Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp crushed the AMA Superstock lap record during qualifying Friday at Mid-Ohio to earn pole position for Saturday’s 16-lap race. Rapp’s best lap of 1:29.782 bettered Mike Smith’s mark of 1:31.075 set in 2002 by nearly 1.3 seconds.

“It was just like any other lap,” said Rapp. “I just held it on a little longer, braked a little deeper and got on the gas a little sooner all the way around. My GSX-R750 and my Michelin tires were awesome. I felt like I was hooked up on rails.”

Attack Suzuki’s Josh Hayes, Hooters Suzuki’s Vincent Haskovec and Team EMGO Taiwan’s Chris “Opie” Caylor also qualified on the front row with times faster than the old lap record time. In fact, eight riders recorded laps faster than the old record during qualifying Friday.

The session was stopped near the halfway point when Annandale Honda’s Ty Howard crashed in turn nine and needed medical attention. Howard suffered a concussion and was transported to a local hospital for a CT scan, according to Team Manager Anna Johnston.

Friday was Howard’s first time back on track after fracturing his hip in a crash while racing at Pikes Peak International Raceway May 31.

Provisional AMA Superstock Qualifying Results:

1. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:29.782
2. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.003
3. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.348
4. Chris Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.385
5. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:30.402
6. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.432
7. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.493
8. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:30.808
9. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.242
10. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:31.250
11. Brian Stokes, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.594
12. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.737
13. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:31.894
14. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.896
15. Greg Moore, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.919
16. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:32.021
17. Marty Craggill, Honda CBR600RR, 1:32.126
18. John Dugan, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.254
19. Lance Isaacs, Honda CBR600RR, 1:32.397
20. Ty Howard, Honda CBR600RR, 1:32.500
21. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.546
22. Jamie Stauffer, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:33.239
23. Darren Luck, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.684
24. Jeff Muskopf, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.781
25. Jeff Bostrom, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.864
26. Chris Peris, Honda CBR600RR, 1:33.909
27. Jason Peters, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:33.967
28. Chris Rankin, Honda CBR600RR, 1:33.967
29. Kevin Pate, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.288
30. Steve Atlas, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.327
31. Tom Wertman, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.340
32. Danny Eslick, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.369
33. Travis King, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:34.715
34. Mike Scruggs, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:35.025
35. Corey Eaton, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:35.109
36. Dr. Jeffrey Purk, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:36.098
37. Jake Johnson, Honda CBR600, 1:36.296
38. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:36.322
39. Nathan Dressman, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:36.543
40. Daniel Doty, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:36.749
41. Joseph Ford, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:36.863
42. James Kerker, Honda CBR600F4i, 1:37.086
43. Giovanni Rojas, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:37.210
44. Matt Malterer, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:37.662
45. Michael Kosta, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:38.339
46. Michael Radke, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:38.551
47. Paul Timman, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:38.714
DNQ. David Alley, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:40.622

More, from a press release issued by Marietta Motorsports:

1-888-FASTLAP RIDERS AT MID-OHIO: STOKES WINS AMA HORIZON AWARD, CAYLOR ON
FRONT ROW FOR 750 SUPERSTOCK RACE

LEXINGTON, Oh. – 1-888-FASTLAP’S Brian Stokes and Opie Caylor have had a busy and successful week at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, as each rider has earned new achievements in their racing careers.

Stokes participated in the AMA Grand Championship, held prior to the weekend’s AMA event. Stokes was riding at Mid-Ohio for the first time, and had only four practice sessions before the first race. “The first time I was on the track, I didn’t like it,” commented Stokes. “The third time out, I realized that all of the concrete patches wouldn’t be a problem, and then I hooked up with a couple of guys and that helped.”

Stokes was on the race podium five times during the Grand Championship on the Team Embry/FREEWEBTOWN.com Suzuki GSX-R600 and GSX-R750 machines. He won Supersport and Formula Xtreme, finished second in Middleweight Superbike
and Superbike, and took third in Superstock.

At the end of the event, Stokes was announced as the winner of the annual AMA Sports Horizon Award, a prestigious award that is given to the racer does the best during the Grand Championship and who shows the most potential as a professional racer. Caylor won the Horizon Award in 2002, meaning that a 1-888-FASTLAP rider has been the recipient for the past two years.

“I was really surprised to win the Horizon Award,” enthused Stokes. “The company I am in with that- guys like Nicky Hayden- everybody that has won has gone on to bigger and better things. It’s the biggest accomplishment in road racing that I’ve ever had, and will probably ever have. It’s a big honor and a great privilege.”

Following the Grand Championship, Stokes and Caylor began practice for the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock race. In qualifying, Caylor turned a fast lap of 1:30.385 on the 1-888-FASTLAP/Team EMGO Taiwan Suzuki GSX-R750 to qualify fourth. It is the best qualifying position Caylor has earned in the series, and it will be his first start from the front row.

Stokes qualified 11th with a time of 1:31.594 on his Suzuki GSX-R750. It was his best time of the entire weekend, and he will start the race from the third row.

The Superstock race will be held on Saturday, July 26, at 3:00 pm EDT.

More, from a press release issued by Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki:

Rapp On Superstock Pole At Mid-Ohio, Re-signs With Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki For 2004

Steve Rapp further cemented his place among the Superstock elite on Friday at Mid-Ohio, qualifying the Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R750 on the pole. The 30-year-old posted a blistering 1:29.782 to claim the honor, more a second beneath than the old track record.

Rapp, the 1998 Mid-Ohio Superstock victor, will be looking to get back to his winning ways in tomorrow’s 16-lap final at the tricky Midwestern track. The Californian saw his two-race win streak snapped last time out at Laguna Seca, when he was forced off track on the opening lap by another rider and made a spirited charge back into the top five.

“We’re on pole again in Superstock, which is great. The bike is handling really well, doing everything I’d like it to do. Thanks to the team for all their hard work,” Steve said after taking pole. “I think there is some more time left in the bike though. I think we can go even faster.

Rapp has re-signed with the team for the 2004 season. “Re-signing with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki is fantastic. This year has been my best season in a long time and I think we can continue moving forward next year.”

“It’s great to have Steve coming back again,” said Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Keith Perry. “You know he’s always going to give you 100% when he’s out there, and you can’t ask for more than that. We’re starting to get a good understanding of working together and have made some big strides lately. We expect even bigger things in the future.”

Rapp was also in the top ten during both Formula Xtreme practices on Friday.

Defending Mid-Ohio Superstock winner Chris Ulrich will start from third row in his bid to repeat. Ulrich improved upon his morning and afternoon practice rankings to qualify 12th.

Team manager Keith Perry commented further on the team’s Friday. “Today went reasonably well for us. We’re really happy with how things are going on the 750 but we’ve got some work to do yet on the Formula Xtreme bike. This is a tough place to sort out a bigger bike.”

Matt Furtek went home to consult with his doctors after practice on Friday, due to problems with numbness in his right hand.