Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Rounds 6 &7: Road Atlanta Road Race AMAIMBNA SUPERBIKE NA TlONAL CHAMPIONSHIP . too much fun, though, because Ben was pushing me pretty hard and I nearly crashed one time under the bridge. It sort of caught me out, because the guys softened the rear end for the second race and yesterday, when the tire was coming down, I was just keeping it on over the hill. I sort of thought that I wouldn't crash, then it bucked again and the second one nearly spat me over. I thought Ben was going to get me then. After that I just tried to stay real smooth. I'm happy with the bike, the team and obviously the result." Yates was fourth, with Crevier - after a flier of a start - fifth after both he and Eric Bostrom got around Pegram on the final lap. Chandler was eighth, followed by privateer Michael Barnes on the Hooters Suzuki and David McGrath on the KWS Motorsports Suzuki GSXR750. _ Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia - Results: June 6, 1999 (Round 7 0113) "The bike was much better today, obviously," Mladin said. "By the lap times, it was definitely better, but I just wasn't good enough today to keep up with these guys - they were too fast. In that second race, if I would have got a better start behind them, I probably had a chance of hanging on the back of 'embut these guys don't make many mistakes and that was going to make it tough anyway." Bostrom is still looking for his first- Australians Anthony Gobert (left) and Mat Mladin spray the bubbly after the second race at Road Atlanta. ever Superbike National win, and today he came dose. "Anthony rode really well and I just got beat," Bostrom said. '1 put my head down the whole time, but it just wasn't there. I'll try and get him next week." "It was good, it was fun," Gobert said in victory. "The second part wasn't Brieflv... -' Anthony Gobert won $7000 for winning both races of the Dunlop Big Kahuna Nationals. By virtue of his two second-place finishes, Ben Bostrom eamed $5000. The total purse forthe event was $82,500. Mat Mladin is being careful as to what he says these days. During the postrace press conference on Sunday, when the main topic of conversation was the ambulance going on track and nearly causing a catastrophe, Mladin wouldn't answer any questions until Suzuki vice president Mel Harris was in attendance. "I don't want to say anything until somebody from Suzuki is here in case' get hammered for somet~ing else," Mladln said. When Harris arrived, he spoke for Mladin. "I think Mat, as you saw, he had very little chance to stay on the track and he would have gone right ir the back of the ambulance, so he did a little bit of off-road riding and it put him way behind. Without the red flag, we wouldn'l have been in the event "nd Mat could have probably lost the championship right here today. The red Rag helped him that way, but it was a shame that it hed to come down to tha·t. - With Harris speaking for Mladin, it caused one sarcastic reporter to wonder if Mladin is now the man to call if the media should have a question regarding new Suzuki models, or Suzuki's future marketing plans. With two races being held at Road Atlanta, the subject of running more two-race Nationals came up during the postqua~fying press conference. Many of the riders seem to be 'in favor of the format. but only because of the current AMA points-paying structure that rewards consistency more than race wins. "I think it's hard on the teams. but I don't mind it as a rider: Ben Bostrom said. -I enjoy it. but I do,;'t know how the team feels about Jt,though. The purse. especially for the privateers, should be equal. They're going out there and buming gas. tires - ifs all the same as if they went to another race. If they're gomg to go out there and spend a thousand bucks a race, they should be making it back.' Doug Chandler also likes the idea of two races. "I think if~ good just bec?use we' don't have that many races In our series: Chandler said. "Ifs good to have two races'.· Ditto for Mat /.illadin. "I like the format of one a day, but in thiS country they should think about doing two because I don't think there are enough good race t",cks,' Mladin said. "Maybe they should think about doing two. If they are 'going to go to an FIM. points structure, then they coold afford to cine a day and 14 races, just like . they do.' Anthony Gobert believes that two races on a weekend would be good, mainly because it would give riders a chance to make up ground from mistakes or motorcycle failures. 'I don't want to say too much, because tbe AMA Is pretty good at slapping hands, but I said the same last year:' Gobert said. "I've won a couple of races and had a couple of problems through no fault of my own, and I'm like 40 points behind Mat (Mladin). He's really got to have a problem now for me to beat him_ For me, it's really frustrating," 10 SUl'EBIKE QUALlFVING, 1. Mat Mladin (1,23.890); 2. Ben Bostrom (1024.079); 3. Doug Chandler (1,;z4.377): 4_ Anthony Gobert (1,;z4579); 5. Rich Oliver (1:24.678); 6. Eric Bostrom (1,;z4.685): 7. Steve R.1pp (1,;z4.780); 8. Jam;e Hacl all year. I had a chance to win one, and I won

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