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Eric Bostrom Will Race In World Superbike At Monza

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From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki regarding the World Superbike race actually scheduled for May 12:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 5 – MONZA, ITALY
30 APRIL 2002 – RIDER ANNOUNCEMENT

ERIC BOSTROM TO SUBSTITUTE FOR INJURED IZUTSU AT MONZA

Reigning AMA Supersport 600 Champion, and AMA Superbike regular, Eric Bostrom has been drafted into the Kawasaki Racing Team for round five of the World Superbike Championship at Monza on March 5th (sic). The American will replace Fuchs Kawasaki’s regular rider, Hitoyasu Izutsu, who was injured in a qualifying crash at Sugo.

Bostrom, who made his 2002 World Superbike debut as a wild card entry at Sugo, will fly out to Europe to join the Kawasaki Racing Team early next week. Despite never having raced at Monza before, the American, known as ‘The Boss’ by fans back in the States, already has a game plan in mind for his second World Superbike appearance of the season.

‘I’m a little bit anxious about racing at Monza,’ commented Bostrom. ‘I feel that I need to kind of redeem myself over what happened at Sugo. I know I’m going to be a little behind the ball there, never having seen the track before, but I’ll go out initially and follow some of the more experienced guys, probably follow Ben for a bit. Once I know my way around, I’ll try and step it up on Saturday for Superpole and then race with the guys on Sunday. I know that the Kawasaki riders have gone well at the track in the past and I’d obviously like to keep up that tradition.’

For Izutsu, who fractured the radius bone in his left forearm after highsiding his Fuchs Kawasaki at the notorious chicane during the opening qualifying session at Sugo, the road back to full fitness is likely to be measured in months rather than weeks. The former Japanese Superbike Champion is undergoing treatment on his injured arm back home in Japan, but a date for his return to the world championship has yet to be set.

What’s Going On At Sears Point? Have Changes Made It Safer Or More Dangerous?

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Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

First Person/Opinion: The Changes At Sears Point

By Ed Sorbo

(Editor’s note: Recent changes at Sears Point Raceway have proven controversial, with some racers saying that the track in Sonoma, California is safer than ever and others saying it’s worse. We sent AMA 250cc Grand Prix #6 Ed Sorbo to Sears Point to see for himself. His report follows.)

In 1996 Sears Point Raceway was bought by Speedway Motorsports Inc. After about 3-1/2 years of fighting the objections raised by neighbors and jumping through hoops for Government agencies, the track got all the various approvals and work was started on a $50 million improvement project.

Last year when I raced at Sears Point with the AMA, I liked the improvements that had been completed, which included increased run-off room for turns 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 and a new turn 11. The year before, turns 3A and 4 had received the same treatment.

In 2002, work was started on a much more ambitious level, and modifications are almost complete on every part of the track that was not touched in the previous two years, including the pits and paddock.

Roadracingworld.com sent me to Sears to check out the new changes and see about the concerns expressed after the AFM held a race April 13 and 14th.

I meet with John Cardinale of Sears Point, on Thursday, April 25th. The following are my observations:

The new front straight avoids using the VHT-coated dragstrip, is located to riders’ left of the dragstrip, is about 50 feet wide and has walls on both sides. By using the AMA turn 11 we will travel straight down the front straight between the walls, not approaching them at an angle on VHT, as in the past. The possibility exists for some congestion on the start, yet with the AMA staggered grid of four bikes across, there is 12-1/2 feet of room for each bike, leaving space between each bike to allow for a stalled bike, or other problem.

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View of the front straight at Sears Point, showing walls separating drag strip from road course front straight.
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View of turn one (foreground) and turn nine (background) at Sears Point.

T1 is the area of biggest concern. It is a faster turn, much more sweeping than the old AMA T1. The concern here is the old bridge that crosses the racetrack at the exit of T1. The bridge abutment on riders’ right is near the edge of the track. From the edge of the track there is about 20 feet of run-off that is level with the track and then the slope of a hill begins and about halfway up is the bridge abutment. You would have to run wide, staying on your wheels and continue up the slope to hit the abutment. A temporary wall seen in some photos of the turn will be removed for the AMA race and was not in place for the AFM race. We will need Air Fence in front of the abutment and perhaps a line of haybales in front of that to knock a bike and rider down so they go into the Air Fence and not over it. The level run-off will give riders some room to save it if they run wide but if they’re headed up the hill riders will want to get off the bike. My feeling when I first saw T1 was that I had to be smart here; I will have to wait till I get on track to see how scared I might be.

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View of exit of turn one and bridge abutment.
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Overview of turn one.

The wall on the outside of T2 appears to have been moved back 10 more feet, from where it had been moved last year. Either way there is a good amount of room there now.

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View of turn two area.
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View of turn seven area.

T7 is an area of concern, and there are walls everywhere. This area is used as the pits when work is being done on the track. A temporary wall in the middle will be removed for the AMA race, but that still leaves the end of a wall on drivers’ left of the NASCAR bridge. I can’t tell if it is in line with our braking zone, but it is a good ways away. A trailer with its wall will be there for the AMA race and will need Air Fence, and it would be much better if it could be moved.

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View into esses.
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Esses section.

The esses section has big improvements. On the left, the hillside has been moved back quite a bit all the way to T10 and the temporary walls will be moved back to the foot of the new hillside location. An area of particular improvement is T8A, to riders’ left. When the AFM raced here, there was a temporary cement wall about 50 feet off the edge of the track, in the middle of a big open field caused by the hillside being moved back. The old configuration had the hillside come to within a few feet of the track. The bridge across T9 has been replaced by a tunnel (both the front straight bridge and the T10 bridge are now gone), so the visibility has been increased in this area of the track. There is also a wall around the outside of T9, with haybales in front. This wall is temporary and will be moved back five to 10 feet, before the AMA weekend. Moving the wall will increase the visibility around T10, yet the wall is not being moved enough to give ample run-off room. The wall is in the same basic location as before and there was never adequate runoff for T9.

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Esses section in foreground, turns four and five in background.
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View of carousel in background, esses in foreground.

T10 has a slightly bigger radius, making the corner easier, with increased visibility, and faster. On the other hand, with increased speed, the run-off room–which has never been adequate–has been effectively decreased.

Using the AMA T11, there is nothing to worry about, as the run-off area is huge for falling down or braking concerns. The AFM used the old T11, which has no run-off, plus the fact that AFM uses a really tight chicane after T11, to control speed through T1. I think the AMA T11 is a lot better.

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View of turn 10.
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View of paddock area a huge new grandstand.

Now for the asphalt improvements: T1 has new asphalt, which actually starts at the beginning of the new front straight and continues through the finish of T1. New asphalt begins again, from the exit of T4 all the way through and up to the beginning of T6. This new asphalt ends past the crest of the hill, or very near the crest of the hill. I was not able to get on the track, as it was in use, so I cannot be exact as to where it ends. More new asphalt begins again underneath the bridge that crosses T6, which is about 3/4 of the way through the turn and continues all the way onto the straight. There was a big bump where you would merge back onto the front straight, from T11 and it looks like it is now gone. The last segment of new asphalt starts at the beginning of T9 and runs through T10.

