From a press release issued by OMS, Ltd.:


In a major step towards building a niche for former racing champions in the personal power sports industry, OMS Ltd. announced the signing of one of motorcycle road racing’s most revered and respected champions, Freddie Spencer.

“OMS sees a unique opportunity in today’s personal power sports marketplace to provide seasoned world champions such as Freddie as a valuable marketing tool to companies both inside and outside of the motorcycle industry,” said general manager, Cory Johnson. “Our partnership with Freddie illustrates OMS’s commitment to the growth of the motorcycle community.”

“OMS’s position and influence as a marketing and management firm are unparalleled,” said Spencer. “I’m confident in their ability to align me with select corporations that make sense for me and my business.”

“Freddie Spencer is one of motorcycle racings premier legends,” said OMS account executive, Jeff Haney. “There is a certain mystique that follows Freddie’s name which is why he is one of the most recognized names in the motorcycle industry. Freddie’s loyalty is priceless and we are thrilled to be working with him.”

Freddie Spencer has enjoyed a road racing career that has spanned three decades, winning a 250 World Championship, two 500 World Championships as well as being the only rider in modern history to win 250 and 500 titles in the same year. Spencer was recently inducted into the Motorsports Museum & Hall of Fame in Detroit on June 6, 2001 along with Emerson Fittipaldi and Andy Granatelli. On June 16, 2001, Spencer was honored as an inductee into the MotoGP Hall of Fame at a ceremony during the Gran Premio Marlboro de Catalunya. Upon his retirement in 1995, Spencer formed Freddie Spencer’s High Performance Riding School in March of 1997, which he currently operates at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Provisional 125cc Grand Prix Qualifying Results From Sachsenring:

1. Toni Elias, Honda, 1:30.749
2. Max Sabbatani, Aprilia, 1:30.757
3. Simone Sanna, Aprilia, 1:30.808
4. Pablo Nieto, Derbi, 1:30.978
5. Manuel Poggiali, Gilera, 1:31.129
6. Angel Rodriquez, Aprilia, 1:31.229
7. Lucio Cecchinello, Aprilia, 1:31.379
8. Youichi Ui, Derbi, 1:31.469
9. Jaroslav Hules, Honda, 1:31.516
10. Angel Nieto, Jr., Honda, 1:31.557

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Jamie Hacking lost an appeal of his disqualification from an AMA Superbike race at Road America on the grounds that his crew took his crashed bike behind the pit wall to make repairs during a red flag. An appeal hearing was held on Thursday, July 19 at Mid-Ohio.

The rule was originally put in place when AMA rules did not allow riders to change bikes during a race red flag situation; the rule was intended to prevent riders from going back into the paddock to swap bikes.

But in a cruel bit of irony, AMA rules now allow riders to use a back-up bike, so Hacking, who did not have a back-up bike, was disqualified for breaking an obsolete rule.

The Appeal Board ruling points out problems with the AMA appeal process, which allows 3-man appeal boards appointed by AMA Pro Racing Director of Competition Merrill Vanderslice to hear a rider’s case and make a final ruling. The involved rider has no say in who is on the appeal board and cannot object to any member of the board, unlike jury rules in a normal courtroom.

Which makes it possible for appeals to be heard by “stacked” boards or by boards made up of people who do not understand the original intent and application of a given rule, and who instead decide appeals based purely on their literal interpretation of the rule in question.

Corona Extra EBSCO Suzuki’s Jimmy Moore used a soft, Dunlop race tire to claim the pole position for Saturday’s Genuine Suzuki Accessories 750cc Supersport final at Mid-Ohio, despite having limited practice time Friday. Moore was limited to 40 minutes during Friday afternoon’s Superbike qualifying session to set up his GSX-R750 due to his Thursday practice rule violation. However, Moore was still able to record a best time of 1:31.179 to eclipse the two-year-old 750cc class record set by Tommy Hayden on a Yamaha YZF-R6, who went on the win the 750cc Supersport race at Mid-0hio in 1999.

Moore came in and changed to a fresh, soft Dunlop late in the session, immediately before setting pole time. Ulrich, who was in the same qualifying session, stayed out for the duration on a Metzeler race tire of the same compound and construction he’ll run in Saturday’s race.

Final 750cc Supersport Qualifying Results From Mid-Ohio:

1. Jimmy Moore, 1:31.179
2. Chris Ulrich, 1:31.825
3. Richie Alexander, 1:31.945
4. Ben Spies, 1:32.111
5. Eric Wood, 1:32.169
6. Josh Hayes, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:32.337
7. Anthony Lupo, 1:32.422
8. Daigoro Suzuki, 1:32.535
9. Vincent Haskovec, 1:32.528
10. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:32.685
11. Rich Conicelli, 1:32.788
12. Alan Schmidt, 1:33.566
13. Tony Meiring, 1:33.566
14. Travis King, 1:34.006
15. Douglas Duane, 1:34.084
16. Ken Snyder, 1:34.762
17. Shawn Conrad, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:35.388
18. Jeff Muskopf, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:35.422
19. David Ortega, 1:35.465
20. Chuck Allen, 1:35.763



All riders on Suzuki GSX-R750s unless otherwise noted.

