Ben 'Captain America' Bostrom Takes the Pole at Laguna AMA Superbike Round

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Ben Bostrom on the #155 Team Honda CBR1000RR races his shadow as he comes out of the carousel during qualifying for the AMA Superbike Series round at Road America in June of 2004. After winning the '98 AMA Superbike Championship for Team Honda on the RC45, BBoz jumped to the Vance and Hines Ducati Team for '99. Racing in Europe for the next few years in the World Superbike Championship, Captain America made a name for himself wherever the series raced. Coming back to America in '03 to Team Honda again, he was paired with Miguel Duhamel as a team mate on the RC51 big twins. In '04, Honda came out with their inline CBR1000RR, and again BBoz and Miguel were teamed up. Ben then raced for the U.S. Ducati team as a team mate to '03 World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson.
By the '07 season, Ben was hooked up with the Graves Motorsports Yamaha powerhouse, and by '08 had captured the AMA Supersport Championship after winning several races during the 2008 season. By 2009, Yamaha, Graves and BBoz found themselves back in the the premier AMA Superbike Series, and team mate Josh Hayes ended up second overall to '09 Champ Mat Mladin. For the 2010 season, Ben hooked up with Pat Clark Motorsports out of Las Vegas, who put him on one of the team's new mounts, a Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike. Ben helped to pay them back today by taking the pole at Laguna Seca for the final tomorrow afternoon. Great job!
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One of the nicest guys in the AMA Superbike paddock took the pole today for the Laguna Seca round tomorrow in Monterey, CA. Ben Bostrom, the '98 AMA Superbike Champion who just early this year hooked up with the Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha team, took his Graves Motorsports Yamaha-built R1 to the top of the sheet in both qualifying sessions for first overall for this event. With outside-the-industry sponsors in The Palm Resorts/Casinos and Las Vegas Speedway on board, BBoz showed his magic in taking a superbike to the top and for his riding background and knowledge of the Laguna circuit to take the pole by .2 seconds over Graves Yamaha teamster and current points leader Josh Hayes.

Jake Holden on the M4 Monster Suzuki, Tommy Hayden on the Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki and Larry Pegram on his Pegram Racing/Foremost Insurance Ducati rounded out the top five, and Eric Bostrom, in his second event after returning last weekend at Mid Ohio to the series on a Cycle World/Yoshimura Suzuki, ended up 6th overall. Other notables for tomorrow's 6:45 P.M EDT final start were Jason Pridmore on the Celtic Racing Suzuki who will start 12th on the grid and former '95 AMA Superbike and 5-Time AMA 600 Supersport Champ Miguel Duhamel who qualified 15th on his privateer Ducati 1098R.

This was BBoz' first pole of the 2010 season and the 8th AMA Superbike pole of his long and storied career. Great news for Captain America and I can guarantee you I will be watching this one on edge on the live timing link tomorrow. Being a LONG time BBoz fan, this is great news to the old guys like me that appreciate and relish the roots of the sport and the best of talent that has come, gone, and returned again to the U.S. shores to contest the AMA Superbike Championship.

Go get 'em Ben and good luck! We'll be rooting for you man!!

You can read the rundown straight from the track by the always excellent Paul Carruthers over at CycleNews.com, the bible of motorcycle racing news online and in print:

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/07/24/bostrom-takes-laguna-sbk-pole
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AMA Pro Road Racing combined qualifying results from Laguna (PDF-version):

http://results.amaproracing.com/pdfresults/rr/2010/07-laguna/sbqcovr.pdf

AMA Pro Road Racing 2nd session qualifying results from Laguna (standard version):

http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/results.cfm?year=2010&eid=2010011035&discipline=rr&class=SB&type=Q&rnum=2
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Nice article from Steve Atlas over at Motorcycle-USA.com about the coming together of Ben Bostrom and the Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha team:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/748/7523/Motorcycle-Article/Pat-Clark-Motorsports--The-New-AMA-Superbike.aspx
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And here is the official AMA Pro Road Racing Live Timing and Scoring link for tomorrow's races:

http://laptraxtg.racersites-cluster.com/LapTraxTG/AMA/livescoring.html?LAPTRAXID=2010011035

Here's the event info for tomorrow's events on the AMA side of things:

http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/event.cfm?eid=2010011035
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Jason Pridmore To Ride For Celtic Racing at Laguna AMA Superbike Round This W/E

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Jason Pridmore celebrates after winning the AMA 750 Supersport final at Road America in '92, beating Scott Russell in the process (okay, so Scott started at the back of the grid, but still...)
Jason was riding his Class Schools sponsored Kawasaki ZX-7R in the 750 Supersport series that year and this was quite a monumental win considering Russell dominated the class in winning 3 titles from '90-'92, and winning EVERY race in the series the year prior.
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Great news to come across this week----yeah, I'm a little behind----in hearing that Jason Pridmore will be running the AMA Superbike class at Laguna for Celtic/Orient Racing on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 for the team. Celtic, having fielded riders Chaz Davies and Canadian Brett McCormick in the past, has been competing in the AMA Road Racing Series regularly now for the last 4-5 seasons in various classes.
Jason, who is a former AMA 750 Supersport and AMA Formula Extreme Champion, not too mention the '03 FIM World Endurance Champ, has been away from the AMA scene since the end of the '06 season, concentrating on running his Star Motorcycle School, his professional golf game, doing the two-up rides for Michael Jordan Motorsports this year, as well as a part-time announcer for the AMA SpeedTV team and it's coverage of the races (which he adds a great turn to as a former/current racer.)
It will be great to see Jason hit the track here in the States again! Always a great guy and a great champion, JP43 is one of the better 'elder' spokespersons for the sport. Let alone his very colorful personality. You can read more below!
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Here's the official news on Jason's return to the AMA Superbike Series at Laguna today thanks to David Swarts at RoadRacingWorld.com:

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=41299
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Here's a little more background on Jason from his Star Motorcycle School website:

http://www.starmotorcycle.com/jasonpridmore.html
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Here's Celtic Racing's website that will give you a little more background on them and their machines and riders in the past:

http://www.celticracing.com/
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We wish Jason the best of luck this weekend. It should be a good weekend for Jason in the AMA Superbike class as Celtic has been producing some great racing bikes over the course of the last 4-5 years and has proven themselves to be one of the top-tier privateer teams in the AMA paddock. Good luck to Jason and Celtic this weekend on and off the track!
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Yamaha Gifts Ex-Eric Bostrom Graves R1 Superbike to Jay Leno

