Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Formula USA Lockhart-Phillips Unlimited Superbike Series Round 4: Pocono Raceway race, New Jersey's Eoin Smith completing the top 10 on a Yamaha. Acree took control from the start, with Parriott slotting into second while Wood was in full attack mode in the infield return complex, jamming under Conrad where passes are hard to make, taking third. By lap two, Acree had a solid 12-bikelength lead over Parriott, who in turn had an edge over the wild developing dice for third between Wood, Harrell, Conrad and Chouinard. Parriott's retirement turned the Harrell/Wood fight into a race for second on lap four, with Conrad clinging to fourth under heavy Chouinard pressure. At half distance, Acree had a seven second-margin over the fight for second with that pack now led by Harrell by inches from Wood and Chouinard. Alone in fifth, Conrad was clear of Ball, who had Landers and Howard on his trail. Then Harrell started to edge away for second, with Chouinard trying everything to get past third placed Wood and follow the Yamaha. Twice Chouinard got beside Wood as they drifted, wide open, onto the front straight, then at the end of lap 12 Wood ducked into the pits and out of podium contention. While the crowd kept track of Wood's run back up through the field, the top four spots were essentially locked in. Acree maintained his lead over Harrell at the nine second mark as the leaders encountered lots of lapped riders, Chouinard about three seconds further back from Harrell for third. Fourth runner Conrad took all the pressure Ball and Howard could throw at him, the early race stoppage no doubt spoiling a couple of last-lap attack plans. In the series standings, Acree's victory helped build a 14-point lead atop the standings, with 79 points to the 65 total of series rival Harrell. Mike Ciccotto continues to hold third with 38 points, but the Hooter's Suzu- ki rider wasn't at Pocono due to ongoing injury problems. CN • Pacono Raceway long Paud, Pennsylvania Resuhs:August26,2DDl FORMULA USA PRO SPORTBIKE: 1. Lee Acree (Suz); 2. P~ul Harrell (Yam); 3. Charles Chouinard (Su,); 4. Shawn Conrad (Su,); 5. Shannon Ball (Suz); 6. Ty Howard (Ktlw); 7. Stoney Landers (Kew); 8. Jim Lester (Hon); 9. Scott Greenwood (Suz); 10. Eoin Smith (Yam); 11. Eric Wood (Su,); 12. Aeron Clark (Hon); 13. Roland Williams (Suz); 14. Jeff Vermeulen (Suz); 15. Keith Marquez (Yam); 16. Byron Barbour (Suz); 17. Gregory Faiella (Yam); 16. Dennis King (Yam); 19. Ray Bowman (Hon); 20. Paul Harrell leads Eric Wood, Charles Chouinard and Shawn Conrad durlng their battle for second In the Sportblke race. Anthony Cammack (Suz); 21. Steve Luxem (Yam); 22. Marc Palazzo (Hon). PRO SPORTBIKE SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 4 of 6 rouRds): 1. Lee Acree (79/2 wins); 2. P~ul Harrell (65/1 win); 3. Michael Ciccotto (38/1 win); 4. Charles Chouinard (27); 5. Stoney Landers (27); 6. (TIE) Roland Wiliiams/Marc Palazzo (26): 6. Shawn Conrad (24): 9. Shannon Hall (21); 10. (I1E) John Hopkins/Joseph Gill (20): 12. (TIE) Michael Barnes/Ty Howard (16); 14. (TIE) Owen Weichel/Shane Prieto (13); 16. Brian Stokes (12); 17. Lance Isaacs (11); lB. (TIE) Bryan KovarickfBrett Champagne/Byron Barbour (10). Fonnula USA Buell Lightning Series Round 4: Pocono Raceway STORY AND PHOTOS BY COLIN FRASER LONG POND, PA, AUG. 26 ichael Barnes has spent most of 2001 riding hurt, and the Pocono Formula USA counter was no exception. Finally recovered from early season shoulder injuries, Barnes fell in Saturday's Sportbike qualifying, injuring his left wrist. Minutes M later, Barnes went out and earned pole position for the Buell race, and then showed the same gritty determination to walk away with Sunday's 12-lap Lightning class final. "It was hard, my wrist is more sore than I expected," explained the victorious pilot of the Kocso H-D/lnnovative Motorcycle Research Buell. "The Pirelli tires were my biggest advan- Richie Morris (9)leacls Anthony Faria Jr. (517) In their race for third place. 58 SEPTEMBER 12, 2001 • cue I e n e _ s tage, they allowed me to set my own pace the whole race. Hopefully, now I can start getting better, I'd like to race through a weekend without all these health concerns." The win for veteran all-rounder Barnes was his third of the 2001 Buell tour, and gave the Florida based ace a commanding points lead with two rounds remaining, with 95 to the 60-point total of current runner up Jeff Johnson. "This [the win and series lead] makes the last couple of races less stressful than it's been," confirmed Barnes. "The bike is great, so if I'm healthy, we should be in good shape." Second at Pocono, more than eight seconds back of Barnes, Johnson started on pole of row two aboard his Hoban's/H-D of Appleton backed mount. "I was a little apprehensive heading into this race," said runner-up Michael Bames didn't let an injured wrist stop him from winning the Buell Lightning Series round at Pocono. Johnson post race. "I had a broken rib from VIR, and I felt like I was fjghting against myself this weekend. It ended up going better than I expected, and hopefully I'll make it through tech, and we'll be okay." Johnson needn't have worried, since with 87.2 official Dynojet horsepower, his Buell had the lowest output of any top five machine! Barnes could take it comparatively easy on his heaVily taped wrist thanks to the non-start of his most likely challenger, Bryan Bemisderfer. After a good on-track dice with Barnes while fighting for pole during qualifying, many fans expected the uninjured Bemisderfer to overcome Barnes, but it wasn't to be. On the warm-up lap, Bemisderfer's H-D powerplant let go, causing the

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