Pits and Paddock: The predominant feature in the pits now is the huge new grandstand facing the new pits, front straight and drag strip. Underneath there are four new, large restrooms, two for men and two for women, as well as a souvenir and food concession. The old scoring building has been repainted and matches the new garages that were being built last year behind the old pit road. These garages feature windows that open into the cold pit road and offer a view of the track. The old food court is gone as is the hill that was behind it, replaced with flat asphalt pit space. There is more pit space now than there was last year. The vender area will be inside of T10, not in the paddock.

Still to come: The T1 and T6 bridges will be lengthened and the T1 bridge will be moved so that it will no longer be a concern. At the same time the water treatment pond on the outside of T6 will be moved off site, allowing more run off for T6. The Armco on rider’s right in T8A will be moved back giving more run off for T8 and a better line of sight in T8A. The tenant buildings across from the 76 gas pumps will be replaced with garages and a Medical Center. The whole track will get repaved this September.

Conclusion: Since Speedway Motorsports took over, the level of risk associated with racing at Sears Point has gone down by a large amount. That risk will be less next year after the remaining changes are completed. However, there will still be parts of the track that will be dangerous during the AMA National next weekend, namely, turns 9, 10 and old 11. The need for Air Fence will not go away.

I bet the pits were nasty for the AFM race, and crowded for the Vintage race the weekend before the AMA race. The pits will be larger this year than last for the AMA race and even larger next year.

Track safety is a tough issue. On one hand safety is the only thing that matters. On the other hand it costs money, and to get the money you need a profitable track. Where do you spend your limited funds first? If you spend it all on a safe track that no one can get to with no good places to spectate from, who will pay to see your show? If you make a track that is great for the fans, but dangerous for the racers, the racers will still race and you will make money from both. Many of us have raced at Sears for years back in the day when it was a death trap; and now that it is being improved we need to include a thank you in our criticism.

We have no formula that we can give to a track builder that prescribes how much room is needed for a given corner and speed. We give confusing signals to track owners by racing at dangerous places time and again, voting with our dollars for dangerous tracks. If we make it to the time when the turn one bridge moves without killing, maiming or badly hurting anyone we will be lucky, but if someone dies we will wish that moving the bridge was put higher on the list; and we will wonder why we raced when we could all see that it was dangerous.

On the other hand, racers have crashed, and will crash in places that have been improved, and they and their bikes were hurt less than they could have been.

The conclusion: It’s better, it looks like it will get better still, and we need to make it through 2002.

Mladin’s View Of Next Weekend’s Sears Point AMA National

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From a press release:

MAT MLADIN Racing
For immediate release
Monday, 29 April 2002

Rounds 4 & 5, 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship

Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, California, USA

Event preview

SEARS POINT CRUCIAL TO MLADIN’S TITLE DEFENCE

Sears Point Raceway, situated in Sonoma, California will host rounds 4 & 5 of the 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship this weekend (May 4 & 5) with Australian Mat Mladin’s results crucial to his chances of securing a fourth consecutive AMA Superbike title.

With just three rounds of the scheduled sixteen completed in the highly competitive championship, Mladin (Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki) lies eighth overall in the points chase, 50 adrift of leader Nicky Hayden (American Honda).

“Essentially at this point of the season I just have to go out there and win races,” said Mladin. “We need as many points as possible. If we don’t win these races and Nicky (Hayden) beats us in both of them, then we can essentially call it a day as far as the championship goes. There is a long way to go in the championship and he already has 50 points on me, so if he leaves Sears with 60 of 65 points advantage, that’s equal to a couple of races, so it would be hard work from there on in. We need to cut that deficit down and get it back down to about 30 points, so that we can start working on them in the coming rounds.”

Mladin is a past winner at Sears Point, taking victory there in 1999 and is the current Superbike lap record holder which he set to grab pole position for last year’s event. The 4.055km (2.52-mile) Sears Point Raceway is one of the most physical and demanding circuits in this year’s championship.

“I don’t mind Sears Point,” added Mladin. “I’ve heard that they’ve made some improvements to it, but as to how those changes are, we’ll have to wait until we get there to make a comment. It’s not one of the safest tracks and not really one of my favourites, but I always seem to do well there. There are a few places where you are doing about 110 mph in third gear and the walls are right next to you,”

Mladin’s season has been disrupted due to an elbow injury that he sustained during practice for the opening round at Daytona, an injury that forced him to withdraw from the event. He returned for a belated season race debut at California Speedway for rounds two and three were he finished sixth and third.

“The arm is getting stronger and my tricep is about 70% the strength of that of my right arm at the moment, so it’s starting to turn itself back on again. Hopefully by the time Sears comes around we’ll be almost there. The last couple of times I’ve been out on the bike I felt fine beforehand, but did find it hard when I was actually on the bike, so we’ll see what happens.”

SEARS POINT FAST FACTS
Circuit length: 2.52 miles (4.055km)

2001 Pole position: Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:33.013

2001 Race result: 1. Anthony Gobert (Yamaha), 2. Nicky Hayden (Honda), 3. Aaron Yates (Team Yoshimura Suzuki), 4. Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki)

Superbike lap record: Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:33.013


2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (points after 3 rounds)
1. N Hayden 104; 2. A Gobert 97; 3. A Deatherage 68; 4. B Livengood 63; 5. J Hacking 60; 6. A Yates 59; 7. E Bostrom 58; 8. M Mladin 54; 9. D Chandler 54; 10. P Picotte 52.

Tommy Hayden, Yates, Buckmaster And Sorensen Featured In AMA Pro Racing’s Sears Point Preview

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From an AMA press release

Yates shopping for a Pro Honda Oils Supersport victory at Sears Point

Aaron Yates has a solid points lead in the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship coming into the race this Sunday, May 5 at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Undefeated thus far on his Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600, Yates has surprised fans and fellow competitors with his come-from-behind moves late in the finals to take wins at Daytona Beach in March and Fontana, Calif., last month. With two victories Yates holds a 21-point lead in the championship, very unusual this early in the highly-competitive AMA Supersport Series.

Yates will be looking for his first AMA Supersport victory at Sears; his previous best finish in the event was second to Pascal Picotte in 1997. His bid for a victory last year at Sears Point ended in a spectacular head-first crash into air barriers at over 100 miles per hour while leading. Yates was uninjured in the crash.

Another surprise in the series is the fact that Australian Damon Buckmaster sits tied for second in the points. Prior to this season Buckmaster has never been ranked higher than 10th in AMA Supersport. But riding with the Yamaha factory (under the Graves Motorsports banner) seems to be all the 29-year-old Buckmaster needed to be successful in the series. Fellow Australian and Yamaha teammate Anthony Gobert, who won this race last year, is down on points because of a crash at Daytona. Gobert rallied to earn second place at Fontana last month and the former Australian Superbike champ is still considered a viable contender for the championship.

Tied with Buckmaster for second in the points coming into Sears Point is Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki rider Jamie Hacking. Sears Point has never been kind to Hacking. The South Carolinian has suffered more than his share of crashes on the twisty circuit, but he feels those days are behind him and is looking forward to a strong showing this weekend.

Attack Suzuki teammates Jason Pridmore and Ben Spies are tied for fourth in the series. Pridmore is a long-time AMA pro who is a three-time AMA Superstock and Formula Xtreme winner at Sears Point. Spies is a former AMA Horizon Award winner (signifying the AMA’s top amateur rider) and at just 17 is considered one of the top up-an-coming riders in AMA Superbike.

