Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

race. I'm happy for him and I'm happy for his team." Naturally, Gobert was thrilled with his third win of the season, "When I was behind the Honda early on, I realized that I had a little bit on these guys on brakes and through the corners," Gobert said, "so I was trying to save my tires as much as possible during the race. As it turns out, these guys were doing a similar kind of strategy, We didn't seem to really be setting a craCk pace - just smooth and consistent. ,[ sort of figured where I €ould pass Miguel on the last lap to try to make it so I had enough so he couldn't get me coming up the straight here, Terry (Vance) said that Miguel made a little mistake two corners from the end, so that gave me a little bit of distance. Fortunately for me, that was enough to win, Both of these guys seemed to pass me before the finish line a lot of times during the race, so [ knew [ needed to be smart and have a good strategy if I wanted to win, I planned it with about Rve to six laps to go. Ben .seems to be good on the brakes as well, so he seems to be able to stick it in here and there and sort of u.pset the apple cart. That's good for racing, We need as many people as possible dicing for the lead." But he was worried until the very end, "It just came down to a case where I waS in the right place at the right time, made the right moves when it counted, and fortunately for me, if Miguel did make a bit of a mistake, it gave me enough room to not get snooped up to the finish line," Gobert explained, "To be honest, after Willow Springs and the first race at Atlanta, I wasn't ever going to think that I just had it until I crossed the finish line. Coming up the hill, I was really frustrated because I was just waiting for one, maybe even two Hondas to fly by me and go from first to third, I Anthony Gobert celebrates his victory bottl~ of champagne and a thumbsup. with a 'just had my chin on the paint and fortunately enough they didn't go by and I got the win, I can't be happier for the Vance & Hines Ducati team, They worked really hard and stayed here until midnight to fix the problem we had in qualifying yesterday, It's a shame we had a problem, because we dropped a point yesterday; but as long as we're winning races. It'd be good if we could win some more because we need to get back into this championship," 0 Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin Results: June 14,1998 (Round 8,of 14) S/BK QUALIFYINC: 1. Miguel Dul-famei (2:11.024); 2. Anthony Gobert (2:11.063); 3. Ben Bostrom (2:11.158); 4. Mat Mladin (2:11.325); 5. Aaron Yates (2:11.812); 6. Thomas Stevens (2: 11.823); 7. Jamie Hacking (2:12.277); 8. Rich Oliver (2:12.-388); 9. Thomas Wilson Jr, (2:12,654); 10, Doug Chandler (2:12,727); 11, Tom Kipp (2:13,215); 12, Pascal Picotte (2:13,705); 13, Tommy Hayden (2,13.756); 14, Steve Crevier (2:14,137); 15. Jamie James (2:14.167); 16. Chris Rankin (2:14.329); 17, Mike Hale (2:14,367); 18, Steve Grigg (2:1S.581); 19, Larry Pegram (2:\6.129): 20, Rad Greaves (2:18,351); 21. Richard Alexander Jr. (2:20.715); 22. Eric Moe (2:20.840); 23. Mario DuHi1mel (2:20.911); 24. Steve Rapp (2:21.053); 25, pale Kjeffer (2:21,156); 26, Nicky Hayden (2:2'I.348); 27, James Randolph (2:21.401); 28, John Jacobi (2:21,611); 29. Dean Mizdal (2:21.793); 30. Steve Teschke (2:21.842); 31. Andrew Deatherage (2:2'1.987); 32. Jimmy Moore (2:22,110); 33, rake Zemke (2:22,995); 34, Mike Walsh (2:23,6S4); 35, Roger Bell III (2:23,722); 36, Sean Ninneman (2:25.600); 37. Eric Seward (2:26.242); 38. Brian Boyd (2:27,402); 39, Devin Battley <2:31,432), , S/BK NAT'L, 1. Anthony Gobert (Duel; 2, Miguei DuHamel (Hon); 3. Ben Bostrom (Hon); 4. Aaron Yates (Suz); 5. Doug Chandler (Kaw); 6. Jamie Hacking (Yam); 7. Tom Kip? (Duc); 8. Rich OJjver (Yam); 9. Steve Crevier (Suz); 10. Thomas Wilson Jr. (H-D); 11. Tommy Hayden (Kaw); 12. Mike Hale (Duc); 13. Steve Grigg (Due); 14. Larry Pegram (5uz); 15. Rad Greaves (Suz); 16. Mario DuHamel (Suz); 17. John Jacobi (Suz); . 18. Dean Mizdal (5uz); 19. James Randolph (Suz); 20. Jamie James (H-D); 21. Steve Teschke (Suz); 22. Mike Walsh (Yam); 23. Brian Boyd (Suz); 24. Eric Seward (Yam); 25. Sean Ninneman (Suz); 26. Christopher Rankin (H-O); 27. Mat Mladin (Ouc); 28. Thomas Stevens (Due); 29. Pascal Picotte (H-D); 30. Jimmy Moore (Suz), Time: 35 min., 17.690 sec. Distance: 16 laps, 54 miles ' ,fl,e",'.I"~-'_.