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Chuck Graves is the man behind the Yamaha Graves Motorsports dynasty that has been supreme in pretty much all of the AMA Road Racing classes in the last 7-8 seasons, and is a former west coast road racer who first burst onto the scene in the '80s at Willow Springs Raceway. A former multi-time track and FUSA Champion, Graves started Graves Motorsports in 1990. After more then proving his mettle and ability on the track, the man also proved it in his ability to craft a finely tuned piece of racing equipment into a fire-breathing 180mph+ two-wheeled rocket. And he hasn't slowed down any either.
Hooking up with Yamaha as the unofficial and official factory team for the tuning fork people in the early '00s, the team won multiple championships in AMA 600 Supersport and AMA Superstock as a litmus test. It paid off. Graves and Yamaha came back to the premier AMA Superbike class in 2007. With riders Eric Bostrom on the #32 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike and Jason DiSalvo on the #40 like-machine, the team finished in the 4th spot (DiSalvo) and in the 5th spot (EBoz) in the final 2008 AMA Superbike Championship points standings, scoring 10 top fives and 27 top tens between the two riders. The only riders to finish ahead of them were '08 Champ Ben Spies, then-six time champ Mat Mladin, and Jamie Hacking on the Factory Kawasaki. Not a bad second year back. And in '09 Josh Hayes finished 2nd in the hunt, and Ben Bostrom nabbed 5th. As of this writing, Hayes is in the middle of the hunt for the 2010 AMA Superbike Championship with a four point lead and four race wins.
Since the '08 season, the rules have been de-tuned somewhat and the machines we now see on track are not the fire-breathing dragons of years ago (at least in the U.S. AMA Superbike Series). Bummer. Here are two of those Graves Yamaha R1 AMA Superbikes as they sit in the Graves paddock area at Road America in June of '08 while being readied for the weekend's events. Getting ready to breath fire.
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Whether you are a fan of Jay Leno or not (and I am so deal with it) you at least have to admire his automobile and motorcycle collection, that if you don't know about already, it's time to get out from under the rock. And slowly.

Anyway, Yamaha USA gifted an ex-Eric Bostrom '08 Graves Motorsports R1 Superbike to Jay Leno last night in part of the celebrations leading up to the Laguna Seca MotoGP event this weekend. Of course, all the BIG stars were there....KR, Sr., Eddie Lawson, Ben Spies, Colin Edwards......oh, and of course, Jay Leno. Sounds like a wayyyyyyyyyy cool time. Besides getting to put an ex-AMA (and REAL fire-breathing) Superbike in your garage and collection.

Read it and weep here thanks to the release and the great people over at Dean Adams' bitchin SuperBikePlanet.com:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jul/100721leno.htm
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And you can check out some pics from the guest list, thanks to Dean Adams, right here:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/leno/1/

And here:

http://superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/leno/2/

And here, too:

http://superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/leno/3/
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And before you have to crawl back under that rock again, go here....Jay's garage:

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/
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Roger Lee Hayden Talks About MotoGP Ride at Laguna With LCR Honda

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Roger Lee Hayden rips up the hill into turn 10 at Mid Ohio during qualifying for the AMA 600 Supersport event in July of 2005. Roger joined the Kawasaki Factory effort in '04 and contested the 600 Championship for the team, and as a team mate to his oldest brother Tommy. Tommy won the AMA 600 Championship for Kawasaki in '04-'05 and Roger followed through winning the title for the team in '07 while riding the ZX-6R-based machines.
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Roger Lee Hayden, the youngest of the Hayden Clan from Owensboro, KY., was officially announced yesterday as the fill in replacement rider for the LCR Honda MotoGP team at Laguna this upcoming weekend. Regular rider Randy DePuniet was knocked out of action for the next 6-8 weeks +/- during the MotoGP race in Germany on Sunday when involved in a three bike crash during the MotoGP race and suffered a broken leg. As a result, Roger will get a chance to step in and race at a track he is familiar with and on a competitive (DePuniet was sitting in the 6th spot in the MotoGP Championship prior to the crash) satellite Honda-factory supported team. Roger last rode at MotoGP machine at Laguna in '07 for the Kawasaki effort with top ten results.

Roger had a chance to talk to the folks at MotorcycleNews.com across the pond about his upcoming ride and you can read about that right here and see why RLH95 is so pumped for this home race for the Hayden clan:

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2010/July/jul2010-roger-lee-hayden-on-lcr-honda-chance/
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Here is the official release courtesy of the great team at SuperBikePlanet.com concerning LCR's signing of Roger to the team's efforts for the Monterey round this weekend:

http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jul/100719rlh2.htm
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We wish Roger and all the other Americans in the field this weekend the best of luck. For that matter we wish everyone in the field this weekend the best, AND safest of luck this weekend as well! Go get 'em Team USA/Team Kentucky!
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Tommy Hayden Leads 18 Laps to Win AMA Superbike R2 at Mid Ohio

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Tommy Hayden has come a very long way since he first started riding in the AMA Superbike class for Rob Muzzy's Kawasaki team back in '97, where he won '97 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Honors. After leaving Muzzy's team at the end of the '98 season as shown in qualifying at Mid Ohio above, he rode for the Yamaha Factory team, back to Kawasaki's Factory in-house effort, and then landing with the powerhouse Yoshimura Rockstar Makita Suzuki team for the '07 season where he has steadily improved since that time. Tommy Gun took the '04 and '05 AMA 600 Supersport Championships and sat out the Superbike class for several years while riding Supersport and Superstock machinery. He returned to the Superbike class with Yoshimura in 2007 and this year won his first premier class event earlier in the season. He now has three premier class wins to his credit after all these years. The hard work HAS paid off for the eldest of the Hayden clan!
Today's win at Mid Ohio moves him to within 4 points of the championship hunt behind series leader Josh Hayes, whom Hayden beat today by .194 seconds, for his third win and ninth podium on the season. The series moves on to Laguna Seca next weekend paired up with the Red Bull MotoGP American round in Monterey, CA.
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Yoshimura Rockstar Makita Suzuki-mounted Tommy Hayden emerged victorious today over series rival Josh Hayes in the second race of the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tires at Mid Ohio. Leading 18 of 21 laps at the stripe on his GSX-R1000, Hayden held off series points leader Josh Hayes on the #4 Graves Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R1 by just .194 seconds at the stripe. Local and hometown hero Larry Pegram on the #72 Pegram Racing Foremost Insurance Ducati 1098R rounded out the podium 2.97 seconds back from Hayden. Ben Bostrom on the #155 Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha finished fourth and Brett McCormick, the Canadian sensation filling in for the injured Aaron Yates on the #23 Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki, had his best finish of the season in fifth.

