“I was really looking forward to the 600 race, so it was a really big bummer when we couldn’t run. All we wanted was a few minutes of practice, and the AMA didn’t want to give it to us. I would’ve raced that day, but I didn’t know what the track was like. Then the other riders were sitting out, and I wasn’t going to go against them. I think we tried to make a point to the AMA, and I think maybe they understand now that we don’t want to race under unsafe conditions. They tried to pull the same stuff at Road America and throw the green flag even though it was sprinkling. It’s just a safety issue.”

According to a press release from TSR Injury Fund founded Steve Clark, the charity’s annual fund raising raffle, originally scheduled for June 17, has been postponed.

The text of the release follows:

“The TSR Injury Fund regrets to announce that the 2nd Annual Raffle for Injured Riders must be postponed until later in the road racing season.

“Originally, it was scheduled for Sunday, June 17th at the WERA VIR Cycle Jam. At this time, we have rescheduled the drawing for Sunday, October 28th at the WERA GNF. This will give us the opportunity to attend more events to generate further awareness for the fund and its activities. We will attend at least nine more events prior to the GNF, so please look for us at your next local event.

“We would like to apologize to everyone that has already supported the TSR Injury fund this year, but would like to assure you that we will
continue our efforts until our goal of 500 tickets is reached. We understand that there has been an increase in road-racing-based charities, and we appreciate that you choose us.

“If you have not chosen a motorcycle road-racing-based charity for 2001, please consider the TSR Injury Fund.

“TSR Injury Fund, http://www.TightSqueezeRacing.org/InjuryFund.htm”

In an e-mail sent to AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth, AMA Pro Racing Director of Competition Merrill Vanderslice and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of AMA Pro Racing, Mark Tuttle, noted motorcycle and automotive journalist Sam Moses wrote:

“I have read the transcript of Mladin’s statement, closely and carefully. It seems to me he now has a legal case against the AMA, based on repression of his rights. Unless, of course (as is likely), there is some contract that AMA riders must sign to get their license, which in vague fine print frees the AMA to do anything it wants, and forbids riders from doing or saying anything the AMA decides it doesn’t like.

“I would say the AMA’s actions are plain silly, if free speech weren’t the issue. I will say they are stupid, arrogant, short-sighted, self-destructive, and, one would hope, terminally infected with power madness.

“The AMA’s press release is worse than misleading, it’s dishonest. ‘At times using profanity,’ it says, deliberately suggesting the image of Mladin publically cursing people out. He used one four-letter word, one time, and not at all gratuituously. He simply said he was tired of this shit, referring mostly to inaccurate reporting by journalists, and also to the AMA’s own disorganization. I suspect that expression would reflect the feelings of 90 percent of the professional riders in the paddock. The field for the 600 SuperSport race might be evidence.

“And imagine, the AMA coming to the defense of the reputation of a reporter. Don’t make me laugh.

“If some of Mladin’s comments about the track were incorrect, it was handled in the proper manner when Jerry Wood issued a statment addressing and rebutting them.

“Mladin’s comments represent criticism that could be used constructively. They are the opinions of an intelligent, experienced, highly respected
champion, on how the sport might be improved. The fact that he made them in opening his press conference should be taken as an indication that he feels strongly about them. That they were wrapped in disgust is understandable.

“Mladin sounded like Kenny Roberts, Sr., up there in that press conference, and for that we should all rejoice.

“The AMA press release accuses Mladin of raising personal issues. No, Mladin raised issues that affect the sport, including accurate reporting. It’s the AMA’s issues with Mladin that are personal.

“It’s the AMA’s conduct, not Mladin’s, that is detrimental to the sport. He did nothing but earn credibility by his statements, in the minds of all
fair-thinking people who care about the sport. And the AMA continues to destroy its own, by being so pathetically threatened.

“Sam Moses
“Road racing fan, competitor and journalist since 1971”

This is a typical reader reaction to the AMA fining Mat Mladin $5000 and docking him one point for comments Mladin made in a post-qualifying press conference at Loudon.

