Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom is sitting out AMA Superbike qualifying Friday afternoon and may not race this weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course due to injuries he suffered July 13 in a crash during the World Superbike races at Laguna Seca Raceway.

“I don’t feel so good, obviously,” said Bostrom Friday in the Kawasaki transporter.

After making 20 laps in Superbike practice Friday morning, it became evident to Bostrom that he would not be able to ride competitively this weekend.

“The torn muscle in my ribs on the left side…I can’t turn the bike with that side of my body,” explained Bostrom. “The air in my lungs just evaporates, and it doesn’t come back. I thought I could push the bike around with my right side, but the (shoulder) dislocation is not so good. I thought it wasn’t so bad, but I guess it’s worse than I thought. Basically, I can’t turn the bike with my upper body.”

Wearing a therapeutic ice-water-and-compression wrap, Bostrom said he would wait and see how he feels in Saturday morning’s Superbike qualifying session before deciding whether he would race or not, but he added that he wouldn’t go out and just circulate for points. “I don’t think the team wants that, and I know I don’t want to do that,” said Bostrom.

Eric Bostrom is currently second in the AMA Superbike point standings, six points behind Mat Mladin, with three rounds and six races remaining.