Buckmaster leads the Lockhart-Phillips Formula Xtreme Series after winning the series opener at Fontana a month ago. “Bucky” lost the Formula Xtreme title by a single point to John Hopkins last year after leading the class most of the season. He definitely has serious motivation on his side after having the title slip from his grasp eight months ago. Attack Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore, who has made a healthy comeback to the series after breaking his leg and collarbone in the middle of the 2001 season, ranks second. He feels right at home at Sears Point where he first began his road racing career as a club racer in the late-1980s. Pridmore is also the defending Formula Xtreme winner at Sears. Bruce Transportation Group Honda rider Jake Zemke is ranked third and is showing the abilities that earned him a victory in the series in Brainerd, Minn., last year.

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden is turning a lot of heads by leading the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series (formerly 750 Supersport). It marks the first time in series history that a rider on a 600cc machine has led the points in the class, which is dominated by 750cc bikes. The oldest of the three racing Hayden brothers, Tommy is the only rider ever to win a Superstock race on a 600cc machine. He did it in 1999 in Lexington, Ohio, on a Yamaha and again last month in Fontana aboard his factory Kawasaki ZX-6R. It’s no fluke; Kawasaki is going to try to win the Superstock class over Suzuki, which has won the series for six-straight years. Canadian Jordan Szoke is trying to keep Suzuki’s championship-winning streak alive. The Corona Extra Suzuki rider is only one point behind Hayden as they head to Sears Point. Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Chris Ulrich is third.

With defending champion Jim Filice leaving the MBNA 250 Grand Prix for AMA Supersport in 2002, the championship has been left wide open to a vast array of talented riders. Former class champion, Stargel Aprilia’s Chuck Sorensen, from nearby Sunnyvale, Calif., leads the point standings after taking the win at Daytona and fifth at California Speedway. Sorensen is a two-time AMA 250GP winner at Sears. Second in the standings is Team Oliver Yamaha’s Perry Melneciuc from Lehigh Acres, Fla. Bridgestone Yamaha rider Ed Sorbo, from Redlands, Calif., comes into Sears Point ranked third. Former Sears Point winners Rich Oliver and Roland Sands are also expected to be top contenders in the race. Oliver returned to racing and the podium at Fontana after a fall at Daytona left him with a severed ring finger and broken pelvis.

For ticket information of the Superbike Supercuts Challenge, contact Sears Point Raceway at (707) 938-8448 or visit the website at www.searspoint.com.

Aussie Marty Craggill To Replace Injured Josh Hayes At Sears Point

From a press release: AUSTRALIAN MARTY CRAGGILL TO JOIN TEAM VALVOLINE EMGO SUZUKI AT SEARS POINT Former Australian Superbike Champion Marty Craggill will compete at Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, California this weekend, after accepting an invitation by Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki to replace injured team member Josh Hayes. Craggill (33) will head to America from his home in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday April 30 to compete at this weekend’s AMA Championship round, which will be his first competitive ride since competing in the final round of last year’s Superbike World Championship at Imola in Italy. Hayes suffered a serious injury to his left hand while practicing for round two of the AMA Championship at the California Speedway on April 6, where he was to compete in both the 600 Supersport and Formula Xtreme events. It is expected that Craggill will compete for the team for the period of time that Hayes is out of action while he undergoes rehabilitation for his injured hand and is ready to return to the track. For Craggill, the opportunity to race in America with a very competitive team is what he has been searching for over the past two years. “It’s been very frustrating for me over the past two years or so, but I’m feeling positive about the ride with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki as I know that they are a very good team,” Craggill said before leaving Australia. “I’ve been talking to the team’s management about the ride over the past few weeks and it’s great to be able to get on a plane and head over there. The only other time that I have raced in America was at the Laguna Seca round of the Superbike World Championship last year, so I’m looking forward to it. It will be the third year in a row that I have been in a championship where I’ve had to go out and learn the circuits. It’s a challenge, but I know I’m up to it.” For Craggill, the return to an in-line four cylinder machine such as the Suzuki GSX-R1000 comes after a year competing in the Superbike World Championship aboard a Ducati 996RS which was not ideally suited to his size and riding style. He will take over Hayes’ Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the Formula Xtreme class, with a decision to be made prior to the event as to whether he will ride Hayes’ GSX-R600 in the Supersport class as well. “I’m looking forward to getting back on a big in-line four cylinder bike such as the Suzuki GSX-R1000,” Craggill added. ” I think that the Suzuki will suit me. I’m a tall guy and I seem to fit and feel comfortable on it. Not only that, but I’m sure that with all of the right components fitted by the Valvoline EMGO Team, the bike will be extremely competitive.” Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki won the 2001 AMA Formula Xtreme Championship with young John Hopkins, who is now competing in the MotoGP World Championship. After winning the Australian Superbike Championship in 1997 and 1998, Craggill moved to England where he competed in the British Superbike Championship for Clarion Suzuki, finishing eighth overall. The following year was a mixed season for him, where, after returning to Australia to compete in the national championship, he headed back to England to replace Peter Goddard in the Kawasaki UK team midway through the season. He then accepted an offer from the fledgling Team Pacific Ducati outfit in the 2001 Superbike World Championship, but found the season deeply frustrating, as the small budget of the team did not allow for sufficient development of the bike and team. Returning to Australia in 2002, Craggill has been busy setting up new business opportunities for he and his family prior to accepting the offer to race in America. While Hayes continues his recuperation, Craggill will join current Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki members Tom Kipp and Chris Ulrich at Sears Point Raceway. Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki competes in three separate race categories at the AMA Championship events, these being Formula Xtreme, 600 Supersport and 750 Superstock. Marty Craggill – PROFILE Lives at: Melbourne, Australia Date of Birth: 18 December 1968 Status: Married to Diane Children: son, Max Height: 186cm Weight: 75kg Hobbies: Motocross, Dirt track, Jet Skiing, Table tennis First road race: 1990, Australian 250GP Championship Career Highlights 1990 6th Australian 250 GP Championship (Honda RS250) 1991 4th Australian 250 GP Championship (Honda RS250) 1992 15th Australian Superbike Championship (Privateer Kawasaki ZX-7R) 1993 Suffered shoulder and arm injury during pre-season testing and missed complete season 1994 2nd Australian Superbike Championship (Privateer Kawasaki ZX-7R) 1995 5th Australian Superbike Championship (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R) 1996 2nd Australian Superbike Championship (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R), Australian 500GP wild card ride with Team Elf. Failed to finish due to mechanical problems while running 10th. 1997 Australian Superbike Champion (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R)6th overall In World Superbike round at Phillip Island (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R) 1998 Australian Superbike Champion (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R)5th Suzuka 8-Hour (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R)

1999 8th British Superbike Championship (Team Clarion Suzuki GSX-R750) 2000 Competed in the opening two rounds of the Australian Superbike Championship for Advantage Honda (Honda CBR929RR), before heading to England to replace Peter Goddard aboard the Kawasaki UK ZX-7RR in the British Superbike Championship. 2001 31st Superbike World Championship (Team Pacific Ducati 996RS)

Larry Denning Sets New Track Record At Talladega On 2002 R1

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Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

4&6 Racing’s Larry Denning used a 2002 Yamaha YZF-R1 to set a new official lap record at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway on Sunday, April 28. Denning’s new record for the counter-clockwise direction was certified by WERA offfials at 0.58.97, and he set the record on DOT-labeled Pirelli tires. Denning turned the lap while chasing leader Lee Acree in an A Superstock race but finished second behind the Arclight Suzuki GSX-R750 rider.

