Ducati L&M rider Ben Bostrom held onto provisional pole position at his home circuit, Laguna Seca Raceway, despite a last-minute charge by Ducati Infostrada man Troy Bayliss. The Australian squeezed Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki
Motorsports ZX-7R) out of the number two slot with a flying lap as the clock ticked away the final seconds of the qualifying session. Although he dipped into the 1:25 territory, Bayliss wasn’t quite fast enough to demote Eric’s brother Ben Bostrom. Only five riders got into the 1:25s; both Bostrom brothers, Bayliss, Corser and Doug Chandler.

Both Bostrom brothers failed to improve on their Friday times while Bayliss shaved half-a-second off his fastest time set in Friday’s qualifying. Corser also improved his Friday time, setting a 1:25.749 lap on race tires, jumping from sixth to fourth on the grid in the process, behind Eric Bostrom.

Doug Chandler on the other Kawasaki Motorsports ZX-7R qualified fifth in front of Colin Edwards.

All the grid positions are provisional as the top 16 riders now have to face the challenge of Superpole later this afternoon. Superpole involves the top 16 riders only, with each rider getting one warm-up lap and one flying lap, all done alone on the circuit. The Superpole times then reshuffle the grid, so a fast time in Superpole can push a rider up the grid. Conversely, if a rider crashes or sets a poor time, he’ll be demoted down the starting order.

Eric Bostrom hasn’t ridden World Superbike before so the Superpole is new to him and it’ll be interesting to see how he handles it.

Combined World Superbike Qualifying Results:

1. Ben Bostrom, Ducati, 1:25.248
2. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 1:25.435*
3. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 1:25.556
4. Troy Corser, Aprilia, 1:25.749*
5. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki, 1:25.907*
6. Colin Edwards II, Honda, 1:26.112
7. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, 1:26.163
8. Tadayuki Okada, Honda, 1:26.455*
9. Pierfrancesco Chili, Suzuki, 1:26.514*
10. James Toseland, Ducati, 1:26.598*
11. Regis Laconi, Aprilia, 1:26.605
12. Stephane Chambon, Suzuki, 1:26.706*
13. Ruben Xaus, Ducati, 1:26.753*
14. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki, 1:26.784*
15. Steve Martin, Ducati, 1:26.867*
16. Gregorio Lavilla, Kawasaki, 1:26.961*
17. Robert Ulm, Ducati, 1:26.902*
18. Mauro Sanchini, Ducati, 1:27.056*
19. Marco Borciani, Ducati, 1:27.191*
20. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati, 1:27.192
21. Peter Goddard, Benelli, 1:27.200*

*indicates a quicker time than in Friday’s qualifying session.

Italian Kawasaki rider Michele Malatesta crashed very hard during Saturday’s qualifying session in turn six causing a red flag. From video replays of the incident, it was clear that Malatesta broke his left leg and required medical assistance.

Australian Ducati racer Broc Parkes highsided during the session at the exit of turn 11 and limped away from the scene.

L&M Ducati’s Ben Bostrom was on a flying lap at the very end of the session. Bostrom had already went through the first split timer quicker when Bostrom was slowed in the corkscrew by Czech rider Jiri Mrkyvka. Bostrom’s lap time was not faster, but he still retained the provisional pole heading into the Super Pole event scheduled for 4:00 p.m. PDT today.

AMA Chairman of the Board Rick Gray is trying to figure out which AMA Trustee tipped roadracingworld.com regarding the appointment of Gary Mathers as the new AMA Pro Racing Superbike Operations Manager, as posted on roadracingworld.com some eight hours before an AMA press release announcing the appointment was issued July 3.

Gray has demanded answers in e-mails sent to members of the AMA Board of Trustees.

Roadracingworld.com has long enjoyed (and exploited) early access to sensitive and secret information regarding AMA Pro Racing operations and the AMA in general, thanks to well-placed moles in the organization.

Gray’s search has thus far turned up no admissions of guilt, and, take it from us, is unlikely to do so any time soon.

