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.”

Steve Hislop and Neil Hodgson topped the second qualifying session at Donington Saturday, both on Ducatis, with Suzuki’s Pierfrancesco Chili third-fastest.

1. Steve Hislop, GB, Ducati, 1:32.657
2. Neil Hodgson, GB, Ducati, 1:33.053
3. Pierfrancesco Chili, Italy, 1:33.282
4. Tadayuki Okada, Japan, Honda, 1:33.518
5. Ruben Xaus, Spain, Ducati, 1:33.699
6. Troy Corser, Australia, Aprilia, 1:33.774
7. Stephane Chambon, France, Suzuki, 1:33.871
8. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 1:33.949
9. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:34.021
10. James Toseland, GB, Ducati, 1:34.067
11. Colin Edwards, USA, Honda, 1:34.097
12. Lucio Pedercini, Italy, Ducati, 1:34.110
13. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 1:34.146
14. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain, Kawasaki, 1:34.355
15. John Reynolds, GB, Ducati, 1:34.258

Road America has scheduled a birthday party celebrating the 25th anniversary of AMA Superbike racing, during the AMA Superbike National weekend at the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin track. The party will be held at turn five at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 8, complete with a birthday cake and a rider autograph session.

A press release issued by the track quoted Road America President and General Manager George Bruggenthies as saying “It’s always great to honor a successful American innovation, and Superbike racing is just that. We’re really pleased the riders will be available to race fans and that we can all celebrate this racing milestone at Road America.”

Tickets for the AMA Superbike doubleheader weekend at Road America are available online at www.roadamerica.com or by phone at (800) 365-7223.

Practice starts Thursday, June 7 with qualifying starting on Friday, June 8. Saturday, June 9 will see the running of the first Superbike race as well as the Formula Xtreme and 750cc Supersport races. Sunday, June 10 will include the second Superbike race as well as the 600cc Supersport and 250cc Grand Prix races.

By Glenn LeSanto

Dienza Ducati rider Vitto Guareschi got the World Supersport action underway at the historic Donington Park race track in Derbyshire, England today in lap-record-breaking time. The Italian was fastest in the first qualifying sesson at 1:36.316. Guareschi’s Dienza Ducati Racing team is based in
Leeds, England.

James Whitham, who holds the outright racing lap record at Donington in the class was down in 11th.

Karl Muggeridge pushed Guareschi hard throughout the qualifying session on the Suzuki Alstare GSX-R600 to take a provisional second on the grid. Paolo Casoli, who narrowly missed out on a win at the last round at Monza, was third-fastest in the afternoon session, held in bright sunshine at the circuit.

Local wild card rider Karl Harris was fifth-fastest in the session. The times may prove important as there is a possibility of rain for the second qualifying session.

First World Supersport Qualifying Session

1. Vittoriano Guareschi, Italy, Ducati 1:36.316
2. Karl Muggeridge, Australia, Suzuki 1:36.553
3. Paolo Casoli, Italy, Ducati 1:36.726
4. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Italy, Yamaha 1:36.982
5. Karl Harris, GB ,Suzuki 1:37.069
6. Fabien Foret, France, Honda 1:37.075
7. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Japan, Suzuki 1:37.082
8. Fabrizio Pirovano, Italy, Suzuki 1:37.113
9. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda 1:37.262
10. Iain MacPherson, GB, Kawasaki 1:37.368