The series moves to Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA., for next weekend's event paired with the Red Bull MotoGP stars. Track time will be at a premium for everyone next weekend as the MotoGP Circus stars will get star billing on AND off the track. Most practice and qualifying sessions for next weekend have been shortened from the usually little-time of 50 to 40 minutes, so getting dialed in early will be the key to getting through the weekend with little or no errors and remaining in the overall hunt for the championship. Stay tuned!
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Here's the abbreviated version of what happened in the race today from the always excellent on-the-scene SpeedTV.com man Chris Martin:

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/spoiler-warning-ama-sbk-race-2-results-mid-ohio/
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AMA Pro Road Racing official results for Mid Ohio SBK R2 are here:

http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/results.cfm?year=2010&eid=2010011030&discipline=rr&class=SB&type=F&rnum=2
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And in the AMA Daytona Sportbike race today at Mid Ohio, '09 AMA DSB Champion Danny Eslick on the Geico Motorsports/Richie Morris Racing Suzuki GSX-R600 took advantage of crashes by the other title contenders to take the win today over Steve Rapp on the #15 Team Latus Motors Ducati 848 by 4.481 seconds. Yesterday's second place man Bobby Fong (DNA Energy Drink/Crozier Ducati 848) took the last spot on the podium and Tommy Aquino and Martin Cardenas rounded out the top five.

Series point leader Josh Herrin still holds a slim 2 point lead in the AMA DSB Championship over Eslick after crashing out today and remounting to finish 19th in race two. The boys will be back next weekend as well at Laguna Seca for next Sunday's 1:25 P.M. EDT race start.
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Thanks again to Chris Martin at SpeedTV.com for the abbreviated version of the Mid Ohio DSB race two action:

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/spoiler-warning-ama-dsb-results-race-2-mid-ohio1/
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AMA Pro Road Racing Daytona Sportbike official results here:
http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/results.cfm?year=2010&eid=2010011030&discipline=RR&class=DS&type=F&rnum=2&class_sort=all
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Hayes Takes Squeaker in AMA Superbike R1 Action at Mid Ohio

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Josh Hayes on the American Honda/Erion Racing/Parts Unlimited CBR600RR #1 machine comes up the hill having just passed under the pedestrian bridge at Mid Ohio during the running of the AMA Formula Xtreme final in August of 2007. Hayes won the race by over 5.4 seconds to second man Ben Attard on an Attack Kawasaki and Chaz Davies on a Celtic Racing Yamaha. After seven wins and eight podiums on the season, Josh bagged his second AMA Formula Xtreme Championship over runner-up Steve Rapp (on another Attack Kawasaki) by 45 points at year's end.
After four wins on the year and a now-ten point lead in the 2010 AMA Superbike Championship, Hayes could very well add to his championship total and be wearing that #1 plate on his Graves Yamaha at the of the season. Stay tuned!
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AMA Superbike action in race one this afternoon at Mid Ohio saw Josh Hayes, riding the #4 Graves Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R1, hold off seasoned veteran Ben Bostrom on a like Graves-supported, Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha by just .219 seconds at the 21st and final stripe. Tommy Hayden rounded out the podium on his Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to stay within 10 points of new series leader Hayes. Hometown and local hero Larry Pegram on his Pegram Racing Foremost Insurance Ducati 1098R ended up fourth and Jake Holden, riding in place of injured John Hopkins on the Monster Energy Emgo Racing Suzuki rounded out the top five.

You can read the race rundown from the always excellent, and sometimes controversial Henny Ray Abrams over at CycleNews.com right here:

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/07/17/hayes-holds-off-bostrom

And here's the results thanks to AMA Pro Road Racing:

http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/results.cfm?year=2010&eid=2010011030&discipline=rr&class=SB&type=F&rnum=1
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And in AMA Daytona Sportbike race one action at the big Mid O, Josh Herrin took the win on his Graves Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6 over Bobby Fong (riding a DNA Energy Drink/CNR Motorsports Ducati 848) by just .045 at the stripe. Herrin now leads the AMA DSB Championship by 31 points over fourth-on-the-day Danny Eslick on his Geico/RMR Suzuki GSX-R600.

Here's Henny's rundown on the AMA Daytona Sportbike race one at Mid O:

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/07/17/herrin-in-a-squeaker

And thanks again to AMA Pro Road Racing for the results:

http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/results.cfm?year=2010&eid=2010011030&discipline=RR&class=DS&type=F&rnum=1&class_sort=all
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Larry Pegram Ducati Foremost Racing Live Webcam for AMA Superbike Mid Ohio Round

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Larry Pegram's Pegram Racing/Leo Vince/Competition Accessories/Foremost Insurance Group Ducati 749R sits under the team's canopy in the paddock area at Mid Ohio in the summer of 2007. Pegram raced the AMA Formula Xtreme Championship in '07 and finished fourth in the class with six top five finishes and three podiums to his credit. The big twin was no match for the inline fours of Erion Honda's duo of Josh Hayes and Aaron Gobert, or the inline of Attack Kawasaki's Steve Rapp. The 2010 season marks four years with Larry onboard the Italian marque, after riding Hondas in '06. This is his second straight year back in the premier AMA Superbike class and he has already proven to be a front runner again after a stellar year last year aboard the team's 1098R's. After first round qualifying today Larry sits in the third spot to line up for the AMA Superbike finals tomorrow and Sunday.
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Larry Pegram, who has raced just about everything imaginable in the AMA Pro Racing series and for what seems like forever, is in the middle of a great run this year after having a stellar year back in the premier AMA Superbike class last year. After today's provisional qualifying session at Mid Ohio, Pegram sits in the 3rd spot on the grid for the AMA Superbike races with his Foremost Insurance Ducati 1098R just .542 seconds behind race and series front runners Tommy Hayden and Josh Hayes. Go Larry!

