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"I had a game plan all the way around the track," Hayes continued. "And I had the game plan to make him go around the outside of me. I just spun under the bridge, and everything just went haywire, and I ended up wider than I wanted to be. And I was kind of ready for him, and I said, 'Well, I'm just going to try to pin it down at the bottom and point myself in and see if I can scare him out of there.' I should have thrown my feet off of the pegs or something like I was out of control maybe." Even after Haskovec made the pass, Hayes thought he might be carrying too much corner speed to hold his line. "I thought 'Maybe if he runs wide,''' Hayes said. "I hadn't seen it happen yet, but maybe J could beat him to the finish line right there. I gave it my best run. I got a little headway, but not far enough. Vincent rode a good race." Haskovec had spent the early stages of the race hooked up with EMGO Taiwan Suzuki's Opie Caylor, the racing Georgian who doubles as an instructor for the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School at Road Atlanta. Caylor gave way to Haskovec on the sixth of 15 laps but stuck to him as long as he could. Haskovec was better out of the bottom of the esses, turn five, and again out of turn seven, for the all important run down the backstraight. Caylor was stronger in the redesigned turns three and four chicane; "At that point I kind of saw Vincent (Haskovec) was going quicker and I was like 'Hey, maybe I can hold onto him. Maybe Vincent can take us there.,n The pair had nearly caught up to Hayes when they came up on a backmarker in turn six. Hayes and Haskovec got through cleanly; Caylor didn't. "I got hung up behind him in seven and didn't get that good a drive out of there, and really pretty much after that I just sat back there and watched the battle," Caylor said. Round 4: Road Atlanta PHOTO PAUL CARRUTHERS By HENNY RAY ABRAMS BRASELTON,GA,MAYI8 f the 250cc Grand Prix at Road Atlanta were a prizefight, they would have stopped it in the first round. Rich Oliver simply bloodied his opponents to the point of a knockout, pulling away by some five seconds a lap to win his fourth-straight race and the 64th 250cc GP win of his career. By the end of the "race," Oliver was clear by over a minute. A minute! How's that for pure domination? After one lap, Oliver led by 1.2 seconds. After two laps, that gap was 10.1 seconds. From there it would grow by up to five seconds a lap, unless Oliver didn't feel like going that fast on a particular lap. He was in complete control of the situation, and it was as if he was in a different race from anybody else. A heavyweight fighting bantamweights. Not that it would have made a difference, but Oliver lost both of what is normally his closest competition over the course of the weekend at Road Atlanta. The first to go was Stargel Aprilia's Chuck Sorensen, the Californian suffering a broken collarbone in a practice-session crash that kept him out of Sunday's final. The next to go was Simon Turner, the Irishman crashing out of second place very early in the race and leaving Oliver without anyone to play with. "I felt great," Oliver said. "Chuck [Sorensen] had pushed me really hard early in the week down to the 27s, which we weren't even able to I RoadAtluta Braselton, &.orai. Results: Mey 17, 2003 (Round 4J GENUINE SQZUKI ACCESSORIES SQPERSTOCK: 1. Vincent Haskovec (SU2); 2. Josh Hayes (Suz); 3. Opie Caylor (SU2); 4. Tommy Hayden (Kaw); 5. Mike Ciccotto (Suz); 6. Eric Wood (Suz); 7. Adam Fergusson (Suz): 8. Jimmy Moore (SU2); 9. John Haner (SU2); 10. Jason DiSalvo (Yam): 11. Lee Acree (Suz); ] 2. Matthew Furtek (SU2): 13. John Dugan (Suz); 14. Tony Meiring (Kaw): 15. Chris Ulrich (Suz); 16. Brian Stokes (Suz); 17. Rich Conicelli (Suz); 18. Greg Moore (Suz): 19. Jason Peters (Suz); 20. H8wk Mazlotta (Suz): 21. J.J. Roetlin (SUI); 22. Chuck Ivey (Suz); 23. Tom Wertman (Sw.); 24. Jeff Muskopf (SUI): 25. Darren Luck (Suz); 26. Kevin Pate (Suz): 27. Arash Hoshmanady (Suz); 28. Nathan Hester (Suz); 29. John McGarity (Suz); 30. Mike Scruggs (Suz); 31. Douglas Rose (Suz); 32. Heath Small (Yam): 33. Jordan Szoke (Yam); 34. Matthew Wait (Yam); 35. Jamie Stauffer (Suz); 36. Mike Smith (Suz); 37. William Johnson (Sw.); 38. Jacob Holden (SOl). Time: 21 min., 48.425 sec. Distance: 15 laps, 38. I miles Average speed: 104.828 mph Margin of victory: O. I 08 sec. GENUINE SUZUKI ACCESSORIES SUPER STOCK C'SHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 4 of 11 rounds): 1. Vincent Haskovec (120/1 win); 2. Tommy Hayden (118/3); 3. Adam Fergusson (109); 4. Josh Hayes (100); 5. (TIE) Opie Caylor/Tony Mei,;ng (93); 7. Jason DiSalvo (92): 8. Jimmy Moore (90); 9. (TIE) Mike Ciccotto/John Haner (77); 11. Chris Ulrich (65); 12. Matthew Furlek (56): 13. (TIE) Eric Wood/Jordan Szoke (54); 15. Lee Acree (52); 16. Brian Stokes (44); 17. Rich Conicelli (43); 18. Jeremy Toye (38); 19. J.J. Roetlin (37): 20. John Dugan (36). Upcoming Rounds: Round 5 - Fountain, Colorado, May 31 Round 6 - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, May 7 Rich Oliver smoked 'em at Road Atlanta. What else is new? AMA/MBNA 250cc Grand Prix By Finishing fourth was Kawasaki's Tommy Hayden, his first loss after three wins to open the season. Hayden said that there would be a few tracks that would cause him and the ZX-6R troubles, and Road Atlanta was expected to be one