Denning ended the WERA weekend with two wins (Formula One, C Superbike) and two seconds (A Superstock, C Superstock) in Yamaha contingency races, plus a win in Saturday, April 27’s Mediumweight Solo 20, on his 2002-model Yamaha YZF-R1 and YZF-R6.

“I didn’t have much to say about the new R1 after the first two weekends,” said long-time Yamaha contingency chaser Denning. “But after Traxxion Dynamics helped me sort out the front end with springs and fork oil level, it’s now easier to ride fast than my R6.”

Denning added that his new R1, equipped with the racing exhaust from his 2001 bike, a Dynojet Power Commander III-R and VP MR1 race fuel, made 148 rear wheel horsepower on a dyno at 4&6’s Chicago, Illinois race shop.

Updated Post: Jason Pridmore And Mark Edwards Give QB Phase One World Endurance Race Win At Imola

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Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

QB Phase One’s Jason Pridmore and teammate Mark Edwards won the 200-mile World Endurance race at Imola Sunday on a Suzuki GSX-R1000. QB Phase One’s Pridmore trailed Zongshen 2 early in the contest, but when Zongshen pitted with suspected transmission problems, Pridmore moved QB Phase One into the lead. QB Phase One would never relinquish the lead again.

Mike Ciccotto and Michael Barnes finished second on the Herman Verboven 5 Suzuki GSX-R750 with Zongshen 9’s Bruno Bonhuil and Igor Jerman placing third on another Suzuki.

RESULTS:

1. QB Phase One (Jason Pridmore/Mike Edwards), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 66 laps, 201.9 miles, 2:21:42.046

2. Herman Verboven Racing 5 (Michael Barnes/ Mike Ciccotto), Suzuki GSX-R750, 66 laps, 201.9 miles, 2:22:04.482, +22.436

3. Zongshen 9 (Igor Jerman/Bruno Bonhuil), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 66 laps, 201.9 miles, 2:22:17.768, +35.722

4. Zongshen 2 (Warwick Nowland/Giovanni Bussei), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 66 laps, 201.9 miles, 2:22:40.431, +58.385

5. Bolliger Team (Marcel Kellenberger/Roman Stamm), Kawasaki ZX-9R, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:21:57.966, + 1 lap

6. Dap Unisson Motomax (Stephane Gallis/J.-Francois Cortinovis), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:22:28.332, + 1 lap

7. Team 22 Police Nationale (Bertrand Sebileau/Jehan d’Orgeix), Kawasaki ZX-9R, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:22:50.969, + 1 lap

8. GMT 94 (S. Scarnato/William Costes), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:22:57.488, + 1 lap

9. Endurance Moto 38 (Bernard Cuzin/Christian Hacquin), Yamaha YZF-R1, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:22:58.662, + 1 lap

10. QB Phase One Junior (James Hutchins/David Morillon/Olivier Ulmann), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:23:33.660, + 1 lap

20. Herman Verboven Racing 6 (Andrew Deatherage/John Jacobi), Suzuki GSX-R750, 62 laps, 189.7 miles, 2:21:47.669, + 4 laps

Track Length: 3.06 miles
Time of race start: 12:05 p.m.
Time of race end: 2:30 p.m.
Fastest lap of the race: Zongshen 2 (Bussei), lap 48, 1:54.268, lap average speed 96.5 mph
Number of teams to start race: 51
Number of teams to retire from race: 10
Number of teams to finish: 41

Liam Magee Killed In Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship Round At Mallala

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Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Mike Esdaile

Former GP star Kevin Magee’s 19-year-old nephew, Liam Magee, was killed at South Australia’s Mallala Raceway on Saturday during qualifying for Round Three of the Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship.

Reports indicate Magee’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 left black tire marks on the track at the point it left the circuit.

Magee was speared head-first into an UNPROTECTED (unpadded) concrete wall. He suffered massive, head, neck and spinal injuries.

Update On Keith Almond, Injured Last Weekend At Willow Springs

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Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in, from WSMC racer Franz Volpi:

Fellow racer Roger Baker and I visited Keith Almond on Friday, April 26th. He is still at Kern County Medical Center in Bakersfield, California.

Keith has been moved from the ICU to the DOU (direct observation unit), a good thing! He is conscious and alert and can be visited (two at a time).

I am not really sure if he knew who we were when we visited but visitation is encouraged. It seems to me he is definitely getting better.

Franz Volpi

Updated Post: No Points, No Entry For AMA Laguna Seca, With Reader Reaction

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Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The latest surprise mandate from AMA Pro Racing is hitting the mailboxes of California racers this weekend and it includes the news that only riders with points–or who were in the top 20 in points last year–can enter the Laguna Seca event.

If the terms of the mandate are uniformly applied, teams will be limited in their choices if they need to replace injured riders for Laguna Seca.

The exact wording of the mandate, which did not include any explanation, follows:

“Important Notice Regarding Laguna Seca

“In addition to the original limit of 65 rider entries per class, pre-entries will be accepted only from riders that currently have points or were in the top 20 from the 2001 season in the same class or classes that they wish to enter at Laguna Seca.

“Pre-entries will be accepted until June 14th, no post entries will be taken at the event.”


Now this, from reader and WSMC racer Ian Crowne:

In response to the “No Points, No Entry For AMA Laguna Seca” posting, I now truly believe the AMA is a group of morons with no notion of how to attract riders for the future because they are alienating more and more of the motorcycle racing world, and at an award winning rate. I am supposed to be part of the pit crew for a good WSMC rider that can easily qualify for this event, but has no points this year yet and didn’t race AMA last year. How do they intend to attract new riders and make the sport grow if they continue to chop off the hands that that feed it? They’ve gotten rid of all but 2 classes for the future, and now they’re paring down the remaining two to only existing fast riders. What happened to the future riders that are going from regional racing to national?

Part of my work is having to deal with regional government agencies around the country that try to make the most inane laws possible, just so they can grab that little bit more power and therefore feel more important themselves. Of course they’re very frustrating to deal with, but the AMA tops them all so far, and the AMA isn’t even a government agency. Can someone do something about this?

I’ll be calling the AMA Pro Racing Dept. on Monday to get my money back because I want nothing to do with them.

Thanks for the update.

Ian Crowne
WSMC #92


Could it be that this is all a misunderstanding due to AMA Pro Racing’s inability to effectively communicate in English? This, from racer Tyler Sandell, suggests that might be the case:

After reading the AMA’s press release, I immediately called the AMA to see if they were going to refuse my pre-entry for Laguna. I was assured by a very nice woman in the Pro Racing office that since I was one of the first 65 people to send in my pre-reg, my entry would be accepted even though (at present time) I have no points in either of the classes for which I signed up, nor was I in the top 20 of either class last year.

I was told that the intent of the confusingly written release was this: In ADDITION to the 65 pre entries they’ve already accepted they are going to ALSO accept entries from riders that currently have points or were in the top 20 from the 2001 season in the same class or classes that they wish to enter at Laguna Seca.

Of course I didn’t get it in writing and I was too stupid to even write down the name of the person I talked with so I’ve really got no proof. Hopefully she was correct.

