Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMAIChevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Series Rounds 415: Infineon Raceway working so well. Our bike is different than when we came here and tested, and I don't know why. I feel like a back marker. I was just in my own way out there." The scary part for the rest of the superbike pack is that MJadin thought he could make his bike better for the second race. "Halfway through the race, I felt a couple of things," Mladin said. "Obviously, with limited time in practice we never got through that many laps. We'll go and look at the data, but I'm pretty sure I know what it is. It's just a matter of having a look and confirming what I think I already know." RACE TWO Bright sunshine greeted the field (minus DuHamel) for the second race, and this time it was Ben Bostrom nailing the start. His lead only held up until the Carousel, however, as Yates qUickly shot past to take over at the front. Then, heading into the chicane, Mladin also moved past Ben. On the second lap, Mladin took over at the front. He would start to pull away, gradually at first, as Yates did his best to match his teammate's lap times. The gap, however, would continue to grow. After six laps, the order read: Mladin (by 1.7 seconds), Yates, Ben Bostrom, Roberts, Eric Bostrom, Pegram and Gobert. Then came the privateers, Haskovec leading Szoke, Crevier, Barnes and Higbee. Pridmore was on the move again after starting way behind. He was up to 13th after seven laps and was closing on the big group of riders ahead of him. Ben Bostrom was just 1.2 seconds behind Yates after nine complete laps, the Honda rider looking better by the lap. Mladin, meanwhile, was 2.8 seconds ahead and was beginning to add at least half a second to his lead per lap. At least as far as the 14 MAY 14, 2003' cue I ... lead was concerned, this one appeared to be over. It was definitely over for Gobert, the Australian ending another pitiful race on Pit Road, his Ducati unridable, according to its rider. With Mladin pulling away and leading by over five seconds after 13 laps, attention turned to the Yates/ Ben Bostrom battle for second place. Those two hooked up at the halfway mark, and their battle looked certain to go the duration. Behind them, Roberts was alone and keeping them in sight. Eric Bostrom, however, had lost touch and was running alone in fifth place, some eight seconds behind Roberts but seven seconds ahead of Pegram. Pegram was also alone, 23 seconds ahead of the privateer battle that waged on behind him among Szoke, Pridmore and Haskovec. The Yates/Ben Bostrom battle suffered when the pair hit traffic, and Bostrom came out on the losing end. He went from being right on the factory Suzuki to trailing by 2.8 seconds over the course of two laps. Bostrom's loss was Roberts' gain, as he was only a bit over two seconds behind after Bostrom's hassle with traffic. "I didn't really get a bad break· it was my own fault," Ben Bostrom said. "We ended up taking a tooth off the back to make it taller in a few corners. I knew it would be great by myself on the track to make it flow. I knew I needed to make a run on Aaron straight away, but I came to the inside and decided to wait until the next lap. Then we came up on traffic, and the gearing didn't work so well. It was rider error there." The rest of the race was fairly uneventful. Mladin maintained his lead over his teammate Yates, the nevws Steve Rapp used the ftl:St of two Superblke NatIonals as a test sellSlon . forthe Formula Xtreme race· and he ftnlshed sixth! Georgian doing likewise to Ben Bostrom. "We definitely want to get out there and win, but as long as we have Suzukis first and second, it's good," Yates said. "I definitely have to start finishing in front of Mat [Mladin] if I want to have anything to do with the championship. The race was pretty good for me. I got a good start this time, and we made some changes after the first race. The bike was a bit better early on, but it just wasn't near as good at the end. It really showed in lap times, and I was about a second slower there at the end. But we're learning stuff every time on the bike, and we're looking forward to Atlanta. We just tried some things to try and make the bike flick back and forth