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
5. Mi~el DuHamel #17 6. Aaron Yates #20 Age: 34 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada Team: American Honda Best result in 2002: First (both rounds at the Road America doubleheader) Ranking in 2002: Third in AMA Superb ike National Championship Age: 29 Hometown: Milledgeville, Georgia Team: Yoshinnura Suzuki Best result in 2002: Second (Pikes Peak) Ranking in 2002: Fifth in AMA Superbike National Championship Although DuHamel's focus may be on giving Honda and its new CBR600RR the 600cc Supersport Championship, you still can't count him out. Just look at last year. When he's on, he runs at the front. Case in point, Road America - where he won both legs of the doubleheader. He seems to thrive when comfortable and confident, and his tuner, AI Ludington, seems to bring him confidence. His results last year improved, and a big part of that was probably due to being reunited with Ludington. As always, age doesn't seem to be a factor with this guy. He is as tough as truck stop Tbone, and he never quits. Q Aaron Yates is difficult to read, and he's a scary pick no matter where you put him. For all I know, he could go out and win the championship. Or he could finish 10th. Or anywhere in between. Yates ended up fifth in last year's series. He was consistent, yet he didn't win a race (not even Mid-Ohio!). Like Mladin, he should get some help in the form of the extra horsepower from the GSX-RIOOO, and as he's said in the past. "There's no replacement for displacement." We'll see how he fares with the new bike, but odds are, he'll be competitive at most races and may get back to winning a few. .~"_£_iiiiiii--; . _ '" fI' --- ~ .. ...........,.- . ._ _ . ....._ • ;a....;; - --- 7. Kurtis Roberts #80 8. Larry Pe~ram #72 Age: 24 Hometown: Hickman, Califomia Team: American Honda Best Result in 2002: Fourth (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Virginia Intemational Raceway) Ranking in 2002: 21st in AMA Superbike National Championship Age: 31 Hometown: Baltimore, Ohio Team: Dream Team Ducati Best Result in 2002: Did not compete in AMA Superbike Ranking in 2002: Did not compete in AMA Superbike For the second straight season, Kurtis Roberts had a horrible year. In 2001 his problem was arm-pump, and the surgery he underwent to cure his ailment kept him out for most of the year. In 2002, Roberts suffered a badly damaged knee at the second round in Fontana, and he didn't return to action until Mid-Ohio. This is a make or break season for the youngest of the Roberts clan. He either lives up to the high expectations that come with the family name, or he fades into oblivion. Time will tell, though a season without injury would definitely show us if Kurtis Roberts is for real or not. Larry Pegram should have all the tools to succeed in 2003: new Ducatis and enthusiastic and deep-pocketed team owners. The rest will be up to Pegram, who can run a bit hot and cold over the course of a season. If things go well and he gets Michelins that are as good (or even as close to as good) as the World Superbike and GP tires, Pegram may surprise a few people this year. .. - - - --- . ...-""- -- ---_.. .-------=,-...-. ._----.. ._---- ~..,....--~_ The Others As usual, I'm not the only one around here with an opinion of who will be the man to beat in 2003, so this year I've called upon two others to take a shot at sorting out this year's championship contenders. Like me, Cycle News road race correspondent Henny Ray Abrams and Associate Editor Blake Conner both chose wisely, tabbing Nicky Hayden as their man for the '02 title. Joining Conner on the hot seat this year is Cycle News Managing Editor Scott Rousseau, who figures that he saw enough in 2002 to make a few educated guesses for this season. As for the rest of the top 10 ... well, it's a crapshoot based on who races and who doesn't. No Limits Honda's Doug Chandler is expected to compete in the Superbike class on his team's Honda 954, but who knows how many times he'll be out there. If the team gets its act together, Chandler could be competitive. The same goes for Attack Suzuki's Jason Pridmore and Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies. Obviously, Pridmore's priority will be defending his Formula Xtreme title, but depending on how many Superbike outings he makes, he could easily slip Blake Conner 1. Eric Bostrom 2. Ben Bostrom 3. Anthony Gobert 4. Mat Mladin 5. Miguel DuHamel Scott Rousseau 1. Eric Bostrom 2. Mat Mladin 3. Anthony Gobert 4. Ben Bostrom 5. Miguel DuHamel into the top lOin the final standings. That could also be said for several of the top guns in the Formula Xtreme series who have some Superbike outings. If those guys don't get serious about it, expect to see more of what we got last year - the very best privateers upsetting the establishment with consistent top 10 outings in the Superbike class. cue' e n e vv s FEBRUARY 26, 2003 27