“As a AMA member I am very disappointed the AMA has fined Mat Mladin regarding his comments in last week’s press conference. Objectively listening to the file downloaded from Roadracing World’s website it is evident that personal feelings entered into the decision to fine Mladin. The interview was courteous, truthful and not worthy of any type of penalty. If the press published the truth, perhaps racers would not be in the position to voice their opinions of the truth. I am glad Mat spoke his mind and set the record straight.”

Marco Zucchi
AMA # 406529
WERA # 205

Bluewave Computing
Director of Sales and Marketing

New Hampshire International Speedway Motorcycle Safety Director Jerry Wood issued this statement Monday morning, in response to cirticism of the racetrack.

“In response to the public accusations that no work has been to improve safety conditions at NHIS for motorcycles I would like to offer this summary.

“Three years ago NHIS changed turn one, turn eight and turn 10, removed trees and made other modifications working with the AMA’s TRACK committee. Over $150,000 was spent on safety improvements. When the pro riders returned in 1999 Mat Mladin yelled out at a rider’s meeting that the track had been made worse. Tom Kipp resigned the track committee in frustration. Mladin’s statement proved to be false as times dropped and injuries were few.

“I went to the effort of asking Mladin what changes he would suggest and we went for a track tour. Doug Chandler and Aaron Yates soon joined us. They asked for the following additional improvements:

“1. More Air Fence in turn two.

“2. The wall in turn three be cut back on the left side and a gravel trap placed outside the exit

“3. The entrance portion of the curb in turn eight be removed and a gravel trap installed

“4. The apex of turn 10 be moved out away from the wall with a curb and line.

“At the end of the meeting Mladin was smiling and made the comment that with these changes we would have a fun track. New Hampshire International Speedway made every single one of the changes requested. In addition to the requested changes, NHIS purchased the state-of-the-art Air Fence Bike product that proved to work very well at saving the rider and the bike.

“When the Pros left last year (2000) the ONLY issue was the slippery spots (old sealer). That was addressed with the new, high-tech, very expensive, traction coating.

“The sealer was applied to all of the areas that had traction problems in the wet as well as any parts of the racing surface that had patches or changes in traction. That included the entire turn three and turn 11 areas. The parts that were NOT coated were good pavement with good, consistent traction in both wet and dry conditions.

“I felt that with the wet traction resolved combined with all of the new Air Fence from the Roadracing World/AMA project that the track would be in great shape wet or dry. Lap times dropped despite the tighter line in turn 12.

“I have been racing and working road racing events for 34 years and am proud of Loudon’s safety record. In addition to the AMA National we run eight club events with about 1200 entries per weekend. There have been no wall-related injuries for the last three years.

“The Loudon course is tight and I will bet that it is demanding to ride a world-spec 180-hp Superbike there but the Pro riders are paid very well to do it. I watched Pascal Picote crash hard into the soft barrier and ride off, just like most people do. Our safety record continues to be one of the best in the country.”

Defending Superbike Champion re-gained the series points lead with a win in round three of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Sunday, June 17 on the temporary course at Namao Airport in Edmonton, Alberta. Crevier launched his Honda RC51 from the pole position and led all 16 laps of the race to beat 1999 Canadian Superbike Champion Francis Martin riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000. Martin chased Crevier closely for 10 laps before slipping backwards. Kawasaki Canada’s Owen Weichel finished third on a ZX-7RR despite a freshly injured thumb to go with his week-old ankle injury.

RESULTS
PARTS CANADA SUPERBIKE:
1. Steve Crevier, Honda RC51
2. Francis Martin, Suzuki GSX-R1000
3. Owen Weichel, Kawasaki ZX-7RR
4. Brian Nielsen, Yamaha YZF-R1
5. Ben Pilon, Yamaha YZF-R1
6. Greg Boki, Yamaha YZF-R1
7. Jeff Williams, Honda CBR929RR
8. Kevin Lacombe, Yamaha YZF-R1
9. Andrew Nelson, Honda CBR600F4i
10. Tim Easton, Yamaha YZF-R1

Weichel came into the third round of the series leading Crevier in the points 106 to 96. Crevier now leaves Edmonton leading Weichel 156-143.

