Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The AMA Superbike field in 2003 will consist of American Honda, Ducati teams and privateers.

That’s the word from industry insiders, who say that Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha will abandon AMA Pro Racing’s designated premier class in 2003.

The three are reacting to the as-yet-unannounced final AMA Pro rules for 2003, which, rivals say, guarantee Honda’s full-factory program the Superbike Championship by allowing the RC51 Superbike to compete in its current configuration without giving Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha 1000cc four-cylinder machines any hope of being competitive.

Kawasaki will race in 600cc Supersport and Superstock with the ZX-6R, Yoshimura Suzuki will compete in Formula Xtreme and Supersport with the GSX-R1000 and GSX-R600, and Yamaha will compete in Formula Xtreme and Supersport with the YZF-R1 and YZF-R6.

With Kawasaki running a full factory, ZX-6R-based effort in AMA Superstock, the other Japanese factories may also run front-line factory bikes and riders in what used to 750cc Supersport. The effect will be the same as if there were two Supersport classes instead of one Supersport class and one Superstock class.

That, combined with full factory teams in Formula Xtreme, will eliminate any hope a private rider or team has of success (if success is defined as winning races) at AMA Nationals–unless they’re running in the 250cc Grand Prix class, which is scheduled to be eliminated for 2004.

The rules package is also expected to reduce the number of support teams and paid rides in AMA Pro Racing, since manufacturers will not be competing in as many classes, and thus will not need additional teams and riders to compete in the place of dedicated Superbike teams and riders.