You’d think a busy guy like that would have better things to do with his time…

Saturday 125cc Qualifying Results From Donington Park:

1. Gino Borsoi, Aprilia, 1:48.754
2. Casey Stoner, Honda, 1:48.814
3. Jakub Smrz, Honda, 1:49.323
4. Youichi Ui, Derbi, 1:49.361
5. Masao Azuma, Honda, 1:49.412
6. Toni Elias, Honda, 1:49.505
7. Arnaud Vincent, Honda, 1:49.632
8. Max Sabbatani, Aprilia, 1:49.895
9. Alex De Angelis, Honda, 1:49.931
10. Alessandro Brannetti, Aprilia, 1:50.137

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, 1:26.214
2. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 1:26.551
3. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 1:26.863
4. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki, 1:26.920
5. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:26.985
6. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki, 1:27.339
7. Steve Rapp, Ducati, 1:27.721
8. Larry Pegram, Ducati, 1:27.874
9. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 1:27.971
10. Tommy Hayden, Yamaha, 1:28.125
11. Pascal Picotte, H-D, 1:28.448
12. Andreas Meklau, Ducati, 1:28.522
13. Michael Smith, H-D, 1:29.128
14. Jordan Szoke, H-D, 1:29.208
15. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki, 1:30.108*
16. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki, 1:31.344*
17. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki, 1:31.459*
18. Richie Alexander, Suzuki, 1:31.597*
19. Ben Spies, Suzuki, 1:31.656*
20. Anthony Lupo, Suzuki, 1:31.805*
21. James Randolph, Suzuki, 1:32.103
22. Tony Meiring, Suzuki, 1:32.240*
23. Rich Conicelli, Suzuki, 1:32.470*
24. Alan Schmidt, Suzuki, 1:32.690*
25. Mike Sullivan, Honda, 1:32.883

*denotes 750cc Supersport machine

Graves Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster came from behind to win the Formula Xtreme final at Laguna Seca with a dramatic last-lap, last-corner out-braking move on Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s 18-year-old John Hopkins.

Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Final Results:

1. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha
2. John Hopkins, Suzuki
3. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda
4. Jake Zemke, Honda
5. Mark Miller, Honda
6. Grant Lopez, Suzuki
7. Josh Hayes, Honda
8. Andrew Deatherage, Suzuki
9. Mike Sullivan, Yamaha
10. Cory Call, Suzuki

31. Tom Kipp, Suzuki, 10 laps, DNF, crash

36. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 2 laps, DNF, crash

Margin of Victory: 0.122 second


Formula Xtreme Point Standings Following Laguna Seca:

1. Buckmaster, 163 points
2. Hopkins, 138 points
3. Lopez, 127 points
4. Miller, 115 points
5. Hayes, 114 points
6. Aaron Gobert, 106 points
7. Zemke, 105 points
8. Hayden, 98 points
9. Richie Alexander, 71 points
10. Chris Voelker, 55 points

1. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha, 1:28.715
2. Tom Kipp, Suzuki, 1:28.733
3. Josh Hayes, Honda, 1:29.050
4. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha, 1:29.137
5. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 1:29.388
6. Jake Zemke, Honda, 1:29.714
7. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda, 1:29.933
8. Mark Miller, Honda, 1:29.942
9. Grant Lopez, Suzuki, 1:30.364
10. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki, 1:30.834

Air Fence Fund contributors will have an opportunity to sign a section of Air Fence tonight, Saturday July 7, at 7:00 p.m. Those wishing to take part in the signing should gather at the Speedvision Production trailer in the paddock near the start/finish line pedestrian bridge. An up-to-date list of contributors will be on-site. Those wishing to do so will be able to make initial or additional contributions.

This Just In from Steve Reeves of Australia:

The final round of the 2001 Yamaha Xtreme Tri-State Series is shaping up as one of the closest fought rounds gauging from the lap times posted at the end of today’s two qualifying sessions.

Current Yamaha Formula Xtreme points leader, Radar’s Team Yamaha rider Robbie Baird, will start from the second position on the grid after his time was beaten in the final minutes by Honda’s Alex Gobert.

Baird had sat atop the leaders board for much of the final session with a time of 1:34.155, before being pipped by Gobert who stopped the clocks with a 1:34.197.

“It would have been great to have grabbed pole, but I’m happy with the times that we set,” said Baird. “I was a bit surprised as I was able to get into the 1:33s yesterday, but couldn’t get close to that today. I think the higher track temperature had something to do with that.”

Completing the front row were New Zealander Tony Rees on the Bikebiz Yamaha YZF-R1 and Honda-mounted Josh Brookes.

Craig Coxhell and Jamie Stauffer will start their Radar’s Team Yamaha’s off the second row of the grid after setting the sixth and seventh-fastest times respectively.

“I got caught up a lot in the traffic of the first qualifying session and that didn’t allow me to get a quick time down before the afternoon session,” said Coxhell. “In the afternoon session we tried a different tire that we haven’t used previously, but it didn’t work as planned. All I can hope for is a few good starts tomorrow to give me a chance at the leaders.”