For this weekend, the Pegram Racing team is offering an 'in view' live webcam of the goings on in their garage at Mid Ohio. (it requires Apple Quicktime plug-in to view)

So while you are checking out the Live Timing and Scoring feeds from the races outside Lexington, you can have a look at what Larry and the Foremost Ducati team are up to.

Check it out here--and thanks to Larry and the team for the live feed. You guys rock as usual!

http://pegramracing.com/liverace/index.php
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Mid Ohio AMA Superbike Preview--Get it All Here! (Updated 7/16/10 w/ Live Timing and Scoring)

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Mat Mladin on the #66 Yoshimura Makita Rockstar Suzuki GSX-R1000 leads team mate Ben Spies on the #1 machine across the stripe early in AMA Superbike race two action at Mid Ohio in 2008. Just coming out of the last corner onto the front straight is Jamie Hacking on the #2 Monster Energy Team Kawasaki ZX-10. Team Honda team mates Neil Hodgson on the #100 CBR1000RR and Miguel Duhamel on the #17 lead Aaron Yates on the Michael Jordan Motorsports #20 Suzuki GSX-R1000 as they all try to keep the front group in sight.
Since the takeover of the AMA Road Racing properties and running of the racing events by the DMG-led folks, the Superbike class has gone from a fire-breathing, 240+ HP and top-of-your-game class to Superstock heavy. With control tires and control fuel being implemented to help level the field--not a bad thing by me, it's working in WSBK!--and less-then-super Superbikes in the way of stock front suspensions-albeit the internals can be changed out-to milder-tuned and less hopped-up engines. With the racing arguably closer in the premier class, but still missing the fire that a full-blown Superbike class should have (see WSBK rules). And due to other problems such as the economy, losing sponsors and teams, the AMA Road Racing series at least appears to be making somewhat of a comeback in 2010. Though they do still need to work on the television package in respect to times shown (or not).
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One of the more user-friendly tracks (in terms of fan viewing and garage-access anyway) on the AMA Road Racing schedule is the flowing 2.5+ mile track known as Mid Ohio, located just outside beautiful downtown Lexington, OH. The Trueman Family still runs the track after all these years, and their ties to one of their original Indy car sponsors in Red Roof Inns is still prominent in the building and rooftop colors.
One of the nicer advantages of viewing a race at Mid Ohio is the way they set up some of the garages on each end of the paddock with stairs and a walkway above and over-the-shoulders of the teams set up inside for the race weekend. It gives you a nice chance to view some of the teams as they prepare for the weekend-or scramble because of it, and not get in anyone's way while doing it. Overhead views seem to lay everything out for you, so to speak, as well, in giving you an idea of where everything is.
In this shot you can see Josh Herrin's Graves Motorsports Yamaha 600 Supersport machine and his team as they prepare for the day's events in the summer of 2007. Herrin can be seen at the bench in the tan cap. Herrin will be looking to extend his lead in the 2010 AMA Daytona SportBike Championship at M.O. this weekend with two races on tap. Herrin won the Daytona 200 back in March riding for Team Graves and has gradually over the course of the last four seasons proved to be a seasoned-veteran with the team on and off the track. Winning multiple races the last couple of years it's just a matter of time before he bags a championship for Yamaha and for Graves Motorsports.
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Coming out of the keyhole onto the back straight at Mid Ohio, several riders run together during the first qualifying session for the AMA Formula Xtreme class in 2004.
Just outside the keyhole area the track offers camping and motorhomes and is a good high-speed vantage to watch from as the riders roll it on through the gears. The track also offers shower facilities just behind the paddock area where the safety garages and cars are. You can't miss that, just look for all the Honda's set up in racing school gear!
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Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, one of the oldest tracks on the current AMA Road Racing schedule that has been an annual stop since the early '80s, hosts round six of the AMA Superbike and AMA Daytona SportBike races this weekend. Also on hand will be the AMA Supersport races and the new Vance and Hines H-D XR1200 race on Sunday.

Honda Supercycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tires is the hosting sponsor for the races that will kick off with practice sessions tomorrow at Noon EDT and continue into Saturday for race one and wrap up with race two on Sunday for the top three classes.

Links to all you need to know to follow action at Mid Ohio can be found below!

Mid Ohio has been hosting double-race Superbike rounds since the 2000 season, and this track is a great place to see a race in terms of viewing and bang-for-the-buck happenings. If you can't get excited about watching the races anywhere around this place you don't have a pulse.....

Of note for the race weekend, Eric Bostrom #32 will be returning to AMA Superbike action riding for the Cycle World/Attack Suzuki team and Doug Polen, the '91-'92 WSBK Champion and '93 AMA Superbike Champion, will also be riding a Ducati for DucShop Racing in the Daytona SportBike class. Unfortunately, Aaron Yates' leg is not mended enough for him to ride for Michael Jordan this weekend, but Canadian sensation Brett McCormick is scheduled to fill the seat of the #23 Superbike entry again after filling in for the last few rounds on Aaron's bike.
Also, #79 Blake Young is out after a massive crash in testing after the Road America round in early June, and the rider that was slated to be his replacement on the Yoshimura Suzuki squad, Josh Waters, an Australian Superbike fenom, was also injured in a testing crash a couple of weeks ago, and will not fill the seat as planned. No word if anyone will be in the seat tomorrow when first practice rolls out at 1 P.M. EDT for the Superbike class.

AMA Road Racing Honda Supercycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tires Mid Ohio event info:
http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/event.cfm?eid=2010011030

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Various AMA Road Racing Mid Ohio event press releases courtesy of RoadRacingWorld.com:

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=41118

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=41101

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=41082

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=41169

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=41150

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Lexington, OH. weather thanks to the Weather Underground:
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=44904

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Google Maps link to Lexington, OH.:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&g=7721+Steam+Corners+Road,+Lexington,+OH+44904-0108&q=lexington,+oh&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Lexington,+Richland,+Ohio&ll=40.678815,-82.580624&spn=0.06405,0.110035&t=h&z=13

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Mid Ohio Official track link:

http://www.midohio.com/Home

Official Mid Ohio Track Map (pdf version):

http://www.midohio.com/Assets/Images/Pictures/TS-GenTrackMap-09

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AMA Live Timing and Scoring Mid Ohio event Link--UPDATED Fri. 7/16/10:

http://laptraxtg.racersites-cluster.com/LapTraxTG/AMA/livescoring.html?LAPTRAXID=2010011030
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Miguel Duhamel Returning to AMA Superbike for Laguna Seca Round