Looking forward to Laguna,

Tyler Sandell
AMA PT #51
AMA Superstock #511

Eric Bostrom Will Race In World Superbike At Monza

From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki regarding the World Superbike race actually scheduled for May 12:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 5 – MONZA, ITALY
30 APRIL 2002 – RIDER ANNOUNCEMENT

ERIC BOSTROM TO SUBSTITUTE FOR INJURED IZUTSU AT MONZA

Reigning AMA Supersport 600 Champion, and AMA Superbike regular, Eric Bostrom has been drafted into the Kawasaki Racing Team for round five of the World Superbike Championship at Monza on March 5th (sic). The American will replace Fuchs Kawasaki’s regular rider, Hitoyasu Izutsu, who was injured in a qualifying crash at Sugo.

Bostrom, who made his 2002 World Superbike debut as a wild card entry at Sugo, will fly out to Europe to join the Kawasaki Racing Team early next week. Despite never having raced at Monza before, the American, known as ‘The Boss’ by fans back in the States, already has a game plan in mind for his second World Superbike appearance of the season.

‘I’m a little bit anxious about racing at Monza,’ commented Bostrom. ‘I feel that I need to kind of redeem myself over what happened at Sugo. I know I’m going to be a little behind the ball there, never having seen the track before, but I’ll go out initially and follow some of the more experienced guys, probably follow Ben for a bit. Once I know my way around, I’ll try and step it up on Saturday for Superpole and then race with the guys on Sunday. I know that the Kawasaki riders have gone well at the track in the past and I’d obviously like to keep up that tradition.’

For Izutsu, who fractured the radius bone in his left forearm after highsiding his Fuchs Kawasaki at the notorious chicane during the opening qualifying session at Sugo, the road back to full fitness is likely to be measured in months rather than weeks. The former Japanese Superbike Champion is undergoing treatment on his injured arm back home in Japan, but a date for his return to the world championship has yet to be set.

What’s Going On At Sears Point? Have Changes Made It Safer Or More Dangerous?

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

First Person/Opinion: The Changes At Sears Point

By Ed Sorbo

(Editor’s note: Recent changes at Sears Point Raceway have proven controversial, with some racers saying that the track in Sonoma, California is safer than ever and others saying it’s worse. We sent AMA 250cc Grand Prix #6 Ed Sorbo to Sears Point to see for himself. His report follows.)

In 1996 Sears Point Raceway was bought by Speedway Motorsports Inc. After about 3-1/2 years of fighting the objections raised by neighbors and jumping through hoops for Government agencies, the track got all the various approvals and work was started on a $50 million improvement project.

Last year when I raced at Sears Point with the AMA, I liked the improvements that had been completed, which included increased run-off room for turns 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 and a new turn 11. The year before, turns 3A and 4 had received the same treatment.

In 2002, work was started on a much more ambitious level, and modifications are almost complete on every part of the track that was not touched in the previous two years, including the pits and paddock.

Roadracingworld.com sent me to Sears to check out the new changes and see about the concerns expressed after the AFM held a race April 13 and 14th.

I meet with John Cardinale of Sears Point, on Thursday, April 25th. The following are my observations:

The new front straight avoids using the VHT-coated dragstrip, is located to riders’ left of the dragstrip, is about 50 feet wide and has walls on both sides. By using the AMA turn 11 we will travel straight down the front straight between the walls, not approaching them at an angle on VHT, as in the past. The possibility exists for some congestion on the start, yet with the AMA staggered grid of four bikes across, there is 12-1/2 feet of room for each bike, leaving space between each bike to allow for a stalled bike, or other problem.

Click to enlarge
View of the front straight at Sears Point, showing walls separating drag strip from road course front straight.
Click to enlarge
View of turn one (foreground) and turn nine (background) at Sears Point.

T1 is the area of biggest concern. It is a faster turn, much more sweeping than the old AMA T1. The concern here is the old bridge that crosses the racetrack at the exit of T1. The bridge abutment on riders’ right is near the edge of the track. From the edge of the track there is about 20 feet of run-off that is level with the track and then the slope of a hill begins and about halfway up is the bridge abutment. You would have to run wide, staying on your wheels and continue up the slope to hit the abutment. A temporary wall seen in some photos of the turn will be removed for the AMA race and was not in place for the AFM race. We will need Air Fence in front of the abutment and perhaps a line of haybales in front of that to knock a bike and rider down so they go into the Air Fence and not over it. The level run-off will give riders some room to save it if they run wide but if they’re headed up the hill riders will want to get off the bike. My feeling when I first saw T1 was that I had to be smart here; I will have to wait till I get on track to see how scared I might be.

Click to enlarge
View of exit of turn one and bridge abutment.
Click to enlarge
Overview of turn one.

The wall on the outside of T2 appears to have been moved back 10 more feet, from where it had been moved last year. Either way there is a good amount of room there now.

Click to enlarge
View of turn two area.
Click to enlarge
View of turn seven area.

T7 is an area of concern, and there are walls everywhere. This area is used as the pits when work is being done on the track. A temporary wall in the middle will be removed for the AMA race, but that still leaves the end of a wall on drivers’ left of the NASCAR bridge. I can’t tell if it is in line with our braking zone, but it is a good ways away. A trailer with its wall will be there for the AMA race and will need Air Fence, and it would be much better if it could be moved.

Click to enlarge
View into esses.
Click to enlarge
Esses section.

The esses section has big improvements. On the left, the hillside has been moved back quite a bit all the way to T10 and the temporary walls will be moved back to the foot of the new hillside location. An area of particular improvement is T8A, to riders’ left. When the AFM raced here, there was a temporary cement wall about 50 feet off the edge of the track, in the middle of a big open field caused by the hillside being moved back. The old configuration had the hillside come to within a few feet of the track. The bridge across T9 has been replaced by a tunnel (both the front straight bridge and the T10 bridge are now gone), so the visibility has been increased in this area of the track. There is also a wall around the outside of T9, with haybales in front. This wall is temporary and will be moved back five to 10 feet, before the AMA weekend. Moving the wall will increase the visibility around T10, yet the wall is not being moved enough to give ample run-off room. The wall is in the same basic location as before and there was never adequate runoff for T9.

Click to enlarge
Esses section in foreground, turns four and five in background.
Click to enlarge
View of carousel in background, esses in foreground.

T10 has a slightly bigger radius, making the corner easier, with increased visibility, and faster. On the other hand, with increased speed, the run-off room–which has never been adequate–has been effectively decreased.

Using the AMA T11, there is nothing to worry about, as the run-off area is huge for falling down or braking concerns. The AFM used the old T11, which has no run-off, plus the fact that AFM uses a really tight chicane after T11, to control speed through T1. I think the AMA T11 is a lot better.

Click to enlarge
View of turn 10.
Click to enlarge
View of paddock area a huge new grandstand.

Now for the asphalt improvements: T1 has new asphalt, which actually starts at the beginning of the new front straight and continues through the finish of T1. New asphalt begins again, from the exit of T4 all the way through and up to the beginning of T6. This new asphalt ends past the crest of the hill, or very near the crest of the hill. I was not able to get on the track, as it was in use, so I cannot be exact as to where it ends. More new asphalt begins again underneath the bridge that crosses T6, which is about 3/4 of the way through the turn and continues all the way onto the straight. There was a big bump where you would merge back onto the front straight, from T11 and it looks like it is now gone. The last segment of new asphalt starts at the beginning of T9 and runs through T10.

