This press release just in from F-USA:

FORMULA USA STEPS IN TO TAKE OVER GPRA EVENTS

Aurora, IL (July, 30, 2001) – Formula USA announced today that the road race sanctioning body will take over all operations involved with the 125 Grand Prix and 250 Grand Prix classes that Formula USA has hosted at its CCS and NRRS events in 2001 on behalf of Grand Prix Riders Association (GPRA).

GPRA is unable to continue to provide purses and trophies for the remaining events due to non-payment of funds to them by their primary sponsor. While continuing to license riders, process entries and run the events, Formula
USA will now take over paying the riders the event purses and issuing trophies to the riders.

“With GPRA’s loss of funding by their primary sponsor, it was important for Formula USA to continue to support the 125 Grand Prix and 250 Grand Prix events that we began hosting with GPRA this season. The riders deserve to be able to continue to race for their championships and to feel confident that the support will be there from Formula USA.”, said Bill Syfan, Director of Road Racing for Formula USA.

With the change will come a change in entry fees and purse payouts. Entry fees for both classes will now be $75 per event, and any GPRA, Formula USA or CCS license will be accepted. The purse for both the 125 GP and 250 GP classes will remain at $1000, although the payout will change as follows:
1st – $350
2nd – $250
3rd – $175
4th – $125
5th – $100

Remaining events on the schedule include the Formula USA NRRS events at Pocono Raceway on August 23-26, Portland Int’l Raceway on September 6-9, and Daytona Int’l Speedway on October 18-21.

For more information, contact Formula USA at (817) 332-4822 or visit www.formulausa.com

This report just in from Tom Shields of RPM Racing, the WERA South Central affiliate:

On Sunday, July 29th, RPM officially tested with the Riders Committee at No Problem Raceway Park in Louisiana. A couple of Committee members were not able to make it so substitutes were taken to get good feedback. Riders testing the track were Pete Martins, Chad Smith, Mitch Fuselier, John Casley, Ty Stranger-Thorsen and Greg Abbott. David Hirsch (Michelin-Island Racing) and Bill Capshaw (Dunlop-ICE Motorsports) were also on hand to assist.

The riders were there to give input on potential hazards for run-off. There were two sections (out of turn 9s & 14) that needed modifications and the NPR staff and owner were more than happy to make sure we have a safe racetrack. In a matter of only 15 minutes the NPR staff had removed drag strip walls (turn 14) at our request. Note: The track map on the NPR website (www.noproblemraceway.com)is not accurate. John Casley had a GPS on his bike and will be getting the track map available in short order.

The asphalt mixed with limestone showed amazing grip. The drap strip is not slick since you enter it after the drag strip finish line (turn 14 is the last turn going onto the drag strip). Greg Abbott was shown with an unofficial fast lap time of 1:20.72. Since this is a 1.8-mile track, it will be as faster than Oak Hill and Hallett.

Riders found the track to have plenty of run-off in 90 percent of the areas, very technical with many double-appex corners, late-appex turns and so many lines to choose from they almost felt lost all day. Riders also found that the circuit flows very well. While the land is flat, the turns have positive camber built into almost every turn.

The track was not ready until 11:00 a.m. (waiting on ambulance and clean-up/prep). Once practice started at 11:00 a.m., we were delayed by two rain showers passing through. Finally the day was going by 1:00 p.m.

There were approximately three practice sessions where riders went onto the track and come off to give input. The NPR staff was there all day to listen and take notes. The day ended with a mock start to figure out the best suited placement of the grid.

The owners were asked for several additions to the facility and the NPR staff asked numerous times for input from everyone.

As a side note, Ty Stranger-Thorsen’s truck window was busted out when several riders/wives went into New Orleans to have a little fun. His leathers, boots and gloves were stolen along with his wife’s purse. Needless to say, the owners of NPR said to stay away from New Orleans when we are all there in September.

Nicky Hayden and Kurtis Roberts traded the lead four times on the last lap of the AMA Superbike race at Brainerd, with Hayden barely beating Roberts across the line to win by 0.005-second. Jamie Hacking was initially scored as third but after a review of videotape the place was given to Miguel Duhamel.

Points leader Mat Mladin crashed out on the first lap, the first time he’s crashed completely out of a race since 1996 (at Mid-Ohio in the rain).

Results
1. Nicky Hayden, Honda
2. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -0.005 second
3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, -0.464
4. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, -0.465
5. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, -1.085
6. Steve Rapp, Ducati, -1.498
7. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki, -21.060
8. Andreas Meklau, Ducati, -26.468
9. Larry Pegram, Ducati, -27.076
10. Tommy Hayden, Yamaha, -58.596
11. Pascal Picotte, Harley-Davidson, -66.546
12. Mike Smith, Harley-Davidson, -66.964
13. Andy Deatherage, Suzuki, -100.570
14. Greg Fryer, Yamaha, -101.525
15. Tony Meiring, -1 lap

Point Standings
1. Mat Mladin, 332 points
2. Eric Bostrom, 312
3. Nicky Hayden, 265
4. Doug Chandler, 263

According to AMA Media Relations contractor Larry Lawrence, Mladin said afterwards, as he was preparing to leave the track, “I made a mistake, that’s all I can say. I don’t know what happened. That’s the good thing about having a big points lead, if you make a mistake you still have the lead.”