Attack Suzuki’s Tom Kipp rode with a broken left foot and a Dunlop qualifying tire to lower Nicky Hayden’s 2000 Formula Xtreme lap record from 1:29.710 to a stunning 1:28.061. Kipp’s time would have put him fifth-fastest among Friday’s Superbike qualifiers.

The top three Formula Xtreme qualifiers were all under Roberts’ mark.

Final Formula Xtreme Qualifying Results From Mid-Ohio:

1. Tom Kipp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.061
2. Josh Hayes, Honda CBR929RR, 1:29.149
3. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1/R7, 1:29.285
4. John Hopkins, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.832
5. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR929RR, 1:30.039
6. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1/R7, 1:30.198
7. Grant Lopez, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.235
8. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR929RR, 1:30.484
9. Mark Miller, Honda CBR929RR, 1:30.687
10. Tim Bemisderfer, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:33.815
11. Travis King, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.494
12. Joe Temperato, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.178
13. Chuck Allen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.605
14. Douglas Duane, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.628
15. Jamie Thompson, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:37.026

Friday Morning Superbike Practice Times From Mid-Ohio:

1. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:28.232
2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, 1:28.358
3. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 1:28.373
4. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki, 1:28.578
5. Larry Pegram, Ducati, 1:28.648
6. Kurtis Roberts, Honda, 1:28.746
7. Tommy Hayden, Yamaha, 1:28.923
8. Steve Rapp, Ducati, 1:29.040
9. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha, 1:29.096
10. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, 1:29.539
11. Mike Smith, H-D, 1:29.659
12. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 1:29.989
13. Pascal Picotte, H-D, 1:30.487
14. Andreas Meklau, Ducati, 1:31.173
15. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:31.936*
16. Jordan Szoke, H-D, 1:32.264
17. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:33.455*
18. Anthony Lupo, Suzuki, 1:33.676*
19. Rich Conicelli, Suzuki, 1:33.962*
20. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, 1:34.019*
21. Eric Wood, Suzuki, 1:34.092*
22. Richie Alexander, Suzuki, 1:34.795*
23. Andrew Deatherage, Suzuki, 1:34.819*
24. Steve Grigg, Muzzy Raptor, 1:34.922
25. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, 1:35.011*
*denotes rider on a Supersport bike.

Pascal Picotte crashed at the end of the Superbike practice session. Picotte appeared unhurt as he walked back to pit lane.

Friday Afternoon Formula Xtreme Practice Times From Mid-Ohio

1. John Hopkins, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.185
2. Tom Kipp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.284
3. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR929RR, 1:30.363
4. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1/R7, 1:30.406
5. Josh Hayes, Honda CBR929RR, 1:30.505
6. Grant Lopez, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.847
7. Mark Miller, Honda CBR929RR, 1:31.118
8. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1/R7, 1:31.694
9. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR929RR, 1:31.948
10. Travis King, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.395
11. Chuck Allen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:36.544
12. Joe Temperato, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:37.158
13. Jamie Thompson, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:37.301
14. Chris Voelker, Honda RC51, 1:37.463
15. Michael Rawlings, Honda CBR944RR, 1:37.924

Erion Honda’s Mark Miller crashed in turn 13 about halfway through the Formula Xtreme practice session, got up, and walked away.

1. Rich Oliver, Yamaha, 1:31.175
2. Chuck Sorensen, Yamaha, 1:31.969
3. Michael Hannas II, Yamaha, 1:32.968
4. Perry Melneciuc, Yamaha, 1:33.121
5. Randy Renfrow, TSR-Honda, 1:33.925
6. Simon Turner, Yamaha, 1:33.972
7. Jimmy Filice, Yamaha, 1:34.364
8. Mike Himmelsbach, Aprilia, 1:34.930
9. Bill Himmelsbach, Yamaha, 1:37.488
10. Greg Esser, Honda, 1:37.806

1. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:31.252
2. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:31.540
3. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.124
4. Tommy Hayden, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:32.299
5. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.414
6. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR600F4I, 1:32.780
7. Richie Alexander, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.839
8. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.907
9. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.037
10. Rich Conicelli, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.566
11. Anthony Lupo, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.581
12. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.663
13. Daigoro Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.367
14. Travis King, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.571
15. Tony Meiring, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.656