Pits and Paddock: The predominant feature in the pits now is the huge new grandstand facing the new pits, front straight and drag strip. Underneath there are four new, large restrooms, two for men and two for women, as well as a souvenir and food concession. The old scoring building has been repainted and matches the new garages that were being built last year behind the old pit road. These garages feature windows that open into the cold pit road and offer a view of the track. The old food court is gone as is the hill that was behind it, replaced with flat asphalt pit space. There is more pit space now than there was last year. The vender area will be inside of T10, not in the paddock.

Still to come: The T1 and T6 bridges will be lengthened and the T1 bridge will be moved so that it will no longer be a concern. At the same time the water treatment pond on the outside of T6 will be moved off site, allowing more run off for T6. The Armco on rider’s right in T8A will be moved back giving more run off for T8 and a better line of sight in T8A. The tenant buildings across from the 76 gas pumps will be replaced with garages and a Medical Center. The whole track will get repaved this September.

Conclusion: Since Speedway Motorsports took over, the level of risk associated with racing at Sears Point has gone down by a large amount. That risk will be less next year after the remaining changes are completed. However, there will still be parts of the track that will be dangerous during the AMA National next weekend, namely, turns 9, 10 and old 11. The need for Air Fence will not go away.

I bet the pits were nasty for the AFM race, and crowded for the Vintage race the weekend before the AMA race. The pits will be larger this year than last for the AMA race and even larger next year.

Track safety is a tough issue. On one hand safety is the only thing that matters. On the other hand it costs money, and to get the money you need a profitable track. Where do you spend your limited funds first? If you spend it all on a safe track that no one can get to with no good places to spectate from, who will pay to see your show? If you make a track that is great for the fans, but dangerous for the racers, the racers will still race and you will make money from both. Many of us have raced at Sears for years back in the day when it was a death trap; and now that it is being improved we need to include a thank you in our criticism.

We have no formula that we can give to a track builder that prescribes how much room is needed for a given corner and speed. We give confusing signals to track owners by racing at dangerous places time and again, voting with our dollars for dangerous tracks. If we make it to the time when the turn one bridge moves without killing, maiming or badly hurting anyone we will be lucky, but if someone dies we will wish that moving the bridge was put higher on the list; and we will wonder why we raced when we could all see that it was dangerous.

On the other hand, racers have crashed, and will crash in places that have been improved, and they and their bikes were hurt less than they could have been.

The conclusion: It’s better, it looks like it will get better still, and we need to make it through 2002.

Mladin’s View Of Next Weekend’s Sears Point AMA National

From a press release:

MAT MLADIN Racing
For immediate release
Monday, 29 April 2002

Rounds 4 & 5, 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship

Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, California, USA

Event preview

SEARS POINT CRUCIAL TO MLADIN’S TITLE DEFENCE

Sears Point Raceway, situated in Sonoma, California will host rounds 4 & 5 of the 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship this weekend (May 4 & 5) with Australian Mat Mladin’s results crucial to his chances of securing a fourth consecutive AMA Superbike title.

With just three rounds of the scheduled sixteen completed in the highly competitive championship, Mladin (Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki) lies eighth overall in the points chase, 50 adrift of leader Nicky Hayden (American Honda).

“Essentially at this point of the season I just have to go out there and win races,” said Mladin. “We need as many points as possible. If we don’t win these races and Nicky (Hayden) beats us in both of them, then we can essentially call it a day as far as the championship goes. There is a long way to go in the championship and he already has 50 points on me, so if he leaves Sears with 60 of 65 points advantage, that’s equal to a couple of races, so it would be hard work from there on in. We need to cut that deficit down and get it back down to about 30 points, so that we can start working on them in the coming rounds.”

Mladin is a past winner at Sears Point, taking victory there in 1999 and is the current Superbike lap record holder which he set to grab pole position for last year’s event. The 4.055km (2.52-mile) Sears Point Raceway is one of the most physical and demanding circuits in this year’s championship.

“I don’t mind Sears Point,” added Mladin. “I’ve heard that they’ve made some improvements to it, but as to how those changes are, we’ll have to wait until we get there to make a comment. It’s not one of the safest tracks and not really one of my favourites, but I always seem to do well there. There are a few places where you are doing about 110 mph in third gear and the walls are right next to you,”

Mladin’s season has been disrupted due to an elbow injury that he sustained during practice for the opening round at Daytona, an injury that forced him to withdraw from the event. He returned for a belated season race debut at California Speedway for rounds two and three were he finished sixth and third.

“The arm is getting stronger and my tricep is about 70% the strength of that of my right arm at the moment, so it’s starting to turn itself back on again. Hopefully by the time Sears comes around we’ll be almost there. The last couple of times I’ve been out on the bike I felt fine beforehand, but did find it hard when I was actually on the bike, so we’ll see what happens.”

SEARS POINT FAST FACTS
Circuit length: 2.52 miles (4.055km)

2001 Pole position: Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:33.013

2001 Race result: 1. Anthony Gobert (Yamaha), 2. Nicky Hayden (Honda), 3. Aaron Yates (Team Yoshimura Suzuki), 4. Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki)

Superbike lap record: Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:33.013


2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (points after 3 rounds)
1. N Hayden 104; 2. A Gobert 97; 3. A Deatherage 68; 4. B Livengood 63; 5. J Hacking 60; 6. A Yates 59; 7. E Bostrom 58; 8. M Mladin 54; 9. D Chandler 54; 10. P Picotte 52.

Tommy Hayden, Yates, Buckmaster And Sorensen Featured In AMA Pro Racing’s Sears Point Preview



From an AMA press release

Yates shopping for a Pro Honda Oils Supersport victory at Sears Point

Aaron Yates has a solid points lead in the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship coming into the race this Sunday, May 5 at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Undefeated thus far on his Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600, Yates has surprised fans and fellow competitors with his come-from-behind moves late in the finals to take wins at Daytona Beach in March and Fontana, Calif., last month. With two victories Yates holds a 21-point lead in the championship, very unusual this early in the highly-competitive AMA Supersport Series.

Yates will be looking for his first AMA Supersport victory at Sears; his previous best finish in the event was second to Pascal Picotte in 1997. His bid for a victory last year at Sears Point ended in a spectacular head-first crash into air barriers at over 100 miles per hour while leading. Yates was uninjured in the crash.

Another surprise in the series is the fact that Australian Damon Buckmaster sits tied for second in the points. Prior to this season Buckmaster has never been ranked higher than 10th in AMA Supersport. But riding with the Yamaha factory (under the Graves Motorsports banner) seems to be all the 29-year-old Buckmaster needed to be successful in the series. Fellow Australian and Yamaha teammate Anthony Gobert, who won this race last year, is down on points because of a crash at Daytona. Gobert rallied to earn second place at Fontana last month and the former Australian Superbike champ is still considered a viable contender for the championship.

Tied with Buckmaster for second in the points coming into Sears Point is Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki rider Jamie Hacking. Sears Point has never been kind to Hacking. The South Carolinian has suffered more than his share of crashes on the twisty circuit, but he feels those days are behind him and is looking forward to a strong showing this weekend.

Attack Suzuki teammates Jason Pridmore and Ben Spies are tied for fourth in the series. Pridmore is a long-time AMA pro who is a three-time AMA Superstock and Formula Xtreme winner at Sears Point. Spies is a former AMA Horizon Award winner (signifying the AMA’s top amateur rider) and at just 17 is considered one of the top up-an-coming riders in AMA Superbike.

