By Glenn LeSanto

James Ellison took the European Superstock race win at his home circuit of Donington Park to nudge ahead of Italian rider Walter Tortoroglio in the title chase. Ellison’s victory came after the pair had been locked in a race-long battle. Despite suffering from serious chatter from the front end of his Suzuki GSX-R1000, Ellison managed to hold it all together in the difficult conditions at Donington Park where rain had fallen prior to the race, leaving the surface wet in places.

The front forks on Ellison’s machine were bouncing like a pogo stick as he braked hard for the tighter bends such as the difficult Melbourne Hairpin. Tortoroglio, or ‘Torto’ as he is known, managed to get by Ellison on the brakes going into Redgate Corner in the closing laps, only for Ellison to blast back into the lead a few corners later. Chris Burns led the race in the early stages until he crashed unhurt on lap 10. Mark Heckles recovered from a poor start to take third place.

European Superstock Championship
Donington Park
Race Result
1. James Ellison, GB, Suzuki, 24:52.807
2. Walter Tortoroglio, Italy, Suzuki, 24:53.233
3. Mark Heckles, GB, Honda, 25:01.389
4. Markus Wegscheider, Italy, Suzuki, 25:06.112
5. Dario Tosolini, Italy, Ducati, 25:08.409
6.Gary Mason, GB, Honda, 25:11.695.

By Glenn LeSanto


Pierfrancesco Chili snatched the win in race two at Donington to rob local hero Neil Hodgson of a double World Superbike victory.

It was the first World Superbike win of the year for a four-cylinder 750cc machine; all the other races have been won by 1000cc V-Twins.

Hodgson led for much of the race, having passed early leader Colin Edwards. It looked like Hodgson would repeat his performance in race one and run away with another victory. But Chili and Aprilia rider Troy Corser had other plans and, with some determined riding that saw Chili set the fastest lap of the race, the pair caught Hodgson in the closing stages of the race.

Hodgson managed to hold them at bay for several laps but Chili kept piling on the pressure. With Corser dropping back the scene was set for a last-lap thriller after Chili snatched the lead on the penultimate lap. Hodgson tried everything to get back in front, but Chili was a match for him and held his nerve. Even braking very late into the final bend failed to faze Chili who blasted across the line just a fraction ahead of Hodgson to claim his first win of the season.

While Hodgson was obviously disappointed not to have made the double he can console himself with by far his best result of the season.


American Ben Bostrom finished fourth with a fading Edwards sixth.

At the top of the championship points table the gap was closed by Corser’s third place, as championship leader Troy Bayliss came home a lowly ninth. Bayliss still leads the title race with 160 points but Corser has closed the gap and is now 17 points down on 143 points. Edwards remains third in the title chase with 141 points and Chili is fourth with 119.


Donington Park
World Superbike
Second race results

1. Pierfrancesco Chili, Italy, Suzuki, 39:30.374

2. Neil Hodgson, GB, Ducati, 39:30.499

3. Troy Corser, Australia (Aprilia) 39:30.930

4. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 39:37.788

5. John Reynolds, GB, Ducati, 39:39.742

6. Colin Edwards, USA, Honda, 39:42.092

7. Tadayuki Okada, Japan, Honda, 39:42.246

8. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 39:43.427

9. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 39:46.910

10. Ruben Xaus, Spain, Ducati, 39:48.611


World Superbike Championship points after six of 13 rounds:

1. Bayliss, 160

2. Corser, 143

3. Edwards, 141

4. Chili, 119

5. Hodgson, 103

6. Bostrom, 97

7. Yanagawa, 89

8. Lavilla, 77

9. Laconi, 63

10. Chambon, 61


Manufacturers points:
1. Ducati, 218
2. Honda, 187
3. Aprilia, 162
4. Kawasaki, 142
5. Suzuki, 131
6. Yamaha, 20

Next round: Lausitzring, Germany – June 10

By Glenn LeSanto

The organizers of the Superbike World Championship made it crystal clear in a press release issued Saturday morning at Donington, England, that the series will not be merged with the motorcycle Grand Prix Championship. The pronouncement was made to stem the tide of speculation regarding the future of the Superbike Championship when four-stroke motorcycles return to the Grand Prix series for the 2002 season.


