Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Series Round Bf7: Road Atlanta Colin Gilbert (1 :31.634); 50. Scott Hermersmllnn (1:31.641); 51. JJ Roellin (1:31.819); 52. Matt Bonasera (1 :34.091); 53. Rick Shaw (1 :34.233): 54. Anthony Ruggiero (1:36.974). RACE ONE: 1. Nicky Hayden (Hon); 2. Miguel DuHamel (Hon); 3. Aaron Yates (Suz); 4. Eric Bostrom (KllW); 5. Met Mladin (Suz); 6. Pescel Picotte (Duc): 7. Jemie Hacking (Suz); 8. Michllel Barnes (SUI); 9. Brian Uvengood (SUI); 10. Lerry Pegram (Suz); t I. Rich Conicelli (So2); 12. Scott Harwell (Suz); 13. Brien Perriott (So2); 14. Vincent Haskovec (Suz); 15. Andy Deatherege (Suz): 16. Mark Crozier (Suz); 17. Chris Rankin (Suz); 18. John Dugan (Suz); 19. Alan Schmidt (Suz); 20. Shane Clarke (Suz); 21. Dean Mizdel (Suz); 22. Michael Fitzpatrick (So2); 23. Marco Mertinez (So2); 24. Scott Carpenter (Suz); 25. Christopher S. R~lOkin (Suz); 26. Justin Blake (Suz); 27. JlImes Compton (Suz): 28. Robert Christman (Suz); 29. Doug DUlme (Suz); 30. Brian Gibbs (SUI). Time: 52 min.. 8.580 sec. Distance: 25 leps, 63 miles Average speed: 73.068 mph Margin of vidory: 1.158 sec. RACE TWO: 1. Nicky Heyden (Hon); 2. Eric Bostrom (Kaw); 3. Miguel DuHamel (Hon); 4. Aaron Yetes (Suz); 5. Pascel Picotte (Duc); 6. Mllt Mledin (Suz); 7. Jason DiSalvo (Suz); 8. Brian Parriott (Suz); 9. Vincent Heskovec (Suz); 10. Chris ClIylor (Suz); II. Michael Barnes (Suz); 12. Robert Jensen (Suz); 13. Rich Conicelli (Suz); 14. Scott Harwell (Suz); 15. Brien Uvengood (Suz); 16. Michee! Fitzp-'trick (Suz); 17. Shane Clerke (Suz); 18. Merk Crozier (Suz); 19. Ty Howard (Suz); 20. Scott Carpenter (SUI); 21. Doug Duane (Suz); 22. Christopher 5. RlInkln (Suz); 23. Scott Jensen (Suz); 24. Justin BllIke (5uz); 25. Alan Schmidt (Suz); 26. Dean Mizdal (Suz); 27. John Dugcn (SOl); 28. Jemes Compton (Suz); 29. Mcrco Martinez (Suz); 30. Robert Christman (Suz); 31. Andy Decthercge (Suz). TIme: 35 min. 9.361 sec. Distance: 25 Icps, 63 miles Average speed: 108.374 mph M.argln of victory: 0.194 sec. AMA SUPERBIKE NATIONAL C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS (Alter 7 of 15 rounds): 1. Nicky Hayden (253/6 wins); 2. Eric Bostrom (173); 3. Pro Honda Oils Supersport: Round 4 STORY AND PHOTO BY HENNY RAY ABRAMS BRASELTON, GA, MAY 20 hree sons of the south put on the best display of close combat all weekend, with two other riders from farther away right in the mix to the end. When it was over, after 15 laps of hard racing, and especially hard braking, South Carolinian Jamie Hacking had ended the winning 1]" 14 MAY 29, 2002' cue • e The 600cc Supersport final was a war. When It was over, Jamie Hacking (2) had beaten Aaron Yates and Tommy Hayden (22) for his first win of the year and his first 600cc win as a member of Yoshimura Suzuki. streak of Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates at three, with Owensboro, Kentucky's Tommy Hayden third. Close behind came Australian Damon Buckmaster, the n e _ s Graves Motorsports Yamaha rider now residing in Texas, the home of Ben Spies, the fifth-place finisher. First to fifth was covered by about a second. "I got a lot of friends and family that come here and just kind of pump me up," Hacking said after beating Yates by 0.351 of a second. "Same thing for Aaron [Yates]. He's got a ton of guys here for him, And Tommy [Hayden]. It just feels good. When you ride around, you get all that support behind you and just have a big party early on." Hacking set a new race record, averaging 103.996 mph in completing the 37.8-mile race in 21 minutes, 58,900 seconds. He also slightly dented Yates' commanding championship lead. After four of 10 rounds, Yates leads Hacking, 142 to 119, with Buckmaster third with 106. All three of the podium finishers took