Buckmaster leads the Lockhart-Phillips Formula Xtreme Series after winning the series opener at Fontana a month ago. “Bucky” lost the Formula Xtreme title by a single point to John Hopkins last year after leading the class most of the season. He definitely has serious motivation on his side after having the title slip from his grasp eight months ago. Attack Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore, who has made a healthy comeback to the series after breaking his leg and collarbone in the middle of the 2001 season, ranks second. He feels right at home at Sears Point where he first began his road racing career as a club racer in the late-1980s. Pridmore is also the defending Formula Xtreme winner at Sears. Bruce Transportation Group Honda rider Jake Zemke is ranked third and is showing the abilities that earned him a victory in the series in Brainerd, Minn., last year.

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden is turning a lot of heads by leading the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series (formerly 750 Supersport). It marks the first time in series history that a rider on a 600cc machine has led the points in the class, which is dominated by 750cc bikes. The oldest of the three racing Hayden brothers, Tommy is the only rider ever to win a Superstock race on a 600cc machine. He did it in 1999 in Lexington, Ohio, on a Yamaha and again last month in Fontana aboard his factory Kawasaki ZX-6R. It’s no fluke; Kawasaki is going to try to win the Superstock class over Suzuki, which has won the series for six-straight years. Canadian Jordan Szoke is trying to keep Suzuki’s championship-winning streak alive. The Corona Extra Suzuki rider is only one point behind Hayden as they head to Sears Point. Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Chris Ulrich is third.

With defending champion Jim Filice leaving the MBNA 250 Grand Prix for AMA Supersport in 2002, the championship has been left wide open to a vast array of talented riders. Former class champion, Stargel Aprilia’s Chuck Sorensen, from nearby Sunnyvale, Calif., leads the point standings after taking the win at Daytona and fifth at California Speedway. Sorensen is a two-time AMA 250GP winner at Sears. Second in the standings is Team Oliver Yamaha’s Perry Melneciuc from Lehigh Acres, Fla. Bridgestone Yamaha rider Ed Sorbo, from Redlands, Calif., comes into Sears Point ranked third. Former Sears Point winners Rich Oliver and Roland Sands are also expected to be top contenders in the race. Oliver returned to racing and the podium at Fontana after a fall at Daytona left him with a severed ring finger and broken pelvis.

For ticket information of the Superbike Supercuts Challenge, contact Sears Point Raceway at (707) 938-8448 or visit the website at www.searspoint.com.

Aussie Marty Craggill To Replace Injured Josh Hayes At Sears Point

From a press release: AUSTRALIAN MARTY CRAGGILL TO JOIN TEAM VALVOLINE EMGO SUZUKI AT SEARS POINT Former Australian Superbike Champion Marty Craggill will compete at Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, California this weekend, after accepting an invitation by Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki to replace injured team member Josh Hayes. Craggill (33) will head to America from his home in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday April 30 to compete at this weekend’s AMA Championship round, which will be his first competitive ride since competing in the final round of last year’s Superbike World Championship at Imola in Italy. Hayes suffered a serious injury to his left hand while practicing for round two of the AMA Championship at the California Speedway on April 6, where he was to compete in both the 600 Supersport and Formula Xtreme events. It is expected that Craggill will compete for the team for the period of time that Hayes is out of action while he undergoes rehabilitation for his injured hand and is ready to return to the track. For Craggill, the opportunity to race in America with a very competitive team is what he has been searching for over the past two years. “It’s been very frustrating for me over the past two years or so, but I’m feeling positive about the ride with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki as I know that they are a very good team,” Craggill said before leaving Australia. “I’ve been talking to the team’s management about the ride over the past few weeks and it’s great to be able to get on a plane and head over there. The only other time that I have raced in America was at the Laguna Seca round of the Superbike World Championship last year, so I’m looking forward to it. It will be the third year in a row that I have been in a championship where I’ve had to go out and learn the circuits. It’s a challenge, but I know I’m up to it.” For Craggill, the return to an in-line four cylinder machine such as the Suzuki GSX-R1000 comes after a year competing in the Superbike World Championship aboard a Ducati 996RS which was not ideally suited to his size and riding style. He will take over Hayes’ Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the Formula Xtreme class, with a decision to be made prior to the event as to whether he will ride Hayes’ GSX-R600 in the Supersport class as well. “I’m looking forward to getting back on a big in-line four cylinder bike such as the Suzuki GSX-R1000,” Craggill added. ” I think that the Suzuki will suit me. I’m a tall guy and I seem to fit and feel comfortable on it. Not only that, but I’m sure that with all of the right components fitted by the Valvoline EMGO Team, the bike will be extremely competitive.” Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki won the 2001 AMA Formula Xtreme Championship with young John Hopkins, who is now competing in the MotoGP World Championship. After winning the Australian Superbike Championship in 1997 and 1998, Craggill moved to England where he competed in the British Superbike Championship for Clarion Suzuki, finishing eighth overall. The following year was a mixed season for him, where, after returning to Australia to compete in the national championship, he headed back to England to replace Peter Goddard in the Kawasaki UK team midway through the season. He then accepted an offer from the fledgling Team Pacific Ducati outfit in the 2001 Superbike World Championship, but found the season deeply frustrating, as the small budget of the team did not allow for sufficient development of the bike and team. Returning to Australia in 2002, Craggill has been busy setting up new business opportunities for he and his family prior to accepting the offer to race in America. While Hayes continues his recuperation, Craggill will join current Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki members Tom Kipp and Chris Ulrich at Sears Point Raceway. Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki competes in three separate race categories at the AMA Championship events, these being Formula Xtreme, 600 Supersport and 750 Superstock. Marty Craggill – PROFILE Lives at: Melbourne, Australia Date of Birth: 18 December 1968 Status: Married to Diane Children: son, Max Height: 186cm Weight: 75kg Hobbies: Motocross, Dirt track, Jet Skiing, Table tennis First road race: 1990, Australian 250GP Championship Career Highlights 1990 6th Australian 250 GP Championship (Honda RS250) 1991 4th Australian 250 GP Championship (Honda RS250) 1992 15th Australian Superbike Championship (Privateer Kawasaki ZX-7R) 1993 Suffered shoulder and arm injury during pre-season testing and missed complete season 1994 2nd Australian Superbike Championship (Privateer Kawasaki ZX-7R) 1995 5th Australian Superbike Championship (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R) 1996 2nd Australian Superbike Championship (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R), Australian 500GP wild card ride with Team Elf. Failed to finish due to mechanical problems while running 10th. 1997 Australian Superbike Champion (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R)6th overall In World Superbike round at Phillip Island (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R) 1998 Australian Superbike Champion (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R)5th Suzuka 8-Hour (Team Kawasaki ZX-7R)

1999 8th British Superbike Championship (Team Clarion Suzuki GSX-R750) 2000 Competed in the opening two rounds of the Australian Superbike Championship for Advantage Honda (Honda CBR929RR), before heading to England to replace Peter Goddard aboard the Kawasaki UK ZX-7RR in the British Superbike Championship. 2001 31st Superbike World Championship (Team Pacific Ducati 996RS)

Larry Denning Sets New Track Record At Talladega On 2002 R1


Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

4&6 Racing’s Larry Denning used a 2002 Yamaha YZF-R1 to set a new official lap record at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway on Sunday, April 28. Denning’s new record for the counter-clockwise direction was certified by WERA offfials at 0.58.97, and he set the record on DOT-labeled Pirelli tires. Denning turned the lap while chasing leader Lee Acree in an A Superstock race but finished second behind the Arclight Suzuki GSX-R750 rider.

