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AMAIGenuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series Round 7: Brainerd International Raceway Rapp Holds Off Hayes Bv HENNV RAV ABRAMS PHOTO BY BRIAN J. NELSON BRAINERD, MN, JUNE 29 here was no shame in finishing second in this race, not the way Valvoline EMGO Suzuki's Steve Rapp rode to win his second race in a row, and not after hitting a bird. "I never gave up," Attack Suzuki's Josh Hayes said after coming second, .0143 of a second behind Rapp in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock main, and that after striking a sea gull at about 150 mph."1 wanted to win this race so bad." Rapp wanted it at least as bad. He was able to dodge the flock of sea gulls on the seventh lap and rode a perfect final lap under the relentless pressure from Hayes to win his second Superstock race in a row. "That's almost double my whole entire win count in two weekends," Rapp joked after running his careerwin total to four. His previous two wins came in 1998. "It was awesome." Third went to Hooters Suzuki's Vincent Haskovec, the Czech rider stretching his points lead over Kawasaki's Tommy Hayden, fifth today, to nine points, 204-195, with four races to go. Hayes had been on the pole with a new lap record. Rapp was next to him, then North Dakotan Robert Jensen, a T 14 JULv9,2003' cue I e Brainerd regular, and Haskovec. "I knew it was going to be us three pretty much from the times over the weekend, so I was kind of prepared for a battle lap, every single corner," Rapp said. "It kind of turned out that way with me and Josh [Hayes]." Jensen went out on the fifth lap while in fourth. Rapp and Hayes got away to a quick start, Haskovec slotting into third but knowing he wasn't a challenger. "I did a little mistake with gearing," Haskovec admitted. "This cost me a lot of acceleration from the corners. I've been right with those guys in the bus stop and turn nine, and they just pull away five bikelengths from me, so I've been unable to keep going with them in a straightaway." The only time Haskovec was able to advance above third was when Hayes had his close encounter of a bird kind. Hayes said as the flock scattered in Rapp's wake, he closed his eyes and felt the bird's impact. "I didn't want to open my eyes and find that there was a bird sticking in my arms," he said. "It just kind of got me on the end of the shoulder. I'm surprised there's not more marks on my leathers. As soon as it did it my arm just cramped up, so my forearm got real cramped." Haskovec realized what was happening and watched Hayes drop off n e _ s the outside of turn three, heading for the woods. Haskovec was hoping Hayes would save it and found "all these feather and guts in my windscreen, and he just brought it back. So I just kind of cruised into three too, and I know he's back there, and he got me the next lap again on the brakes." That was on the eighth lap, and from then on it was a two rider race, Hayes taking the lead from Rapp on lap nine and holding it through 11, with Rapp by early on the twelfth lap with a draft-pass through turn one. With the white flag waving, Rapp began the final lap knowing it would have to be perfect. "I knew he was close, so I knew I couldn't make any mistakes or miss a gear or slack off on the last lap or anything," Rapp said. "Every lap was 100 percent." Hayes was thinking about taking the lead in turn one but thought his better chance was in turn three, the third right in the sequence. "He's going to try to block three real good, so I'm going to try to get all the way around him," Hayes said of his outside move. "I mean I didn't know what other choices I had. So I tried the outside. I'm a little wide here, maybe I'll try to get a good drive and try him in the next turn. I never gave up. Every turn I was looking for a way past and hoping traffic would help out a little bit, and my opportunity just didn't come.) come out of the bus stop and missed a shift, and I knew I was in big trouble. I reeled him back up in the last turn. I just couldn't get off the last turn and beat him to the line." Haskovec had made his gearing change thinking he'd need something extra in a double draft. "It didn't work out," he said. "I'm happy with third. I want to join them, but I have really nothing on them today." , Hooters Suzuki's Mike Ciccotto was fourth, just edging out Tommy Hayden, on the Kawasaki ZX-6R. Hayden had passed Yamaha's Jason DiSalvo on the last lap. EMGO Taiwan's Opie Caylor was a close seventh. eN Brainerd International Raceway Brainerd, Minnesota Results: June 29, 2003 [Round 7] GENUINE Sl.IZUKJ ACCESSORIES SUPER·STOCK: I. Steve Rapp (Suz); 2. Josh Hayes (Suz); 3. Vincent Haskovec (Suz); 4. Mike Ciccotto (Suz); 5. Tommy Hayden (Kow); 6. Joson DiSalvo (Vom); 7. Op;e Caylor (Suz); 8. John Dugan (Suz); 9. Tony Meiring (Kow); 10. Brian Stokes (Suz); 11. Chris Ulrich (Suz); 12. Jacob Holden (Suz); 13. Steve Atlas (Suz); 14. J.J. Roetlin (Suz); 15. Alex Gobert (Hon); 16. Tom Wertman (Suz); 17. Kevin Shown Gordon (Suz); 18. Jeff Bostrom (Suz); 19. Hawk Mazzotta (Suz); 20. Adam Fergusson (Suz); 21. David Bell (Suz); 22. Matt Malterer (Suz); 23. Eric Dooyema (Suz); 24. James Kerker (Hon); 25. Jessica Zolusky (Suz); 26. Michael Kosta (Suz); 27. Chris Peris (Hon); 28. Robert Jensen (Suz); 29. Matthew Furtek (Suz). Time: 21 min., 45.120 sec. Distance: 13 laps. 39 miles Average speed: 107.6 mph Margin of victory: 0.143 sec. GENUINE SUZUKI ACCESSORIES SUPER STOCK C'SHIP POINT STANDIGNS (After 7 of 11 rounds): I. Vincent Haskovec (204/1 win); 2. Tommy Hayden (195{3); 3. Josh Hayes (190); 4. Adam Fergusson (177); 5. Tony Meiring (169/1); 6. Jason DiSalvo (166); 7. Opie Caylor (162); 8. Mike Ciccotto (145); 9. Jimmy Moore (142): 10. Steve Rapp (125); II. John Haner (119); 12. Chris Ulrich (113); 13. J.J. Roetlin (85); 14. Brian Stokes (80); 15. Jordan Szoke (76): 16. Matthew Furtek (72);17. Jacob Holden (62); lB. John Dugan (59); 19. Tom Wertman (56); 20. Hawk Mazzotta (55). Upcoming Rounds: Round 8 - Monterey, California, July 12 Round 9 - Lexington, Ohio, July 27