Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Series Round 1 2: Pikes Peak International Raceway Germany. The AMA will be represented at the race by road race operations manager Gary Mathers. Mat Mladin is also scheduled to visit the facility to give his input on the new road circuit. BRIEFLY••• "It was the most painful thing I've ever felt In my life... That was how EBSCO Media Corona Suzuki"s .Jimmy Moore described the bums he suffered during 600cc Supersport practice. Moore had pitted after ominous sounds caused by overheating came from the new engine in his Suzuki GSXR600. Moore. who saw the temperature rise to 240 degrees. pitted to describe the symptoms to crew chief Carry Andrews. who assured him the engine was fine, that it just needed more break-in time. With the engine turned off, and the fan not working. the engine temperature rose to 248 degrees, as is typical. Suddenly a hose blew off because of the pressure, spraying steam on the inside of Moore's left thigh. He was quickly taken to the infield medical center where a salve was applied and the ieg was wrapped in gauze. "It looks like a frog's back." Moore said of the welts on his thigh. Moore was wearing lightweight tights to keep the bandage in piace. Because he has a 49point lead in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories 750cc Supersport class. and nothing to gain by racing his 600. Moore pulled out of the 600cc class. Yamaha's Anthony Gobert has been riding so much lately it hurts. Mostly it hurts the right wrist he injured at Loudon back in June, to the point that he's been forced to withdraw from the Superbike race at Pike's Peak International Raceway. "When you use the arm to ride, it tears the fibers that hold it together... Gobert said. "I've been riding nearly every weekend. so there's no time for it to knit up." Gobert was told his arm was about 80-percent healed when he visited his doctor following last week's test at Virginia International Raceway. He was told that he was using the arm so much that it wasn't healing ~s quickiy as it should. Riding at PPIR is especially taxing because iI's small. tight. and physically demanding. "There's so much left-right, left-right, iI's non-stop. I'm trying to be smart about it," Gobert said. "I can ride the 600 nearly 100 percent," Gobert said. "I still wear the brace [a half-castl. II's a Iittie uncomfortable. Hopefully by Willow Springs [September 14-16] I'll be back on the Superbike." As to how he got through the Suzuka 8-Hours two weeks ago, Gobert said he didn't know. "I shouldn't have been riding," he said. His main goal, more than a result, was to show the racing bosses that he deserves another shot at the world scene. "I was quicker than [his Yamaha teammate NoriyukiJ Haga in every session except for Superpole [which was windy, he said, and not conducive to taking risks]. In the race, it was clear that the Yamaha was well down on power to the Honda RC51 s. "We weren't even in the same race," he said. HMC Ducati team owner Mitch Hansen confirmed at Pikes Peak that he and his team will be racing in the AMA Superbike Series next year, though he currently doesn't have a deal with Ducati or any other manufacturer at this time. "I'll be racing some way or another," Hansen said. "We have too big of an investment in this. Hopefully, iI's with Ducati, but there are other options." All of the HMC Ducatis are for sale, with the bikes to be sold straight after the final race at Virginia International Raceway, including the "Silver Bullet" - a specially painted silver model that Scott Russell was slated to ride here and the bike he will race at VIR later in the year. "We're hoping to replace them with Testastretta stuff for next year," Hansen said. Although the other bikes haven't been priced yet, the "Silver Bullet" carries a price tag of $64,000, Hansen said. The Russell bike is a combination of 1999 and 2000-model parts. "If s got a '99 frame and a '99 fork, the rest is basically 2000 spec," Hansen said. Hansen also confirmed that he will have two riders for 2002 and although he says he hasn't spoken with him, Hansen did say that he's heard that Anthony Gobert has approached Ducati for next year. "I haven't approached him," Hansen said. "But they've [the GobertsJ expressed inter· est in him riding a Ducati next year. I haven't talked to him. but thaI's whatI've heard." The AMA is aware that not many of the teams favor racing any time prior to Daytona, so talks with California Speedway in Fontana, California, regarding next year's schedule are now focusing on post-Daytona dates. according to AMA road racing manager Ron Barrick. "We're focusing on after Daytona. but still in the spring," Barrick said. A small test session with the Erion Racing team will be held at California Speedway on September 5. Barrick says, though he won't be attending since he is slated to go to the World Superbike round in A date change for Laguna Seca? Perhaps so, according to Barrick. The problem lies with multiple conventions scheduled for Monterey, California, at the same time that next year's race is scheduled for - meaning that there are no hotel rooms available. Although the date would be less than suitable for many reasons, there's a good chance the race will be moved to the July 4th weekend in 2002. After racing in his Chaparral Suzuki leathers since being drafted onto the Attack Suzuki team at Road America as Jason Pridmore's replacement, Tom Kipp finally had the properly branded leathers at PPIR. "They're kind of tight. but we've got a month to adjust that," he said. Kipp confirmed that he will finish out the season with the Attack Suzuki team. Pikes Peak is tight and twisty, but you don't hear many complaints. "As tight as it is, the builder of the track