“Everyone is going quite hard out there, showing that the pressure is on at the final round,” said Stauffer. “I felt quite good on the bike today, but my lap times didn’t reflect that. We tried a few different rear tires, but it didn’t seem to make much difference. Going by the lap times the others have set, I think we are in for one hell of a race tomorrow.”

Combined Yamaha Formula Xtreme qualifying
1. Alex Gobert,Redwing Honda1:34.155
2. Robbie Baird, Radar’s Team Yamaha 1:34.197
3. Tony Rees, Bikebiz Yamaha 1:34.239
4. Josh Brookes, Geoff’s Auto Spares Honda 1:34.273
5. Luke Phillips, Optus World Honda 1:34.687
6. Craig Coxhell, Radar’s Team Yamaha 1:34.749
7. Jamie Stauffer, Radar’s Team Yamaha 1:34.880
8. Damien Cudlin, Bikebiz Yamaha 1:34.884
9. Steven Cutting, Bar Ristretto Suzuki1:35.496
10. Jay Taylor,Taylor Racing Kawasaki1:35.820

Yamaha Formula Xtreme points after 4 of 5 events
1. Robbie Baird, 279 points
2. Jamie Stauffer, 246
3. Craig Coxhell, 239
4. Tony Rees, 203
5. Damien Cudlin, 178
6. Alex Gobert, 168
7. Josh Brookes, 130
8. Luke Phillips, 116
9. Graeme Morris, 100
10. Stephen Tozer, 84

During a pre-event press conference held during lunchtime Thursday at Laguna Seca, Superbike World Champion Colin Edwards used the word “asshole” in referring to AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin without suffering any official penalties. Things got interesting when track announcer Richard Chambers handed the microphone to Edwards and encouraged Edwards to lead the press conference.

Edwards was given the microphone after Chambers had already interviewed Honda teammates Nicky Hayden and Miguel Duhamel, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mladin, and Edwards himself. Troy Bayliss, Peter Goddard, Ben Bostrom, Regis Laconi and others were still waiting to be interviewed.

By the time Edwards received the microphone, Mladin had quietly left the overcrowded head table, almost as if to make room for Edwards to sit down. Mladin also looked to return to his pits as the AMA Superbike racers’ one and only qualifying session was scheduled for shortly after the Thursday lunch break. As Mladin walked away from the press conference area, Edwards called to Mladin over the small, press conference P.A. system, “Where ya going, Mat?”

Mladin didn’t appear to hear Edwards and continued walking. Edwards then told the crowd consisting of national, international, and local media members, “Now I understand why you guys think he’s an asshole.” Half of the crowd laughed while the other half mumbled to one another. In addition to “asshole”, Edwards also said the word “ass’ twice during his time speaking to the press.

The next racer to be interviewed was Benelli Tornado development rider/racer Peter Goddard. Goddard asked, “I wonder if Colin is going to get fined for that?” referring to the $5000 fine Mladin received for using the word “shit” and criticizing the track and other riders during an AMA press conference at New Hampshire International Raceway.

When asked after the press conference about the possibility of AMA officials fining him for his choice of words, Edwards said, “They’re gonna have a good time getting it out of me. I don’t give a shit. I don’t care. It wasn’t an AMA press conference. For a World Superbike press conference that’s normal lingo.”

Asked if he thought that the use of curse words is detrimental to the sport of motorcycle road racing—as claimed by AMA officials–Edwards said, “I don’t care. That’s who I am. I can be a robot and get up there and say the same thing over and over, but that’s not what the fans want. The fans want to know who I am. I’ll show you my whole deck of cards right there. This is who I am. If I say a few cuss words here and there that’s part of my personality.”

When asked about his comments concerning Mladin, Edwards said, “I was just wondering where he was going. I mean, it looked like the press conference was just getting kicking and then he left. I was just saying, ‘Where the Hell are you going?’ You just don’t get up and leave a press conference normally. I think nothing less of him. Now I just understand why everyone thinks he’s an asshole.” Then Edwards clarified saying, “I didn’t call him an asshole. I just said that I understand why people think he’s an asshole.”

After the press event was over, AMA Media Relations Contractor Larry Lawrence confirmed that the press conference had not been an official AMA press conference. Lawrence later asked his World Superbike series press counterpart, Renata Nosetta, about Edwards’ conduct. According to Lawrence, he was told by Nosetta that the World Superbike series allows their riders to be more free in expressing themselves than the AMA does.