1. Miguel Duhamel, Honda
2. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, -0.100 second
3. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha, -4.271
4. John Hopkins, Suzuki, -4.511
5. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, -9.440
6. Tommy Hayden, Yamaha, -13.282
7. Josh Hayes, Honda, -15.134
8. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, -15.416
9. Jake Zemke, Honda, -15.830
10. Grant Lopez, Suzuki, -16.237
11. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, -21.942
12. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, -22.014
13. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, -29.034
14. Robert Jensen, Suzuki, -40.153
15. David Ortega, Suzuki, -56.331
16. Tyler Wadsworth, Yamaha
17. Darren Lenzen, Yamaha
18. Wes Pogue, Suzuki
19. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki
20. David Ebben, Yamaha


Fastest Lap, Bostrom, Lap 8, 1:40.831

Series Points
1. Eric Bostrom, 224 points
2. Miguel Duhamel, 205
3. Anthony Gobert, 197
4. Tommy Hayden, 187
5. Josh Hayes, 168
6. John Hopkins, 152
7. Jake Zemke, 148
8. Jamie Hacking, 133
9. Kurtis Roberts, 129
10. Aaron Yates, 125
11. Aaron Gobert, 118
12. Roger Lee Hayden, 101
13. Jimmy Moore, 101
14. Grant Lopez, 94
15. Daigoro Suzuki, 87

By Glenn LeSanto

Reigning World Supersport Champion Jorg Teuchert is back on top of the title chase after an incredible race here at Brands Hatch this afternoon. The finish was so close that race control had to study a photograph to see which of three riders had crossed the line first. It was James Whitham on his Yamaha who lost out, he was shaded back into third by Andrew Pitt by only 0.004-second. Both Whitham and Pitt looked disappointed on the podium, Pitt had done all the running on his Kawasaki, having taken the lead from Whitham early in the race. Teuchert beat Pitt by a gap of only 0.011-second, having passed Pitt coming out of the final turn.

Championship leader going into the race, Paolo Casoli finished back in seventh. Australian Karl Muggeridge had looked strong and was challenging for second spot when he lost the front end of his Suzuki GSX-R600 going into Druids on lap 14.

Race Result
1. Jorg Teuchert, GER, Yamaha, 34:53.995
2. Andrew Pitt, AUS, Kawasaki, 34:54.006
3. Jamie Whitham, GBR, Ducati, 34:54.011
4. K. Fujiwara, JPN, Suzuki, 34:55.492
5. Fabrizio Pirovano, ITA, Suzuki, 34:58.671
6. Pere Riba, ESP, Honda, 34:59.192
7. Paolo Casoli, ITA, Yamaha, 34:59.475
8. Karl Harris, GBR, Suzuki, 35:03.974
9. Fabien Foret, FRA, Honda, 35:04.037
10. Christian Kellner, GER, Yamaha, 35:04.665

In the post race tech inspection following the 600cc Supersport event at Brainerd, the charging systems of Eric Bostrom’s Kawasaki ZX-6R and Miguel Duhamel’s Honda CBR600F4i were found to be producing less voltage than normal.

Bostrom and Duhamel were fined $500 each.

1. Rich Oliver
2. Chuck Sorensen, -10.082 seconds
3. Jimmy Filice, -15.627
4. Randy Renfrow, Honda RS250, -17.662
5. Simon Turner, -20.323
6. Perry Melneciuc, -20.608
7. Ty Piz, -66.585
8. Ed Sorbo, -66.679
9. Cory West, -84.040
10. John France, Honda RS250, -1 lap

All Yamaha TZ250 except as indicated

Point Standings
1. Filice, 254
2. Oliver, 233
3. Michael Hannas, 198

By Glenn LeSanto

Ben Bostrom took his fourth race win in a row in the World Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch in England this afternoon. The race was red-flagged after a spectacular crash by Wild Card rider James Haydon at the exit of Surtees. As Haydon went down after highsiding his Yamaha YZF-R7 the luckless Robert Ulm had nowhere else to go but up and over the stricken Yamaha. Both machines crashed heavily into the Air Fence and Ulm’s Ducati burst into flames. The Race Director was left with no choice but to stop the race.

When the race was stopped Ben Bostrom was leading Britain’s Neil Hodgson with Champion Colin Edwards in third. The race was restarted with the new grid decided by the race positions at the end of lap 10. In the restart it was Hodgson on the GSE Ducati and Bostrom on his L&M Ducati that again presented the enthusiastic crowd with all the action. The pair battled out lap after lap, swapping places as they rode around in the scorching sunshine at Brands Hatch. But Bostrom had the advantage; he was just over a second ahead of Hodgson at the end of the first part so he only needed to finish just behind Hodgson to win. In the end he did just that and crossed the line just 0.316-second behind Hodgson to take the win.