their turn at the front - Hacking getting the early jump, but unable to clear out. "I just couldn't seem to get a break and pull away," he said. "I had a little front chatter going up through turn five and it was kind of hindering me a little bit over in the back, Didn't quite seem to have the steam on the top end that 1 would have liked to have had. That kind of let those guys catch up." Hacking led for three laps, then Hayden, Hacking, Hayden, passing two riders on the back straight, and Hacking again, before giving way to Yates for laps 10 and 11 after he took the lead on the back straight. Recent history told Hacking to be wary, and he kept looking back. "I was keeping an eye on Aaron [Yates]. that was my main reason," Hacking said. "Seeing where he was. Here lately, he's just been sitting back playing a little cat and dog, kind of jumping on everybody right there at the end. After I got him, he got up there, 1 felt kind of comfortable having him in front, 1 thought he was going to kind of pick up the pace a Allron Yates (172); 4. PlIsclll Picotte (155); 5. Mat Mladin (154); 6. Miguel DuHamel (146); 7. Brian Uvengood (138); 8. Jamie Hacking (131); 9. Brian Parriott (127); 10. Anthony Gobert (118/1 win); 11. Andy Deatherage (108); 12. Rich Conicelli (107); 13. Doug Chandler (99); 14. Vincent Haskovec (73); 15. John Dugan (71): 16. Dean Mizdal (66); 17. Owen Richey (60); 18. Robert Mesa (58); 19. Marco Martinez (55); 20. Alan Schmidt (51). Upcoming Rounds Round 8 - Fountain, Colorado, June 2 Rounds 9/10- Elkhart Lake, WISCOnsin, June 8-9 little bit. 1 was going to run with him. He just seemed kind of content sitting in the pace we were." Yates said he "was kind of hoping to get a little break there, but it clidn't happen." Hacking out-braked Yates for the lead in turn 10, Yates boldly making a pass in the final fast righthander leading onto the front straight to hold the point. On the 12th lap, Hacking went by on the brakes into turn 1 O. Yates watched and waited, thinking Hacking and Hayden might not make it to the end. "Those guys were going off in turn 10 down there so deep, 1really didn't think they were going to make it a couple of times. I had to back off and just kind of wait and see if they were going to end up in the sand." Hacking didn't dispute Yates' view. "I've been strong on the brakes down there all weekend long and that was the key point to that race, to be strong down on the brakes. He's [Yates] a hell of a braker. And Tommy run it off in there a couple of times. I didn't think I was going to get it stopped a few times." Hayden had been in second on the penultimate lap and took the lead on the back straight, Hacking to the front on the brakes in turn 10. From there, he was able to take the win just in front of a rush of four. Yates' last move was a deft pass underneath Hayden in the final corner. Afterward, he said his race was affected by front-tire choice. The team made changes throughout the weekend and never got it to handle as well as it had on Friday morning. "That was kind of due to the tire we ended up running in the front, because we were concerned with the wear we were getting," Yates said. "We just didn't think that the tire that I liked really gave me the confidence I needed to go as hard as I could through the turns. We didn't think it was going to last, so we ran something I don't usually run. It held it up a little bit." Hayden said he had the fastest motorcycle on the track after putting a new engine in the night before. But Hacking had his strengths, which ultimately decided the race. "Jamie [Hacking] was just a little bit stronger coming off the back straightaway and on the brakes and in the end he won the braking battle,

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