In the statement, SBK officials said that it is their belief that “the Superbike World Championship is one of the most interesting sports products that motorsport has ever produced and, therefore, excludes the possibility of a merger with the Grand Prix.”

The statement contained a quote from Aprilia President Ivano Beggio affirming the Italian manufacturer’s commitment to the World Superbike series, “we are linked to this formula and we will continue to be so to the best of our ability.”

There was also reference to future rule changes in Superbikes, aimed at allowing 1000cc four-cylinder motorcycles to compete in the series. The Motorsport Manufacturers Association (MSMA), of which Beggio is also President, is currently considering “modifications to the performance balance between the various engine’s configurations allowed by the technical regulation (2/3/4 cylinder, etc).” The MSMA hopes to have the any proposed changes defined before the next FIM meeting, which takes place in October this year.

World Superbike officials have acknowledged that while 750cc four-cyinder motorcycles and 1000cc twin-cylinder motorcycles made a logical mix at one time, the move in the marketplace away from 750cc four-cylinder machines and toward 1000cc four-cylinder machines now makes inclusion of 1000cc four-cylinders more realistic. The only manufacturer currently selling large numbers of 750cc four-cylinder machines is Suzuki, the GSX-R750 having vanquished its 750cc four-cylinder rivals from (non-Superbike)races and from the sales floor.

By Glenn LeSanto

Paolo Casoli ran away with the race win at Donington Park to extend his lead in the World Supersport Championship. The Italian led from the start and was soon several seconds ahead of the pack on his Belgarda Yamaha. Casoli was blissfully unaware of the mayhem behind him that was the battle for second place. Australian Karl Muggeridge eventually won that battle, which saw riders banging fairings in mid-corner in an all-out effort to make it to the podium.

While Casoli romped away with the lead, James Whitham, his Belgarda Yamaha teammate, fought tooth-and-nail with Muggeridge on his Suzuki, reigning Supersport Champion Jorg Teuchert and Muggeridge’s teammate Katsuaki Fujiwara. Whitham, who was struggling for grip towards the end of the race, lost out as Teuchert and Muggeridge managed to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. The pair clashed in the final corner as they fought for the best drive onto the start finish straight. Muggeridge got the advantage, and second place as the pair powered out of the final corner.

Paolo Casoli’s victory was especially welcome as his closest rivals in the title hunt all finished lower down the order, allowing the Italian to take a commanding points lead as they prepare for the next round in Germany on June 10. Casoli now has 83 points and Muggeridge has jumped from sixth to second in the table with 57 points. Kevin Curtain stays in third place with fellow Australian Andy Pitt in fourth, both with 56 points. Pole sitter Vitto Guareschi retired early in the race with tire problems.

Donington Park, UK
World Supersport Championship Race Result
1. Paolo Casoli, Italy, Yamaha, 37:30.193
2. Karl Muggeridge, Australia, Suzuki, 37:38.778
3.Jorg Teuchert, Germany, Yamaha, 37:38.923
4. James Whitham, GB, Yamaha, 37:39.001
5. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Japan, Suzuki, 37:39.259
6. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Italy, Yamaha, 37:40.289
7. Karl Harris, GB, Suzuki, 37:43.606
8. Kevin Curtain, Australia, Honda, 37:43.866
9. Fabrizio Pirovano, Italy, Suzuki, 37:44.599
10. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki, 37:45.024.


Championship points after five of 11 rounds:
1. Casoli, 83
2. Muggeridge ,57
3. Curtain and Pitt, 56

5. Teuchert ,54
6. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda, 53
7. Bontempi, 39
8. Whitham, 38
9. Pirovano, 31
10. Vittoriano Guareschi, Italy, Ducati, 30

Manufacturers points:
1. Yamaha, 104
2. Honda, 76
3. Suzuki, 61
4. Kawasaki, 56
5. Ducati, 30.

Next round: Lausitzring, Germany – June 10

Team Pennzoil’s Chris “Opie” Caylor and Scott Harwell won the second round of the 2001 WERA National Endurance Series, a 4-hour at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway in Talladega, Alabama Saturday by a margin of 21 seconds. A total of 43 teams entered the race.

Team Pennzoil had to overcome the loss of 2nd gear. Meanwhile, a problem that cost an extra 60 seconds at the second pit stop made by Vesrah Racing set the stage for Team Pennzoil to cruise to victory.