Edwards, who was second when the red flag was waved, had done enough on the Castrol Honda to hold onto third, even though it was Bayliss who finished third on the road. But Edwards’ race one advantage held the Texan up for some more valuable Championship points. Bayliss finished in fifth in aggregate, with Chili in fourth. Troy Corser had another difficult race, he was way back in eighth. Benelli Sport enjoyed three more Championship points when Peter Goddard finished in 13th after a long dice with the Castrol Honda’s Tady Okada. Although Goddard beat Okada over the line, Okada finished in front of him, placed 12th on aggregate.


First race aggregate result:
1. Ben Bostrom, USA (Ducati) 36:41.759
2. Neil Hodgson, GB (Ducati) 36:43.267
3. Colin Edwards, USA (Honda) 36:50.961
4. Pier-Francesco Chili, Italy (Suzuki) 36:51.775
5. Troy Bayliss, Australia (Ducati) 36:56.393
6. Ruben Xaus, Spain (Ducati) 37:03.641
7. Stephane Chambon, France (Suzuki) 37:06.005
8. Troy Corser, Australia (Aprilia) 37:06.995
9. Sean Emmett, GB (Ducati) 37:07.569
10. Akira Yanagawa, Japan (Kawasaki) 37:08.311

By Glenn LeSanto

Ben Bostrom did the double again at Brands Hatch today, making it five wins in a row. The 27-year-old Californian is on a winning streak and even Neil Hodgson’s best efforts couldn’t deny him another double win. The pair, who had already fought a pitched battle in race one, found themselves locked in a race-long duel again in race two to the delight of the 122,000 spectators.
They were both riding on the absolute limit and had left the rest of the field more than 10 seconds behind. But the strain started to show on Hodgson’s machine and with 10 laps to go water spilled out of Hodgson’s breather pipe onto his visor as his engine started to boil. At first it didn’t effect the power of the engine on his GSE Ducati, but as the race distance wore on Hodgson was forced to ride harder–but at the same time try to spare his engine–in order to keep up with Bostrom. With only two laps to go Hodgson’s engine was running at 120 degrees Centigrade and the reigning British Superbike Champion was forced to admit defeat and settle for second.

“My plan for the race was to go as fast as I could for 25 laps,” joked Hodgson. “But with 10 laps to go my bike started to overheat. I tried to
keep the pressure on Ben but he just kept his head down and I was left staring at his backside yet again!”

Bostrom was typically modest after the race, saying “Neil Hodgson is the man to beat at the moment, we seem to be racing each other all the time lately. It’s a lot of fun. But he’s pushing me really hard and I was glad to have that small power advantage today.”

The last rider to win five World Superbike races in a row was Carl Fogarty.

Championship leader Troy Bayliss came in third, despite not feeling his best, possibly a result of the Californian style weather – blazing sunshine all day. Colin Edwards continued to see his Championship slip away from him, the five points he clawed back from Bayliss were lost again in the second race when he finished fifth behind Pier Francesco Chili. James Toseland had
his best result of the season, finishing sixth on his GSE Ducati.

Second race result:
1. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 36:28.522
2. Hodgson, GBR, Ducati, 36:31.103
3. Bayliss, AUS, Ducati, 36:39.429
4. Chili, ITA, Suzuki, 36:39.464
5. Edwards, USA, Honda, 36:40.007
6. James Toseland, GBR, Ducati, 36:45.756
7. John Reynolds, GBR, Ducati, 36:45.758
8. Yanagawa, JPN, Kawasaki, 36:52.442
9. Chambon, FRA, Suzuki, 36:52.691
10. Emmett, GBR, Ducati, 36:57.854

World Superbike Championship points after 10 of 13 rounds:
1. Bayliss 303
2. Edwards 250
3. Bostrom 247
4. Corser 226
5. Hodgson 217
6. Chili 179
7. Yanagawa 132
8. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain, 122
9. Tady Okada, Japan, 118
10. Xaus, 106.

Manufacturers’ Points:
1 Ducati 413
2. Honda 302
3. Aprilia 253
4. Kawasaki 230
5. Suzuki 195
6. Yamaha 25
7. Benelli 4.

Next round: Oschersleben, Germany – September 2

Mark Heckles ran away with the Brands Hatch round of the European Superstock Championship today. For the second round running the dominance of the Suzuki GSX-R1000 was broken, this time by the superfast Rumi Honda Fireblade and rider Heckles’ sheer determination. 

Championship leader James Ellison couldn’t hold off a late challenge from rival Walter Tortoroglio. Ellison slipped
back to third when Tortoroglio passed him at Hawthorn Bend. The Italian reduced reigning Champion Ellison’s points lead from 10 to 6 points.

Race Result:

1. Mark Heckles, GBR, Honda, 22:59.554
2. Walter Tortoroglio, ITA, Suzuki, 23:01.881
3. James Ellison, GBR, Suzuki, 23:03.014
4. Kieran Murphy, GBR, Suzuki, 23:03.808
5. Chris Burns, GBR, Suzuki, 23:04.601