did a commendable job," Eric Bostrom said. "There's plenty of passing. Nick [Hayden] and I didn't have any trouble getting around Mat [MladinJ and neither did Doug [ChandlerJ." Nicky Hayden's AMA Superbike wins have come at high-speed racetracks. making it easy to give credit to the power of his Honda. Not so any more. -It feels good to win here." Hayden said. -A lot of my wins have come at Road America. Brainerd, places like that. where horsepower is real important. Here horsepower helps, but iI's nice to win at a place where it didn't make a difference." Mat Mladin is now 15 points ahead of Eric Bostrom in the nun for the AMA Superbike title with two races remaining - Willow Springs and Virginia International Raceway. When asked if those two tracks will play into his hand. Mladin said: "The Virginia test went well for us and I don't think that will be a problem. - Mladin said. "The funny thing is we were here for a few days testing, not this year but last - and we've never found anything. II's always been a track where we're just sort of hanging on. Willow has never been a problem and the Virginia test went well. Whatever, we'lI go there and see what happens and do the best we can do. " Aaron Yates made his return to racing at Pikes Peak after suffering a broken arm at Laguna Seca. His return was a success, with his third-place finish in the 600cc Supersport race tempered a bit by his ninth in the Superbike National. "I'm just a little sore." Yates said on Sunday. "I found out the other day that I had a broke toe from Virginia where I fell off there. but other than that I'm going good. II's not too bad. My left arm feels a little weak out here, but iI's not too bad. Dr. Kieffer is here and he's been taping me up." The majority of the riders raved about the new Dunlop tire that was made specifically for Pikes Peak. -All in all, I have to thank Dunlop because they really stepped it up this year compared to what we had last year." Eric Bostrom said, post-race. "It made a big difference. You could charge the whole race rather than conserve the whole race." Jim Allen made the call to the factory straight after the Brainerd National with some ideas on what the new tire should be like. Then the boys at the factory worked overtime to make it happen. The tires were in high demand and there was a limited amount of the tires, meaning that not everybody got them. One of those who didn't was Larry Pegram. "If we had the right tire we'd have had a much better chance." said Pegram, who won the 600cc Supersport race here in '98. -I just couldn't find the grip I needed and it slowed me down a lot. I also hit a cone, midway through the race, and I thought the impact had broken my leg at first. but it's only bnuised and sore. " Based on his successful test at Virginia International Raceway. Andy Meklau figured he'd come to Pikes Peak in good shape. That wasn't the case and the Austrian ended up 13th In the Superbike National. -The set-up that worked so well in Virginia just didn't work here," said Meklau. "I couldn't find grip in the rear and had the tire spinning through a lot of the corners. It must have been a sight for the spectators. The team did the best they could to get the bike right. but this track has been difficult for me. I've never ridden such a small racetrack. It's definitely not whatI'm used to." AMAlPro Honda Oils SUUcc Supersport Series Round 8: Pikes Peak International Raceway Gobert is just ,another point adrift of By PAUL CARRUTHERS DuHamel with PHOTOS BY HENNY RAY ABRAMS 229 points. Strangely, Bostrom wasn't fast FOUNTAIN, CO, AUG. 26 T straight away, but he was fast when it he 600cc Supersport final at Pikes counted most. Peak International Raceway may "We definitely struggled right out of have lacked the excitement of lead the box on Friday, which was interest- changes, but it didn't lack for sus- ing because we came from Virginia pense as Kawasaki's Eric Bostrom thinking we had things okay," Bostrom was able to withstand the constant said, "We came here on Friday and pressure applied by Yamaha's Antho- they were fast. It's nice to have Aaron ny Gobert. In the end, it was Bostrom [Yates] back because he's been a big performance and one of the best 600cc riders in the country was imme- winning his third race of the season, problem for me alJ year in the 600 this one by just 1.134 seconds, on a class. It definitely makes you feel bet- diately back on form. His third didn't ter when you beat these guys because come without a fight, however, as clear and sunny day in Colorado. The win, Bostrom's third of the sea- it's definitely a tough crowd." Yamaha's Tommy Hayden pressured Aaron Yates (201 was back in action at Pikes Peak after suffering a broken ann at Laguna Seca in .July, Yates was pressured by Tommy Hayden (221 all race, but the Georgian was able to hang on and finish third. him the entire race and almost pipped son and his first in 600cc action at Yates and his Yoshimura Suzuki Pikes Peak, further extended his lead GSX-R600 finished third at Pikes in in the championship points standings what was his comeback ride from the Yoshimura Suzuki's Jamie Hacking with the Californian now leading broken arm he suffered at Laguna ended up fifth, all alone for the majori- Bruce Transportation Group's Josh 31 Seca in July_ Although he said he was ty of the race with DuHamel well Hayes was next, clear of Graves points with just two rounds remaining. a bit sore, the arm didn't hamper his n • _ s e behind - his hands full with Jake Motorsports' Aaron Gobert, who was Miguel DuHamel, sixth today, by 10 SEPTEMBER 5,2001 ' cue • the Georgian at the finish line. Zemke in one of the Erion Racing rider's strongest rides of the season.

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