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Miguel Duhamel heads out of the pitlane at Mid Ohio during the summer of '91 on the Team Commonwealth Camel Honda RC30 for a rain practice session. Duhamel earlier in the season had won his first of five Daytona 200's while on his maiden ride for the Louisville-based Camel Honda team while replacing their injured rider, the late Randy Renfrow. Duhamel went on to also win 5 AMA 600 Supersport Championships and two AMA Formula Xtreme Championships.
The ride for the AMA round in Laguna Seca will be Duhamel's first on a Ducati in two wheel competition after having ridden Honda's for the better part of his racing career. Some exceptions to that are when he contested the World 500cc Championship for Yamaha in '92 and when he returned to AMA action in '93 riding for Team Muzzy Kawasaki. Duhamel won one of his 600 Championships while riding for Muzzy that year, as well. He also won his first AMA Superbike race at Heartland Park in 1990 while riding a Suzuki. Miguel last competed in AMA competition in the Daytona 200 at the beginning of the 2009 season on a Suzuki prepped by the Canadian Picotte Performance team.
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Good news to hit the motorcycle racing news pike this week is the return of 1995 AMA Superbike Champion Miguel Duhamel to the grid of the AMA Superbike round at Laguna Seca at the end of this month.
Teaming with Team Forza on a Ducati 1098R, Miguel will throw a leg over for this round in an attempt to help raise awareness for TERI Services for Children and Adults with Autism. At the time this is scheduled to be a one-off ride and any future rides, according to the press release anyway, would be based strictly on future sponsorship.

You can read this super news of Miguel's return to the AMA Superbike ranks via this press release thanks to the good folks at Moto Forza and Motorcycle.com:

http://www.motorcycle.com/news/duhamel-to-race-ama-superbike-at-laguna-seca-89772.html
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Roger Lee Hayden Scores in the Points in Both Races at Brno WSBK Round

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Roger Lee Hayden on the #95 Team Kawasaki ZX-6 leads Jason DiSalvo on the #40 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6 during the AMA 600 Supersport final event at Road America in June of '04. This was Roger's first year riding for Team Kawasaki, and he eventually brought them a 600 Supersport Championship in 2007.
Roger's quest to run the World Superbike Championship with Team Pedercini on a limited budget has proved to be a building year for everyone involved, but yesterday at Brno RLH placed 14th in race one and 13th in race two to take his 2nd and 3rd points paying positions of the year. It may not sound like much, but for Roger and the team this is big. In race one the Tom Sykes finished 11th on the Kawasaki Factory effort and in the second race RLH finished AHEAD of all of the other Kaws in the championship. Great job Roger! Hang in there man, you're making us proud!
DiSalvo, who until just after the Miller/USA round was running in the World Supersport Series, showed up at Grattan Raceway outside of Grand Rapids, MI. over the July 4th weekend and helped the Team Zyvax Yamaha team to victory and second place in the WERA Endurance race that weekend. As it were, Jason must have faced a much steeper and darker curve in bringing the ParkinGO Triumphs up to speed as he parted company with them just after the Miller USA/WSBK round at the end of May.
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Roger Hayden, who has been contesting the World Supersport series in Europe this year for Team Pedercini Kawasaki, scored his 2nd and 3rd points paying finishes yesterday at the Brno round. The underfunded team has struggled throughout the season to get up to form, and Roger having to learn all the tracks this year has also played against them this year as well. But they have stuck it out and haved gained considerably from where they had started the year off back in February at Philip Island, and their upwards movement paid off in the points yesterday.
In the process of doing so, Roger placed 13th and ahead of the other Kawasakis, except for 11th place finisher Tom Sykes on the Kawasaki factory effort in race one, and placed ahead of all of them while going on to finish 13th in race two, his third points paying finish of the year, and best placing for the year as well. Great job Roger!

And to add to the mix I included the race results below, and interview with Roger from back in April and the link to a picture of the Indy Moto2 entry that Roger will be riding for American Honda/Erion Racing in August. Some good things coming down the pike for RLH and Stu's Shots is primed to bring you the news and developments as the season moves on.

Congrats to Roger and Team Pedercini on their great finishes from yesterday.

Good luck and we can't wait to see you at Indy next month, Rog! It's going to be a good to have you representing us in the new Moto2 class at the big IMS track just down the road from Stu's Shots! Go get 'em!

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Brno WSBK Race 1 results:

http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/latest-results/3890-brno-superbike-race-1.html

Brno WSBK Race 2 results:

http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/latest-results/3899-brno-superbike-race-2.html

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Great interview with Roger from the great folks at RoadRacerX.com that was published back in April. He speaks about the team and how close knit they are and the learning curve they have all faced in light of the budget restraints the team has as opposed to some of the factory teams. Good read--catch it here:

http://www.roadracerx.com/features/tuesday-conversation/tuesday-conversation-roger-hayden-3/
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And just to add to this great news today is the article from Dean Adams over at SuperBikePlanet.com of Roger's Moto2 American Honda/Erion Racing entry for the Red Bull MotoGP Indianapolis round in August. This details some of the team's inner ties between the relationship with Team Manager Kevin Schwantz and the team that designed the great looking graphics for the U.S. round.
You can read about it and see the bike and Roger's leathers as he will be wearing in Indy at the end of next month right here:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jul/10070795341.htm
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Joe Kopp Takes Latus Motors XR to Win at AMA Flat Track Lake Odessa Round 8

