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/127668
>.MA u.s. SliperbikeNatiorialChampionship. Round 4:Laguna Seea R AD.R C ยท . . .... O AE < :A - - - - ---=--- - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - A total of five riders crashed in the oil tha t stopped the race. Yoshimura Suzuki's Thomas Stevens, Vance & Hines Yamaha's Colin Edwards Il, Starsport Ducati's Scott Gray and Smokin' Joe's Racing's Mike Hale all crashed on the 12th lap, with R&R Racing's John Ashmead falling in the same oil two laps la ter . Oil covered the racing line from the straightaway between turns _ three and four , with the incidents coming on the entrance to the right-hand tu rn four. The oil came from Stevens' blown GSXR750, with the Floridian the first to go down in the resulting melee. The majori ty of the racers felt the race should have been stopped sooner, and Q uarterley made the notion clear as he signaled madly to the official starter. The first time he tried to persuade officials to stop the race it didn't work - so on the following lap the New Englander was a little more animated as he veered towards the flagman while waving his arm . At the end of the race , the AMA J informed Quarterley that he would be L Wi :t .. , - By Paul Carruthers Photos by Henny Ray Abra ms MONTEREY, CA, MAY 22 . h ree years of futility ended for Fast By Ferracci Ducati's Pascal Pico tte in the Toyota Challenge of Laguna Seca as the French Canadian finally accomplished what was expected of him - he won an AMA Superbike National. When Doug Polen left the Eraldo Ferracci-owned team at the end of last year, after winning his first AMA U.S. Superbike National Championship, Picotte took the giant step from number two rider to number one rider on the almighty Ducati squad. He started the season as expected - with a bang - qualifying on the pole for the Daytona 200. But before he knew it, Picotte was not even the biggest story on his own team. ~ Australian Troy Corser vaulted himself ~ into the spotlight by finishing second at ..... Daytona, while Picotte s taggered to an 11th place finish after the chain jumped from the sprocket of his Ducati 955 . Corser then won the next two rounds to take control of the championship point standings while Picotte continued to struggle with a non-finish in Phoenix followed by a fifth at Pomona. Picotte T was beginning to look a lot like the forgotten man of AMA road racing. Forgotten no more, Picotte refreshed everyone's memory as he became the 33rd rider in history to w in an AMA Superbike National, and he did so with a flawless performanceat Laguna Seca. To make things even sweeter for Picotte, he beat Corser in a straight fight as the Australian couldn't match his teammate's pace. And Picotte was the best man in not just one, but two races as a red -flag caused a restart after 14 laps were completed. When it was all said and done, Picotte had handed Corser only his second loss of the year by 1.345seconds. Third place went to Vance & Hines Yamaha's Jamie James - but it took a bold, final-comer, last-lap, late-braking pass by the gutsy James on Muzzy Kawasaki's Fred Merkel in turn 11 to get the job done. Merkel held o n to fini sh a close fourth, well clear of Desmo Ducati's Dave Sadowski, who in tum had gotten the better of the Muzzy Kawasak is ridden by Takahiro Sohwa and Steve Crevier. Team Mirage's Dale Quarterley finished eighth as the two Smokin' Joe's Racing Hondas of Mike Smith and Australian Kevin Magee filled the top 10 finishing positions. (Left) Ducat! teammates Pascal Picotte (right) and Troy Corser (left) spray the bubbly In the winner's circle. (Below) Jam ie James (2) holds off Corser (1 9) in their battle for second place in the Superbike National at Laguna Seca.