Denning ended the WERA weekend with two wins (Formula One, C Superbike) and two seconds (A Superstock, C Superstock) in Yamaha contingency races, plus a win in Saturday, April 27’s Mediumweight Solo 20, on his 2002-model Yamaha YZF-R1 and YZF-R6.

“I didn’t have much to say about the new R1 after the first two weekends,” said long-time Yamaha contingency chaser Denning. “But after Traxxion Dynamics helped me sort out the front end with springs and fork oil level, it’s now easier to ride fast than my R6.”

Denning added that his new R1, equipped with the racing exhaust from his 2001 bike, a Dynojet Power Commander III-R and VP MR1 race fuel, made 148 rear wheel horsepower on a dyno at 4&6’s Chicago, Illinois race shop.

Updated Post: Jason Pridmore And Mark Edwards Give QB Phase One World Endurance Race Win At Imola


Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

QB Phase One’s Jason Pridmore and teammate Mark Edwards won the 200-mile World Endurance race at Imola Sunday on a Suzuki GSX-R1000. QB Phase One’s Pridmore trailed Zongshen 2 early in the contest, but when Zongshen pitted with suspected transmission problems, Pridmore moved QB Phase One into the lead. QB Phase One would never relinquish the lead again.

Mike Ciccotto and Michael Barnes finished second on the Herman Verboven 5 Suzuki GSX-R750 with Zongshen 9’s Bruno Bonhuil and Igor Jerman placing third on another Suzuki.

RESULTS:

1. QB Phase One (Jason Pridmore/Mike Edwards), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 66 laps, 201.9 miles, 2:21:42.046

2. Herman Verboven Racing 5 (Michael Barnes/ Mike Ciccotto), Suzuki GSX-R750, 66 laps, 201.9 miles, 2:22:04.482, +22.436

3. Zongshen 9 (Igor Jerman/Bruno Bonhuil), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 66 laps, 201.9 miles, 2:22:17.768, +35.722

4. Zongshen 2 (Warwick Nowland/Giovanni Bussei), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 66 laps, 201.9 miles, 2:22:40.431, +58.385

5. Bolliger Team (Marcel Kellenberger/Roman Stamm), Kawasaki ZX-9R, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:21:57.966, + 1 lap

6. Dap Unisson Motomax (Stephane Gallis/J.-Francois Cortinovis), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:22:28.332, + 1 lap

7. Team 22 Police Nationale (Bertrand Sebileau/Jehan d’Orgeix), Kawasaki ZX-9R, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:22:50.969, + 1 lap

8. GMT 94 (S. Scarnato/William Costes), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:22:57.488, + 1 lap

9. Endurance Moto 38 (Bernard Cuzin/Christian Hacquin), Yamaha YZF-R1, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:22:58.662, + 1 lap

10. QB Phase One Junior (James Hutchins/David Morillon/Olivier Ulmann), Suzuki GSX-R1000, 65 laps, 198.9 miles, 2:23:33.660, + 1 lap

20. Herman Verboven Racing 6 (Andrew Deatherage/John Jacobi), Suzuki GSX-R750, 62 laps, 189.7 miles, 2:21:47.669, + 4 laps

Track Length: 3.06 miles
Time of race start: 12:05 p.m.
Time of race end: 2:30 p.m.
Fastest lap of the race: Zongshen 2 (Bussei), lap 48, 1:54.268, lap average speed 96.5 mph
Number of teams to start race: 51
Number of teams to retire from race: 10
Number of teams to finish: 41

Liam Magee Killed In Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship Round At Mallala

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Mike Esdaile

Former GP star Kevin Magee’s 19-year-old nephew, Liam Magee, was killed at South Australia’s Mallala Raceway on Saturday during qualifying for Round Three of the Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship.

Reports indicate Magee’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 left black tire marks on the track at the point it left the circuit.

Magee was speared head-first into an UNPROTECTED (unpadded) concrete wall. He suffered massive, head, neck and spinal injuries.

Update On Keith Almond, Injured Last Weekend At Willow Springs

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in, from WSMC racer Franz Volpi:

Fellow racer Roger Baker and I visited Keith Almond on Friday, April 26th. He is still at Kern County Medical Center in Bakersfield, California.

Keith has been moved from the ICU to the DOU (direct observation unit), a good thing! He is conscious and alert and can be visited (two at a time).

I am not really sure if he knew who we were when we visited but visitation is encouraged. It seems to me he is definitely getting better.

Franz Volpi

Updated Post: No Points, No Entry For AMA Laguna Seca, With Reader Reaction

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The latest surprise mandate from AMA Pro Racing is hitting the mailboxes of California racers this weekend and it includes the news that only riders with points–or who were in the top 20 in points last year–can enter the Laguna Seca event.

If the terms of the mandate are uniformly applied, teams will be limited in their choices if they need to replace injured riders for Laguna Seca.

The exact wording of the mandate, which did not include any explanation, follows:

“Important Notice Regarding Laguna Seca

“In addition to the original limit of 65 rider entries per class, pre-entries will be accepted only from riders that currently have points or were in the top 20 from the 2001 season in the same class or classes that they wish to enter at Laguna Seca.

“Pre-entries will be accepted until June 14th, no post entries will be taken at the event.”


Now this, from reader and WSMC racer Ian Crowne:

In response to the “No Points, No Entry For AMA Laguna Seca” posting, I now truly believe the AMA is a group of morons with no notion of how to attract riders for the future because they are alienating more and more of the motorcycle racing world, and at an award winning rate. I am supposed to be part of the pit crew for a good WSMC rider that can easily qualify for this event, but has no points this year yet and didn’t race AMA last year. How do they intend to attract new riders and make the sport grow if they continue to chop off the hands that that feed it? They’ve gotten rid of all but 2 classes for the future, and now they’re paring down the remaining two to only existing fast riders. What happened to the future riders that are going from regional racing to national?

Part of my work is having to deal with regional government agencies around the country that try to make the most inane laws possible, just so they can grab that little bit more power and therefore feel more important themselves. Of course they’re very frustrating to deal with, but the AMA tops them all so far, and the AMA isn’t even a government agency. Can someone do something about this?

I’ll be calling the AMA Pro Racing Dept. on Monday to get my money back because I want nothing to do with them.

Thanks for the update.

Ian Crowne
WSMC #92


Could it be that this is all a misunderstanding due to AMA Pro Racing’s inability to effectively communicate in English? This, from racer Tyler Sandell, suggests that might be the case:

After reading the AMA’s press release, I immediately called the AMA to see if they were going to refuse my pre-entry for Laguna. I was assured by a very nice woman in the Pro Racing office that since I was one of the first 65 people to send in my pre-reg, my entry would be accepted even though (at present time) I have no points in either of the classes for which I signed up, nor was I in the top 20 of either class last year.

I was told that the intent of the confusingly written release was this: In ADDITION to the 65 pre entries they’ve already accepted they are going to ALSO accept entries from riders that currently have points or were in the top 20 from the 2001 season in the same class or classes that they wish to enter at Laguna Seca.

Of course I didn’t get it in writing and I was too stupid to even write down the name of the person I talked with so I’ve really got no proof. Hopefully she was correct.

Looking forward to Laguna,

Tyler Sandell
AMA PT #51
AMA Superstock #511

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