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Joe Kopp, '00 AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion, sits behind his Latus Motors/Moto Concepts/American Agip/Lloyd Brothers XR while signing autographs for the fans during a break in the action at Lima two weeks ago. Kopp parked the Ducati and jumped on the #3 H-D XR750 to lead combined practice, win his heat and the National Final at Lake Odessa last night.
The AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com series made it's stop at I-96 Raceway for round 8 of the schedule. Kopp led all 25 laps of the final and was able to keep it up front in spite of a two restarts, the first on lap 2 and the second on lap 11.
As a result of winning his second main on a different make of motorcycle this year, and put together with his two other podiums this season, Smokin' Joe took over the number one spot atop the overall point standings by 13 points over second place man Jake Johnson. Henry Wiles dropped to third after a 9th place finish last night, two more points back of JJ.
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Jake Johnson helps out his Zanotti Racing/Leo Vince/Tucker Rocky crew on the #5 H-D XR machine in the pits at Lima at the end of June. Johnson hounded eventual winner Kopp for the whole race and even with the benefit of the red flags could get no closer then .215 seconds at the completion of 25 laps last night at Lake Odessa's half mile track.
Johnson moved up in the overall points from the last round at Lima as a result of his second place finish and his fourth podium of the year as well. The series returns on July 31 at Calistoga, CA. for round nine.
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The H-D XR's of #5 Zanotti Racing's Jake Johnson and the #2 of H-D Motor Corp./Screamin' Eagle's Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. flank the #40 Aprilia of Lloyd Bros./American Agip's Aaron King in the pits at Lima last month. King didn't make the main last night at Lake O, but H-D's Kenny Coolbeth did on the #2 factory machine to round out the podium in third place last night, finishing .281 seconds back of winner Kopp. The King of Cool and multi-time champ remains in the sixth spot in the overall standings 35 points adrift of leader Kopp. And the season is just getting rolling!
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The #7 H-D XR of Sammy Halbert, sponsored by Kings Kustoms/KK Motorcycle Supply/Nelson Racing sits in his pit area at Lima in June. Sammy kept it in fourth for the final last night at Lake O finishing .636 seconds back from Kopp. He now sits 19 points back from point leader Smokin' Joe in fourth overall. It was Slammin' Sammy's fourth podium of the year after winning the season opening round on the new Daytona Short Track.
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Reigning twins champ, Jared Mees, on the #1 Rogers Lake/Blue Springs H-D/Rockysonline.com XR finished 5th last night on the Lake Odessa half mile, just .822 seconds adrift of winner Kopp. Jared stays in the fifth spot in the championship run 25 points back of Kopp. His bike is shown in the pits at Lima last month.
Notice a pattern? Yep, 15 of the 17 starters last night were the tried and true H-D XR's and only the two Kawasakis , one of which was Werner Springsteen's Bryan Smith on the #42 machine (finishing 17th after dropping out 7 laps into the final and dropping to eighth in the series standings 80 points adrift of the lead) and the Scott Powersports/Cycle Dynamics/K&N Filters-sponsored Kawasaki of #10 Johnny Lewis. Lewis finished seventh on the evening and the only non-XR in the top 10.

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The AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com series made it's stop at I-96 Raceway yesterday in Lake Odessa, MI., and Joe Kopp came away with the big win on his Latus H-D XR this time instead of his Lloyd Brothers Ducati mount. Jake Johnson brought his Zanotti Racing XR home in second to extend his top five performances this season to five and his seventh top six position on the year. Kenny Coolbeth, Jr., on the H-D Motor Corp. #2 machine rounded out the podium in third.

Of note, Pro Singles Champ Brad Baker #17M rode one of Mark Cheza's XR's to a semi win last night to put it into the twins main for the first time in his career where he finished a very respectable 13th on the evening. As per info out on the web AMA Flat Track is giving some of the Pro Singles riders chances to run some GNC events this year to get them ready for the new big bikes. Per notations on Dave Hoenig's Flat Trak Fotos results, no points will be awarded and these are being considered as provisional starts and finishes. Sounds like a great idea. Several other singles riders including James Rispoli also tried to qualify for the evening's events at Lake Odessa but fell short of making the field. Good luck to Brad and better luck to the others in the future in being able to put it in to the field for the rolling thunder show and the best show on wheels!

The AMA Flat Track series now takes a three week break before reconvening for one of the west coast rounds in Calistoga, CA. on July 31 for round nine. The season is just heating up so stay tuned to Stu's Shots for the remainder of the season's schedule. We didn't make it to Lake O yesterday but are trying to make several of the remaining races that are close to Indy that will be coming up in August and September. And as always we will bring you the racing news for today with some of the pictures of yesterday to cover this exciting series through the end of the year.
Hats/helmets off to Mike Kidd, Steve Morehead and the AMA Flat Track team for helping to guide this series down the road. With 50+ riders trying to time their way into the last two twins events, the numbers are up and the series is looking stronger then ever. And the level of competiton is as strong as ever in AMA Flat Track. Like we've said before and will probably wear you out with, this is the best racing series going on wheels, bar none! You owe yourself a favor to check out at least one round this year as the racing is primetime, and so is the running of the show.

Here's the abbreviated version of the rundown at Lake Odessa from last night from the always excellent Dave Hoenig from Cycle News and Flat Trak Fotos:
http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2010/07/11/kopp-has-good-night-on-i-96

AMA Pro Flat Track Official results and points can be found here:
http://amaproracing.com/ft/events/results.cfm?eid=2010021035
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9-Time AMA Grand National Champion Scott Parker Spills The Beans.....

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Scott Parker on the #1 H-D Factory XR leads Jay Springsteen on the #9 Bartel's H-D XR during practice at the Terre Haute Half-Mile in July of '97. Parker won 9 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championships over the course of his two decade plus career, along with 94 races. 55 of those wins came on mile tracks. Springer was the '76-'78 AMA GN Champ, and among friendships they both shared 13-Time AMA Grand National Champion tuner Bill Werner among their respective camps while riding for the H-D Factory Team. Parker retired in 2000 and can occassionally be found checking out the action at the track. Springer teamed with Werner during the '09 off season to form Werner Springsteen Kawasaki Racing and added rider #42 Bryan Smith to ride their pro twins mounts.
Terre Haute was a unique half mile that hosted AMA Flat Track regularly through the mid '70s, and still is one of the hottest tracks on the schedule for USAC and World of Outlaws sprint cars. From '74-'76 the AMA hosted some great events for winners Corky Keener, Mike Kidd and Kenny Roberts. Roberts also was handed his second GNC #1 plate their at the '74 running of the event. But when the AMA showed up again in '77, the series of ruts and holes that had been pounded into it and exposed from all the sprint car action, was rougher and more dangerous then ever. '75 event winner and future '81 GNC and AMA Flat Track Manager (currently) Mike Kidd crashed hard there and showed up at Indy the next weekend with a cast on his arm. It didn't slow HIM down much, but it put the writing on the wall for the AMA not to return for 20 years.
However, return they did in '97 to a track that was rougher and more dangerous then it was two decades earlier. Numerous crashes, bike fires, and a couple of riders helicoptered out put the writing on the wall and the AMA never returned to the Terre Haute Action Track.
Looking closely at the photo you can see the washboard look the track developed and the ruts that combined looked like glazed hell. It was, unfortunately. Back in the old days TH would draw one heck of a crowd and the riders were able to put on one hell of a show for the crowd.
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Great interview over at Motorcycle-USA.com with former 9-Time AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion Scott Parker. Scotty talks about some of his racing highlights, how he handled tracks like Daytona when he was really considered a mile specialist, and some work he has been doing for the Harley-Davidson Factory in regards to the new XR1200 series Sporster just released this year here in the States.