A Vesrah crewman had a problem with a cocked brake pad during the team’s front-wheel change and didn’t have a screwdriver handy to pry the pad back into position, setting off a disorganized scramble in the Vesrah pits.

Back on track, Vesrah almost but not quite made up the deficit in the final 60 minutes of the race, with Vesrah’s Mark Junge closing up to within 21 seconds of Pennzoil’s Harwell at the finish.

Junge and teammates Glenn Szarek and Chris Ulrich rode a Suzuki GSX-R1000 while Pennzoil’s Caylor and Harwell rode a GSX-R750, as did third-place Loudoun Motorsports Racing. Paramount Racing finished fourth overall on a GSX-R1000 with Army of Darkness fifth overall on a GSX-R600.

Harwell is an endurance veteran who in past seasons has ridden in long-distance races for Arclight Suzuki and before that Tapeworks.

Pennzoil and Vesrah ran on Metzeler slicks. Loudoun Motorsports, which won in the Heavyweight Superstock class, ran on DOT-labelled Metzeler treaded tires.

Army of Darkness won in the Mediumweight Superbike class on Michelin slicks.

Finishing eighth overall, Team Chaos won in the Mediumweight Superstock division on a GSX-R600.

Intrepid Racing won in the Lightweight Superbike class at 17th overall on a Suzuki SV650.

Racersupply.com had been third overall for the first half of the race but retired with a transmission problem.

By Glenn LeSanto

Steve Hislop and Neil Hodgson showed the rest of the world how it’s done in Superpole Saturday afternoon at Donington Park in the British round of the World Superbike Championship. Hislop, who is entered as a non-regular or “wild card” rider, dominated qualifying on Friday and Saturday, then capped that performance with a brilliant Superpole lap to take pole position for tomorrow’s two World Superbike races. Fellow Brit Neil Hodgson pushed Hislop hard all the way, both in qualifying and in the Superpole. Hodgson set a fast Superpole lap (1:32.899), leaving Hislop, who was the last rider out for Superpole, with everything to do. Hislop rose to the challenge and turned a 1:32.680 lap to put his Monster Mob Ducati onto first place on the grid.

Ben Bostrom was third-fastest in Superpole, making it three Ducatis on the front row. Reigning World Champion Colin Edwards on the Castrol Honda qualified fourth-fastest in Superpole. Edwards’ weekend started badly when he crashed out of the first qualifying session on Friday after only three laps. But the Texan got his act together to grab the last place on the front row, in the Superpole session. Championship leader Troy Bayliss is joined by his Infostrada teammate Ruben Xaus, wild card rider John Reynolds and his rival in the Championship Troy Corser on the second row.


In a press conference held after the Superpole session, Hodgson’s GSE Ducati team explained that their bikes had benefited from a raft of new parts from the official factory racing department, Ducati Corse. “We were disappointed with what happened at Monza,” said team boss Colin Wright, referring to the myriad of mechanical problems they suffered at the historic Italian circuit. “We wanted to put those difficulties behind us this weekend and getting Neil Hodgson onto second place on the grid is a great way to do that!”

Superpole Final Qualifying

1. Steve Hislop, GB, Ducati, 1:32.680
2. Neil Hodgson, GB, Ducati, 1:32.899
3. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 1:33.207
4. Colin Edwards, USA, Honda, 1:33.315
5. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 1:33.482
6. John Reynolds, GB, Ducati, 1:33.530
7. Ruben Xaus, Spain, Ducati, 1:33.552
8. Troy Corser, Australia, Aprilia, 1:33.677
9. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:33.683
10. Pierfrancesco Chili, Italy, Suzuki, 1:34.243
11. James Toseland, GB. Ducati, 1:34.300
12. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain, Kawasaki, 1:34.515
13. Tadayuki Okada, Japan, Honda, 1:34.592
14. L. Pedercini, Italy, Ducati, 1:34.680
15. Stephane Chambon, France, Suzuki, 1:34.751
16. Robert Ulm, Austria, Ducati, 1:35.158
17. Regis Laconi, France, Aprilia, 1:34.493
18. G. Bussei, Italy, Ducati, 1:34.916
19. Marty Craggill, Australia, Ducati, 1:34.976
20. Steve Martin, Australia, Ducati, 1:35.069

Bruce Transportation Group’s Josh Hayes showed up at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway in Talladega, Alabama on Friday for a practice day, riding a Honda CBR600F4i. Hayes regularly attends practice and track ride sessions at Talladega, which is close to his Gulfport, Mississippi home, to stay sharp.

