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/128165
Formula USA/Lockhart-Phillips USA Unlimited Superbike Round 4: Mosport Interna ional Raceway On Sunday, Connell won the Pro Honda Oils/Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike race with apparent ease, using a fast line through the sweeping downhill turn two where he made the decisive pass and gained time on each lap. That win sealed the victory for the American squad in the renewed Canada vs. USA Match Race Trophy competition. Points were tabulated from the top-10 placings of the second FUSA Unlimited Superbike leg and the Sportbike race. The American side won, 88-44. In addition to winning the King of Mosport title, Connell also earned $7000 - $3750 for winning the second Unlimited Superbike leg, $1250 for winning the first leg, and $2000 for winning the Sportbike race. Francis Martin won the $250 Cycle News Holeshot Award for nailing the start in the second Unlimited Superbike leg. Barnes was the second most consistent Unlimited Superbike rider, carding a third and a second. At the halfway mark in the eightrace FUSA season, Connell leads Barnes, 111-105. Millennium Technologies/KWS Motorsports' Shawn Higbee, the defending class champion, is third with 85 points. Higbee had an off day, finishing 12th in the first leg with a rear-tire problem and improving to seventh in the second leg. Maybe the biggest winners were the Formula USA organizers. Mosport was the first race this season that wasn't plagued by rain at any point. Quite the opposite, unseasonably warm Canadian weather meant the racing was hard work and the crowd was well roasted. RACE ONE STORY AND PHOTOS BY HENNY RAY ABRAMS BOWMANVIll.E, ONT, CANADA, JULY 21 ustralian Craig Connell conquered another Commonwealth member, winning all three races he entered at Canada's Mosport International Raceway to earn the title King of Mosport. The Arclight Suzuki rider won Saturday's first combined Lockhart- 22 JULv31, 2002' cue I e Phillips USA Unlimited Superbike/ International Motorcycle Supershow Open Sport Bike race outright, beating Coors Light Racing/Fast Company/Blackfoot Suzuki's Francis Martin and Hooters/Mountain Dew Suzuki's Michael Barnes. In the second leg, he finished just behind Martin, but the Canadian's Suzuki GSX-RI000 failed the post-race horsepower check and he was docked four places. Connell got the win over Barnes and "14K the n e _ s Lany Pegram (72) got the jump on the Formula USA field at Mosport International Raceway In the first of two Unlimited Superblke rounds. Pegram is being chased by his teammate Mlchaei Barnes (34), Francis Martin (hidden), Jeff Williams (hidden), and Erlc Wood (4). Movie'''s Eric Wood and his Suzuki. "It turned out a little better than I first thought," Connell said. "I'm going to take it." The big-bore races combined the FUSA Unlimited Superbike and the Canadian International Motorcycle Supershow Open Sport Bike, both horsepower-restricted classes. The Canadian limit is 150 horsepower, five more than the FUSA limit, so the American side was allowed to bump their power up for the weekend. Hooters/Mountain Dew Suzuki's Larry Pegram led the first three laps before the race was red-flagged. A complete restart was called, with the second race being 13 laps. Pegram again got the jump and again led, this time for four laps before Martin came by, Connell moving through the field to take the lead on the eighth lap. The pack was a 10-rider snake at that point, with Connell chopping the head off as he moved away on the next lap. Lap by lap, he added just enough to earn the comfortable win. "It was a bit of a shame that they restarted it because I was going just as well then," Connell said. "I just really took my time. There was no