better. I thought the bike was sitting a little low. We stiffened it up a little, and it was better early on. But toward the end when the tires went off, it wasn't good." Roberts kept it interesting by flirting with an attack on Ben Bostrom, but he could never get close enough for a serious late-race challenge. That meant the top spots were basically decided by mid race. Things were similar behind as Eric Bostrom had a lock on fifth, and sixth belonged to Pegram. The only real battle left on the track was between Pridmore and Szoke, the two going back and forth until the very end, though Pridmore would come out on top. Overall, the race was a rather dull parade. A yawner. Thanks in part to Mladin's domination. He was again at the sharp end of the field when the checkered flag flew, all alone after turning in his second scintillating effort of the day. "I think it would have been better in that one," Mladin said of his bike. "I pushed a lot harder for a lot longer in that race. I cut pretty good lap times well into lap 17 or 18, maybe just a bit before that. Aaron caught me up there in traffic maybe half a second. But when I got clear, I put my head down, and those were the fastest laps of the race. I imagine the first race was slower than that one for sure." As it turns out, it was the only thing Mladin guessed wrong all day. In fact, his first race time was faster, though there wasn't much difference between the two. 1:1II 11Ift_ IIllceway s.-, ClIlif8r11il1 ......Its: ..., 3-', ZlIlI3 1......1Is 415 ., 111 RACE ONE: 1. MtIt Mladin (Suz): 2. Aeron Yotes (Suz); 3. Miguel DuHllmel (Hon); 4. Eric Bostrom (Kow); 5. Ben Bostrom (Han); 6. Steve Ropp (5uz); 7. Kurtis Roberts (Han); 8. Lorry Pegrom (Due); 9. Jason Pridmore (SU2); 10. Lee Acree (Suz); 11. Jordan Szoke (Suz); 12. Vincent Haskovec (Suz); 13. Steve Crevier (Suz); 14. John Dugen (Suz); 15. Jeremy Toye (SU2); 16. Geoff May (Suz); 17. Shawn Higbee (Suz); 18. Brian Uvengood (Suz); 19~ Mike Ciccotto (Suz); 20, Alan Schmidt (Suz); 21. Dean Mizdal (Suz); 22. Clint McBain (Suz); 23. Jacob Holden (Suz): 24. Francis Martin (Suz); 25. James Rondolph (5uz); 26. Rob Meso (5u.); 27. Michael Barnes (Suz); 28. Jllck Pfeifer (Suz); 29. John Scott Wilson (Suz); 30. Robert Christrmm (SUl); 31. Chris Voelker (Duc); 32. Glirry Combs (Suz); 33. Jeff Williams (SUl); 34. Marco Martinez (SUl); 35. Tom Wertmon (5uz); 36. Anthony Gobert (Due); 37. Kim Nakashima (Suz); 38. Andy Deatherage (Suz). Time: 45 min., 59.180 sec. Distance: 28 laps, 61.6 miles Average speed: 92.1 mph Margin of victory: 8.295 sec. RACE lWO; I. Mot Mlodin (5uz); 2. Aoron Votes (Suz); 3. Ben Bostrom (Hon); 4. Kurtis Roberts (Han); 5. Eric Bostrom (Kaw); 6. Lefry Pegram (Duc): 7. Jason Pridmore (Suz): 8. Jordan Szoke (SUl); 9. Steve Crevier (SUl); 10. Shewn Higbee (Suz); 1 I. Vincent HDskovec (Suz); 12. Michael Barnes (Suz): 13. Lee Acree (Suz); 14. Geoff May (5uz); 15. Joeob Holden (5uz); 16. Jomes Rondolph (Suz); t 7. Frencls Martin (Suz); 18. Mike Ciccotto (Suz); 19. Jeremy Toye (Suz); 20. Deen Mizdel (Suz): 21. Scon Jensen (Suz); 22. Clint McBlIin (Suz); 23. Brien Uvengood (Suz); 24. Jack Pfeifer (5uz); 25. Rob Meso (5uz); 26. Alon Schmidt (Suz); 27. Robert Christman (Suz); 28. John Scott Wilson (Suz); 29. Chris Voelker (Due); 30. Merco MDrtinez (Suz); 31. Glirry Coombs (SUl); 32. Tom Wertman (Suz); 33. Kim Nakashima (Suz); 34. Anthony Gobert (Due); 35. Jeff Willioms (5uz); 36. Andy Deatherage (Suz). TIme: 46 min., 01.730 sec. Distance: 28 laps. 61.6 miles Average speed: 92.0 mph M.argin of victory: 7.484 sec. AMA 5UPER81KE NATIONAL C'5HIP POINT STANDINGS (After 5 of 18 rounds): 1. MDt Mladin (174/4 wins); 2. Aoron Votes (150); 3. Ben Bostrom (142); 4. Eric Bostrom (138); 5. Kurtis Roberts (131); 6. Miguel DuHomel (121/1 win); 7. (TIE) Lorry Pegram/Shawn Higbee (99); 9. Vincent Haskovec (94); 10. JlIson Pridmore (91): 11. Steve Crevier (81); 12. Jordan Sloke (67); 13. Michael Barnes (63); 14. Geoff Moy (61); 15. Andy Deotheroge «(;0); 16. Jeremy Toye (55); 17. Jock Pfierer (52); 18. Mike Ciocotto (51): 19. John Dugon (48); 20. (TIE) Brian Uvengood/Deen Mizdal (42). Upcoming Rounds Rounds 6f7: Braselton, Georgia, May 17·18 Round 8: Fountain, Colorado, June 1

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