Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Yamaha’s Anthony Gobert continued to set the pace during AMA team testing at California Speedway Thursday with a new unofficial lap record of 1:25.748, 0.4-second faster than Gobert’s previous best from Wednesday. Gobert continues to gain speed as he becomes more familiar with his new, more powerful 2002 Yamaha YZF-R7 Superbike and more comfortable with the 2.36-mile infield road course, but Gobert admits that a new change to the turn one chicane helped him better his time.

For Thursday, AMA Pro Racing’s Gary Mathers moved the third and final apex of the turn one chicane 100 feet farther from the entrance. Riders felt that the change made the chicane faster and easier to muscle their bikes through, but some riders, like Gobert and Mat Mladin, still do not like the chicane.

“They may not like it,” said Mathers on pit lane Thursday morning. “But I’m trying to keep them safe.” Mahers added that the current turn one chicane was “about the 19th” version he had tried, and unless something unexpected happened Thursday afternoon that the chicane would stay as it is for the April national.

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Tom Kipp was the fastest Formula Xtreme rider Thursday morning with a 1:27.979 on his Todd Fenton-tuned GSX-R1000, while Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster lept to the top of the 600cc Supersport time sheets with a 1:28.651, making him the first 600cc rider in the 1:28s at California Speedway.

Buckmaster’s lap was confirmed as legitimate after several other riders questioned the time. In his final stint of the test on his YZF-R6, Buckmaster put on new tires and turned a 1:28.774 followed by his 1:28.651. Buckmaster’s previous best 600cc lap time from Wednesday was a 1:29.4.

“Let Tommy (Hayden) chase that time around the rest of the day,” joked Buckmaster of the previous fastest 600cc Supersport rider at the Fontana facility. Buckmaster will spend Thursday afternoon on his Formula Xtreme Yamaha.

Most times should fall as the test comes to a close, since Dunlop qualifying tires have been seen on pit lane already.

Unofficial Thursday Morning Lap Times:

1. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R7, 1:25.748
2. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:26.267
3. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:26.407
4. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:26.675**
5. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:27.012
6. Tom Kipp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.979
7. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:28.651
8. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:29.221
9. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:29.275
10. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.559
11. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:29.641
12. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:30.632
13. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.447
14. Tom Kipp, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:31.996
15. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.812

**Cut lap. Hacking’s actual best lap time, according to Crew Chief Jerry Daggett, was a 1:27.01.