As always, Scotty is very open, colorful, personable and humble in talking about his career and accomplishments. And whether you are a fan or not, this is a must read!

Check it out, and good to see Scotty on the scene! Hope to see you at some of the races again this year!

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/779/7389/Motorcycle-Article/Scott-Parker-Flat-Track-Racing-Interview.aspx
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Own a Piece of AMA Superbike History: Flyin' Fred Merkel's '95 Yoshimura Factory Suzuki GSX-R750 For Sale On eBay

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Flyin' Fred Merkel bends the #27 Yoshimura Factory Suzuki GSX-R750 through a turn at Gateway International Raceway, just east of and over the river from St. Louis, during practice for the AMA Superbike round (and the only AMA event ever held at the track) in August of 1995. Merkel won the '84-'86 AMA Superbike Championship while riding Honda Interceptors tuned by Mike Velasco, one of the Fabulous Burner Brothers of the era (and still is!) Flyin' Fred then went off to Europe in '88 and won the '88 and '89 World Superbike Championships while riding a Honda RC30 for Team Rumi. Those were the first two years of the new series, as well. #27 then returned to the States in the early '90s to run the AMA Superbike and AMA 750 Supersport Series for Muzzy Kawasaki and then Yoshimura Suzuki, winning several races in the 750SS series along the way. He was forced to retire early due to a season and career ending crash at a west coast AMA round at the end of the '95 season. He currently resides in New Zealand, and as a spokesperson and fan favorite for the sport, is sorely missed. Here's to Fred Merkel, one of the original iconic AMA Superbike racers of our once world level racing series.
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A fine piece of AMA and U.S. Road Racing history is currently for sale on eBay. This would make a great addition to anyone's collection. Maybe in glass for an end table or mantle piece for the fireplace? Of course, it would have to be a pretty good size fireplace. I'm just sayin'...................


CycleNews.com reports that Flyin' Fred Merkel's 1995 Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R750 Superbike is for sale by the former 3-Time AMA Superbike and 2-Time World Superbike Champion. Bids start at $35K and you still have time to get on the bandwagon with a racing machine for the ages and ridden by one of the true champions, icons, and spokespersons of the sport.


Here's the story as posted by CycleNews.com I found this morning:
http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/07/07/merkel-selling-his-suzuki

And here is the listing for this great find over on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-GSX-R-Racebike-Fred-Merkel-Suzuki-1995-GSX-R-Superbike-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2eae44fdf1QQitemZ200492252657QQptZUSQ5fmotorcycles#v4-37
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If You Know of Anyone That Needs Housing Accomodations for Indy MotoGP, Have We Got a Deal For You!!

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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pagoda sits in the background during the Red Bull Indy MotoGP Weekend of 2009. The Pagoda was remodeled in '98-'00 and designed to resemble the original wooden Pagoda that stood at the track from the late '20s until 1956 when it was replaced with a steel and glass structure that stood tall until the new, modern remodel was started.

Unfortunately, this is NOT the house that is for rent!
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NO, the IMS Pagoda is NOT for rent. But this place is. Read on...........

I don't like to make a habit of promoting property, sales or anything of the sort that may look like a veiled effort to promote something or someone that would be a benefit (especially via friends or monetary reasons) on Stu's Shots, but the need is out there for a lot of people that will be coming to the 3rd Annual Red Bull Indy MotoGP the last weekend in August. And a lot of those people may still not have their hotel/motel/rental accomodations set yet. And this was too good of a deal for me to try to at least help some race fans out primarily, and secondarily to help an old friend out with something that is a great opportunity to seek housing for that weekend.

The house shown is within approximately 3 miles of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and offers all of the needs (AND MORE) for any race fans, teams or sponsors.
Again, I have no ulterior motive in doing this other then trying to connect some fans with a set up that would be very comfortable for anyone attending the MotoGP races and the AMA Flat Track Indy Mile on August 26-28th. (And if you are also a NASCrash fan, it's still open for that weekend as well.

Here's the ad for the rental as it appears on Craig's List with some pics of the place and who/what you need to do to contact the owner. If you know anyone who needs something, pass this info on!

INDY MotoGP and Brickyard 400 Race House Rental

3538 Pinecrest Rd/Indianapolis, IN 46234

Link to Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3538+Pinecrest+Road,+Indianapolis,+IN&sll=39.823104,-86.331297&sspn=0.008075,0.013754&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=3538+Pinecrest+Rd,+Indianapolis,+Marion,+Indiana+46234&ll=39.818722,-86.313872&spn=0.016151,0.027509&t=h&z=15
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Beautiful home for rent for all Indy races, 3 miles from speedway, 1 mile from IRP in Clermont. Sleeps 14 people, 4br, 2ba, hugh kit & dining area, 2 lv/rms, entertainment/bar room, heated 17x32ft pool, 8 man hot tub, 60 x 80ft deck with fireplace, gas grill, all on privacy fenced acre. We rent for all races, provide everything and will even get you grocery list in stock for you. We will check in usually once a day to take out trash and to make sure you have all for a fun filled break.

We take Visa/Master.
Rate is $90.00 per person, per night with a mininum of 6 people and 2 nights.

Call Dianne @ 317-714-7845 or e-mail Dianne at ladydieuro@aol.com for more information, pictures, directions, or questions.

Pinecrest Rd at 136/ Dandy Trail
Location: 3538 Pinecrest Rd/Indianapolis, IN 46234

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Front of house as you pull in driveway off of Pinecrest Drive.
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Inside of home includes all the conveniences of home including flat panel HD wall-mounted TV, 4 BR/2 Bath, entertainment room and bar room.
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The heated pool will be open 24 hours during the MotoGP weekend for relaxing in after the long day at the races. Try to get that at your local hotel/motel.
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The deck and the 8-man hot tub spa will be calling your name after hours in the hot sun at the tracks for the MotoGP and Indy Mile weekends. Can't you just imagine kicking back at this place after a long day with your favorite adult beverage and whatever you want on your personal menu--all brought in to your liking by the owner (as long as you give her your shopping list. You have to pay for it-naturally-but having the place stocked for you will save you hours in time/convenience.)
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So get all your friends together and check this out. Way too good of a deal to pass up, especially if you travel in large numbers.

