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/128202
~r.......IIl""'L.O"""""""""Q) 2003 AMA/Chevy Trucks U. S. Superbike Series ago with how they actually finished in T the AMA never a factor to win, he was always leg while trying his best to make the in the top five). 8. Aaron Yates (fifth - bottom line: old Yamaha R7 competitive). wo in a row. Yep, I've accurately picked was also injured, suffering a broken parentheses. By PAUL CARRUTHERS PHOTOS BY HENNY RAY ABRAMS Hayden was on the verge of some- 4. Eric Bostrom (second - this was a bad pick. I should have known thing big, and, as it turns out, I was Bostrom would be better than fourth). 1. Nicky Hayden (first - I figured Superbike National Champion correctly in the last two years. Yippee! Still, I was far from perfect. While I right for a change). 2. Mat Mladin (seventh - Mladin did write in this space a year ago that Nicky Hayden would win the 2002 Superbike Championship, not a lot of my other picks were accurate. Okay, Yates did better than I thought he would). 9. Jamie Hacking (10th - hey, I 5. Kurtis Roberts (21 st - injury almost got this one right). 10. No one (I said that with nine ruined his season as well). started the year with an injury at Day- 6. Miguel DuHamel (third· the old factory riders, a privateer would sneak tona, and it wasn't until the very end guy continues to surprise, and he into the top 10. Both Brian Parriott of the season that he seemed to be even won races last year). and Brian Livengood did just that). the Mladin of old). none of them were right. Here are my predictions for a year 3. Anthony Gobert (15th - Gobert 7. Pascal Picotte (fourth - Picotte plugged away at every race. Though Let's go to my picks for 2003 ... 1. Eric Bostrom #32 2 Mat Mladin #66 Age: 26 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada Team: Chevy Trucks Kawasaki Best Result in 2002: First (Pikes Peak, Laguna Seca, Virginia International Raceway) Ranking in 2002: Second in AMA Superbike National Championship Age:3! Hometown: Camden, Australia Team: Yoshimura Suzuki Best Result in 2002: Second (in the final round at Virginia Intemational Speedway) Ranking in 2002: Seventh in the AMA Superbike National Championship Call it a hunch. Eric Bostrom has finished sec- _ 'o:mllt ond in the AMA Superbike National Championship for the past two years. In 2003, he will win that title - or so I think. If the team can get the most out of the AMA's new rule to increase the displacement of the trusty old ZX7R, then J think it will be enough to take the younger Bostrom to the title. Eric trains hard, rides hard, doesn't crash... and he wants it enough to remain focused on the goal for the entire season. Was 2002 an aberration, or a sign of things to come for Mat MJadin. I believe it was a hiccup. MJadin is too good not to be in the hunt for the AMA Superbike Championship until the very end. Last year he suffered. He crashed at Daytona and suffered injury. At that point he was down, but he never really got up - at least until the very last round when he almost beat Eric Bostrom at'Virginia International Speedway. Mladin has the determination to get back on top. He also has the team to do the job, and this year he may have the bike· now that he's armed with 1000cc instead of 750<:c. Will the bike be hard on tires? Will it be reliable? Those are two questions to which we t~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~;~~~~~~~~;;;;~~d~o~n~,~re~a;1l~y;k;n~O;W~th~e~a;ns~w~e~r~s~.~B~u~t~lall~~bMJ~~~~~~~'~ I will be a factor again in this year's series. -~------ _. - ------ --- 3. Ben Bostrom #155 4. Anthony Gobert #16 Age: 29 Hometown: Murrieta, Califomia Team: American Honda Best result in 2002: Did not compete in AMA Superbike Ranking in 2002: Did not compete in AMA Superbike This is a pick that could really backfire on me. Without a doubt, Ben Bostrom is capable of completely dominating this year's AMA Superbike Championship. With his recent years of World Superbike competition under his belt, he should be the man to beat this year. But I question Ben's focus. I've read the interview with him In this issue, and J've read his comments from the Laguna Seca preseason test, and Ben doesn't say things that give me confidence. I hope I'm wrong, because he Is a superstar with arguably the best personality of anyone in the series. He would make an incredible champion for the AMA Superbike Series. But in order to win this title, be has to be completely focused on what he's doing. Racing has to be his number-one priority, and I'm not completely sure that it is. That said, if he shows up at Daytona and the rest of the rounds with his race face on, he will be champion. Why? Because he brings so much to the table. He has the best bike and arguably the best team. And he can be the best rider. Let's wait and see... 26 FEBRUARY 26, 2003' eye • • n • VII' Sf -~ Age: 28 Hometown: Greenacre, Australia Team: Austin Ducati Best result in 2002: First (California Speedway) Ranking in 2002: 15th in AMA Superbike National Championship Along with Ben Bostrom, Gobert is the second of two guys on my list who could make me look bad. When Gobert is on, there's no one who can touch him. Especially when he's on a Ducati. And guess what? In 2003, the Australian is on a Ducati. Gobert's freight train can also derail. In a hurry. He seems to be carrying a bit of bad luck as baggage, though a lot of that he is solely responsible for. If Gobert can keep the ship righted for the entire season, he definitely won't finish lower than fourth. If the team gets the support from Ducati that he needs to finish the season the way he'll start it, then he could challenge for the title the entire way. I've picked Gobert to win championships before, and he's always failed to live up to my expectations. I was so tempted to pick him again, but my staff kept slapping my fingers when I wanted to type his name higher than this.