Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Whitham and Chambon battle for pole

By Glenn LeSanto

Diminutive Frenchman Stephane Chambon stole pole position from James Whitham with a magnificent last lap in the dying seconds of the Supersport final qualifying session.

Whitham sat in his pit box after lapping the Kyalami circuit at 1:46.295, which was at the time a new outright fastest World Supersport lap at the track, probably thinking that he had pole wrapped up. But Chambon had other ideas and despite not being 100% happy with his bike went out and lapped even faster at 1:46.146 to claim pole for Suzuki.

The previous best qualifying lap of 1:47.293 was set by Ruben Xaus when the Supersport championship last raced here in 1999. Iain MacPherson holds the race lap record of 1:48.383 also from 1999 when he won the race. That record is unlikely to stand after Sunday’s race.

Reigning champion and winner of the previous race in Phillip Island, Andrew Pitt was third fastest at 1:46.414. Christian Kellner, who had spent much of the session in provisional pole slipped to fourth on the grid as the times tumbled.

Dunlop riders dominate the front row, and the next three riders on the grid–Fujiwara, Casoli and Teuchert–are also riding on Dunlop tires. The first man on Pirellis is Australia’s Chris Vermeulen who lapped at 1:46.913 and took the final second-row position in eighth.

Despite not faring well in qualifying Pirelli engineers remain upbeat for the race as their riders were as fast as the Dunlop guys on race tires during qualifying. But with seven Dunlop riders in the first seven places on the grid the riders that are using Pirellis will have their work cut out at the start of Sunday’s race.

World Supersport Championship
Final Qualifying
Kyalami, 6 April 2002

Best lap times:

1 S Chambon FRA Suzuki 1:46.146
2 J Whitham GBR Yamaha 1:46.295
3 A Pitt AUS Kawasaki 1:46.414
4 C Kellner GER Yamaha 1:46.471
5 K Fujiwara JPN Suzuki 1:46.780
6 P Casoli ITA Yamaha 1:46.860
7 J Teuchert GER Yamaha 1:46.866
8 C Vermeulen AUS Honda 1:46.913
9 A Corradi ITA Yamaha 1:47.025
10 F Foret FRA Honda 1:47.093

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Valentino Rossi qualified the new Honda RC211V V5 on pole for the first MotoGP race, scheduled for Sunday at Suzuka Circuit. But Rossi and the 990cc V5 four-stroke didn’t romp away from every two-stroke; Loris Capirossi was just 0.183-second behind on a Honda NSR500 two-stroke. Shinichi Itoh was third-fastest on another Honda V5, ahead of Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi on Yamaha YZR-M1 four-strokes and Daijiro Katoh on another NSR500.

Former 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts was 10th-fastest on his Suzuki GSV-R four-stroke and American teenager John Hopkins was 18th on his YZR500 Yamaha two-stroke after final qualifying.

The only riders to not improve on their first qualifying session time were Jurgen van den Goorbergh on a Honda NSR500, who went slower in the second session, and Pere Riba, who didn’t record a time in the second session after turning a 2:15.140 in the first session, more than two seconds slower than the qualifying cut-off time of 107% of pole.

Times follow:

1. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, 2:04.226

2. Loris Capirossi, Honda NSR500, 2:04.409

3. Shinichi Itoh, Honda RC211V, 2:04.435

4. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, 2:04.450

5. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, 2:04.456

6. Daijiro Katoh, Honda NSR500, 2:04.491

7. Akira Ryo, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:04.746

8. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR500, 2:04.953

9. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR500, 2:05.098

10. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:05.122

11. Tohru Ukawa, Honda RC211V, 2:05.141

12. Norick Abe, Yamaha YZR500, 2:05.145

13. Alex Barros, Honda NSR500, 2:05.387

14. Steve Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:05.977

15. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, 2:06.094

16. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, 2:06.112

17. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, 2:06.193

18. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, 2:06.302

19. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RS3, 2:06.379

20. Jurgen van den Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, 2:06.731

21. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton KR3, 2:07.130

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Jurgen van den Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, 1:25.099
2. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:25.428
3. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton KR3, 1:25.436
4. Tohru Ukawa, Honda RC211V, 1:26.368
5. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR500, 1:26.863
6. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:27.063
7. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, 1:27.290
8. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:27.570
9. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:27.609
10. Norick Abe, Yamaha YZR500, 1:27.642
11. Shinichi Itoh, Honda RC211V, 1:28.905
12. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR500, 1:29.029
13. Akira Ryo, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:29.174
14. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, 1:30.242
15. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, 1:30.746
16. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, 1:31.449
17. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, 1:32.258
18. Alex Barros, Honda NSR500, 1:32.274
19. Daijiro Katoh, Honda NSR500, 1:41.312
20. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RS3, 1:41.372
21. Loris Capirossi, Honda NSR500, 1:46.315

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Beth Wyse

Vesrah Suzuki’s Mark Junge, Tray Batey and John Jacobi won the first WERA/G.M.D. Computrack National Endurance Series race of the season, a 4-hour event at No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, Louisiana, on a Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Finishing first in the Mediumweight Superbike class and second overall were RPM regional Champions Bent Racing, with Jim Bishop, Ty Stranger-Thorson and Pete Martins riding a Suzuki GSX-R600. Third overall and second in Heavyweight Superbike were Mark Morrow and Tim Kephart of Northern Getaway, riding a Suzuki GSX-R750.

