Scotland's Niall Mackenzie rode his Honda NSR500 to a sol id third place finish after lead ing t he early laps of the GP.
Kev in Schwantz leads Wayne Rainey in the 500cc GP; the two were fierce Superbike competitors last season.
8
I made it worse for the fourth
session, " Rainey said. " I' m getting
used to it. I'm starting to use the fron t
more; I'm starting to trust it and my
tires are starting to show it. It 's like
setting the bike up for two differen t
tracks h ere because o ne part is
smooth and th e other bumpy. I' m'
having most of my problems with
the smooth stuff; mostly front end
chatter. I changed th e rear a little and
slowed down the rebound, bu t I' ll
change it back for the race a nd mak e
it come u p a little better.
" I knew there was a chance of
getting in the top th ree. I know the
place, but th en agai n with th e
competition I didn't think I wo uld
be on the pol e. I was just doing my
own thing, but I'm glad I've go t fast
time here at th e U.S. GP. Being on
th e ro stru m would be grea t and
winnin g would be greater." '
Onl y .252 behind Ra iney was
Lawson (1:29.466, 88.364 mph) and
th e
Mich el in -cl ad
Marlboro
Yamaha.
" You have to set it up for the
bumps becau se if yo u ca n' t go
through the bumps you' re not going
to go fast here," La wson said. " I
think th e Yamahas are working
better th rough the bu mps, but th e
H ondas accelerate better. And I think
we ha ve a little on th e Suzu ki in top
gear. We have th e best chassis ou t
th ere, no w all we need is th e motor.
I feel com forta ble a t th e pace I'm
go in g a nd it look s like a. lot of th e
o ther g uys are on the ragged edge
at that pace; th at makes me happy."
Aft er qualifying , Lawson saw
Rainey as a threat, but was more
co ncerned with Gardn er. "If he
(Ra iney) can stay. cons istent for 40
laps he'll bea threat ," he said. " H e' s _
riding smoo th a nd stay ing o n th e
race track a nd that's somethi ng a lot
of guys aren't do in g."
La wson used Su nday's morning
wa rm -u p to try and get th e carburetion on the Yamah a set up to get
it off the line. He had a di sastrous
start in Japan which he feels cos t him