of those. "It was the backstraight a little bit, and I needed to have the bike working a little bit better, too," Hayden said. "Definitely, they have a little bit more top speed, but I was struggling a little bit in some places where I shouldn't have been. Last year we got 12th,'so I guess it's not so bad. I knew this race would be tough." Haskovec took the points lead from Hayden by two, 120 to 118 after four of 11 rounds. With the next round on the Pikes Peak International bull ring in two weeks time, it's a good bet Hayden won't be trailing for long. eN do. With Chuck not in the race, I was able to come back up to 29s, and I just rode as hard as I thought was necessary to preserve the points I've earned this year. I had a great time. The conditions were a little bit iffy, and I think it threw everybody off a little bit. I just wanted to make sure I didn't get out in the wet stuff and make a mistake. After watching the 600 race and watching them in the chicane, or whatever they call it, the turnstile, it looked like a place to be careful. We took it a little conservative, but I rode hard and enjoyed myself." Although Oliver didn't know for sure that Turner was out of the race, he had a pretty good idea. "I saw my pitboard go up, then I saw it really go up, so I thought something must have happened," Oliver said. "But I didn't see where he [Turnerl went down or what happened." The demise of Sorensen and Turner allowed two men who had never been on the podium the opportunity to earn visits there. Jensenstern.com's Colin Jensen put his Aprilia on the podium for the first time with a relatively easy second place. Well, easy once he got there. Jensen ended the first lap all the way back in ninth, but he made steady progress through the field, taking over second place on the eighth of 15 laps and holding the spot for the duration. Third place was another podium first-timer - Ed Sorbo. The Californian and his Bridgestone-backed Yamaha TZ250 started third, took over second when Turner crashed on the second lap, and held steadfast, giving way only to Jensen. A recent graduate of the Rich Oliver Mystery School, Jensen said the tutelage had paid off. "I had a great race," Jensen said. "I got a bad start, unfortunately, or else I might have been up there a little closer to Rich [OliverI and had a little more exciting race on my end by being with somebody. I was able to push myself. I really enjoyed my race. I was calm. I had a great time. I don't mean to be repetitive, but I just finished Rich Oliver's Mystery School, and it was real benefit to me, and I'm glad I did it. Today's placement is proof that the school is a great asset." Sorbo didn't know he'd earned third place. In fact, he was a little upset when Jensen went past because he thought that was the end of any chance of a podium. Little did he know that Turner was out, and he was indeed in third place. "I didn't know I was in third, and yes, this is my first podium finish and thank you for asking," Sorbo said. "I was a little too helpful in qualifying. I lent my bike to John France because his broke, so he could make the show. I fell from third to fifth on the grid when I did that because these turkeys went faster. From the second row, I had to get an "Ed" start, which I did. I was third into turn one, and then Rich and Simon ran away. I wasn't reading my pitboard well, and I thought I was third. Then Colin passed me, and I was pretty bummed to be fourth and getting beat by a guy like Colin. I just tried to keep my head down and focus. I knew my tires would stick, but I was still being caul:: y I:: I e tious. I was really happily surprised when they stopped me to go to the podium thing." Fourth place went to Chris Pyles and his All American Home Inspections-backed Honda RS250, the Pennsylvanian clear of a lonely Perry Melneciuc and his Sunsports Yamaha. Behind Melneciuc came a battle that went to the finish - Ed Marchini getting the best of Greg Esser and Darren Fulce at the finish line. eN Road Atlente Breselton. &eoraie Results: Mey 18, 2003 (Round 4] 250 GRAND PRIX FINAL: 1. Rich Oliver (Yam); 2. Colin Jensen (Apr); 3. Ed Sorbo (Yam); 4. Ch,;s Pyles (Han); 5. Perry Melnecuic (Yam); 6. Ed Marchini (Yam); 7. Greg Esser (Yam); 8. Darren Fulce (Yam): 9. Sandy Nace (Yam); 10. Barrett Long (Yam); II. Jeremy Bonnett (Yam); 12. Jllmes Bonner (Yam): 13. Sean Wray (Yam): 14. Ralf Helstrom (Han); IS. Shawn Murray (Han); 16. Richard Merhar (Yam); 17. John France (Han); 18. Steven Bowline (Hon); 19. Justin Long (Yam); 20. Brian Holtzer (Hon); 21. Sean McNew (Han): 22. Nobi Iso (Apr); 23. Keith Floyd (Yam). Time: 22 min., 37.38 sec. Distance: 15 laps, 37.8 miles Average speed: 101.048 mph Margin of victory: I min., 0.24 sec. 250 GRAND PRIX C'SHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 4 of 11 rounds): 1. Rich Oliver (150/4 wins): 2. Perry Melneciuc (102); 3. Chris Pyles (98); 4. Chuck Sorensen (96); 5. Edward Marchini (95); 6. Simon Turner (87); 7. Colin Jensen (86); 8. Ed Sorbo (82); 9. Darren Fulce (70); 10. Sandy Noce (65); 11. Greg Esser (63); 12. (TIE) Sean Wray/Stephen Bowline (51): 14. John France (48); 15. (TIE) Ralf Hellstrom/Jeremy Bonnett (38); 17. (TIE) Barrett Long/Sean Crane/Mark Watts (37); 20. (TIE) Richard Merhar/Shawn Murray (32). Upcoming Rounds Round 5 - Fountain, Colorado, June 1 Round 6 - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, June 8 n e _ S • MAY 28, 2003 17