Hayes was not riding his Honda-backed Bruce Transportation Group AMA 600cc Supersport racebike but rather an ex-press fleet bike equipped with Erion Racing bodywork, exhaust system, an Ohlins shock and braided brake lines. “It chatters the front so bad that it blurs my vision,” said Hayes about the practice bike that he maintains himself.

During the day, Hayes freely gave riding advice to anyone who asked. One rider asked Hayes, “Where exactly do you brake for turn one? We tried to watch you, but it didn’t seem like you broke
at all.” Hayes laughed and began to describe in detail what he did in the corner.

Two Honda CBR929RR riders made it into the top five in Superstock qualifying at Donington but GSX-R1000 pilots still qualified first, third and fourth fastest.

Local hero Chris Burns led the charge on his Suzuki, holding off early qualifying leader Mark Heckles, also a local, on a Honda.

1. Chris Burns, GB, Suzuki, 1:38.097
2. Mark Heckles, GB, Honda, 1:38.242
3. Walter Tortoroglio, Italy, Suzuki, 1:38.447
4. Jamies Ellison, GB, Suzuki, 1:39.008
5. Gary Mason, GB, Honda, 1:39.020
6. Gianluca Vizziecco, Italy, Yamaha, 1:39.092
7. Dario Tosolini, Italy, Ducati, 1:39.179
8. Markus Wegscheider, Italy, Suzuki, 1:39.404
9. Marty Nutt, GB, Suzuki, 1:39.443
10. Ben Wilson, GB, Honda, 1:39.449

Vitto Gaureschi was fastest in Supersport qualifying at Donington, aboard his Ducati. Paolo Casoli was second-fastest on a Yamaha with Suzuki riders Karl Muggeridge and Katsu Fujiwara third and fourth fastest.

1. Vittoriano Guareschi, Italy, Ducati, 1:36.316
2. Paolo Casoli, Italy, Yamaha, 1:36.385
3. Karl Muggeridge, Australia,, Suzuki, 1:36.553
4. Katsu Fujiwara, Japan, Suzuki, 1:36.573
5. Karl Harris, GB, Suzuki, 1:36.650
6. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda, 1:36.662
7. Fabrizio Pirovano, Italy, Suzuki 1:35.747
8. Jorg Teuchert, Germany, Yamaha, 1:36.798
9. Stefano Cruciani, Italy, Yamaha, 1:36.935
10. Fabien Foret, France, Honda, 1:36.946
11. James Whitham, GB, Yamaha, 1:36.971
12. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Italy, Yamaha, 1:36.982
13. Christophe Cogan, France, Yamaha, 1:37.035
14. Kevin Curtain, GB, Honda, 1:37.047
15. Werner Daemen, Belgium, Yamaha, 1:37.062

Ducati North America issued the following press release:

“The AMA Superbikes are set to roll into Wisconsin for the fourth round of the 2001 Championship at Elkhart Lake’s Road America circuit, and Ducati’s newest dealership will be welcoming racing spectators from around the country. Corse Superbikes, home of the HMC Ducati Racing Team, are having an open house in their brand new facilities, on Friday and Saturday, June 8-9.

“HMC Ducati riders Steve Rapp and Andreas Meklau, and Competition Accessories Ducati rider Larry Pegram will be joined by former World Superbike Champion Doug Polen to sign autographs and speak with customers from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. both evenings.

“Every person who walks through the door on
Friday will have the chance to win a VIP package to Road America for the weekend’s racing, which includes two paddock passes, a tour of Ducati’s pit garages and lunch with the riders. Other give-aways include tickets to Ducati Revs America, autographed Steve Rapp and Scott Russell replica
helmets, plus much more.

“The Ducati Corse Café, attached to the dealership, will serve breakfast from 8:00 a.m. and will be open for dinner in the evenings.

“Corse Superbikes is located in Saukville, Wisconsin, 15 minutes north of Milwaukee, exit 96 on Interstate 43, just 20 minutes from the Road America Circuit.

“For further information, check out the Corse Superbikes website www.corsesuperbikes.com.”