Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/100352
Once again, proves his worth he n American HonCla's Chuck Miller signed Miguel Duhamel to a two-year contract before the 2003 season, more than a few people asked, "Why?" Did he really believe Duhamel could win again? He didn't win a Superbike race in 200 I, and he won only two in 2002, the doubleheader at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, a track where he's had some success. Miller was certain he could, despite recent history to the contrary, and he staked his reputation on it. In his first race under the new two-year contract, Duhamel won his fourth Daytona 200 in March , 2003. But it was the only win of the year. Now what? The answer came today. Defying age and conventional wisdom, W 12 He 36-9i -atil Las Vegan by way of Montreal made history by becoming the first rider to win both legs of a Superbike doubleheader, as well as a support race . It came at Road America, a track he loves for the speed where he now has five wins and a mark previously unachieved. He beat Yoshimura Suzuki's Mat Mladin on Saturday and Erion Honda's Jake Zemke on Sunday and also in Formula Xtreme, and the Superbike wins gave him the all-time lead again with 30 to Mladin's 29. That goes with his 41 Supersport wins , one Superstock win and four Formula Xtreme wins . "Ve ry excellent:' the grinning French Canadian said on Sunday afternoon, his weekend in the record books. "Only my dad [the inestimable Yvon Dutwnel] would point out that I didn't get poIi! In Xtreme, JUNE 16,2004 ��� CYCLE NEWS and then he might nitpick about not leading the most laps. Besides that I think he's very happy, and obviously for myself I'm very happy. With the company that I'm keeping my dad likes to kid around - but he knows and I know that it's really difficult to do what we do . I feel great about what I pulled arr, but there's always a bit of luck that goes your way. You need a great team. You need a lot of things to go your way. This weekend was just one of those weekends when everything went Well." Duhamel's SaWtVaY win came in ~9ril time and ~ speed, 107.084 mph to Mladin's 2003 mark of 106.543. Sunday's race was red-~, the average speed not available . Duhamel n1ade up 13 paints on Mladin in the championship chase this weekend, heading for tt-k final eight of 18 races 10 40th Anniv rsary points back , 329-319. Zemke is third at 3 11 . Saturday 's race began with Ducati Austin's Iaric Bostrom in the lead, soon to fade with rear tire problems that would plague him again on Sunday. In the lead from lap seven on, Duhamel built over a two-second lead before Mladin came at him with four laps to go as Iappers went Mladin's way. "To be honest with you, the Iappers helped me a little bit more than they hurt me today," Mladin said. "They Gertainlyhurt me on the last couple of laps, but the only reason I could get dose enough to Miguel with four or five to go is llecause of some Iappers. He wasn't really aggressive Qlo\Jgh, and I was, and I made the gap up to him." The gap was down to halfa seCond, then a second, then half again, then over two when they hit traffic. Duhamel won by