Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128156
AMAIChevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Series Round Bf7: Road Atlanta than in Europe and it's a lot better going to a track that you've been to before." Turner's ill-jetted Yamaha allowed the others to pull clear and it became a two-man race: Sorensen vs. DiSalvo. That didn't really go the distance. though. as DiSalvo was balked in traffic on the 13th lap. losing over a second to his rival. From there. Sorensen was able to maintain his lead. and he ended up winning by 0.8 of a second. "That's kind of an understatement." DiSalvo said when asked whether him being balked cost him the race. "I got numerous bad breaks. I was just following him. When he got by me. I thought that was good. I wanted to see if my bike was faster on the back straight, and it was immensely faster. I thought. if I could just stay where I was. it would be one of my easier races. Then. the lapper got in front of me. and I followed him from tum two to tum five. That gave him [Sorensen] what he needed. The last two laps. I gained on him huge. I just had more and more bad breaks. After Daytona [where DiSalvo collided with a lapper and both crashed], I'm a little bit tentative - you don't know what those guys are going to do." The win. Sorensen's third of the season. gives him a 31-point lead over Melneciuc. DiSalvo is third. with 92 points. one better than Ed Sorbo. "I was a little unsure after this moming's problems," Sorensen sajd. "I rode my 'B' bike. the one I crashed this morning and the one I won on at Sears. It's really good. Early on. I knew it would be me and Jason [DiSalvo]. He had a little speed on us on the back straight. but there were several areas where I was faster through the infield. I had to chop a few guys through traffic. but I knew that was what I was going to have to do to get away. The infield was my advantage. 1:1II so I blitzed it." ...... lI*da • ....IlMI.liHrgill Results: Iby 19. ZDU2 2S0cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Chuck Sorensen (Apr): 2. Jason DiSalvo (Hon): 3. Simon Turner (Yam); 4. Chris Pyles (Yam); 5. Perry Melneciuc (Yam); 6. Donren Fulce (Yom); 7. Ed Sorbo (Yam); 8. William Himmelsbach (Vern); 9. Leon Cortes (Hon); 10. Ty David Piz (Yam): 11. B.a"ett Long (Yam); 12. John France (Hon); 13. James Bonner (Vam); 14. Steve Scott (Yam); 15. Steve Genter (Hon); t 6. Chris Nicoloff (Hon); 17. Richard Merhar (YlIm); 18. John Williams (Yam); 19. Stephen Bowline (Hon); 20. Keith Floyd (Yam): 21. Bryan Hoelzer (Han); 22. James Worthington (Apr). Tune: 22 min., 16.440 sec. Distance: 15 laps. 37.8 miles Average speed: 102.631 mph I'Iargln of victory: .819 sec. 250cc GRAND PRIX C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 4 of 9 rounds): 1. Chuck Sorensen (137/3 wins); 2. Perry Melneciuc (106); 3. Juan DiSalvo (92): 4. Ed Sorbo (91); S. Da"en Fulce (84): 6. Simon Tumer (83): 7. Ty David Piz (76): 8. Roland Sands (71/1 win); 9. Colin Jensen (66): 10. (TIE) John Williams/Cory Denton West (58); 12. AI Salaverri,a (55); 13. Chris Pyles (54); 14. John Fnmce (53); 15. Thad Halsmer (44). Upcoming Rounds Round 5 - Fountain, Colorado. June 2 Round 6 - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, June 9 to end up almost getting lapped." What's your goal entering the race? For right now. it's going to be I'm £"\.going to do as good as I can do. Certainly. that means beating the four-cylinders. And that's definitely achievable. The biggest thing for us is just kind of struggling with some problems and then it's weird and then you get racing. The second race at Monza. I got a better start and I was real aggressive. and it was the first time I really actually had fun because I could see the front. And it was just cool. I was riding with the guys I felt like I should be riding with. I was giving it everything I had. It seemed like they were just a little bit better than me everywhere. Just a little more Q A STORY AND PHOTOS BY HENNY RAY ABRAMS ric Bostrom is a man in constant motion. From CaHfornia to Japan. back to California. to Italy. to Atlanta. to England. to Pike's Peak and Elkhart Lake. then possibly back to Misano if he survives, Bostrom is competing in two series. AMA and the World Superbike. One of the reasons Bostrom stayed with Kawasaki was the promise of World Superbike rides. three or four he thought. many after the AMA season ends on August 11. He had no idea he'd be filling in for the injured Hitoyasu Izutsu. who continues to recover from a wrist injury. at so many races. He'II also get the chance to test Kawasaki's MotoGP entry in the next two months. That's the future. The present is ajrports and airplanes and hotels and racetracks. Two different series on three different continents. We wanted to know how he viewed the two racing experiences. What's the difference between ~1(,j\MA and World Superbike racing? A You know what the difference £"\is ... they're just amazing how quick they get to business. For us. I thjnk the reason they do it is there's obviously a very limited amount of track time. If they're going to make any changes. any improvements. it's going to have to happen right away because they're worried about qualifying and they've got tons of tires to run through. Basically. if you don't show up set up. you either better get really lucky or you're going to be out the back, Because there's no way to hit all the tires. run through three different Qs [quaHfying tires] for qualify- 18 MAY 29. 2002' ... U ... • _ ing. you're going through so many clifferent tires and stuff. Especially for me. Here I am trying to dial in a new track. and they'll be zipping tires. and every time I go out on a tire that I haven't ridden on before. It's good that way because it gets you fast. you're constantly on thjs new rubber and you're going around. It somehow makes a difference. It feels really good. That's so important to be quick right off the bat and start actually making the changes that you need to make to get your bike going. and certainly that's been our biggest problem stepping into it. n __ s Q What's your biggest problem? 1\ I don't think our bike's been that .£"\.special thjs year. anywhere. It's definHely been better than last year everywhere. But it's not been that great. We go over there and we're having some problems. and I'm having some problems with trying to dial in the track. Basically these problems cost you a 10th there and couple of 10ths on the drive. and before you know it you're two seconds off these guys. And it's pretty disheartening. It takes a lot out of you mentally because you're like. "Wow. I'm going The Brothe.. Bostrom: Eric (left) and Ben (right) hang out In the Kawasaki garage at the Sugo round of the Worid Supert»lke Championship.