POINT STANDINGS (After 3 of 7 rounds, all 7 count):
1. Crevier, 156 points
2. Weichel, 143 points
3. Martin, 120 points
4. Pilon, 81 points
5. Jean-Francois Cyr, 71 points
6. Michael Taylor, 67 points
7. Nelson, 55 points
8. Nielsen, 53 points
9. Williams, 52 points
10. Boki, 50 points

Crevier also won the Yoshimura 600cc Sport Bike race at Namao Airport on his Honda CBR600F4i and enjoys a comfortable point lead in that class. Suzuki GSX-R600-mounted Clint McBain finished second ahead of Jeff Williams.

In International Motorcycle Supershow Open Sport Bike action, class points leader Frank Trombino crashed out of second place early in the race. Martin came through for the win on his GSX-R1000 in front of Jeff Williams, riding a Honda CBR929RR, and Ben Pilon, on a Yamaha YZF-R1.

The Parts Canada Superbike Championship will next be in action July 5-8 at Autodrome St-Eustache. For more information about the Canadian premier road racing series, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com.

Anthony Fania and KSW Racing have reached an agreement with Liberty Harley-Davidson/Buell of Rahway, New Jersey that will see the New Jersey racer campaign a Buell X-1 Lightning in the Formula USA Buell Lightning Series at Pocono International Raceway August 24-26 as well as in selected AMA Buell Pro Thunder rounds. Fania is also sponsored by Atlantic Motorsports, Arai, Dunlop, EBC, and Greenbrook Cycle & Marine.

Young gun Ben Spies, 16, underwent surgery Friday afternoon at Dr. Dave Kieffer’s Gem City Bone & Joint clinic in Laramie, Wyoming, to plate the collarbone Spies broke during 750cc Supersport practice at Loudon, New Hampshire a week earlier.

Spies expects to race at Laguna Seca in two weeks.

Dr. Kieffer, a racer as well as an orthopedic surgeon, competes in selected AMA Pro Thunder events.

By Glenn LeSanto

Two Ducatis battled it out under the hot sun at Misano, in San Marino on Italy’s Adriatic coast in a thrilling Superbike race this afternoon. Ben Bostrom led the race almost from the first corner and put on a stunning display of stylish riding, lifting the back wheel and waving it in the air going into corners. But Troy Bayliss, riding for Infostrada Ducati, caught and passed Bostrom on the L&M Ducati, lighting the fuse for an explosive last few laps that saw the pair swap places in a frantic fight for the win. In the end Bayliss won the battle, but only by a whisker, and Bostrom will be back for more in the second race.

Gregorio Lavilla, the popular Spaniard who rides for Fuchs Kawasaki, battled through the pack to claim third place. “I have a new helmet design,” smiled Lavilla pointing to his new gold crash helmet, “we call it the Goldfinger helmet. I don’t know if it brought me luck to help me get my second podium of the year, but I’m not going to change it now for the rest of the season.”

Bostrom was happy with his race, although you could see by the way he rode that he would rather have won. “It was a great race, and a lot of fun. And that’s what racing is really about,” said the American.

Bayliss stretched his Championship points lead even further as both rivals Edwards and Corser slipped back off the podium as the race wore on. “Ben rode really hard,” said Bayliss. “He led for almost all the race, I had it a little easier and relaxed a little and followed him. But I knew that I would have to work for the win and had to go really for it at the end.”

World Superbike Championship, Race One
Misano
Provisional Results:
1. Troy Bayliss, Australia (Ducati) 40:23.410
2. Ben Bostrom, USA (Ducati) 40:23.892
3. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain (Kawasaki) 40:31.782
4. Colin Edwards, USA (Honda) 40:34.796
5. Akira Yanagawa, Japan (Kawasaki) 4:39.613
6. Neil Hodgson, GB (Ducati) 40:39.744
7. Troy Corser, Australia (Aprilia) 40:39.747
8. Alessandro Antonello, Italy (Aprilia) 40:44.155
9. Tady Okada, Japan (Honda) 40:49.459
10. Ruben Xaus, Spain (Ducati) 40:57.514.