~".~"'-------C---'-'-'-'_,-- ':' '. ( "' "" S J ~ .. d~ri~g qualifying at Rc;>~dA~erica, points Average speed: 108.798 mph Margin of victory: 0.022 sec. AMAIMBNA SUPERBIKE NATIONAL C'SHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 8 of 14 rounds): I, Miguel DuHamel (236/4 wins); 2. Doug Chandler (229); 3. Anthony Gobert (221/3 wins); 4. Ben Bostrom (216); 5. Mat Mladin (200); 6. Tom Kipp (180); 7. Jamie Hacking (171); 8. Rich Oliver (165); 9. Steve Crevier (159); 10. Tommy Hayden (135); 11. Aaron Yates (128); 12. G,o'bert:s e~tra' POi~t puthim ;'8, b,ehi~d going into the ,race' at' ROadAmeriCa" . Australian Anthony Gobe'rt di,dn 't, have much trouble adapting Thomas Wilson (127); 13. Mike Hale (112); 14. (TIE) Pascal Picotte/Larry Pegrar;n (110); 16. Rad Greaves (09); 17. Thomas Stevens (93); 18. Jamie James (82); 19. James Randolph (76); 20, Steve Grigg (75), Upcoming Rounds: Round 9 - Loudon, New Hampshire, June 21 Round 10 - Lexington, Ohio, July 19 . and decided to h,ead' east to see wh~; -AMA (~cing was all about. 'Craggill made it' clear that this is where he wants to race next year and, nEl was, shopping his wares' to nearly every superbike team owner,·~That's what' I'm planning 6n doing," Craggill said, "I've gotten, good respons.e so, far, ", Craggill.i s currently leading, the Australian 'Superbike Championship 'again this 'year, and he also compeles ,in the AuWali~n 'Formuls'Xtreme Series,- a,c1as~ that . features"Open,-class supersport bikes on POT tires, Craggill',s resume shows !hat in 1994, as a pr.ivate,er Kawasaki rider, he fin'. ished second to ,Anthony Gobert in the Australian, Sup,erbi~e Championship - but he was ahead' of the, likes of Mat Mladin, ,Scott Doohan and Kirk Mc~arthy.. Craggill also finished 'sixth ,in' the 1997 Australian ,round of the World Superbike Championship' at PhiUip Island, ' ',It'; getting close ,io, iIl;;t time :of.ihe' year wh,en t~am owner:s sta,ri to the fast and furious Road America layout in his (irst visit io Wistalking to riders' about the 1999 seasol)'" BU,t this ,year's silly 'consin" "'I' ni enjoying, myself;' it,' s, a, good layout," Gobert said, ,season ~ay npt be that silly, with the majority' of the top men ·'Being little bit longer,than mosirace,tracks, it's 'a liitl'e bit exira , having ,another year on, their existing ,contracts, American, Ho~'da 'time 10 leam, I feel goo,( EVElrything se,ems'to b\' working,good at ,has Miguel DuHar1)el under contract ,through 'neXt year: ditto for this stage, Just because we'r!, USE1d to"having the tim\, on Thurs-, Muzzy."Kawasaki and'Doug Chandler and Yoshimura Suzuki day (a session that was marred by. w",t ,conc;!itions), it sort of m"de 'and Mat Mladin, -Yamaha also has another year remaining with' 'it a bit harder, Apqrt from ,tha,t, if I like the layout th!'n r adapt both of-its 'riders, Rich Oliver and .Ja"'ie Hacking: Among' quickly; and I seem to like this layout.' It's really enjoyable,: As to , , " t h e similarities between F.load America and some of the faster cir..' 1hpse who are'free ~gents for 1999 are Aaron Yates, Ben cuits in Europe, Gobert ~aid: "l think it's a Ii(tl" bit that way, Bostrom, Anthony Gobert, .Jason Pridmorl>, phenom ' Nicky, Hayden, and his brother Tommy, Steve Rapp is also maybe because of the trees and that. but ~p,art frpm that they're' Yamaha:s Rich Oliver carrie into', Road America tied with Doug , all different. " expected t,o move 10 the Superbike class next'year after his,solid Polen as the wiriningest rider to ever race at the Wisconsin faoility, ' performance's 'in his ,~o races with Vance & Hines Ducati, The Last year's ra'ce was decided by tires, Mat Mla'din won the event' Both Oliver and Polen have won six races in Elkhart Lake, and Oliv,f",st By Femicci team' 6f Mike Hale and Tom Kipp are only on er had an opportunity to break that ,tie as' Polen was not in atten· ' using Michelin rubber and Miguel. E)u'Hamei ,had problems when one-year contracts,: Pascal, Picotte has another season left on his rear Dunlop came, apart, D'uHamel didn't expect a repeat in, , dance. Oliver ended up finishing eighth 'in the Supe'rbike National. "I his two,year contract with Harley:Davidson:' , , '98, . ,Dunlop did a great: great 'job," DuHamel said, "My hat's off got a decent start and I was thrilled to be ,in the top 10 off the line," , to Dunlop, being with the AMA 'and racing for so long, They sup- ' Oliver ,said, "Pascal (Picotte) .charged into tum, five hot and I saw Er~ld~ Ferraeci w~s happy to ;eport on Saiu'rday'that DKNY port a lot of people' and helping a lot, Li.