The race started late due to a red flag on the warm-up lap when two bikes made contact in turn one. Mark Junge on the Vesrah Suzuki had a 10-bike lead by the end of the first lap.

The second red flag came out just 20 minutes into the race and there was a lengthy delay while the new grid was put together. The third and final red flag of the day came out with a little over 40 minutes left in the race, but the race was called complete and was never restarted.

The J&J Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R750 won the Heavyweight Supersport class. Riders Jesse Basile and Jerry Russell finished sixth overall. The top Mediumweight Supersport finisher was Garage Tech’s Honda CBR600F4, ridden by ridden by Lee Fugler and Lloyd Hebert to a ninth-place overall finish. Team Info Tech Racing’s Terry Teske, Jurgen Wimbauer and Bobby Miosek finished
seventh overall and first in Lightweight Superbike on a Suzuki SV650.

Overall Results

1. Vesrah Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R1000, Heavyweight Superbike, 123 laps

2. Bent Racing, Suzuki GSX-R600, Middleweight Superbike, 121 laps

3. Northern Getaway, Suzuki GSX-R750, Heavyweight Superbike, 120 laps

4. Army of Darkness, Suzuki GSX-R600, Middlweight Superbike, 120 laps

5. Team Xtreme, Suzuki GSX-R750, Heavyweight Superbike, 119 laps

6. J&J Motorsports, Suzuki GSX-R750, Heavyweight Superstock, 118 laps

7. Team Info Tech Racing, Suzuki SV650, Lightweight Superbike, 118 laps

8. Maryland Motorsports, Suzuki SV650, Lightweight Superbike, 117 laps

9. Garage Tech, Honda CBR600F4, Middlweight Superstock, 117 laps

10. 14K, Suzuki GSX-R600, Middleweight Superbike, 117 laps

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday Afternoon 250cc Grand Prix Practice Times:

1. Rich Oliver, Yamaha, 1:31.845
2. Roland Sands, Yamaha, 1:31.928
3. Chuck Sorensen, Aprilia, 1:32.566
4. Jason DiSalvo, Honda, 1:32.579
5. Thad Halsmer, Yamaha, 1:33.971
6. Simon Turner, Yamaha, 1:34.063
7. Perry Melneciuc, Yamaha, 1:34.294
8. Al Salaverria, Aprilia, 1:34.501
9. Jimmy Filice, Yamaha, 1:35.315
10. Ed Sorbo, Yamaha, 1:35.690

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yamaha’s Anthony Gobert barely held off Suzuki’s Aaron Yates to win the first of two AMA Superbike Nationals scheduled for this weekend at California Speedway in Fontana, California.

Results follow:

1. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha
2. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, -0.014 second
3. Nicky Hayden, Honda, -6.531
4. Doug Chandler, Ducati, -10.484
5. Pascal Picotte, Ducati, -44.788
6. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, -68.613
7. Lee Acree, Suzuki, -1 lap
8. Brian Parriott, Suzuki, -1 lap
9. Brian Livengood, Suzuki, -1 lap
10. Andy Deatherage, Suzuki, -1 lap
11. Owen Richey, Suzuki, -1 lap
12. Kim Nakashima, Suzuki, -1 lap
13. Alan Schmidt, Suzuki, -1 lap
14. Marco Martinez, Suzuki, -1 lap
15. Shawn Conrad, Suzuki, -1 lap
16. Mike Sullivan, Honda, -1 lap
17. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki, -1 lap
18. John Dugan, Suzuki, -2 laps
19. Robert Mesa, Suzuki, -2 laps
20. Robert Underwood, Suzuki, -2 laps


Eric Bostrom DNF, mechanical, clutch

Jamie Hacking, DNF, crash

Miguel Duhamel, DNF, crash

Robert Jensen, DNF, crash

Fastest lap, Gobert, 1:26.542


Official Superbike Point Standings:
1. TIE, Gobert/Hayden, 67 points
3. Yates, 59 points
4. TIE, Livengood/Deatherage, 45 points
6. Martinez, 36 points
7. Hacking, 35 points
8. Schmidt, 33 points
9. TIE, Dugan/Conicelli, 30 points
Medical updates:

Vince Haskovec crashed in Superstock practice, but X-rays in the California Speedway Care Center were negative; Haskovec suffered a bruised upper left arm.

Josh Hayes crashed in Supersport practice and was transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center for treatment of an injury to the little finger on his left hand. Update: Reports from Loma Linda are that he will have surgery tonight to the fifth finger by a hand specialist. There was no word as to whether he will race on Sunday.

