warm beer, cold pizza, sleeping in the van or tents, just to be part of this fun and exciting project. Extra special thanks to my fiancée Kate, who let me get away for one day to go racing 2 weeks before our wedding!

Our next event won’t be until July 20-21 at Blackhawk Farms, which we will use to get ready for the big Formula USA National at Road America near Elkhart Lake, WI on Aug. 1st-4th. Come see us then!

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Jeff Wood was hurt Saturday at a dirt track, two weeks before the Formula USA race at Loudon, New Hampshire’s New Hampshire International Speedway.

NHIS is Wood’s home track. Wood won the Sport Bike race at Daytona, in the rain, and was a leading contender for both the F-USA Sport Bike Championship on pavement and the F-USA Grand National Championship, which combines road race and dirt track events.

An e-mail from his father Jerry gives the details:

“I got a call from Jeff at 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning, he was in a hospital in New Hampshire with a compound shattered collarbone and broken ribs after hitting unprotected Armco barrier when his throttle stuck during a flatrack race in
Canaan, New Hampshire. Jeff wanted to contend the Formula USA Grand National Championship and was getting some seat time at the local 1/3-mile track. The track was banked and the Armco was not visible until he rode over the outside edge.

“Jeff has done well at short track and ice racing and was looking forward to the new series.”

This just in from Brian Drebber, via e-mail, regarding an earlier post:

Speaking for myself and Ski regarding our call of the incident involving Yates and Daryl Woodward: We call it live as we see it and had no way of
asking Yates or Woodward what happened. We then move on pretty quickly.

I’d be happy to agree (in hindsight) that it was ‘just one of those racing deals.’ Tough break for Daryl and nice save by Yates…

Drebber

From a press release issued by HMC Ducati:

Race Report: AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Round 5

Date: June 2, 2002

Circuit: Pikes Peak Raceway, Colorado

HMC Ducati rider Doug Chandler was running in fifth position in today’s race at Pikes Peak when his fuel pump failed, forcing him to retire from the race a little after the halfway mark. Chandler was riding a strong race, despite the injuries he sustained in last round, getting the better of a three-way battle between Duhamel (Honda) and Picotte (Ducati) for fourth position. The scorching Colorado heat was showing its toll on several of the riders making Chandler’s retirement even more of a disappointment.

The team head back to Wisconsin for their home race at Road America next weekend.

“I knew it was going to be tough for me,” said Chandler. “I knew I couldn’t ride with the top guys, because of my injuries, but I wanted to keep them close. Everything was going to plan, I still had some issues with the bike set-up but I was able to run with Duhamel and Picotte quite comfortably and I figured I could start a march up to the front. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to hold (Aaron)Yates off though. He was coming through pretty strong.

I felt the team did a good job, I felt better than I thought I would through the race. Hopefully we’ll make 100% next weekend.”



From a press release issued by Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati:

Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati’s Picotte Sixth At Pike’s Peak Fifth Place In Superbike Points

Pascal Picotte and the Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati team finished a well-deserved sixth place in the Pikes Peak, Colorado round of the Chevy Trucks US Superbike series on Sunday. Traditionally one of the most difficult races on the AMA Schedule, this year’s 48 lap event at Pikes Peak International Raceway was no different.

In a tough race, Pascal managed to bring his Ducati home to the finish, despite a number of problems that faced the team, including grip uncertainties from the notoriously difficult Pikes Peak track and fuel delivery problems caused by the high heat and altitude.

Picotte now lies fifth place in the series point standings, one point behind defending champion Mat Mladin.

Kawaski’s Eric Bostrom won the race by 15.28 seconds. Suzuki’s Aaron Yates was second, followed by teammate Jamie Hacking. The race was run in intense heat, with an ambient temperature of 102 degrees and a track surface temperature of 125 degrees.

Picotte, with a previous best finish at Pikes Peak of second in 1999, had high hopes for Sunday’s race.

“We had a tire issue in the race and a vapor lock issue with the heat the last ten to fifteen laps. I managed to finish the race and score some points but we missed a good opportunity to get on the box today,” said the Canadian. “We’re still learning, but this was a tough weekend. I’m really looking forward to the race at Road America next week.” Picotte is a former winner at Road America on a Ducati motorcycle. Undoubtedly, this is an amazing season for a team in their first season with Ducati motorcycles.

Crewchief Lance Baker felt Picotte did the team proud by soldiering on through a tough main event.

“We scored some points and stayed in the hunt as far as the championship goes. We had some issues with the set-up and the Michelin tire combination and even a new one we haven’t seen before with the motorcycle, a fuel starvation problem caused by the heat or altitude or a combination,” Baker said. “It was a tough day but Pascal put his head down, stuck it out and brought it home in sixth place.”

The Austin/Bleu Bayou Ducati will return to action next weekend in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, home of the famed Road America track.