~t ye~n;'hen ,they s,aw him out of the comer of my eye, He' crashed into Mladin' and there ' Mein had signed a two-year contract on' Frid'ay' to spo'nsor the that they had a problem in' lhe race - because the heat got up . ' w!'re sparks, ftames'and."debris" I 'lost the packri,ght there," Fast, By Ferracci Ducati team again,' ' tneY c~me in with new tires, They're 'working really good ana theY're reaily confiaent that 'they w"n't have a 'problem this year.. Thomas, Stevens was in a little hot water with his team after Led by former racer Zampach, some '3000 Harley-Davidthey read his comments in Cycle News after the Road Atlanta' Last 'year I had a 3-inch gap in the middle, right down to, the caison riders participated in tne "Harley Tour of Road America" on , cass, Th'e tire just,' came apart," Acco'rdiog to Dunlop tire technirouna of the series" Stevens had complained of not havin,g Sunday, win:ding, up' Harley-Dayidson's week-long 95th,anniver: " cianJim Allen, Dunlop, had developed three different compounds ,enough acceleration, "I gave a' formal, apology to my whole 'team sary ce,iebration, The Road America race also featured the "Z· for my comments," Stevens said, ':.1t was a horse·dung comment fqr Road America· a soft, mediuni, and hard - ana he said all three Man' Classic" "an invitational Harley-Davidson' '883 race that w.as and '~y 'guys were upset. 'I blamed .the bike instead of blaming woula be used 'in tl\e' final, In the end, the top three· Gobert, won byBilly Graef: ' '" puHamel and Bostrom .. opted for the harder of the three co~-, myself,'" , , pounds for the Na)ional. ' After'much deliberation, the points that th'e AMA released p,astAC'i:ording to AtviA road race manager Ron"Ba.rick. the 1999 'Road Atlanta lurned out to be ,correci, except, for the fact that , Richard Alexander' .Jr. ,would ,like the opportunity.' to move up AMAIMBNA'Superbike Championship will b,egin ,at Daytona InterAnthony Gobe,rt "":as a 'point sho~ of'whai ~e should ,have been', national Speedway:in March and not at Phoenix International to the'Superbike c1ass,in 1999, The accomplished 750cc ~upe,. American Honda's Miguel E)uHamel thou,ght the scoring was,a ,bit Raceway in February, Phoenix' will have a 'date later.ln the year, sport rider threw his name into the hat of daers who would Iike.to off and he b'rought it to the attentiqn 'o.f;the AMA after qualifying BarriCK ·said. . crac~' into, the' premier:class next year, "I'm going \0 be on ,Satur:day: "We added' out, ihe points, and the way we'did it, we' wherever somebody will get me to be,:' Alexander said, "I want ,to 'were tied coming in 'here," D,uHar(lel said, ",A,.nd :now we're lead, Larry Pegram' had another horrible weekend on the Yoshimura stay with SuzukI. of, course, and Supersport racing is really good, Suzuki Tl1 OOOR V·twin, finishing 14th in the Superbike National, 'ing the 'poinls -Cafter 'earning anolher point for being an pole for1he I'd like tQ hope to'move up'and get on a superbike -llike'ihe bigger bike;s, " ' , In the past four races, Pegram 'has finished 12th, '20th" 18th ,and Nationall, The AMA needs to- relaok, that because 'we think ii 14th, "r got a.' hole .in the radiator and all the water leaked out" mi'ght De a:mistake, but anywa.y ~ worst-case scen~rio. we're Pegram ,explained, "The motor w~s'tying up, but I rode'her to the Austnilian Superbike' National Champion Martin Craggill was tied:" 'When -the points were added and readded, the ,AMA released new'standings that had DuHamel tied with D,ougChan- 'an .interested' spectator at Road America, 'The factory Kawasaki, end and she'didn.'t blow up, We ,were 12 mph off Miguel's '.. ' '" ,dler with 203 ~oin!s, That includ,ed th!", point that DuHamel g,ai,ned , rider ",as In California to ,visit with, on,e of his ~ponsors: ~a' F~ar, , (DuHamel): Honda," a Scott . 9

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