Kurtis Roberts was released from the hospital Friday night with soft tissue damage to his right knee and left ankle, and may have torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Greg Esser is still hospitalized following surgery on his left ankle and resetting of his dislocated right shoulder.

Matt Hartlieb was released from San Antonio Community Hospital Friday after his broken left wrist was set.

Jeff Tigert was released from California Speedway Care Center Friday after treatment for abrasions and shoulder pain.


More, from Mat Mladin’s publicist, Steve Reeves:

MAT MLADIN Racing – MEDIA INFORMATION
For immediate release
Saturday, 6 April 2002

Rounds 2 & 3, 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship
California Speedway, Fontana, California, USA
Round 2, Race Report

TYRE PROBLEMS FORCE MLADIN FROM RACE LEAD AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY – GOBERT WINS

Fontana, California, USA – A chunked rear tyre forced three times American AMA Superbike champion Mat Mladin from the race lead of the second round of the 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship before finishing sixth overall at the California Speedway, Fontana, today.

The race win went to fellow Australian Anthony Gobert (Team Yamaha) who held out Mladin’s Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates by 0.014 of a second at the conclusion of the 28-lap race. Third place went to current championship points leader Nicky Hayden (American Honda) followed by the Ducatis of Doug Chandler and Pascal Picotte.

Mladin took the race lead from Yates, but by lap seven his rear tyre began to chunk and deteriorate rapidly, forcing him to drop his lap times by over three seconds a lap to preserve the tyre to the race end.

“We aren’t exactly sure of the reasons why, but all that we do know at the moment is that the tyre has spun 180 degrees on the rear wheel rim and basically destroyed itself,” a frustrated Mladin said after the race. “We are looking a few things, but it is possible that some new wheels that we have for this year may not be the right sizes and the tyre has not beaded correctly to them. For tomorrow’s race we’ll go to last year’s wheels and hopefully the problem won’t be there.”

“The Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki ran well today, but it’s hard to win races when you have something like that happen,” added Mladin. “As for my fitness, there was nothing wrong with it today. This isn’t a physical track, so there were no real problems.”

Today’s race was delayed due to rain showers that hit the circuit earlier in the day which saw the cancellation of the second qualifying session for
the Superbikes. As a result, grid positions for today’s and tomorrow’s Superbike races were determined from the results of the opening qualifying session held on Friday afternoon, where Gobert had set the fastest time, with Mladin fourth.

There were a number of casualties from today’s race. American Honda’s Miguel DuHamel and Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki’s Jamie Hacking both crashed out of contention, while Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki) was forced out with mechanical problems. Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts did not take part in today’s race after injuring his leg during Friday’s qualifying session.


More from a press release issued by HMC Ducati:

Race Report
AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Round 2
DateApril 6, 2002
CircuitFontana International Speedway, California

Chandler fourth in Fontana

The cold front that moved into Fontana yesterday worsened, ceasing all racing activities until late into the afternoon. Rider Doug Chandler had no opportunity to better his eighth place position from first qualifying as the AMA altered today’s program eliminating the second qualifying session, opting for a 20 minute warm-up – which Chandler ran fastest – followed by the first race. Despite the second row start, Chandler finished in fourth place, a position he grasped early in the race and held firm till the end.

Racing was fast and furious up front and Chandler stayed right there, fighting for a podium finish, until the remaining few laps.

“I was thinking we could get on the podium, a tall order considering this is my first time on this track”, said Chandler. It was also his first race on the Ducati, competing against riders with additional testing time. “I really feel we’ll do better tomorrow after we make a few small changes. I felt comfortable with the pace early in the race, but the front guys got me in the slower traffic, eventually getting away. I really enjoyed the battle with Jamie [Hacking] for the fourth place until he crashed.

“Today was a good start, but tomorrow will be better.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday Afternoon Formula Xtreme Practice Times:

1. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.374
2. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR954RR, 1:29.243
3. Mike Hale, Honda CBR954RR, 1:29.525
4. Roger Lee Hayden, Honda CBR954RR, 1:29.549
5. Tom Kipp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.232
6. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.262
7. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1/R7, 1:30.460
8. Alex Gobert, Honda CBR954RR, 1:30.579
9. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.401
10. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.938

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday Afternoon Superstock Practice Times:

1. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:29.867
2. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:30.303
3. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:30.420
4. Robert Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.183
5. Tom Kipp, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:31.248
6. Craig Connell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.264
7. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.441
8. Jason DiSalvo, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.606
9. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.674
10. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.765
11. Brian Parriott, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.053
12. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.116
13. Clint McBain, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:32.294
14. Chris Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.458
15. Lee Acree, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.488
16. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:32.585
17. Michael Hannas, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:32.666
18. Alan Schmidt, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.937
19. Brian Livengood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.168
20. Ty Howard, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.187