Enjoy and good luck and tell 'em Stu's Shots sent you!
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Shawn Baer and Bonneville Performance Team at Lima

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The Bonneville Performance Triumph flat track team's bikes sit in the pits at Lima in between the practice/qualifying sessions and the evening's main event. Team lead Bill Gately and rider Shawn Baer lead this entry this year into AMA Flat Track action and have now put the team into the last two Expert twins nationals finals (Springfield Mile and Lima.) This is another great entry into the Expert twins class that showcases a different formula to compete with the long and all conquering Harley XR750s. With some work look for the team to get this great looking bike dialed in and move further up in the standings.
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One of the newer teams to contest the AMA Pro Flat Track/K&N Filters sponsored by MotorcycleSuperstore.com series is the Bonneville Performance Triumph team campaigned by National #32 Shawn Baer and team head honcho Bill Gately. Missing the field at Prescott Valley in May by placing 8th in the semi, the team has put it in the finals at both the Springfield Mile and at Lima last week. Unfortunately, mechanicals have sidelined the team early in both finals, but look for them to come back strong as ever and work their way up in the standings with hard work--and some luck thrown in, as well.

Brett Noble over at TriumphFlatTrack.com has a race report filed by team lead Bill Gately here that gives some insight into the team's hard work and efforts. Check it out:

http://www.triumphflattrack.com/2010/06/bonneville-performance-lima-race-report.html

And here as well:

http://www.triumphflattrack.com/2010/06/2-in-row.html
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Also, thanks again to Brett for posting some more of my shots over at his super site. While at Lima last weekend I took some shots of the Bonneville Performance team and Brett was kind enough to put them up and showcase them on his great site. Check those out here and keep an eye on the #32 team as the try to contend against the deep competition in the series this year:

http://www.triumphflattrack.com/2010/07/shawn-baer-photos-from-mike-stu-stuhler.html
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AMA Flat Track Lima Half Mile Happenings On and Off The Track

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Kenny Coolbeth on the #2 H-D factory XR750 leads Steve Bonsey on the #80, Dustin Crow on the #61, Adam Carpinello on the #58 and PJ Jacobsen on the #99b during Expert heat race one action for 3rd and 4th place. Eventual evening's winner Henry Wiles and Joe Kopp had already checked out early in the action and Bonsey and Crow took the last two direct transfers to the main. The King of Cool went on the nail second in his semi and finish 14th in the main. This picture show how rough the track started out and the different lines that were available to run through out the evening. Great work by Mike Kidd and Steve Morehead of the AMA Flat Track team working with the track prep crews got the track in great shape for the final events.

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Dash for Cash winner Henry Wiles stands behind his winning #17 while second place man Sammy Halbert is interviewed. Jake Johnson carded third in the dash and tries to cool off after the hard and hot action. Wiles made it all but a perfect night in winning his heat, the dash and the main. Johnson finished a solid 5th in the main.

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Third place finisher Matt Weidman cools off after a well fought and hard earned first podium. His team was all smiles after the young man from New York State carded his first Grand National podium of his young career. The #20 with the Million Dollar Smile now knows what it is like to get on the box in AMA Flat Track competition. Matt fought through the main with Bryan Smith and Jared Mees (among others) to put it there and looked like an old pro on the cushion at Lima in doing so. Look for more of Matt and company as the season progresses.

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Sammy Halbert, who for the second week in a row finished second to Henry Wiles in the main event, is interviewed by Cycle News' Larry Lawrence after the victory podium festivities had wound down. One of the lovely trophy girls looks on as the AMA track announcer winds down the evenings events for the crowd. Mister Consistency is lurking in the shadows of the series and it is too early in the season to not consider him a favorite for the title.

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The winningest tuner in AMA Flat Track Grand National competition is busy working on the #42 Werner/Springsteen Kawasakis of Bryan Smith. Bill Werner had his usual sly smile going all night and Smith worked his way through the upper middle of the pack to card a fourth place finish in the main. The first year team is slowly and quietly working it's way to the top of the points and is proving to be a great combination on AND off the track. With the King of the Wrenches and the Old Gun Slinger guiding their efforts, and rider Smith riding like a man on fire, it shouldn't be long before they are on, or on top, of the podium. This team is typical of the great infusion of new machinery to flat track and what can be done to run with the decades old H-D XRs.

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Joe Kopp, National #3 and the 2000 AMA Grand National Champion, talks with the fans in the pits during the fan walk through early Saturday evening with his Latus Motors XR sitting idly beside him and the Lloyd Brother Ducatis behind him. The XR didn't see any action at Lima as the Ducati team with Smokin' Joe on the seat is proving to be a great combination. Although they struggled to a 9th place finish, and were lapped by winner Henry Wiles in the main, after only their first half mile, Kopp did get second in his heat to Wiles and is coming to grips with the power capabilities of the Ducati. Keep an eye on these guys as the season is young, and so is their partnership, and the talent within the team should see their progression rise as well in the series.

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Mick Kirkness and his #87 Suzuki crew wait for rider intros before the main. After transfering out of his semi, the Man from Down Under finished 16th in the final after rolling into the infield silent and smelling of burnt metal. Kirkness looked solid in practice and through out the evening in getting into the main. If the team can get passed their mechanical gremlins, they should be able to run up closer to the front. This is one of the entries this year that should look good on the mile tracks once they get everything dialed in.

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Lima main event winner Henry Wiles rolls up after his victory lap and hands his Mike and Eddie Adkins H-D XR off to one of the team members after dominating on the half mile cushion track and winning by over 6.5 seconds over second place Sammy Halbert. With this being his second win in half mile competition in only eight events, and having already won at Springfield on the TT in May and nailing the Gas City short track event the week before Lima, all Hammerin' Hank and his team needs are a mile win to round out the dirt track grand slam. After the last few weeks, everyone should be watching Henry and Co. very closely.

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Enjoy the Lima review and we'll have more next week after the holiday.

Have a great Independence Day and remember our country while you are celebrating.

Happy 234th America!

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